Galatians 3:19-25 The Purpose of the Law WC McCarter
Introduction
Are you with
me? Are you following what the apostle is teaching in Galatians? Do you
understand that you will be saved by faith and not by works?
Now that we
have established that no one is made right with God by the law, let me ask you
this, what is the purpose of the law? What is the value of the Old Testament?
We are New Testament believers, right? Do we even need the Old Testament? Can
we not just get rid of it? Should we just ignore what God said to and did with
Israel? We will see today that the Law was for a limited time and specific
purpose (Moo, 232), and also that the OT has tremendous value for Christian.
When I was
in high school, I did not know exactly what career I would begin. I did not
know what I would be doing for the rest of my life. Thus, I did know exactly
what to study or how to prepare. So, the educational system put me through all
sorts of disciplines that I did not necessarily care for. I was forced to take
several years of math, science, language, and more. This was to get me to a
certain point. It was to prepare me for whatever I would go into.
READ Scripture- This is the Word of God
#1 Because of Transgressions (19-20)
The law had
a definite beginning (430 years after the promise was made), and it has a
definite end (until the Seed should come to whom the promise was made). So,
Paul says that the law was given until the Seed of the promise came on the
scene. Whatever the law was for, it was only for a certain period of time and
not forever. The promise is what God was wanting to accomplish. The promise is
what God would surely accomplish in human history. And He has.
“Transgressions”
is a very specific word. Paul does not say “sins,” but “transgressions.”
Transgressions refers to breaking a certain, established law. This brings
greater punishment. Sin is bad enough, but when one is fully informed that they
should not cross a boundary and they do, then the punishment must be more
severe. The law was the revealed will of God for the people. It demanded
holiness. God said, “Be holy for I am holy.” What God did in giving the law was
make rebellion against His will a legality. Humanity could no longer hide
behind the notion that God’s will was not clearly revealed. Israel was supposed
to be a light to the nations. They were to share the instruction and demands of
the Lord with the whole world, but they failed miserably. They themselves could
not even keep the law, much less teach it to others. So the law was given for
the simple fact that God could then say, “You have broken my law by
transgressing its commands.”
It is well
known in Jewish tradition, and even in the New Testament, that the Law was
given by God to Moses through angels. After that the law was then given to the
people by Moses. The Law, then, was given by God through the angels through
Moses to the people. On the other hand, the promise was given directly by God
to Abraham. The blessing associated with
the promise was of the one God from beginning to end. However, the blessing
associated with the Law was dependent on both God and the people.
Law Cannot Give Life (21)
After
tearing down the law as a means of justification, Paul asked the question,
“What is the purpose of the Law?” He answered by saying that it was to make sin
transgression, which warrants a greater degree of penalty. He will give two
more answers to this question, but before doing so, he will ask and answer
another question in v21. The next logical question, then, is to ask, “Is the
law against the promises of God?” To that Paul answers, “Certainly not!” The
question is not so much important as is the answer. Paul only poses the
question so that he can make the answer clear. His point in v21 is, The law is certainly not against the
promises of God, but the law does not give life. That is why the promise still
stands and is necessary to make us right with God. The law promises to give
life to all those who keep every command, but no one has ever perfectly kept
all the demands of the law. Thus, the law cannot give life.
#2 To Confine All Under Sin (22-23)
The next two
verses, 22-23, give us a second answer to the first question, What is the
purpose of the law? #1 To make sin transgression. #2 To confine all under sin.
The law cannot give life, and, in fact, it does the opposite–it confines all
under sin. And we all know that the wages of sin is death. The term “confine” in the NKJV is “locked up” in the NIV and
carries this meaning of being imprisoned. So, the human offense is sin.
Transgression is what has put humanity in prison. The Law is seen as the prison
guard, the jailer. Now, we are the ones who have sinned, and God is the one who
has handed down the law so that all things are confined under sin. Why has God
done this? Why put mankind in this prison? “[It was so] that the promise by
faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” Humanity was going
to have to (and many still must) come to the realization that their
righteousness is as filthy rags before the Lord, that they are poor in spirit,
and they need Christ to save them. Thus, we were (and many are) in prison until
Christ freed us.
#3 To Bring Us to Christ (24-25)
The NIV does
a much better job in translating these two verses: “So the law was our guardian
until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.”
V24 “παιδαγωγὸς” is where we get the word “pedagogue” which
means teacher. Yet, that is not what the word originally meant. The word literally
means “boy-leader” and refers to a male–usually slave–who was a trusted member
of the family in charge of leading a boy to and from school, watching him while
he played, supervising the boy’s overall conduct, guarding him, and
disciplining him. He was not necessarily a teacher but was a leader, guardian,
and guide. He was the restraining influence. Respect was due to him and
obedience. This guardian would accompany the boy until he reached a mature age
and was no longer needed. They were often seen as overly harsh in their
discipline which was the acceptable practice.
Conclusion and Christian Application
(1) So, what is the purpose of the OT
law? The apostle gives us three answers:
#1 To make sin transgression.
#2 To confine all under sin.
#3 To bring us to Christ.
(2) The Old Testament is vitally
important to the history of redemption in that it demonstrates the holiness of
God (you cannot approach God in just any old way); it determines our sinfulness
and causes it to be transgression; and the OT has set boundaries morally,
ethically, and religiously. By the way, it is decidedly difficult to understand
the NT without the OT. Therefore, we should be sure to read and meditate on the
OT often so that we may know who God is, how He has dealt with humanity, and
that we may know our need of grace.
(3) You have been given life by the
grace of God. Glory in that. You have been made alive, freed from sin to live
as God desires. Although you were once confined by sin, overwhelmed by the
burden of your sins’ consequences, you have now been made alive and free! Be
satisfied in Him. Rest in faith.