GALATIANS 3:15–29
Why, Then, Was the Law Given?
Paul has taken us back to Abraham.
God promised that all nations would be blessed through him.
Paul says that blessing has now come to the Gentiles through Christ.
But that raises an important question.
If God's promise came through Abraham, what was the purpose of the Law that came later through Moses?
Paul is about to tell us.
And we need to let Paul answer the question.
A Promise Cannot Simply Be Changed
Paul begins with an everyday illustration.
“No one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established.” — Galatians 3:15
Once an agreement has been established, someone cannot simply come along later and rewrite it.
Paul applies that principle to God's promise.
The Law came later.
It could not cancel what God had already promised to Abraham.
Who Was the Promise Really About?
Paul writes:
“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed.” — verse 16
Then Paul identifies that seed:
“The Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.”
Paul's argument is moving toward Christ.
The promise to Abraham finds its fulfillment in Christ.
That becomes extremely important when we reach the end of the chapter.
The Law Came 430 Years Later
Paul makes the chronology clear:
“The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.” — verse 17
The promise came first.
The Law came later.
Therefore, the Law cannot replace the promise.
Paul says:
“If the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise.” — verse 18
But God gave the inheritance to Abraham through a promise.
So Paul has established the order:
Promise first.
Law later.
Christ fulfills the promise.
That naturally produces a question.
“Why, Then, Was the Law Given?”
Paul asks the very question we need answered:
“Why, then, was the law given?” — verse 19
Notice what we should not do.
We don't need to invent an answer.
Paul gives one.
“It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come.”
Two words are especially important:
added
and
until.
The Law had a purpose.
But Paul also gives it a time frame.
It was added until the promised Seed came.
And Paul has already told us who that Seed is.
Christ.
The Law Was Not the Promise
Paul is not attacking God's Law.
The Law came from God.
It served God's purpose.
But it was not the promise itself.
And it was not God's final destination.
The Law had a place in God's plan leading toward Christ.
This distinction will help us understand much of what Paul says throughout Galatians.
Is the Law Against God's Promises?
Paul anticipates another objection:
“Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God?” — verse 21
His answer is immediate:
“Absolutely not!”
The Law and the promise were not enemies.
They had different functions.
Paul explains that if a law had been given that could impart life, righteousness would indeed have come by the Law.
But that wasn't the Law's purpose.
Scripture Held Everyone Under Sin
Paul says:
“Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin.” — verse 22
Why?
“So that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.”
Again the argument moves toward Christ.
The Law exposes the problem.
The promise points toward the solution.
The solution is Christ.
The Law Was a Guardian
Paul gives another illustration:
“The law was our guardian until Christ came.” — verse 24
The word describes someone entrusted with supervision until the child reached maturity.
The guardian had an important job.
But the guardian was not intended to remain forever.
Paul again uses the word:
until.
“The law was our guardian until Christ came.”
Then Paul says:
“Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” — verse 25
That is difficult to miss.
Paul does not say the Law was bad.
He says its role was temporary and preparatory.
It led toward Christ.
“You Are All Children of God”
Now Paul turns from the Law to the people who belong to Christ:
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.” — verse 26
Who are these people?
Jewish believers?
Yes.
Gentile believers?
Yes.
Paul is talking to congregations where that very distinction had caused controversy.
But now he says:
You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
“For All of You Who Were Baptized Into Christ...”
Then Paul says something we should not hurry past:
“For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” — verse 27
Notice how naturally Paul joins faith and baptism.
Verse 26:
“children of God through faith.”
Verse 27:
“baptized into Christ.”
Paul does not place the two against each other.
He doesn't say:
Faith—or baptism.
He describes people who through faith have been baptized into Christ and clothed with Christ.
That is worth remembering whenever someone tries to make Paul oppose faith to baptism.
Paul's argument here is against relying upon the Law of Moses.
Jew and Gentile Are One in Christ
Then comes one of the great statements of Galatians:
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” — verse 28
Paul is not saying these human distinctions cease to exist.
Men and women still exist.
Slaves and free people existed in Paul's world.
Jews and Gentiles still had different backgrounds.
But none of those distinctions determines who has greater standing before God.
All are one in Christ.
That directly answers the problem in Galatia.
Gentiles did not have to become Jews.
They had Christ.
So Who Is Abraham's Seed?
Paul finishes the chapter:
“If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” — verse 29
That brings the whole argument together.
Who receives Abraham's inheritance?
Paul's answer is not:
Those who become Jews.
It is not:
Those who place themselves under the Law of Moses.
It is:
Those who belong to Christ.
If you belong to Christ, Paul says, you are Abraham's seed.
And therefore you are an heir of the promise.
Look at the Whole Argument
Paul has now given us a remarkable sweep of biblical history:
Abraham received the promise.
The Law came 430 years later.
The Law did not cancel the promise.
The Law was added because of transgressions.
It served as a guardian until Christ.
Christ came.
Those who belong to Christ are God's children.
They have been baptized into Christ and clothed with Christ.
Jew and Gentile are one in Christ.
And everyone who belongs to Christ is Abraham's seed and an heir of the promise.
Israel and the Law were important parts of God's plan.
But Paul keeps directing our attention toward the destination.
Christ.
One Question Before We Move On
Paul has twice used the idea of “until.”
The Law was added until the Seed came.
The Law was our guardian until Christ came.
So we should ask:
If Christ has come, why would God's plan now move backward to the covenant that Paul says was preparing the way for Him?
That's a question worth carrying with us as we continue.
Because Paul isn't finished.
He is about to explain the difference between being an heir and being a slave.
Read the paragraph.
Follow the argument.
Check the context.
Read First. Conclude Later.