E-Mail Bible Class
Galatians
BC Weekly Digest Monday, August 16 1999 In this issue: Galatians 3:15-18 Galatians 3:19-22 Galatians 3:6,7 Galatians 3:19,20 Galatians 3:14 Galatians 3:15-18 Galatians 3:15-18 (OPV) 15 Brethren, humanly speaking, even the ratified testament of a man cannot be annulled or supplemented by anyone. 16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say: And to [his] seeds, as though [speaking] to many, but as though [speaking] to one: And to your seed, who is Christ. 17 Now this [is what] I am saying: A testament previously ratified by God is not annulled by the law (which came four hundred and thirty years later) so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance depends on law, it no longer depends on a promise. But God had graciously given it to Abraham by means of a promise. (Comments by Roy Davison) *3:15 "Humanly speaking" Paul is using an every-day example to illustrate the point he is going to make. *3:15 "Even the ratified testament of a man cannot be annulled or supplemented by anyone" False teachers were trying to add to the gospel certain stipulations and conditions from the law of Moses. They were not even authorized to do such a thing with regard to a mere human testament, let alone to a promise ratified by God. The same Greek word can mean testament or covenant depending on the context. Here it probably should be translated "testament" since the word "inheritance" is used in verse 18. God's promise to Abraham is thus described as a testament granting an inheritance. *3:16 "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed" This refers to Genesis 22:16-18. "By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because thou hast obeyed my voice" (ASV). See also Genesis 12:7; 13:15 and 17:7,8. *3:16 "It does not say: And to [his] seeds, as though [speaking] to many, but as though [speaking] to one: And to your seed, who is Christ" Some have questioned the validity of Paul's argument made on the basis of the singular form of the word "seed" since this word can also be used to represent all his descendants. In doing so, however, they are missing the point of Paul's argument, and taking it farther than is actually stated. Paul does not say that this word, because of its grammatical form, MUST refer to one person only, but that it CAN and DOES apply to one person, which is the actual meaning in the light of Messianic prophesies and their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Even the land promises did not apply to all of Abraham's descendants, since Isaac (and not Ishmael) was the promised son, and since Jacob was selected as patriarch (and not Esau). With regard to the promise of spiritual blessings, anyone who reads the history of Israel must admit that MANY of Jacob's descendants, because of their wickedness and idolatry, could not possibly receive the spiritual blessings promised to Abraham and his seed. Paul is simply stating that the blessing of all nations "in his seed" would be accomplished by one certain descendant, Jesus Christ. In the same way that Isaac and Jacob were heads of a restricted lineage, Christ would be the seed through whom spiritual blessings would flow. See verses 28 and 29. *3:17 "A testament previously ratified by God is not annulled by the law (which came four hundred and thirty years later) so as to make the promise void." The blessing for all nations was based on a promise to Abraham, and did not result from the law of Moses, which was never intended to accomplish that purpose. *3:18 "For if the inheritance depends on law, it no longer depends on a promise." It was therefore wrong for these false teachers to try to make this blessing dependent on keeping the law of Moses. To do so was to violate the promise of God! Paul defines this inheritance in his letter to the Romans: "For not through the law was the promise to Abraham or to his seed that he should be heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith" (Rom 4:13 ASV). See also Galatians 4:7 and Romans 8:17. *3:18 "But God had graciously given it to Abraham by means of a promise." This blessing for all nations had been promised to Abraham more than four hundred years before the law of Moses. How then could this blessing be made dependent on keeping the law? One word in Greek is translated here as "graciously given." The word refers not merely to a gift, but to a free gift by the grace of God. Roy Davison ------------------------------ Galatians 3:19-22 Galatians 3:19-22 (ASV) 19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; [and it was] ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one; but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law. 22 But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (Comments by Howard Justice) *3:19 "What then is the law?" Paul asks the question, "What is the purpose of the law (of God)?" Of course, it's existence had to serve some specific purpose in the plan of God Almighty. God is not the author of confusion but has "ordered" the existence of everything good in this life (James 1:17). *3:19 "It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; [and it was] ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator." He then begins to explain what many Jews had forgotten: that it was necessary to show the creation of God that they could not live above sin because they had allowed sin into the world through the original sin of Adam and Eve. In God's response to those three before He ejected them from the Garden of Eden, He told the serpent, "... I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." Of course this "seed" was referring to the arrival of Jesus Christ through the tribe of Judah. *3:20 "Now a mediator is not [a mediator] of one; but God is one." Moses was the mediator of the Old Covenant. Christ would be the mediator of the New Covenant, who would restore the bond of love and fellowship between God and man by making