Galatians 3:15-25

Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 29 views
Notes
Transcript

Introduction

today we are going to look verse by verse to build up our knowledge of the full message Paul is giving....
once we are done we will have a sort of mix of a commentary, linguistic, in depth paraphrase

Verse 15

Read verse 15
Galatians 3:15 NKJV
15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.
Immediately we need to understand what Paul is talking about
What is a covenant - simply is an agreement… but this word is deeper than that and I need you to know the deeper meaning. The word covenant in Greek literally means to cut.... like to cut out a deal… this is my side of the deal and this is your side of the deal.
Like Marriage the husbands side of the deal is to love his wife like Christ loved the church () and the wives side of the deal is to respect her husband (Eph 5:33)
Now you understand what a marriage covenant is.
However Paul is talking about when a man makes an agreement with another man no one later adds to the agreement
For Example: Lets say Jaydee and his significant other are getting married. And they say each others vows to each other.
for example: what if Jaydee decides to move again… so he finds a landlord and speaks to her… she says you can move in the apartment for $1,000 Jaydee gets all stoked and they sign an agreement for the house. Then the next day Jaydee pays his deposit and moves in then he later gets a phone call from the land lord and says “since you moved in you have to do my grocery shopping, and massage my feet every week”.... well John David like anyone would say “I did not agree to that when I signed only that I would pay the 1,000
So again Paul is saying when you make an agreement with someone you dont just later on add to it.....
if we time travel to the future we will see that Paul is saying “if we dont add to our agreements then neither does God”
so when God agrees that we are made right through faith there is nothing added after
Just like man, God does not add to His agreements:
teaching us that we shouldn't be the type of people that make promises we cannot keep.
Let your yes be yes, and your no, no ()
This is something I need to work on...
I often make commitments I cant keep.
I am probably known by my friends for this...
I should (maybe you too) need to learn how to be better at communicating with people…
recently I made a rule that I cant make a commitment to go do anything .... until I know for sure that I can.
So Paul makes a good point that we do not add to an agreement or commitment after its been made.
but lets keep reading.
With that good point.... Paul builds up our knowledge of grace in 4 points
Paul Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)
Paul Makes His Conclusion (v.17-18)

3. Paul Clears Up What the Law Is (V.19-25)

Paul Clears Up What the Law Is (V.19-25)
4. Paul Reveals the Divine results (v. 26-29)

Galatians 3:16

Galatians 3:16 NKJV
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.

5 things to understand:

Galatians 3:16–18 NKJV
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
He Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)
Paul Makes His Point (v.17)
Why (18)

1. He Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)

note the Jews thought that this covenant made them belong to God.
Galatians 3:16 NKJV
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
To understand this we got to go to the source
Turn your bibles to
Note: that the promises given to Abraham are God’s side of the cut/covenant.
Genesis 12:1–3 NKJV
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Genesis 12:3
God’s Promise 1: From Abraham will be a great nation
God’s Promise 1: From Abraham will be a great nation
God’s Promise 2: God will bless Abraham
God’s Promise 3: God will make Abraham’s name great
God’s Promise 4: Abraham will be a blessing
God’ Promise 5: God will bless those that bless him
God’s Promise 6: God will curse those that curse him
God’ Promise 7: In Abraham all the families shall be blessed
God repeats this promise 4 other times in Gen and each time he gets more specific towards Jesus (; ; ; )
Genesis 18:18 NKJV
18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 22:18 NKJV
18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
a
Genesis 26:4 NKJV
4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
Genesis 18:18 NKJV
18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
; ; ;
Genesis 28:14 NKJV
14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
That last one God makes a distinction between Abraham & his seed by saying “in you and in your seed”
The Jews thought that the “seed” was them since they are the sons of Abraham...
which made them think that they belong to God because they are from Abraham
however as Paul points out here in verse 16 that the word seed is singular and speaks towards one person not many sons/people.
Teaching us that from Abraham will come one son that will bless the world - Jesus.
This was all God’s side of the deal/// What was Abraham’s side?
What was Abraham’s side
- to leave his family, fathers house, and country, and go to a new land that God will show him.
So all Abraham had to do was believe God and walk in his promises (literally)?
This why we read in
Genesis 15:6 NKJV
6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
So when Paul anatomizes the text we learn
All of the world will be blessed by one son from Abraham (Jesus, not the Jews)
there is no way the Jews could have lived the way Jesus lived.
there is no way the Jews could have taught us what Jesus taught us
there is no way the Jews have done the miracles Jesus had done
there is no way the Jews could have paid the price Jesus paid.
there is no way the Jews could have resurrected like Jesus did.
The blessing God had planned for the world was much greater then them.
The blessing God has planned for you is greater than you and your biggest plans
When it comes to plans God has an incredible ability to do greater, bigger, and better!
Like wise may we not waste Jesus who surrendered His life for us.
1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV
9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
God does not a waste a life that had surrendered to Him.
Like wise may we not waste Jesus who surrendered His life for us.
And as a bonus we learned that all Abraham did was believe God and walk in His promises. (which will be important to know later)
All Abraham did was believe God and walk in His promises.
So what do we do with all this info?
Well remember I said Paul builds up our knowledge of grace in 4 points
Paul Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)
He Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)
2. Paul Makes His Conclusion (v.17-18)
Paul Makes His Point (v.17)
Paul Clears Up What the Law Is (V.19-25)
Paul reveals the divine results (18)
4. Paul Reveals the Divine results (v. 26-29)

