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Chapter 5
A Primary New
Testament Example of "One"

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Defining the Oneness of God

by Carl Franklin

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A Primary New Testament Example of "One"

The New Testament also uses "one" in reference to God as "the only
one." We find this qualitative use of "one" in a much misunderstood verse
in Paul's epistle to the Galatians. Let us examine the use of "one" in
Galatians 3:20 in the light of its Scriptural context. We will see that
the word "one" is used to qualify God as "the only one" Who bound Himself
in the Abramic Covenant.

"Now to Abraham and his seed [Christ] were the promises made
[God's unconditional covenant with Abraham]. He saith not, And to
seeds [Israel], as of many; but as of one [Greek hen, one
in essence], and to thy seed, which is Christ [Greek
Christos]. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed
before [the Abramic Covenant of 1916 B.C.] of God [Greek Theos,
the Father] in Christ [the promised Seed], the law [the Mosaic Covenant
of 1486 B.C.], which was four hundred and thirty years after [the
Abramic Covenant] cannot disannul, that it should make the promise [of
the Abramic Covenant] of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the
law [the Mosaic Covenant], it is no more of promise: but God gave it to
Abraham by promise [the Abramic Covenant]. Wherefore then serveth the
law [the Mosaic Covenant]? It was added [Greek prostithemi,
placed or laid beside (the Abramic Covenant)] because of transgressions
[of humans before Moses], till the seed [Jesus Christ] should come to
whom the promise was made; and it [the Mosaic Covenant] was ordained by
angels in the hand of a mediator [Moses].

Now a mediator is not a mediator of one [Greek
hen, one in essence: i.e., a mediator arranges terms
between two separate parties], but God [Greek Theos]
is one [Greek heis, the only one; i.e., the only
party obligated in the Abramic Covenant: no mediator was needed
because there were no terms to arrange; the promise of God was
unconditional].

Is the law [the Mosaic Covenant, which required conditions to
be met] then against [does it nullify] the promises of God [the
Abramic Covenant, which was unconditional]? God forbid: for if
there had been a law given which could have given life, verily
righteousness should have been by the law [the Mosaic Covenant].
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise
by faith of Jesus Christ [the promised Seed] might be given to
them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the
law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Wherefore the law [the Mosaic Covenant] was our schoolmaster [to
teach us the enormity of our sin] to bring us unto Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are
no longer under a schoolmaster [the grace of God through faith in
Jesus Christ replaces the Mosaic Covenant]. For ye are all the
children of God [Greek Theos, the Father] by faith in
Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:16-26).

When we examine Galatians 3:20 in its Scriptural context, the
true meaning of "one" becomes evident. The entire passage is a
discourse by the apostle Paul on the relationship of the Mosaic
Covenant to the Abramic Covenant. Paul explains to the Galatian
Christians that the Mosaic Covenant, with all its requirements, in
no way affected the unconditional nature of the Abramic Covenant and
the promise of grace through Jesus Christ.

In Wuest's Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol.
1, we find the following commentary on Galatians 3:20:

"In this verse Paul shows that the promise is superior
to the law, for the former was given directly from God to Abraham,
whereas the latter was given to Israel by God through a mediator.
We will examine the statement, 'A mediator is not of one.' The
word mediator is from mesites, which in turn comes
from mesos which means middle, the midst.
Thus a mediator is one who intervenes between two, either to make
or restore peace and friendship, to form a compact, or to ratify a
covenant. The word in the Greek text is preceded by the definite
article, making the word generic in character. That is, Paul is
not referring here to any particular mediator as Moses, but to the
office of a mediator, and to mediators in general looked upon as a
class of individuals. However, this generic statement is intended
to be applied to Moses, the mediator referred to in verse 19. The
word one is masculine in gender, and therefore is personal,
referring to a person. That is, a mediator does not act simply
in behalf of one person. The very genius of the word implies
that the mediator stands "in the midst" of two or more persons,
thus acts as a go-between. It is not that the mediator acts in
behalf of a plurality of persons that constitute one party [a
class action suit], but that there is a plurality of parties
between which he acts. Thus the law is a contract between two
parties . . . But the promise of free grace is not in the nature
of a contract between two parties. God acts alone and directly
when He promises salvation to anyone who will receive it by the
out-stretched hand of faith. There are no good works to be done by
the sinner in order that he might merit that salvation. Grace is
unconditional. There are no strings tied to it. God is One,
that is, He acts alone without a mediator in respect to the
promise of grace" (pp. 106-107).

Those who attempt to use Galatians 3:20 to limit God to one in
number--or three in one--are missing the true meaning of this verse
and are attaching a false interpretation to Paul's words. The
apostle Peter warned that some of Paul's writings are difficult to
understand, and we should be careful not to misinterpret these
Scriptures. Peter declared,

"...even as our beloved brother Paul also according to
the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all
his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some
things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and
unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their
own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16).

Peter's words clearly warn us not to interpret Scripture
according to our own understanding or the opinions of others. In
order to come to a true understanding, we must carefully examine
each verse in its Scriptural context. Only by letting Scripture
interpret Scripture will we be safe from false reasonings and vain
philosophies that seek to ensnare us.

We have studied Deuteronomy 6:4 and Galatians 3:20 in their
Scriptural contexts, and we have seen that the word "one" is used to
identify God as "the only one." Now let us see how the
Scriptures use "one" to proclaim the holiness of God.

Chapters in
Defining the Oneness of God

Introduction

Chapter 1

Modalistic, Trinitarian
and
Tritheistic Oneness Defined

Chapter 4

"One" Used of Spiritual Unity with Jesus
Christ

Chapter 2

Ditheistic Oneness
(Binitarian or
Bi-personal)

Chapter 5

A Primary New Testament Example of
"One"

Chapter 3

The Scriptural Meaning of
"One."

Chapter 6

"One" Used to Show the Holiness of
God

Chapter 7

"As One of Us" in Genesis 3 Refers to
Godlike
Characteristics

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