Gal. 3:19-20 - God needs no Mediator

19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.
20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one.

Why the Law?

Vs. 19 - “Why the Law then?” - The promise to Abraham was made by God. If the promise to Abraham could not be nullified by the Law, then why was the Law given?

“Added because of transgressions” - As you read through the Old Testament, especially the Pentateuch, you see each generation of descendants of Abraham move incrementally away from the belief Abraham demonstrated.

Do I think that is the reason the Law was given? No, I do not.

Transgressions, sins, happened before and after Abraham. People did not become more overtly sinful. Circumcision was one of the few laws handed down from the Lord before the Mosaic Law. It was a sign of the covenant of God with the Jews. As far as I can tell the tablets on Mt. Sinai were the first enumeration of laws handed down from God to mankind.

“ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator” - Observed and witnessed by angels, not done by angels. This covenant was between God and the nation Israel (the twelve tribes, not just the Southern Kingdom, which came along hundreds of years after the Law was given).
The Mosaic Covenant was a two-way contract. God would bless Israel IF Israel obeyed His Laws. The covenant with Abraham was One-Way - God Promised Abraham. There were no conditions, or ‘strings attached’. No mediators were necessary.

“until the seed would come” - The Law, given to Israel in the Exodus, was never intended to be permanent. This was never revealed until Christ came. Jesus came to fulfill the Law. (Matt. 5:17-18) What does that mean? Verse 18 adds to the ‘confusion’ in this statement. Not one commandment goes away until “all is accomplished”. Does that mean Christ’s return and ultimate victory, or does that mean Christ’s death and victorious resurrection?

The answer is: the latter. Jesus said, “It is finished.” (John 19:30, Matt. 27:50, 51). Jesus reminded (taught) them, after the resurrection, His death, burial, and resurrection were foretold, and were now completed. (Luke 24:44-48). He verified His resurrection by showing up after He had been killed, He was taken up into heaven. (Luke 24:51, Mk. 16:19).

The Mosaic Law, being fulfilled (or, completed) is no longer in effect.

From Pentecost until now, and forever after, the Law cannot save you from sin. Actually, it never could, but people did not fully understand this. Only Christ can save us from the penalty of sin. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the promised seed.

vs. 20 - Now a mediator is not for one party only” - Mediators are used when negotiations breakdown between two people, or to solve a contract issue. A mediator is a go-between. The promise was made to Abraham by God. It did not require Abraham to perform certain actions. In fact, the delivery on that promise did not come until long after Abraham’s death. No mediator was needed.

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