Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Galatians 3:8
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying,] In thee shall all nations be blessed.
8. St Paul’s appeal here and elsewhere to the authority of the O.T. as the unerring, irreversible decision is very instructive. This authority depends on an inspiration which is verbal, though not mechanical. The quotation combines a reference to two distinct promises, that in Gen 12:3, “And in thee shall the tribes of the earth be blessed”; and in Gen 18:18, “And all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him”. The true seed (children) of Abraham are ‘they which are of faith’ not his natural descendants, as such, but all who, whether Jews or Gentiles, “walk in the footsteps of the faith which Abraham had in uncircumcision”.
the scripture, foreseeing ] The Scripture is here personified, as in Gal 3:22. It of course means the Holy Ghost, by Whose inspiration the passage was written. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the usual formula is, ‘As the Holy Ghost saith’. Such forms of expression as ‘the Scripture said’, were common in the Rabbinic writers.
The connexion of this verse with what precedes is this: Abraham was justified by faith, and they who are of faith are his children. But on the authority of the same Scripture we know that this filial relationship is not limited to his natural descendants, for it was promised that in him all nations should be blessed.
would justify ] Pres. tense, ‘ justifieth ’, by an eternal law of His moral government.
the heathen ] Better, ‘ the Gentiles ’.
preached before the gospel ] Proclaimed the good tidings of justification by faith for all who believe. This announcement was made before, ‘a Gospel before Gospel times’, Bengel. Others explain it a Gospel antecedent not only to the Law, but to the institution of circumcision, Rom 4:11.
in thee ] This is supposed by some to mean “as their spiritual progenitor”. Of course there is no reference to a transmitted and inherited faith. Dr Jowett’s explanation is undoubtedly right, “in thee, by anticipation”, that is, “as the progenitor of the Messiah” (Bengel). The blessing (justification) comes to man only from the atoning death and imputed merit of Christ. It was apprehended by faith in the case of Abraham; it is so apprehended by each one of his spiritual descendants. Thus, Gal 3:9, they that are of faith (note Gal 3:7) are blessed with faithful Abraham.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And the Scripture – The word Scripture refers to the Old Testament; see the note at Joh 5:39. It is here personified, or spoken of as foreseeing. The idea is, that he by whom the scriptures were inspired, foresaw that. It is agreeable, the meaning is, to the account on the subject in the Old Testament. The Syriac renders this, Since God foreknew that the Gentiles would be justified by faith, he before announced to Abraham, as the scripture saith, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Foreseeing – That is, this doctrine is contained in the Old Testament. It was foreseen and predicted that the pagan would be justified by faith, and not by the works of the Law.
That God would justify the heathen – Greek: The nations – ta ethne – the Gentiles. The fact that the pagan, or the Gentiles would be admitted to the privileges of the true religion, and be interested in the benefits of the coming of the Messiah, is a fact which is everywhere abundantly predicted in the Old Testament. As an instance, see Isa 49:6, Isa 49:22-23; 60. I do not know that it is anywhere distinctly foretold that the pagan would be justified by faith, nor does the argument of the apostle require us to believe this. He says that the Scriptures, that is, he who inspired the Scriptures, foresaw that fact, and that the Scriptures were written as if with the knowledge of that fact; but it is not directly affirmed. The whole structure and frame of the Old Testament, however, proceeds on the supposition that it would be so; and this is all that the declaration of the apostle requires us to understand,
Preached before the gospel – This translation does not convey quite the idea to us, which the language of Paul, in the original, would to the people to whom he addressed it. We have affixed a technical sense to the phrase to preach the gospel. It is applied to the formal and public annunciation of the truths of religion, especially the good news of a Saviours birth, and of redemption by his blood. But we are not required by the language used here to suppose that this was done to Abraham, or that the gospel was preached to him in the sense in which we all now use that phrase. The expression, in Greek proeuengelisato, means merely, the joyful news was announced beforehand to Abraham; scil. that in him should all the nations of the earth be blessed. It was implied, indeed, that it would be by the Messiah; but the distinct point of the good news was not the gospel as we understand it, but it was that somehow through him all the nations of the earth would be made happy. Tyndale has well translated it, Showed beforehand glad tidings unto Abraham. This translation should have been adopted in our common version.
In thee shall all nations be blessed – See the Act 3:25 note; Rom 4:13 note. All nations should be made happy in him, or through him. The sense is, that the Messiah was to be descended from him, and the religion of the Messiah, producing peace and salvation, was to be extended to all the nations of the earth: see Gen 12:3; compare the note at Gal 3:16.
Euangelizo doubtless here, as elsewhere, signifies to announce glad tidings. And in all the passages where this word occurs, even in those where the author might be disposed to allow that the gospel technically was meant, the translation which he proposes here would be very suitable and exact. It was certainly the same gospel that was preached to Abraham, that is now preached to us, though not with, the same fulness of revelation, in his case. The apostle here affirms that the gospel, that is, the way of justification through Christ, in opposition to the legal system he had been condemning – was, in few words, preached to Abraham, being contained in that promise, in thee shall all nations be blessed; see Gen 22:17. The full meaning of the promise, indeed, could not be gathered from the words themselves, but Abraham must have understood their application in a far more extensive sense than that somehow through him all the nations of the earth would be made happy. Whether the true import were made known to him directly by the Spirit of God, or discerned by him in typical representation, it is certain that Abrahams faith terminated on the promised Seed, that is, Christ whose day he desired to see, and seeing it afar, was glad, Joh 8:56. Hereof it followeth, says Luther on the place, that the blessing and faith of Abraham is the same that ours is, that Abrahams Christ is our Christ, that Christ died as well for the sins of Abraham as for us.)
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Gal 3:8
And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith.
The Scripture foreseeing
I. God foresaw that He would justify the heathen through faith.
II. Foreseeing this issue, God announced it by word of mouth to Abraham.
III. Moses recorded it in the spirit of prophecy.
IV. Paul justifies this use of scripture here, and in Rom 15:1-4, and 1Co 10:1-11. See also 1Pe 1:11-12.
V. We may apply it to the New Testament.
1. The Scripture foresaw and provided against the doctrine of the supremacy of Peter, which is the foundation of the Papal claims (Gal 2:11, etc.; Eph 2:20; 1Pe 5:1-3).
2. Against mariolatry (Luk 8:21; Luk 9:28). (Dean Goulburn.)
The foresight of Scripture
The Old Testament is endowed with foresight of the New; the New with foresight of things that should come after in the history of the Church. The Scripture expresses the prescience of its Divine Author. Nor is there any ground for confining this prescience to great events, and the solemn crises of ecclesiastical history. God foresaw us, with the circumstances into which we should be thrown, the characters which we should exhibit, the temptations to which we should be subjected. Writing in the spirit of foresight we may well conceive then that He has dropped a word for each one of us somewhere in His book, and that this word will find us out, and come home to us if we study it under the light of prayer. (Dean Goulburn.)
The gospel
I. Its antiquity–preached to Abraham.
II. Its universality.
1. In its objects: heathen, all nations.
2. In its terms: faith.
III. The slowness but sureness of its development: foreseeing.
IV. Its gratuitousness: justification
V. Its blessedness.
1. Fellowship in Abrahams privileges on earth.
2. Fellowship with Abraham in heaven.
The universality of the gospel. Salvation is for all the sinful family of man. The plan is vast, immense, worthy of God. The arms of Divine love are open to embrace all. All nations are invited to the life-giving waters of Gods grace. Let the sons of wealth come, and they shall be welcome; let the hardy sons of toil come, and they shall quench their thirst; let the ignorant come, and they shall be made wise unto salvation; let the young come, and Godwill be their guide through life; let the aged come, and they shall find peace at the eleventh hour. (Thomas Jones.)
