“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your Seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ.” (Galatians 3:16)
This rather obscure verse is critical in theology. It answers the disturbing question, “What right do Gentiles have in claiming all the promises of salvation in the Old Testament – promises that were made to the house of Israel, not to mankind?” This was part of the basis of the Pharisees’ argument that Gentile believers must be circumcised and adhere to the Law of Moses (Acts 15:1-5). For, they believed, salvation could only come through the House of Israel, to whom the promises of salvation were made.
Paul’s argument is that all the promises of God – from those made to Abraham to those made to all Israel – ultimately belong to Jesus Christ, the true Seed of Abraham. It is those who are united to Christ by faith who become joint heirs with Him of those promises (Romans 8:16-17). There’s absolutely no need for any believer to become a convert to Judaism or to adhere to the Law of Moses. We only need Jesus Christ.
Here in Galatians 3:16, Paul points out that God did not even use the plural of “seed” in Hebrew (zera’im) but the singular (zera’). In the Greek New Testament it’s the difference between the plural spermata and the singular sperma. This is no empty argument. As the same promise was made to Abraham’s, Isaac’s, and Jacob’s singular Seed (Genesis 12:3; 18:18; 22:18: 26:4; 26:4), the one was added that their Seed “will possess the gates of His (singular) enemy,” not “their enemy” (Genesis 22:17-18). So, clearly, God had in mind one ultimate Heir of the promises in mind – Jesus Christ.
Author Peter Kreeft tells the story of a poor European family who saved for years to buy tickets to sail to America. Once at sea, they carefully rationed the cheese and bread they brought along for the journey. After 3 days of smelling quality food cooked and served in the ship’s kitchen and dining room, the boy complained to his father, “I hate cheese sandwiches. If I don’t eat something else before we get to America, I’m going to die.” Giving the boy his last penny, the father told him to go to the ship’s galley and buy an ice-cream cone. When the boy returned a long time later with a wide smile, his worried dad asked, “Where were you?” “In the galley, eating three ice-cream cones and a steak dinner!” “You bought all that for a penny?” “Oh no, the food is free,” the boy replied. “It comes with the ticket.” The unhappiest Christians are those who fail to see that all of God’s blessings – love, joy, peace, forgiveness, the gift of God’s righteousness, and salvation – come freely with the ticket, Jesus Christ.
REFLECTION
- Do you consider yourself one of those unhappy and unsatisfied Christians?
- Do you feel under pressure to measure up and earn God’s acceptance and love?
- Don’t you see that all of those things are freely given to you in Jesus?
