Commentary on Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians Timothy Titus and Philemon John Calvin (continued)
CHAPTER 3
ture, leaves nothing to men but condemnation; for all men, with their works, are pronounced to be unrighteous: who then shall live by the law?'' He alludes to these words, ``He who shall do these things, shall live in them.'' (Leviticus 18:5.) Shut out by it, says he, from life through guilt, in vain should we seek salvation by the law. --- The word translated all ({τὰ} {πάντα}) signifies all things, and conveys more than if he had said all men; for it embraces not only men, but every thing which they possess or can accomplish.
That the promise by faith. There is no remedy but to throw away the righteousness of works, and betake ourselves to the faith of Christ. The result is certain. If works come into judgment, we are all condemned; therefore we obtain, by the faith of Christ, a free righteousness. This sentence is full of the highest consolation. It tells us that, wherever we hear ourselves condemned in Scripture, there is help provided for us in Christ, if we betake ourselves to him. We are lost, though God were silent: why then does he so often pronounce that we are lost? It is that we may not perish by everlasting destruction, but, struck and confounded by such a dreadful sentence, may by faith seek Christ, through whom we ``pass from death into life.'' (1 John 3:14.) By a figure of speech, ({μετωνυμία},) in which the thing containing is put for the thing contained, the promise denotes that which is promised.
Galatians 3:23-29
Galatians 3:23-29
23. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
23. Antequam autem veniret fides, sub Lege custodiebamur, conclusi sub fidem, quae revelanda erat.
24. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
24. Itaque Lex paedagogus noster fuit in Christum, ut ex fide justificaremur. 25. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 25. Adveniente autem fide, non amplius sub paedagogo sumus. 26. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 26. Nam omnes filii Dei estis per fidem in Christo Iesu. 27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 27. Siquidem quicunque in Christum baptizati estis, Christum induistis. 28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
28. Non est Iudaeus neque Graecus, non est servus neque liber, non est masculus neque femina; onmes enim vos unus estis in Christo Iesu.
29. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
29. Si autem vos Christi, ergo semen Abrahae estis, et secundum promis-