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Gal_3:29. But by your thus belonging to Christ ye are also Abraham’s posterity: for Christ is indeed the σπέρμα Ἀβ . (Gal_3:16), and, since ye have entered into the relation of Christ, ye must consequently have a share in the same state, and must likewise be Abraham’s σπέρμα ; with which in conformity to the promise is combined the result, that ye are heirs, that is, that ye, just like heirs who have come into the possession of the property belonging to them, have as your own the salvation of the Messianic kingdom promised to Abraham and his seed (the realization of which is impending).
δέ ] drawing a further inference, so that, after the explanation contained in Gal_3:28, εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ in point of fact resumes the Χριστὸν ἐνεδύσασθε of Gal_3:27. The emphatic ὑμεῖς has as its background of contrast the natural descendants of Abraham, who as such do not belong to Christ and therefore are not Abraham’s σπέρμα .
τοῦ Ἀβρ .] correlative to Χριστοῦ , and emphatically prefixed. Ye are Abraham’s seed, because Christ is so (Gal_3:16), whose position has become yours (Gal_3:27). Comp. Theodoret and Theophylact.
κατʼ ἐπαγγ .] for τῷ Ἀβρ . ἐῤῥήθησαν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ , Gal_3:16. It is true that this σπέρμα in Gal_3:16 is Christ: but Christians have put on Christ (Gal_3:27), and are altogether one in Christ (Gal_3:28); thus the κατʼ ἐπαγγ . (in conformity with promise) finds its justification. But the emphasis is laid, not on κατʼ ἐπαγγ . as contrasted with κατὰ νόμον (Baumgarten-Crusius, Ewald, Wieseler), or with another order of heirs (Hofmann), or with natural inheritance (Reithmayr), but on κληρονόμοι , which forms the link of connection with the matter that follows in ch. 4, and both here and at Gal_4:7 constitutes the important key-stone of the argument. This κληρονόμοι is the triumph of the whole, accompanied with the seal of divine certainty by means of κατʼ ἐπαγγ .; the two together forming the final death-blow to the Judaistic opponents, which comes in all the more forcibly without καί (see critical notes). The alleged contrast was obvious of itself long before in the words σπέρμα τοῦ Ἀβρ . (comp. Gal_3:18). The article was no more requisite than in Gal_3:18.
κληρονόμοι ] The connection with the sequel shows, that the sense of heir is intended here. Τοῦ Ἀβρ . is not, however, to be again supplied to κληρονόμοι , as might be inferred from σπέρμα ; but, without supplying a genitive of the person inherited from, we have to think of the κληρονομία of the Messianic salvation. Comp. Rom_8:17. Against the supplying of τοῦ Ἀβρ . we may decisively urge not only the sequel, in which nothing whatever is said of any inheriting from Abraham, but also κατʼ ἐπαγγ . For if Paul had wished to express the idea that Christians as the children of Abraham were also the heirs of Abraham, the κατʼ ἐπαγγ . would have been inappropriate; because the promise (Gal_3:16) had announced the heirship of the Messianic kingdom to Abraham and his seed, but had not announced this heirship in the first instance to Abraham, and then announced to his seed in their turn that they should be Abraham’s heirs.