Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons


Galatians

Belonging to Christ. 3:23-29

[Seed logo] Introduction
      The passage before us is part of Paul's main argument on justification by faith. In Chapters 3 and 4, Paul focuses on Abraham and his true descendants. His conclusion is that the person of faith is the true child of Abraham. In 3:19-4:7, Paul sets out to explain the divine purpose of the law. In arguing for the priority of faith, Paul has inevitably devalued the law, but now he sets the record straight by identifying the divinely appointed function of the law.

The passage
      v23. In verses 19-22, Paul explains the prime function of the law for the people of Israel. Now, in this verse, Paul summarizes this function with a simple illustration: the law is like a jailer. Prior to Christ's coming, the people of Israel were in a state of confinement under the Mosaic law. Israel's confinement lasted until the coming of Christ and the escape offered through the way of faith in Christ.
      v24. The conclusion of Paul's argument concerning the function of the law is recorded in verses 24-29. Prior to Christ's coming, the people of Israel were like a child subject to a governess, subject to the law's authority, exposing their sin, pronouncing judgement, and thus their need for a saviour. The function of the law was to drive remnant Israel to God for mercy that the people might stand approved before Him, through faith.
      v25. Yet, this function of the law ended with the coming of the seed of Abraham, Christ. So, the law has completed its service to Israel.
      v26. The law has completed its service, because now all members of the Galatian church, both Jews, as well as Gentiles, have found Christ, are incorporated in Christ, are sons of God through faith. The Galatian believers have realized in Christ the promises given to Abraham all those years ago.
      v27. All believers are sons of God, and this because we are identified with Christ in his death and resurrection, are one with him, immersed in him, clothed with him.
      v28. Since we are all one in Christ, we are of the same family, and so the old distinctions of birth are no more.
      v29. Given that believers are identified with Christ through faith, they are all God's children, and as such "are children of Abraham", 3:7-9, that is, Abraham's heirs. Believers are "heirs according to the promise", the "promises were spoken to Abraham and his seed.........", 3:16. Those in Christ through faith receive the promises offered to Abraham: a place, a family, a blessing .... eternally ours.

The function of the law
      God promised to bless Abraham and his seed. The substance of this blessing is a worldwide family eternally one with God. This promise was entrusted to Israel and was to be lived out under the law. The law confined Israel to its covenant obligations, but those obligations contained a curse. Although many faithful men and women strove to keep the law with a heart renewed by faith, a faith like Abraham's, the people of Israel, as a whole, did not. Thus, Israel stood under the curse of God. Jesus, the true seed of Abraham, took upon himself the role of the faithful people of God, living as the suffering servant. He, the righteous one, became a curse for us, that all might share in Abraham's promised blessings. We receive these promised blessings when we believe in Christ. In that sense we are "Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
      The primary problem for mankind, just as for Israel, is sinfulness. Sin cast us from the Garden of Eden and has undermined any hope of sharing in the blessings of God. When the law was given to the people of Israel, its prime function was to evoke the curse, condemn the people of Israel. Like a strict governess the law exposed their failings and thus aroused their need for a saviour. Having done this, the law fulfilled its historic task. "Now that this faith (the time of faith in Christ) has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."
      The problem we now face as believers, is how we are to handle the law in our day-to-day living for Christ. The Christian church has always oscillated between two extremes - no law and all law.
      Marcian, an early Christian heretic, taught that Christ was the end of the law and that therefore, the law was no longer applicable in the Christian life. Martin Luther tended toward the same position. This view is held by many today. For example Harvey, a prominent theologian, states "by Christ the law was discredited". This anti-nomism promotes the idea that the law has no place in the Christian life.
      The other extreme centers on another early Christian heretic, Pelagius. Pelagianism promotes the idea that righteousness can be obtained by meritorious works. Although most believers affirm that eternal life comes only through the merit of Christ, there is always the tendency to see good works as deserving of merit, of keeping us in with God, of maintaining our standing before him, such that our acceptance before God becomes a mixture of grace and obedience.
      Setting aside the extremes of Marcian and Pelagius, we need to recognize that the law has but two functions in the Christian life. First, like an old memory, it serves to remind us of what we were, once lost, but now found, by grace through faith. The law also serves as a guide to the Christian life, it points the way to Christ-likeness, which likeness we begin to realize through the indwelling power of the Spirit of Christ.

