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Galatians 3:10-18
The assemblies in Galatia had been bewitched by some false teachers into thinking that they needed to add
the works of the Law to their faith in order to be truly saved. Paul has been making the case that a man can
only be saved by putting his faith in Jesus Christ.
For a man to work for his salvation is to set aside the grace of God; it is no less than a rejection of the work
that Jesus did on the mans behalf. It is as if Christ died in vain, for such a man.
Paul made it plain that the Galatian believers had been justified by faith they had been freed of all charges
of sin and guilt, and declared righteous by God - God views them as completely righteous, in Christ. And
Paul laid out the clear proof of their salvation which could be found within their very own experiences.
They had the manifest evidence in their lives that they had received the Holy Spirit. This happened long
before the false teachers had come, trying to lay the works of the Law on them. The Galatians had simply
believed into Christ, and then God had sent His Holy Spirit to dwell within each one of them, to guide them
in the truth (Jn 16:13). Clearly the Father had accepted them as His own, based solely on their faith in His
Son.
Through the Spirit, they were born again (Jn 3:5), as children of God. They had received eternal life, which
would one day bring forth a body of glory.
Would the Galatian believers now despise the Spirit and the Life they had received, in favor of attempting
to perfect themselves through the works of their own flesh - through trying to keep the Law? It had never
worked before to perfect themselves that way why would it work that way now?
And clearly, God Himself was pleased with their simple faith in Jesus His approval was manifest in His
giving them the Holy Spirit. If they now tried to go back and work out their salvation through the Law,
would that be pleasing to Him?
As Pauls questions were read to these assemblies, those who had truly believed would begin to have their
understanding enlightened that their simple faith in Jesus was completely sufficient to justify them and
that there was nothing they could add to that.
Paul then supported his argument concerning justification through faith from the Scriptures, taking the
Galatians back to the example of Abraham. The LORD had called Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees, and
Abraham had responded to that call, stepping out with trust in the promises that God made him.
But one day, Abraham took his first step of faith in the LORD Himself, when the LORD God revealed the
gospel of Christ to Abraham through the record in the stars. And Abraham believed in the LORD for His
Christ.
Scripture tells us that when Abraham did this, the LORD accounted it to him for righteousness; another way
of saying the LORD justified him by faith in His Christ.
Paul then tied this thought to the promise that the LORD had made to Abraham concerning the nations that
in Abraham that is, in his Seed all the nations shall be blessed (Gen 12:3). That blessing is through
being a son of Abraham which Paul describes as not according to physical descent, but a likeness in
character like father, like son.

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So those who believe as Abraham did simply putting their faith in Christ are true sons of Abraham, and
they can then receive the blessing of Abraham they are justified; saved. In this way, Paul included the
Gentiles in the blessing of Abraham, by faith; and he excluded the Jewish concept of salvation based on
physical descent from Abraham.
Paul will now continue his argument by showing that, where faith in Jesus brings blessing, trying to be
justified by the works of the Law brings the opposite.
Lets read through our passage first.
[Read Galatians 3:10-18]
In verse 10, when Paul writes of those who are of the works of the Law, he is not referring to the Jews, in
this case. To be of the works of the Law speaks of those who are seeking to be justified by the works of
the Law. And who are they, in Galatia? Both Jew and Gentile alike.
Remember that in this section of his letter well call it the O foolish Galatians section Paul is
speaking to the assemblies in general. This includes those who truly believe, as well as those who merely
profess to believe, and both Jew and Gentile alike.
This letter bears out the fact that the false teachers were not just trying to convince the Jewish believers to
resume their keeping of the Law. They were trying to get the Gentile believers to keep it, also and to be
circumcised, as we shall see later.
The false teachers were trying to make these works part of the basis of their salvation - as if the Law was
needed to maintain salvation. Because of this, Paul must prove to both the Jewish and Gentile brethren in
Galatia that the works of the Law cannot justify them before God.
But why would Paul use Scripture as part of his argument, since the Gentiles would not be familiar with
them? First of all, Paul would have taught these assemblies from the Scriptures when he was with them, so
they may have been familiar with at least some aspects of his argument.
