Before faith came, we were held in custody under law, confined for the faith that was to be revealed. 24 Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a disciplinarian. 26 For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendant, heirs according to the promise.
The Mosaic Law was divinely ordained in order to protect us until we were made aware of freedom in Christ. The Law had temporarily constrained the Jews and was their disciplinarian until faith came through Jesus Christ in whom all who had faith were justified; “For Christ is the end of the law for the justification of everyone who has faith (Rom. 10:4). Now, we are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus, so the Law is no longer needed. Baptism results from faith and through it we achieve union with Christ and become a new self (Eph. 4:24), a new creation in Christ (Gal. 6:15). The community of believers forms one body in Christ (Rom 12:5), but each part of the Body has a different function (1 Cor. 12:27-30). Paul presented the Galatians with a universal view of mankind. If they remained in Christ, they would be the true descendants of Abraham, and true heirs to the promise of God which was the gift of the Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:14).
Almighty God, through Baptism, we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, and through his suffering, death, and resurrection we are justified and reconciled to you. Grant us the grace to remain in Christ as he remains in you so that we may be brought to everlasting life and share in your glory with the Patriarchs, the prophets, the saints, and all who have fulfilled your will. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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