The worst are justified by faith
Mr. Fleming, in his Fulfilling of the Scriptures, relates the case of a man who was a very great sinner, and for his horrible wickedness was put to death in the town of Ayr. This man had been so stupid and brutish a fellow, that all who knew him thought him beyond the reach of all ordinary means of grace; but while the man was in prison, the Lord wonderfully wrought on his heart, and in such a measure discovered to him his sinfulness, that after much serious exercise and sore wrestling, a most kindly work of repentance followed, with great assurance of mercy, insomuch, that when he came to the place of execution, he could not cease crying out to the people, under the sense of pardon, and the comforts of the presence and favour of God,–O, He is a great forgiver! He is a great forgiver! And he added the following words,–Now hath perfect love cast out fear. I know God hath nothing to lay against me, for Jesus Christ hath paid all; and those are free whom the Son makes free.
The gospel is
I. Old as Abraham: the promise given to him contained the spirit of it–the assurance of it–the power of it, for he was justified by faith.
II. Comprehensive as the world: it includes all nations–offers them the same privileges–on the same terms.
III. Unchangeable as God: it is His purpose.
foreseen and predicted–steadily advancing with the course of time–must be fully accomplished in the happiness of all nations. (J. Lyth.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 8. The Scripture, foreseeing] See the notes on Ro 4:3-16. As God intended to justify the heathen through faith, he preached the Gospel that contains the grand display of the doctrine of salvation by faith, before, to Abraham, while he was in his heathen state; and thus he is called the father of believers: therefore it must refer to them who shall believe the same Gospel among the Gentiles; and, as the door of faith was open to all the Gentiles, consequently the promise was fulfilled: In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The Holy Ghost in Scripture (by whose inspiration the Scripture was written) foreseeing, or knowing, the counsels and designs of God, that the heathen (when the fulness of times as to them should come) should be justified through faith in Christ, preached the same doctrine before unto Abraham; so as it is no new doctrine; the gospel which we now preach unto you, was long since revealed unto Abraham, who saw Christs day, and rejoiced, Joh 8:56. To prove which, he quoteth the promise, Gen 12:3, where God tells Abraham, that in him all the nations of the earth should be blessed; which quotation of it by the apostle in this place informeth us, that it is to be understood of those spiritual blessings which are in Christ Jesus. For all the nations of the earth were no otherwise blessed in Abraham, than as Christ (who is called the desire of all nations, and he in whom the Gentiles should trust, and a light to enlighten the Gentiles) descended from Abraham.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. AndGreek,“Moreover.”
foreseeingOne greatexcellency of Scripture is, that in it all points liable ever to becontroverted, are, with prescient wisdom, decided in the mostappropriate language.
would justifyrather,”justifieth.” Present indicative. It is now, and at alltimes, God’s one way of justification.
the heathenrather,”the Gentiles”; or “the nations,” as the sameGreek is translated at the end of the verse. God justifieththe Jews, too, “by faith, not by works.” But hespecifies the Gentiles in particular here, as it was theircase that was in question, the Galatians being Gentiles.
preached before thegospel“announced beforehand the Gospel.” For the”promise” was substantially the Gospel by anticipation.Compare Joh 8:56; Heb 4:2.A proof that “the old fathers did not look only for transitorypromises” [Article VII, Church of England]. Thus the Gospel, inits essential germ, is older than the law though the full developmentof the former is subsequent to the latter.
In theenot “inthy seed,” which is a point not here raised; but strictly “inthee,” as followers of thy faith, it having first shown the wayto justification before God [ALFORD];or “in thee,” as Father of the promised seed, namely,Christ (Ga 3:16), who is theObject of faith (Gen 22:18;Psa 72:17), and imitating thyfaith (see on Ga 3:9).
all nationsor asabove, “all the Gentiles” (Gen 12:3;Gen 18:18; Gen 22:18).
be blessedan act ofgrace, not something earned by works. The blessing of justificationwas to Abraham by faith in the promise, not by works. So to those whofollow Abraham, the father of the faithful, the blessing, that is,justification, comes purely by faith in Him who is the subject of thepromise.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Scripture foreseeing,…. This seems to agree with the Jewish forms or citing passages of Scripture, , “what does the Scripture foresee?” and , n “what does the law foresee?” The Scripture here, by a “prosopopeia”, is represented as foreseeing an event that would come to pass, and accordingly spoke of it before hand, and designs God the author of the Scripture; and so the Syriac version renders it, “for seeing”
, “that God” foreknew, c. and means either the Holy Spirit, who searches the deep things of God, is privy to all his counsels and decrees, and to this of the justification of the Gentiles or God the Father, who justifies the uncircumcision through faith, according to his own provision and predetermination of it, before the world was; for he was in Christ, reconciling the world, his elect among the Gentiles, from all eternity; when he resolved not to impute their sins to them, but to his Son, who engaged to be their surety: or rather the Son of God, since he was the preacher of this to Abraham; who lay in the bosom of the Father, and was not only acquainted with all his purposes and determinations, but entered into a covenant with him, for, and on the behalf of the people, the chosen ones, among the Gentiles as well as Jews; and undertook to bring in a righteousness for them, by which, being received by faith, they should evidentially, manifestly, in the court of their own consciences, be justified: wherefore the wisdom of God, the eternal Logos, having such a certain foresight, both as God and as Mediator, concerned in the covenant of grace for his people,
that God would justify the Heathen through faith: that is, that whereas a righteousness would be wrought out, and brought in, for the justification of all God’s elect, and the doctrine of it be preached among the Gentiles, to whom faith would be given to lay hold on, and receive this righteousness, God would hereby, and hereupon pronounce the sentence of justification in the court of conscience; from whence follow peace and joy in the Holy Ghost; the Scripture, the author, and substance of it, God the Word,
preached before, the Gospel unto Abraham; for not to the Father or the Spirit, as to the Son, can preaching be so well ascribed: Christ was the first preacher of the Gospel that ever was; he first preached it to Adam and Eve in the garden, and afterwards to Abraham: it was Gospel, it was good news to him, that the Messiah should spring from him, and all nations be blessed in him; he rejoiced at it, and by faith saw Christ’s day and was glad and particularly that part of the Gospel, and which is a principal part of it, justification by faith; and that, as it concerned the Gentiles, was preached unto him; and before his circumcision, of which that was a sign and seal, namely, that the righteousness of faith should be upon the uncircumcised Gentiles; and before the law of works was given on Mount Sinai, and long before the doctrine of justification by faith was preached unto the Gentiles, and they enjoyed the comfort of it; which shows this to be the Gospel, and to be no new doctrine, nor different from what was so early taught; the sum and substance of which lies in these words, “in thee shall all nations be blessed”; the passage referred to, is in Ge 12:3 and is repeated Ge 18:18 and in Ge 22:18 is thus expressed,
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; which shows, that this is not to be understood of Abraham personally, but of his seed; and which cannot intend Isaac, the immediate seed of Abraham, in whom it was never verified; and besides, is carried down to his seed, Ge 26:4 as not terminating in him; and for the same reason it cannot design Jacob, the immediate seed of Isaac; see
Ge 28:14 nor the whole body of the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, in whom it never had its completion; for when and how have the nations of the earth been blessed in them? either whilst in their own land, when they would have no conversation with them, neither on a civil or sacred account, unless they conformed to their rites; or since their dispersion, so far from it, that their name is used by way of reproach, and as a proverb, a taunt, and a curse everywhere; but it is to be understood of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the son of Abraham, took upon him the seed of Abraham, and to whom it is applied, Ga 3:16 as by the Apostle Peter, Ac 3:25. The phrase being “blessed in” him, does not signify a blessing of themselves or others, or a proverbial expression that should be used among the Gentiles, “God bless thee as Abraham, or the God of Abraham bless thee, or God bless you as he did the Israelites, or seed of Abraham”; for no one instance can be produced of the nations of the world ever using such a form of blessing; no history, sacred or profane, makes mention that these, or any other Jewish forms of blessing, were ever used among the Gentiles: but here it designs blessings in Christ, and not temporal, but spiritual ones, even all spiritual blessings; as redemption, reconciliation, peace, pardon, adoption, sanctification, and eternal life, and particularly justification; this is the blessedness more especially intended, which comes not upon the circumcision only, but the uncircumcision also; and they that partake of this are blessed indeed; for they are justified from all sin, are free from condemnation, secure from the wrath of God, have a title to eternal life, and shall certainly be glorified: and when it is said that “all nations” shall be thus blessed, the meaning is, not that every individual of all nations shall enjoy this happiness, for all are not in Christ, nor have his righteousness imputed to them, nor have faith in him, there are many that will be condemned with the world; but some of all nations, that God will have saved, and Christ has redeemed by his blood; and these are the many he justifies, even all the elect of God, in the various nations of the world.
