GALATIONS 3:8-10 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” - NKJV
NSB* Scripture is personified as a preacher who foretells that Abraham and his example of faith (see Genesis 15:6) would become a life-changing blessing to all nations (see Genesis 12:3, Matthew 28:19) as the gospel spread. All who have faith as Abraham did join in his blessed status.
Note references: Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Scripture: akin to grapho, to write" (Eng., "graph," "graphic," etc.), primarily denotes "a drawing, painting;" then "a writing," in the singular in reference to a particular passage. The Greek word is γραφή graphe. Vine's (def 1a 2), Strong's G1124.
Foreseeing: an aorist tense form without a present, "to foresee," is used of David, as foreseeing Christ, in Acts 2:31, RV, "foreseeing" (AV, "seeing before"); in Galatians 3:8, it is said of the Scripture, personified, personal activity being attributed to it by reason of its Divine source (cp. Galatians 3:22). "What saith the Scripture?" was a common formula among the Rabbis. The Greek word is προείδω proeidon. Vine's (def 2), Strong's G4275.
Definition references - Acts 2:31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.
Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
Nations: a race (as of the same habit), i.e. a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one (usually, by implication, pagan). Thayer expands - 1) a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together 1a) a company, troop, swarm 2) a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus 2a) the human family 3) a tribe, nation, people group 4) in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles 5) Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians. The Greek word is ἔθνος ethnos. Strong's G1484.
Blessed: to confer a benefit on. "to bless," is used in the Passive Voice, Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8. The prefix en apparently indicates the person on whom the blessing is conferred. The Greek word is ἐνευλογέω eneulogeomai. Strong's G1757.
Genesis 18:18 since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 22:18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Genesis 26:4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
Genesis 28:14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Moving to Verse 9
Galatians 3:9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
Faith: See this study under "Live By Faith".
Believing: in the Active sense means "believing, trusting;". The Greek word is πιστός pistos. Vine's (def C-1a), Strong's G4103. Strong's defines it as objectively, trustworthy; subjectively, trustful.
Moving to Verse 10.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”
NSB* Being under the curse through trying to be justified by the works of the law is contrasted with being blessed as a believer (v. 9). The quotation from Deut 27:26 says that those who do not keep the whole law are cursed, proving that all are cursed who follow the law because all fall short of the law's standard (see Romans 1:17, 3:10-18, 3:23).
Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Romans 3:10-18 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” 13 “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”; 14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways; 17 And the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Cursed: kata, "down," intensive, and No. 1, denotes an "execration, imprecation, curse," uttered out of malevolence, James 3:10; 2 Peter 2:14; or pronounced by God in His righteous judgment, as upon a land doomed to barrenness, Hebrews 6:8; upon those who seek for justification by obedience, in part or completely, to the Law, Galatians 3:10, Galatians 3:13; in this 13th verse it is used concretely of Christ, as having "become a curse" for us, i.e., by voluntarily undergoing on the Cross the appointed penalty of the "curse." He thus was identified, on our behalf, with the doom of sin. Here, not the verb in the Sept. of Deuteronomy 21:23 is used (See B, No. 3), but the concrete noun. The Greek word is κατάρα katara. Vine's (def A-2), Strong's G2671.
Definition References: James 3:10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
2 Peter 2:14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
Hebrews 6:8 but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.
Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),
Deuteronomy 21:23 his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.
Book Of The Law: a law, the Mosaic Law usage, custom, law; in NT: of law in general, plur: of divine laws; of a force or influence impelling to action; of the Mosaic law; meton: of the books which contain the law, the Pentateuch, the Old Testament scriptures in general. Vine's (def c1) of the Mosaic Law, the "law" of Sinai,, Strong's νόμος.
Takeaway - The more you dig into the Old Testament the more you find out that it was all leading to Jesus Christ; and just as faith in God was counted to Abraham as justification, so is our faith in Jesus Christ counted as justification because Jesus Christ is God. We also are cursed through the law because no man or woman can fulfill it. Only Jesus Christ was able to do that. Through faith in Him, we too are blessed just as Abraham was blessed for His faith.
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