Gal 3 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gal 3:1-5: 3:1–5:12 Paul now defends the truth of his message—that right relationship with God comes by faith in Christ alone—and proves the fallacy of the message that Gentiles must keep the law in order to be acceptable to God. Summary for Gal 3:1-9: 3:1-9 Paul compares the Galatians’ spiritual experience (3:1-5 ) with Abraham’s (3:6-9 ), showing that they were made right with God in the same way, through faith and not through the law (Eph 2:8-9 ). 3:1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Their foolishness was both intellectual and spiritual (cp. Luke 24:25 ; see 1 Sam 25:1-38 ) as they turned away from Christ (Gal 1:6 ) and put faith in the law. • The Galatians were deceived by the teachers’ evil spell (cp. Gen 3:1-7 )—not literal witchcraft, but enticing arguments. • For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross (literally Before your eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified ): Paul’s proclamation of the Good News clearly portrayed Christ’s death and explained its significance (see Rom 10:14-17 ).

Summary for Gal 3:1-5: 3:1–5:12 ^a Paul now defends the truth of his message—that right relationship with God comes by faith in Christ alone—and proves the fallacy of the message that Gentiles must keep the law in order to be acceptable to God.
Summary for Gal 3:1-9: 3:1-9 ^b Paul compares the Galatians’ spiritual experience (3:1-5 ^c) with Abraham’s (3:6-9 ^d), showing that they were made right with God in the same way, through faith and not through the law (Eph 2:8-9 ^e). 3:1 ^f Oh, foolish Galatians! Their foolishness was both intellectual and spiritual (cp. Luke 24:25 ^g; see 1 Sam 25:1-38 ^h) as they turned away from Christ (Gal 1:6 ⁱ) and put faith in the law.

• The Galatians were deceived by the teachers’ evil spell (cp. Gen 3:1-7 ^j)—not literal witchcraft, but enticing arguments.

• For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross (literally Before your eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified): Paul’s proclamation of the Good News clearly portrayed Christ’s death and explained its significance (see Rom 10:14-17 ^k).
3:2 ^l The Galatians, like all Christians, received the Spirit by faith in Christ, not by obeying the law of Moses (see Acts 2:38-39 ^m; Rom 8:9-11 ⁿ; 2 Cor 1:22 ^o; Eph 1:11-14 ^p; cp. Acts 10:44-48 ^q; 11:15-18 ^r). God accepted the Galatians because of their faith in the message . . . about Christ (cp. Rom 10:14-17 ^s), which made their turning to the law absurd (Gal 3:3-4 ^t).
3:3 ^u by ... human effort (literally by flesh): Paul makes a pun: The Galatians were trying to become perfect by human effort through keeping the law about circumcising the flesh of the male foreskin.
3:4 ^v Have you experienced (or suffered) so much for nothing? This could refer to suffering, but what is known about the Galatian church does not suggest this. Paul was probably referring to the spiritual experiences the Galatians had through the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:3 ^w, 5 ^x). Turning to the law for right standing with God would mean regarding the work of the Spirit as meaningless.
3:5 ^y work miracles: See 1 Cor 12:4-11 ^z. The Holy Spirit is present with believers and in the church because of faith in the message . . . about Christ.
Summary for Gal 3:6-9: 3:6-9 ^aa Abraham’s experience shows that faith has always been the basis for relationship with God and for receiving what God has promised. 3:6 ^ab This quote is from Gen 15:6 ^ac, where God established his covenant with Abraham (see Gen 15:1-21 ^ad; 17:1-27 ^ae). This statement is foundational in defining God’s relationship with humanity (see Hab 2:4 ^af; Rom 4:1-8 ^ag, 17-22 ^ah).
3:7 ^ai Gentile Christians—including the Galatians—are among the real children of Abraham, not by keeping the law of Moses, but by faith in God (see Rom 4:9-17 ^aj, 23-25 ^ak; cp. Matt 12:48-50 ^al).
3:8 ^am the Scriptures looked forward: By faith, Abraham foresaw the coming Messiah (cp. John 8:56 ^an) and received the message that “All nations will be blessed through you” (Gen 12:3 ^ao; 18:18 ^ap; 22:18 ^aq).Through Abraham’s offspring, the Messiah, God would accept all nations on the same basis as Abraham himself—by faith.
Summary for Gal 3:10-12: 3:10-12 ^ar By relying on circumcision, the Galatians depended on the law. Those who look to the law for right standing with God are under a curse. They cannot keep the whole law, so they cannot receive blessing under its terms. 3:10 ^as Paul here quotes Deut 27:26 ^at, which summarized the curse that Israel would experience if they failed to keep all the stipulations of God’s covenant (see Deut 27:9-26 ^au; cp. Deut 28:15-68 ^av; 31:26 ^aw; Josh 1:8 ^ax; Mal 2:2 ^ay; see also Gen 3:14-19 ^az; 4:10-12 ^ba). It is impossible for sinful human beings to obey God’s will completely (see Rom 3:9-20 ^bb).
3:11 ^bc So it is clear from Scripture, even if it was not clear to the Galatians or the false teachers who were insisting on circumcision for Gentile believers.

