27 For G1063 as many of you as G3745 have been baptized G907 into G1519 Christ G5547 have put on G1746 Christ. G5547
But G235 put ye on G1746 the Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 and G2532 make G4160 not G3361 provision G4307 for G1519 the flesh, G4561 to fulfil the lusts G1939 thereof.
The like figure G499 whereunto G3739 even baptism G908 doth G4982 also G2532 now G3568 save G4982 us G2248 (not G3756 the putting away G595 of the filth G4509 of the flesh, G4561 but G235 the answer G1906 of a good G18 conscience G4893 toward G1519 God,) G2316 by G1223 the resurrection G386 of Jesus G2424 Christ: G5547
For G1063 G2532 by G1722 one G1520 Spirit G4151 are G907 we G2249 all G3956 baptized G907 into G1519 one G1520 body, G4983 whether G1535 we be Jews G2453 or G1535 Gentiles, G1672 whether G1535 we be bond G1401 or G1535 free; G1658 and G2532 have been G4222 all G3956 made to drink G4222 into G1519 one G1520 Spirit. G4151
G2228 Know ye not, G50 that so G3754 many of us G3745 as were baptized G907 into G1519 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 were baptized G907 into G1519 his G846 death? G2288 Therefore G3767 we are buried with G4916 him G846 by G1223 baptism G908 into G1519 death: G2288 that G2443 like as G5618 Christ G5547 was raised up G1453 from G1537 the dead G3498 by G1223 the glory G1391 of the Father, G3962 even so G3779 we G2249 also G2532 should walk G4043 in G1722 newness G2538 of life. G2222
Then G1161 Peter G4074 said G5346 unto G4314 them, G846 Repent, G3340 and G2532 be baptized G907 every one G1538 of you G5216 in G1909 the name G3686 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 for G1519 the remission G859 of sins, G266 and G2532 ye shall receive G2983 the gift G1431 of the Holy G40 Ghost. G4151
And G2532 have put on G1746 the new G3501 man, which G3588 is renewed G341 in G1519 knowledge G1922 after G2596 the image of him G1504 that created G2936 him: G846
And G2532 ye are G2075 complete G4137 in G1722 him, G846 which G3739 is G2076 the head G2776 of all G3956 principality G746 and G2532 power: G1849 In G1722 whom G3739 also G2532 ye are circumcised G4059 with the circumcision G4061 made without hands, G886 in G1722 putting off G555 the body G4983 of the sins G266 of the flesh G4561 by G1722 the circumcision G4061 of Christ: G5547 Buried with G4916 him G846 in G1722 baptism, G908 wherein G1722 G3739 also G2532 ye are risen with G4891 him through G1223 the faith G4102 of the operation G1753 of God, G2316 who G3588 hath raised G1453 him G846 from G1537 the dead. G3498
And G2532 were G907 all G3956 baptized G907 unto G1519 Moses G3475 in G1722 the cloud G3507 and G2532 in G1722 the sea; G2281
And G1161 they said, G2036 Believe G4100 on G1909 the Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 and G2532 thou G4771 shalt be saved, G4982 and G2532 thy G4675 house. G3624 And G2532 they spake G2980 unto him G846 the word G3056 of the Lord, G2962 and G2532 to all G3956 that were in G1722 his G846 house. G3614 And G2532 he took G3880 them G846 G1722 the same G1565 hour G5610 of the night, G3571 and washed G3068 their stripes; G575 G4127 and G2532 was baptized, G907 he G846 and G2532 all G3956 his, G846 straightway. G3916
And G1161 when G5613 she was baptized, G907 and G2532 her G846 household, G3624 she besought G3870 us, saying, G3004 If G1487 ye have judged G2919 me G3165 to be G1511 faithful G4103 to the Lord, G2962 come G1525 into G1519 my G3450 house, G3624 and abide G3306 there. And G2532 she constrained G3849 us. G2248
And G2532 immediately G2112 there fell G634 from G575 his G846 eyes G3788 as G5616 it had been scales: G3013 and he received sight G308 forthwith, G3916 and G5037 arose, G450 and G2532 was baptized. G907
And G1161 as G5613 they went G4198 on G2596 their way, G3598 they came G2064 unto G1909 a certain G5100 water: G5204 and G2532 the eunuch G2135 said, G5346 See, G2400 here is water; G5204 what G5101 doth hinder G2967 me G3165 to be baptized? G907 And G1161 Philip G5376 said, G2036 If G1487 thou believest G4100 with G1537 all thine G3650 heart, G2588 thou mayest. G1832 And G1161 he answered G611 and said, G2036 I believe G4100 that Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 is G1511 the Son G5207 of God. G2316 And G2532 he commanded G2753 the chariot G716 to stand still: G2476 and G2532 they went down G2597 both G297 into G1519 the water, G5204 both G5037 Philip G5376 and G2532 the eunuch; G2135 and G2532 he baptized G907 him. G846
But G1161 the father G3962 said G2036 to G4314 his G846 servants, G1401 Bring forth G1627 the best G4413 robe, G4749 and G2532 put it on G1746 him; G846 and G2532 put G1325 a ring G1146 on G1519 his G846 hand, G5495 and G2532 shoes G5266 on G1519 his feet: G4228
And G2532 he said G2036 unto them, G846 Go ye G4198 into G1519 all G537 the world, G2889 and preach G2784 the gospel G2098 to every G3956 creature. G2937 He that believeth G4100 and G2532 is baptized G907 shall be saved; G4982 but G1161 he that believeth not G569 shall be damned. G2632
Go ye G4198 therefore, G3767 and teach G3100 all G3956 nations, G1484 baptizing G907 them G846 in G1519 the name G3686 of the Father, G3962 and G2532 of the Son, G5207 and G2532 of the Holy G40 Ghost: G4151 Teaching G1321 them G846 to observe G5083 all things G3956 whatsoever G3745 I have commanded G1781 you: G5213 and, G2532 lo, G2400 I G1473 am G1510 with G3326 you G5216 alway, G3956 G2250 even unto G2193 the end G4930 of the world. G165 Amen. G281
