Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannuls, or adds thereto.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
The value that a testator’s death has for confirming his testament is final, since he cannot then change his mind. This is the value that the immutability of God’s promise has in confirming the inheritance of Abraham, whose faith was reckoned for righteousness.
I speak after the manner of men. Cf. Job 31:33, and Hosea 6:7. S. Paul"s meaning is that in dealing with spiritual things he uses material illustrations, as, e.g, that of a testator and his testament, to prove that we inherit Abraham"s blessing, not through the law, but through faith in Christ, according to the covenant made with Abraham, and that, therefore, the Galatians should feel shame for attributing less to God than to the testaments and covenants of men. This is his fifth proof, that we are justified by faith and not by the law.
Though it be but a man"s covenant. No one adds to or subtracts from a man"s testament when once it is duly drawn up.
I speak after the manner of man; or, by a comparison, says St. Chrysostom, common among men. If a man make or execute his last will, or any deed or contract, it stands good; no one contemns it, or pretends to annul it, or add any thing to it: how much more shall the testament, the covenant, or solemn promise which God made to Abraham, to bless all nations, stand firm and have its effect? And he said to his seed, to one, i.e. in Christ only, not to his seeds, as it were by many. It is observed, that the word seed being a collective signification, may grammatically be taken for the plural as well as for the singular number; so that we are to have more regard to St. Paul's authority, who expounds to us what is here signified by the word seed, than to the word itself.
The law which was made after four hundred and thirty years (consult the chronologists) does not make void the testament: nor the promise which God himself made to Abraham, that mankind should be blessed only by Christ. These...
The apostle, who was “made all things to all men” … is also made a fool for the Galatians, whom he a little while before called fools. For he does not employ the arguments that he used with the Romans but simpler ones and such as the stupid could understand…. [He means,] “What I am about to say I say not according to God. I do not speak with regard to the deepest wisdom and those who can eat solid food but with regard to those who feed on milk because of the tenderness of their stomachs.” .
To speak after the manner of men means to use human examples. Having founded his argument on the Scriptures, on the miracles wrought among themselves, on the sufferings of Christ, and on the Patriarch, he proceeds to common usages; and this he does invariably, in order to sweeten his discourse, and render it more acceptable and intelligible to the duller sort. Thus he argues with the Corinthians, Who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock? Who plants a vineyard, and eats not the fruit thereof? 1 Corinthians 9:7 and again with the Hebrews, For a testament is of force where there has been death; for does it ever avail while he that made it lives? Hebrews 9:17 One may find him dwelling with pleasure on such arguments. In the Old Testament God does the same thing in many instances, as, Can a woman forget her sucking child? Isaiah 49:15 and again, Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What do you make? Isaiah 45:9 and in Hosea, He represents a husband set at nought by hi...
"But "says he, "I speak after the manner of men: when we were children, we were placed in bondage under the elements of the world.".
a figure (as the apostle wrote it); because after he had said, "I speak after the manner of men "he adds), "Though it be but a man's covenant, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto."
