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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - Galatians 3:19 - 3:19
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
What then is the law? (ti oun ho nomoṡ). Or, why then the law? A pertinent question if the Abrahamic promise antedates it and holds on afterwards.
It was added because of transgressions (tōn parabaseōn charin prosetethē). First aorist passive of prostithēmi, old verb to add to. It is only in apparent contradiction to Gal 3:15., because in Paul’s mind the law is no part of the covenant, but a thing apart “in no way modifying its provisions” (Burton). Charin is the adverbial accusative of charis which was used as a preposition with the genitive as early as Homer, in favour of, for the sake of. Except in 1Jo 3:12 it is post-positive in the N.T. as in ancient Greek. It may be causal (Luk 7:47; 1Jo 3:12) or telic (Tit 1:5, Tit 1:11; Jud 1:16). It is probably also telic here, not in order to create transgressions, but rather “to make transgressions palpable” (Ellicott), “thereby pronouncing them to be from that time forward transgressions of the law” (Rendall). Parabasis, from parabainō, is in this sense a late word (Plutarch on), originally a slight deviation, then a wilful disregarding of known regulations or prohibitions as in Rom 2:23.
Till the seed should come (achris an elthēi to sperma). Future time with achris an and aorist subjunctive (usual construction). Christ he means by to sperma as in Gal 3:16.
The promise hath been made (epēggeltai). Probably impersonal perfect passive rather than middle of epaggellomai as in 2 Maccabees 4:27.
Ordained through angels (diatageis di' aggelōn). Second aorist passive participle of diatassō (see note on Mat 11:1). About angels and the giving of the law see Deuteronomy 33:2 (lxx); Act 7:38, Act 7:52; Heb 2:2; Josephus (Ant. XV. 5. 3).
By the hand of a mediator (en cheiri mesitou). En cheiri is a manifest Aramaism or Hebraism and only here in the N.T. It is common in the lxx. Mesitēs, from mesos is middle or midst, is a late word (Polybius, Diodorus, Philo, Josephus) and common in the papyri in legal transactions for arbiter, surety, etc. Here of Moses, but also of Christ (1Ti 2:5; Heb 8:6; Heb 9:15; Heb 12:24).