BRUCE C WEARNE continues his examination of Galatians, chapter three…
Why then [was] the law [given]? It was added [to the life of those who inherited the Promise] because of transgressions until the offspring should come to those to whom the Promise had been made, being administered by angels [messengers] under the hand of a go-between. Now a go-between implies more than one, but God is one.
Is the law then against the Promises of God? Certainly not. For if a law had been given which was capable of making [those subject to it] alive, then righteousness would have been by the law. But the [entire] Scripture assigns everything to sin, in order that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
But before faith came, we were remanded under the law, in the meantime kept under close guard until faith was disclosed. So then the law was our schoolmaster until Christ came, that we might [indeed] be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a school-master; for through faith in Christ Jesus all of you are children of God. Further, as many of you who were baptised into Christ have put [your new nature in] Christ on. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to [that] promise. – Galatians 3:19-29/transliteration by Bruce C Wearne
The classroom of the Law has been “historically left behind with Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, united by faith in Christ Jesus”, says Bruce C Wearne. PICTURE: Carolina Jacomin/Unsplash
IN A NUTSHELL
So why was the Law given and what are the consequences now?
The Promise was as good as ratified when the Lord took the initiative and gave His Promise to Abraham. In human transactions, once a will is ratified then what the benefactor bequeathes passes lawfully to those identified in the will as beneficiaries. But when Paul discusses the Law (Torah), he is also discussing why the Law was given in order to serve those who were identified in the Promise as the ones who would carry it, the ones whose life would keep the Promise alive. They are the people of the Promise. Why would they need this Law added to their inheritance?
In the first instance, Paul’s answer is related to what he assumes about the inheritance. What is the inheritance? The Benefactor had said to Abraham that through his offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed. He had said to him “I am your inheritance. Believe it. Through you, and your seed, I will indeed form a people, a people of my Promise who shall be a blessing to the whole earth.” That was the assurance of the Lord, a Promise to watch over Abraham and his progeny throughout their generations, as they waited in faith for the Lord to fulfil His Promise. When it was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ, the Blessing, the Bequest, would be realised and God Himself would dwell with His people, the people who received His promise by faith, and He would continue to walk with them.
The Lord Himself was with His people, at their side as their special Ambassador (verse 20), God was His own “go-between” whose influence upon their life had great effect, as Moses co-operated with God’s messengers (angels), to remind God’s People of their Lord’s long-suffering mercy: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love unto the thousandth generation…” (Exodus 34:6-7).
It was by his very own “verified signature” (literally, “by the hand of an intermediary” Galatians 3:19) that the Promise was kept alive in the lives of the People by the giving of the Law. So the Law came – 430 years after the Promise was given to Abraham – with the Lord, through Moses, saying to the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, “You are indeed my people according to My Promise. Torah does not make you into the People of the Promise. Only my Promise does that. In the meantime, continue to believe Me, listen to Torah, for that will tell you how the People of Promise live their lives in hope. The Torah is not the Promise nor the Promise’s fulfillment – it is, purely and simply, My Law for My People to remind them whenever they need reminding of who they are by helping them to remember who I am to them. My Promise is my beginning to work with you but it does not stop there – remember my Promise to Abraham – through his seed I will bless all the peoples of the earth. This is the pathway on which you shall walk as you look forward in faith to Me keeping my Promise. That promise was ratified when I gave it. I am [as good as] my Word.”
Paul continues to discuss Torah as a prison, remanding all who were under judgment for sin. This coincides with that part of the story of God’s working with Israel when they were in exile, (that is, the prophets) and thereby keeping those who were potentially wayward from the evil consequences of their own wilful wandering from His paths. Even when in exile, the Promise could still be heard with full effect in their hearts and they were called to keep it alive generation to generation.
Paul also refers to Torah as a strict tutor or schoolmaster (literally, personal trainer of children) who keeps God’s people focused upon God’s purposes across the full gamut of human experience. This then acts of the source of wisdom to live as the Messiah’s people when living in the land the Lord God had given to them. In Israel, God was indeed busy making a people who would have right standing with Himself.
So, the Lord’s Promise didn’t need ratification and, now that faith has come, the classroom of the Law (Israel) is historically left behind with Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, united by faith in Christ Jesus. A massive change has taken place, although it is the change brought about by a coming which simply brings the discipline Torah provided to completion – the fulfilment of the Promise to Abraham has come. The One who revealed Himself to Abraham as El Shaddai saw that His peculiar people needed a Law by which they could be kept within bounds on their side of the covenant until the time of Promise arrived. Now, Paul reiterates, you Galatians are, or should be, part of the completion of that process, the evidence of that for all to see.
It had come to visible, self-evident expression when Paul first proclaimed his Gospel to the Galatians (3:1-2). The discipline of the Lord in its fulness has been meted out upon the One who alone could receive it, the cursed One, the One who was hanging on a tree, the same Person who is now the risen ascended occupant of the right hand of God’s Power: “This is my Son, my beloved in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17, 17:5, Mark 1:11, 9:7).
OPEN BOOK – PAUL’S GALATIAN LETTER: BELIEVING THE PROMISE AND FORSAKING FOOLISHNESS, PART IV
BRUCE C WEARNE continues his examination of Galatians, chapter three…
Why then [was] the law [given]? It was added [to the life of those who inherited the Promise] because of transgressions until the offspring should come to those to whom the Promise had been made, being administered by angels [messengers] under the hand of a go-between. Now a go-between implies more than one, but God is one.
