Chapter 3 vs 11-20

Contrast of Law and Faith

Vs 11 Now that no one is justified ( s.c. de, "now" + c.c. o[ti "that" + adj N M S ouvdei,j oudeis "no one" + P P I 3s dikaio,w dikaioo "is justified; is made righteous") by the Law (prep w/ I M S evn no,moj "by (means of) law" ) before God is evident; ( prep w/ D M S w/d.a. para, o` qeo,j "before the God" + adj N N S dh/loj delos "is evident") for, "THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." ( s.c. (introduces a quotation) o[ti "because" + adj N M S w/d.a. (used as a substantive) o` di,kaioj "the righteous man" + F M I 3s za,w dzao "shall live" + prep w/Ab F S evk pi,stij "out from (source) faith")

Vs 12 However, the Law is not of faith; ( s.c. de. "however" + N M S w/d.a. o` no,moj "the Law" + neg ptcl w/ P A I 3s ouv eivmi, "is not" + prep w/ Ab F S evk pi,stij "out from faith") on the contrary, ( strong advers avlla, "but") "HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM." ( A A P N M S w/d.a. o` poie,w "the one having done" + Ac N 3p pro auvto,j "them" + F M I 3s za,w "shall live" + prep w/ I N 3p pro evn auvto,j "by (means of) them")

Not only does the Law pronounce a curse on anyone who does not keep every aspect of it, it even testifies that righteousness comes from faith, not legal requirements.
He has used the example of Abraham to show +R comes by faith, now he uses the very Law the Judaizers (falsely) used to show it is a permanent principle.
Just as Abraham, before the giving of the Mosaic Law, had been justified by faith, so in Habakkuks day, after the Law, faith was the key to +R.
The Present Indicative of "justified" emphasizes what was occurring as this letter was being written it did not happen then, it does not happen now.
One must not think the Law did nothing but condemn, it showed the way to salvation: faith.
If someone tried to keep every commandment, he would be driven to despair of self-salvation; the Law (used here in the sense of the Old Testament) would show the correct approach.
Dt 27:26, quoted above, proves that justification cannot be by the Law, while Hab 2:4b proves it must be by faith. cp Rm 1:17
Law and faith are mutually exclusive:

to live by law is to live by self-effort, which leads to failure and condemnation
to live by faith is to respond to Gods grace and results in justification.

The quote from Habakkuk shows once again that even in the Age of Israel, under the Mosaic Law, the way of salvation was the same by faith.
In the original setting, God answers the prophets lament over the cruel tyranny of the Babylonian oppressors.

Habakkuk asked if God would allow them to "keep on mercilessly slaying nations indefinitely?"
the Divine response was that judgement "will come, it will not delay" (the millstone of God grinds slowly, but it grinds exceedingly fine.)
in the meantime let the righteous man wait in faith for his vindication.

While the Judaizers appealed only to the Scriptures that documented their position, Paul continues to appeal to the harmony of Scripture, a basic principle of hermeneutics.
"Life" refers to Eternal Life, the state of never being separated from God.
Being justified (and therefore +R) is a legal term which refers to a man having been declared righteous, or innocent of wrongdoing it is not a moral or ethical status but a positional one.
Since it is by faith that we became +R, it is by that faith that we will live forever.
It is clear that Jesus is not included in the no one since He perfectly kept the Law, and therefore did not come under the curse of Dt 27:26.
So Paul says that the fact no one is justified by the Law before God is evident, clear, plain, or manifest.
Man may convince himself that legalism is the proper approach to God, but his efforts still fail to produce justification.
Paul here only uses the verse in its Ph1 aspect, while the author of Hebrews uses it in its fullest extent: Ph2 ramifications for Ph3. Heb 10:38 "But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
The reward of being +R is eternal life; the reward of being adjusted in Ph2 is great eternal reward.
This is the sense Jesus used in Lk 21:19. "By your endurance you will gain your lives."
To counter the probable claim of the Judaizers that one exercises faith in the Law for salvation, Paul points out that law and faith are exact opposites.
If a righteous man lives by faith (Hab 2:4), and another man lives by the precepts of the Law (Lev 18:5), what status does the latter man have?
The statement "the Law is not of faith" indicates that the Law is not based on saving faith, i.e. it was never intended to save.
In a very real sense, Lev 18:5 is a reference to Jesus, because of the Aorist Participle "having done" and the Future Indicative "will live".
Because Jesus kept the Law perfectly, He was raised from the dead, never to see death again.
It is only after having kept all the commandments of the Law that a man can live as a result of keeping them he has no right to live eternally until he has done so throughout his life.
Having already established that mental attitude sins are equally as sinful as overt sins, Jesus commanded the disciples "You shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect" how could they attain that perfection using the impossible demand of the Mosaic Law for 100% compliance without a single failure? Mt 5:48
If a man fails in the smallest application of the Law, he falls under the curse; once cursed he cannot be redeemed by the Law.
The only option left is faith.
A current example would be a denomination that teaches salvation by faith in Christ, plus water baptism, plus weekly observance of the Lords Table if you miss one weeks communion, or if you fail to be baptized, logically you are not saved.
Paul makes reference to this verse again in Rm 10:5 "For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on law shall live by that righteousness."
For those who kept the commands of the Law, certain blessings in life were promised, as in Dt 28:1f.
However, this did not guarantee eternal life, only blessings in the physical life.
In addition, because we have Adams sin imputed to us as his children, we start out in the cursed status.
We can never recover from that status by our own merits, we must rely on Christ, which is faith in His ability to save us.
So Moses was not advocating salvation by works either, he was showing the impossibility of anyone except Messiah being able to keep "all the things written in the book of the Law".
The Law commands "achieve perfection and live" while the gospel proclaims "it is done perfectly, believe and live".
If the legal acts cannot bring +R to unbelievers, why would they be necessary for those who have already believed and become +R?
Like all legalists, the Judaizers developed pride in their observance of the Laws requirements, instead of becoming more aware of their violations of it.