2. Paul Makes His Conclusion (v.17-18)

Galatians 3:17 NKJV
17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
Galatians 3:17–18 NKJV
17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. 18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Galatians 3:17 NKJV
17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
Lets break this down

“that the law” -

this is referring to Torah specifically the mosaic laws which would be Ex, Lev, Num, Dt.
Paul is referring to all 3 types of the law (moral, ceremonial, civil)

“which was 430 years later” -

so the time between Abraham and God giving laws to Moses is 430 Years

“cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed by God in Christ that it should make the promise of no effect

Remember in the very beginning that Paul made the point that:
when a man makes an agreement with another man no one later adds to the agreement
So Paul applies it here saying that:
When God gave the law, God did not void his agreement with Abraham (that they belong to him through faith)
God did not add the law hundreds of years later to the agreement/covenant he made with Abraham
Paul drives this point home one more time in verse 18

Galatians 3:18 NKJV
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
So pretty simple: If Jews belong to God because of THE LAW then they don’t belong to God because of the faith of Abraham…
but God did promise that they do belong to them without the law
So the Jews belong to God because of faith (faith of Abraham) and the law that was added does not change that.
It is crazy how mankind has a way of ruining good things from God.
God says you belong to me because you believe
But we act like God hasn't accepted us yet
and so we wait… and wait… we see other people growing in God… we watch others get called to ministry… we watch other have strong faith… not letting trials, and scary situations shake them and so we become stagnant… idle christians waiting for our breakthrough moment
but the break through moment happened when Jesus rose from the dead.
He took all your failures and paid the price of your sins you could never pay… and if you trust that those actions of Jesus are enough to enter into God’s kingdom..... then you are a child of God… and there is nothing you can add to that.
“confirmed before God by Christ” - here many Bible readers miss a slam from Paul
and when you belong to God
says “All the promises of God are yes and amen”
He points out how God gave the covenant not Abraham....
so when the Bible says:
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
and
This is in a contrast...
Philippians 4:7 NKJV
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
There is nothing you can do to receive that other than.... to walk in the promises of God like Abraham and trust Him
In contrast to Moses...
The mosaic law makes people wrong with God

Summary:

Ready?
God did not give law to Moses (Check)
The Abrahamic covenant made the Jews belong to God & the law that was given does not change that.
Naturally this brings us to a major question:
“So then what is the purpose of the law....
^^ that is the start of v.19
In verses 19-25 Paul has to clarify what the law is…

3. Paul Clears Up What the Law Is (V.19-25)

Galatians 3:19–25 NKJV
19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
2.

1.It was added (v.19)

teaching us that it is not the main thing

2. The law is present because of transgressions. (v.19)

So the law is present only to reveal how far from God we really are.
teaching us that it does not make us right with God.... it only tells us why we are not right with Him
The mosaic law makes people wrong with God

3. It was only present until “the Seed” came (v.19).

The Seed remember is Jesus
So the law was present to reveal our transgression but when Jesus came He removes our transgressions…

4. Given by mediation (v.19-20)

this was the cherry on top for Paul… the previous 3 points answered the question but Paul just takes it up a notch:
Paul basically is saying that the Abrahamic covenant was given by God and is greater because the the law was mediated from God by an Angel

The rabbinical view of angels as agents in the mediation of the Law can be seen in the translation of Deut. 33:2 in the Septuagint. The angel(s) who are related to the giving of the Law are also discussed in Acts 7:38, 53 and Heb. 2:2; Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, 15:5:3; and the non-canonical Book of Jubilees 1:27–29

Paul may have had in mind the Angel of the Lord who continued with the people when YHWH did not (cf. Exod. 23:20–33; 32:34; 33:2).

Okay so here we are we understand the abrahamic Covenant and the Law
We know that the law does not make Jews belong to God
because God promised that they belong to Him because Abraham believed God.
Now what?
What does this do for us?