In addition, the Jewish brethren would certainly be able to follow Pauls line of reasoning, due to their
knowledge of the Scriptures, and with the Holy Spirit to enlighten them. These Jewish brethren, a minority
in the assemblies in Galatia, could then instruct their Gentile brethren as to how Pauls view on justification
was verified through the Scriptures, showing that Paul did indeed have Gods view on the matter.
Paul writes that those Jews or Gentiles who attempt to be justified through obeying the Law are under no
less than a curse; that is, they are devoted to punishment or destruction. By whom? By the Judge God.
Paul supports this statement by quoting part of a verse found in Deuteronomy chapter 27. Lets take a look
at it in context.
The first generation of the children of Israel had perished in the wilderness in their unbelief (excepting
Moses, Joshua and Caleb). This is the second generation of Israel their children who were willing to
believe God, to enter the land He had promised.
Deuteronomy recounts the words of Moses to the children of Israel before they are to enter into the land.
This is a call to personal holiness, for those who proclaim the LORD to be their God. They are to walk in
His ways; to keep His statutes, commandments and judgments; and to obey His voice (Deut 26:17).

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And how would Israel be able to do this? Only through believing into their Messiah, the Coming One, who
was pictured to them in their Law in the sacrifices and festivals they were to observe the ceremonial
law.
In chapter 27, Moses gives the people a vivid illustration of the LORDs requirement that they be a holy
people. This is what they were to do once they had crossed the Jordan into the land.
[Deuteronomy 27:1-13, 26]
v. 1-8 So the whitewashed stones, with all the words of this Law, were to be set up on Mount Ebal. In the
Hebrew, Ebal means heaps of nothing; heaps of confusion. Thats a good picture of trying to be justified
by the Law, isnt it?
v. 9-10 This was the day when Israel and the land became betrothed to Jehovah, on the basis of the eternal
covenant the covenant in Christ as pictured in the ceremonial law (Deut 26:16-19).
v. 11-13 Where do the blessings on the people originate? From Mount Gerizim. Gerizim means the
cutters off a striking illustration of circumcision, the cutting away, or death of the flesh. Circumcision
pictures crucifixion; for the believer, to be crucified with Christ.
The blessings of the people come from Mount Gerizim; for that was the way of blessing. And where did
the cursings originate from? From Mount Ebal. Upon which mount was the Law set up on? Mount Ebal
the mount of cursing. That was the way of cursing in trying to be accepted by God based on perfect
obedience to the Law.
In verses 14-25, the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD (Joshua 8:33), then pronounced
cursing upon the one who broke the Law various representative laws were shouted out and all the
people responded, Amen! so be it.
We find the verse Paul quoted down in verse 26.
v. 26 Now, what Paul writes in Galatians follows the Septuagint more closely Cursed is every man that
continues not in all the words of this law to do them. The word for continues means to remain in or to
persevere.
And Paul expanded the text to the book of the Law the Pentateuch, which contains all the Law of
Moses to make sure that the Galatians know the meaning here is that the whole, entire Law is meant
every bit of it. They must persevere in the continual keeping of it, or be cursed.
This is the first text which Paul cites to support his argument against justification by the works of the Law.
And where is it found? In Deuteronomy in the book of the Law, itself. So the curses we read of were
pronounced by the Law itself, so to speak; and they were pronounced on those who do not observe the Law
completely, as seen in verse 26 here.
What would that mean to those who are trying to be justified by the Law? It would mean that, not only
could they not be justified by the Law; the Law itself condemns them; they are under its curse.
[Return to Galatians]

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It is James who will write, for whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty
of all (James 2:10). If a man wishes to be justified by the Law, and fails to keep it perfectly, he is subject
to divine judgment and condemnation.
All it takes is one single violation. And every man has violated the will of God, over and over. Men are by
natural birth lawbreakers; they are sons of disobedience; sinners.
Paul then cites two more OT Scriptures to demonstrate that men cannot be justified by the works of the
Law.
v. 11-12 The first Scripture that Paul cites is from Habakkuk 2:4. Since that OT passage does not
specifically apply to Pauls argument, I just want to summarize for you the setting in which the verse
appears in Habakkuk.
