Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Galatians 3

Gal 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

hearing of faith

Rom 10:17.

Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

perfect

Scofield Matthew 5:48, note.

flesh

Flesh. Gal 4:23, 29. (Jhn 1:13; Jde 1:23.)

Gal 3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

ministereth to you the Spirit

Act 9:17; 10:44.

Gal 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

believed

Faith. Gal 3:7, 9, 11-12, 22, 26; Eph 2:8. (Gen 3:20; Heb 11:39.)

God

Jehovah. Genesis 15:6.

accounted to him

Imputation. Jas 2:23. (Lev 25:50; Jas 2:23.)

Gal 3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

children

sons.

Gal 3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

heathen

Gentiles.

gospel

Gospel. Gal 4:13. (Gen 12:1-3; Rev 14:6.)

In thee shall all nations be blessed

Gen 12:3.

Gal 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

faithful

believing.

Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Cursed is every one that continueth not

Deu 27:26.

Gal 3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

justified

Justification. Gal 3:8, 11, 24; 5:4. (Luk 18:14; Rom 3:28).

The just shall live by faith

Hab 2:4.

Gal 3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

the law is not of faith

Rom 9:31-32.

The man that doeth them shall live in them

Lev 18:5.

Gal 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

redeemed us

Gal 4:5; Eph 1:7.

being made

Sacrifice (of Christ). Gal 4:4-5. (Gen 4:4; Heb 10:18.)

a curse for us

Judgments (the seven). 1Ti 1:20. (2Sa 7:14; Rev 22:12).

Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree

Deu 21:23.

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

blessing of Abraham

Gal 3:8; Rom 4:2-5.

on the Gentiles

Rom 3:29-30.

Jesus Christ

Christ Jesus.

Spirit

Holy Spirit (N.T.). Gal 3:2-3, 5, 14; Gal 4:6, 29. (Mat 1:18; Act 2:4.)

Gal 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

to Abraham and his seed

Gen 13:15.

saith not, And to seeds

Gen 25:5-6.

but as of one

Gen 22:18.

Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

schoolmaster

Greek paidagogos, "child-conductor."

"Among the Greeks and Romans, persons, for the most part slaves, who had it in charge to educate and give constant attendance upon boys till they came of age."—H. A. W. Meyer.

The argument does not turn upon the extent or nature of the pedagogue's authority, but upon the fact that it wholly ceased when the "child" (Gal 4:1) became a "son" (Gal 4:1-6), when the minor became an adult. The adult "son" does voluntarily that which formerly he did in fear of the pedagogue. But even if he does not, it is no longer a question between the son and the pedagogue (the law), but between the son and his Father—God. (Cf. Heb 12:5-10; 1Jo 2:1-2.

Gal 3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

the covenant, that was confirmed before

Rom 4:9-10, 13-14.

four hundred and thirty years

Exo 12:40-41.

Gal 3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

if the inheritance be of the law

Rom 4:13; 11:5.

God gave it to Abraham

Gen 22:16-17.

Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Wherefore then serveth the law?

The answer is sixfold:

1. The law was added because of transgressions, i.e. to give to sin the character of transgression.
   1. Men had been sinning before Moses, but in the absence of law their sins were not put to their account (Rom 5:13); the law gave to sin the character of "transgression," i.e. of personal guilt.
   2. Also, since men not only continued to transgress after the law was given, but were provoked to transgress by the very law that forbade it (Rom 7:8), the law conclusively proved the inveterate [habitual] sinfulness of man's nature (Rom 7:11-13).
2. The law, therefore, "concluded all under sin" (cf. Rom 3:19-20, 23).
3. The law was an ad interim [a temporary] dealing, "till the seed should come" (Gal 3:19).
4. The law shut sinful man up to faith as the only avenue of escape (Gal 3:23).
5. The law was to the Jews what the pedagogue [schoolmaster] was in a Greek household, a ruler of children in their minority, and it had this character "unto" (i.e. until) Christ (Gal 3:24).
6. Christ having come, the believer is no longer under the pedagogue [schoolmaster] (Gal 3:25).

because of transgressions

for the sake, i.e. in order that sin might be made manifest as transgression. See Rom 4:15; 5:20; 7:7, 13.

till the seed should come

Gal 4:4; Heb 10:8-9.

Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

righteousness

Scofield Romans 10:10, note.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

the law

1. The law of Moses, Summary:
   1. The Mosaic Covenant was given to Israel in three parts:
      • the commandments, expressing the righteous will of God (Exo 20:1-26);
      • the "judgments," governing the social life of Israel (Exo 21:1 - Exo 24:11; and
      • the "ordinances," governing the religious life of Israel (Exo 24:12 - Exo 31:18).
   2. The commandments and ordinances were one complete and inseparable whole. When an Israelite sinned, he was held "blameless" if he brought the required offering (Luk 1:6; Phl 3:6).
   3. Law, as a method of the divine dealing with man, characterized the dispensation extending from the giving of the law to the death of Jesus Christ (Gal 3:13-14, 23-24).
   4. The attempt of legalistic teachers (e.g. Act 15:1-31; Gal 2:1-5) to mingle law with grace as the divine method for this present dispensation of grace, brought out the true relation of the law to the Christian, viz. [as follows]
2. The Christian doctrine of the law:
   1. Law is in contrast with grace. Under the latter God bestows the righteousness which, under law, He demanded (Exo 19:5; Jhn 1:17; Scofield Rom 3:21, note; Rom 10:3-10; 1Co 1:30).
   2. The law is, in itself, holy, just, good, and spiritual (Rom 7:12-14).
   3. Before the law the whole world is guilty, and the law is therefore of necessity a ministry of condemnation, death, and the divine curse (Rom 3:19; 2Co 3:7-9; Gal 3:10).
   4. Christ bore the curse of the law, and redeemed the believer both from the curse and from the dominion of the law (Gal 3:13; 4:5-7).
   5. Law neither justifies a sinner nor sanctifies a believer (Gal 2:16; 3:2-3, 11-12).
   6. The believer is both dead to the law and redeemed from it, so that he is "not under the law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14; 7:4; Gal 2:19; 4:4-7; 1Ti 1:8-9).
   7. Under the new covenant of grace the principle of obedience to the divine will is inwrought [closely combined] (Heb 10:16). So far is the life of the believer from the anarchy of self-will that he is "inlawed to Christ" (1Co 9:21), and the new "law of Christ" (Gal 6:2; 2Jo 1:5) is his delight; while, through the indwelling Spirit, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in him (Rom 8:2-4; Gal 5:16-18). The commandments are used in the distinctively Christian Scriptures as an instruction in righteousness (2Ti 3:16; Rom 13:8-10; Eph 6:1-3; 1Co 9:8-9).

to bring us

Omit "to bring us."

unto

up to, or until.

justified by faith

Rom 10:4.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

children

Greek huioi = sons. See Scofield Ephesians 1:5, note.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

baptized

Rom 6:3.

into

unto.

Gal 3:28 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.

neither Jew nor Greek

Rom 10:12; Col 3:11.

bond nor free

1Co 7:20-24.

male nor female

Act 1:14.

all one in Christ Jesus

Eph 2:15-16; 1Co 12:13.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Abraham's seed

Rom 4:11.

heirs according to the promise

Gal 4:7; Heb 9:15.