Galatians 3:15-25·~1 min

The Purpose of the Law

Paul argues from ordinary covenant practice that once a covenant is established it is not later annulled or amended. So the promises spoken to Abraham and to his seed, which Paul names as Christ, are not overturned by the law that came four hundred and thirty years later, and inheritance remains a matter of promise rather than law.

B¹⁵rothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended. ¹⁶The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ. ¹⁷What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

Why then the law, Paul asks: it was added because of transgressions until the promised seed should come. It is not opposed to God's promises, but it cannot give life; instead Scripture shuts everything up under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ may be given to those who believe.

¹⁹Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator. ²⁰A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one. ²¹Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. ²²But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.

Before faith came, Paul says, people were held in custody under the law until what was coming would be revealed. In that sense the law served as a guardian leading toward Christ, but now that faith has come, that guarded condition no longer remains.

²³Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. ²⁴So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

Section summaryPaul argues that God's prior promise to Abraham cannot be annulled by the law that came later, since inheritance by promise and inheritance by law are not the same kind of thing. The law was added because of transgressions and functioned for a time under restraint and mediation, but it could never give life; instead it held everything under sin until the promised faith in Christ was revealed.

Role in the chapterThis section places the law within the larger history of promise rather than against it as an equal rival. It narrows the law's role and duration so the permanence of the promise will stand clear.