Galatians 3:14

Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. W. H. margin gives Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ.

τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν. D*G Marcion Ambrosiaster read τὴν εὐλογίαν, which Zahn prefers.

14. ἵνα. The redemption of the Jews was in order that the blessing of and in Abraham might also come on the Gentiles. For if Jews, Abraham’s seed, remained under the curse Gentiles could not be delivered.

There is no thought in the context of the destruction of the Law as a barrier between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14); nor even of the fact that Jews, and therefore Gentiles, were set free from the dominion of the Law (or they would have gone back again into the curse).

εἰς τὰ ἔθνη … γένηται, “might reach unto the Gentiles.” The dative would have been sufficient to say that the Gentiles got the blessing, Acts 2:43. The stronger form probably suggests more difficulty in the process, or distance in the recipients. But the fact that “in modern Greek εἰς is the usual circumlocution for the lost dative” (Blass, Gram. § 39. 5) makes it possible that it is only a more vivid, and more emphatic, way of expressing transference. There seems to be no exact parallel to the usage here. The nearest is 2 Corinthians 8:14. Contrast 1 Corinthians 15:45.

ἡ εὐλογία. Vaughan on Romans 15:29 well summarises the use of this term, (a) Speaking good of another, especially as applied to the praise of God, James 3:10; Revelation 7:12. (b) A benediction which fulfils itself in benefaction, either on the part of man, 2 Corinthians 9:5, or on that of God, Romans 15:29; Ephesians 1:3, and here.

τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ. He was blessed and others were to be blessed with him (Galatians 3:9) and in him (Galatians 3:8).

ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. See notes on Textual Criticism. Added to concentrate St Paul’s teaching. The order suggests first the historic Personality who suffered and rose, and secondly His eternal relation to believers.

ἴνα.… The reception of the promise of the Spirit is closely connected with the inclusion of the Gentiles (Galatians 3:8 note), and here made dependent upon it logically.

τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν. See notes on Textual Criticism. The first use of a word that is very important in the following verses. It appears to have been already a technical term in Pharisaic circles for the privileges possessed by the true Israelite (see Hart, Ecclesiasticus, pp. 306 sqq.). St Paul here further defines it, and, in defining, raises it to a higher level.

τοῦ πνεύματος. The spirit was definitely promised in Joel 2:28; cf. Acts 2:16 sqq. Here it is implied that the promise had run all through Israel’s history. In a sense this is true, for Moses’ words, Numbers 11:26-29, imply the possibility of all the LORD’s people being prophets, with the LORD’s spirit upon them.

λάβωμεν. St Paul reverts to Galatians 3:2. But here, as often, St Paul hastens to identify himself with those to whom he writes. It means “we all,” Jewish and Gentile believers.

διὰ τῆς πίστεως, “by means of our faith.” Theodore, regarding the resurrection-life as already begun, is very good in his remarks on there being no place now left for the Law. “Superfluum et quidem ultra est; redditum est ei debitum a Christo, quod a nobis debebatur. Locum autem non habens, quoniam res non admittit eos qui semel transmigraverunt in futuram vitam praesentis vitae succumbere negotiis.”