Galatians 3:5

“He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, etc..] By whom he means not himself, nor any other minister of the Gospel, in whose power it does not lie to minister the Spirit, either the ordinary or the extraordinary gifts of it unto men; but either God or Christ who had ministered, and still continued to minister the grace of the Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel; or rather the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, which were manifested at the first preaching of the Gospel to them for the confirmation of it, and which they were still supplied with, as the following words show: and worketh miracles among you; so that this is a distinct argument from that in (<480302>Galatians 3:2)…”

“He . . . that ministereth--or "supplieth," God (Co2 9:10). He who supplied and supplies to you the Spirit still, to the present time. These miracles do not prove grace to be in the heart (Mar 9:38-39). He speaks of these miracles as a matter of unquestioned notoriety among those addressed; an undesigned proof of their genuineness (compare 1Co. 12:1-31). worketh miracles among you--rather, "IN you," as Gal 2:8; Mat 14:2; Eph 2:2; Phi 2:13; at your conversion and since [ALFORD]. doeth he it by the works of the law--that is, as a consequence resulting from (so the Greek) the works of the law (compare Gal 3:2). This cannot be because the law was then unknown to you when you received those gifts…”

“He therefore that ministereth ... - This verse contains substantially a repetition of the argument in Galatians 3:2. The argument is, that the gift of the Holy Spirit to them was not imparted in consequence of the observance of the Law of Moses, but in connection with the preaching of the gospel. By the word “he” in this place, Clarke, Doddridge, Bloomfield, Chandler, Locke and many others, suppose that the apostle means himself Bloomfield says, that it is the common opinion of “all the ancient commentators.” But this seems to me a strange opinion. The obvious reference, it seems to me, is to God, who had furnished or imparted to them the remarkable influences of the Holy Spirit, and this…”

“And, at the present time, Doth he that ministereth the gift of the Spirit to you, and worketh miracles among you, do it by the works of the law - That is, in confirmation of his preaching justification by works, or of his preaching justification by faith? Galatians 3:6”

“3:5 work miracles: See 1 Cor 12:4-11. The Holy Spirit is present with believers and in the church because of faith in the message . . . about Christ.”

“that: Gal 3:2; Co2 3:8 worketh: Act 14:3, Act 14:9, Act 14:10, Act 19:11, Act 19:12; Rom 15:19; Co1 1:4, Co1 1:5; Co2 10:4, Co2 12:12, Co2 13:3 by the works: Gal 3:2 Galatians 3:6”