Galatians 3:19-20 (WEL) So then, what is the purpose of the law? It was added for the reason of transgressions until the Seed would come to whom the promise was made. It was officially established through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of just one, but God is one.
V19 So then, what is the purpose of the law? It was added for the reason of transgressions until the Seed would come to whom the promise was made. It was officially established through angels by the hand of a mediator.
This law is the Mosaic Law. Judaizers have been spreading lies saying, “Unless you are circumcised according to the law handed down by Moses, you cannot be saved (Acts 15:1).”
This “problem” was solved by two things: 1) Cornelius, a Gentile, did not need to be circumcised, for he had the Holy Spirit before baptism or anything else, and 2) the Jerusalem Council made a firm decision of what was needed. Acts 15:19-20 (WEL) “Therefore, my judgment is that we are not to trouble those Gentiles who have turned to God, 20 “But to write to them that they stay away from the pollutions of idols, from sexual sins, from strangled [choked, not bled], and from eating blood.
The purpose of the Law is to show people 1) they are sinners deserving God’s wrath (Romans 7:10-13) and 2) what a person does religiously cannot bring salvation and forgiveness (Galatians 3:10-12). Hebrews 7:18-19 (WEL) So there truly is a canceling of the former commandment because of its weakness and ineffectiveness,19 For the law made nothing perfect. But bringing in a better hope did, by which we draw near to God.
The mediator in this verse is Moses.
Wuest Word Studies: “Paul expected his Christian life under law to issue in the production of a testimony and experience that would be a living one, alive with the life of God, and this, accomplished through his attempt at law-obedience. But he found that mere effort at obeying an outside law resulted in defeat. The law, using the evil nature in him as a fulcrum, brought out sin all the more, and this condition he calls death. He describes this in the words, “For sin, (the evil nature) using the law as a fulcrum, beguiled me and through it (the law) killed me.”
V20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of just one, but God is one.
A mediator works with two groups, two people, etc., to find resolution. Spiritually, all humans need a mediator for a number of reasons: 1) we are defiled, stink, and are totally rotten and 2) because we have nothing to offer that is good in God’s sight.
Doctrine: God is one in 3 persons of one essence.
(Holman Commentary) “Because the law required mediation, it required each party to live up to the contract. The Abrahamic covenant, on the other hand, was dependent only on the commitment of God, who is one. Therefore, the law was inferior to the promise given to Abraham.”
Precept Austin: “Now a mediator is not for one party only, whereas God is only one – Paul’s point is apparently that a “mediator” is required when more than one party is involved, but God alone ratified the covenant with Abraham. A mediator implies a covenant between two parties, both of whom have responsibilities, facts true of the Mosaic Covenant. On the other hand, God is One, that is, the “promise” (Gal 3:19) was unilateral and was given to man directly without a mediator, God alone having responsibility for fulfilling it. The Amplified version has a helpful translation of this passage.”
We learn:
- The Law has a purpose, not how to be saved from God’s wrath, but the revealing of sinful hearts and human inability to save themselves by works.
- God was the unilateral mediator in the Abrahamic covenant.
Questions:
- Are you depending on good works to get to heaven?
- Are you thankful for the work of God to provide salvation?