Word Studies - Part 10

Galatians 3:24 – Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (NKJV)

Strong’s # 1344 dikaioo (dik-ah-yo´-o)

Lexicons/Bible Dictionaries

Strong’s – to render just or innocent; free, just, be righteous

Vine’s – to deem to be right, to show to be righteous

Word Study (NT) – just, righteous, making one righteous, to make one righteous without violating the law, or setting aside the appropriate sentence, the guilty person is free from condemnation when the penalty has been fulfilled, not necessarily a declaration of innocence, the liberation from what imprisons

Analytical Greek Lexicon – to make right or render right or just, to act with justice, to vindicate, to set forth as good and just, to hold as guiltless or accept as righteous, to be viewed as acquitted

Thayer – to show one to be righteous, to pronounce one to be just, acquitted of charge

NASB Greek – to show to be righteous, to declare righteous, acquitted, freed, vindicated

NIV Greek – to justify, vindicate, to put someone in proper relationship with another, declare righteous

NIDNTT – righteous, upright, justify, vindicate, treat as just, acquit, make or set free from


Translations

KJV – Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

NASB95 – Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

ESV – So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

NLT – Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian and teacher to lead us until Christ came. So now, through faith in Christ, we are made right with God.

AMP – So that the Law served [to us Jews] as our trainer [our guardian, our guide to Christ, to lead us] until Christ [came], that we might be justified (declared righteous, put in right standing with God) by and through faith.

NIV – So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

MSG – The law was like those Greek tutors, with which you are familiar, who escort children to school and protect them from danger or distraction, making sure the children will really get to the place they set out for.

NRSV – Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.

Darby – So that the law has been our tutor up to Christ, that we might be justified on the principle of faith.

Young’s – so that the law became our child-conductor — to Christ, that by faith we may be declared righteous


Commentaries

Clarke – The law is nothing more than a tutor to educate one in what sin is, but the law cannot make one righteous or provide a way for one to make oneself righteous, however, the law does direct us to Christ who is the only one who can justify us by faith.

McGee – The law cannot cleanse us, it can only serve as a mirror to reveal the sin in one’s life. It is only the blood of Jesus that cleanses one from sin.

Expositor’s – The law can only point out flaws, it cannot save or justify. Salvation and justification only come through faith in Jesus Christ.

Life Application – Justification with God is only available through faith, and that faith must be in Jesus Christ.

Barclay – The function of the law is to lead one to Jesus Christ by making it clear that one cannot maintain the law on one’s own. While the law cannot lead one into the presence of God, it can take one to the point of deciding to enter the presence of God through faith, which allows the Lord to cleanse one from sin, and to justify one before God.

Tenney – The law is the tutor that brings us to Christ so that one may receive the forgiveness of sins and be justified in the eyes of God.

Stott – Before salvation one was confined under the law, after salvation one is justified by faith through Jesus. Only Christ can liberate us from the bondage of prison and declare us innocent, and no longer worthy of punishment.

Longenecker – The ultimate purpose of the law is to bring people to Christ that they may be justified by faith.


Word Application

The Old Testament system of the law and sacrifices served to educate one regarding precisely what sin was, however the Old Testament system of sacrifices was not sufficient to redeem humanity from the bondage of sin. The only way humanity was going to be redeemed from the bondage of sin was for a perfect human being to die in the place of all of humanity. That was God’s plan that was perfectly fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus did not deflect God’s wrath regarding sin, or perform an act which would have the wrath set aside, rather Jesus bore the full brunt of God’s wrath regarding our sin so that the guilty penalty would be perfectly fulfilled, resulting in God therefore being able to see those who accept Christ as their Lord and Savior as innocent, and the penalty for guilt has been paid. This is the essential meaning of justification. God is a Holy God who cannot simply ignore the sin, or pretend that it does not exist, as this would be to deny His own character. Rather, God provides the atonement for humanity’s sin which humanity cannot provide for one’s self so that when one accepts the gift of that atonement God can look upon that person as being justified. In this case to be justified that one is once again in a proper relationship with God, and that God views that person as being righteous and innocent.