Galatians 3:24 Why the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. I. THE WHOLE LAW OF GOD IS ONE. God's law is the declaration of His will; and God's perfect will never changes, and, therefore, God's law is like Himself — the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. It is essentially impossible that one part of God's law should ever contradict any other part; from beginning to end it is one. But this law may develop itself by successive stages, and manifest itself in different ways in these different stages. Under ground, among the rocks, among the subterranean springs, the tree develops in the form of roots. Above ground, we find the tree developing in the form of trunk. We go higher, and our tree is branches, and then leaves, and blossoms, and fruit. The tree is one. Fruit and root are the extremes of one perfect organism; yet what a difference between them. So God's law is one, whether we see it in its lower or higher stage. II. WE ARE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE SUBSTANCE AND THE FORM OF THE LAW. The Divine thought is the essential thing; not the mere formal precept or symbol by which it was conveyed. So, while the former must ever be retained, the latter may drop off; just as the tree drops off in the branches the mould which clings about the roots, and drops off in the blossom and fruit the bark of the trunk and branches, while root and trunk and branch and blossom yet continue to be one tree. (Marvin R. Vincent, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.WEB: So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. |
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