The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 201

and rose up from Seir unto them: he shinen forth from Mount Paran, and be came with ten thousann of his saints: from his right hrmd went a fiery la'w for them." The ten thousann of his holy ones were doubtless angels. So in Ps. lx~iii. 17 it ls snid "The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels; the Lord i; among them as in Sinai, in the holy place." This fact was so recognized amona the Jews that Stephen could tell them that they had received the Law by the dispo~ition of angels. Their connection with it was not confined to accompanying the Lord· or ordering the miraculous accompaniment. But the language in Hebrews-" the w'ord spoken by angels "-taken along with the languaii:e here, points to them as the instru- ments employed by God in delivering the Law. This circumstance is introduced by the apostle here, in keeping with the context, not to glorify the Law, but to show that God stood at a distance from men in the giving of the Law. It was something which was in a manner foreign to him. Therefore, in giving it he did not come immediately into contact with men, but interposed angels on his side. 4. It was mediately received_ by men. "By the hand of a mediator." This was Moses. "I stood between 'the 'Lord and you." In the giving of the Law great stress was laid on the fact that the people were not fit to draw near to God to receive it from him. Therefore a mediator was interposed on man's side. .Added comment on doubl~ mediation. "Now a mediator is not a mediator of one ; but God is one." It is said that there have been as many a:s four hundred and thirty different interpretations of these words. If that speaks to extra- ordinary labour bestowed on the interpretation of the words, it also speaks to extraordinary misdirection of labour. It can be said that now there is substantial unanimity of inter- pretation. The first statement does not refer to Moses nor to Christ, but to a ·mediator generally; and means that a mediator implies two parties, between whom the mediation takes place. The second statement, that God is one, has often been taken to mean that God is one of the two parties, the children of Israel being the other party,' which is pointless for the purpose of the argument. It means that God is mediatorless in the promise. In the Law, God kept at a distance, interposing mediators on his 'side_ and interposing also a mediator on man's side. But in the promise God came immediately into contact with Abraham, employing no mediator, but speaking to him as to a friend. III. THE LAW WAS NOT A:NTAGONrsnc TO THE PROMISE. "Is the Law then against the promises of God? God forbid." In keeping with what has been said, God identifies himself with the promises, and not with the Law. They were not, however, antagoni&tic. l. The Law did not supply the condition of the blessing. "For if there had been a Law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the Law." In the case supposed. (righteousness being of the Law, and so making aliv_e), the Law would have been antagoni.J,tic to the promise. There would have been an antagonistic mode of jnstification. The blessing would have been put on the gro~d' of oh_edience to tlie Law. 'l'he apostle repudiates that supposition, v.1thout ariy 'disparagement of th~ Mosaic Law. It had a perfectness of its own. If there had been a Law fitted to give life, he strongly asserts that would have been the Mosaic Law. It was raised above all mere human law. It presented an admirable idea of righteousness. '!'hat it did not actually effect righteousness was simply because that was impossible. 2. Tlie Scripture represented men as all shut up to the obtaining of the blessing simply by faith. "_How- beit the Scripture hath shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in __Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." Scripture is not the Law,but rather.that which holds Law and promise in harmony. The office ascribed to Scripture is peculiar, It has placed, not only all men but all things (man's surroundings) under sin as gaoler, In this imprisonment there was not finality. On the contrary, it was with the view ·of magnifying the promise. Not by doing the Law, but by believing the pro'mise, is the blessing attained. As the promise was made good to Jesus Obrist, and was thus identi- fied with him, faith in him, as obtaining the blessing for us~ has become the simple and all-sufficient principle of the religious life.-R. F. , Vers. 23-29.-Bifore and after faith. I. BEFOnE FAITll CAKE. "But before faith came." The faith which is here brought into prominence is that which was historically manifested when Christ came. Faith existed before Christianity, as is , evident from the eleventh of Hebrews. There was trust in the Divine word. But the attitude toward Christ was that of expectancy. "We who had before hoped in Chri.t:t." ~- ttr. l-'29.] '!''HE EPISTLE; 1'0 Tlllll GALATIANS. 167