The Law is Judge
"So why was the Law given? It was added because of offenses, until the descendant would come to whom the promise had been made. It was put in place through angels by the hand of a mediator. Now the mediator does not take one side; but God is one." (Galatians 3:19,20 - Common English Bible)
Paul has just finished proving through the example of Abraham that the Law can not annul the Promise of God. The promise is that those who believe will be counted righteous. Paul has argued that the Law has no part in our justification.
The question that his opponents and others would then ask is: “Why did God give the Law? If it cannot make us right with God, what is the purpose of the Law?” Paul answers this question in beginning in verse 19.
Paul says that the Law was added because of offenses or transgressions. The Law was added to the promise because of sin. Before the law, the primary judge of a person’s moral standing was the conscience of the individual. This is a poor judge. Our conscience can be taught to judge wrongly.
Once the Law was given, there was a written standard by which a person could judge his moral condition. The Law condemns all as guilty before God! It was designed to make people aware of their need for a redeemer.
Once Jesus came, we no longer required the Law to judge us. We have an even better standard: the life of Christ. The perfect life of Christ as He obeyed not just the word but even the spirit of the Law brings even greater condemnation upon us. Christ went beyond the Law: not just adultery is wrong but lust itself; not just murder is wrong but even hate. We are not only to love God and our neighbor; we are to love our enemy!
Paul also mentions in these two verses another fact that makes the promise greater than the Law. According to Jewish tradition, which is supported by this and other New Testament passages, Moses did not receive the Law directly from God by through the agency of angels. Moses then gave the Law to the people. So the people received the Law third hand. However, God made the promise personally to Abraham without any mediator, whether angelic or human.
The law was a judge. It showed man that he is a sinner. Paul continues in the next verses to tell us that the law was also a prison guard.
Paul has just finished proving through the example of Abraham that the Law can not annul the Promise of God. The promise is that those who believe will be counted righteous. Paul has argued that the Law has no part in our justification.
The question that his opponents and others would then ask is: “Why did God give the Law? If it cannot make us right with God, what is the purpose of the Law?” Paul answers this question in beginning in verse 19.
Paul says that the Law was added because of offenses or transgressions. The Law was added to the promise because of sin. Before the law, the primary judge of a person’s moral standing was the conscience of the individual. This is a poor judge. Our conscience can be taught to judge wrongly.
Once the Law was given, there was a written standard by which a person could judge his moral condition. The Law condemns all as guilty before God! It was designed to make people aware of their need for a redeemer.
Once Jesus came, we no longer required the Law to judge us. We have an even better standard: the life of Christ. The perfect life of Christ as He obeyed not just the word but even the spirit of the Law brings even greater condemnation upon us. Christ went beyond the Law: not just adultery is wrong but lust itself; not just murder is wrong but even hate. We are not only to love God and our neighbor; we are to love our enemy!
Paul also mentions in these two verses another fact that makes the promise greater than the Law. According to Jewish tradition, which is supported by this and other New Testament passages, Moses did not receive the Law directly from God by through the agency of angels. Moses then gave the Law to the people. So the people received the Law third hand. However, God made the promise personally to Abraham without any mediator, whether angelic or human.
The law was a judge. It showed man that he is a sinner. Paul continues in the next verses to tell us that the law was also a prison guard.
posted by David Frank Wilson | 12:56 PM
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