1.
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
Verse 1
Bewitched you; deluded you.--Evidently set forth; plainly preached.
2.
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3.
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Verse 3
Are ye now made perfect by; are ye going to end in.
4.
Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
5.
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Verse 5
By the works of the law; by Judaism.
6.
Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
7.
Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
Verse 7
Are the children of Abraham; whether Jews or not. If they share in the faith of Abraham, God considers them as his children.
8.
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Verse 8
All nations; that is, the Gentiles; thus showing that the extension of the offers of salvation beyond the Jewish communion was the design of God from the beginning.
9.
So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
10.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12.
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Verse 12
That doeth them; that is, that fully obeys the requirements of the law.--Shall live in them; shall be saved by them.
13.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Verse 13
The curse of the law; the terrible penalty of the law.--Being made a curse for us; in the condemnation, sufferings, and death, which be endured for us.--Cursed, &c.; Deuteronomy 21:23.
14.
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Verse 14
The blessing of Abraham; the blessing pronounced upon Abraham.
15.
Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
Verse 15
Though it be, &c. The meaning of this and the following verses is, that even human covenants, once made and confirmed by the usual forms, are not affected by subsequent transactions; and the promises made to Abraham being conditioned originally on faith, these conditions could not subsequently be altered by the giving of the law, centuries later.
16.
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
Verse 16
And to seeds, as of many. There has been great diversity of opinion in respect to this passage. The argument would seem to be, that the seed of Abraham, in whose favor the promise was made, was regarded as one community, to be saved on one common principle, so that all, whether they lived before the law, or during the continuance of the law, or under the gospel, constitute but one seed, to be saved in one way; and that way must be by faith.--Which is Christ; the whole body of believers in Christ. The word Christ is used in a similar sense in 1 Corinthians 12:12, and in other places.
17.
And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
18.
For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Verse 18
Of promise; that is, in fulfilment of a promise.
19.
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Verse 19
Because of transgressions; to restrain transgressions.--The seed should come; that is, until the generation should come in which the kingdom of Christ was to be established, and the promises of the covenant fulfilled.--Was ordained, &c. The latter clause of this verse, together with the verse which follows, is a passage which has in all ages baffled the learning and ingenuity of commentators. Various conjectures have been offered, but they throw but little light upon the meaning.
20.
Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
21.
Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
22.
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
23.
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
24.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Verse 24
The law was our schoolmaster; that is, the law was only the means of preparatory training, by which the Jewish nation was led on to salvation by Christ.
25.
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
26.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
27.
For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Verse 27
Have put on Christ; that is, have become all so united with Christ as to form one body of believers in him.
28.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29.
And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.