Why Then the Law

Why Then the Law?

Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος; Galatians 3:19 (NA27INT) "Why then the Law?"

(1). Was "added" because of transgressions.

"The verb "added" indicates that the law was not primary in God’s dealings with sinners. The covenant and promises of God were first." (Alva J. McClain, Law and Grace, BHM Books, IN 1954, p. 24)

aor. pass. ind. προσετέθη

προστίθημι (18) From prós (4314), to, toward or besides, and títhēmi (5087), to put. To set, add, put, lay unto or with something. (Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary : New Testament. electronic ed., G4369. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993.)

The giving of the Law was related to man’s sin, "transgressions."

A time element is also involved, "until" ἄχρι(ς) the Seed which was promised.

ἄχρι(ς) - (1) as a conjunction expressing time up to a point until" (Friberg, Timothy, Barbara Friberg, and Neva F. Miller. Vol. 4, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament. Baker’s Greek New Testament library, Page 85. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker
Books, 2000.)

Thus the Law was neither first or final in God’s plan for sin. It was "added" temporary, "this indicates a dispensational aspect." (Alva J. McClain, Ibid, 25)

(2). The Law was enacted for the lawless and ungodly. (1 Tim. 1:9-10)

"We know that the law ( ὁ νόμος) is good if one uses it properly (νομίμως- lawfully- a play on words).

We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for (ἀνόμοις) lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine" (1 Timothy 1:8-10.

The primary idea here is restraint.
Also... “Paul is saying that the law is not given to apply in some mystical way to people who are
already ‘righteous.’ (Tom Constable. Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible, 1 Tim 1:8, Galaxie Software, 2003; 2003.)

(3). To give "the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)

"Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." (Romans 3:20.

διὰ γὰρ νόμου ἐπίγνωσις ἁμαρτίας." (Romans 3:20.

ἐπίγνωσις - (full) knowledge, acknowledgment, recognition.

"man becomes more fully conscious of his sin and the need for help which is outside and beyond the Law. In this sense alone, Law may be said to prepare lost men for the gospel of Christ..." (Alva J. McClain, Ibid, 25)

The Law shows man his need for the Bread of Life... the Law does not give Bread nor is the Law itself the Bread. Only Christ can satisfy the hunger for righteousness. Christ and Christ alone is the Bread of Life.

(4). To show the terrible nature of sin. (Romans 7:8-13)

Romans 7:8-13 (NIV)
8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

Romans 7:8-13 (NLT)
8 But sin took advantage of this law and aroused all kinds of forbidden desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 I felt fine when I did not understand what the law demanded. But when I learned the truth, I realized I had broken the law and was a sinner, doomed to die. 10 So the good law, which was supposed to show me the way of life, instead gave me the death penalty. 11 Sin took advantage of the law and fooled me; it took the good law and used it to make
me guilty of death. 12 But still, the law itself is holy and right and good. 13 But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my doom? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation. So we can see how terrible sin really is. It uses God’s good commandment for its own evil purposes."

Rom 7:11 "Sin, seizing the opportunity"

“Suppose a man determined to drive his automobile to the very limit of its speed. If . . . signs along the road would say, No Speed Limit, the man’s only thought would be to press his machine forward. But now suddenly he encounters a road with frequent signs limiting speed to thirty miles an hour. The man’s will rebels, and his rebellion is aroused still further
by threats: Speed Limit Strictly Enforced. Now the man drives on fiercely, conscious both of his desire to ‘speed,’ and his rebellion against restraint. The speed limit signs did not create the wild desire to rush forward: that was there before. But the notices brought the man into conscious conflict with authority.” (Newell, pp. 265–66.)

Rom 7:8a "Coveting desire"

“Coveting” or “desire” covers a wide range of appetites, not just sexual desires.

Rom 7:8b "For apart from law, sin is dead"

“Dead” here means dormant or inactive but not completely impotent, as is clear from verse 9 where this “dead” sin springs to life.

Rom 7:11 "Sin took advantage of the law and fooled me" (NLT)

Paul personified sin as acting here. Sin plays the part of the tempter, as with Eve. It deceived Paul and killed him (cf. Gen. 3). Paul’s sinful nature urged him to do the very thing the commandment forbade.

