Third Millennium Study Bible
Notes on Galatians 3:22-27

Prison of the law- Galatians 3:22-23

The truth of Galatians 3:22-23 is spelled out further in Romans 3:19-20, "Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." The law points to the promise that salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone. The Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenants are seen as working in tandem to promote the promise. McWilliams says:

Paul emphasizes that the Scripture does not grant the possibility of a righteousness provided by law, rather, it has shut up or confines (sunekleisen, BDAG sugkleiō, "to confine to special limits, confine, imprison") everyone under sin. BDAG suggests the translation "has locked everything in under the power of sin." REB: "But scripture has declared the whole world to be prisoners in subjection to sin " The law, then, serves God's purpose of grace by hemming in, closing off, imprisoning. "It shuts up all men under accusation and therefore, instead of giving, it takes away righteousness" (Calvin). The law provides no avenue of escape; rather, it is a prison from which - by its very provision - there is no exit!

Was put in charge to lead us - Galatians 3:24

This phrase "was put in charge to lead us" is from the Greek word paidagōgos (i.e. pedagogue). This was a term Greeks applied to a slave who was responsible for a child's care and training (cf. 1 Cor 4:15). Lenski calls it a "slave-guardian." See WCF 19.6; WLC 96; BC 25. Hendriksen says:

In the figure here used the "pedagogue" is the man - generally a slave - in whose custody the slave-owner's boys were placed, in order that this trusted servant might conduct them to and from school, and might, in fact, watch over their conduct throughout the day. He was, accordingly, an escort or attendant, and also at the same time a disciplinarian. The discipline which he exercised was often of a severe character, so that those placed under his guardianship would yearn for the day of freedom. And, as has been shown (see Gal. 3:19, 22, 23), that was exactly the function which the law had performed. It had been of a preparatory and disciplinary nature, readying the hearts of those under its tutelage for the eager acceptance of the gospel of justification (for which concept see on Gal. 2:15, 16) by faith in Christ.

No longer under the supervision of the law - Galatians 3:25

When a child grows up it is no longer under the rule of its 'slave-guardian' (Lenski). Paul did not mean that Christians are not obliged to follow the law's moral requirements. See "Legalism and Antinomianism: Why do I have to obey God's law?" below. Rather, the law's condemnation no longer prevents us from inheriting the blessings of the covenant (cf. Gal. 4:7). Luther says is uniquely:

Here one must say: Stop, law! You have caused enough terror and sorrow. ... Then let the law withdraw; for it was indeed added for the sake of disclosing and increasing transgressions, but only until the point when the Offspring would come. Once he is present, let the law stop disclosing transgressions and terrifying. Let it surrender its realm to another, that is, to the Blessed Offspring, Christ; he has gracious lips, with which he does not accuse and terrify but speaks better things than the law, namely, grace, peace, forgiveness of sins, and victory over sin and death.

You are all sons of God - Galatians 3:26-27

Paul now uses the figure of "family," to teach about who we are in Christ Jesus. He establishes that we become the sons of God by faith; by union with Christ (see below) we are: (1) brought into God's family, (2) related together in God's family; and (3) we receive the full inheritance God has for His family. Pipa is thorough it expelling these divisions. He states:

The phrase 'in Christ' is Paul's favourite way of describing the reality of Christian experience. It permeates his writings. The structure of the sentence in Gal. 3:26 places emphasis on 'in Christ Jesus.' Paul points out that faith is the link that brings us into union with the Lord Jesus Christ. He uses the term 'faith' since the argument is to prove that we are saved by faith alone, not by faith and works. When we are regenerated, we believe in Christ for salvation and this faith brings us into a living union with Christ.

Our union with Christ has been eternally planned before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). Thus we are in union with Christ by election and that union is effected by regeneration. When God changes our heart, our very first reflex action is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Even when God regenerates a child in the womb or an infant, He also creates faith. As that child develops, its faith will manifest itself in faith and repentance. Faith works through our minds, our affections, and our wills, so as soon as an infants faculties are able to grasp anything of its sin and unworthiness, and of the glory of the grace of the gospel, he or she believes.

Union with Christ is the basis of our acceptance with God in justification. Furthermore, it is the basis of our adoption. Because we are in union with Jesus, the first born and the elder brother, we are accepted not as servants and slaves, but as sons and daughters of God. Paul uses the term 'sons' to include women as well as men. In the Greek and Roman culture the son was the heir, so Paul uses the word 'son' to emphasize the inheritance that belongs to all who are in Christ.

Moreover, our sanctification flows out of our union with Christ. Consider what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:30: 'But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us the wisdom from God, and (both) righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.' All the benefits of redemption belong to us, because we are in union with Christ. The very union we have with Christ, for which God justifies us, is also the vital means by which God sanctifies us. Indeed, it is a phenomenal thing to contemplate that the Spirit of Christ indwells us so that we are vitally one with Christ our Saviour. The power of Christ is at work in us even as we are covered by the righteousness of Christ.

