Charles Ellicott Commentary Galatians 3:7

"Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham." — Galatians 3:7 (ASV)

The main point of the Apostle’s argument in the present passage is the superiority of faith over the Law. However, he also has in view the further consequences of that superiority. Unlike the Law, faith is open to all Gentiles as well as Jews. The promise, therefore, being attached to faith, contained the death-blow to all those exclusive privileges which the Judaizing party in Galatia claimed for themselves, and of all those burdensome regulations which they sought to impose upon the Galatian Christians. The Apostle also brings this out by showing that believers in Christ, whatever their nationality, are the true spiritual descendants of Abraham.

Know ye.—The verb here may be either in the indicative or in the imperative: “know ye,” or “you know.” Perhaps, on the whole, the imperative, as in the Authorized Version, is best.

They which are of faith.—Those whose principles of action are derived from faith; those whose master-motive is faith.

Children of Abraham.—This idea of a spiritual descent from Abraham is also found in Romans 4:11-12; Romans 4:16; Romans 9:6–8.