Galatians 3:24
24Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Truth to Learn
The law not only acted as our prison guard in the past, but it also served as our guide, bringing us to faith in Christ.
Behind the Words
“Therefore” is translated from the Greek word “hōste” which is often translated as therefore but actually means, so too.
The word translated “tutor” is “paidagōgos” from which we get our English word pedagogue. This is a compound word made up of “pais,” meaning a child and a form of “agōgos” which means a leader. So, literally it means one who leads children. Originally it referred to a slave who took young boys from home to school and back. Later, though, it came to mean an instructor or “ teacher.
The word translated “was” is not the normal Greek verb of being. It is a form of the word, “ginomai” which means to cause to exist or to become. It is used here in the perfect tense which indicates past completed action with a continuous ongoing effect. The emphasis of the perfect tense, however, is on the effect. In this instance, it means that the law has now become our instructor or, literally “the law has become the one who leads us.”
Meaning Explained
In the past few verses Paul told us that we were imprisoned by the scriptures because of our sinfulness and kept under guard by the law until saving faith in the blood of Christ came along. We are now told, “So too, the law has become our child leader to bring us to Christ, …” Not only was the law our guard, making sure that we did not escape the realization of our sinfulness, but it also has served to lead us like little children to faith in Jesus Christ.
The result being, because of our believing God’s promises concerning the death and resurrection of His son, God has now declared us to be righteous. That is, we are now “justified by faith.”
Paul’s point in this section of his letter to the Galatians is that trying to observe the law can not produce righteousness because the law is condemning and enslaving. It was implemented to show us how sinful we really are. But it also was implemented to lead us to the awareness of, recognition of, and belief in Jesus the Christ, the Messiah. And through this faith in Christ we are declared righteous by God and set free from the condemnation of the law.
So What?
Now that we have been declared righteous and set free from the condemnation of the law, how can anyone think that returning to obedience of the law can add anything to the righteousness and freedom that we now have?
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2007 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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