Gal 3:23-29 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gal 3:23-29: 3:23-29 Paul contrasts the condition of God’s people under the law before Christ with their condition now under Christ. 3:23 Because sin had imprisoned us (3:22 ), 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.

Summary for Gal 3:23-29: 3:23-29 ^a Paul contrasts the condition of God’s people under the law before Christ with their condition now under Christ. 3:23 ^b Because sin had imprisoned us (3:22 ^c), 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 ^d 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 ^e the way of faith has come: The principle of righteousness by faith was always operative (cp. 3:6-9 ^f), 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 ^g Because of Christ, our condition under faith contrasts with our condition under the law (3:23-24 ^h). 3:26 ⁱ Those who are children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (see also 4:4-7 ^j; John 1:12 ^k; Rom 9:8 ^l) have come of age as heirs of his promises (see Gal 3:24-25 ^m, 29 ⁿ) and have received the down payment of that inheritance (3:14 ^o; Eph 1:14 ^p). The Galatians were foolish (Gal 3:1 ^q) 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 ^r united with Christ in baptism: See Rom 6:3-4 ^s. 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 ^t).

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

• male and female: Cp. Gen 1:27 ^aa.

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

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