“And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.”
What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. — the 430-year interval (from Abraham to Moses/law) establishes the law's temporal posteriority; a covenant ('diathēkē') established earlier cannot be negated ('akyrō' — annul, void) by a later instrument like the law.
Church Fathers on Galatians 3:17
“Now to Abraham were the promises spoken and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of One, And to your seed, which is Christ. Now this I say, A covenant, confirmed before hand by God the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, does not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance is of the Law, it is no more of promise: but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.” Thus God made a covenant with Abraham,…
Nicene & Post-Nicene / Ante-Nicene Fathers translations · public domain
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