the supreme sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin that had not been able to happen until He came and gave His precious life. Under both the Patriarchal period as well as the Law of Moses, the forgiveness of sin was impossible except in looking forward to the coming Lamb of God, because the blood of "bulls and goats" could not take away sins (Hebrews 9:11-14). *3:21 "Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law." Paul reiterates what the writer of Hebrews has stated: that the forgiveness of sin didn't come through the "keeping of the law" but only through obedient faith. Keeping the law does not automatically signify that you agree with, or have faith in, the lawgiver. Therefore just keeping the law is not significant. Even thieves are said to have honor for their own laws. But, it requires first that one have a deep and abiding faith in the law-giver before he can be pleasing to the law-giver. So it is with becoming a Christian. We must have faith in God before we will ever be pleasing to Him (Hebrews 11:6). *3:22 "But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe"(ASV). The pages of the Old Testament sealed men's fate because nowhere in its precious pages was man ever given the forgiveness of sin until Christ came. God made such promises in several prophecies but the most prominent is Jeremiah 31:31-34 which we have already mentioned in an earlier lesson: "Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they break, although I was a husband unto them, saith Jehovah. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith Jehovah: I will put my law in their inward parts, and in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: and they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Jehovah: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more." To this end the death of Christ made us free from the burden of the law because it has given mankind the ability to truly be free from the curse of sin and to be restored to the household of God (John 1:12). Amen. Howard Justice ------------------------------ Galatians 3:6,7 Galatians 3:6,7(OPV) Just like Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness, likewise you know that people of faith are sons of Abraham. (Comments by J.Lee Roberts) *3:6"Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness" Abraham's faith found for him God's righteousness - a righteousness that can never be found in law- keeping ( Romans 3:28; 9:30-33).His faith embodied the demands put down by God - love and obedience (Deuteronomy 10:12-11:1; Galatians 5:6,7; 1 John 5:2,3). Notice that sincere love sums up the righteous demands of the law. Jesus describes these demands in Matthew 22:36-40:' Love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself'. Such love fulfills the law and brings it to its desired goal (Romans 13:8-10). This is in fact the new commandment of Christ and the message God intended for us from the beginning (John 13:34; 1 John 2:7; 3:11). In Hebrews 11:1-3,6 the writer, after defining faith, declares Abraham an example of such faith when he obeyed the Lord's instructions and trusted His promises (Hebrews 11:8-19).Don't fail to notice that Abraham did believe that God rewards those who seek Him and he trusted His providential care according to His promises - even looking forward to a heavenly city - rather that an earthly one! By faith he considered God able to raise Isaac from the dead (11:17-19)! It is worth noting that God credited Abraham as righteous, even when his faith was at a low ebb (read Genesis 15:1-6), before he received the covenant of circumcision in Genesis 17:10 and before the law was given to Moses 430 years later. Abraham received God's approval by faith without the law or circumcision! But false teachers were telling the Galatians that one had to be circumcised and keep the law in order to participate in the promise made to Abraham! We must declare with all scripture that God credits righteousness by faith apart from works of law ( Compare Habakkuk 2:4 , Romans 4:6-14 and Galatians 5:6)."For is Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love (Galatians 5:6 RSV). It is those today that have such faith that are children of God and inherit with Abraham those precious promises. J.Lee Roberts ------------------------------ Galatians 3:19,20 Galatians 3:19,20 (OPV) 19 Why then the law? With regard to transgressions, it was added until the seed should come to whom the promise was made, being decreed by angels [and placed] in the hand of a mediator. 20 But of one he is not the mediator. But God is one. (Comments by Roy Davison) *3:19 "Why then the law?" Since the promise took precedence, why was the law given at all? What was its function? *3:19 "With regard to transgressions, it was added" In his letter to Timothy, Paul explains "that law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and unruly, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for abusers of themselves with men, for menstealers, for liars, for false swearers, and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine" (1 Tim 2:9,10). The law was given to define, repress and expose sin by making it into transgression. The law defines sin: "Through the law [cometh] the knowledge of sin" (Rom 3:20). Man's personal responsibility for his actions is at the heart of the matter, coupled with his accountability to God. Even without law, man has a sense of right and wrong, a knowledge of good and evil (see Rom 1:18-31; 2:14-16). Yet, without direct guidance from God, man's definition of good and evil is not refined or accurate in all respects. Sin can exist purely on the basis of this natural concept of right and wrong, but sin is brought into focus when it becomes a violation (transgression) of known law. "Where there is no law, neither is there transgression" (Rom 4:15). This does not mean, however, there is no sin without a formal