• “It is through faith that a righteous person has life”: Paul quotes Hab 2:4 ^bd, in which the prophet was waiting in faith for God’s promise to be fulfilled.
3:12 ^be The law itself is not opposed to faith (see 3:19-25 ^bf; Rom 7:7-13 ^bg), but trying to be righteous by keeping the law opposes righteousness by faith in Christ. Paul quotes Lev 18:5 ^bh to show that life under the law comes by obeying rather than believing. Right standing with God is impossible on that basis (Gal 3:10-11 ^bi).
Summary for Gal 3:13-14: 3:13-14 ^bj In contrast with those who depend on the law (3:10-12 ^bk), those who look to God through faith in Christ freely receive God’s life and blessings. 3:13 ^bl rescued us (or ransomed us): Christ paid a ransom to buy back his people (see 4:4-5 ^bm; 1 Pet 1:18-20 ^bn).

• “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”: Paul quotes Deut 21:23 ^bo, in which executed criminals exposed for public shame were under God’s curse (see study note on Deut 21:22). Jesus, when he was crucified, took upon himself God’s curse that should have fallen upon all sinners (cp. 2 Cor 5:21 ^bp).
3:14 ^bq Christ Jesus has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing ... promised to Abraham, as described in 3:6-13 ^br. Paul equates this blessing with receiving the promised Holy Spirit (3:2-6 ^bs; see also Rom 8:1-17 ^bt, 23 ^bu; Eph 1:13-14 ^bv).
Summary for Gal 3:15-18: 3:15-18 ^bw Christ, not the law, has fulfilled the promise and covenant given to Abraham. 3:15 ^bx An irrevocable agreement, such as a person’s last will and testament, is unalterable after the person has died, and it must be executed exactly as written.
3:16 ^by The promises to Abraham were primarily inherited by Abraham and his child (literally his seed)—the promised Messiah, the ultimate descendant of Abraham. “Seed” can refer to a single descendant or to many descendants (see Gen 12:7 ^bz; 13:15 ^ca). Although the promise has a plural sense (see Gal 3:29 ^cb; Gen 13:15-16 ^cc; 15:5-6 ^cd; 17:7-8 ^ce), this singular noun points to the one descendant, Christ, who completely fulfilled the promise. The heirs of the promise are not Jacob’s physical children, but the spiritual children of Christ by the Spirit through faith.
3:17 ^cf Just as irrevocable agreements cannot be canceled (3:15 ^cg), the terms of God’s covenant with Abraham were not changed by the giving of the law.

• 430 years: See study note on Exod 12:40.
3:18 ^ch The inheritance (see 4:1-7 ^ci) cannot come through keeping the law, because that would nullify God’s promise to Abraham, which was accepted by faith before the law.
Summary for Gal 3:19-22: 3:19-22 ^cj Paul’s argument so far might lead his readers to believe that the law had no purpose. Here, however, Paul emphasizes the law’s proper role in order to correct false teaching about the law. 3:19 ^ck If people do not receive God’s inheritance through the law, why, then, was the law given? It was to show people their sins and make it clear that sinful actions are offenses against God. People cannot rely on their own goodness to save them, but must turn to God in faith (see Rom 3:19-20 ^cl; 4:15 ^cm; 5:20 ^cn; 7:7-13 ^co).

• until the coming of the child who was promised: See Gal 3:16 ^cp. While the promise is permanent, the law was temporary. With Christ’s coming, the law was fulfilled (see Matt 5:17-20 ^cq; cp. Matt 3:13-15 ^cr; John 19:30 ^cs) and God’s acceptance is based entirely on faith in Christ.

