Gal. 4:11-15 - An Example to Follow

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.
12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong;
13 but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time;
14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

You Have Done Me No Wrong!

Vs. 11 - “I have labored... in vain” - He is not saying that he had wasted his time with them. He is concerned they have not caught what he has taught.

Vs. 12 - “Become as I am, for I also have become as you are” - This can be looked at in a few different ways:

• Love me for what I am, because I love you for what you are. Be like me, free from the strictures of the Law, and be free yourselves. (See note 1)
• I have abandoned observing Jewish holy days just as you did not observe them. Do not fall into the trap of using observance and rituals as a means of salvation. (See note 2) Paul used to follow the Law religiously (no pun intended). He discovered that was a hopeless journey by revelation from Jesus Himself (starting with the encounter on the road to Damascus).
  Paul loved the Galatians in a couple of senses: he loved them because Christ loved them enough to die for them. He loved them even more when they heard and believed. They became fellow believers and children of God - members of the family. Paul would have a special love for them because he was part of their conversion - they heard the gospel from Paul and believed.

• Don’t be angry with me, I am not angry with you. - This explanation is harder for me to buy, because of “You foolish Galatians.” (See Gal. 3:1,3). He was obviously concerned and worried they were being sucked into false doctrine. He wants them to know they are not his enemies, nor does he want to be theirs (See verse 16, below). He was upset and worried for them, otherwise this letter would not have been written.

- “You have done me no wrong” - Paul is worried, not offended, the Galatians are wavering, perhaps even turning from faith to works. The phrase ”From-faith-to-works” is a very churchy thing to say. It is shorthand for turning from believing that it is Christ alone who can save you, to thinking that you can make yourself worthy of heaven by the things you do.

Church members know that “saved by works” means not being saved at all.

Vs. 13 - “Because of a bodily illness” - Translation into English fractures the meaning here. It seems to say Paul shared the gospel with the Galatians because he was sick. I think Paul is reminding them he was afflicted with some ailment (probably some problem with his eyes - see the last half of verse 15). He shared the gospel anyway.

Vs. 14 - “You did not despise or loathe...” - They did not reject Paul because of his illness. Whatever it was, the malady was noticeable enough to possibly cause alarm for those who saw him. So, Paul is there with them, teaching and preaching (in small groups and large, as well as one-on-one), and they listened, eagerly.

- “Received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.” - How eagerly? They accepted him and the gospel as if Jesus had been speaking to them! Astounding! Think about trying to have a consequential discussion with a person, and there is a serious problem with their face, and it is repulsive. Think about trying to concentrate on the message, and not on the illness. This is the power of the Holy Spirit to break through our resistance and draw our hearts to Jesus!

Vs. 15 - “Where then is that sense of blessing” - Paul wants to know what happened to the eagerness and joy they had when they heard the gospel. The Good News filled them to the point that they didn’t even notice Paul’s physical problems. Somehow their warm feelings dissipated. What caused this? Had the faux teachers, the ones leading them away from the Gospel, denigrated Paul? Were the Galatians feeling guilty as they drifted away? Were they upset because Paul was exhorting them to return to the Gospel?

“You would have plucked out your eyes” - This is the reason it is believed that Paul’s malady was something to do with his eyes. There is no way to know what the problem was. Whatever the problem, it was obvious and visible to those who met him. Who do you know, and so admire, you would sacrifice a part of your body to relieve their suffering?

*** Note 1: from commentary by Chuck Smith
Note 2: from commentary by Jameson, Faucett & Brown.

Gal. 4:8-10 - Why Are You Turning Back?

8 However at that time, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.
9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
10 You observe days and months and seasons and years.

You Were Slaves!

Vs. 8 - “However... when you did not know God” - Before you knew and understood Jesus Christ - that He is the ONLY CHOICE you have to be saved (Acts 4:11,12) - you may have known of God, but you did not know Him. Remember, Christianity is not a system. Christianity is faith in a Person. (See: John 8:19; 10:15, 38; 14:7; 17:25).

