Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Galatians 2:19

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

The “we” of v.17 (which included both Paul and Peter) has changed to the “I” of v.18. This personal form of expression continues as Paul begins to unfold the full nature of the justification that is his because of his being “in Christ.” In this verse “I” is emphatic by being in the first position in the sentence. It contrasts with the similar position given to “in Christ,” which (in the Greek text) begins v.20.

Paul has argued that if he should return to law after having come to God through faith in Christ, he would make himself a transgressor. But this is not what he does. On the contrary, the opposite is true, for in coming to God in Christ he died to the law so completely that he could not possibly return to it. The law cannot bring life, for no one has ever fulfilled it. Law brings death, for by it all stand condemned. Nevertheless, the law does perform a good function, for in the very act of destroying all hope for salvation by human works, the law actually opens the way to discovering new life in God (for a more complete explanation of these issues, see comments on Ro 5:20; 7:1–13).