Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.
23. Before faith came. The question proposed is now more fully defined. He explains at great length the use of the law, and the reason why it was temporal; for otherwise it would have appeared to be always unreasonable that a law should be delivered to the Jews, from which the Gentiles were excluded.
The law was given to convince men of sin and to restrain them from running into excess. It was never meant to overthrow the promise, but to serve it by directing sinners to Christ, the only way sin is expiated and pardoned.
AI summary
Commenting on Galatians 3:19-29
But before faith came,.... 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, &c.