- “You were slaves” - Paul moves our thoughts from being slaves to sin to being slaves to those who teach you. There is a saying “Knowledge is power.” Those who teach false doctrines have power over you. Paul is saying that ignorance of Jesus Christ is death. False doctrines are keeping you ignorant of the truth. You are slaves of your ignorance. In this case you are slaves to those teaching and leading you away from the true Gospel. These people are not God. More than that, these false teachers are not even gods. They are slave masters, under the influence of Satan. If you continue on this path, Satan will be your ultimate slave master.

Vs. 9 - “Or rather to be known by God” - This does not mean that God does not know who you are and what you have done; and when you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, all of a sudden He knows you. In Colossians, we are called “alienated and hostile in mind” and therefore enemies of God as long as we reject Jesus. (Col. 1:21). John tells us “he who believes in the Son has eternal life”, otherwise the “the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36) At the end of time all people will be judged. If they are not listed in book of life their destination is Hell (Lake of Fire. See: Rev. 20-11-15) Either we are His children, or we are not. If we are not, He does not acknowledge us as His children.
That sounds like double-talk. It is not. For example, if you go to a college football game. You are allowed in the stadium, and have a seat there because you have purchased a ticket. When you enter, you can get a stamp on the back of your hand. That stamp allows you to leave the stadium, and then return. You are allowed back in because they recognize you as a paying customer. (Don’t try to stretch this example too far.) Christ has paid the price, not you! When you accept Christ as Lord and Savior, you are identified as His. (See: Rev. 3:5; 14:1; 22:4.)

- “How is it you turn back...” - You cannot earn your way into God’s presence. If you know this, why are you letting yourselves be bamboozled? Following the Law cannot save you. Paul’s statement is astounding - the Law is weak and worthless. Not only the Law, but all other systems of works are useless, therefore weak and worthless. This is not a rhetorical question (“Kinda makes you say, ‘Hmmmmmm’.” - from The Smothers Brother’s Show). This is deadly serious. You have been taught the way to God, and now you are turning your back on that gift. Why? In Jesus’ name, Why? This is the way of death.

Vs. 10 - “You observe...” - Proof that they have turned away? They are honoring the holy days, etc. This is different than Christians celebrating Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost. Celebrating Christmas and Easter does not mean you are a Christian, nor does it save you. Outside of the church, Christmas and Easter have no meaning. Trees, ornaments, presents, bunnies and eggs have little to do with the faith. Going to church twice a year and thinking that should keep God mollified is delusional. Paul is talking about the modern term ‘virtue signaling’ - espousing without actions. Making a show of religion without the substance of faith and belief. Going to church EVERY Sunday, and being involved in activities is not the answer either.

A case in point:

I had accepted Christ as a youngster, but had drifted away in college. My wife had committed her life to Christ while in college. When we married, we agreed that church was important, so we were faithful worshippers wherever we lived. Having grown up going to church, I thought I knew what I was doing. (1 Cor. 8:2 comes to mind here.) I taught children’s Sunday School. I was involved, but actually I was going through the motions. It could be classified as “all head knowledge.” When missionaries stopped by the church to tell how Christ was working in their lives, I quietly scoffed, thinking they just wanted money.
My wife talked me into going to Explo ‘72 in Dallas, Texas which was put on by Campus Crusade for Christ. She had come to Christ through the witness of a CCC worker. She was impressed by the faith of that person and group. I went begrudgingly, to keep her happy, because I knew I had the answers. They couldn’t tell anything I didn’t already know. It turns out I was wrong, so very wrong! That time in Dallas, the ministry and teaching of Bill Bright and Howard Ball hit me like a thunderclap. I realized that I had been going through the motions. I was not committed to Jesus as Lord and Savior. I was not living my life for Him, nor in the power of the Holy Spirit. There in Dallas in June 1972 I committed my life to Jesus - confessed my sins, repented, and asked Him to come into my life. I was no longer playing at church, but living by the power of the Holy Spirit. I had been just like the Galatians, observing days and tasks and activities, but devoid of saving faith.
***

Gal. 4:1-7 - Heirs, not Enemies, of God

1 Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he does not differ at all from a slave although he is owner of everything
2 but he is under guardians and managers until the date set by the father.
3 So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!"
7 Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.

