Galatians 3 Bible study: The blessing of Abraham

The chapter opens with questions. "Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as crucified?" (3:1) (tap Foolish, bewitched and openly portrayed). The questions go on: "I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?" (3:2) (tap hearing). "Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh?" (3:3). "Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain?" (3:4). "He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith?" (3:5). The chapter doesn't say who bewitched them (see the honest question), or what things they suffered (3:4). These notes give the questions as the letter asks them, and add no answer of their own.

Genesis 12:7→leads toGalatians 3:16

This is the first time God promises Abram anything "to your offspring". Paul doesn't name one verse: he says the promises were spoken "to Abraham and to his offspring", that "To your offspring" is singular, "as of one", and that the offspring "is Christ". The same words come again in 13:15, 17:8 and 24:7.

σπέρμαspermasay SPER-mah

Strong's gives, among its senses, "by implication, offspring". "Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ." (3:16). In 3:16 the noun stands three times: offspring, then the plural, which the WEB gives as descendants, then offspring again (counted in RP2018, and in every edition TAGNT compares). It stands again in the chapter's last verse: "If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise." (3:29). Elsewhere the WEB gives the same noun as seeds, as in Mark: "less than all the seeds that are on the earth" (Mark 4:31).