The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 189

Vers. 21-25.-TM Law d,esi_qned to·'be 811,bservient to the promise. Though the Law is inferior to the promise in the four points already suggested, it is not antagonistic to it. I. THE LAW IS NOT Al\'TAGONISTIC TO THE PROMISE. "Is the Law against the promises of God? God forbid." 1. The Law and the promise are equally of Divine origin';'--t1,1Jo distinct parts of the Divine plan, each part with its own distinct purpose to be carried out inside the Divine plan. The distinction between them is not tha~ the one is good and the other evil; for" the Law is good if a man use it lawfully," while. the promise is self-evidently and essentially so. 2. There would be antagonism if life came by the f,aw, ., For if there had been a Law given that could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the Law." In that case, the Law and the promise would have come into competition as two diverse methods of salvation. In the. one case, salvation would have come "of debt;" in the other case, it actually comes "of grace." If life came by the Law, there would, in fact, be no room for free gift at all. 3. The Law was absolutely incapabk of giving life. If it could have done so, it .would have been chosen as the method of salvation, because, in that case, man had only to use his faculties to accomplish it, and the agony of the cross would never have been necessary. I}ut the thing was impossible; salvation is a Divine work, and, if it comes at all, it mus~ come from the quickening power of the Spirit. 4. If.life could have come by the Law, its res1tlt, whi,ch is righteousness, would have come in the same way. But the. apostle has closed up the way of righteousness through the Law by many strong texts. II. THE TRUE EFFECT A:t."1> DESIGN OF THE LAW. "But the Scripture shut up all under sin, that the promise by faith in Christ might be given to them that believe." 1. Tl.e Law shuts up men u11der sin. The Scripture, rather than the Law, is here represented as doing it. It pronounces all to be guilty before God, but solely iP. virtue of the con- demnation pronounced by the Law. 'l'he phrase here empl0yed is very expressive. Mim are as it were, closed in, or shut up, on every side, with only one way of escape-with no 'way left open but that of faith. 2. There is a gracious purpose in this legal, incar- ceration. "That the promise by faith in Christ might be given to them that believe." (1) '!'he blessing-" the promise," with all it involves. (2) 'l'he chaP.n~l of blessing- " faith." That is a precious conduit-pipe between the soul and the Saviour. ~3) 'l'he source of blessing-" Jesus Christ." (4) 1'he recipients-" them the.t believe.' !low t:'l"identl11 all blessing reaches us, not by the Law, but by grace I ill. THE J EWB IN WARD UNDEll THE OLD DlBPENSATIOll. "Ilut l:cfore faith came, "'"  OD, m. l-r29.] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS, 15,5