Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Galatians 3:10

"For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them." — Galatians 3:10 (ASV)

In the first four verses of Paul’s formal argument (vv.6–9) he has cited two OT texts: Genesis 15:6 and Ge 12:3. In vv.10–12 he quotes the OT three more times, in each case demonstrating that an attempt to live by law, rather than producing a blessing, actually brings a curse from God. Why? First of all, because the law demands perfection, as Dt 27:26 declares. The law is not a collection of stray and miscellaneous parts, some of which may be conveniently disregarded. It is a whole and must be kept in all its parts if it is to be considered kept at all. A curse is attached to any failure to keep it, no matter how small. Since all fail, all are under that curse and consequently under God’s wrath (cf. Romans 3:23). That is, the law condemns a person and points human beings in their desperation to their need for a Savior (Romans 3:20–21).