The Solution to the Curse of Law

Vs 13 Christ redeemed us ( N M S Cristo.j "Christ" + A A I 3s evxagora,zw exagoradzo "set free; redeemed" + Ac 1p pro evgw "us" ) from the curse of the Law, (prep w/ Ab F S evk h` kata,ra "out from (removal) the curse" + G M S w/d.a. o` no,moj "of the law") having become a curse for us( A D P N M S gi,nomai ginomai "having become" + N F S kata,ra "a curse" + prep w/ G 1p pro u`pe.r evgw, "on behalf of us" ) for it is written, (s.c. o[ti "because; for" + Pf P I 3s gra,fw "it has been written" ) "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE" ( N M S adj evpikata,ratoj epikataratos "cursed" + N M S pa/j "everyone" + P M P N M S w/d.a. o` krema,nnumi kremannumi "who is hanging" + prep w/G N S evpi, xu,lon epi zulon "upon a tree/wood/scaffold")

"Christ" is in the emphatic position in the Greek, since it was His action alone that redeemed, or set free from slavery, those who believe in Him.
Paul introduces the concept of redemption, referring to the slavery to sin every man experiences before salvation.
Whether the sins are manifested as gruesome acts of evil or overt piety, mankind cannot produce Divine Good before salvation, and "whatever is not from faith is sin". Rm 14:23
Every person is born with a genetically transmitted Sin Nature, and Adams Original Sin is imputed to every Sin Nature at birth.
Though we did not commit Adams sin of eating of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, that sin is put into our sin account because we are Adams children. Rm 5:19 "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous."
Christ was born apart from sin:

via the virgin birth He received no STA
as a newborn He was born spiritually alive
He lived apart from personal sin in perfect conformity to the +R of the Law.
He was, therefore, never a slave to sin.

Following the analogy of slavery, He alone (as a freeman) was able to provide emancipation for mankind.
Because of the Aorist Participle, we know that it was only after His "having become a curse for us" that He was able to redeem us.
That emancipation is freedom from "the curse of the Law", which curse is experiential +R or eternal condemnation.
Those who are slaves to sin are incapable of providing for their own emancipation, since they have nothing to offer to pay for their release.
To redeem us "from the curse of the Law" Christ had to Himself become a curse, which He did when He bore the sins of the world in His own body on a cross/tree. 1Pt 2:24 "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed"
Paul makes reference to and quotes a section of Dt 21:22-23, and applies the verse to Jesus crucifixion.
Under the Mosaic Law the worst offenders were to be killed and their corpse placed on a tree for public display, but it was not to be left overnight. cp Jsh 8:29a "He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening; and at sunset Joshua gave command and they took his body down from the tree"
However, the Jews did not hang men alive, as was the custom of the Gentiles (Assyrians, Babylonians, Romans, Medieval Europe), only their corpses were displayed, and that only for one day.
Both Dt 27:26 and 21:23 share a common word "cursed", and in both cases the individual is cursed by God.
Even though His death on the cross was His supreme act of obedience to God, he came under Gods curse while bearing the penalty of sin. cp Php 2:8 "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
But it was not simply the humiliation and physical agony of death by crucifixion, horrific as that was; it was the fact that God the Father punished Him for the sins of all mankind that removed sin as an issue.
His work on the cross removes sin as an issue before God, and leaves God free to justify the one who believes, without violating His +R/J. 2Co 5:21 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Paul, after his conversion, worked out the seemingly impossible situation of Messiah being both supremely blessed of God and cursed by God. cp Isa 53
This is why the gospel remains a stumbling block to the Jews at large.
The verb evxagora,zw exagoradzo is used here and in 4:5 to indicate redemption out from something.
The simple form avgora,zw agoradzo is used in 1Co 6:20 and 7:23 "you were bought with a price".
The price was the spiritual death and suffering for the sins of mankind, and the payment was made to God under the Doctrine of Propitiation. cp 1Jn 2:2 "and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world."
While Gentiles were not under the Law in the same sense as the Jews, they too were required to achieve +R before they could be saved from the curse of sin. cp Rm 2:14 "For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,"
Paul correctly understands the place of the Law in Gods dealings with man.

