Galatians Journal: Chapter 3, verse 22

Galatians 3:22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

“the scripture declares” Paul once again personifies the Old Testament – the Law – using the very thing the Judiazers declared was the foundation of this argument to prove his own argument. Unlike the rest of Chapter 3, however, there is no specific scripture reference here – there is instead an overall generalization.

“the whole world is a prisoner to sin” Later in history, in the subsequent letter to the Romans, Paul will go on in depth regarding the universal depravity of man (see Romans 3:10-18). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” etc. Here, Paul appears to not be pushing the argument as strongly. Perhaps this is because of the audience and the nature of the heresy he is refuting (based on Jewish rather than Gentile tradition)-- the Jews recognized the concept of human sinfulness, that everybody sins, that no one is perfect, and that there is no inherent goodness in man’s nature. But the Jewish teachers of Paul’s day did not take the consequences of sin as seriously as Paul argues they should. Paul uses the word “prisoner.” The implication is a person shut up in jail – imprisoned – behind bars. This implies an inability to change the situation yourself. There is no concept of merely correcting bad behavior, or turning over a new leaf. This is being trapped – locked away, and the key has been thrown away. While Paul doesn’t go into detail here (like he does in Romans 3), his bottom line is the same, and very, very clear – mankind is trapped in its sin. This can be connected back to Galatians 3:10-14 – the concept that we are under a “curse.” No amount of good behavior, obedience, or “brownie points” (some folks half seriously refer to good works as “Jesus points”) can set us free. While the Jews of Paul’s day -- in fact most of society in the Roman Empire, Jew or Gentile -- accepted the concept that all people sinned, they didn’t think that the ultimate consequence was all that bad. (Sounds a lot like the humanistic outlook of American society today, eh?). In Romans 3, Paul uses the Old Testament to prove that depravity is at the heart of man’s nature, and there is no human way out. We are truly “prisoners” of sin.

“that what was promised” The promise is the only way out of the prison. Only by faith in Jesus are we given the key to open that prison door. Only faith in Jesus breaks the curse, and redeems us.