(In Romans 7 Paul illustrates in graphic detail the principle of sin waging war against him in a post-conversion state as well. Paul uses the present, active, indicative "ego" I am, indicating that his struggle was a continuous reality for him. There is no Biblical basis for suggesting that this is Paul pre-conversion experience.)

Rom 7:12-12 "the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me?"

The fact that the Law restrains sin and stimulates sin (purpose 2 and 4) may seem like a contradiction. That which is holy causing death?

It is only an apparent contradiction because the Law contains two ELEMENTS and has two EFFECTS.

Two Elements:
1) Command
2) Consequence (penalty)

Two Effects:
1) Internal
2) External

The command inwardly stimulates rebellion in the heart of sinful man. The Consequence (penalty) externally restrains the expression of that rebellion.

(5). To increase and reveal the vast number of man’s sins. (Rom 5:20)

"One of the purposes of the Mosaic Law was to increase the sinfulness of people. It did so at least by exposing behavior that was until then not obviously contrary to God’s will. God did this to prove man’s sinfulness to him." (Tom Constable. Tom Constable’s Expository Notes on the Bible, Ro 5:20, Galaxie Software, 2003; 2003.)

"The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:20- 21).

Offense or Trespass- παράπτωμα

"The term "offense" (or "trespass") here refers not to sin in general, but rather to every individual act of sin committed under the Law. (Alva J. McClain, Ibid, 27).

The Law by multiplying the requirements of God reveals to men the multitude of their offenses. (Alva J. McClain, Ibid, 27).

"The law was added"

The law "entered" or "came in along"

παρεισέρχομαι -from pará (3844), alongside, and eisérchomai (1525), to enter.(Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary : New Testament. electronic ed., G3922. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993.)

"applies to an actor who does not occupy the front of the stage, but who appears there only to play an accessory part." (Godet)

"Sin increased, grace increased"

“The apostle waxes almost ecstatic as he revels in the superlative excellence of the divine overruling that makes sin serve a gracious purpose.” (Harrison, p. 65.)

(6). The Law was given to shut every mouth and establish guilt. (Romans 3:19)

Romans 3:19 (NKJV)
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

ὑπόδικος - "Guilt" is a weak term because of popular usage. Biblical guilt sees the broken law along with the obligations to suffer the penalty of that crime.

ὑπόδικος - from hupó (5259), under, and díkē (1349), judgment, justice. Under sentence, condemned, liable, subject to prosecution. It describes one who comes under díkē, judgment, and even who is pronounced guilty. Hupódikos denotes one who is bound to do
or suffer what is imposed for the sake of justice because he has neglected to do what is right. (Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study Dictionary : New Testament. electronic ed., G5267. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000, c1992, c1993.)

The function of the divine law, in whatever form it may be revealed, is to bring the whole world under the judical sentence of God. There is no appeal- every mouth is stopped.

It is fairly easy to get men to admit they are sinners but it is almost impossible to get them to admit that they deserve punishment (hell) for their sin.

Divine punishment of sin, in hell, is the most repudiated and repugnant truth by fallen man of the Divine prerogative.

(7). The Law was put in "charge" until Christ came. (Gal 3:23-24)

"Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:23-24.

παιδαγωγός - país, a child, and agōgós, a leader.

"The Law was given to set a restraining guard upon men until they find true freedom in Christ." (Alva J. McClain, Ibid, 28.

"Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be
revealed."

The two verbs carry the idea of restraint, "held prisoners" and "locked up." The terms reflect being in prison or under a military guard.

The term "to bring us" or "to lead us" are not in the Greek text. It was supplied by the translators.

"The paidagogos (Schoolmaster, Child Leader, Child Discipliner) of anicent times was a slave who exercised restraint over the child until he was made a son." (Alva J. McClain, Ibid, 29.

"The Law does not bring men to Christ, therefore, but rather imposes a necessary restraint upon them morally until they find true moral freedom by faith in Christ." (Alva J. McClain, Ibid, 29.

This does not mean that the Law is not useful in evangelism in revealing sin but it is not the
point in Galatians.

The "restraint" ceased when the child grew up and became an adult son, full heir. Cf. Gal 4:1-7