The Promise to Abraham is for All Believers

Vs 14 in order that in Christ Jesus ( sub con i[na hina (purpose) "so that; in order that" + prep w/ L M S (sphere) evn Cristo,j VIhsou/j en Christos Iesus "in Christ Jesus" (Curr Pos Tr) ) the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, ( N F S w/d.a. h` euvlogi,a he eulogia "the blessing" + G M S w/d.a. o` VAbraa,m ho Abraam "of Abraham" + A D S 3s gi,nomai ginomai "might come" + prep w/ Ac N P eivj to. e;qnoj eis to ethnos "unto the nations/Gentiles") so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. ( sub con i[na "so that; in order that" + A A S 1p lamba,nw lambano "we might receive" + Ac F S w/d.a. h` evpaggeli,a he epaggelia "the promise" + G N S w/d.a. to. pneu/ma to pneuma "of the spirit" (I H S ) + prep w/ G F S w/d.a. dia, h` pi,stij dia he pistis "through the faith" ) corrected translation per Greek word order "in order that unto the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham might come in Christ Jesus, in order that the promise of the Spirit we might receive through the faith"

The English word order loses the emphasis and direction of the literal Greek word order.
"Unto the Gentiles" is in the emphatic position, which deflates the claims of the Judaizers that in order to be right in Gods eyes one must become a child of Abraham (according to their definition) or at least a proselyte to Judaism.
"The blessing of Abraham" is not a reference to the physical or temporal blessings he received, but the blessing of justification by faith.
As Abraham believed for +R, so we can now believe in the promise of Christ for our own salvation.
The blessing of justification is not put into place via legal works, exactly the opposite: works come into being via faith and faithful living.
Through RAPT, just as Jesus Christ suffered under the Law, having become a curse for us, we also suffered the penalty of the Law (death) and now walk in the same Spirit as the resurrected Lord. Rm 8:1f
This is the blessing promised Abraham and all other OT saints that Messiah would remove their sins. Isa 53:5-6 "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him."
This blessing is a potential blessing, dependent upon Ph1 positive volition.
Because we are "in Christ" we share this blessing with Abraham those outside the Body of Christ are still under the curse of Law.
It is in the sphere of Current Positional Truth, our identification and position in Christ, that we receive our Ph2 +R unto justification/redemption.
Before the Day of Pentecost, believers did not have the Indwelling Holy Spirit, although they could be filled with Him. Jn 14:16 cp Ps 51:10
It is the IHS that sets us apart, as Church Age believers, from the rest of humanity, saved and unsaved when we became believers, we received the added benefit of the Holy Spirit permanently residing in our bodies. Eph 1:13-14 "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory."
So this verse sets forth the purpose for which Christ redeemed believers from the curse of the Law.
To purpose clauses introduced by i[na hina express the purpose of Christs redemptive death.
The first clause makes a statement about the salvation adjustment as it relates to the Gentiles.
As the Gentiles are justified by faith (as was Abraham), they are made sons of Abraham by faith, and receive the promised indwelling Holy Spirit by faith. 2Co 6:16 "just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE."
Interestingly, this verse is quoted from Ex 29:45, but in the Hebrew it is "I will dwell among them/in their midst"; while Paul, under the ministry of the HS, changes it to "I will dwell in them"
The implication is clear: since the Galatians (and all other C.A. bels) had already received the promise of blessing in Christ, why would they desire to place themselves under the yoke of law?
The answer is found in mans sin nature, and its attempts to find pride and self-justification in deeds of the flesh as if we deserve the blessings God gives us.