n Bemidbar Rabba, Parash. 10. fol. 201. 4. Tzeror Hammor, fol. 122. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Foreseeing (). Second aorist active participle of . The Scripture is here personified. Alone in this sense of “sight,” but common with or (says, said) and really in verse 22 “hath shut up” ().
Would justify (). Present active indicative, “does justify.”
Preached the gospel beforehand (). First aorist middle indicative of with augment on though both and before it in composition. Only instance in N.T. It occurs in Philo. and Schol. Soph. This Scripture announced beforehand the gospel on this point of justification by faith. He quotes the promise to Abraham in Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18, putting (all the nations) in 18:18 for (all the tribes) of the earth. It is a crucial passage for Paul’s point, showing that the promise to Abraham included all the nations of the earth. The verb (future passive here) occurs in the LXX and here only in N.T. (not Ac 3:25 in correct text).
In thee ( ). “As their spiritual progenitor” (Lightfoot).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
The scripture [ ] . See on 1Ti 5:18. The particular passage cited below. See on Mr 12:10; Joh 2:22 Joh 5:47 footnote. Foreseeing [] . The passage of Scripture is personified. Comp. hath concluded, verse 22. The Jews had a formula of reference, “What did the Scripture see?” Would justify [] . Better justifieth. The present tense. The time foreseen was the Christian present. Comp. 1Co 3:13; Mt 26:2.
Preached before the gospel [] . N. T. o. An awkward translation. Better, preached the gospel before – hand.
All nations [ ] . From Gen 18:18; comp. Gen 22:18, LXX Gen 12:3 reads pasai aiJ fulai all the tribes. Ta eqnh was the collective term by which all non – Jews were denoted, and is more suitable to Paul ‘s Gentile audience.
Shall be blessed [] . In N. T. only here. LXX, Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18; Gen 22:18; Gen 26:4; Sir 64 21. The blessing is the messianic blessing of which the Gentiles are to partake – the imparting of the Spirit as the new life principle and the pledge of future blessedness in Christ. This blessing Abraham shared on the ground of his faith, and believers shall share it as the true spiritual children of Abraham.
In thee [ ] . Not, through thy posterity, Christ, but in the fact that thou art blessed is involved the blessedness of the Gentiles through faith, in so far as they shall be justified by faith, and through justification receive the Holy Spirit.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1 ) “And the Scripture foreseeing,” (proidousa de he graphe) “And the Scripture, seeing beforehand;” or perceiving (giving perceptions) beforehand, the evidence of true prophecy, some of which “angels desired to look into,” 1Pe 1:12-13|.
2) “That God would justify the heathen through faith,” (hoti ek pisteos dikaioi ta ethnee) “That the true trinitarian God would justify (account as righteous) the heathen gentiles, races, or nations, by or through faith,” as certified by Act 10:42|.
3) “Preached before the gospel to Abraham,” (pro -euengelisato to Abraam) “preached good tidings (the gospel) before (before the law) to Abraham,” Gen 12:3; Gen 15:18; Gen 22:15-18|.
4) “Saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed,” (hoti eneulogethesontai en soi panta ta ethne). “That in you will all the nations be blessed,” Gen 12:3; 2Pe 1:21; Act 3:25. The promise “in thee” refers to Abraham’s seed, the Messiah, who should come through His special genealogy, a promise renewed in Isaac, confirmed in Jacob, and extended thru David; Gen 26:1-5; Gen 28:10-16; 2Sa 7:4-16|.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
8. The scripture foreseeing. What he had said in a general manner is now applied expressly to the Gentiles; for the calling of the Gentiles was a new and extraordinary occurrence. Doubts existed as to the manner in which they should be called. Some thought that they were required “to be circumcised and to keep the law,” (Act 15:24,) and that otherwise they were shut out from having a share in the covenant. But Paul shews, on the other hand, that by faith they arrive at the blessing, and by faith they must be “in grafted” (Rom 11:17,) into the family of Abraham. How does he prove this? Because it is said, In thee shall all nations be blessed. These words unquestionably recall that all must be blessed in the same manner as Abraham; for he is the model, nay, the rule, to be universally observed. Now, he obtained the blessing by faith, and in the same manner must it be obtained by all.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(8) The universalism of the promise is accounted for by the fact that it is rested upon faith and not on worksthus showing a distinct prevision of a time when the whole world should be invited to claim a share in it by the exercise of faith.
The scripture.Here, with a more decided personification than usual, the Scripture is said to foresee what God, by whom Scripture is inspired, foresaw.
Foreseeing.It appears to have been a rather common formula among the Jews to say What saw the Scripture? (i.e., What had the Scripture in sight, or in view?) for What did it mean? Here the metaphor falls in naturally with the personification.
Would justify.Literally, justifies. The use of the present tense implies that the justification of the Gentiles is regarded as forming part of the eternal purpose of God, to whom the future and the present are one.
The heathen.It is to be noticed that the same word is translated indifferently by heathen (as here, and also in 2Co. 11:26; Gal. 1:16; Gal. 2:9), nations (as in the second clause of this verse, and frequently elsewhere), and Gentiles (as in Gal. 2:2; Gal. 2:8; Gal. 2:12; Gal. 2:14-15; Gal. 3:14 of this Epistle, and most commonly in other places where it occurs).
Preached before the gospel.For this translation we might substitute, announced the glad tidings beforehand. The Authorised version, however, hardly involves an anachronism, as the promise is regarded as anticipating the gospel, inasmuch as it already contained the doctrine of justification by faith, in which the essence of the gospel consisted.
In thee.The righteousness which was imputed to Abraham his spiritual descendants also could claim by virtue of their descent from him. What applied to him applied (potentially and prophetically) to them. In like manner it is said, in Heb. 7:9, that Levi paid tithes in Abraham.
The quotation is a combination of Gen. 12:3 (In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed) and Gen. 18:18 (All the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.)
Be blessed.With the bliss of the Messianic kingdom.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. Scripture, foreseeing A personification of Scripture, as in Gal 3:22; a strong proof that Paul views Scripture as God speaking. The Jewish writers used the expressive phrase, What saw the Scripture? Heathen, as well as nations below, the same in Greek as the word Gentile, Gal 3:14.