• through angels: Deuteronomy 33:2 ^ct in the Greek version describes the Lord’s coming from Sinai “with myriads of holy ones, angels with him at his right hand.” See also Ps 68:17 ^cu; Acts 7:38 ^cv, 53 ^cw; Heb 2:2 ^cx.

• Moses, who was the mediator: See Exod 20:19 ^cy; Deut 5:24-27 ^cz.
3:20 ^da The law, given through angels and a mediator, required agreement between God and the people. The law was conditional, with blessings and curses attached to keeping or not keeping its statutes. In contrast, God gave his promise to Abraham directly; he did not use a mediator. It was God’s unilateral and unconditional commitment.

• God, who is one: Paul used the basic Jewish creed (Deut 6:4 ^db) to convince Gentile Christians not to become Jewish converts.
Summary for Gal 3:21-25: 3:21-25 ^dc See Rom 7:7-13 ^dd. 3:21 ^de No conflict of purpose exists between law and promise, or between law and faith. Law partners with the promise in bringing people to faith in Christ. Law has its proper roles of declaring people prisoners of sin (3:19 ^df, 22 ^dg) and of restraining sin (3:23-25 ^dh). In Galatia, the Judaizers tried to convince Gentile Christians that the law could do something it was never intended to do—give ... new life and make people right with God. God does these things on the basis of faith in his promise, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ (see 3:22 ^di).
3:22 ^dj we are all prisoners of sin: See Rom 3:9 ^dk; 7:1-13 ^dl; 11:32 ^dm. Keeping the law is of no use in bringing salvation; only believing in Jesus Christ can bring freedom.
Summary for Gal 3:23-29: 3:23-29 ^dn Paul contrasts the condition of God’s people under the law before Christ with their condition now under Christ. 3:23 ^do Because sin had imprisoned us (3:22 ^dp), the law was a guard, keeping God’s people in protective custody . . . until the way of faith in Christ was revealed. It made God’s requirements explicit, and thus highlights the need for a Savior. The law also restrains sin by making the consequences of sin explicit.
3:24 ^dq The law is like a child’s guardian (Greek paidagōgos, “tutor”). In Greco-Roman culture, a guardian was a faithful slave responsible for training and protecting the heir until he came of age.
3:25 ^dr the way of faith has come: The principle of righteousness by faith was always operative (cp. 3:6-9 ^ds), but the object of that faith and the means of appropriating it are now clear to everyone through Jesus Christ.

• we no longer need the law as our guardian: In Greco-Roman culture, a freeborn child who came of age was no longer under the discipline of a guardian, but was free to rule himself. So, too, those who are “of age” through faith in Christ are free from the guardianship of the law. They serve Christ directly as he leads by his word and Spirit.
Summary for Gal 3:26-29: 3:26-29 ^dt Because of Christ, our condition under faith contrasts with our condition under the law (3:23-24 ^du). 3:26 ^dv Those who are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (see also 4:4-7 ^dw; John 1:12 ^dx; Rom 9:8 ^dy) have come of age as heirs of his promises (see Gal 3:24-25 ^dz, 29 ^ea) and have received the down payment of that inheritance (3:14 ^eb; Eph 1:14 ^ec). The Galatians were foolish (Gal 3:1 ^ed) in trying to gain access to God through circumcision. As God’s children by faith, they already had the best possible access to God.
3:27 ^ee united with Christ in baptism: See Rom 6:3-4 ^ef. Baptism represents death of an old life and birth into a new one. In the new life, the law’s curse no longer has any force (cp. Rom 7:1-6 ^eg).

• have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes: Christ covers us and gives us a new identity. Cp. Col 3:12 ^eh; 1 Thes 5:8 ^ei.
3:28 ^ej There is no longer: Everyone comes to Christ and receives God’s promises in exactly the same way (cp. 1 Cor 12:12-13 ^ek; Eph 2:14 ^el; Col 3:11 ^em).

• male and female: Cp. Gen 1:27 ^en.

• you are all one: The community of believers is one body, the body of Christ (see Rom 12:4-5 ^eo; 1 Cor 12:27 ^ep; Eph 2:15-16 ^eq, 19-22 ^er).

• in Christ Jesus: See Col 2:6–3:11 ^es.
3:29 ^et Because Christ is the ideal descendant of Abraham (3:16 ^eu), it follows that those who are one with Christ (3:27-28 ^ev) are children of Abraham and heirs of all that was promised to him.