From Enemies, to Children, to Heirs

Vs.1 - “Heir... owner of everything,” - The first male child inherits the estate is the law in some countries. When he receives the inheritance he can distribute it as he wishes, or not. The siblings have no say. In essence the child is the owner. He just doesn’t take possession, or have any control until the father passes away. Is the child a slave? No. Has he stepped into his position of head of the family? No. He is basically powerless.

Vs.2 - “Guardians and managers” - Go back to chapter 3:24, in which the Law is shown to be our guardian until faith in Jesus is fulfilled. Repeating what has been said before: the guardian’s job was to protect, teach and train the child so he could step into the position of head of the family as soon as he was an adult. The words used for ‘guardian’ are different in verse 3:24 and here in verse 4:2. The previous guardian (3:24) is someone assigned to teach and train the child in preparation for adulthood. The sense in this verse is that of a superintendent or foreman of and owner’s property or business. God has never left us on our own, but provided a teacher and a roadmap to lead us to Jesus.

Vs.3 - “While we were children” - The ‘children’ analogy has several aspects. In almost all of the uses, children are uninformed (you could say ignorant). This is not intended to be derogatory, but a good picture of the teaching and training needed to raise a child. They need to be taught to not touch a hot stove, to not play in the street, not to scream in church, to have inside voices, to share their toys, be kind to others, to put their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. None of this comes without training. I believe Benjamin Franklin said, “Experience is a dear school, but fools will learn in no other way.” Children are ignorant of the consequences of sin. By teaching them things they need to know, you may reduce the amount of foolish learning they must suffer.

In other places in the Bible, being a ‘child’ is being immature in the faith. It means being ignorant of the wealth, and power, and strength available to us as God’s children. We are to be adult children, not ignorant of the responsibility required as a child of God. (See: 1 Pet. 1:14-16; Heb. 5:12-14.)

- “Bondage under the elemental things” - The essence of this verse: ignorance leads to being captive of the worldly nature, the sin nature. “And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds,” Col. 1:21 “Do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance...” 1 Pet. 1:14. While we are children of the world we are going to commit sin. It is our nature. It is as sure as the law of gravity. Under the influence of “elemental things” our glide path is toward depravity. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to lift us out of the spiral into destruction.

Vs.4 - “Fullness of the time” - At just the right time, when conditions were perfect... A study Bible I am using indicated, “Factors that made this such a suitable time included: world wide peace [Pax Romana], an excellent road system [again, the Roman roads], and the dominance of one language all across the empire [Koine Greek].” See note 1. (Interesting side note: It was Roman military and political power, but Greek culture and learning that dominated.)

- “Born... “ - God promised that a descendant of Eve would come to defeat Satan. (See: Gen. 3:15) It is important to understand that Jesus was fully human (“born of a woman”). See: Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:14; Luke 2:1-7. Jesus is also wholly God. See: Luke 1:26-38; Isa. 7:14. Jesus was also subject to the Jewish (Mosaic) Law, but was without sin. (See: Heb. 4:15; 2 Cor. 5:21.)

Vs. 5 - “Redeem those who were under the Law” - This phrase is directly connected to the “born” in the previous verse. The Jews were born ‘under the Law’, subject to its command and ordinances. Gentile, not so much. Gentiles were not required to follow the Law since they were not part of the covenant. The Law is still a ‘tutor’ to teach us and train us about sin, and show the way to God.
Faith is even more important for we Gentiles. We do not have the history and relationship with God the Father as do the Jews. Our connection to God is more tangential, or perhaps asymptotic. By that I mean we Gentiles, until Christ came, had contact with God ‘around the edges’, watching what God did for and through the nation of Israel. Often we could come near God, but never quite touching.