Discussion
      1. In what sense are we no longer under the supervision of the law, v25?
      2. "A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love", St. Basil. Comment on this saying in light of Christ's guiding rule, "love one another."


Notes

Textual notes   Abbreviations,   Bibliography
 
      The letter to the Galatians was written against a backdrop of controversy. "Judaizers", who were most likely Jewish Christians, had sought to undermine the ministry of Paul in his missionary churches. As "true blue" Jews they held that Jesus was the Messiah, but saw observance to the Mosaic law as a necessary condition for full Christian standing. They therefore sought to impose the Mosaic law on Paul's Gentile converts.
      In 3:19-4:7, Paul sets out to explain the law (the sentence is elliptical such that "purpose", NIV, is supplied, but most likely is intended). These notes proceed on the assumption that by "law", Paul means the Torah. Although this passage is often treated as a polemic against the law, these notes take the line that Paul is explaining the divine meaning/purpose of the law.
      As the reader well understands, there is intense debate concerning the function of the law for the people of Israel, and by implication, its function for believers today. This passage is central to that debate. In his letter so far, Paul has devalued the law; the promises of the covenant are realized through faith, a faith like Abraham's, and not "works of the law" (obedience to the Torah). Paul's argument is designed to counter the argument of those believers who have wrongly assumed that the Torah still stands over the children of the new covenant, as it did for the children of the old covenant.
      At this point commentators divide. What was the role of the law for the children of the old covenant, and what role did the judaizers, the members of the circumcision party, think it played for the children of the new covenant?
      The position taken in these notes is that the primary purpose of the Torah for Israel was to expose/accentuate sin, enact the law's curse for national rebellion, and thus drive the remnant to God for mercy, a mercy ultimately realized in Christ. The Torah also carried a secondary function, namely, to define covenant obligations, which obligations served to guide the life of faithful Israel and thus promote national sanctification. In this passage Paul addresses the cursing function of the law, rather than its blessing function. What the Mosaic law was never intended to do was to gain or maintain covenant standing, to gain or maintain approval before God (justification). Right standing before God has always rested on divine promises (on grace) appropriated through faith, a faith like Abraham's. Of course, the reader will understand that there are many other views, eg. that the law served to restrain evil prior to the writing of the law in the heart through the indwelling Spirit of Christ, or that the law defined Jewish particularism and thus served to maintain the purity of the covenant community in the midst of paganism.
      As for the heresy peddled by the members of the circumcision party, the reader will again understand that this issue is open to intense debate. Traditionally it was held that the problem is "legalism", the use of the law to gain God's approval. The position taken in these notes is that the problem is "nomism", the use of the law to maintain standing before God. Then, of course, there is the New Perspective view that the problem is a continued reliance on Jewish particularism, circumcision etc., at the expense of Gentile inclusion.
      At any rate, up to this point in his letter, Paul has devalued the law, and so now he sets out to balance his argument by explaining the divinely appointed cursing function of the law which has ended with the coming of Christ. In so doing, Paul defends himself against those who would argue that he is an enemy of the law. So, why the law? The following outline is but one possible way forward where "the number of interpretations of this passage are said to mount up to 250 or 300", Lightfoot; thank you J.B. for this observation! Paul's answer in v19-20 is that the law "was added for the sake of transgressions", ie., it served to make "wrong-doing a legal offence", NEB. The law served to hold Israel to its transgressions, expose sin and triger the law's curse. Of course, this is only a supportive role to the promise, given that the promise to Abraham was by direct divine revelation, whereas the law was mediated through angels (a popular view at the time, see "Pauline Midrash", Cullan). The important fact to note is that this role of the law was temporary; it ended at the coming of Christ. In v21-22 Paul asks "is the law, therefore, against the promises [of God]?" The law certainly can't achieve the blessings promised to Abraham, nor was it designed to do so, but it certainly doesn't work against the covenant promises, of life, of right standing before God, which is by grace through faith. The law ("scripture") actually functions to expose sin (to make sin more sinful, Rom.5:20), and thus highlight the need for mercy, the source of which is ultimately found through faith in Christ. The law's intention is the fulfilment of God's promise to Abraham, namely, justification.
      Now, in v23, Paul summarizes his argument. The law is like as a jailer, binding Israel to the law's curse, binding Israel to judgment for the nation's neglect of its covenant obligations, but this only until the fulfilling of the promise made to Abraham in the person of Jesus Christ.
      Paul goes on in v24-29 to draw out the conclusion of his argument concerning the function of the law. So then, the law is like a paidagogos, a slave-custodian who is set in charge of the master's children, holding Israel under the subjugation of the law's curse, but only till Christ's coming (see possible meanings for eiV below: either temporal, "until Christ came", or purpose, "to lead us to Christ", or both, "with a view to Christ's coming"). This function of the law had but one intent, to support the realization of the promise to Abraham of a people justified by faith. But now, this subjugation of the law has ended with the coming of the seed of Abraham, Christ (although Paul will later argue that the law does continue to retain its guiding role). Here is the nub of the argument (v27-29); 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 child of promise. Since we believers are the child of promise we all now share God's promised blessings, we all now share eternal approval in God's sight (and therefore the law's guardianship has ended, cf. 4:1-7).

