And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying,
In you shall all nations be blessed.
All Commentaries on Galatians 3:8 Go To Galatians 3
John Chrysostom
AD 407
If then those were Abraham's sons, not, who were related to him by blood, but who follow his faith, for this is the meaning of the words, In you all the nations, it is plain that the heathen are brought into kindred with him.
Hereby too is proved another important point. It perplexed them that the Law was the older, and Faith afterwards. Now he removes this notion by showing that Faith was anterior to the Law; as is evident from Abraham's case, who was justified before the giving of the Law. He shows too that late events fell out according to prophecy; The Scripture, says he, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel beforehand unto Abraham. Attend to this point. He Himself who gave the Law, had decreed, before He gave it, that the heathen should be justified by Faith. And he says not revealed, but, preached the Gospel, to signify that the patriarch was in joy at this method of justification, and in great desire for its accomplishment.
Further, they were possessed with another apprehension; it was written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law, to do them. Deuteronomy 27:26 And this he removes, with great skill and prudence, turning their argument against themselves, and showing that those who relinquish the Law are not only not cursed, but blessed; and they who keep it, not only not blessed but cursed. They said that he who kept not the Law was cursed, but he proves that he who kept it was cursed, and he who kept it not, blessed. Again, they said that he who adhered to Faith alone was cursed, but he shows that he who adhered to Faith alone, is blessed. And how does he prove all this? For it is no common thing which we have promised; wherefore it is necessary to give close attention to what follows. He had already shown this, by referring to the words spoken to the Patriarch, In you shall all nations be blessed, Genesis 12:4 at a time, that is, when Faith existed, not the Law; so he adds by way of conclusion,