- “Adoption as sons.” - Through faith all people, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, can be children of God. We are all God’s creation. We are NOT all God’s children. We now have the opportunity to be a child of God. Moved from enemies to His children. Moved from merely created beings - created in God’s image - to His children. See: Luke 20:36; John 12:36. This is significant, important. A child of the king is treated differently than a citizen in the king’s country. A citizen is treated differently than a non-citizen. A citizen or follower is treated differently than an enemy. God is fair and just, sometimes identified as “no respecter of persons” - meaning there are no favors given. The judgment is based on “If you have the son, you have life. If you do not have the Son, you do not have life.” (1 John 5:12)

That is the turning point: do you believe in Christ as Lord and Savior? This is the crisis that determines if you are a Child of God, or are not a Child of God. Your faith decision changes everything - His fairness and justice still apply - the Child of God is now judged on the basis of all debts paid and all sins forgiven through Christ. Those not accepting Jesus are judged on the basis of rejecting God’s salvation, and the judgment of death remains on them. (See: John 3:36.)

Vs.6 - “Abba, Father” - The word “Abba” has been transliterated into English, because we have no direct equivalent for this Aramaic word. It means ‘father’ but with a ‘warm affection & filial confidence’. See note 2. That is why the word ‘Abba’ is almost always followed by ‘Father’ in the N.T. Perhaps “Daddy” is as close as we can get. Little children call their parents Mommy and Daddy. Mother and Father sound so much more formal.

The relationship has changed (for believers) from “God. Father. Sovereign.”, to “God, Daddy”. The change is from fear to love and affection. (The fear will always be there because He is Lord God Almighty, but it is tempered with love and affection.) When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit, who is God. The perfect love that God has is now ours, and the Holy Spirit speaks into our hearts urging us to call out to God as our loving and generous father - Daddy! This is why “we can come boldly [with confidence] to the throne of grace”. (Heb. 4:16) Compare this to Eccl. 5:2, in which we are warned to not be hasty or impulsive.

Vs. 7 - “No longer a slave” - We are slaves to our sin nature until we are saved by faith. We are not slaves of God. The nation of Israel were never slaves belonging to God - they were His people, His subjects. Israel rejected God as their king (1 Sam. 8:5-9). This was not the cause of their downfall into sin and slavery to other nations - it was a symptom of their stubbornness and disbelief. Despite all the miraculous events that saved the nation from Egypt and during the times of the Judges, the people did not see and feel God as their personal father. They were (and still are) His chosen people, but it was all too easy for them to forget this. Human nature is to remember the hurts and slights others do to us. Look at the animosity of the Arab nations towards the Jews - affronts from three or four thousand years ago are remembered. Look at the animosity the blacks in the United States has toward white people - 400 years ago blacks were brought into the U.S. as slaves. That has not been forgiven or forgotten, although only 150 years ago thousands fought and died to set them free. The American Indian tribes suffered tremendous losses in the 1700s and 1800s - some would say they are still suffering. Will these affronts ever be forgotten? Probably not. It is our sin nature, and we are slaves to it.

***
Note 1: Holman Christian Standard Bible, (HCSB Study Bible), Copyright 2010, pg. 2018.
Note 2: “Easton’s Bible Dictionary”, as seen in App., “Blue Letter Bible”.
***

Gal. 3:26-29 - We Are Abraham’s Descendants

26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.

Neither... Nor

vs. 26 - “you are all sons of God” - We transition from enemy to child of God. Humans are all creations of God. We are NOT all children of God.

If you have not confessed Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior you cannot count on being a child of God. (See: 1 John 5:12,13)
Being a friend of the world means being an enemy of God. (See: Jam. 4:4) Loving the world means the love of God is not in us. (See: 1 John 2:15, 16) It makes us children of wrath. (See: Eph. 2:2,3)
Jesus tells us we are no longer slaves [of sin], but now are friends of God. (Jn. 15:15)
The concept of being a child of God extends back into the Old Testament (See: Hos. 1:10, Isa. 63:16, 64:8). And, of course, the theme of being a child of God runs through the entire New Testament. (Jn. 1:12, Rom. 8:14, 19; Rom. 9:8; 2 Cor. 6:18; 1 Jn. 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:10; Rev. 21:7).
Being an adopted child of God, means we have all the rights and privileges of a full adult heir. (See: Rom. 8:14-17.)

vs. 27 - “You... were baptized into Christ” - Identification with Christ... (In today’s culture “identification” has taken on a negative or bizarre connotation - males ‘identifying’ as females, etc.) In baptism, I am telling the world that Christ died for my sins. I willingly (gladly) accept His offering of salvation. In doing so, Jesus becomes part of me - He lives in me. I become part of Jesus - my life is in Him. Baptism symbolizes Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Baptism shows that Christ’s death is also the death of my sin nature. It is buried. I am raised to new life - life in Christ. See: 1 Pet. 3:21; 1 Cor. 12:13.

