John Bengel Commentary - Galatians 3:19 - 3:19

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John Bengel Commentary - Galatians 3:19 - 3:19


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Gal 3:19. Τί οὖν ὁ νόμος;) Some use this punctuation, τί οὖν; ὁ νόμος, κ.τ.λ. Indeed τί οὖν is often put by itself; sometimes, however, the interrogation is given at length, τί οὖν φημι; 1Co 10:19 : τί οὖν τὸ περισσὸν τοῦ Ἰουδαίου; Rom 3:1. What then is [the use of] the law, i.e., one might say, was the law therefore given in vain?-τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν, because of transgressions) that they might be acknowledged and might gain strength. Transgressions committed by men are noticed not so much before, Rom 5:13, as after the giving of the law. The same word occurs at Rom 4:15, where see the note; and in the plural at Heb 9:15. The antithesis is continueth, Gal 3:10. The thing itself is explained at Gal 3:21-22 : namely, all are “concluded under sin.”-ἐτέθη, it was put, given) He does not say, put instead of, substituted [for the promise]. Many have προσετέθη,[26] but ἐτέθη is more consistent with Gal 3:15.-ἜΛΘῌ, should come) comp. came, Gal 3:23.-τὸ σπέρμα, the seed) viz., believers of the New Testament, to whom is given the fulfilment of the promise; Gal 3:22.-ᾧ ἐπήγγελται, to whom the promise was made) or rather to whom God promised; comp. ἐπήγγελται, Rom 4:21; Heb 12:26.-ΔΙΑΤΑΓΕῚς, ordained) not ἐπιδιαταγεὶς;[27] comp. Gal 3:15, [ἐπιδιατάσσεται, addeth thereto any new ordinance].-διʼ ἀγγέλων, ἘΝ ΧΕΙΡῚ ΜΕΣΊΤΟΥ, by angels, in the hand of a mediator) A double mediation. Angels being the representatives of God, Heb 2:2 : a mediator standing as representative of the people. God delegated the law to angels as something rather alien to Him and severe: He reserved the promise to Himself, and gave and dispensed it according to His own goodness. Moses was the mediator; hence it is frequently said, ביד משה, by the hand of Moses. We have the definition of a mediator, Deu 5:5. Moses, as a mediator, is quite different from Christ-the one keeps back [repels]-the other brings forward [attracts].

[26] Προσετέθη is read by AB (judging from silence) C, both Syr. Versions, etc. Ἐτέθη by GD(Δ) corrected later, fg Vulg. (posita est), Iren. 182, 318.-ED.

[27] Ordained as a new thing to supersede the promise.-ED.