Galatians

3:25-29

4. Arguments in support of the proposition, 3:1-4:7

vi] The realization of the promised blessing of a worldwide people united before God, apart from the law, further proves that new life in Christ rests wholly on what Christ has done for us.

In 3:25-29 Paul outlines his sixth argument in support of his proposition that a person, who is in the right with God on the basis of the faithfulness of Christ, is freely able to appropriate the fullness of God's promised new life apart from law-obedience. It is obvious that the blessing of new life in Christ has nothing to do with our submission to the restrictive oppressive supervision of the Mosaic law. The Mosaic law, as a temporary measure designed to accentuate the Abrahamic covenant, is terminated for those in Christ. The promised blessing to Abraham of a worldwide people united before God is even now unfolding before our very eyes, and this, not on the basis of law obedience, but on the basis of what Christ has done for us. We are all one in Christ.

This section division is unresolved, eg. 3:15-29, Guthrie, ... 3:23-29, Fung, Ridderbos, ... 3:26-29, Longenecker, Bruce, George, Barnes, Dunn, .... 3:25-29, Dumbrell (Ridderbos treats v25 and 26 as one sentence whereby the contrast between slavery and sonship is established). Some commentators argue for a liturgical source for this passage although the arguments are less than convincing, eg. Betz, Longenecker, ... Again, this section addresses Paul's central argument. Paul here "sets out the positive reason for Christian living being apart from a nomistic lifestyle: because both Jewish and Gentile believers have been brought into a new spiritual experience as true sons of God because of their oneness in Christ", Longenecker.

Now that the age of faith has come "Mosaic law has no further restrictive role to play", Dumbrell.

de - "now that" - but, and. Again used to identify the next step in the argument. "Now that this faith is available."

thV pistewV (iV ewV) "faith" - of the faith. The definite article again indicates that Paul is speaking about a particular faith, "this faith", "the age of faith", an age that rests on Christ's faith/faithfulness appropriated by faith. See Galatians 2:16 for "faith [of Christ]".

elqoushV (ercomai) aor. part. "[now that faith] has come" - having come. Genitive absolute temporal participle, as NIV. The custodianship/confinement of the law that was in operation has ended in the coming of faith. A temporal sense is certainly present, an age when faith "is available", Dumbrell, but a logical sense is also present where "faith" (Christ's and ours) logically ends the subjection of the law. For the issue of the temporary "confinement" of the law see "until" in Galatians 3:19.

paidagwgon (oV) "[under] the supervision [of the law]" - [we are no longer under] a disciplinarian. See the notes on Galatians 3:24 for the function of the law in the terms of a paidagogos.

The remaining verses establish Paul's argument. All who believe in Christ are united to Christ, become one with Christ. Distinctives of birth are no more because of a believer's new birth in Christ, and since we are one in Christ, then we are, in our union with Christ, Abraham's seed, the children of promise. Since we believers are the children of promise, we all now share God's promised blessings, and this apart from the law.

gar "-" - for. The NEB, NRSV, TEV... translate the "for", since it most often expresses cause / reason although a consecutive (result) sense seems more likely here, so Garlington; we are no longer under the paidagogos because the age of faith in Christ has come, as a consequence we have become inheritors of the Abrahamic promise on the basis of what Christ has done for us ("faith of Christ"). "For the result is ....", Dumbrell

panteV ..... este "you are all" - "You" often indicates that Paul is addressing Gentiles, so here we may have "all you Gentiles", but it may well be a wider group, "all of you Galatians, both Jew and Gentile alike."

uiJoi qeou "sons of God" - The custodianship of the law has ended and believers have come of age as God's full-grown sons and daughters and so now possess both the freedom and responsibilities that this entails. Allan argues for a link with v16, "offspring / children", with the passage exegeting how the promise is fulfilled in the "offspring". "Children of God", NRSV.

dia thV pistewV en Cristw/ Ihsou "through faith in Christ Jesus" - Although the literal translation of these two prepositional phrases is followed by many translations, the NEB, TEV, NRSV... are to be preferred where both phrases are taken to modify "you are all sons of God" rather than "in Christ Jesus" modifying "through faith." The means by which we are "sons of God" is "through / by means of the faith", ie. the faith/faithfulness of Christ appropriated through faith; See Galatians 2:16 for "faith of Christ". The ground upon which we are accepted as God's sons is our "union with Christ Jesus." "It is through faith that you are all sons of God in union with Christ Jesus", REB.

gar "for" - Although not found in all translations, this conjunction plays an important role in showing that the clause further explains why "you are all sons of God."

oJsoi pro. "all of you" - as many as, as many of you as. "As many" implies not all are intended, but obviously Paul intends the "all of you Galatians" of v26.

ebaptisqhte (baptizw) aor. pas. ind. "baptized [into Christ]" - immersed. When commentators see this word they can't help but explain it in terms of water baptism (sometimes Spirit baptism). The word simply means immersed and in the context it means nothing more than immersed in Christ, incorporated in Christ, united with Christ, made one with Christ .... the instrument of immersion is faith / "faith of Christ"; see above.

enedusasqe (enduw) aor. "having clothed yourselves with [Christ]" - put on [Christ]. This is simply a further illustrative phrase for union with Christ. Notions of putting on Christ's character have nothing whatsoever to do with the context. It is because we are incorporated in/with Christ that we stand approved as God's sons. "You have put on Christ as a garment", NEB.

A pious Jew would daily thank the Lord that he had not been born a Gentile, a slave or a woman. Actually the word for woman is "female" as distinct from a wife.

eni (enesti) "there is [neither]" - Note the strengthened form of en; "in Christ there is no descent, rank, or sex", Ridderbos. "There does not exist either Jew or Greek", Martyn.

eiJV adj. mas. sing. "[you are] all one [in Christ Jesus]" - one man. Paul is not describing a oneness that is devoid of difference, but rather devoid of distinction. Because of our union with Christ, we have become the one new man, the promised issue of Abraham, the remnant people of God, the new Israel ...., the distinctions of culture, race, social status, sex, are subsumed by a more substantial identity.

en Cristw/ (oV) "in Christ" - United to Christ in the sense of "sharing of life, without complete identification", Bligh.

ei "if" - This conjunction introduces a simple conditional sentence, 1st class, "if as is the case", stating the supposition in the protasis "if you belong to Christ", and the result in the apodosis "then you are Abraham's seed." The sentence engages the reader in a mental argument which has a logical conclusion: "if so and so is true, then this is also true." "If you are incorporated in Christ, then what follows is that you are actually a true descendent of Abraham."

Cristou (oV) gen. "belong to Christ" - and if you Christ's. The genitive is most likely possessive, as NIV, possibly partitive.

sperma (a atoV) "seed" - offspring. If we are one of Abraham's seed, offspring, issue.... then we share in his promises; a place, a family and a blessing.

Galatians Introduction.

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