A Fortiori Argument

Vs 15 Brethren, ( V M P avdelfo,j adelphos "brethren" ) I speak in terms of human relations: ( P A I 1s le,gw lego "I speak" + prep w/ Ac M S kata, a;nqrwpoj kata anthropos "according to man" ) even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, ( adv o[mwj homos "even; nevertheless" + Ac F S diaqh,kh diatheke "a covenant" + G M S a;nqrwpoj anthropos "of a man" + Pf P P Ac F S kuro,w kuroo "having been put into effect") no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. (neg pro N M S ouvdei,j oudeis "no one" + P A I 3s avqete,w atheteo "breaks it; sets it aside; makes it invalid" + c.c. h; "or" + P M I 3s (1x) evpidiata,ssomai epidiatassomai "adds to; introduces a codicil (to a will))

Paul lightens his tone, referring to his readers now not as "ignorant" but as fellow believers "brothers".
Scripture does not teach the universal brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God we become children of God through faith in Christ, and thereby constitute the most important family relationship of all, the Royal Family.
He has gotten their attention and caused them to focus on how they were misapplying, now is the time to gently bring them back to reality.
Again, there is a time and a place for everything a time to be forcefully direct and a time to gently admonish.
Paul is arguing from the lesser example to the greater (Latin = a fortiori): if mere men recognize this principle, how much more so does God?
Paul is setting up an analogy to judicial practice with which the Galatians would be well aware.
If the Judaizers want to appeal to law, Paul can easily do so also, especially with a particularly appropriate judicial analogy.
Principle: often we can find the falsehood in an opponents argument by arguing with him instead of against him. (follow his line of argument and the error will become apparent)
In this section, Paul will show the true purpose of the Law not for justification but to show us the inherent inability of legal works satisfying the requirements of God.
First he will deal with the place of the Mosaic Law within the covenant of God and Abraham.
The term translated "covenant" (diaqh,kh diatheke) should be taken in its original meaning of an arrangement or settlement drawn up and legally binding, between two parties.
There are two types of covenants between God and man:

conditional "if you keep your part, I will keep My part" Dt 28:1 "Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth"
unconditional "I will do My part, no matter what" Gen 12:2 "And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing"

A brief description of covenants includes:

Eternal Heb 13:20 (conditional between the Father and the Son; redemption of man based on the work of Christ)
Edenic Gen 2:16-17 (conditional)
Adamic Gen 3:16-19 (unconditional includes the woman)
Noahic Gen 9:9f (unconditional)
Abrahamic Gen 15:18 (unconditional)
Isaac Gen 26:3-5 (unconditional based on Abrahams obedience)
Jacob Gen 28:13f (unconditional)
Mosaic Ex 19:5, 24:7 (conditional for the Jews only)
Davidic 2Sm 7:12; Ps 89:3 (unconditional cp 89:33f )
Messianic Ps 110 (unconditional)
New Covenant to the Church Lk 22:20 (unconditional)
New Covenant to Israel Jer 31:31-34 (unconditional Millennial reign)

An unconditional covenant is one in which God agrees with, or swears by, Himself to uphold the conditions of that covenant.
Hence we are under the New Covenant of the Blood of Christ He will do whatever is necessary to keep all the conditions of it.
Since God placed no conditions on His promise to Abraham, that promise is still in effect, whether a later covenant was established or not; His covenant with Abraham was made immutable and unchanging.
God is immutable, He does not change His Word or mind. 1Sam 15:29 "Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind."
If a covenant or contract between men cannot be changed after it has been ratified ( Pf P P kuro,w kuroo) how could it be possible that the Immutable God would add a condition of legal works to His promise of +R by faith?
The attitude of the legalists was that the giving of the ML changed the basis for mans entrance into justification, both Ph1 and Ph2 Paul shows this is not the normal or even human way of things.
Indeed, if the way of justification had changed from faith to law, what did that say for Gods integrity towards Abraham?
In other words, they were saying that grace had been a temporary measure allowed until God could give the more perfect system the Mosaic Law.
While Paul acknowledges that the ML had its place and function (v 19), it is impossible for the Law to replace the Unconditional Abrahamic Covenant already established for Abraham and his seed.
The Mosaic Law was the legal system to be used by the nation of Israel (just like our Constitution); it outlined the perfect legal requirements of a +R God, but did not have any provision for individual salvation unless it was perfectly maintained.
Neither did it cover mental attitude applications, but gave specific examples designed to illustrate what ones attitude should be. cp Ex 23:4-5
A solemn ceremony had been used to guarantee the absolute certainty of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, as described in Gen 15.
Historically, an especially solemn covenant was ratified by a similar ceremony:

sacrificial animals were cut into two parts along the backbone
they were placed in two rows, facing each other across a space marked off between them, representing each partys obligations under the covenant
the two parties would then walk together between the rows, representing their agreement to the conditions and to confirm their promises in the covenant
the blood of the animals made the covenant undeniable and sacred

