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Gal_3:27. The words just used, υἱοὶ Θεοῦ ἐστε , expressing what the readers as a body are through faith in Christ, are now confirmed by the mention of the origin of this relation; and the ground on which the relation is based is, that Christ is the Son of God. Comp. Chrysostom: εἰ ὁ Χριστος υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ , σὺ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐνδέδυσαι , τὸν υἱὸν ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμοιωθεὶς εἰς μίαν συγγένειαν καὶ μίαν ἰδέαν ἤχθης . Luther, 1519: “Si autem Christum induistis, Christus autem filius Dei, et vos eodem indumento filii Dei estis.”
ὅσοι ] corresponding to the emphatic πάντες in Gal_3:26.
εἰς Χριστόν ] in relation to Christ (see on Rom_6:3), so that ye who belong to Christ through baptism become partakers in fellowship of life with Him.
Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε ] laying aside the figure, according to the connection: Ye have appropriated the same peculiar state of life, that is, the very same specific relation to God, in which Christ stands; consequently, as He is the Son of God, ye have likewise entered into the sonship of God, namely by means of the πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας received at baptism (Gal_4:5-7; Rom_8:15; 1Co_6:11; Tit_3:5). Observe, besides, how baptism necessarily presupposes the μετάνοια (Act_2:38) and faith (comp. Neander, II. p. 778 f.; Messner, Lehre der Ap. p. 279). The entrance on the state of being included in Christ, as Hofmann from the point of view of εἶναι ἐν Χ . explains the expression, is likewise tantamount to the obtaining a share in the sonship of God. The figure, derived from the putting on of a characteristic dress,[171] is familiar both to the Greek authors and the Rabbins (Schoettgen, Hor. p. 572). See on Rom_13:14. In the latter passage the putting on of Christ is enjoined, but it is here represented as having taken place; for in that passage it is conceived under the ethical, but here under the primary dogmatic, point of view. Comp. Luther, 1538. Usteri incorrectly desires to find in the ἐνδύεσθαι Χριστόν of our passage, not the entering into the sonship of God, but the putting on of the new man (Col_3:9-11), having especial reference to the thought of the universalistic, purely human element, in which all the religious differences which have hitherto separated men from one another are done away. This view is inconsistent with the word actually used ( Χριστόν ), and with the context ( ΥἹΟῚ ΘΕΟῦ , Gal_3:26). Nevertheless, Wieseler has in substance supported the view of Usteri, objecting to our interpretation that ΥἹΟῚ ΘΕΟῦ expresses a sonship of God different from that of Christ, who was begotten of God. It is true that Christians are the sons of God only by adoption ( υἱοθεσία ); but just by means of this new relation entered upon in baptism, they have morally and legally entered into the like state of life with the only-begotten Son, and have become, although only His brethren by adoption, still His brethren. Comp. Rom_8:29. This is sufficient to justify the conception of having put on Christ, wherein the metaphysical element of difference subsists, as a matter of course, but is left out of view. On the legal aspect of the relation, comp. Gal_3:29; Rom_8:17.
Moreover, that the formula ἐν Χριστῷ εἶναι is not to be explained from the idea ΧΡΙΣΤῸΝ ἘΝΔΎΣΑΣΘΑΙ , see in Fritzsche, ad. Rom. II. p. 82. Just as little, however, is the converse course to be adopted (Hofmann), because both εἶναι ἔν τινι and ἘΝΔΎΣΑΣΘΑΊ ΤΙΝΑ or ΤΙ are frequently used in the N.T. and out of it, without any correlation of the two ideas necessarily existing. The two stand independently side by side, although in point of fact it is correct that whosoever is ἐν Χριστῷ has put on Christ through baptism.
[171] Looking at the very general occurrence of the figure, and seeing that the context contains no indication whatever of any special reference, we must entirely reject any historical or ritual references. See the many discussions of the earlier expositors in Wolf. By some the figure was looked upon as referring to heathen customs (as Bengel: “Christus nobis est toga virilis”), by others to Jewish customs (“it applies to the putting on of the robes of the high priest at his appointment,” Deyling, Obss. III. p. 480, ed. 2), by others to Christian customs (“it applies to the putting on of new—at a later time white—garments after baptism,” Beza). The latter idea is especially to be set aside, because the custom concerned cannot be shown to have existed in apostolic times; at any rate, it has only originated from the N.T. idea of the putting on of the new man, and is its emblematic representation.