MANNAFEST

The Seed Promise · stop 11 of 13

Not seeds, but seed

Galatians 3:16

Paul's argument stands on the collective singular of Genesis: 'He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one… which is Christ.'

16Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

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The narrative

This stop on the thread

Galatians 3:16 hangs the gospel on a singular noun. Paul is not inventing grammar — he is reading the collective singular of Genesis the way the promise always leaned: toward one Seed in whom the many are blessed.

Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (public domain)Puritan

A voice from the tradition

Witness

The promise made to Abraham had respect to Christ, and to his spiritual seed in him; and neither the law, nor any thing else, could disannul it.

Matthew Henry· Commentary on Galatians 3Puritan

The workbench

Words in this verse

  1. τῷtō — <the>G3588
  2. δὲde — AndG1161
  3. ἈβραὰμAbraam — to AbrahamG11
  4. ἐρρέθησανerrethēsan — were spokenG2046
  5. αἱhai — theG3588
  6. ἐπαγγελίαιepangeliai — promisesG1860
  7. καὶkai — andG2532
  8. τῷtō — to theG3588
  9. σπέρματιspermati — seedG4690
  10. αὐτοῦ.autou — of him.G846
  11. οὐou — NotG3756
  12. λέγει·legei — it does say;G3004
  13. καὶkai — andG2532
  14. τοῖςtois — <the>G3588
  15. σπέρμασινspermasin — to seedsG4690
  16. ὡςhōs — asG5613
  17. ἐπὶepi — ofG1909
  18. πολλῶνpollōn — manyG4183
  19. ἀλλ᾽all᾽ — butG235
  20. ὡςhōs — asG5613
  21. ἐφ᾽eph᾽ — ofG1909
  22. ἑνός·henos — One;G1520
  23. καὶkai — andG2532
  24. τῷtō — to theG3588
  25. σπέρματίspermati — seedG4690
  26. σουsou — of youG4771
  27. ὅςhos — whoG3739
  28. ἐστινestin — isG1510
  29. Χριστός.Christos — Christ.G5547

The floor

Cross-references

Genesis 17:7–8Romans 4:13Luke 1:55Genesis 22:17–18Galatians 3:27–29Romans 4:16Genesis 28:13–14Genesis 26:3–4

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