The book opens with the prophet questioning the LORD, first about the LORDs seeming indifference to the
iniquity of Judah, then about the LORD using what Habakkuk considers to be a far more wicked nation to
execute judgment on them - Babylon. This quote was part of the LORDs answer to Habakkuk.
The whole verse says, Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by faith
(Hab 2:4). The LORD does not view men as wicked or more wicked; in His sight, there are the wicked, and
there are the just.
The wicked are the proud; they will not submit the LORD. This described both Judah as a whole, at that
time, as well as the Babylonians. In contrast, the LORD says, the just that is, the righteous they shall live
by faith.
Now, this verse can be taken to mean that the righteous shall live their lives by their faith; or it can mean
that the righteous are made alive by their faith. Whats the difference? Living your life by faith describes
sanctification. Being made alive by faith describes justification. Both are true, for the righteous but what
did Paul mean, in quoting this verse?
Well, clearly by the context, Paul is speaking of justification; so Paul means that the righteous are made
alive by their faith. And by made alive, Paul has in mind Gods end for the believer, as a glorified son of
God.
By faith, a man becomes righteous; he has been born again through the Incorruptible Seed, Christ as an
ever-living son of God, and the Life he has received will one day bring forth the fruit of a glorified body.
Pauls point is that if God designed this to be the way of justifying men, then they cannot come any other
way such trying to be justified based on their own merit.
The second verse that Paul cites, Leviticus 18:5, shows that justification by faith and justification by the
works of the Law are mutually exclusive and diametrically opposed: the law is not of faith. They can have
no part, one of the other; and they cannot coexist, as a means of justification.
Paul is making it clear that you cannot add the works of the Law to faith in Christ for salvation, as the false
teachers have suggested. Scripture makes it clear its either one or the other. And if you attempt to be
justified by the Law, instead you will wind up being cursed.

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Paul now shows how Christ has freed us from that heap of confusion and nothing, in trying to come to God
through the Law.
v. 13-14 We continue to understand these verses as part of the whole O foolish Galatians passage,
speaking to both Jew and Gentile. This is borne out in verse 14, as Paul once again ties redemption from
the curse of the Law with the blessing of Abraham upon the Gentiles. So us in verse 13 refers to all men
Jews and Gentiles as does the we in verse 14.
Now, only Israel was put under the Law; but all men are under the curse of the Law unless they have been
justified by faith in Christ. The Law is simply the expressed will of God. All men have acted in their own
self will; and that makes them violators of Gods will; lawbreakers.
Turn to Romans chapter 2. Paul brought out that all men are sinners and under the condemnation of God
with or without the Law.
[Romans 2:12-16]
v. 12 As many as have sinned without the Law the Gentiles. As many as have sinned in the Law the
Jews.
v. 13 Paul is saying those who uphold the Law in its entirety, all the time, could be justified by it theoretically. The Jews heard the Law, but they didnt do it. The Gentiles didnt hear it or do it. Now Paul
explains how the Gentiles could then have known the Law to do it, even if they have never heard it.
v. 14-15 Paul shows that God has planted a conscience in every man an inner judge to show him the
will of God, and how he violates it. His own thoughts may even accuse him, or they may try to rationalize
away his sin; but the conscience keeps bearing witness to the truth. It is in this way that a Gentile comes to
recognize that he is a sinner.
v. 16 In the end, all men will be judged by the gospel of Jesus Christ have they accepted His work of
redemption on their behalf, or are they trying to be accepted by God based upon their own merit?
So what we see is that the Gentiles have the equivalent of the Law within their hearts and consciences;
therefore, they are subject to its curse, as well as the Jews.
[Return to Galatians]
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rm 3:23); both Jew and Gentile are under the curse of
the Law. But, Paul says, Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law; that is, He has set us free from
it. How did Christ do this? Paul says, by becoming a curse for us.
Remember that curse here refers to condemnation; it is to be devoted to punishment or destruction; death.
