Galatians

1
Galatians

• Covenant and Promise

2
Review

• We are justified by faith in Christ, not by works
  of the Law
• Proof from Logic
• Proof from Experience
• Proof in the blessing of Abraham and the curse of
  the Law
• Paul now answers some possible objections to his
  proof from the blessing and the curse

3
What objection?

• Remember, in a diatribe, the speaker assumes
  objections from the audience
• The first objection is chronological
• The promise to Abraham came around 1875 BC
• The Law of Moses came around 1445 BC
• Wouldnt the second law supercede the previous
  promise?

4
Promise or Covenant?

• The objection might be valid
• A Law certainly is more enforceable than a
  promise
• But was the promise to Abraham only a promise or
  could it be covenant?

5
A Covenant

• Covenant
• A treaty, binding agreement, contract
• Gal 315
• Even a human covenant, once ratified,
• Cannot be changed or altered
• Cannot be added to
• So if Abraham received a covenant, then the Law
  could not change that covenant
• But was it a covenant or a promise?

6
Promises

• Gal 316
• Several promises were made to Abraham and to his
  seed (Gen 12, 14, 15 17, 22)
• And since that seed is singular, it refers to
  Christ as the fulfillment, not the Jewish nation
• A promise is only as good as the promise-maker
• But in Abrahams case, God is the maker

7
A promise and a covenant

• Gal 317
• A subsequent law cant invalidate a previously
  ratified covenant
• When did the promise become a covenant?

8
Genesis 15

• Gen 151-6
• God had made a promise to Abram
• The promise included descendants
• But Abram had no children
• Could Gods promise be defeated by lack of
  children?
• God promises children to Abram
• Abram believes God
• Since the promise only required action by God,
  Abram felt secure

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Genesis 15

• Gen 157-8
• God promises land to Abrams descendants
• Will they really possess it?
• This promise may require something from the
  descendants -- belief and obedience (Jer 189-10)
• So there is no guarantee
• Not doubting God or His promise
• Doubting his own descendants piety

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Genesis 15

• Gen 159-11
• God condescends to Abrams level
• God has Abram prepare a covenant ceremony
• The ceremony is documented in the Mari letters as
  a way for a Great king and an inferior king
  to ratify a covenant

11
The covenant ceremony

• Animals were cut in half
• One animal usually sufficient
• Two animals to make it even more serious
• A 3 animal ceremony is mentioned, but the king
  refused because consequences too great

12
The covenant ceremony

• Animals were cut in half
• Carcasses were laid out in two rows
• Between the rows, the blood would mingle
• Blood of the covenant
• Parties would state their duties
• Then walk through the blood together
• Symbolizing they would die if they broke the
  covenant (Jer 3418-20)

Blood
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Gods covenant

• Has Abram cut 5 animals
• No recorded precedent for 5
• But if 2 is more serious than one, and 3 is
  extremely serious
• Then the meaning of 5 is abundantly clear

14
Gods covenant

• Has Abram cut 5 animals
• God does not appear to walk through blood with
  Abram
• God states His duties (Gen 1512-16)
• Then God walks through the blood alone (Gen
  1517-21)
• He alone took responsibility for the covenant, if
  it failed, then He was not God

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Back to Galatians 317

• The Law came 430 years after the promise
• The promise had been ratified by a covenant (Heb
  613-18)
• Therefore, the Law could not change or replace
  the promise
• Therefore, the promise (and its attached
  blessing) is superior to the Law (and its
  attached curse)

16
Consequences

• Gal 318
• If salvation were based on works of the Law, then
  it could not be the result of the promise (which
  was based on Abrahams faith)
• But since salvation is based on the promise (and
  the covenant), then it cant be based on works of
  the Law

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