Paul reminds the Galatian believers that they received
the Spirit "by the hearing of faith" and NOT "by the works of the Law" (Galatians 3:2 cf. Romans 10:4-8)
It would be "foolish" for the Galatian believers
to want to be perfected by the flesh after having begun in the Spirit (Galatians 3:3)
Who would want to return to "the spirit of bondage
again to fear" (Romans 8:15 cf. Deuteronomy 28:58) when one has already received "the spirit ... of power, of love,
and of a sound mind" (II Timothy 1:7)
The Scripture in "foreseeing" that God would
justify the Gentiles by faith - it "preached before ... unto Abraham" that "in thee shall all nations
be blessed" (Galatians 3:8 cf. Genesis 12:1-3)
The "good news" promise concerning Abraham's
seed and his being reckoned righteous by God for believing it (Genesis 15:1-6) occurred BEFORE the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14)
while Abraham was yet a Gentile, so that the blessed promise would include the Gentiles (Galatians 3:9 cf. Romans 4:6-16)
Paul warns the Galatian believers that in the Law a curse
is pronounced upon all who do NOT continue to do all that is written in the Law (Galatians 3:10 cf. Deuteronomy 27:26)
James conveys the same warning by saying that if a person
were to keep the whole Law with the exception of one point then that person is guilty of transgressing the entire
Law (James 2:10)
Paul reminds the Galatian believers that according to
the OT it is evident that a man is NOT justified before God by the Law, but that he is justified by faith (Galatians 3:11)
- because it is so written therein (Habakkuk 2:4)
The righteousness of the Law (Deuteronomy 6:25) has been testified to be as "filthy rags" when applied to
those who were under it (Isaiah 64:6)
Paul again emphasizes that the Law is NOT of faith, BUT
of works (Galatians 3:12) as it is so written in the Law (Leviticus 18:5)
It is important to understand that when Paul cites the
Law in reference to justification, he is referring to the moral Law as expressed in the ten commandments - the
Decalogue (Romans 2:17-24)
Paul encourages the Galatian believers in that it is Christ
Who has redeemed us from the "curse of the Law" (Deuteronomy 21:22-23) for it was He that was "hanged on the tree" for us (Galatians 3:13)
Christ endured the "curse of the cross" so that
the "blessing of Abraham" might come upon the Gentiles thru Christ - the receiving by faith of the "promise
of the Spirit" (Galatians 3:14)
Paul calls believers "able ministers of the New Covenant",
which is a ministration of the Spirit (that of life in Christ) and NOT a ministration of death (that of the "letter
of the Law") -->[II Corinthians 3:6 cf.Romans 8:2]
Paul reminds the Galatian believers that even a human
covenant cannot be negated once it is confirmed (Galatians 3:15)
How much less so can the Law negate the Divine covenant
of promise to Abraham concerning His Seed in Christ, which was made 430 years BEFORE the giving of the Law (Galatians 3:16-17)
It was 430 years FROM the giving of the promise of the
seed TO the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:40-41)
It was 400 years FROM the acknowledgement of the seed
at the weaning of Isaac (Genesis 21:8-12) TO the Exodus from Egypt (Acts 7:6 cf. Genesis 15:13)
Therefore, Israel's inheritance cannot be via the Law,
because God gave it to Abraham by promise (Galatians 3:18)
This was the very basis of the intercession by Moses on
behalf of Israel when the Lord was prepared to exterminate the Nation at its very inception for its violation of
the Law's very first commandment (Exodus 32:7-14)
If God gave the inheritance by promise then the question
naturally arises - "Wherefore then serveth the Law?" (Galatians 3:19)
Paul answers this question by saying that "It was
added because of trangressions" (Galatians 3:19)
Israel tempted the Lord "ten times" in the wilderness
after having witnessed the Lord's glory and miracles on their behalf in Egypt (Numbers 14:22)
Israel failed to recognize God's holiness and their own
sin by promising "All that the Lord hath spoken will we do" (Exodus 19:8) despite their frequent "murmuring" BEFORE making that promise
(Exodus 15:24; Exodus 16:2-3; Exodus 17:3)
The result was that God held them to their promise and
bound them to the "covenant of the Law" (Exodus 24:7-8)
The Law was added "till the Seed should come to whom
the promise was made" (Galatians 3:19 cf. Galatians 4:1-5), but Israel did NOT want to be redeemed from the "curse of the
Law" (Romans 10:1-4)
The Law was a covenant between two parties (God and Israel)
with Moses as the mediator between the two parties (Galatians 3:20; Exodus 24:2-4), but God ALONE gave the promise of the inheritance to Abraham AFTER
he put him to sleep (Galatians 3:20; Genesis 15:12,17-18)
The question naturally arises - "Is the Law against
the promises of God?" (Galatians 3:21)
Paul answers this question by stating that if there would
have been a law that could give life then righteousness would have been by that Law (Galatians 3:21), but the Law was a "ministration of death and condemnation"
(II Corinthians 3:7,9)
However, the Scripture has concluded "ALL under sin",
so that the promise could be by faith in Him Who is "without sin" (Galatians 3:22 cf. Isaiah 53:8-11)
Before "the faith" that was "to be revealed"
came, Israel was "shut up unto that faith" and was under the Law as a "schoolmaster" to bring
her unto Christ - the object of "that faith" (Galatians 3:23-24)
The Law was a witness against Israel and so was placed
in an "ark", which is the same Hebrew word (arown) for "coffin" (Deuteronomy 31:26 cf. Genesis 50:26)