College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Galatians 3:15-18
B.
SUPERIORITY OF THE GOSPEL TO THE LAW. Galatians 3:15-29
1.
Illustrated and proved by the covenant with Abraham. Galatians 3:15-18
TEXT 3:15-18
(15) Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto. (16) Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. (17) Now this I say: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect. (18) For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.
PARAPHRASE 3:15-18
15 Brethren, in confuting those who affirm that the blessing of the nations in Abraham, and in his seed, is to be accomplished by their conversion to Judaism, I speak according to the practice of men: No one setteth aside or altereth a ratified covenant, though it is but the covenant of a man.
16 Now, to Abraham were the promises made, that in him all the families of the earth shall be blessed; and to his seed, that in it likewise all nations, the Jews not excepted, shall be blessed. God does not say, And in seeds, as speaking concerning many, but as speaking concerning one person he saith, And in thy seed the nations are to be blessed; not through the whole of Abraham's seed, but through one of them only, who is Christ.
17 Wherefore, this I affirm, that the covenant with Abraham, which was anciently ratified by God with an oath, concerning the blessing of the nations in Christ, the law, which was made four hundred and thirty years after, neither with the consent of Abraham, nor of his seed Christ, but of the Jews only, cannot annul, so as to abolish the promise, by introducing a different method of blessing the nations, namely, by the works of the law of Moses.
18 Besides, if the inheritance even of the earthly country be obtained by works of law, it is no longer bestowed by promise as a free gift. Yet Moses expressly declares, that God bestowed the inheritance of Canaan as a free gift on Abraham by promise.
COMMENT 3:15
no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto
1.
Civil law prohibits tampering, Paul illustrates.
2.
Will men dare to observe man's law so carefully, then alter God'S?
a.
Who would dare to set aside the laws of the Masonic order?
b.
Yet men want to add to and take away from God's law.
COMMENT 3:16
To Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed
1.
A testament is not a law, but an inheritance.
2.
Heirs do not look for laws and assessments when they open a last will, they look for grants and favors.
3.
The testament to Abraham contained promises of great spiritual blessing.
He saith not, And to seeds, as of many: but as of one
1.
the promises were made in view of Christone seed.
a.
The gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, did abound unto the many. Romans 5:15
b.
One seed is able to bless all of the seed of Abraham.
2.
It is actually two seeds in thought.
a.
The physical seed would bring Jesus.
b.
The spiritual seed would be Abraham by faith.
c.
The Jews argue that seed is a collective noun and refers to many.
d.
Paul says it can mean one, and that one is Christ.
COMMENT 3:17
a covenant confirmed beforehand
1.
The covenant is made in Gen., chapter 12 and confirmed in Chapter s 16 and 17.
2.
The covenant is confirmed in Genesis 22:1-24.
a.
By myself have I sworn saith Jehovah, Galatians 3:16.
b.
God confirms by swearing by Himself.
c.
How many years between Genesis 12:1-20 and Genesis 22:16?
1)
Abraham departs from Haranjourneys through Canaanis driven by famine into Egyptreturns from Egyptbattles the Kingssees the destruction of SodomIsaac is born.
2)
This accounts for at least 25-40 years.
3.
Perhaps there was some other confirmation with Jacobwhich would be about 215 years later. See Genesis 28:4
the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after
1.
This 430 years is a problem of chronology.
a.
It is the number given in the Septuagint, and for argumentative purposes is sufficiently correct as a round number.
b.
Perhaps some other confirmation than the one Abraham provides, is the date of reckoning.
2.
The time from Abraham is accounted as follows:
a.
The promise is made in Genesis 12:3, when Abraham was 75.
b.
From the promise to the birth of Isaac was 25 years, when Abraham was 100. Genesis 21:5
c.
The birth of Isaac to the birth of Jacob was 60 years. Genesis 25:26
d.
From Jacob's birth to the descent to Egypt was 130 years.
e.
This would leave 250 years that the Jews were in Egypt.
f.
This conflicts seemingly with Exodus 12:40.
1)
Now the time that the children of Israel dwelt in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.
2)
The King James Version says, Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
3.
Paul quoted from the Septuagint Version.
4.
The Hebrew copies make the sojourn in Egypt 430 years, thus the promise to Abraham 215 years earlier that Jacob's entrance would be 645 which strengthens Paul's argument even more.
doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect
1.
Evidently the Jewish argument was that the law was given because God was not satisfied with the former.
2.
Abraham was never justified by the law, for the law was not in effect for 430 yearspossibly 645.
3.
If God had meant for us to be justified by law, He would have given it perhaps 430 years before the promise.
A COVENANT 430 YEARS AFTERWARDS 3:17
The two covenants were mixed in Paul's day and well meaning people are confusing them in this very hour. Out of about 30 things said about the inferior covenant, the following twelve should be sufficient.
1.
It is done away, 2 Corinthians 3:11.
2.
Vanished away, Hebrews 8:13.
3.
Taken out of the way, Colossians 2:14.
4.
Disannulled, Hebrews 7:18.
5.
Abolished, Ephesians 2:15; 2 Corinthians 3:13.
6.
Slain, Ephesians 2:16.
7.
Waxed old and decayed, Hebrews 8:13.
8.
Broken Down, Ephesians 2:14.
9.
Nailed to the cross, Colossians 2:14.
10.
Blotted out, Colossians 2:14.
11.
Fulfilled, Matthew 5:18; John 19:30.
12.
Dead, Romans 7:6.
We are not held accountable to the old covenant for six reasons.
1.
We are dead to it, Romans 7:4.
2.
We are not under it, Romans 6:14.
3.
We are redeemed from it, Galatians 3:13; Galatians 4:4-5.
4.
We are not children of it, Galatians 4:24; Galatians 4:31.
5.
We are delivered from it, Romans 7:6.
6.
We are no longer under the schoolmaster, Galatians 3:24-26.
WORD STUDY 3:17
Covenant (diathekedee ah THAY kay). There were two words for covenant available for use in the Greek. The first, suntheke (soon THAY kay), denotes an equal partnership agreement, and is never used in the New Testament. The second, diatheke, is an arrangement made by one party with full power, which the other party may accept or reject, but cannot alter.
The covenant between God and man is a grant, not a partnership. We can accept or reject the gift of salvation, but we cannot do enough to be worthy of it, nor can we change the terms of acceptance.
COMMENT 3:18
if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise
1.
What God has promised He can not take back from faithful Abraham.
2.
An inheritance does not come from two parties.
a.
If it came by lawit couldn-'t come by promise.
b.
It came by promise, so law is ruled out.
STUDY QUESTIONS 3:15-18
326.
Why would an inspired apostle speak after the manner of men?
327.
What was Paul's illustration?
328.
Why do men enforce civil law so carefully yet change God's so thoroughly and feel so lightly about it?
329.
What have men added to God's law today?
330.
Name the objects of worship today, not taught in the N.T.
331.
Does the Scripture warn against adding and taking away?
332.
Who was included in Abrahamic promise?
333.
Name the phases of the promise?
334.
Why is seed in the singular?
335.
Whom does the seed refer to?
336.
Are we then to be considered seed of Christ?
337.
Compare Isaiah 53:1-12 to discover if Jesus has seed.
338.
What is the covenant referred to?
339.
When was the covenant made?
340.
When was it confirmed?
341.
How was it confirmed?
342.
What did this confirmation precede and why is this important?
343.
Was the confirmation ever repeated?
344.
If Abraham could be justified before the lawthen is it possible for God to justify us today after the law?
345.
How is the inheritance given?
346.
How faithful is the promise?
347.
Was the promise made void by law, since the law came later?