Galatians 3:19

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the descendant should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Verse 18 Read Chapter 3 Verse 20

Ambrosiaster

AD 400

By “angels” he means God’s messengers— that is, Moses, [Joshua] son of Nun and the other prophets up to John the Baptist. … Through these, therefore, the Law and Prophets are ordained and disposed by God in the hand, that is, the power, of the Savior. For he is the Mediator, the reconciler of God and humanity, so that he may save whom he will out of those who have received the law from the angels. –.

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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

Now every dispensation of the Old Testament was given through angels, the Holy Spirit working in them and in the very Word of truth, though not yet incarnate, yet never departing from some true ordering of providence. This law was given through angels, sometimes acting in their own person, sometimes in that of God, as was also the way of the prophets…. The children [of Abraham] were put in the hand of [Christ] the Mediator so that he himself might liberate them from sin when they were forced by their transgression of the law to admit that they needed grace and mercy from the Lord.

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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

Here arises a rather pertinent question: if faith justifies and even the former saints, who were justified before God, were justified through it, what need was there for the law to be given? … The law was given to a proud people, but the grace of love cannot be received by any but the humble. Without this grace the precepts of the law cannot possibly be fulfilled. Israel was rendered humble by transgression, so that it might seek grace and might not arrogantly suppose itself to be saved by its own merits; and so it would be righteous, not in its own power and might but by the hand of the Mediator who justifies the ungodly.

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Clement Of Alexandria

AD 215

"Then, as if in explanation of his meaning, he adds: "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up "manifestly through fear, in consequence of sins, "unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed; so that the law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we should be justified by faith."

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Cornelius a Lapide

AD 1637

Wherefore then serveth the law? Why was the law introduced after the promise? Is it that God does not fulfil His promise? The answer is that the law was given by God to restrain and punish transgressions. This was its direct purpose, but indirectly it served as a means whereby transgressions might be made manifest. A self-willed people would, on hearing the law, recognise their sins as such, and feel the need of Christ"s grace if they were to keep it. In this way the law sent men to Christ. Till the seed should come. Till the birth of Christ, to whom God had promised that by Him all nations should be blessed, i.e, justified, and so be able to live uprightly and to keep the law. The law was given as a pedagogue till Christ should come; therefore when Christ has come it has done its work, and the Jews are foolish in wishing to prolong its power. Because of transgressions. The Greek word rendered added denotes put in its place, as a soldier is assigned his post by his general. So the la... Read More

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Hippolytus of Rome

AD 235

And He has, he says, been liberated from the nature of the Good One likewise, in order that He may be a Mediator, as Paul states,

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Irenaeus of Lyons

AD 202

It was added, until the seed should come to whom the promise was made; . This is the seed of which the apostle says in the Epistle to the Galatians, "that the law of works was established until the seed should come to whom the promise was made."

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Jerome

AD 420

It was after the offense of the people in the wilderness, after the adoration of the calf and their murmurings against God, that the law came to forbid transgressions. –.

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John Chrysostom

AD 407

What then is the Law? It was added because of transgressions. This remark again is not superfluous; observe too how he glances round at every thing, as if he had an hundred eyes. Having exalted Faith, and proved its elder claims, that the Law may not be considered superfluous, he sets right this side of the doctrine also, and proves that the Law was not given without a view, but altogether profitably. Because of transgressions; that is to say, that the Jews might not be let live carelessly, and plunge into the depth of wickedness, but that the Law might be placed upon them as a bridle, guiding, regulating, and checking them from transgressing, if not all, at least some of the commandments. Not slight then was the advantage of the Law; but for how long?

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John Chrysostom

AD 407

And it was ordained through Angels by the hand of a Mediator. He either calls the priests Angels, or he declares that the Angels themselves ministered to the delivery of the Law. By Mediator here he means Christ, and shows that He was before it, and Himself the Giver of it.

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John Chrysostom

AD 407

Till the seed should come to whom the promise has been made. This is said of Christ; if then it was given until His advent, why do you protract it beyond its natural period?

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