Galatians 3:19 Commentary: The Added Law's Temporary Purpose

This verse sits within Paul’s argument that the law does not annul the covenant with Abraham. The law came 430 years later (Gal 3:17) and was added, not as a revision of the promise but as a temporary arrangement. Jewish tradition, reflected in Deuteronomy 33:2 and Acts 7:53, held that angels were present at Sinai when God gave the law. Paul uses this to show the law’s mediated nature: it came through angels and through the hand of Moses, who stood as mediator between God and Israel (Exodus 20:19; Deuteronomy 5:5). This stands in contrast to the promise, which God spoke directly to Abraham.

The phrase “because of transgressions” (τῶν παραβάσεων χάριν) has been understood in different ways across history. The definite article points to specific, known acts of rebellion. Some commentators, like Gill, argue the law was added to restrain sin by threatening punishment. Others, including Vincent and Barnes, emphasize that the law reveals sin by defining it as transgression. Calvin adds that the law was given to make sin “exceedingly sinful” (cf. Romans 7:13). In both readings, the law functions as a diagnosis, not a cure.

The cultural significance of “angels” and “mediator” also underlines the law’s inferiority to the promise. For Paul, the chain of intermediaries, angels and Moses, suggests distance and severity, whereas the promise came directly from God. The law was always meant to be temporary, lasting only until the arrival of the promised Seed, Christ.

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Galatians 3:19. The reading is stable across the major manuscript traditions. The only minor variation is the presence or absence of the article before 'transgressions' in a few later manuscripts, but the best-attested Greek text includes the article (τῶν παραβάσεων).

Early church fathers, such as Irenaeus and Chrysostom, understood the law as a pedagogue leading to Christ, emphasizing its temporary and preparatory role. In the medieval period, Thomas Aquinas discussed the law's purpose in his Summa Theologica, distinguishing between the moral, ceremonial, and judicial precepts. During the Reformation, Luther and Calvin focused on the law's function of revealing sin and driving sinners to grace, a theme central to Galatians 3:19. In the Wesleyan tradition, John Wesley saw the law as both a mirror to convict and a guide for holy living. Modern scholarship continues to explore the precise nuance of 'because of transgressions,' debating whether it implies revelation, restraint, or even provocation of sin.

Three-point outline

1. The law exposes sin. Paul says the law was “added because of transgressions.” The law shines a light on human rebellion, making clear what God requires and how far we fall short.
2. The law is temporary. It was given “until the offspring should come.” The law was never the final word; it pointed forward to Christ, the Seed who would fulfill the promise.
3. The law came through intermediaries; the promise came directly from God. Angels and Moses mediated the law, showing its provisional, indirect nature. The promise, given to Abraham, was personal and immediate.

Five-point outline

1. The question (Gal 3:19a): “Why then the law?” Paul anticipates the objection: if salvation is by promise, what purpose does the law serve?
2. The purpose (v.19b): It was “added because of transgressions.” The law defines, reveals, and aggravates sin, driving people to seek grace.
3. The limitation (v.19c): The law was temporary, “until the seed should come.” It was never meant to be permanent.
4. The manner (v.19d): It was “ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator.” This mediated giving highlights its distance from the direct promise.
5. The contrast (v.20): A mediator implies two parties; but God is one. The promise was one-sided and unconditional; the law was a bilateral covenant that required obedience.

Illustration hooks

• A mirror, not a map. The law is like a mirror that shows you the dirt on your face, but cannot wash it off. It diagnoses but does not heal.
• Training wheels on a bike. Training wheels help a child learn to balance, but they are removed once the child is ready to ride freely. The law was a temporary guide until Christ came.
• A guard in a hallway. The law, as Paul says later, was a “schoolmaster” (παιδαγωγός), like a disciplinarian keeping children in line until they were old enough to inherit.

Questions your congregation is asking

• If we are saved by grace, why does the Old Testament have so many rules?
• Does the law still apply to Christians today? If so, how?
• How can I know whether something is a temporary law or a lasting promise from God?

This passage helps us understand why God gave the law after making a promise to Abraham. The law was never meant to be the way of salvation, it was added for a specific, temporary purpose. As you discuss, think about how the law functions in your own life: does it drive you to Christ or away from him?

Discussion questions

1. Read Galatians 3:15-19. What objection does Paul answer in verse 19? Why would someone ask, “Why then the law?”
2. What does Paul mean when he says the law was “added because of transgressions”? How does this purpose relate to Romans 5:20 and Romans 7:13?
3. According to this verse, was the law meant to be permanent? What does “until the seed should come” tell us about the law’s duration?
4. Why does Paul mention angels and a mediator (Moses) in connection with the law? How does that contrast with the way the promise was given to Abraham?
5. How does this passage help you understand the relationship between God’s law and God’s grace? Which one gets the final word in your life?
6. In what ways does the law still serve a purpose for believers today? Does it still “reveal” sin? Does it still point us to Christ?
7. How does knowing that the law was temporary change the way you read the Old Testament? How does it affect your day-to-day walk with God?