“Clothed yourself with Christ” - The analogy of death and resurrection shows as you are baptized, you have shed the old self and put on a new one, similar to getting out of bed and putting on new clean clothes. See: Rom. 13:14; Eph. 4:20-24; Col. 3:9-10, 12; 1 Cor. 15:54; 2 Cor. 5:3; Rev. 19:14. This idea is not new to the church - Job 29:14; Isa. 61:10.
Let me be clear, it is not just an analogy. The death of your old nature is real! Your new life in Christ is real! The death of your old sin stained body, and the new body received at resurrection is real. You have been born again! Without new life, there is no salvation! Baptism is a physical representation that helps you understand the spiritual truth of new life in Christ. Praise God that this has been done for you!

vs. 28 - “Neither... nor” - (See: Col. 3:11) ALL comes from and through Jesus (salvation, forgiveness of sin, eternal life). Where you are from, where you were born, whatever your station in life, it matters not. Nothing you are, nothing you do is sufficient for presenting yourself perfect, spotless, and blameless to the Lord. (See: Heb. 9:14, Jude 1:24.)

Only Jesus! Not deeds we’ve done, but Christ alone (Tit. 3:5,6)! That makes “all one” in Him. No one has an advantage over another, because Christ did it for us.

vs. 29 - Go back to verse seven in this chapter and see that you are in Abraham’s family. The Jews are very proud to lay claim to Abraham. Jesus points out they don’t actually cling to Abraham, other than the name. (See: John 8:39-47). We are Abraham’s spiritual descendants. God declared Abraham righteous because of his faith in God. God declares us righteous because our faith in Jesus Christ.

*** End of Chapter ***

Gal. 3:21-25 - Protective Custody

21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.
22 But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.
24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

The Purpose of the Law

vs. 21 - “Law then contrary to the promises of God?” - God gave the promise; He also gave the Law. We make the mistake of believing (hoping?) that keeping the law (obeying it tenants) will make us righteous. By ‘righteous’ we tend to think ‘acceptable to God’.
Our premise: ‘keeping the Law’ equals ‘acceptable to God.” If that were true, Christ would not have had to pay our penalty for sin. If that were true, the promises of God - righteousness comes by faith in Him - would be null and void.
Paul is horrified at that conclusion, thus the exclamation, “May it never be!” This is a very strong statement...

“For if a law... was able to impart life” - We must be sinless and holy, without blemish or spot to spend eternity with Jesus. (See: Jude 1:24, 25) If any law, not just the Mosaic law, could make us sinless...

vs. 22 - “Scripture has shut up everyone under sin” - (See: Rom. 11:23) Scripture does not cause us to be guilty of sin - that is, without the Bible, we would all be free and clear, without sin. (By the way: This is one of the themes of atheists and people antithetical to Judeo/Christian faith - “If only we were not held down by religion, then...”)
C. S. Lewis noted that every person has a sense of right and wrong, fair and unfair. He posits that this natural law is from God. It is in our conscience, and it is nearly universal. The downside of this natural law, since it is abstract, is it can be ignored. The conscience can be ‘seared’, or ‘dulled’ so that the understanding of what is right or wrong, good or evil, is perverted. In which case, right and wrong is a rumor rather than fact.
Scripture takes away that relativism. The Law makes it clear what sin is: active or passive disobedience to God.
Now you know! It is up to you: what do you do with this information? Do you turn to God and Jesus for forgiveness? Do you go your own way, and expect God to forgive you on your terms, not His. You must decide, not I. The decision is yours alone.

vs. 23 - “Before faith came” - Interesting phrase... So faith is not a ‘mystery’ in the New Testament sense. That is: It was not missing, or hidden, to be revealed at the proper time. God laments in the OT the failure of the Israelites to believe and obey. A common lament is: “If only...” See: Isa. 48:17,18.
The promise to Abraham was a reward for his faith. See Gal. 3:6, above. The Jews seemed to have lost sight of the need for faith. Instead, they relied on adherence to the Law. Some translations word this phrase: “Before this faith came” (CSB - see note 1), or “Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us” (NLT - see note 2) This echoes Eph. 2:8 - “For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift  —...” Faith is a gift, not by our works. See also Jude 3. “...appealing to you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.” Salvation by faith is the faith that came to us!

