WORKS, FAITH, PROMISE, COVENANT, TUTOR
Galatians 3.1-29
"Did you received the Spirit." This is essential question for all Christians. Under words "works of the Law," Paul meant the Ritual Commandments of the Law of Moses, but under the word "Faith" Paul meant Faith in Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses by which Jesus Christ teaches the people of Israel.
So, knowing that Galatians suddenly turned to the Rituals of the Law and to other things not compatible with the Spiritual Commandments of the Gospel, Paul straightforward called Galatians foolish. It is not surprising that character of Paul has some temper, but he rightfully exercised his displease and anger toward Galatians on whom he spent so much energy and time to bring them to Christ.
In these first 5 verses of this chapter Paul questioned if Galatians actually received the Holy Spirit being already taught by him and by other Evangelists of Christ.
In order to convince Galatians and show the difference between Rituals works for GOD and Spiritual Faith in GOD Paul again turned to Abraham as the father of Faith in GOD and for his Faith in Him GOD reckoned his Faith as Righteousness to him (6). So Paul shown that without Law but according to Faith in GOD, Abraham became a righteous man in the eyes of GOD (Genesis 15.6) (Romans 4.3) (Galatians 3.6) (James 2.23).
But Paul did not stop here but went even further in his explanation and declared to Galatians that those among Gentiles who have the same Faith in GOD as Abraham, they are the sons of Abraham, not genealogical sons but the Spiritual sons (7.29). So, GOD justified Gentiles not according to their commitment to Rituals of the Law but according to their Spiritual Faith in Him based on the Spiritual Laws of Moses and not on Ritualistic Laws of Moses (8).
The second part of the verse 8 reveal the result of such Faith in GOD, the result is the Blessing of Gentiles who have Abraham's Faith in GOD. Means that through the Blessing of Abraham as result of the Faith in GOD, all Gentiles also will be Blessed by Abraham's Blessings GOD. (Genesis 12.3, 18.18, 22.18, 26.4, 27.29, 28.14) (Numbers 24.9) (Acts 2.39, 3.25) (Galatians 3.8).
GOD does not Bless Gentiles directly from Himself as he had done with Abraham, but Bless Gentiles through Abraham and with Abraham the believer (8-9). But Paul also specified that not only through Abraham's Faith Gentiles are Blessed, but also through the Seed of Abraham the Jesus Christ (14.16) (Genesis 22.18).
~ 16. "offspring" in NRSV, ESV.
"seed" in KJV, Gideons, Russian.
"descendants" in KSB. A literal translation "Seed." (Genesis 26.4. Mid-Reference. P-38).
(Genesis 22.18, 26.4) (Acts 3.25) (Galatians 3.16).
In verse 10 Paul gives excellent explanation of how Law works, which curse anyone who violate or does not perform the Statutes of the Law (Deuteronomy 27.26) (Jeremiah 11.3). So, all those who violate the Law are under the curse of the Law.
Verse 11 said "that no one justified before GOD by the Law, the one who is righteous will live by Faith." In this verse Paul does not mentioned the works (rituals) of the Law but mentioned only the Law. This means that those who obeying the entire Law by their Faith in GOD and His Law, considered by GOD to be righteous.
~ 11. By Faith in the Laws of GOD one shall live. (Ezekiel 18.9) (Habakkuk 2.4) (Galatians 3.11) (Romans 1.17) (Hebrews 10.38).
But the most interesting is the verse 12, "Whoever does the works (works of Rituals and works of Spiritual Laws) of the Law will live by them." (this means that whatever the Law requires, Ritual works of Spiritual Works that done in Faith, a person must live by it and will have Life.
~ 12. In other words, before Christ people justified, forgiven, and saved for Eternal Life, by obeying Ritualistic Laws of Moses. Under Christ the people justified, forgiven, and saved for Eternal Life, only through the Spiritual Laws of Moses).
~ 12. The Ritualistic Laws are based not on the Faith or Love but on the Fear of its violation: (Leviticus 18.5) (Deuteronomy 30.20, 32.45-47) (Proverbs 6.23) (Malachi 2.5) (Galatians 3.12).
The difference between Law - written Covenant, and Promise - Spiritual Covenant, Paul explained perfectly in verses 17-22, in which Paul wrote that the Law of Moses - the written Covenant that came 430 years after Israel spent in Egypt does not invalidate the Promised Spiritual Covenant of the Abraham's Seed (Jesus Christ) with his descendants Israel, because the Promised Spiritual Covenant of the Seed of Abraham is derived from the same written Covenant of the Law of Moses.
The difference is that the Spiritual Covenant of Promise of GOD to Abraham concerning his Seed came first, and the Covenant of written Law of Moses came second.
The Law of Moses - the written Covenant of Ritualistic Commandments and Spiritual Commandments was given to Israel because of "transgressions" of Israel, to keep them in check, until the Mediator Jesus Christ (the Promised Spiritual Covenant of the Seed of Abraham) will come and enforce the Spiritual Commandments of the Law of Moses - the New Covenant, with Israel (19).
But the most great explanation of the Law of Moses Paul gave in verses 24 and 25, calling the Law of Moses as a "Tutor to lead us to Christ." (24). But with presence of Christ "we are no longer under a Tutor." (no longer under physical rituals and other customs of the Law of Moses).
~ 24-25. "Tutor" in KSB and Gideons, "Schoolmaster" in KJV, "Guardian" in ESV, "Babysitter" in Russian.
~ 24-25. In order to properly understand this statement of Paul, it will be advisable to accept such concept that the Law of Moses was written as a Tutor ("Disciplinarian" NRSV). In other words it may also described as; "Guide, Steer, Drive, Preliminary Stage" to Christ.