All of us are guilty of violating the will of God, whether it is expressed in the Law, or written in our hearts
we sin. As lawbreakers, we are under a sentence of condemnation. The wages of sin is death (Rm 6:23).
That is the penalty the curse we incur for sinning.
So how did Christ become a curse for us? By taking our place. Christ was our substitute. He took our sin
upon Himself, and died the death that was the penalty for our sin in our stead.

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In that Jesus lived a perfect life of obedience to the will of the Father, He perfectly fulfilled all of the
demands of the Law; He was the perfect, sinless substitute for men. In that Jesus died in obedience to the
will of the Father, He freed men from the curse of the Law; He was the perfect sacrifice for sin appointed
by God, approved by God, accepted by God on behalf of men.
He who knew no sin became sin for us; He became a curse for us in order to redeem us from the curse of
the Law that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21).
Here Paul was enlightened by the Spirit about a special significance regarding the fact that the death Jesus
died to redeem mankind occurred on a cross. He cites here an OT Scripture which speaks of those who
hang on a tree being accursed.
Id like to look at that in context with you. Its found in Deuteronomy chapter 21. This particular law had
to do with those whose sin was punishable by death. Well start in verse 22.
[Deuteronomy 21:22-23] This addresses the case of a man who has committed a grave offense, which
according to the Law of Moses, was punishable by death. The man was to be put to death this was
usually done by stoning. Then the body of the man was to be hung on a tree or a stake the Hebrew word
is the generic word for tree, and also indicates wood products.
What was the purpose of hanging the dead body of the man on a tree? In verse 23 to show that he was
accursed of God. The hanging made a spectacle of him; it exposed the shame of his offense; and the
consequence for his sin.
The hanging would also show that justice had been carried out concerning the man; that the Law had been
satisfied concerning his crime.
And finally, the hanging would serve as a crime deterrent it would encourage the children of Israel to
obey the Law, wouldnt it? As people gazed at the spectacle of this criminals death, clearly portrayed
before their eyes, they would be persuaded in the way of righteousness, wouldnt they?
But the body was not to be left on the tree or stake indefinitely. By Law, the body had to be buried the
same day, or the accursed, corrupting corpse would ceremonially defile the land and the people in it.
So the hanging of a body on a tree or stake was a sign to Israel of being cursed by God. The later Roman
punishment of crucifixion certainly differed from this, in that a man was hung on the cross alive, but the
Jews came to associate crucifixion with the shameful curse portrayed in their Law. Gentiles also
considered crucifixion a shameful death; that of a slave or a criminal.
Of course, when Jesus was crucified by the Romans, the unbelieving Jews thought that this demonstrated
that He could not possibly be the Messiah, as He had died the death of those accursed of God. Paul himself
undoubtedly viewed the death of Jesus in this way.
But God Himself had vindicated Jesus how? By raising Him from the dead. As Peter had preached on
the day of Pentecost, Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you
have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the
pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it let all the house of Israel know
assuredly that God had made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:23-24, 36).

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After Jesus revealed Himself to Paul on the Damascus road, Paul came to know this assuredly, for himself.
And by the Spirit, Paul understood that this very death of Jesus on the cross meant, not that He was
personally accursed of God, but that He instead took our curse our penalty as our substitute.
Jesus took the place of the man who committed the sin deserving of death that would be you and me. For
the joy that was set before Him bringing many sons to glory he endured the cross, despising the shame
(Heb 12:2).
Jesus was made a spectacle for you and for me. He hung there on that tree, redeeming mankind to their
Creator through His shed blood; mediating peace between heaven and earth; showing Himself to be the way
of righteousness for men.
Jesus hung there, until justice was completely satisfied concerning mens sins. Jesus endured the cross,
which was a tree of death for Him, in order to make it a tree of Life for us.
[Return to Galatians]
So Christ, in suffering a death which is viewed as accursed, was in the most emphatic way shown by God
to be the One whom He appointed to redeem mankind from the curse of the Law; He is the curse-bearer.
And how is that redemption received, by men? Through faith in Christ.
