Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:24
This verse explicitly likens the law to a “schoolmaster” (or tutor) whose job is to guide until Christ comes so that one may be justified by faith. The imagery would resonate in Paul’s audience: a household would have a trusted guardian who oversaw the discipline and training of children until maturity. The law’s function was to prepare Israel for the arrival of the Messiah, to expose sin, and to drive people toward the need for grace. The shift from law as the path to righteousness to faith as the means of justification marks a major turning point in redemptive history. The phrase “to bring us unto Christ” emphasizes that the law’s ultimate aim is to lead us to dependence on Christ’s atoning work.
The law as a tutor clarifies the relationship between law and gospel: the law reveals sin and directs us to Christ, who fulfills the law’s demands. It preserves God’s standard while showing human inability to meet it through works. This undergirds justification by faith, not by works, and explains why believers are no longer under that “schoolmaster” once faith has arrived. It also affirms the continuity of redemptive history: the law’s fulfillment is in Christ, who completes what the law anticipated.
In life, think of rules as classmates, not masters. The law teaches you about God’s holiness and your need for grace, but you don’t stay under it forever. How to apply: when you stumble, don’t wallow in guilt; remember you’re being led to faith in Christ. For parents, it can inform discipline—use moral guidelines to shape character but point children to Jesus as the ultimate teacher and savior. In communities, emphasize grace alongside moral instruction, avoiding legalistic shame while encouraging transformation through faith.
Cross-References: Galatians 3:24-25; Romans 3:19-20; Hebrews 12:5-11; Romans 7:7-12; John 1:17