Galatians 3:24

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 'So that the law hath proved to be [ Gegonen (G1096)] our schoolmaster ('tutor,' 'pedagogue;' among the Greeks, a faithful servant intrusted with a boy from childhood to puberty, to keep him, with severe disciplinary strictness, from evil, physical and moral, in his amusements and studies) to guide us unto Christ,' with whom we are no longer "shut up" in bondage, but are freemen. "Children" (literally, infants) need such tutoring (Galatians 4:3). The law did so by warnings, threatenings, and convictings of sin. MIGHT BE, [ dikaioothoomen (G1344)] - 'that we may be justified by faith;' whic...

24._Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster _This is the second comparison, which still more clearly expresses Paul’s design. A schoolmaster is not appointed for the whole life, but only for childhood, as the etymology of the Greek word παιδαγωγός implies. (63) Besides, in training a child, the object is to prepare him, by the instructions of childhood, for maturer years. The comparison applies in both respects to the law, for its authority was limited to a particular age, and its whole object was to prepare its scholars in such a manner, that, when its elementary instructions were closed, they might make progress worthy of manhood. And so he adds, that it was our schoolmaster ( εἰς Χριστὸν) _unto Christ_. The grammarian, when he has trained a boy, delivers him into the hands of another, who conducts him through the higher branches of a

23-25 The law did not teach a living, saving knowledge; but, by its rites and ceremonies, especially by its sacrifices, it pointed to Christ, that they might be justified by faith. And thus it was, as the word properly signifies, a servant, to lead to Christ, as children are led to school by servants who have the care of them, that they might be more fully taught by Him the true way of justification and salvation, which is only by faith in Christ. And the vastly greater advantage of the gospel state is shown, under which we enjoy a clearer discovery of Divine grace and mercy than the Jews of old. Most men continue shut up as in a dark dungeon, in love with their sins, being blinded and lulled asleep by Satan, through wordly pleasures, interests, and pursuits. But the awakened sinner discovers his dreadful condition. Then he feels that the mercy and grace of God form his only hope. And t...

Verse 24. _THE LAW WAS OUR SCHOOLMASTER_] Ὁ νομος παιδαγωγος ἡμων γεγονεν εις Χριστον· _The law was our pedagogue unto Christ_. The παιδαγωγος, pedagogue, is not the _schoolmaster_, but the _servant_ who had the _care of the children_ to _lead them_ to and _bring them back_ from school, and had the care of them out of school hours. Thus the law did not _teach_ us the _living, saving_ knowledge; but, by its _rites_ and _ceremonies_, and especially by its _sacrifices_, it directed us to _Christ_, that _we might be justified_ _by faith_. This is a beautiful metaphor, and highly illustrative of the apostle's doctrine. Romans 10:4, where this figure is farther explained....

WHEREFORE THE LAW WAS OUR SCHOOLMASTER - The word rendered schoolmaster (παιδαγωγὸς paidagōgos, whence the word “pedagogue”), referred originally to a slave or freedman, to whose care boys were committed, and who accompanied them to the public schools. The idea here is not that of instructor, but there is reference to the office and duty of the “paedagogus” among the ancients. The office was usually intrusted to slaves or freedmen. It is true, that when the “paedagogus” was properly qualified, he assisted the children committed to his care in preparing their lessons. But still his main duty was not instruction, but it was to watch over the boys; to restrain them from evil and temptation; and to conduct them to the schools, where they might receive instruction. See, for illustrations of this, Wetstein, Bloomfield, etc. In the passage before us, the proper notion of pedagogue is retained...

EXPOSITION GALATIANS 3:1 O FOOLISH GALATIANS (ὦ ἀνόητοι Γαλάται). In thus apostrophizing them, the apostle brands their present behaviour, not any lack of intelligence on their part in general (comp. Luke 24:25). "Foolish"—to allow yourselves to be thus robbed of your happiness. The transporting feeling of elevation and joy with which, in Galatians 2:19, the apostle describes himself as crucified with Christ to the Law, and as living in Christ and through Christ, makes him the more keenly sensible of the senseless folly shown by the Galatians in taking up the observance of the Law. WHO HATH BEWITCHED YOU, THAT YE SHOULD NOT OBEY THE TRUTHS? (τ

WHEREFORE THE LAW WAS OUR SCHOOLMASTER UNTO CHRIST,.... So the words should be read, as they are by the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; for the words "to bring us" are a supplement of our translators, and have nothing to answer to them in the original; and the sense of the passage is, that the law performed this office of a schoolmaster until the coming of Christ; which shows that till that time the church was in its minority, that the Jews were but children in knowledge and understanding, and therefore stood in need, and were under the care of a schoolmaster, the law, by which the whole Mosaic administration is designed. They were taught by the moral law, the letter, the writing on the two tables, with other statutes and judgments, their duty to God and men, what is to be done and to be avoided, what is righteousness and what is not, the nature of sin, its demerit and consequences; but th...

Paul, writing, to those changeable Galatians, who had so soon deserted the faith, says to them in this chapter Galatians 3:1. _O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you._ Paul does not compliment them on being a very «thoughtful,» «educated» «cultured» people; he does not care an atom about that matter, but because they had forsaken the simple truth of the gospel, he says, «O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you?» Those are hard words, Paul! Why did he not say, «Who has led you forward into more advanced views?» Not he; he calls it witchery, the work of the devil, and it is nothing better; and the wisdom of it is no better than the trickery of some old witch. If you take your eyes off Christ, it must be witchcraft that makes you do it. There is

LAW I. The law of Moses, Summary: (1) The Mosaic Covenant was given to Israel in three parts: THE COMMANDMENTS, expressing the righteous will of God; (Exodus 20:1); THE "JUDGMENTS", governing the social life of Israel; (Exodus 21:1); (Exodus 21:11); and THE "ORDINANCES", governing the religious life of Israel. (Exodus 24:12); (Exodus 31:18). (2) The commandments and ordinances were one complete and inseparable whole. When an Israelite sinned, he was held

II. CONTRASTS BETWEEN LAW AND GRACE CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The gift of the Spirit not by the works of the law, but by hearing of faith. (Galatians 3:1)_ 2. Righteousness not bestowed by the law, but by faith. (Galatians 3:6) 3. The law curses; the curse born by Christ. (Galatians 3:10) 4. The law cannot annul the covenant of promise, (Galatians 3:15) 5. Wherefore serveth the law? (Galatians 3:19) 6. Faith having come--no longer under the law, ...