The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 174

Fo.thel' o.nd the Son. God is one. In the unquestion>tble revele.tion of his I l!'or if ,i'o.ther •e.nd, tin his Son- Christ our Lord. there he.d been e. Le.w given which oould 'I'he fo.ct is now present to the apostle's have given life (El -yltp ,6&871 voµbs b liuvtf- mind, o.nd is 'presently after stnted by him µ,vor (o,o,ro11jo-a,); for ;J a Law had been (oh. iv.4), tba.t tho Son be.s been "sent forth" gi-oen 811,Ch a8 could make ali11e. 'I'be con- by God to redeem us nnd make us soos, and struction of the article in the phrase, v&µos he.s thus become the "C-hrist," that "Seed t, Buvd.µevos, is similar to the.t in l9v71 'Ta µ.1/ of Abraham" 1P .which the promises had lxo11Ta. (Rom. ii. 14); µ.d.p-rvtf, 'rois 1rpo1«• been made (ver. 29 of. this chapter). Hereby x••p1YTov71µ,voir (Acts x. 41). The noun is .the most perfect oneness is established be- first put undetermined, e. narrowing deter- tweell' God e.nd the heirs of the promise ; mination with the article being then added: for .these are '\elothed with Obrist" ( var. 27) "If [in the Law of Moses] had been given the Sob. of God ; and he being one with a Law such o.s," etc. By fastening atten- the Fe.ther, ·they in and through him a.re tion upon the Law as unable "to make really ·o.ud perme.nently "reconciled into e.live," the apostle marks its character as God," as the apostle writes in Col. i. 20. contrasted with the new covenant, the cha- ,Compo.re our Lord's words in his inter- racteristic function of which is that of <:essory pre.yer (John xvii. 21, 23), "Tbe.t impe.rting e. life-giving Spirit. The La.,v ..they all may be one ; even e.s thou, Fe.ther, made men feel their sin, their spiritual ll,)!t in me, and I in thee, that they also incapacitation, "the body of death" which may be in us. I in them, and thon in me ; enthralled them (Rom. vii.) ; but the that they moy be perfected into one." Tho.t grace which should instil into their souls this senllB lies deep down in the apostle's the life of love which they lacked, it ha,l words o.nd would not have readily been not to bestow. So for ooly reaches the presented by. them to .the minds of his unfavourable estimate of the Law's fuuction ree.ders, forms no valid objection to this given here: it was not "e.ble to make alive." interpreto.tion; for the history of the exegesis Verily righteonmess should have been by of the passage proves tbe.t this IllUSt have the Le.w (~vrws tiv lK poµo" ;\v 11 li11<aio<T6V?J); been the case with the sense which the in very deed then from the Law would have e.postle really. designed to indicate,. what- accrued righteousness. "In very deed then." ever .that. was. On the other hand, it is But as the case now ste.nds, it is a delusion o.:,sonse which perfectly suits the. reqµire 0 to think it can,.as. the unbelieving Jews do, ment of the context.; for it illustre.tes the and as some of you seem minded .to do. superiority of the ooveuant of the promise •o,,.,..,., as Luke xxiii. 47; 1 Cor. xiv. 25. to the covenant of the La.w in the strongest If the Law could have quickened men with manner possible. The nut he.s a very bard spiritue.l life it would have brought them shell, but it yields a delicious kernel. justification. This is what the apostle here Ver. 21.,.,--ls the Le.w then age.inst the affirms. But why so? That in the economy promises of God 1 ( o oiv voµos /Ca.TI~ .,..w of grace there is no justi:ficatfon without brayy,>..,wv 'TOV 0,ov; ). "Against" (IC(£76.), spiritue.l quickening, nor spiritual life with- e.s ob. v. 23; Rom. viii. 31; Matt. xii. 30. out justificntion, wa are clearly o.pprised by Since the apostle has alree.dy (vers. 15-18) me.ny pe.ssages of St. Paul's own writing,i, disposed of' the notion that the Law may notably by Rom. viii. 1-10. Tito expla- ho.ve superseded or esseutio.lly qualified the nation, however, is probably this : in the promiije, this word <1.ngainst" oan he.rdly e.postle's view, the gift of the indwelling intend ndverse action of that kind, but Spirit, to eauctify us and ene.ble us for living rather imports simply contrariety of spirit a spiritunl life, is conditioned by e. sta.te of or purpose. This objection tile apostle e.ccepto.blenesswith God; until we have been meets: by stating that the spirit and pur- brought into a state of grace, we are not pose of the Law were not contrary to the qualified to receive this the supreme proof promises, inasmuch ns the Law did not of Di vine love. It is "bcce.use we are sons offer to interfere with the work which the th11t God sends the Spirit of his Son into promises were to do, but we.a designed to our hearts, crying, Abbe., Father" (eh. iv. be e.uxilia.ry to their function by prepo.ring 6). If, then, the Law can be supposed the we.y for its discharge. God forbid (µ'I, ~apable of impo.rtiug the Spirit of life, it ')l<vo,.,.o). The tone of abhorrence with must be supposed oapo.ble of antecedently which the apostle negatives the inference imparting righteousness. The" inherite.nce" (see note on ch ..ii. 17) is due, not so much of Abraham's seed includes both, both ac- to its mere unrensone.bleness, as to the oruing to them from faith. So far wa~ the almost blo.sphemous character which he Lo.w from having these gifts to bestow, that feels to attach to the notion. To think on the one he.ml, Moses' ministering of the thnt one unquestioue.ble revelation of the Lo.w to the people was a ministration of faithful, unche.ngenble God can be contrary coudemne.tiou (2 Cor. iii. 6-9), am! on the in spirit or purpose to another equally other, it brought quickening, in,lccd, but  140 THE EPIS'l'LE TO 1'RE GALATIANS. [oa. m. 1-29.