Galatians 3:16-18

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 3:18

Verse 18 18.If the inheritance be of the law. His opponents might still reply, that nothing was farther from their intention than to weaken or disannul God’s covenant. To deprive them of every kind of subterfuge, he comes forward with the assertion, that salvation by the law, and salvation by the promise of God, are wholly inconsistent with each other. Who will dare to explain this as applying to ceremonies alone, while Paul comprehends under it whatever interferes with a free promise? Beyond... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:15-22

The covenant of promise. Having taken up the case of Abraham as illustrating the necessity of faith, Paul proceeds to state the Abrahamic covenant as one of promise. The Mosaic covenant, promulgated four hundred and thirty years after, could not, he argues, disannul the previous covenant. It must have a supplementary purpose; and this he shows to be to drive the souls who have been made hopeless by the Law into the arms of the "faithful Promiser." The following lessons are suggested:— ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:15-22

Promise and Law. From this point the apostle has a softened tone toward the Galatians. He deals with them now more in the way of instruction and counsel than of correction and rebuke. I. THE PROMISE WAS NOT INVALIDATED BY THE LAW . 1 . Human analogy. "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto." When the apostle professes to speak after the manner of men,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:16

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made ( τῷ δὲ ἀβραὰμ ἐῤῥήθησαν [or, ἐῤῥέθησαν ] αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ ); now to Abraham were the promises made (Greek, spoken ) and to his seed. The question now to be determined is, who the parties were that were concerned in the covenant made with Abraham, and with respect to whom the principle just stated must be taken to apply. Of course, God is himself one of the two parties. This the apostle... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:16

The contents of the covenant and the parties to it. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made." I. THE CONTENTS OF THE COVENANT . "The promises." They are elsewhere spoken of as "the promise." It was repeated several times. This promise carries the whole of salvation within it. It is elsewhere referred to as "the oath and the promise"—"the two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie"—for God confirmed the promise by an oath, and the promise is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:17

And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ ( τοῦτο δὲ λέγω διαθήκην προκεκυρωμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ [Receptus adds, εἰς χριστόν ]); and I say this : a covenant confirmed before of God. We have here the application of the aphorism laid down in Galatians 3:15 . "And I say this;" that is," And what I have to say is this." As God had already before made a solemn covenant with Abraham and his seed, the Law given so long after cannot have been... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:17

The everlasting covenant. I. DIVINE GRACE IS PLEDGED BY COVENANT . The grace here referred to is offered to Abraham and through him to all nations ( Genesis 12:1-3 ). Thus offered in covenant, it is We are not left to speculate about the grace of God as a possibility; it is distinctly revealed. Nor are we in doubt as to its permanence; it is pledged for the future. II. THE COVENANT OF DIVINE GRACE IS ETERNAL . 1 . As a revelation of truth it is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:17-18

The irreversibleness of the covenant by the Law. "This, however, I say, that the covenant that has been confirmed before in reference to Christ, the Law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, does not disannul, that it should do away with the promise." I. THE COVENANT ON ITS OWN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION . 1 . It stands irrevocable and indestructible because it has been confirmed by God , that is, by an oath; for, "Because he could swear by no greater, he... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:18

For if the inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of promise ( εἰ γὰρ ἐκ νόμου ἡ κληρονομία [or, οὐκ ἔτι ] ἐξ ἐπαγγελίας ); for if from a Law the inheritance accrues , it accrues no longer from a promise. The two nouns "Law" and "promise" have no article, being regarded here in their several characteristic principles, which were not only diverse, but contrary. The Law says, "The man that doeth these things shall live by them;" and this while enforcing a great... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 3:16

Now to Abraham and his seed - To him and his posterity.Were the promises made - The promise here referred to was that which is recorded in Genesis 22:17-18. “In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.”He saith not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one ... - He does not use the plural term, as if the promise extended to many... read more

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