SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:23
Pero antes que viniese la fe, estbamos guardados bajo la ley, encerrados para aquella fe que había de ser descubierta.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 3:23
Verse 23. But before faith came] Before the Gospel was published. We were kept under the law, shut up] efrouroumeqa? We were kept as in a strong hold, sugkekleismenoi, locked up, unto the faith-the religion of the Lord Jesus, which should afterwards be revealed. Here the same metaphor is used as above, and for its explanation I must refer the reader to the same place, Romans xi. 32.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 23. But before faith came , etc..] This is to be understood, not of the grace of faith, which was under the former dispensation, as now; the Old Testament saints had the same Spirit of faith, and the same grace of faith, as for its nature, object, and use, as New Testament saints have; Adam, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc.. believed in Christ, and were justified by faith in his righteousness, as we are. It is much better to understand it of the doctrine of faith, which though preached to Adam, and by Noah, and to Abraham, and by Isaiah, and others, yet not so clearly, largely, and fully, as by Jesus Christ and his apostles; so that the times of the Gospel may be called the times of faith, in comparison of the times of the law, and which some think is here meant; but it is best to interpret it of Christ, the object of faith, who was to come, and is come in the flesh, to fulfil the law; and, by so doing, has put an end to it; and to redeem his people from under it, and to save them with an everlasting salvation; for before this his coming in the flesh, the people of the Jews, of whom the apostle was one, were under the law: we were kept under the law ; as persons in a garrison, as the word signifies; they were kept distinct and separate from the rest of the nations of the world, and had neither civil nor religious conversation with them; and so were preserved in some measure both from their impieties and idolatries, which otherwise they were naturally prone to; and as a distinct people, unto the coming of the Messiah, who was to arise from among them; so that their being kept under the law in this sense, was both for their honour and their safety: though the meaning may also be, that they were kept under it as persons under a military guard, as the word likewise imports; and signifies, that the law kept a strict guard and a watchful eye over them, as the Roman soldier had over Paul, that kept him, and held fast the chain in his hand, with which he was bound, that he might not get loose and escape from him; (see Acts 28:16,20) to which the apostle seems here to allude; the law kept them close to the discharge of their duty, and held them fast as prisoners; and which is more fully expressed in the next clause, shut up . The Syriac version reads this in connection with the former, thus, nyybj dk l awh rjn aswmn the law kept us shut up, as in a prison; and the same way reads the Arabic version; which shows the state and condition the Jews were in under the law, and how they were treated by it; not as good and righteous persons, but as persons in debt, as criminals and malefactors; a prison is made, and so the law, for such sort of persons; the law considered and used them as sinners, as criminals convicted and condemned; it did itself accuse, convict, and pronounce them guilty, and condemned them to punishment; and detained them as prisoners in its dark dungeon, where they had little light and comfort; and were as in a pit, wherein is no water; though they lay here as prisoners of hope, in expectation of the Messiah's coming; who was to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, and to say to the prisoners, Come forth, and to them that sit in darkness, Show yourselves. Also the allusion may be to the custom of the eastern nations, in the usage of their slaves and captives; who in the daytime used to grind at a mill in a prison house, and in the night time were put down into a pit and shut up, and a mill stone put to the mouth of the pit f63 ; and so describes the state of bondage and slavery the Jews were in under the law, who differed nothing from servants, to whom the saints under the Gospel dispensation are opposed, ( Galatians 3:26) as being the children of God by faith in Christ. And in this uncomfortable condition they continued, unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed ; that is, until Christ the object of faith came, who was to be revealed, or made manifest in the flesh; who, before his incarnation, not only lay in the bosom of the Father, but was in a great measure hid under the types and prophecies of the Old Testament; which though they gave some hints of him, yet but obscure ones, in comparison of the revelation made of him by his appearance in human nature; by the testimonies of his Father by a voice from heaven of angels, of John the Baptist, and others; and by his own doctrines and miracles, and by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 23-25 - The law did not teach a living, saving knowledge; but, by its rites an ceremonies, especially by its sacrifices, it pointed to Christ, tha they might be justified by faith. And thus it was, as the word properl signifies, a servant, to lead to Christ, as children are led to schoo by servants who have the care of them, that they might be more full taught by Him the true way of justification and salvation, which i only by faith in Christ. And the vastly greater advantage of the gospe state is shown, under which we enjoy a clearer discovery of Divin grace and mercy than the Jews of old. Most men continue shut up as in dark dungeon, in love with their sins, being blinded and lulled aslee by Satan, through wordly pleasures, interests, and pursuits. But the awakened sinner discovers his dreadful condition. Then he feels tha the mercy and grace of God form his only hope. And the terrors of the law are often used by the convincing Spirit, to show the sinner his need of Christ, to bring him to rely on his sufferings and merits, tha he may be justified by faith. Then the law, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, becomes his loved rule of duty, and his standard for dail self-examination. In this use of it he learns to depend more simply of the Saviour.
Greek Textus Receptus
προ 4253 του 3588 δε 1161 ελθειν 2064 5629 την 3588 πιστιν 4102 υπο 5259 νομον 3551 εφρουρουμεθα 5432 5712 συγκεκλεισμενοι 4788 5772 εις 1519 την 3588 μελλουσαν 3195 5723 πιστιν 4102 αποκαλυφθηναι 601 5683
Vincent's NT Word Studies
23. But the office of the law as a jailer was designed to be only temporary, until the time when faith should come. It was to hold in custody those who were subjected to sin, so that they should not escape the consciousness of their sins and of their liability to punishment. Faith (thn pistin). The subjective faith in Christ which appropriates the promise. See on chapter i. 23.
We were kept (efrouroumeqa). Better, kept in ward, continuing the figure in shut up, verse 22. The imperfect tense indicates the continued activity of the law as a warder.
Under the law (upo nomon). Const. with were kept in ward, not with shut up. We were shut up with the law as a warder, not for protection, but to guard against escape. Comp. Wisd. xvii. 15. The figure of the law as pedagogue (verse 24) is not anticipated. The law is conceived, not as the prison, but as the warder, the Lord or despot, the power of sin (see 1 Corinthians xv. 56; Romans 7), by whom those who belong to sin are kept under lock and key - under moral captivity, without possibility of liberation except through faith.
Shut up unto the faith (sunkleiomenoi eiv thn pistin). Eijv unto or for expresses the object of keeping in ward. It is not temporal, until, which is a rare usage in N.T., but with a view to our passing into the state of faith. Which should afterwards be revealed (mellousan - apokalufqhnai). The position of mellousan emphasizes the future state of things to which the earlier conditions pointed. The faith was first revealed at the coming of Christ and the gospel.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
3:23 {Before faith came} (pro tou elqein ten pistin). "Before the coming (second aorist active infinitive of ercomai, definite event) as to the Faith" (note article, meaning the faith in verse #22 made possible by the historic coming of Christ the Redeemer), the faith in Christ as Savior (verse #22). {We were kept in ward under the law} (huper nomon efrouroumeqa). Imperfect passive of frourew, to guard (from frouros, a guard). See on Ac 9:24; 2Co 11:32. It was a long progressive imprisonment. {Unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed} (eis ten mellousan pistin apokalufqenai). "Unto the faith (verse #22 again) about to be revealed." mellw and the first aorist passive infinitive (regular idiom).