Is the law then against the Promises of God? Certainly not. For if a law had been given which was capable of making [those subject to it] alive, then righteousness would have been by the law. But the [entire] Scripture assigns everything to sin, in order that what was promised to faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
But before faith came, we were remanded under the law, in the meantime kept under close guard until faith was disclosed. So then the law was our schoolmaster until Christ came, that we might [indeed] be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a school-master; for through faith in Christ Jesus all of you are children of God. Further, as many of you who were baptised into Christ have put [your new nature in] Christ on. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to [that] promise. – Galatians 3:19-29/transliteration by Bruce C Wearne
The classroom of the Law has been “historically left behind with Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, united by faith in Christ Jesus”, says Bruce C Wearne. PICTURE: Carolina Jacomin/Unsplash
IN A NUTSHELL
So why was the Law given and what are the consequences now?
The Promise was as good as ratified when the Lord took the initiative and gave His Promise to Abraham. In human transactions, once a will is ratified then what the benefactor bequeathes passes lawfully to those identified in the will as beneficiaries. But when Paul discusses the Law (Torah), he is also discussing why the Law was given in order to serve those who were identified in the Promise as the ones who would carry it, the ones whose life would keep the Promise alive. They are the people of the Promise. Why would they need this Law added to their inheritance?
In the first instance, Paul’s answer is related to what he assumes about the inheritance. What is the inheritance? The Benefactor had said to Abraham that through his offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed. He had said to him “I am your inheritance. Believe it. Through you, and your seed, I will indeed form a people, a people of my Promise who shall be a blessing to the whole earth.” That was the assurance of the Lord, a Promise to watch over Abraham and his progeny throughout their generations, as they waited in faith for the Lord to fulfil His Promise. When it was fulfilled with the coming of Jesus Christ, the Blessing, the Bequest, would be realised and God Himself would dwell with His people, the people who received His promise by faith, and He would continue to walk with them.
The Lord Himself was with His people, at their side as their special Ambassador (verse 20), God was His own “go-between” whose influence upon their life had great effect, as Moses co-operated with God’s messengers (angels), to remind God’s People of their Lord’s long-suffering mercy: “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love unto the thousandth generation…” (Exodus 34:6-7).
It was by his very own “verified signature” (literally, “by the hand of an intermediary” Galatians 3:19) that the Promise was kept alive in the lives of the People by the giving of the Law. So the Law came – 430 years after the Promise was given to Abraham – with the Lord, through Moses, saying to the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, “You are indeed my people according to My Promise. Torah does not make you into the People of the Promise. Only my Promise does that. In the meantime, continue to believe Me, listen to Torah, for that will tell you how the People of Promise live their lives in hope. The Torah is not the Promise nor the Promise’s fulfillment – it is, purely and simply, My Law for My People to remind them whenever they need reminding of who they are by helping them to remember who I am to them. My Promise is my beginning to work with you but it does not stop there – remember my Promise to Abraham – through his seed I will bless all the peoples of the earth. This is the pathway on which you shall walk as you look forward in faith to Me keeping my Promise. That promise was ratified when I gave it. I am [as good as] my Word.”
Paul continues to discuss Torah as a prison, remanding all who were under judgment for sin. This coincides with that part of the story of God’s working with Israel when they were in exile, (that is, the prophets) and thereby keeping those who were potentially wayward from the evil consequences of their own wilful wandering from His paths. Even when in exile, the Promise could still be heard with full effect in their hearts and they were called to keep it alive generation to generation.
Paul also refers to Torah as a strict tutor or schoolmaster (literally, personal trainer of children) who keeps God’s people focused upon God’s purposes across the full gamut of human experience. This then acts of the source of wisdom to live as the Messiah’s people when living in the land the Lord God had given to them. In Israel, God was indeed busy making a people who would have right standing with Himself.
So, the Lord’s Promise didn’t need ratification and, now that faith has come, the classroom of the Law (Israel) is historically left behind with Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, united by faith in Christ Jesus. A massive change has taken place, although it is the change brought about by a coming which simply brings the discipline Torah provided to completion – the fulfilment of the Promise to Abraham has come. The One who revealed Himself to Abraham as El Shaddai saw that His peculiar people needed a Law by which they could be kept within bounds on their side of the covenant until the time of Promise arrived. Now, Paul reiterates, you Galatians are, or should be, part of the completion of that process, the evidence of that for all to see.
It had come to visible, self-evident expression when Paul first proclaimed his Gospel to the Galatians (3:1-2). The discipline of the Lord in its fulness has been meted out upon the One who alone could receive it, the cursed One, the One who was hanging on a tree, the same Person who is now the risen ascended occupant of the right hand of God’s Power: “This is my Son, my beloved in Whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17, 17:5, Mark 1:11, 9:7).
Donate
Sight+ is a new benefits program we’ve launched to reward people who have supported us with annual donations of $26 or more. To find out more about Sight+ and how you can support the work of Sight, head to our Sight+ page.
Musings
Biological pattern
TAKE PART IN THE SIGHT READER SURVEY!
We’re interested to find out more about you, our readers, as we improve and expand our coverage and so we’re asking all of our readers to take this survey (it’ll only take a couple of minutes).
To take part in the survey, simply follow this link…