Pauls conclusion in verse 14 looks back to verse 8 through faith in Christ, the Gentiles are included in
the blessing of Abraham, to be justified by faith they become righteous in the same way as the Jews.
To this, Paul links the receiving of the Spirit by faith, which has been the experience of the Galatian
believers. Perhaps the Galatians were now beginning to see all the spiritual blessings that had been graced
upon them simply through their faith in Christ.
Paul continued to build on his example of faith: Abraham. He will now consider the promises that God
made to Abraham, and how the giving of the Law affected those promises.
v. 15 The word translated covenant in the NKJ is the Greek diatheke. Its classical meaning, as well as
ordinary meaning in the NT, is testament; as in last will and testament. The word testament is from
the Latin word testa, meaning to bear witness. A will is a witnessed document, assuring its authenticity.
Now, Paul is about to write concerning the covenant that God made with Abraham, and the covenant of the
Law. Paul does intend to use the word in its OT sense, as a covenant much as the Septuagint uses this
same Greek word to translate the Hebrew word for covenant. But Paul will also play off of the legal
nuances imbedded in the concept of a will and testament.
Paul begins with covenants that are made among men. In Pauls day, legal documents, such as wills, were
sealed so that they could not be altered. Once the document was sealed, it was considered confirmed, or
validated; new conditions could not be imposed. It could not be invalidated, or changed.
v. 16 In a will, there are promises made, concerning a future inheritance. Likewise, the promises that the
LORD made to Abraham became part of His covenant with Abraham; a binding agreement. This covenant
was made by the LORD with Abraham and his Seed.
Now, Paul makes a curious point of grammar here. He points out that the word for seed in the passages
of Genesis concerning the promises to Abraham and his seed is singular in form, not plural.

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There are three passages were we find a clause like that which is given by Paul. Genesis 12:7 says to your
seed I will give this land; Gen 13:15 says, for all the land which you see I give to you and your seed
forever; and Gen 24:7 speaks of the LORD God having said, to your seed I give this land. The
Septuagint may more precisely match Pauls quote.
Now the word seed in the Greek and the Hebrew, just like the English, can have a singular or a plural
meaning (like sowing seed). In terms of descendants, seed can mean either one descendant, or
descendants collectively traced back to one ancestor; a line of descent.
In the passages I mentioned, it is generally accepted that seed is referring to the nation of Israel, which
will be one line of descent from Abraham. So why is Paul making this curious point? As always with Paul,
for a very important reason.
Paul is not making a grammatical argument here; he is using the fact that seed can refer not just to a
collective, but to a single individual to bring out the point that Christ is the true heir of the promises to
Abraham in fact, the entire earth will be His inheritance and that the other heirs will inherit by virtue of
being in Him, by faith. Paul will bring out this point near the end of chapter 3.
Just as Paul was expanding seed to its most illustrious meaning, the Seed Christ, he is also expanding the
word inheritance to its greatest meaning for men their eternal inheritance, or reward.
So the promises were made to Abraham and to His Seed Christ. Regenerate Israel, and all who believe,
will inherit in Christ. Those promises were made before Israel ever existed as a nation, but they were
confirmed to Abraham as we shall see shortly.
v. 17-18 430 years after the covenant which the LORD made with Abraham, He gave the nation that came
from Abraham Israel the covenant of the Law.
The question is, did the Law change what God promised to Abraham? Did it change his inheritance, or
change the beneficiaries of the will, so to speak? No; Paul has shown that even among men, a confirmed
covenant cannot be changed; how much more unchangeable, then, is a covenant that God makes!
The LORD is always true to His word. God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He
should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? (Num
23:19).
Finally, Paul brings out that God gave Abraham the inheritance by promise when Abraham put his faith in
God for His Christ. The Law had nothing to do with the inheritance the believers heavenly reward eternal life, in a forever living body.
I want to look with you at when the LORD God confirmed the covenant He made with Abraham. Notice in
verse 17 that this was confirmed before, in Christ when did that happen, and how? Lets look at that back
in Genesis chapter 15.
The LORD God had previously revealed to Abraham that he would make him a great nation, and that
Abraham and his seed would be given the land God promised. Then the LORD God revealed to Abraham
that His heir would be the Christ, as shown to him through the gospel in the stars.