Preached before the gospel Pre-evangelized, pre-announced the glad news. The gospel of Christ and the gospel of Abraham are one, the latter being earliest preached, and by Jehovah himself.
In thee See note, Rom 5:12. That the posterity is in the progenitor, as the oak is said to be in the acorn, is not a physical fact, but a conception of the imagination by which truths are forcibly impressed on the mind. The root and causation of their blessedness is in thee.
All nations All Gentiles, so not Jews alone. This quotation is a blending of Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18; a double promise in one.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And the Scripture, foreseeing that by faith God accounts as righteous the Gentiles, preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “in you shall all the nations be blessed”. So then those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.’
Furthermore the Scripture make crystal clear that the Gentiles will be accounted righteous by faith for it says that it is in Abraham, in believing Abraham, that all the nations will be blessed. So the blessing of God comes on all those who, like Abraham, believe. They then share Abraham’s blessing which was that he was accounted righteous because of his faithful response, which was his response in faith to the promises of God.
‘The Scripture, foreseeing -.’ Here we have a personalisation of Scripture, meaning, of course, God speaking through the Scriptures, thereby emphasising that the Scriptures are the word of God.
‘By faith.’ This is in an emphatic position in the sentence. It is central to what the Scripture foresaw.
‘Preached the Gospel beforehand to Abraham.’ The kernel of the Gospel was known throughout past ages, that man by faith should respond to God in trust and repentance (Gen 15:6; Psa 51:17; Isa 57:15) and thus be accepted as righteous in His sight.
‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’ This was continually emphasised to Abraham at one time and another (Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18; Gen 22:18; see also Gen 26:4). It was always God’s final purpose that all the world would be blessed through Abraham and his seed. And it would come from God’s gracious working, not by a world working itself into a frenzy of activity. Thus would the Gentiles become ‘sons of Abraham’. Note that they will be blessed as nations, not by becoming Jews. Rather they would become one with many Jews as a consequence of believers from all the nations uniting in a new nation (1Pe 2:9), by becoming part of God’s concept of the true Israel (Gal 6:16). They are not required to come within the Jewish Law for this blessing, for that Law was given to the old Israel alone at a later time than Abraham (Gal 3:17). But we must look to Abraham as our model. And he believed God’s word, and, because he believed it, it was reckoned to him for righteousness. So is the blessing of the nations connected with the righteousness which is by faith.
‘Those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.’ By paralleling Abraham in believing they will share his blessing. We translate this as ‘believing’ rather than as ‘faithful’ because that is the idea here. He was not so much blessed for his faithfulness as for his faith which produced that faithfulness (Gen 15:6). Clearly true faith always produces faithfulness, which is why James can say, ‘faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself ’ (Jas 2:17). But the faith comes first. No one can be faithful without first believing. So by coming to God through the route of faith we are aligning ourselves with Abraham and receive the blessing promised through him, and this will result in our being faithful.
Thus the receiving of the Spirit is paralleled with Abraham’s ‘believing God’ and being accounted as righteous. Both experiences are in parallel.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gal 3:8. In thee shall all nations be blessed. It may perhaps be asked, “What evidence there is that this promise meant the conversion of Jews and Gentiles to Christianity, rather than converting the Gentiles to Judaism, and so blessing them with a participation of the privileges originally granted to the natural seed of Abraham?”But, besides what the Apostle afterwards says for clearing up this point, it may be answered,that the Mosaic economy was so constituted, that it could never be universal; and that when it was considered what sort of a person Christ in fact was, there would appear reason to believe that this promise referred to him, separate from the authority of the Apostle in asserting it, and however dubious soever the sense of the prophesy might appear till it was illustrated by the event. See Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18; Gen 22:18.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gal 3:8 . ] marks the transition from the sonship of Abraham pertaining to believers to the participation in his blessing .
] personification. Comp. Gal 3:22 ; Rom 4:3 ; Rom 9:17 ; Joh 7:38 . The Scripture foresaw and the Scripture announced beforehand, inasmuch as whatever God foresaw and announced beforehand in reference, namely, to that which is at present taking place formed an element of Scripture, and was expressed in it. Comp. the frequent ; likewise Siphra , f. 186. Galatians 2 : Quid vidit ( ) scriptura, etc.
] is the main point of the participial sentence: of faith, not of the works of the law as the causal condition on the side of man.
] present, for the time foreseen ( ) was the Christian present.
] the Gentiles (comp. Gal 3:14 ), so that the latter have not to subject themselves to the law in order to become righteous.
] pre-announced the glad tidings. refers, as in , to the future realization in Christian times. This promise was a gospel before the gospel. The word does not occur elsewhere in the New Test., in the LXX., or the Apocrypha; but it is found in Philo, de opif m. p. 7 A, de rum. mut. p. 1069 D; also Schol. Soph. Trach. 335.
. ] Gen 12:3 , quoted according to the LXX. with the recitative , but so that, instead of , is adopted from Gen 18:18 (comp. also Gen 22:18 ); and this not accidentally, but because Paul is dealing with Gentile Christians, whom it was desired to subject to the law. Hence (and see Gal 3:14 ) it is not to be explained (with Winer, Matthias, Schott, Baumgarten-Crusius, following earlier expositors) of all nations, both Jews and Gentiles.
The emphasis in this utterance of promise is to be laid, not on (Schott), but on the prefixed . For if the Scripture had not foreseen that faith would justify the Gentiles, it would not have promised blessing in Abraham to all the Gentiles; from which it follows (Gal 3:10 ) that it is believers who receive this blessing, and not those of the law, on whom indeed the Scripture pronounces not blessing, but curse (Gal 3:10 ). The characteristic . can only be meant to apply to those who are of faith, and not to those who are of the law. What it is that in Paul’s view is expressed by , Gen 12:3 , in its Messianic fulfilment, is evident from the preceding , namely, God’s gracious gift of justification (the opposite of the , Gal 3:10-11 ), which, because it is promised as blessing, can only be shared by believers, and not by those of the law who are under curse. [122] The correctness of this view is certainly confirmed by Gal 3:14 , where to the reception of the blessing there is annexed, as a further reception, that of the Holy Spirit, so that the bestowal of the Spirit is not included in the idea of the , but this idea is limited in conformity with the context to the justification, with which the whole reception of salvation begins.
is not: per tuam posteritatem, i.e. Christum (Jerome, Oecumenius, Menochius, Estius, Calovius, Rambach, Morus, Borger, Flatt, Schott; comp. also Bengel), by which interpretation the personal (and how much at variance with Gal 3:9 !) is entirely set aside, as if (Gal 3:16 ) were used. But it is: in thee; that is, in the fact that thou art blessed (art justified) is involved (as a consequence) the blessedness of all the Gentiles, in so far as all the Gentiles are to attain justification by faith, and it is in the blessing of Abraham, the father of all the faithful (Rom 4 .), that the connection between faith and justification is opened and instituted for all future time. Comp. Ellicott. On , to be blessed in the person of any one , a word which does not occur in Greek authors, comp. Act 3:25 , Sir 44:21 .