In this case, however, one important exception occurred God alone passed between the pieces of the animals, signifying that He alone was responsible to keep the promises of that covenant.
This is what the author of Hebrews meant in Heb 6:13-14 "For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply you."
This verse and others completely deny the heresy that God has set aside His covenant with the children of Abraham to be His chosen people because they rejected their Messiah, and has replaced them with the Church God cannot renege on His promises to them in any way. cp Rm 11:1-5

The Recipients of the Promise

Vs 16 Now the promises were spoken (h.c. de, "now" + N F P h` evpaggeli,a he epangelia "the promises" + A P I 3s ei=pon eipon "were spoken" ) to Abraham and to his seed. ( D M S w/d.a. o` VAbraa.m "to Abraham" + c.c. kai. "and" + D M S w/d.a. to. spe,rma to sperma "the seed" + G M 3s pro auvto,j "of him; his") He does not say, ( neg ptcl w/ P A I 3s ouv le,gw ou lego "He does not say") "And to seeds," as referring to many, (c.c. kai, "and" + D N P w/d.a. to. spe,rma "to the seeds" + sub adv con w`j "as" + prep w/ G N P evpi, polu,j epi polus "upon many") but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. ( str advers avlla, - alla "but" + sub adv con w`j "as" + prep w/ G N S card num evpi, ei-j epi heis "upon one" + c.c. kai, "and" + D N S w/d.a. to. spe,rma "the seed" + G 2s pro su, "of you; your" + rel pro o[j "which" + P A I 3s eivmi, "is" + N M S Cristo,j "Christ" )

Paul continues to draw on his reference to the contracts of men, and to argue from the lesser to the greater between which parties was the covenant established?
He draws attention to the covenant with Abraham, and those who would share in its blessings.
"The promises" refers to the various clauses that make it up, including:

a great nation Israel in the Millennium will cover all the land currently held by Saudi Arabia and its neighbors
land Abraham lived without a permanent home, but he will receive all of Palestine as his new country
a famous name/reputation his is one of the most recognized, among Christians and non-Jews alike
special protection for him and his heirs despite all efforts, his descendants cannot be extinguished
innumerable racial descendants he is known as the father of the Jews and Arabs alike
sexual prosperity in his old age he received the ability to procreate, having children by Hagar, Sarah, and Keturah
innumerable spiritual descendants Gentiles justified by faith throughout the dispensations
a messianic descendant Jesus son of David Ac 13:23 "From the offspring of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus,"
blessing in general both in time and Ph3 he was blessed by God

