Gal 3:23-4:7 | 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.

‏ Galatians 4:1-7

Summary for Gal 4:1-7: 4:1-7 ^aj Paul supports his argument that the law’s purpose for God’s children was fulfilled when Christ came, so that we are no longer bound by it.
Summary for Gal 4:1-3: 4:1-3 ^ak A child inheriting an estate might receive a large fortune, but before coming of age, the child must obey guardians and trustees until the time set by the father. Similarly, before Christ came, God’s people were under the guardianship of the law (see 3:23-24 ^al).
4:3 ^am Before Christ came, God’s people were like underage heirs to a large estate (4:1-2 ^an). They would inherit a great fortune (4:5 ^ao), but they were still subject to their guardian (3:23-25 ^ap).

• the basic spiritual principles of this world: This probably refers to the principles of law that govern the world apart from Christ; these principles were fully expressed in the law of Moses (3:23-24 ^aq; cp. 4:5 ^ar).
Summary for Gal 4:4-5: 4:4-5 ^as God set the right time in the course of history for Christ to come (cp. Luke 4:18-19 ^at; Eph 4:8-10 ^au).

• Christ was fully human (born of a woman) and subject to the law. Christ fulfilled the law (see Matt 3:13-15 ^av; 5:17 ^aw) so that now God’s children have freedom and are no longer bound as slaves to it.

• to buy freedom: By fulfilling the law and bearing its curse, Christ ransomed us from its claims (Gal 3:13 ^ax; see also Rom 3:24 ^ay; Col 1:13-14 ^az).

• so that he could adopt us: See also Rom 8:15-17 ^ba.
4:6 ^bb The Holy Spirit provides an inner testimony to assure us that we are God’s children (see Rom 8:16 ^bc; Eph 1:13-14 ^bd).

• Those who have the Spirit of his Son are able to address God as Father, just as Christ did (Mark 14:36 ^be; cp. Matt 6:9 ^bf).