[122] De Wette, who is followed by Wieseler, understands the blessing to be “ the whole salvation of the kingdom of God ,” an idea too comprehensive for the context. Bhr (in Stud. u. Krit . 1849, p. 920) erroneously concludes from Gal 3:14 , that by the blessing is meant the reception of the Spirit . See on Gal 3:14 . This reception, as well as the Messianic salvation generally, or, “ the good which is intended for mankind ,” as Hofmann puts it, ensues as a consequence of the , as the Messianic ensues as a consequence of the , if the latter, as in the case of those who adhere to the works of the law, is not cancelled (Gal 3:10 ). The , therefore, is not yet the blessing of Messianic salvation itself, the , but, as Hunnius (in Calovius) aptly explains it, “Benedici in hac promissione est liberari maledictione legis aeternae et vicissim haeredem scribi justitiae et bonorum coelestium.” Grotius is much too indefinite: “Summa bena adipiscentur.” Also Ewald’s paraphrase, “the blessing of the true religion,” is too general. Beza, Usteri, Rckert, take the right view; comp. also Mller (on de Wette) and Reithmayr.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Gal 3:8-9 . After having pointed out from the Scripture that none other than believers are sons of Abraham, Paul now shows further according to Scripture that none other than these have a share in Abraham’s blessing , that is, are justified .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
DISCOURSE: 2060
THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO ABRAHAM
Gal 3:8-9. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
THE point which St. Paul above all things labours to establish, especially in his Epistles to the Romans and the Galatians, is the doctrine of justification by faith alone. The Jews universally were adverse to this doctrine, because it derogated, as they thought, from the honour of their law. And the Gentiles also were hostile to it, because it cut off from them all occasion of boasting in themselves. But the more the unbelieving world set themselves against it, the more this holy Apostle strove to place it beyond all contradiction or doubt. And well he might, since on the reception or rejection of it depends the everlasting salvation of every child of man. Let it not therefore be deemed superfluous, if on a point of such infinite importance we follow him, and bring it before you in a variety of views. If we have already received it, we still need to be confirmed in it from time to time, lest by any means we be drawn aside from it. There is something bewitching in the idea of meriting salvation at the hands of God; and we are but too apt to listen to any statement which shall so flatter the pride of our hearts. Many converts belonging to the Churches of Galatia, after having been for a time established in the truth, were at last turned aside from it; and drew from the Apostle this spirited remonstrance; O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you? He appeals to them, that the miracles which he had wrought among them, as also the miraculous powers which they had received through his instrumentality, were all in confirmation of this doctrine; by which, in fact, Abraham himself had been saved; and by which alone they could ever be partakers of Abrahams felicity. This, he tells them, was the unvaried testimony of Scripture; and it had been declared two thousand years before to Abraham, in those most memorable words, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
In discoursing on these words, we will shew,
I.
What was that Gospel which the Scripture preached to Abraham
Abraham was informed, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed
[This was repeatedly declared to him, and at an interval of nearly fifty years [Note: Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18; Gen 22:18.]. The full import of this promise was not clearly revealed in the declaration itself; but it was doubtless made known to him by the Spirit of God, and was typically represented to him in the sacrifice of his son Isaac. By the command of God, he took his own son, the child of promise, in order to offer him up as a burnt-offering to the Lord. On this his son he laid the wood which was to reduce him to ashes; he led him to Mount Moriah (the very place where the Promised Seed, the Lord Jesus Christ, was afterwards offered); he bound him, and, in purpose and intention, offered him up a sacrifice to God: and then, having actually offered up the ram which God had substituted in the place of Isaac, he received his son as from the dead [Note: Heb 11:17-19.]: and thus was taught, that, by the death and resurrection of the Promised Seed, the blessings of salvation were to be brought to a ruined world. Such was the view given him of this great mystery; and by his faith in the Promised Seed so dying for our offences, and so raised again for our justification, he was justified, as all his believing posterity shall also be [Note: Rom 4:22-25.].
Here it is particularly to be remembered, that the law bore no part in his justification; for it was not given till four hundred and thirty years after the promise of a Saviour had been made to him, and by faith in that promised Saviour he had been justified. It must be remembered also, that circumcision bore no part in his justification; for no less than twenty-four years elapsed between the period of his being justified by faith, and the appointment of that rite [Note: Compare Gen 12:3-4. with Gen 17:1; Gen 17:7; Gen 17:10; Gen 17:23-24.]. It is of the utmost importance that these things be borne in mind: for, if we once admit the idea of his being either in whole or in part justified by any thing but faith, we shall subvert the Gospel altogether; seeing that there is but one method of a sinners justification before God for him and for us [Note: See Rom 4:9-14.]. True it is, that before men he was justified by his obedience, as St. James has truly said [Note: Jam 2:21-23.]: for it was by the fruits which his faith produced, that it was seen to be a living, and not a dead, faith: but in the sight of God he had nothing of his own whereon to place the least dependence: it was by faith only, without any work whatever of his own, that he was counted righteous before God: and, if it had not been so, his salvation had been, not a gift of grace, but a reward of debt, to which he was entitled, and in which he would to all eternity have had a ground of glorying before God [Note: Rom 4:1-5.].]
In this promise the Gospel was preached to him
[This way of salvation is emphatically and exclusively called the Gospel. It was glad tidings to Abraham, when taken out of an idolatrous state, and ignorant of any means of acceptance with God, to be informed, that God had provided a Saviour for him; and that, through a person who should descend from his loins, a righteousness should be brought in, fully adequate to the necessities of the whole world, and certainly effectual for all who should believe in him. To that event he looked forward; and, beholding it by faith, he greatly rejoiced in it [Note: Joh 8:56.]. And this is glad tidings to us also: for where should we find a Saviour, if this promised Seed had not been given? Or what hope should we have had of ultimate salvation, if we had been required to earn it in any measure by our own works? Were it required of us to produce only one single work on which to rest our claim of heaven, where should we find one? But, blessed be God, we are taught to rely on the Promised Seed, and on him alone: and it is this very circumstance which warrants us to expect eternal happiness; since, unworthy as we are, the free promise of God, duly apprehended by faith, can never fail of its accomplishment [Note: Rom 4:16.].]
Such was the Gospel which the Scripture preached to Abraham: nor does it differ at all from,
II.
What it preaches unto us also
It declares to us,
1.
That this is the way which God has ordained for us also
[The Scripture, that is, the Holy Spirit who spake by it, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached this Gospel to Abraham. There was not to be one way of salvation for him, and another for us; but one and the same for both. And as God foresaw that men would be ready to catch hold of any thing that might afford in ever so slight a degree a ground of glorying, he took care to cut off all occasion for glorying, by justifying Abraham solely through faith, whilst yet he remained in an uncircumcised state: thus shewing to the uncircumcised of all nations, that, in relation to the great matter of their justification before God, they were on a perfect equality with the circumcised; and that, as faith alone was available for Abrahams salvation, so it would avail for the salvation of all who truly relied upon the Promised Seed [Note: Rom 3:30.]. True it is, we are to walk in the steps of our father Abraham, and not to imagine that we can be saved by a dead inoperative faith [Note: Rom 4:12. with Jam 2:20; Jam 2:24; Jam 2:26.]: but still it is by faith only that we become children of Abraham, and by faith only that we become partakers of his blessings [Note: Gal 3:7; Gal 3:9.]: if we seek these benefits in any other way, we frustrate the grace of God, and cause the death of Christ to be ill vain [Note: Gal 2:21.]. In the very same promise then that the Gospel was preached to Abraham, it is preached to us: to every one of us it is said, In the Promised Seed shalt thou be blessed. And with this agrees the testimony of St. Paul, who, specifying distinctly all the great blessings which the Gospel offers to us, tells us, about nine times in eleven verses, that it is all in Christ, in Christ, in Christ [Note: Eph 1:3-13.].]
2.
