schoolmaster
(Greek - παιδαγωγός , "child-conductor)." "among the Greeks and Romans, persons, for the most part slaves, who had it in charge to educate and give constant attendance upon boys till they came of age."--H.A.W. Meyer. The argument does not turn upon the extent or nature of the pedagogue's authority, but upon the fact that it wholly ceased when the "child" Galatians 4:1 became a; Song of Solomon 1:1 ; Galatians 4:1-6 when the minor became an adult. The adult "son" does voluntarily that which formerly he did in fear of the pedagogue. But even if he does not, it is no longer a question between the son and the pedagogue (the law), but between the son and his Father--God. (Cf); Hebrews 12:5-10 ; 1 John 2:1 ; 1 John 2:2 .
Context Summary
Galatians 3:20-29 - The Law Leads To Christ
The Mosaic law was not designed to be the final code of the religious life, but to prepare the soil of the human heart to receive Jesus Christ in all the fullness of His salvation. It was the tutor of the Hebrew people, to enable them to become the religious teachers of mankind. It could not, therefore, take the place of the great covenant of grace, which had been initiated with Abraham before he had received the rite of circumcision, and when he thus stood for all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile. The mistake of those against whom Paul contended was that they treated as permanent a system which was temporary and parenthetic in its significance.
With many individuals now, as with the Hebrew race, there is often a period in which the conscience is confronted with the holy demands of God's law, which men cannot keep; but when they discover the full grace of God in Christ, they no longer suffer at the hand of the schoolmaster, but become as children in the Father's home. They put on Christ and stand accepted in the Beloved, and understand that they are in unity with all who believe. Theirs are all the promises that were made to Abraham, and as his spiritual children they claim their fulfillment. [source]
Chapter Summary: Galatians 3
1He asks what moved them to leave the faith, and hold onto the law 6Those who believe are justified, 9and blessed with Abraham 10And this he shows by many reasons 15The purpose of the Law 26You are sons of God
What do the individual words in Galatians 3:25 mean?
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: πίστις
Sense: conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, generally with the included idea of trust and holy fervour born of faith and joined with it.