4. Paul reveals the divine results (v.26-29)

Galatians 3:26–29 NKJV
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:18 NKJV
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Enough said!

FINAL COPY

Introduction
Last week Blake taught us from
In there Paul makes 3 statements
1. The Law is a curse & does not justify
2. Through faith not by the law we are justified
3. Jesus rescues us from the curse of the law
In our section today Paul will expound on these 3 statements.
>Pray
Verse 15
› Read verse 15
NKJV
15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.
Immediately we need to understand what Paul is talking about
What is a covenant - simply is an agreement… but this word is deeper than that & I need you to know the deeper meaning. The word covenant in Greek literally means to cut.... like to cut out a deal… this is my side of the deal and this is your side of the deal. Like Marriage the husbands side of the deal is to love his wife like Christ loved the church () and the wives side of the deal is to respect her husband ()Now you understand what a marriage covenant is.
Now what Paul is talking about is:
When someone makes an agreement with another person neither adds to the agreement afterwards.
For example: what if Jaydee decides to move again…
so he finds a landlord and speaks to her…
she says you can move in the apartment for $1,000
Jaydee gets all stoked and they sign an agreement for the house.
Then the next day Jaydee pays his deposit and moves in
Later in the days he gets a phone call from the land lord and she says
“since you moved in you have to do my grocery shopping
but because Jaydee would do that
she also says that Jaydee has to drink folders coffee with her everyday
and if that is bad she also says that rice is not allowed, and only Pepsi products can be drunk.
Well John David like anyone would say
“I did not agree to that when I signed only that I would pay the 1,000
So again Paul is saying when you make an agreement with someone you don't just later on add to it.....
if we fast forward this message we will see that Paul is saying:
“if we don't add to our agreements then neither does God”
So when God agrees that we are made right through faith… there is NOTHING added after
God does not add to His agreements
Teaching us that we shouldn't make promises we cannot keep.
This is something I need to work on...
I often make commitments I cant keep.
I am probably known by my friends for this...
I should (maybe you too) need to learn how to be better at communicating with people if you can or cant do something.
recently I made a rule that I cant make a commitment to go do anything .... until I know for sure that I can.
But maybe some of you make promise that you will do something like clean your room
And when you don’t you make all kinds of excuses as to why
I know this may sound like a small problem… but you know how many adults out there never fixed this while they were young
And so all over the world are a bunch of childish adults who don’t keep their word
Let your yes be yes, and your no, no ()
So Paul makes a good point that we don’t add to an agreement or commitment after its been made.
› With that good point.... Paul builds up our knowledge of grace in 4 ways
1. Paul Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)
2. Paul Makes His Conclusion (v.17-18)
3. Paul Clears Up What the Law Is (V.19-25)
4. Paul Reveals the Divine results (v. 26-29)
1. He Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)
NKJV
16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ.
To understand this we got to go to the source of this promise/covenant
› Turn your bibles to
Note: that the promises given to Abraham are God’s side of the cut/covenant.
NKJV
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. 2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
God’s Promise 1: Abraham will be a great nation
God’s Promise 2: God will bless Abraham
God’s Promise 3: God will make Abraham’s name great
God’s Promise 4: Abraham will be a blessing
God’ Promise 5: God will bless those that bless him
God’s Promise 6: God will curse those that curse him
God’ Promise 7: In Abraham all the families shall be blessed
God repeats this promise 4 other times in Gen and each time he gets more specific towards Jesus (; ; ; )
NKJV
18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
NKJV
18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
NKJV
4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
NKJV
14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
That last one God makes a distinction between Abraham & his seed by saying “in you and in your seed”
The Jews thought that the “seed” was them since they are the sons of Abraham...
which made them think that they belong to God because they are from Abraham
however as Paul pointed out in verse 16 that the word seed is singular and speaks towards 1 person
not many sons/people.
Teaching us that from Abraham will come one son that will bless the world - Jesus.
All of the world will be blessed by one son from Abraham (Jesus, not the Jews)
• there is no way the Jews could have lived the way Jesus lived.
• there is no way the Jews could have taught us what Jesus taught us
• there is no way the Jews have done the miracles Jesus had done
• there is no way the Jews could have paid the price Jesus paid.
• there is no way the Jews could have resurrected like Jesus did.
The blessing God had planned for the world was much greater then them.
The blessing God has planned for you is greater than you and your biggest plans
When it comes to plans God has an incredible ability to do greater, bigger, and better!
NKJV
9 But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
God does not a waste a life that had surrendered to Him.
