Galatians 3:19

Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

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Other translations

WEBBE

Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

BSB

Why then was the law given ? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator.

KJV

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.

ASV

What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; [and it was] ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.

BBE

What then is the law? It was an addition made because of sin, till the coming of the seed to whom the undertaking had been given; and it was ordered through angels by the hand of a go-between.

Original Greek

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Τί Ti Why G5101 οὖν oun then G3767 ὁ ho the G3588 νόμος; nomos Law G3551 τῶν tōn (the) G3588 παραβάσεων parabaseōn transgressions G3847 χάριν charin Because of G5484 προσετέθη prosetethē it was added G4369 ἄχρις achris until G891 οὗ hou that G3739 ἔλθῃ elthē may have come G2064 τὸ to the G3588 σπέρμα sperma seed G4690 ᾧ hō to whom G3739 ἐπήγγελται epēngeltai promise has been made G1861 διαταγεὶς diatageis having been ordained G1299 δι di᾽ through G1223 ἀγγέλων angelōn angels G32 ἐν en in G1722 χειρὶ cheiri [the] hand G5495 μεσίτου mesitou of a mediator G3316

The early church

This remark again is not superfluous; observe too how he glances round at every thing, as if he had an hundred eyes. Having exalted Faith, and proved its elder claims, that the Law may not be considered superfluous, he sets right this side of the doctrine also, and proves that the Law was not given without a view, but altogether profitably. "Because of transgressions;" that is to say, that the Jews might not be let live carelessly, and plunge into the depth of wickedness, but that the Law might be placed upon them as a bridle, guiding, regulating, and checking them from transgressing, if not all, at least some of the commandments. Not slight then was the advantage of the Law; but for how long? "Till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made." This is said of Christ; if then it was given until His advent, why do you protract it beyond its natural period? "And it was ordained through Angels by the hand of a Mediator." He either calls the priests Angels, or he declares that the Angels themselves ministered to the delivery of the Law. By Mediator here he means Christ, and shows that He was before it, and Himself the Giver of it.
John Chrysostom · d. 407Homilies on Galatians

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 19–22

If that promise was enough for salvation, wherefore then serveth the law? The Israelites, though chosen to be God's peculiar people, were sinners as well as others. The law was not intended to discover a way of justification, different from that made known by the promise, but to lead men to see their need of the promise, by showing the sinfulness of sin, and to point to Christ, through whom alone they could be pardoned and justified. The promise was given by God himself; the law was given by the ministry of angels, and the hand of a mediator, even Moses. Hence the law could not be designed to set aside the promise. A mediator, as the very term signifies, is a friend that comes between two parties, and is not to act merely with and for one of them. The great design of the law was, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ, might be given to those that believe; that, being convinced of their guilt, and the insufficiency of the law to effect a righteousness for them, they might be persuaded to believe on Christ, and so obtain the benefit of the promise. And it is not possible that the holy, just, and good law of God, the standard of duty to all, should be contrary to the gospel of Christ. It tends every way to promote it.

Read Matthew Henry on Galatians 3 →

Cross-references

31

Topics

Jesus, The ChristAngel (A Spirit)ProphetsLaw

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.