Galatians 3:15

The Blessing of Abraham Precedes the Law (Galatians 3:15).

‘Brothers, I speak after the manner of men. Though it is but a man's covenant, yet when it has been confirmed no one makes it void or adds to it.'

Paul looks first at the general idea of covenant ‘from men's point of view'. Let them consider their day by day ‘covenants' and ‘contracts'. Once a solemn covenant or contract is confirmed it is irrevocable. It cannot be added to, and no one can cancel it. That is the basic purpose of a covenant. It is permanent and fixed. It would often be confirmed by the shedding of blood as a sign that death was to come on the one who broke its terms.

(In practise this obedience to a covenant did not, of course, always happen, but that was in spite of what a covenant was, not because of it. That was because men are shifting and dishonourable. But, like the marriage covenant, its basic idea was irrevocability.

However, we may alternately see Paul here as referring to that special form of covenant which takes the form of a Will or an irrevocable settlement of property, for this kind of covenant, which is made sovereignly by one person, provides an ‘inheritance' (Galatians 3:18) and is firmly linked with ‘the heir'. In Greek law once such a covenant was confirmed and registered with the authorities (in order to be valid it had to be registered with the authorities) no one could make it void or add to it. It was unalterable. Here there was no mediator. It was the act of one and one only, and he too was permanently bound by it.

(While in Old Testament terms ‘diatheke' means ‘covenant' its use among the Greeks was of irrevocable ‘wills and settlements', and here he was speaking ‘after the manner of men'. It was Roman law that allowed wills to be kept secret and alterable to suit the testator).

Paul now applies this fact to the Old Testament. Once an irrevocable covenant has been made, he points out, it cannot be set aside. This means that the covenant promises made to Abraham cannot be set aside by the later giving of the Law when Abraham was no longer alive to accept it. God is unchanging and will not alter His covenant. And as it is made by Him and Him alone it is irrevocable.