Like wise may we not waste Jesus who surrendered His life for us.
This was all God’s side of the deal
But
What was Abraham’s side?
- to leave his family, fathers house, and country, and go to a new land that God will show him.
So
all Abraham had to do was believe God and walk in his promises (literally)?
This why we read in
NKJV
6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
So in order to receive all that God wanted to do:
All Abraham had to do was believe & walk in those promises
So what do we do with all this info?
Well remember I said Paul builds up our knowledge of grace in 4 points
1. Paul Anatomizes the Abrahamic Covenant (v.16)
2. Paul Makes His Conclusion (v.17-18)
3. Paul Clears Up What the Law Is (V.19-25)
4. Paul Reveals the Divine results (v. 26-29)
2. Paul Makes His Conclusion (v.17-18)
NKJV
17 And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.
› Lets break this down
“that the law” -
this is referring to Torah specifically the mosaic laws which would be Ex, Lev, Num, Dt.
+ Paul is referring to all 3 types of the law (moral, ceremonial, civil)
“which was 430 years later” -
so the time between Abraham and God giving laws to Moses is 430 Years
“cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed by God in Christ that it should make the promise of no effect
Remember in the very beginning that Paul made the point that:
when a man makes an agreement with another man no one later adds to the agreement
So Paul applies it here saying that:
When God gave the law,
God did not then void his agreement with Abraham — (that he belongs to God through faith)
› Paul drives this point home one more time in verse 18
NKJV
18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
So pretty simple: If Jews belong to God because of THE LAW
then they don’t belong to God because of the faith of Abraham…
BUT God DID promise that they do belong to them WITHOUT the law
So the Jews belong to God because of faith (faith of Abraham) and the law that was added does not change that.
It is crazy how mankind has a way of ruining good things from God.
God says you belong to me because you believe
But we act like God hasn't accepted us yet
and so we wait… and wait… we see other people growing in God…
we watch others get called to ministry…
we watch other have strong faith… not letting trials, and scary situations shake them
and so we become stagnant… idle christians waiting for our breakthrough moment
but the break through moment happened when Jesus rose from the dead.
He took all your failures and paid the price of your sins you could never pay…
and if you trust that those actions of Jesus are enough to enter into God’s kingdom.....
then you are a child of God… and there is nothing you can add to that.
and when you belong to God
says “All the promises of God are yes and amen”
so when the Bible says:
NKJV
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
and
NKJV
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
There is nothing you can do to receive that other than.... to walk in the promises of God
like Abraham and trust Him
Summary:
The Abrahamic covenant made the Jews belong to God & the law that was given does not change that.
Naturally this brings us to a major question:
› “So then what is the purpose of the law....
^^ that is the start of v.19
In verses 19-25 Paul has to clarify what the law is…
3. Paul Clears Up What the Law Is (V.19-25)
NKJV
19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
1.It was added (v.19)
teaching us that it is not the main thing
2. The law is present because of transgressions. (v.19)
So the law is present only to reveal how far from God we really are.
teaching us that the law does not make us right with God....
it only tells us why we are not right with Him
3. It was only present until “the Seed” came (v.19).
The Seed remember is Jesus
So the law was present to reveal our transgression
but when Jesus came He removes our transgressions…
4. Given by mediation (v.19-20)
this was the cherry on top for Paul… the previous 3 points answered the question
but Paul just takes it up a notch:
Paul basically is saying that the Abrahamic covenant was given by God and is greater
because the the law was mediated from God by an Angel
Paul’s First Letters: Galatians and I & II Thessalonians Word and Phrase Study
The rabbinical view of angels as agents in the mediation of the Law can be seen in the translation of in the Septuagint.
The angel(s) who are related to the giving of the Law are also discussed in , and ; Josephus’ Antiquities of the Jews, 15:5:3; and the non-canonical Book of Jubilees 1:27–29
Paul’s First Letters: Galatians and I & II Thessalonians Word and Phrase Study
Paul may have had in mind the Angel of the Lord who continued with the people when YHWH did not (cf. ; ; ).
Okay so here we are
We understand the abrahamic Covenant and the Law
We know that the law does not make Jews belong to God
because God promised that they belong to Him because Abraham believed God.
Now what?
What does this do for us?
4. Paul reveals the divine results (v.26-29)
NKJV
26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Enough said!
Transgressions:
So while the The abarahmic covenant makes people belong to God
The mosaic law makes people wrong with God

In Depth Paraphrase

when a man makes an agreement with another man no one later adds to the agreement
All of the world will be blessed by one son from Abraham (Jesus, not the Jews
All Abraham did was believe God and walk in His promises.
And as a bonus we learned that all Abraham did was believe God and walk in His promises. (which will be important to know later)
So while the The abarahmic covenant makes people belong to God
The mosaic law makes people wrong with God
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more