The majority of these promises were not realized in his lifetime, but via resurrection Abraham will see all the promises fulfilled.
Jesus Christ is his Heir preeminent and the One through whom all the promises are secured.
Without faith in Christ Jesus, the promises cannot be fulfilled for an individual; anyone who does not belong to Him will die and be unable to participate. 1Jn 2:25 "And this is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life."
Paul says the promises were made to Abraham and his seed, which he interprets as singularly fulfilled in Christ/Messiah.
The word "seed" can be translated as either a plural or collective singular. cp Jn 8:37 "I know that you are Abraham's offspring; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you."
But here Paul uses it in its most restrictive sense, that of the preeminent Son of Abraham, Jesus Christ (and includes all those who are in Him through faith). Rm 9:6-9
In Gen 3:15 the Hebrew word "seed" ([r;z< - zera ) is used in the same way, as a singular offspring. "And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise Him on the heel."
Via our position in Christ, we therefore also participate in the promises made to Abraham and Jesus. 3:29
Since the majority of the promises await complete fulfillment in the Millennial Age, they can be only for believers (although they were fulfilled in a limited sense in time).
God has "waited" to fulfill the promises of the Covenants so that we, as Church Age believers and the Bride of Christ, can also participate in them. Heb 11:39-40 "And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect."
Because of Gods Immutability and Veracity, His promises are assured of fulfillment, though in His perfect timing, not necessarily immediately.
By waiting for Him to fulfill His promise we grow in our faith and patience. Heb 6:11-15
He also refers back to vs 7, wherein he says only believers are the true sons of Abraham. cp Jn 8:39 "They answered and said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham."
Paul is using the singular seed (spe,rma sperma) as a reference to a single physical descendant, as opposed to a collective singular referring to all physical descendants (Ishmael, others listed in Gen 25).
The Abrahamic Covenant is validated through the single Seed, Jesus Christ, who fulfills every promise; past, present, and future. Rm 15:8-9a "For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy;"
If, as the Judaizers claimed, legal restrictions were necessary for fulfillment of justification before God, the very promises spoken to Abraham became null and void. Rm 4:13-14 "For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;"
Abraham realized the fulfillment of the promises rested entirely on God, and exercised his faith toward the One who would complete those promises. Rm 4:19-22
The Judaizers still refused to accept the fact that Gentiles had equal access to the Plan of God without reference to the ML, even though the very Scripture they purported to live by made it clear that was the nature of the promises.
As it was then, so it is now: many of those who claim to speak for Christianity place restrictions on who can become a believer one must first become righteous before God will accept him.
But Paul makes it clear that in the Age of Fulfillment there is no difference between one category of people and another. cp Eph 3:6 "that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,"
The promises of the Mosaic Law (Dt 28) make no provision for eternal blessings, only temporal and national blessing the promises of the New Covenant provide for both. Heb 8:6 "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises."
The next great promise for the seed of Abraham is the Parousia of the Lord, which we should hold to as surely as Abraham held to the promise that "through Isaac your descendants will be named" 2Pt 3:3-9

The Law Is a Newcomer, Not an Amendment

Vs 17 What I am saying is this: (Ac N S rel pro ou-toj houtos "this"+ c.c. de, - de "now" + le,gw lego "I am saying") the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, (N M S w/d.a. o` no,moj ho nomos "the law" + Pf A P N M S gi,nomai - ginomai "having come into being" + prep w/ Ac N P meta, tetrako,sioi kai. tria,konta e;toj "after four hundred and thirty years) does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, (neg w/ P A I 3s ouvk avkuro,w akuroo "does not invalidate" + Ac F S diaqh,kh diatheke "a covenant" + Pf P P Ac F S prokuro,w prokuroo "having been ratified beforehand" + prep w/ G M S w/d.a. u`po, o` qeo,j hupo ho theos "by the God" ) so as to nullify the promise. (prep w/ A A IF w/d.a. eivj to. katarge,w eis to katargeo "as far as to nullify" + Ac F S w/d.a. h` evpaggeli,a he epangelia "the promise" )

Vs 18 For (sub con ga,r gar "for") if (cond ptcl eiv ei 1^st class cond - debater's if - "if, and suppose its true") the inheritance is based on law, (N F S klhronomi,a kleronomia "the inheritance" + prep w/ Ab M S evk no,moj ek nomos "from law" (means)) it is no longer based on a promise (adv ouvke,ti ouketi "no longer" + prep w/ Ab F S evk evpaggeli,a epangelia "from a promise" (means)); but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. (sup con de, "but; and yet" + N M S w/ d.a. o` qeo,j "the God" + Pf D I 3s cari,zomai charidzomai "has granted/bestowed" +D M S w/d.a. o` VAbraa.m "to Abraham" + prep w/ G F S dia, evpaggeli,a "through promise")

Paul reaches his conclusion and applies the analogy of vs 15, arguing from the lesser (the covenants of man) to the greater (the covenant or promise of God).
If men are expected to keep the promises they make, then it is even more true that God keeps His promises.
Even the Abrahamic Covenant did not establish the principle of justification by faith, rather it verified that principle as already in force (since the Fall, salvation had only been granted based on faith). Heb 11:4f
He uses two Perfect Participles to indicate that the results of both the promise and the Law are still in effect.

the Abrahamic Covenant was made to Abraham based on promise, and still is in the state of having been ratified and in effect.
the Mosaic Law, being the perfect expression of Gods +R, still is that perfect expression, and still is to be used for what it was intended a guide to identify and avoid sin

