Galatians 3:15-25
God's promise to Abraham stands secure in Christ, and the law's temporary role leads us to the faith now revealed in Him.
15 Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it.
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ.
17 Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect.
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.
19 Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.
20 Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one.
21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law.
22 But the Scripture imprisoned all things 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 in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24 So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
God's promise to Abraham stands secure in Christ, and the law's temporary role leads us to the faith now revealed in him.
Paul explains that the later law does not annul God's prior promise to Abraham, but served a temporary imprisoning and guarding role until Christ came and faith was revealed.
Galatians 3:15-25 continues Paul’s rebuke of the Galatians’ movement away from the gospel of Christ toward a law-centered basis of standing before God. After showing from Abraham’s experience and Scripture that blessing comes by faith and that Christ redeemed His people from the curse of the law, Paul now clarifies the relationship between promise and law. He does not treat the law as evil or useless, but neither does he allow it to become the means of inheritance. The promise came first, was spoken to Abraham and his seed, and is fulfilled in Christ. The law came later, added because of transgressions, and functioned until the coming of the promised seed. This argument prepares for 3:26-29, where Paul will unfold sonship, baptismal identification with Christ, unity in Christ, and inheritance according to promise.
Paul writes to churches pressured to accept circumcision and law-observance as necessary markers of covenant membership. In this section he reaches behind Sinai to Abraham, showing that God's promise precedes the Mosaic law and is not canceled by it.
Faith, Promise, and the Curse-Bearing Christ
God's promised blessing comes through faith in Christ, who bore the law's curse so that all who belong to him receive the Spirit, sonship, unity, and inheritance as Abraham's seed.