I will greatly H7797 rejoice H7797 in the LORD, H3068 my soul H5315 shall be joyful H1523 in my God; H430 for he hath clothed H3847 me with the garments H899 of salvation, H3468 he hath covered H3271 me with the robe H4598 of righteousness, H6666 as a bridegroom H2860 decketh H3547 himself with ornaments, H6287 and as a bride H3618 adorneth H5710 herself with her jewels. H3627
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Galatians 3
Commentary on Galatians 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
The apostle in this chapter,
Gal 3:1-5
The apostle is here dealing with those who, having embraced the faith of Christ, still continued to seek for justification by the works of the law; that is, who depended upon their own obedience to the moral precepts as their righteousness before God, and, wherein that was defective, had recourse to the legal sacrifices and purifications to make it up. These he first sharply reproves, and then endeavours, by the evidence of truth, to convince them. This is the right method, when we reprove any for a fault or an error, to convince them that it is an error, that it is a fault.
He reproves them, and the reproof is very close and warm: he calls them foolish Galatians, v. 1. Though as Christians they were Wisdom's children, yet as corrupt Christians they were foolish children. Yea, he asks, Who hath bewitched you? whereby he represents them as enchanted by the arts and snares of their seducing teachers, and so far deluded as to act very unlike themselves. That wherein their folly and infatuation appeared was that they did not obey the truth; that is, they did not adhere to the gospel way of justification, wherein they had been taught, and which they had professed to embrace. Note, It is not enough to know the truth, and to say we believe it, but we must obey it too; we must heartily submit to it, and stedfastly abide by it. Note, also, Those are spiritually bewitched who, when the truth as it is in Jesus is plainly set before them, will not thus obey it. Several things proved and aggravated the folly of these Christians.
Gal 3:6-18
The apostle having reproved the Galatians for not obeying the truth, and endeavoured to impress them with a sense of their folly herein, in these verses he largely proves the doctrine which he had reproved them for rejecting, namely, that of justification by faith without the works of the law. This he does several ways.
Gal 3:19-29
The apostle having just before been speaking of the promise made to Abraham, and representing that as the rule of our justification, and not the law, lest they should think he did too much derogate from the law, and render it altogether useless, he thence takes occasion to discourse of the design and tendency of it, and to acquaint us for what purposes it was given. It might be asked, "If that promise be sufficient for salvation, wherefore then serveth the law? Or, Why did God give the law by Moses?' To this he answers,
The apostle adds that the law was given for this purpose till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; that is, either till Christ should come (the principle seed referred to in the promise, as he had before shown), or till the gospel dispensation should take place, when Jews and Gentiles, without distinction, should, upon believing, become the seed of Abraham. The law was added because of transgressions, till this fulness of time, or this complete dispensation, should come. But when the seed came, and a fuller discovery of divine grace in the promise was made, then the law, as given by Moses, was to cease; that covenant, being found faulty, was to give place to another, and a better, Heb. 8:7, 8. And though the law, considered as the law of nature, is always in force, and still continues to be of use to convince men of sin and to restrain them from it, yet we are now no longer under the bondage and terror of that legal covenant. The law then was not intended to discover another way of justification, different from that revealed by the promise, but only to lead men to see their need of the promise, by showing them the sinfulness of sin, and to point them to Christ, through whom alone they could be pardoned and justified.
As a further proof that the law was not designed to vacate the promise, the apostle adds, It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. It was given to different persons, and in a different manner from the promise, and therefore for different purposes. The promise was made to Abraham, and all his spiritual seed, including believers of all nations, even of the Gentiles as well as the Jews; but the law was given to the Israelites as a peculiar people, and separated from the rest of the world. And, whereas the promise was given immediately by God himself, the law was given by the ministry of angels, and the hand of a mediator. Hence it appeared that the law could not be designed to set aside the promise; for (v. 20), A mediator is not a mediator of one, of one party only; but God is one, but one party in the promise or covenant made with Abraham: and therefore it is not to be supposed that by a transaction which passed only between him and the nation of the Jews he should make void a promise which he had long before made to Abraham and all his spiritual seed, whether Jews or Gentiles. This would not have been consistent with his wisdom, nor with his truth and faithfulness. Moses was only a mediator between God and the spiritual seed of Abraham; and therefore the law that was given by him could not affect the promise made to them, much less be subversive of it.