In vs 16 he used the plural of "promises" to include all the promises given to Abraham based on his faith; here he uses the singular "promise" to point to the essence of the promise a coming Messiah, who would also be his descendant.
The Judaizers would set aside justification by faith and place all men under a system of faith plus works for salvation and Ph2 adjustment.
But if the ML replaced justification by faith, the promises to Abraham and his seed (singular and plural) would have been set aside and invalidated, and God would have been a liar.
Principle: legalism is illogical at best, and blasphemous in the extreme.
Just as man cannot keep perfectly the requirements of the Law, God cannot fail to keep the promises related to faith.
The 430 years date from the giving of the Abrahamic Covenant (1875 BC Abram was 75 Gen 12:4) through the giving of the Mosaic Law (1445 BC)
The statement of the timeframe is extremely important; the Law was a newcomer and could not have even been an element of the promise given and ratified earlier law and grace have nothing in common.
Jesus used the same reasoning in reference to the Mosaic Law and marriage, in Mk 10:5-9.
The conclusion is obvious: while the ML is still the standard of adjusted overt living in Ph2, it cannot be used as a "new" standard of attaining +R, either Ph1 or Ph2; that comes through justification by faith.
The singular "inheritance" is a reference to the eternal possession we have been promised as believers.
Specifically it denotes the position which Abraham possessed through faith in the coming Messiah, and by extension the position we possess through faith that He came.
It also includes the normal blessings of heaven and our eternal blessings for applications during Ph2.
Although the Ph2 aspect of inheritance is based on faith + works, those works are the result of faith in the promise of reward. Heb 10:35 "Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward" Heb 11:35 " and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection;"
Paul uses these two mutually exclusive systems to receive the inheritance to further disprove that law, any system of legal works, can fulfill the requirements to bring about our inheritance.
By definition, an inheritance is not something earned, only received.
The only requirement to be a beneficiary under the promise is faith in Christ, and Abraham is the conclusive test case.
He uses a precise word for "granted" (cari,zomai charidzomai "to give as a free gift") as opposed to the normal word for "give" (didwmi didomi).
This word refers not to an understanding based on mutual agreement (as with the Mosaic Law), but upon the free act of one who gives something in grace expecting nothing in return.
God desires us to come to a full knowledge of the truth (2Ti 2:4), and indeed He expects it of all men, but He does not mitigate His bestowal of justification based on anything we may or may not do.
God did not just give the gift of justification to Abraham, He gave it generously and in full measure it was not a partial justification, but above and beyond in its scope.
The root of this word is cari,j charis and has the idea of a gift given based purely on the gracious attitude of the giver, not on the merit of the recipient.
Neither is it a gift the giver is obligated to give, but one made in grace.
The Perfect tense also indicates the nature of that granting it was made and the results still exist; Abraham was, is, and ever will be in a state of justification, and the newer Law can have no effect on that promised gift.
Since the promise came from God, there is no possibility He will break that promise or place additional restrictions on it.
If the Law affects the promise in any way, it renders it null and void so salvation must rest either upon the promise or upon the law.
The Judaizers claimed the inheritance was based on keeping the Mosaic Law (or at least the portions they deemed necessary), and it therefore belonged to those who lived under its requirements, i.e. the Jewish people, without reference to faith.
But since it is based on the promise made to Abraham generations before the giving of the Law, the Law cannot affect it.
Principle: the commandments or traditions of men cannot affect our relationship with God, Ph1 or Ph2, since we have already entered into that relationship completely.
Those who are still under the curse of the Law cannot be heirs, no matter how much they work if they are the promise of inheritance to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all others who lived before the Law is made null and void. Rm 4:14 "For if those who are of the Law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise is nullified;"
Having shown what purpose the Law was not intended, Paul now explains the real reason for the giving of the Mosaic Law.

Why the Law?

Galatians 3:19 Why the Law then? ( inter ti,j tis "why; what purpose" + infer ou=n oun "then; therefore" + N M S w/d.a. o` no,moj ho nomos "the Law" w/ d.a. a reference to the Mosaic Law specific from all others) ) It was added because of transgressions,( A P I 3s prosti,qhmi prostithemi "it was added to" + prep ca,rin charin "because of" + G F P para,basij parabasis lit stepping beyond i.e. the boundaries, hence sin "sins") having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator (A P P N M S diata,ssw diatasso "having been commanded/ordained" + prep w/ G M P (agency) dia, a;ggeloj dia angelos "through messengers" + prep w/ I F S evn cei,r en cheir "by authority" + G M S mesi,thj mesites "of an intermediary"), until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ( prep w/ G S rel pro a;cri o[j achri hos "until who" + N N S w/d.a. to. spe,rma "the seed" w/ d.a. = Messiah) + A A S 3s e;rcomai erchomai "should come" (subjunctive relates to time, not potential) + D N S rel pro o[j "to whom" + Pf P I 3s evpagge,llomai epangellomai "it has been promised")