Paul writes that baptism testifies to this union: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. He points out that the most significant meaning of baptism is union; baptism is a sign and seal of our union with Christ. Paul uses baptism with this meaning of union, for example, in 1 Corinthians 10:2: 'And all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.' When the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea on dry land, they were baptized into Moses. The children of Israel were declared to be in union with Moses; they were the set apart people of God.

Paul also makes clear he is referring to union when he uses the illustration of clothing. Just as you put on your clothing, your baptism reminds you that you have been clothed with Christ. Now all who are baptized are in a covenant relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptized children are legally in covenant with Christ. Baptized adults making a profession of faith are in covenant with Christ. Paul is not claiming that every baptized person is regenerated. An important function of baptism is to serve as a sign or a picture of union with Christ. To those who possess the reality by faith baptism also functions at the level of a confirming sign.

Baptism then declares to those who are baptized that they belong to Christ, that they are in covenant under Him. And it declares to those who have been regenerated, the full reality of their saving union with Christ. Calvin uses the illustration that man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. It is not the physical bread that keeps us alive; ultimately it is God. But God uses physical bread. It is not baptism that regenerates us, but that God uses our baptism in such a way that it confirms to us the reality of our union. It functions as a secondary means.

Let us note the importance of our Baptism. It testifies to us of our union with Christ, our remission of sin, our adoption, and our glorification (L.C. 165). It obligates us to die to sin and pursue holiness (L.C. 167). When we have doubts, we look to our baptism for God to confirm to us that He has clothed us with the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. We look to our Baptism to be reminded that we have died with Christ and have been buried with Him, therefore we are dead to sin (Rom. 6:1-4). Because of this reality we are to reflect often on our baptism as instructed in the Larger Catechism. Hence the Larger Catechism teaches the important duty of improving our Baptism, not that we can add to it, but we are to use it in a manner to profit from it.

Since the efficacy of Baptism is not tied to its moment of ministration, but is life-long, we are to make life-long use of it. 'How is our baptism to be improved by us?' 'The needful but much neglected duty of improving our baptism, is to be performed by us all our life long, especially in the time of temptation, and when we are present at the administration of it to others; by serious and thankful consideration of the nature of it, and of the ends for which Christ instituted it, the privileges and benefits conferred and sealed thereby, and our solemn vow made therein; by being humbled for our sinful defilement, our falling short of, and walking contrary to, the grace of baptism, and our engagements; by growing up to assurance of pardon of sin, and of all other blessings sealed to us in that sacrament; by drawing strength from the death and resurrection of Christ, into whom we are baptized, for the mortifying of sin, and quickening of grace; and by endeavouring to live by faith, to have our conversation in holiness and righteousness, as those that have therein given up their names to Christ; and to walk in brotherly love, as being baptized by the same Spirit into one body' (L.C. 167). Thus the Larger Catechism teaches the important duty of improving our Baptism, not that we can add to it, but we are to use it in a manner to profit from it. Since the efficacy of Baptism is not tied to its moment of ministration, but is life-long, we are to make life-long use of it.

Related Resources

• The Three Uses of the Law: What Good Is the Law?
• Legalism and Antinomianism: Why do I have to obey God's law?
• Christian Liberty: How Free Am I?
• The Covenants of Works and Grace: What Is Covenant Theology?
• The Plan of the Ages: Are We in the Last Days?
• Providence: Who is in Control of the World?
• Divine Sovereignty: Is God Sovereign or Am I Free?
• The Freedom and Bondage of the Will: Do I Have a Free Will to Believe?
• Divine Love: Does God Love Everyone?
• Predestination and Foreknowledge: Are People Predestined to Heaven and Hell?
• Definite Atonement: For Whom Did Jesus Die?
• Effectual Calling and Conversion: Can I Resist the Holy Spirit?
• The Gospel: What Is Salvation and How Do I Get It?
• Jesus Christ, God and Man: How Can a Man Be God?
• The Virgin Birth of Jesus: Was Mary Really a Virgin?
• The Full Humanity of Jesus: What Kind of Man Was Jesus?
• The Sinlessness of Jesus: Did Jesus Have to Be Without Sin?
• The Resurrection of Jesus: Why Was Jesus Resurrected?
• The Ascension and Session of Jesus: Why Did Jesus Go to Heaven?
• Regeneration and New Birth: Must I Be Born Again?
• Repentance: How Sorry Do I Have To Be?
• Union With Christ
• Faith and Works: Do I Have to Do Good Works to Be Saved?
• Justification and Merit: Why Does God Count Me as Righteous?
• Sanctification: When Will I Stop Sinning?
• The Perseverance and Preservation of Believers: Can I Lose My Salvation?
• The Glory of God: Who Gets the Glory?