Galatians 3:23-29 | |
23. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. | 23. Antequam autem veniret fides, sub Lege custodiebamur, conclusi sub fidem, quae revelanda erat. |
24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. | 24. Itaque Lex paedagogus noster fuit in Christum, ut ex fide justificaremur. |
25. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. | 25. Adveniente autem fide, non amplius sub paedagogo sumus. |
26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. | 26. Nam omnes filii Dei estis per fidem in Christo Iesu. |
27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. | 27. Siquidem quicunque in Christum baptizati estis, Christum induistis. |
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. | 28. Non est Iudaeus neque Graecus, non est servus neque liber, non est masculus neque femina; onmes enim vos unus estis in Christo Iesu. |
29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. | 29. Si autem vos Christi, ergo semen Abrahae estis, et secundum promissionem haeredes. |
23.
We must again remind the reader that Paul does not treat exclusively of ceremonies, or of the moral law, but embraces the whole economy by which the Lord governed his people under the Old Testament. It became a subject of dispute whether the form of government instituted by Moses had any influence in obtaining righteousness. Paul compares this law first to a
Faith was not yet
24.
But a question arises, what was the instruction or education of this schoolmaster? First, the law, by displaying the justice of God, convinced them that in themselves they were unrighteous; for in the commandments of God, as in a mirror, they might see how far they were distant from true righteousness. They were thus reminded that righteousness must be sought in some other quarter. The promises of the law served the same purpose, and might lead to such reflections as these: "If you cannot obtain life by works but by fulfilling the law, some new and different method must be sought. Your weakness will never allow you to ascend so high; nay, though you desire and strive ever so much, you will fall far short of the object." The threatenings, on the other hand, pressed and entreated them to seek refuge from the wrath and curse of God, and gave them no rest till they were constrained to seek the grace of Christ.
Such too, was the tendency of all the ceremonies; for what end did sacrifices and washings serve but to keep the mind continually fixed on pollution and condemnation? When a man's uncleanness is placed before his eyes, when the unoffending animal is held forth as the image of his own death, how can he indulge in sleep? How can he but be roused to the earnest cry for deliverance? Beyond all doubt, ceremonies accomplished their object, not merely by alarming and humbling the conscience, but by exciting them to the faith of the coming Redeemer. In the imposing services of the Mosaic ritual, every thing that was presented to the eye bore an impress of Christ. The law, in short, was nothing else than an immense variety of exercises, in which the worshippers were led by the hand to Christ.
25.
"profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that believers may be instructed in every good work," (2 Timothy 3:16, 17,)
-- is as much in force as ever, and remains untouched.
In what respect, then, is it abolished? Paul, we have said, looks at the law as possessing certain qualities, and those qualities we shall enumerate. It annexes to works a reward and a punishment; that is, it promises life to those who keep it, and curses all transgressors. Meanwhile, it requires from man the highest perfection and most exact obedience. It makes no abatement, gives no pardon, but calls to a severe reckoning the smallest offenses. It does not openly exhibit Christ and his grace, but points him out at a distance, and only when hidden by the covering of ceremonies. All such qualities of the law, Paul tells us, are abolished; so that the office of Moses is now at an end, so far as it differs in outward aspect from a covenant of grace.
26.
"as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."
(John 1:12.)
Since, then, by faith we have obtained adoption, by faith likewise we have obtained our freedom.
27.
But the argument, that, because they have been baptized, they have put on Christ, appears weak; for how far is baptism from being efficacious in all? Is it reasonable that the grace of the Holy Spirit should be so closely linked to an external symbol? Does not the uniform doctrine of Scripture, as well as experience, appear to confute this statement? I answer, it is customary with Paul to treat of the sacraments in two points of view. When he is dealing with hypocrites, in whom the mere symbol awakens pride, he then proclaims loudly the emptiness and worthlessness of the outward symbol, and denounces, in strong terms, their foolish confidence. In such cases he contemplates not the ordinance of God, but the corruption of wicked men. When, on the other hand, he addresses believers, who make a proper use of the symbols, he then views them in connection with the truth -- which they represent. In this case, he makes no boast of any false splendor as belonging to the sacraments, but calls our attention to the actual fact represented by the outward ceremony. Thus, agreeably to the Divine appointment, the truth comes to be associated with the symbols.
But perhaps some person will ask, Is it then possible that, through the fault of men, a sacrament shall cease to bear a figurative meaning? The reply is easy. Though wicked men may derive no advantage from the sacraments, they still retain undiminished their nature and force. The sacraments present, both to good and to bad men, the grace of God. No falsehood attaches to the promises which they exhibit of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Believers receive what is offered; and if wicked men, by rejecting it, render the offer unprofitable to themselves, their conduct cannot destroy the faithfulness of God, or the true meaning of the sacrament. 2 With strict propriety, then, does Paul, in addressing believers, say, that when they were baptized, they "put on Christ;" just as, in the Epistle to the Romans, he says,
"that we have been planted together into his death,
so as to be also partakers of his resurrection."
(Romans 6:5.)
In this way, the symbol and the Divine operation are kept distinct, and yet the meaning of the sacraments is manifest; so that they cannot be regarded as empty and trivial exhibitions; and we are reminded with what base ingratitude they are chargeable, who, by abusing the precious ordinances of God, not only render them unprofitable to themselves, but turn them to their own destruction!
28.
29.
1 "As the law was before compared to a jailer, so it is here likened to a paidagwgo>v, by which term is not to be understood a schoolmaster, (for that would have been dida>skalov,) but the paedagous or person (usually a freedman or slave) who conducted children to and from school, attended them out of school hours, formed their manners, superintended their moral conduct, and in various respects prepared them for the dida>skalov." -- Bloomfield. Our author's observations on paidagwgo>v, in another passage, have brought out the full meaning of this word, and the classical authorities for the use of it, in the translator's notes. -- Calvin on the Corinthians, vol. 1. p. 169. -- Ed.
2 "If any person receives nothing more than this bodily washing, which is perceived by the eyes of flesh, he has not put on the Lord Jesus Christ." -- Jerome.
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