That all who embrace it shall be partakers of its blessings
[There is no exception whatever; no difference between Jews and Gentiles: if only we be of faith, we are from that moment blessed with all the blessings which Abraham himself enjoyed. Was he justified? So shall we be. Was he made the friend of God? So shall we be. Was God to him a shield, an exceeding great reward? Such will he be to us also. Is Abraham now in the kingdom of his God? We also shall, with him and Isaac and Jacob, sit down there, yea, and shall be in Abrahams bosom to all eternity. All this, and infinitely more than we can either utter or conceive, shall we receive, if we truly believe in Christ: for all things are ours, if we be Christs [Note: 1Co 3:22-23.].]
From hence we may see,
1.
The antiquity of the Gospel
[In every age the doctrine of justification by faith only is stigmatized as a new doctrine: it is very generally represented as such amongst ourselves: and so it was by the Papists at the time of the Reformation: in the apostolic age it was regarded in the same light. When St. Paul preached Jesus and the resurrection, it was asked, what this new doctrine meant [Note: Act 17:18-19]. But it is as old as Abraham, to whom it was distinctly preached: yea, it must be traced to the time of Adam; for to him also was it preached, when he was told that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpents head. That persons who have the Scriptures in their hands should speak of this as a new doctrine, is perfectly surprising; since it is written in every page of the sacred volume as with a sun-beam: but that a member of the Established Church should be so ignorant, is yet more astonishing; since it Is that essential and fundamental doctrine on which the very edifice of our Church is built. Let not any therefore reject this doctrine; or at least let them not call themselves members of the Church of England, if they do. The way of justification by faith is the good old way, in which all the saints of God have gone from the foundation of the world; and it is the only way in which any man can find rest unto his soul.]
2.
The excellency of the Gospel
[The idea of being saved by faith only, is so simple, that the world can see no excellency in it: but this very simplicity constitutes a very distinguished part of its excellency. Supposing that salvation had been by works, or by faith and works united, who would ever have been able to ascertain what measure of good works would suffice for us, or what measure of imperfection would consist with their ultimate acceptance? Verily, under such uncertainty, no human being could enjoy one hours peace in the prospect of his great account: but when we are told that salvation is by faith only, then, whatever our works may have been in times past, we have peace in our souls the very instant we believe; because we know that Christ is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him: we know that by faith we are Abrahams children; and that all the blessings of Abraham are ours, and shall be ours for ever [Note: ver. 79.].
But the excellency of the Gospel appears no less in the fruits that it produces. Abraham was justified the first moment he believed. And did he on that account become indifferent to good works? See his conduct: he immediately went forth from his family and country at the command of God, though he knew not whither lie was to go. In every place where he went, he built an altar to his God: and, even when called to sacrifice with his own hands his beloved Isaac, he hesitated not, but for three successive days prosecuted his journey to the place where the offering was to be made, and executed without reluctance the Divine command. So shall we do, if we truly believe in Christ. There will be no reserves in our hearts; nothing which we will not do, nothing which we will not sacrifice, nothing which we will not suffer, if only our God may be glorified thereby. Let the world produce a list of worthies like those recorded in the Epistle to the Hebrews, or like the holy Apostles, and shew that they were actuated by a different principle from that of faith in Christ, and then will we confess that the Gospel is not so excellent as it is said to be: but till that is done, we must affirm, that in point of practical efficacy it has no rival; and that in comparison of it the whole world is only as dung and dross.]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying , In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Ver. 8. And the Scripture foreseeing ] Scripture therefore is not a brute dead thing, as the Jesuits blaspheme. Excellently spake he, who called the Scripture, Cor et animam Dei, The heart and soul of God. (Greg. in Reg. 3.)
Preached the gospel ] There is gospel therefore in the Old Testament.
In thee shall all nations ] See Trapp on “ Gen 12:3 “ “All nations shall be blessed,” i.e. justified by faith.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
8 .] But (transitional (see Ellicott’s note)) the Scripture (as we say , Nature: meaning, the Author of the Scripture; see reff.) foreseeing (Schttgen, Hor. Hebr. i. 732, gives examples of ‘quid vidit Scriptura?’ and the like, as common sayings among the Jews) that of faith (emphatic, ‘ and not of works ’) God justifieth (present, not merely as Mey., De W., al., because the time foreseen was regarded as present, nor ‘respectu Pauli scribentis,’ as Bengel, but because it was God’s one way of justification He never justified in any other way so that it is the normal present, q. d. ‘is a God that justifieth’) the Gentiles (observe, there is no stress here on , it is not .: so that, as is remarked above, no question is raised between the carnal and spiritual seed of Abraham, nor, as Bengel, ‘ vim argumenti extendit etiam ad gentes :’ the question is between those who were , and those who wanted to return to the , whether Jews or Gentiles. So that in fact must be here taken in its widest sense, as in the Abrahamic promise soon to be quoted) announced the good news beforehand (the word is found only in Philo, and in this sense: , , de Mundi Opif. 9, vol. i. p. 7, and de mut. nom. 29, p. 602, (viz. ) , ) to Abraham : ( recitative) In thee (not, ‘ in thy seed ,’ which is a point not here raised; but strictly in thee , as followers of thy faith, it having first shewn the way to justification before God. That the words will bear that other reference, does not shew that it must be introduced here) shall all the Gentiles (see above: not to be restricted with Meyer, al., to its narrower sense, but expressing, from Gen 18:18 ; Gen 22:18 , in a form suiting better the Apostle’s present argument, the of Gen 12:3 ) be blessed .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Gal 3:8 . : justifieth . The present tense is used because justification by faith, though not revealed to the Gentiles till Christ came, was an eternal truth of God’s dealings with man, to be revealed in due time. There were in Genesis anticipations of this truth, and Abraham himself, the father of the faithful, was a kind of firstfruits of the Gentiles (Rom 4:10-12 ). The quotation here given contains the substance of promises recorded in Gen 12:3 ; Gen 18:18 with slight verbal alteration. These were an earlier Gospel, but not (as our versions intimate) the Gospel.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
foreseeing. Greek. proeidon. Only here and Act 2:31,
would justify = justifieth. Greek. dikaioo App-191.
heathen = nations. Some as Gentiles, Gal 3:14.
through. Greek. ek, as Gal 3:7; i.e. on the ground of, as Rom 1:17, Rom 4:16 &c.
preached before the gospel. Greek. proeuangelizo. Only here. Compare App-121.
unto = to.
In. Greek. en, App-104.