v23
      de "-" - but. Position implies a new step in the argument. "But before faith came", NJB.
      pro tou de elqein thn pistin "before this faith came" - but before the faith came. "Up till the time when we could find salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." "Faith" (lit. "the faith"), v22, the particular faith, namely, "faith in Jesus Christ". "Before the coming of the era of faith", Barclay.
      efrouroumeqa (frourew) imperf. pas. "we were held prisoners" - we were being kept. The word may mean "enforced restraint", but also may mean "benevolent protection." A sense of oppression seems best. The verb is first person plural, "we". "We" usually means "we Jews" or even "we apostles", while "you" is "you Gentiles." This seems to be the case in this passage. "In the custody of the law", NEB.
      nomon (oV) "law" - The noun without the article may imply law in general, "any law", rather than "the law", meaning the Torah. Paul probably still means God's law.
      eiV "until" - into. This preposition introduces a prepositional clause which may either be temporal or final (purpose). A temporal sense seems best, but with a touch of intended purpose. "In preparation for the faith which was to be unveiled", Williams.
      mellousan (mellw) part. "should be" - about to be. "Is coming." The "coming" modifies the revelation of the way of salvation through faith in Jesus. the revelation of "this faith" is about to replace the confinement of the law.
      apokalufqhnai (apokaluptw) aor. pas. inf. "should be revealed" - [being about] to be revealed. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of the participle "being about (until)." In classical Greek the tense would be future when used with mellw. A future sense is implied; "pending the revelation of faith", REB.

v24
      wJste "so" - so that, and so, accordingly, thus..... Possibly here functioning as a connective, or indirect purpose, "so that / in order that", or consecutive, "accordingly / therefore." The conjunction is probably consecutive as NIV, NRSV....
      paidagwgoV "[the law was] put in charge" - [the law has been our] custodian. The "custodian", paidagogos, was a person who controlled the behavior of a young boy up to about 16 years of age. He is a custodian and/or supervisor, but the nuance of the word will depend on how we read the following preposition "to .." (Gk. "into"). The custodian may be like a teacher, tutor, guardian, mentor...... or more like a jailer, a restrainer, an enforcer. "Strict governess", Phillips.
      eiV "to lead us to [Christ]" - into [Christ]. We may read this preposition, which forms a prepositional phrase, as either temporal or final (purpose), as v23. The law functions "until the coming of / up to the time of" Christ, cf. NEB, NRSV, Bruce, Betz, Longenecker, Guthrie..... If we opt for purpose, then the law functions "to lead us to" Christ for forgiveness, cf. NIV, Williams, Ridderbos, Cole. "Therefore the law was our paidagogos in order to lead us to Christ"; "bringing us to Christ", Knox; "to conduct us to Christ", NEB mg. A final (purpose) sense, with temporal overtones, is also possible; "with a view to Christ's coming", Cousar.
      iJna "that" - in order that. This conjunction, with the subjunctive verb "we might be justified", produces a purpose clause, either defining the purpose of "until the coming of Christ", or the purpose of the custodianship of the law. The second is to be preferred, but the reader will understand the issue is wide open to debate. The function of the Law was to confine Israel in such a way as to expose the people's state of sin and so drive them to seek mercy from the living God, ultimately found in Christ. The law was designed to do this with the inevitable purpose that Israel might be declared forgiven and so stand approved in the sight of the living God and this through faith.
      dikaiwqwmen (dikaiow) aor. pas. subj. "we might be justified" - declared right. Declared righteous before God is the usual sense rather than made righteous, although what God declares so is so. "That we might be made right with God through faith", Barclay.