Galatians 3:20 Now a mediator is not for one party only ( c.c. de, "now" + N M S w/d.a. o` mesi,thj "the mediator" + P A I 3s w/neg ptcl ouvk eivmi, "is not" + G M S card num ei-j heis "of/for one"); whereas God is only one. (sup con de, "but; whereas" N M S qeo,j "God" (notice no d.a.) + P A I 3s eivmi, "is" + N M S card num ei-j "one")

If the Law which came later ("was added") has no power to impart E.L., due to the inherent weakness of the STA/OSN, the question inevitably arises: "Why, then, did God give the Law?"
In the first place, it was given to identify wrongdoing and make it a legal offense. Rm 4:15 "for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation."
Until the Law was added, there was no detailed exposition of STA activity.
Certainly, wrongdoing and sin existed before the Law (Gen 4:8 "Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.") but until that offense was identified as a moral violation of a given law, it was not legally punishable.
Note that God did not exact the death penalty on Cain for his murder.
This section could be paraphrased "to make wrongdoing a legal offense".
Indeed, until the Law identified an action as a sin, it was not a sin (hence Cain was free to marry his sister, eating pork was allowed, etc. cp Gen 9:3 "Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant."
Hence we have the word for "transgression" (para,basij parabasis) to indicate not just sin, but "stepping beyond" something, i.e. the boundaries of behavior into illicit activity.
This remains a valuable contribution of the Law to the Canon of Scripture. 1Ti 1:8-10
The Mosaic Law formalized sin and revealed it for what it is: the violation of Gods +R standard.
This same reason is mentioned in Rom 3:20 and 5:13 this is the objective aspect of the Law towards mankind.
The subjective aspect, not mentioned here, is to awaken a conviction of sin and guilt, to check transgressions, and to provoke STA activity.
For all these reasons the Law is cast in an entirely negative mode with regard to justification, either Ph1 or Ph2.
With the verb "added" (prosti,qhmi prostithemi) come two observations:

the Law was an addition, having its beginning after the promise of inheritance by faith
the validity of the Law, as given to Israel, ceased with the coming of "the Seed to whom the promise referred", i.e. Christ.

Unlike the "add" of verse 15 (evpidiata,ssomai epidiatassomai) our word here does not carry the connotation of adding an addendum to something already in existence so as to change its character.
It was not added as a supplement to the promise, but for a totally different reason it was an entirely different covenant, subordinate to the Promise.
Jesus, through the power of a sinless life and by taking upon Himself "the curse of the Law" is "the end of the Law for +R to everyone who believes". Rm 10:4
The period between Moses and Christ is presented as an interim era which is restricted (to Israel) and temporarily valid (not for salvation but a legal code for the nation).
The Greek word translated "angels" is a;ggeloj angelos and strictly means "messengers".

elect angels are messengers, or ministering spirits, of God. Heb 1:14 "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?"
fallen angels/demons are messengers of Satan. 2Co 12:7
Stephen mentions an angelic being revealing Gods Will to Moses, in Ac 7:38 but this is a specific "Angel", the second Person of the Godhead, the "Angel of Yahweh" Ex 3:2 "The angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush"
there is no mention of promulgation of the Law by angelic beings in the OT, the closest mention describing them as being present in Dt 33:2
Pauls point is that the promise came directly from God, whereas the Law was given by God to messengers (Moses and Aaron), then it was passed to mankind.
it is another proof that the Law is inferior to Divine revelation.
the author of Hebrews uses the same logic, in Heb 2:2

Moses, as the go-between of God and man, acted as a mediator who pleaded the cause of the Israelites to God, and exhorted Israel to fulfill Gods commands. Dt 9:24f; 26:16
As a mediator, he worked with two parties God and the nation of Israel.
Just as the Lord Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and sinful man today (1Ti 2:5), Moses was to relate the commands of God to man through the Law (a contract with specific responsibilities and rewards if fulfilled).
The difference between Moses and the Lord is that now He mediates based on our belief and acquisition of the terms of the agreement/promise salvation.
The promise was given unilaterally by God to Abraham and his Seed, and so depended only on Him to be fulfilled.
Abraham was a witness to the covenant and a beneficiary, but he was not a party to it God promised and Abraham believed.
The subjunctive of "should come" relates to however long it might take for the Seed to appear, not whether there was doubt He would.
The Law was dependant on both parties keeping their respective obligations.
The Law is intrusive, temporary, impotent, secondary, conditional, mediated and preparatory the Promise is complete and assured (Perfect tense of "promised".
Which is superior?