Galatians Commentary:
I. Introduction (1:1-9)
II. Paul's Gospel and Authority (1:10-2:21)
III. Faith Alone Against Works-Gospel (3:1-5:12)
A. Works of Law or Faith? (3:1-9)
B. The Law Falls Short (3:10-14)
C. Law and Promise (3:15-22)
D. Bondage and Freedom (3:23-29)
E. Slaves and Sons (4:1-7)
F. How Can you Turn Back? (4:8-11)
G. Concerned Appeal (4:12-20)
H. Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31)
I. Faith Working through Love (5:1-12)
IV. New Life in the Spirit and Love (5:13-6:18)
Woe Unto Me by The Antunes
Johannes Brenz comments, "Paul calls the promise of God a covenant. This word shows that not only is the mercy of the one who promises it free but also that the promise itself is certain... If God had based it on our merits, then we would never be sure of our salvation. Of necessity we would remain in doubt forever. But now, in order for us to be certain, he has grounded it on the basis of his promise so that we might stand in judgment of God." (Explanation of Galatians, Reformation Commentary on Scripture: IVP, NT vol 10, 2011).
C. John Collins comments, "If Paul really was alluding to Genesis 22:18, then his point was that the 'offspring' there was a single individual, not a group of descendants. He further tells us that this single offspring was Christ (that is, Messiah)... This would mean that Paul, in alluding to this text, was drawing out the meaning that was already there in the Hebrew of Genesis." (Galatians 3:16: What Kind of Exegete was Paul?, Tydale Bulletin 54.1, 75-86).
Cyril of Jerusalem writes, "For the God of the two Testaments is One, Who in the Old Testament foretold the Christ Who appeared in the New; Who by the Law and the Prophets led us to Christ's school. For before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, and, the law has been our tutor to bring us unto Christ. And if ever thou hear any of the heretics speaking evil of the Law or the Prophets, answer in the sound of the Saviour's voice, saying, Jesus came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfil it. Learn also diligently, and from the Church, what are the books of the Old Testament, and what those of the New. And, pray, read none of the apocryphal writings: for why do you, who know not those which are acknowledged among all, trouble yourself in vain about those which are disputed?" (Catechetical Lecture 4, 33).
John Chrysostom writes, "But he calls it their 'own righteousness,' either because the Law was no longer of force, or because it was one of trouble and toil. But this he calls God's righteousness, that from faith, because it comes entirely from the grace from above, and because men are justified in this case, not by labors, but by the gift of God. But they that evermore resisted the Holy Ghost, and vexatiously tried to be justified by the Law, came not over to the faith. But as they did not come over to the faith, nor receive the righteousness thereupon ensuing, and were not able to be justified by the Law either, they were thrown out of all resources." (Homilies on Romans, Homily XVII, Rom 10:3).
Hilary of Poitiers writes, "Now, by the Law, sprinkling was a cleansing from sins; it purified the people through faith by the sprinkling of blood, of which this same blessed David thus speaks: Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop and I shall be cleansed; the Law, through faith, providing as a temporary substitute, in the blood of whole burnt-offerings, a type of the sprinkling with the blood of the Lord, which was to be. But this people, like the people of the Ziphims, being sprinkled on their face and not in their faith, and receiving the cleansing drops on their lips and not in their hearts, turned faithless and traitors towards their David, as God had foretold by the Prophet: This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me." (Homily on Psalm LIII).
Theodore of Mopsuestia comments, "If power were inherent in Torah such that those who were governed by it could be justified and attain eternal life as well, the Torah would undermine the Promise by providing justification all by itself, instead of the Promise providing justification. But the reality is just the opposite: Torah prohibits sin, but is powerless to rescue those who fall into it through the weakness of human nature. Torah therefore effectively exposes our feebleness, or rather our complete impotence, with regard to justification, and necessarily demonstrates our need for the Messiah's grace." (Commentary on Galatians, Paul's Letter to the Galatians: A Fourth-Century View, Bill Berg, 2015).
B. B. Warfield writes, " 'None is God,' says he, 'but one' (1 Cor 8:4); and he says it, as we have seen, in immediate connection with his recognition of 'one God, the Father' and 'one Lord, Jesus Christ' (cf. Rom 3:30, 16:27, Gal 3:20, Eph 4:6, 1 Tim 2:5). How, then, could he mean to set by the side of this 'one God the Father' the 'one Lord Jesus Christ' as a second, although somewhat inferior, God? And nothing could exceed the clearness and emphasis with which Paul represents Jesus' divine majesty not as an attainment but as an aboriginal possession." (The Lord of Glory, pg 134).
Augustine comments, "Is the law then against the promises of God? No way! If we had been given a law capable of vivifying, justice would actually come from the law. But the Scripture contained everything under sin, so that the promise would be granted to believers through faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore, the law was not given to eliminate sin, but to enclose everything under sin. For the law showed that sin existed, a sin that they, blinded by custom, could judge as justice: so that, humiliated in this way, they would know that their salvation was not in their power, but in that of the Mediator. It is humility above all that revokes us from the place where pride has thrown us. And the same humility is accommodated to the reception of the grace of Christ, who constitutes a unique example of humility." (Commentary on Galatians).
John of Damascus writes, "So let us knock at the very beautiful paradise of the Scriptures... Let us not knock casually, but with eagerness and persistence, and let us not lose heart while knocking, for so it will be opened to us. Should we read once and then a second time and still not understand what we are reading, let us not be discouraged. Rather, let us persist, let us meditate and inquire... let us draw everflowing and most pure waters springing up into life everlasting... for they contain the grace which cannot be exhausted." (Orthodox Faith: Book 4, The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, vol 37, ch 17, pg 374).
Hugh of Saint Victor writes, "All of Sacred Scripture is contained in two testaments, namely the Old and the New Testament…(the) writings of the Fathers are not included in the text of the Sacred Scriptures, just as in the Old Testament there are some books that not included in the canon but are still read.
Hence the holy Fathers, taught by the Holy Spirit, accepted only four authoritative Gospels…Paul wrote fourteen letters... there are seven canonical letters…Luke…wrote his Gospel to Theophilus, to whom he also dedicated his Acts of the Apostles…John the Apostle wrote the Apocalypse…These are the writers of the sacred books, who speaking by the Holy Spirit, wrote down for our instruction the precepts and rule of living. Besides these there are other volumes that are called apocryphal…Their origin is obscure and the holy fathers do not tell us by whom they were written. There is some truth in them, but because of their many errors they nevertheless have no canonical authority." (On the Sacred Scripture and Its Authors, Victorine Texts in Translation: Interpretation of Scripture, 2013, pgs 219 and 222).
In this verse, Paul is using a human analogy to explain the importance of the covenant of grace. He says that even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended. This is because a covenant is a binding agreement that is made between two or more parties. Once it is ratified, it is considered to be in effect and cannot be changed.
Paul is using this analogy to argue that the covenant of grace, which is made between God and humanity, is also binding and cannot be changed. The covenant of grace was ratified by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This means that it is now in effect and cannot be canceled or amended.
Ver 15. Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it.
Ver 16. Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ.
Ver 17. Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.
Ver 18. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.
Ver 19a. Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made.
Ver 19b. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
Ver 20. Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one.
Ver 21. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.
Ver 22. But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.