Galatians 2:19

_ _ Here Paul seems to pass from his exact words to Peter, to the general purport of his argument on the question. However, his direct address to the Galatians seems not to be resumed till Galatians 3:1, “O foolish Galatians,” etc.

_ _ For — But I am not a “transgressor” by forsaking the law. “For,” etc. Proving his indignant denial of the consequence that “Christ is the minister of sin” (Galatians 2:17), and of the premises from which it would follow. Christ, so far from being the minister of sin and death, is the establisher of righteousness and life. I am entirely in Him [Bengel].

_ _ I — here emphatical. Paul himself, not Peter, as in the “I” (Galatians 2:18).

_ _ through the law — which was my “schoolmaster to bring me to Christ” (Galatians 3:24); both by its terrors (Galatians 3:13; Romans 3:20) driving me to Christ, as the refuge from God’s wrath against sin, and, when spiritually understood, teaching that itself is not permanent, but must give place to Christ, whom it prefigures as its scope and end (Romans 10:4); and drawing me to Him by its promises (in the prophecies which form part of the Old Testament law) of a better righteousness, and of God’s law written in the heart (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Jeremiah 31:33; Acts 10:43).

_ _ am dead to the law — literally, “I died to the law,” and so am dead to it, that is, am passed from under its power, in respect to non-justification or condemnation (Colossians 2:20; Romans 6:14; Romans 7:4, Romans 7:6); just as a woman, once married and bound to a husband, ceases to be so bound to him when death interposes, and may be lawfully married to another husband. So by believing union to Christ in His death, we, being considered dead with Him, are severed from the law’s past power over us (compare Galatians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 7:39; Romans 6:6-11; 1 Peter 2:24).

_ _ live unto God — (Romans 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Peter 4:1, 1 Peter 4:2).