be blessed. Greek. eneulogeomai. Only here and Act 3:25. See Gen 12:3.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
8.] But (transitional (see Ellicotts note)) the Scripture (as we say, Nature: meaning, the Author of the Scripture; see reff.) foreseeing (Schttgen, Hor. Hebr. i. 732, gives examples of quid vidit Scriptura? and the like, as common sayings among the Jews) that of faith (emphatic,-and not of works) God justifieth (present, not merely as Mey., De W., al., because the time foreseen was regarded as present, nor respectu Pauli scribentis, as Bengel,-but because it was Gods one way of justification-He never justified in any other way-so that it is the normal present, q. d. is a God that justifieth) the Gentiles (observe, there is no stress here on ,-it is not .: so that, as is remarked above, no question is raised between the carnal and spiritual seed of Abraham,-nor, as Bengel, vim argumenti extendit etiam ad gentes: the question is between those who were , and those who wanted to return to the , whether Jews or Gentiles. So that in fact must be here taken in its widest sense, as in the Abrahamic promise soon to be quoted) announced the good news beforehand (the word is found only in Philo, and in this sense:- , , de Mundi Opif. 9, vol. i. p. 7, and de mut. nom. 29, p. 602, (viz. ) , ) to Abraham: ( recitative) In thee (not, in thy seed, which is a point not here raised; but strictly in thee, as followers of thy faith, it having first shewn the way to justification before God. That the words will bear that other reference, does not shew that it must be introduced here) shall all the Gentiles (see above: not to be restricted with Meyer, al., to its narrower sense, but expressing, from Gen 18:18; Gen 22:18, in a form suiting better the Apostles present argument, the of Gen 12:3) be blessed.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Gal 3:8. , but [and moreover] foreseeing) , but [and moreover] being an emphatic addition (), extends the force of the argument to the Gentiles also. The term foreseeing implies divine foreknowledge, more ancient than the law. The great excellence of sacred Scripture is, that all the points likely to be controverted are foreseen and decided in it, even in the most appropriate language.- , scripture) A mode of expression abbreviated and condensed in a manifold degree, as will be evident to him who evolves the ideas involved in it, thus; it is God who has given testimony to these things; God foreknew that He would act in this manner with the Gentiles; God therefore already at that time acted in a similar manner with Abraham; God also caused it to be consigned to writing, and that too when at the time that it was written, it was still future. All these things are included in that expression, foreseeing — All these ideas could not be so briefly expressed in our mode of speaking, otherwise [or if they could] they might be considered obscure. But the ardour of the apostles mind, which, being filled with the Spirit, was directed to one topic, and that too of principal importance, produces this effect [the combination of great brevity with freedom from obscurity]. What was spoken to Abraham, was written out in the time of Moses.- , by faith) not by works.-, justifies [instead of would justify]) The present, in respect of Paul then writing; so, they have the blessing [are blessed, ], Gal 3:9.-, preached the Gospel before) A word, which very sweetly approaches to a Catachresis.[22] The Gospel was preached to Abraham before the times of the Gospel. The Gospel is therefore older than the law.-) Gen 12:3 : then more expressly Gen 22:18; Psa 72:17. There is the mere promise of blessing; nothing is said as to works. Moreover, justification and blessing are conjoined. At the same time the nature of faith is evident from the form of the Hebrew verb: they shall bless themselves, they shall congratulate themselves regarding the blessing. Isa 65:16; comp. Deu 29:18.- , in thee) as in the father of the Messiah; therefore much more in Messiah [Himself]. The Gentiles, as believers in Christ, are the seed of Abraham. Seed first, then blessing, was promised to Abraham. Add note to Gal 3:16.
[22] See Append. A turning aside of the term Gospel here from its strict sense, in order to apply it to what was akin to it, viz. the promise given to Abraham.-ED.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Gal 3:8
Gal 3:8
And the scripture,-What God has promised is ascribed to the scripture itself, not simply because it is related in the scripture, but because the scripture, as inspired of God, is conceived as the organ of the Spirit of God. The same then is true of Gods foreknowledge, from which the promise proceeded.
foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,-[The present tense is used because this is the sole ground upon which God accepts any person at any time, and hence when he came to deal with Gentiles for their salvation he would take no other. From the scripture Paul has shown that Abraham had been justified by faith, and if their forefather according to the flesh, then surely the Jews likewise. But what of the Gentiles? He quotes scripture again to show that the Gentiles are to be accepted in the same way. He shall justify the circumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. (Rom 3:20). The change in the prepositions here is made to suit the different relation in which Jew and Gentile stood with God. The Jew had the divine law; if he could not be justified on the ground of his obedience to that, on what ground could he be justified? On the ground of faith; by a personal appropriation of the promises of God. The Gentiles, on the other hand, had no point of contact with God. By what means, then, could the Gentiles be justified? By the means of faith, for in due time the gospel would be preached to them also.]
preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham,-[The words that follow, spoken to Abraham, anticipated the gospel, which is now preached as an accomplished fact. (Rom 1:2). In Abraham the family and nation were founded from which the promised Deliverer came; in Abraham also began a line of spiritual men whose characteristic is faith in God, and who are drawn from every nation and tribe and tongue and people. (Rev 14:6). These and not those who merely trace to him their descent after the flesh are the true sons of Abraham.]
saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.-This was the promise of a coming Savior in Abrahams seed that would bless all nations. [The Gentiles as well as the Jews. When this declaration of the purpose of God to bless mankind was first made in the form of a promise to Abraham, the human race had but recently begun to divide into separate groups, tribal and national, and the nation Israel had no existence. The developments among men in Gen 11:1-9 were part of the purpose of God (Deu 32:8); along these lines he had designed that we should be prepared for the coming of his Son, and for the salvation promised. To Abraham God imparted a knowledge of his purpose, and, indeed, of the agent of its accomplishment. (Joh 8:56). When at length the nation Israel was brought into being; it became possible for him to reveal his mind to them with increasing distinctness. To Israel were the promises given, and to them were entrusted the oracles of God (Rom 3:2), in which the promises were enshrined. But that all nations, and not Israel only, were in the mind of God for salvation is plain from each grand division of the scriptures-the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. (Rom 9:25-27; Rom 10:18-21; Rom 15:9-12).]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
the scripture: Gal 3:22, Gal 4:30, Joh 7:38, Joh 7:42, Joh 19:37, Rom 9:17, 2Ti 3:15-17
foreseeing: Act 15:15-18
God: Rom 3:28-30, Rom 9:30
preached: Heb 4:2
In: Gal 3:16, Gen 12:3, Gen 18:18, Gen 22:18, Gen 26:4, Gen 28:14, Gen 49:10, Psa 72:7, Isa 6:13, Isa 65:9, Act 2:25, Act 2:26, Act 2:35, Rev 11:15
Reciprocal: Gen 28:4 – the blessing Isa 8:20 – the law Jer 4:2 – and the nations Dan 8:14 – cleansed Hag 2:7 – and the Zec 8:22 – General Act 3:25 – And in Act 13:39 – by Rom 3:21 – and the Rom 3:26 – and Rom 3:30 – General Rom 4:5 – believeth Rom 4:6 – blessedness Rom 8:33 – It is Rom 16:26 – and by 1Co 6:11 – but ye are justified Gal 3:9 – General 1Ti 5:18 – the scripture 2Ti 3:16 – All Heb 4:6 – they Heb 9:8 – Holy Ghost Jam 2:23 – the scripture Jam 4:5 – the scripture
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gal 3:8. -But the Scripture foreseeing. The particle is transitional (but, not and, as in our version), to urge an additional but different aspect of the same truth (Klotz-Devarius, vol. 2.523),-that there is community of blessing with Abraham, and that this was no novelty. It had been described or foretold at a very early period, for it is found in the inspired record of the patriarch’s life. In the words the Scripture is personified, from the divine power and presence originating and pervading it. The Scripture embodies the mind of God, and that God being omniscient, His Scripture foresees as well as narrates, glances into the future with the same eye as it sweeps round the present or looks back into the past. Prophecy in a book coming from the All-knowing One is as natural as history; but there is no distinction meant here and on this point between divine and human writing (Hofmann). This species of personification is not uncommon in Jewish books. Surenhusius, Bib. Katall. 567; Schoettgen, in loc. vol. 1.732. Rom 4:3; Joh 7:38. The Syriac reads -for because God knew beforehand.
What the Scripture foresaw is-
-that of faith God justifies the nations. The verb is present, not, as Meyer and De Wette argue, because the future time is taken as present, there being no time with the Unchanging One; nor merely, as Alford, because it is God’s one way of justification; nor, as Ellicott, because the reference is to eternal and immutable decrees; nor, as Trana and Bengel, a view from the apostle’s own position: but rather because it is God’s continuous and uniform way of justification, and that by which He may be characterized. The words have the emphasis-that out of which justification springs-faith as opposed to works; for it is of this means or source of justification that the apostle’s quotation and reasoning are a proof. Winer, 40:2; Schmalfeld, 54.
