Galatians 3:2
Context3:2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law 1 or by believing what you heard? 2
Galatians 3:17
Context3:17 What I am saying is this: The law that came four hundred thirty years later does not cancel a covenant previously ratified by God, 3 so as to invalidate the promise.
Galatians 3:19
Context3:19 Why then was the law given? 4 It was added 5 because of transgressions, 6 until the arrival of the descendant 7 to whom the promise had been made. It was administered 8 through angels by an intermediary. 9
1 tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law,” a reference to observing the Mosaic law.
2 tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith.”
3 tc Most
4 tn Grk “Why then the law?”
5 tc For προσετέθη (proseteqh) several Western
6 tc παραδόσεων (paradosewn; “traditions, commandments”) is read by D*, while the vast majority of witnesses read παραβάσεων (parabasewn, “transgressions”). D’s reading makes little sense in this context. πράξεων (praxewn, “of deeds”) replaces παραβάσεων in Ì46 F G it Irlat Ambst Spec. The wording is best taken as going with νόμος (nomo"; “Why then the law of deeds?”), as is evident by the consistent punctuation in the later witnesses. But such an expression is unpauline and superfluous; it was almost certainly added by some early scribe(s) to soften the blow of Paul’s statement.
7 tn Grk “the seed.” See the note on the first occurrence of the word “descendant” in 3:16.
8 tn Or “was ordered.” L&N 31.22 has “was put into effect” here.
9 tn Many modern translations (NASB, NIV, NRSV) render this word (μεσίτης, mesith"; here and in v. 20) as “mediator,” but this conveys a wrong impression in contemporary English. If this is referring to Moses, he certainly did not “mediate” between God and Israel but was an intermediary on God’s behalf. Moses was not a mediator, for example, who worked for compromise between opposing parties. He instead was God’s representative to his people who enabled them to have a relationship, but entirely on God’s terms.