Albert Barnes Commentary Galatians 2:19

"For I through the law died unto the law, that I might live unto God." — Galatians 2:19 (ASV)

For I through the law. On this passage, commentators are not at all agreed. It is agreed that in the phrase "am dead to the law," the law of Moses is referred to, and that the meaning is that Paul had become dead to that law as a ground or means of justification. He acted as though it were not, or it ceased to have influence over him.

A dead man is insensible to all around him. He hears nothing, sees nothing, and nothing affects him. So, when we are said to be dead to anything, the meaning is that it does not have influence over us.

In this sense, Paul was dead to the law of Moses. He ceased to observe it as a ground of justification. It ceased to be the grand aim and purpose of his life to obey it, as it had formerly been. He had higher purposes than that and truly lived to God. (See Barnes on Romans 6:2).

But on the meaning of the phrase "through the law," dia nomou, there has been a great variety of opinion. Bloomfield, Rosenmuller, and some others suppose that Paul means the Christian religion, and that the meaning is, "By one law, or doctrine, I am dead to another;" that is, the Christian doctrine has caused him to cast aside the Mosaic religion.

Doddridge, Clarke, Chandler, and most others, however, suppose that he here refers to the law of Moses. They believe the meaning is that by contemplating the true character of the law of Moses itself—by considering its nature and design, and by understanding the extent of its requisitions—he had become dead to it; that is, he had laid aside all expectations of being justified by it.

This seems to me to be the correct interpretation. Paul had formerly expected to be justified by the law. He had endeavored to obey it. It had been the object of his life to comply with all its requisitions, in order to be saved by it (Philippians 3:4–6). But all this time, he had not fully understood its nature. When he was made fully to feel and comprehend its spiritual requirements, then all his hopes of justification by it died, and he became dead to it. See this sentiment more fully explained in Barnes on Romans 7:9.

That I might live unto God. This means that Paul might be truly alive and might be found engaged in God's service. He was dead to the law, but not to everything. He had not become literally inactive and insensible to all things, like a dead man; instead, he had become truly responsive to the commands and appeals of God and had consecrated himself to His service. (See Barnes on Romans 6:11).

Live unto God (Romans 6:11, 14; 2 Corinthians 5:15).