Galatians 3:23

But before faith came,.... This is to be understood, not of the grace of faith, which was under the former dispensation, as now; the Old Testament saints had the same Spirit of faith, and the same…

But before faith came - That is, the system of salvation by faith in the Lord Jesus. Faith here denotes the Christian religion, because faith is its distinguishing characteristic. We were kept under…

But before faith came - Before the Gospel was published.

We were kept under the law, shut up - Εφρουρουμεθα· We were kept as in a strong hold, συγκεκλεισμενοι, locked up, unto the faith - the religion…

The apostle having just before been speaking of the promise made to Abraham, and representing that as the rule of our justification, and not the law, lest they should think he did too much derogate…

But before faith came Better, -before this faith", i.e. in Jesus Christ, -came"; and so nearly = before Christ came.

we were kept kept in ward. The same word occurs 1Pe 1:5.

shut up The passive of the…