The are supposed by Estius, Alford, and Winer to include all nations-Jew and Gentile, the word being accepted in its widest significance. But we are inclined to take it in its more common and current usage, and therefore that in which it would be most likely understood by those whom the apostle addressed-the signification which it has in Gal 3:14. It there denotes the Gentiles, or other races than the Jews. Not only were his own race to be justified by faith such as his, but races alien to him and his should be justified precisely in the same way. The Scripture notified to Abraham the glad tidings beforehand-,-a word occuring in Philo, but found only here in the New Testament. This early prophetic notification made to Abraham was committed to writing- , and its substance was-
-that there shall be blessed in thee all the nations. This second double compound verb rests on high authority, and it is plural, though in concord with a neuter nominative. Khner, 424, a. is recitative, or introduces the quotation. The words, however, are not found as the apostle quotes them. In the Septuagint occur: Gen 12:3, ; Gen 18:18, . The quotation represents both passages, as it so far combines them. The difficulty lies in the determination of the meaning of .
1. It has been common to take it as meaning virtually in thy seed-thy seed as embodied in thee, and that seed meaning Christ. This view has been held by many, as by OEcumenius and Jerome, and more recently by Estius, Hunnius, Rambach, Bullinger, a-Lapide, Borger, Bagge, and Schott. In that case would signify per, through-through thee, or thy seed springing out of thee. But (1.) the mere words cannot bear this meaning-it is a foreign sense imposed upon them; (2.) it would not sustain the inference of the following verse-blessed with Abraham; (3.) nor would it warrant the language of the 14th verse, in which a certain blessing is called the blessing of Abraham; and (4.) it would forestall the new and peculiar argument of the 16th verse.
2. Nor can the phrase mean, as Calvin, Brown, Semler, Rosenmller, and Baumgarten-Crusius suppose, along with, or in the same manner as; for then the statement of the following verse, so far from being a deduction from this one, would only be a repetition of its sentiment, and the logical link expressed by would be broken. Calvin is content with a reference to Abraham as commune exemplar, and Augustine with an imitatione fidei; while Chrysostom explains by , and that in contrast to their possessing .
3. The meaning, then, seems to be, that Abraham is pictured as the root and representative of all the faithful. They are in him as spiritual children in a spiritual ancestor or federal head, and are therefore included in his blessing-are blessed in him. It is only a quotational illustration of the truth announced in the previous verse. Gwynne, afraid lest the phrase in thee as so explained should lead to theological error, presses the meaning so far down that father of the faithful is only analogous to Jabal, father of such as dwell in tents, Jubal, father of all such as handle the harp. Wieseler understands in thee = having a share in thy blessing, which indeed is the result.
And what is the , blessing, promised or predicted? It does not seem to be merely the reception of the Spirit, that being a result of the blessing, Gal 3:14 (De Wette, Wieseler); nor is it properly salvation as a whole, or the benefits attached to it (Hofmann); but it is specially that blessing which has immediate and uniform connection with faith and righteousness, i.e. justification. The quotation is adduced to prove that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, and it is this phase of blessing which has been since the conclusion of the previous chapter especially before the apostle’s mind, and which he now proceeds more fully to illustrate. It was the free nature of this blessing and its dependence on faith alone which the Judaizers so strenuously and malignantly impugned. The blessing is in contrast also with the curse so soon referred to, and that curse is the penalty of a broken law. The prophecy does not teach that when men wish to bless one another, they shall take Abraham for a proverbial example, and say, God bless thee as He blessed Abraham (Jowett). But God, foreseeing His own gracious and uniform process of justifying the Gentile races through faith, made it known to Abraham, even while disclosing to him the blessing of his own promised and direct posterity. God revealed it, not to some heathen prince or priest, one of the Gentiles himself, but to the father of the Jewish race. He wrapped up blessing for the world in benediction given to the Abrahamids. And the words are surely good tidings, fully warranting the epithet; for they show that the non-Abrahamic races were not utterly cast off, though they were not comprised in the covenant, and that they do not need to seek admission into that covenant by circumcision in order to obtain righteousness before God. It is Abraham’s faith, not Abraham’s blood, which brings them into federal or genetic unity with him.
Fuente: Commentary on the Greek Text of Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Phillipians
Gal 3:8. Scripture foreseeing denotes that God could see ahead what would be done, and caused it to be written in the Scripture. Faith is used in the sense of the faith, a term applied to the New Testament system of religion. Heathen means the Gentiles, who were not included with the Jews under the law of Moses. (See the comments, at chapter 2:9.) The Gentiles were going to be offered justification through the faith, and hence God revealed this beforehand to Abraham. Not in all its details, of course, but the fundamental truth that Jesus would bless all nations (and not the Jews only), was foretold to him in ttie words in thee shall all nations be blessed.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Gal 3:8. The Scripture, personified, as in Gal 3:22, for the author of the Scripture.
Justifieth, now when Paul wrote, and at all times. It is the normal present indicating the only way of Gods justification, and sure accomplishment of his purpose.
Declared beforehand the good tidings. The promise to Abraham was an anticipation of the gospel, i.e., the good tidings of salvation by Christ.
In thee, as the spiritual father. Quotation from two passages (Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18), which are fused into one. The blessing promised includes the whole Christian salvation, which implies justification, i.e., the remission of sins and imputation of Christs merit.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, that because the former consequence from Abraham’s justification to ours, might be questioned whether it holds in the Gentiles, who were not of Abraham’s posterity; therefore the apostle declares, that the greatest promise made to him, was, That in him, that is, in the Messias Christ Jesus, who was to come of him, all nations, Gentiles as well as Jews, should be blessed; God having determined, that all believers indefinitely, of what nation or kindred soever, should be all justified one and the same way, namely, by faith in Christ, without the works of the law. So that all that are of faith, or true believers, whether Gentiles or Jews, do partake of all those benefits and blessings which believing Abraham did partake of, amongst which justification by faith is the chief.
Learn hence, 1. That the gospel is no new doctrine, but the same for substance, though not for clearness, with that which was preached to Abraham and to the church under the Old Testament; The scripture preached before the gospel unto Abraham.
Learn, 2. That the blessing of justification by faith, and of other spiritual favours promised to the nations in Abraham, was such as Abraham himself was a sharer in, and partaker of; they were blessed with faithful Abraham.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. [Gen 12:3]
Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)
Verse 8
All nations; that is, the Gentiles; thus showing that the extension of the offers of salvation beyond the Jewish communion was the design of God from the beginning.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations through faith, preached the gospel before to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all nations be blessed.” (Gen 12:3 “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”)
Here we see the Scripture living and personified. The Scripture foresaw, the Scripture preached and the Scripture said. Now, some would suggest, and rightly so, that the Scripture was not set down in Abraham’s time and it could not preach nor say anything.
We know that the Scriptures were coming via the method of transmission of the day – word of mouth. Abraham told his kids, and they theirs, etc. until Moses sat down at his laptop and started pounding out the Pentateuch.
No, the Scripture did not literally foresee, no the Scripture did not preach nor say anything, but Paul uses this method of illustrating his point.
It is a significant truth however that Scripture was always in God’s plan and was always an integrated part of His working with mankind.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
3:8 {7} And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], {8} In thee shall all nations be {f} blessed.
(7) The third, that all the people that believe are without exception included in the promise of the blessing.
(8) A proof of the first and second grounds, from the words of Moses.
(f) Blessing in this place signifies the free promise by faith.