“kept in custody”- Did the Law ‘keep us in jail‘? That is a negative way of thinking about it. This line of thinking is similar those who feel the Church has hindered us - “We could be free if it weren’t for the constrictions of religion.” The Jews, by keeping the Law, were at least kept in “contact” with God. Gentiles only had the Jews as possible witnesses of the power and grace of God.
Yes, I know some of you will think of the beauty and majesty of nature, that God is seen there. But ‘nature’ is too easily kidnapped by science and reason, devoid of any God-relationship. Our faith in Him helps us equate God’s power and grace with the beauty of nature. The Jews knew (if they paid attention to the Scripture) that God wanted the best for them. (See Jer. 29:11-13) We can also think of the Law acting as a guard, protecting us from worldly influences. Think of it as “protective custody”.

“Shut up to the faith”- In effect we were ‘imprisoned’ until faith in Christ was revealed. I am not sure this means we were captive of the Law. Remember, the Law could not save us from our sins, but it did lead us (the Jews, in particular) to God. We are slaves to sin until Christ sets us free - that is, we are prisoners of our sin nature. That salvation is by faith in a person, not by works, was not known until Jesus and the apostles revealed it. That sin nature kept us from seeing God and Jesus as the spiritual solution. C. S. Lewis said in “Screwtape Letters” that God does not coerce, He only woos us to Him. God does not force us to believe in Him. He offers gifts of hope and salvation, freedom and power. He does not make us grasp them. He does not make us work for them. They are offered freely. We only need to respond to Jesus.

vs. 24 - “Has become our tutor” - Although we cannot be saved via the Law, it serves an important purpose. The Law tells us God is reaching out to us. We tend to think of the Law as ‘salvation by works‘. That is our problem when we focus on the multitudinous little tasks. You did not earn salvation by feeding the poor, healing the sick, building houses for the homeless.
You had to trust when the Lord instructed you to offer this sacrifice that He would follow through. The sacrifices - the lambs, the bullocks, the goats or birds, grains and drinks - are all from the Lord. You had to trust the lamb’s blood on the door posts and lintel would save your first born. You had nothing to do with making the lamb. You could only obey, or not. You had to trust the manna would be there every morning. You did not create the manna. Did the blood on the altar cover your sin? Faith that God’s word was true brought that to reality for you. It easier to focus on the thing you do rather than the meaning or reason for the thing you do.

“Tutor”, is also translated “guardian”. A male child was assigned a guardian - usually a slave or house servant - to watch over, guide and protect the son. (I’m guessing: I suspect this was for fairly well-off families, not your average farmer, shepherd, or merchant.) The guardian was a glorified babysitter, whose job was to teach, train, and prepare the boy for manhood. Similarly, the Law prepares us for salvation through Jesus.

“To lead us to Christ” - The tutorage is God loves you enough to provide a way to cleanse you of sin. When you follow that account, it is not a surprise that God would provide His Son Jesus as a sacrifice for us. It follows, logically, only a perfect sacrifice can provide a perfect solution. That perfect solution is Jesus Christ our Lord.

“Justified by faith” - No longer is our spiritual foundation built on a system, the Law. No longer are our sins covered by the blood of an animal sacrifice. Our sins are swept away by a person - Jesus! He came to take away the sins of the world. (See: 1 John 2:2) Jesus said he came to fulfill the Law, not to abolish it. (See: Matt. 5:17) Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. (See: Acts 16:33, Rom. 10:9) The veil at the entrance to the Holy of Holies in the Temple, separating us from God, was torn in two at the death of Christ - signaling there is no longer any barrier. In Eccl. 5:1,2 we are warned to be careful before we come to God the Father. Compare that to Heb. 4:16 in which we can come with confidence - some versions say boldly.

vs. 25 - “We are no longer under a tutor” - We no longer need a map to find our way to God. He has come to us. We no longer need examples - an innocent life shed to cover our sin. The perfect sinless life of Jesus, the Son of God, died on the cross. God’s justice was perfectly satisfied. God’s love was perfectly demonstrated. (See: Rom. 5:6-10)

*** Note 1 - “CSB” - Christian Standard Bible
Note 2 - “NLT” - New Living Testament

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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Gal. 3:15-18 - A Valid Covenant

15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ.
17 What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.
18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

But Wait! There’s More!

