“Wherefore the law [torah] was our schoolmaster to bring us to Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.“
Galatians 3:24-25
Peter tells us that Paul’s letters are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16). He tells us that we must beware of those who twist his words, so that we aren’t led away by the “error of lawlessness (v. 17).”
Well, it sounds like we should heed this warning, being that this passage in Galatians is often used by Believers to “prove” that Paul was advocating that we are no longer “under the law” or required to keep the commandments. Peter is telling us to beware of the error of lawlessness. So, is Paul really saying what we think he’s saying?
This is one worthy of our attention and investigation. Let’s do some unpacking.
Examining the word “torah"
Hebrew is a root-oriented language. There are a lot of root words that create a Hebrew word, in which the root indicates the intent of the word.
The root of the word torah is "yara," which means "to point out something, or shoot an arrow, or to teach in the sense of throwing or pointing a finger in a straight line as the direction one is to walk."
‘Yara’ is an action verb.
‘Torah’ is a noun.
The noun torah is rendered in what is referred to as a causative conjugation, which is a fancy way of saying that it literally means to cause something (or someone) to move straight and true.
By making the word torah a noun, it is implying that the torah becomes "the one who does the teaching or pointing out, showing one how to walk."
In other words, the torah (instructions/commandments) is what points us in a straight direction that teaches us how to walk. We are told to submit to Him so that He can make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:6).
What is a “schoolmaster?”
Schoolmaster (Strong’s G3807) = Paidagogos (pedagogue); it means a tutor, instructor or guardian of children
In Roman culture, the pedagogue was a hired servant of a young child. The duty of a pedagogue was to see that the student was taken to and from school, making sure the child paid attention to their lessons, and tutored them at home. The pedagogue was also charged with superintending the students’ conduct.
The pedagogue (schoolmaster) was NOT the teacher. He was a servant that made sure the student was taken TO the teacher.
Paul’s use of this metaphor was intended to teach us that the law (torah) is what leads us to the teacher, the Messiah!
The torah’s function was that of a pedagogue.
So, Paul is saying that one of the functions of Yah’s Law is to be our guardian and keep charge over us until it leads us to the Messiah in whom we find salvation by faith.
Paul is not saying that our obligation to obedience has ended, he is saying that once one has put their faith in the Messiah—once one has been brought to the Teacher—the law’s role as a schoolmaster/pedagogue has ended. One who has already come to faith in Messiah no longer needs the law to lead them to faith in Messiah.
As a student embraces faith in Messiah, they also embrace His teachings. As the student (us) embraces His teachings, we also embrace the Father’s torah. THAT is why this passage in Galatians says that we are no longer under a "schoolmaster."
Paul is showing us how the torah LITERALLY points us to Messiah.
It’s a beautiful truth that has been totally misinterpreted to mean something that it doesn’t. Context is key and words matter.
With love,
Stephanie