Is the Law Our Schoolmaster?

"I believe that God's law is a 'schoolmaster' that brings me to Christ. I do not perfectly walk with Christ yet, so I need my "schoolmaster", hence I strive to obey the Ten Commandments."

The above quote comes from a well-meaning and I'm sure a fine Christian but I think that the Apostle Paul said something different in Galatians 3:24 . The whole letter of Galatians is an interesting study but just by focusing on a few verses in chapter 3 alone will hopefully clear up the misunderstanding.

Here's the actual verse in Galatians 3:24 : "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (KJV)

Please take note that this particular law was (past tense!) their "schoolmaster" according to the Apostle Paul. But is it valid to say that this particular law remains our "schoolmaster" for Christians today?

This particular law is clearly specified as something that came 430 years later after Abraham received God's promise (Gal. 3:17 ). This particular law was "added" later (Gal. 3:19 ). And this particular law had a "cut-off date" -- "until the Seed... came." Whatever this law was, Paul clearly said that it had an end. That is, when Christ came.

Paul explained that this law was their "schoolmaster" (Gal. 3:24 ). Yes, it was their schoolmaster, but please take note of the next verse: "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster" (Gal. 3:25 ). Whatever that particular law was, Paul clearly stated that they were no longer under that schoolmaster! Now that Christ himself was with them, they no longer needed a tutor, a guardian or a schoolmaster (Greek, paidagogos).

So what law was introduced 430 years later? See Gal. 3:17 . What law is it that was "added"? See Gal. 3:19 . What law had a "cut-off date"? See Gal.3:19 again. What law ("schoolmaster") is no longer needed? See Gal. 3:24-25 .

Here are several translations of Galatians 3:25 :

• King James Version: "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster."
• New American Standard Bible: "But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor."
• New International Version (old version): "Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law."
• New International Version (2011): "Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian."
• New Living Translation: "And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian."

In context, in Galatians 3 , this particular law cannot make them righteous. That was the issue being discussed by Paul. The righteous shall live by the faith of Jesus Christ and no one will be declared righteous by the observance of this particular law (Galatians 3:1-14 )! Please take note how Paul was filled with righteous anger because of the heresy that was spreading among Christians in Galatia. He called them "foolish Galatians!" (Galatians 3:1 ). Why? What was this heresy all about? 

It is truly exciting and liberating to study Paul's letter to the Galatians! May the Lord give us all full understanding of the good news! It truly is good news!

For further reading:

• The Old Covenant and the Law of Moses
• Confessions of a Recovering Legalist