the destruction of our salvation. If a candle which gave light by night, kept us, when it became
day, from the sun, it would not only not benefit, it would injure us; and so doth the Law, if
it stands between us and greater benefits. Those then are the greatest traducers of the Law,
who still keep it, just as the tutor makes a youth ridiculous, by retaining him with himself,
when time calls for his departure. Hence Paul says, “But after faith is come, we are no longer
under a tutor.” We are then no longer under a tutor, “for ye are all sons of God.” Wonderful!
see how mighty is the power of Faith, and how he unfolds as he proceeds! Before, he showed
that it made them sons of the Patriarch, “Know therefore,” says he, “that they which be of
faith, the same are sons of Abraham;” now he proves that they are sons of God also, “For
ye are all,” says he, “sons of God through faith, which is in Christ Jesus;” by Faith, not by
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the Law. Then, when he has said this great and wonderful thing, he names also the mode
of their adoption,
Ver. 27. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ.”
Why does he not say, “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have been
born of God?” for this was what directly went to prove that they were sons;—because he
states it in a much more awful point of view; If Christ be the Son of God, and thou hast put
on Him, thou who hast the Son within thee, and art fashioned after His pattern, hast been
brought into one kindred and nature with Him.
Ver. 28. “There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there
can be no male and female: for ye all are one in Christ Jesus.”
See what an insatiable soul! for having said, “We are all made children of God through
Faith,” he does not stop there, but tries to find something more exact, which may serve to
convey a still closer oneness with Christ. Having said, “ye have put on Christ,” even this
does not suffice Him, but by way of penetrating more deeply into this union, he comments
on it thus: “Ye are all One in Christ Jesus,” that is, ye have all one form and one mould, even
Christ’s. What can be more awful than these words! He that was a Greek, or Jew, or bond-
man yesterday, carries about with him the form, not of an Angel or Archangel, but of the
Lord of all, yea displays in his own person the Christ.
Ver. 29. “And if ye are Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.”
Here, you observe, he proves what he had before stated concerning the seed of Abra-
ham,—that to him and to his seed the promises were given.97
97 [So Schaff: “Verse 16 must here be kept in view where Christ is declared to be the seed of Abraham. Union
with Christ constitutes the true spiritual descent from Abraham and secures the inheritance of all the Messianic
blessings by promise as against inheritance by law.” Pop. Com. in loc.—G.A.]
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Galatians 3:1