law. "Until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no law" (Rom 5:13). Law furnishes a concrete norm. Through law, sin becomes a clearly defined transgression. This applies both in the moral realm and in the religious realm. "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8 ASV). God's laws give a reliable definition of moral right and wrong. In addition, as Creator and Sovereign, God is worthy of honor and has every right to tell us how to worship and serve Him. In this area we can only know what God wants us to do through His word. This greater knowledge is beneficial. It helps a society repress evil. Warnings can be given about moral dangers: "Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal" (Exodus 20:13-15). In addition, God has also given instructions for worship. His requirements in this regard have differed in various periods of history. This increased understanding, although beneficial, also increases our responsibility, and therefore magnifies sin by increasing the number of transgressions. "And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound" (Rom 5:20). In his letter to the Romans, Paul discusses this principle as it related to his own life when he passed from childhood (without an understanding of God's requirements) into knowledge of law and its consequences. "What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet: but sin, finding occasion, wrought in me through the commandment all manner of coveting: for apart from the law sin [is] dead. And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; and the commandment, which [was] unto life, this I found [to be] unto death: for sin, finding occasion, through the commandment beguiled me, and through it slew me" (Rom 7:7-11). Law defines sin, represses sin, and reveals the consequences of sin, both natural and judicial. Sin is harmful to the individual and to society in the natural realm. For example, Paul says that persons engaging in homosexual practices receive within their own selves a penalty for their error (Rom 1:26,27). But there is also a judicial punishment for sin. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ez 18:20). "For the wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23). So, the law was added with regard to transgressions. God's law provides a norm that shows us how sinful we are, and it reveals to us the natural and eternal consequences of sin. *3:19 "Until the seed should come to whom the promise was made" The law of Moses was a temporary measure. Its purpose was to deal with sin in Israel until Christ should come through whom the promise of blessing for all nations would be realized. *3:19 "Being decreed by angels" Stephen said that Israel "received the law as it was ordained by angels" (Acts 7:53). The writer of Hebrews also mentions the involvement of angels in the giving of the law of Moses: "For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward..." (Heb 2:2). The law was given by God for a grand purpose and it came with awesome power. Yet, because Israel was a worldly nation composed of sinful men, many of whom did not have the faith of Abraham, we notice that a distance was maintained between God and the people. The promise to Abraham, on the other hand, had been given in a direct and personal way. Abraham was the friend of God (James 2:23). *3:19 "[And placed] in the hand of a mediator" Moses, with the law in his hand, was a mediator between God and the people of Israel. "I stood between Jehovah and you at that time, to show you the word of Jehovah: for ye were afraid because of the fire, and went not up into the mount" (Deut. 5:5). *3:20 "But of one he is not the mediator" A mediator serves two parties, not just one. Moses was a mediator between God and the people of Israel. His mediation was required because of the transgressions of the people. But Moses was not the mediator of the one seed to whom the promise was given. He was without transgression and did not require a mediator. Rather, He Himself became the true Mediator. "For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, [himself] man, Christ Jesus" (1 Tim 2:5 ASV). *3:20 "But God is one" "Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah" (Deut 6:4 ASV). "To us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him" (1 Cor 8:6 ASV). Roy Davison ------------------------------ Galatians 3:14 Galatians 3:14 (OPV) "So the blessing of Abraham might be for the nations in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." ( Comments by J.Lee Roberts ) Jesus said that His work as the good shepherd was to bring his 'other sheep'(Gentiles) into one sheepfold, making one flock, having one shepherd (John 10:14-16). This is the 'good news' announced to Abraham - that through his seed - Christ - all nations were to be blessed, not Jews only (3:8,16). The apostle Paul said this was hidden in past ages but is now revealed to us in writing: "that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel" (Ephesians 3:3-6 NKJV). Through a vision Peter learned that God makes no difference between Jew and Gentile - accepting people of every nation - saying "God has granted to the gentiles repentance to life" (Acts 10:34,35;11:18). And in his message on Pentecost, Peter announced the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on 'all flesh', opening the door of God's sheepfold to "whoever calls on the name of the Lord"(Acts 2:16-21). And in response to those who heard his message that day and were convicted of their sins, Peter told them how to avail themselves of the blessings of the promise:'Repent and be baptized and you will be forgiven and receive the gift of the Spirit'. "For the promise is to you(Jews), and to your children, and to all who are far off(Gentiles), as many as the Lord our God will call"(Acts 2:37-42 NKJV). Those who put on Christ through an obedient faith are heirs of the gospel promise made to Abraham.(Galatians 3:26-29). J.Lee Roberts