Abraham believed in the LORD, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. The very next day, the LORD
proceeded to reveal to Abraham just how he would receive the land promised.

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[Genesis 15:7-21]
v. 7 the LORD revealed that Abram would receive the land by inheritance. Here we see a strong parallel to
Pauls language in Galatians 3, which reflects that of a will and testament. Back in Abrams day, the
concept of inheritance was already established.
An inheritance, then as now, involves the disposition of property. A person who owns property makes a
binding promise to another, to give him his property he will become an heir of the estate.
When does an heir receive the property? Following the death of the owner. In this case, who would be the
owner? The LORD God He is El Elyon, the possessor of heaven and earth. Abram and his seed are to be
His heirs.
v. 8 Abram is not in doubt, but simply asking for deeper understanding.
v. 9-10 The answer that the LORD gives Abram as to how he would know that he would inherit the land is to
confirm it to Abram through a covenant.
In that day, men used to cut a covenant signifying an agreement between them. Animals were cut asunder
and the two halves laid opposite one another; the men entering into the covenant passed between the pieces,
pledging their faithfulness to the covenant.
If either party broke their agreed-upon terms, they were calling death upon themselves; that is, the same
fate as that which befell the animals. This made the covenant a binding agreement; its terms could not be
changed. We see this reflected in Pauls words in Galatians, also.
I like the KJ translation of verse 9, which begins Take Me, instead of Bring Me. Each of the animals
required by the LORD clean animals, used for sacrifices pictured the person and the work of the Coming
Christ.
When the LORD said take Me, there was a literal sense to this; Abraham was to take types of the Christ.
From the Law of the offerings, we see in the heifer Christ as the redeemer; in the goat, Christ as the sinbearer; in the ram, Christ as the substitute; and in the uncut birds, the turtledove and the pigeon, the person
of Christ Himself - the fullness of God, in the likeness of men - a mortal human body.
Here was the sacrifice whose shed blood would confirm the promises, ensuring the inheritance of Abraham
and his seed. Take Me Christ. This is the eternal covenant, that would be ratified in the blood of the
Coming Christ. In fact, the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8).
The next verses show in picture the creation of the nation Israel, which the LORD would form out of
Abrams body, through natural birth. And the LORD gave Abram a prophecy concerning their tenure in
Egypt.
Well continue in verse 17.
v. 17-21 Abram had driven away scavenging birds from the carcasses all day (v. 11). This shows that it
was Abrams responsibility to keep the covenant; that is, to watch over carefully to preserve what God had
promised by believing it.

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10

Remember that with mens covenants, the two parties passed between the pieces of the sacrificed animals;
that was their pledge of faithfulness to the covenant, not to break it. Abram did not pass between the
pieces, because he was not a covenanting party.
Who was? This was represented in the smoking oven a firepot, which is a symbol of life; and in the
burning torch, a source of light. Two symbols in Scripture, two is the number of witness; a witness for a
testament, for an inheritance.
These symbols represent Christ, the Faithful and True Witness (Rev 3:14). I am the Light of the world
(Jn 8:12); I am the resurrection and the Life (Jn 11:25). In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of
men (Jn 1:4). The Son gives Life to whom He will (Jn 5:21).
The covenant that God made was with Abram and his Seed and as Paul pointed out, that Seed was Christ.
And the covenant was ratified in the blood of Christ, in type, confirming it.
And the pledging parties? That was Christ, too, who was covenanting with Himself to ensure the faithful
fulfillment of the covenant; it was an unconditional covenant, for Abram. This is how the LORD showed
Abram that he would inherit the land which he would inherit from the LORD Himself.
Remember that in Galatians, Paul expanded the idea of the inheritance to its fullness it is the eternal
inheritance. The promise of the inheritance to Abram was secure, because it was all wrapped up in Christ.
This is how the eternal covenant was confirmed before by God in Christ (Gal 3:17). Could such a
promise ever be made to no effect?
Reading: Rom 3:9-18, Jn 17:20-26.