Exegesis of Galatians 3: The Gospel Came Before The Law

[BobRyan]

I have started a study of Galatians chapter 3. I am looking for agreement or disagreement on my exegesis. Or any additional insights.

It seems like the overall theme of the chapter is about faith vs works of the law. However, there are some interesting points that Paul makes.

Paul is telling the Galaitians that the 'physical' seeds of Abraham are not the seeds of the promise.

true. They are not all children who are descendants of the flesh. But it is the ones of the promise that are counted as descendants.

Then Paul goes on to say that the gospel promise came before the law. What? The gospel came before the law? Paul writes,

In Galatians 3:10-14 Paul talks about those in right standing with God will live by faith. And then in Galatians 3:15 Paul gives an example to explain what he is talking about. That is, the gospel (the promise of faith) was given before the law

The Gospel given to Abraham Gal 3:8 has to be in Genesis.

The formal giving of the Law in Ex 20 was long after Abraham.

We all agree.

But it is always a sin "to take God's name in vain".
In Gen 4 "sin is crouching at your door" said God to Cain regarding Cain's anger and plan to kill his brother.
Gen 2-3 Adam violated God's Law regarding the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Gen 1-2 it was never not-a-sin to take God's name in vain.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned— 13 for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not counted against anyone when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses

1 John 3:4 - sin IS transgression of the Law.
Rom 3 "through the Law comes the knowledge of what sin is"

. Paul says,

It seems that Paul is saying, in his example, that the gospel promise is like a covenant that came before the law.

Indeed - before the formal writing of the law on stone and other instructions given to Moses and then written down and placed beside the ark.

Once that promise, or covenant, was given to Abraham then nothing can be added or taken away from that promise. So if the gospel promise was like a covenant, then the promise that right standing was to be by faith cannot be removed or annulled or replaced.

True.

And Gal 3 points out that there was never any such thing as "salvation by law".

Gal 3:0 Now a mediator is not for one party only; but God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? Far from it! For if a law had been given that was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture has confined everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

So then no such thing as "salvation by works" no such thing as "salvation by not taking God's name in vain -- enough"

Right standing in the eyes of God is to be by faith (starting with the promise to Abraham).

Starting with Adam and Eve - Gen 3 - the promise of Christ.

Rom 3:31 "what then ? Do we make void the Law of God by our gospel-faith? God forbid! In fact we ESTABLISH the Law of God"
No wonder then "the saints KEEP the Commandments of God AND their faith in Jesus" Rev 14:12

 

[ralliann]

I would say your analysis is spot-on, with only one tweak. The promise/covenant is specifically stated in Galatians 3:8...

And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” (Ga 3:8)​

His promise to Abraham was that his "Seed" (singular, not plural) would be the blessing of all mankind. In Acts, we read the following...

25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” (Ac 3:25–26)​

And in Hebrews, the immutibility of the promise was amplified when the writer of Hebrews wrote this...

For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” (Heb 6:13–14)​

This is, of course, a reference to the following passage from Genesis...

Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Ge 22:15–18)​

God's promise to Abraham of the Savior to come who would be one of His physical descendants could not be undone by the law which came 430 years after the promise.

Jumping ahead, the law was never intended to bring salvation. It was intended to highlight peoples' sins and drive them to Jesus, the promised Savior. Paul also explained this in Galatians...

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Ga 3:21–24)​

Deut 30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.