Vs. 15 - “Human relations... man’s covenant” - Paul is using the example of a last will and testament to make a point. A legal will can be changed any time during a person’s life. The will is a permanent document when the person dies. Think how many times we have heard of wills being challenged in court. The statements in a will are the desires and promises of the estate owner to the recipients. Courts are loathe to modify a last will and testament. Paul uses this for the following example.

vs. 16 - “the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.” - Here are some of the promises made to Abraham -

• A great nation
• Your name will be great
• All peoples will be blessed
• The Land that would become Israel
• Many descendants
• Everlasting
• a Son
• Kings of peoples
• a great and mighty nation
• All the nations will be blessed.

(See Gen. 12:2-3; 13:14-17; 15:1-5; 17:3-7, 15-16; 18:10-15; 22:16-18.) Some of the promises made to Abraham are plural - i.e., references to the twelve tribes. The promises included land they would live in, the domination the descendants would have over their neighbors. The quote, “All the nations of the earth shall be blessed” is the ultimate promise. It is Messianic - the Messiah would be the blessing.

It might be hard to say the world is blessed because of Judaism or the Jewish people (with the exception of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who saves us from our sin!). Don’t try to use doctors, lawyers, and film magnates as examples of blessings. These are all temporal and meaningless in the face of eternity. Where in the world would you ever hear, “We are so blessed by the Jews! We are so glad they live here!”? Probably no where, other than the nation of Israel. The Jews are hated by the world, urged on by Satan. In the same way, Christians are hated by Satan and the world also. Even in the United States of America - founded on Judie-Christian beliefs, where the basis of our Laws are those handed down by God, and our rights are given by God, not by the government - Jews face disdain and bigotry from some people.

vs. 17 - “Four hundred and thirty years later” - The Law was handed to Moses (see Exo. 20:1-17) during the Exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land (promised in Gen. 13:14-17). The descendants of Jacob - all twelve tribes, descendants of Abraham - were given the 10 commandments and the rest, including sacrifices, and holy days, and offerings (see Leviticus 1-27, etc.).

“Does not invalidate a covenant” - The Mosaic covenant - i.e., the Mosaic Law - does not override or cancel the promise (covenant) made to Abraham. God did not modify (write a codicil to) the Abrahamic covenant.

“Nullify the promise” - The covenant is in effect until the promise is fulfilled. God gave the MOsaic covenant the people to help them see there was more, much more to come. He wanted them to know that only some of the promises made to Abraham had been kept. God made this covenant with descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to help them see the Messiah would meet all of the blessings promised to Abraham.

vs. 18 - “If the inheritance is based on law” - A will is a legal document, a contract that is enforced only after the writer dies. Only then does the government enforce the contents and requirements. We trust our legal system to follow the terms of the covenant, that is the will. If our legal system routinely overrode the terms of the will, determining who gets what, then a “last will and testament” has been nullified and is unnecessary. The advent of Christ the Savior, his death and resurrection completed all th the promises made to Abraham. This began a New Covenant - The promise of eternal life with Him because HE paid the price for our sin. The promises to Abraham are fulfilled. The promises of the Mosiac Covenant are realized. The ‘Last Will and Testament’ is being followed by the ultimate executor, God HImself.

“No longer based on a promise” - If the government is in control, no promises can be made. Just as the promise to Abraham was given by God - Abraham did not earn it - so too the New Covenant (not the Mosaic Law) was provided to us by God through His Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. We have done nothing to earn or deserve this gift of Life, similar to Abraham. And surely as the promises to Abraham were fulfilled, the promise of eternal life is for those who believe in Him. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. (See: Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9-10)

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