v25
      de - "-" - but. Again used to identify the next step in the argument.
      elqoushV (ercomai) aor. part. "now that [faith] has come" - having come. Genitive absolute temporal participle, as NIV. The period of time when the custodianship/confinement of the law was in operation has ended in the coming of the new age of faith.
      thV pistewV (iV ewV) "faith" - of the faith. The definite article again indicates that Paul is speaking about a particular faith, namely, that faith/trust/reliance which rests on the person and work of Christ for salvation.

v26
      gar " - untranslated - " - for. The NEB, NRSV, TEV... translate the "for", since it serves to identify cause / reason .
      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.
      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 our faith" and 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.

v27
      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. Once 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 which immersion is faith.
      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.

v28
      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.
      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.

v29
      ei "if" - This conjunction introduces a simple conditional sentence, stating the supposition in the protasis "if you belong to Christ", and the result in the apodosis "then you are Abraham's seed." Not all conditional sentences are conversely true, and this is one such example. The function of such a conditional sentence is to underline the stated truth of the apodosis. 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.

Alternate sermon: The two functions of the law:

1. To drive us to Christ for mercy
      First and foremost, the law served to bring upon Israel the wrath and the curse of God. That is, it exposed sin as sin and thus, the state of loss that existed for those under the law. It showed them to be sinners under the judgment of God. It exposed disobedience and thus, the curse that hung over those who were under the law.
      Second, it exposed the impotence of human behavior to "make alive". It made clear the ethical inadequacy of all who sought to keep the law and thus stand approved before God. Instead of the law encouraging obedience, it actually served to encourage disobedience.
      The Judaizers, those who opposed Paul the apostle in the church at Galatia, sought to maintain obedience to the Mosaic law as a necessary condition for salvation. For these nomists, the law served to maintain their standing before God, even in a sense, progress it. Yet, the law had never served this function; in fact, the law was designed to do the opposite. The Law serves to show those who seek to obey it, that they cannot obey and thus, without a saviour, stand condemned.
      So, the prime function of the law is to expose our state of sin and thus remind us that we can only stand approved in the sight of God wholly as a gift of grace appropriated through faith, and not by obedience to the law.

2. To guide the Christian life
      The law is a gracious revelation of truth. It displays the character of God - his purity, righteousness, holiness. The child of God should use the law to guide their behavior in a way that reflects the person they are in Christ. As Jesus says, "If you love me you will obey my commands and I will manifest myself to you." In Galatians 5:14 Paul makes the same point, cf. Ex.20:2, Psalm 119. So, the Law helps a believer shape their behavior, in the power of the indwelling Spirit of Christ, such that it is honouring to God; it serves as a guide to the Christian life.
      For a Christian, the Mosaic law must be interpreted and applied in the light of Jesus' life and teachings. Jesus shaped the application of the law for us. First, he expounded the divine perfection of the moral law as an ideal to aim at rather than do. Second, he took the actual legal requirements of the law and applied them flexibly. Note his treatment of the Sabbath law. Third, he distinguished between the "weightier matters" of the law and "gnat" law. By the time of the Jerusalem Council, the Christian church had, at least officially, dropped the demand for a legal observance of the law. "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following......" Only a number of matters which would have caused "table-fellowship" offense were listed. The Gentiles were asked not to eat food sacrificed to idols, strangled or unbled, and to refrain from marrying within the prescribed limitations of kindred and affinity, so as not to offend a brother from a Jewish background.
      So, as a secondary function, the law serves to guide the Christian life; it helps us express what we are already in Christ.


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