I'll touch on a few passages from each chapter:
Galatians 2:14
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Many maintain that Peter was living as a gentile (and it was okay) but when certain Jews came, he went back to trying to live by the law and forcing gentiles to do so. Some even maintain that because it says in verse 12 that he "did eat with the gentiles", that he was eating unclean meat in direct violation of the law (and it was okay).
Wrong. Firstly, the text doesn't say what he was eating. Eating is symbolic of fellowship. Nothing in the text suggests that he was eating unclean food. Secondly, Peter should not have been living like a gentile. The next verse says:
Galatians 2:15
We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the gentiles
The thing here is hypocrisy. Peter was acting one way at one time, and another way at another time. As far Peter forcing gentiles to live like Jews ("Jewish customs"), many Messianic Jews say that the customs are Jewish law (not torah law, or the law of God). But, regardless, it doesn't matter. Peter was rebuked here for hypocrisy, not because he was doing fine living like a gentile and then decided wrongly to become "Jewish" again.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Yeshua Messiah, even we have believed in Yeshua Messiah, that we might be justified by the faith of Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Paul is not saying we shouldn't do the law here, as people try to prove with this verse. What he is saying is that you can't say you are saved because you have kept the law. Why? All have sinned (Romans 3:23). If you're justification (innocence) was measured by your obedience, you would fail, as no one is perfect.
Rather, we are justified by the faith of Christ, not merely by faith in him. So we should actually walk as he walked (1 John 2:6). He lived by the law. Paul is actually quoting scripture here. No one was ever justified by the law. This never stopped Yahweh from commanding it.
Galatians 2:19
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto Elohim.
Meaning dead to sin and iniquity, which is found by knowledge of the law (Romans 3:20). Paul continually kept the law throughout his life. Surely this would have been a false statement if it is taken to mean that he doesn't keep the law anymore. He wouldn't really be dead to it (if dead to it means, as many suppose, not having to do it -- see Romans 2:13 and compare James 1:22).
Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Meaning if our righteousness unto salvation was based upon the law, then there is no reason for Christ dying for us. But he is not saying, as many believe, that we were at one time supposed to try to keep the law to be saved, but since we "failed", we must now rely on Christ and stop doing the law. He makes it clear in Galatians 3:21 that the law was never given for that purpose. What he is saying is that those preaching that we need to begin with circumcision and the law to be saved are in error because righteousness (unto salvation) never came by the law, and it can't now so doing what's in it doesn't make up for sin.
On to chapter 3.
Galatians 3:2
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Simple. Do we receive the Spirit by our works (any works, including those of the law) or by faith? The answer is by faith. So why were the Galatians submitting themselves to the dogma of the Jews that were troubling them with their perversion of the scripture? Some try to equate the "flesh" here with the law. However, they need to read Romans 7:14. The "flesh" here is not obeying the law. The "flesh" here is submitting themselves to the circumcision preached by the certain Jews who were bothering them.
Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of Elohim, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 3:12
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
This does not mean that those who "try" to obey the law and can't do it perfectly are cursed, as many say, or that we should live by faith rather than by the law. This is talking about the "works of law" group and their adherents, imo. Why are they under a curse? They haven't continued in the things written in the law (see Galatians 6:13). They are falsely perpetrating Yahweh's Word to spread the message of salvation by circumcision (while the law or the rest of the scripture says no such thing).
Then Paul says no one is justified by the law but "the just will live by faith". This means, imo, that our faithfulness is what we live by unto salvation. Not by our own means and works of righteousness. You can't say, "I've never killed, so that makes me a good person and I am justified". Error. The just will rather live by the faith of the Messiah. Then he says the law is not of faith. This means that you can't say living by the law is the same thing as living by faith; however, "the man that doeth them shall live in them", meaning, those claiming to live by the law, although you can't equate it with faith, should act like they live by the law rather than being hypocrites teaching a false message. Then, just in case any accusations arise of Paul and his audience being under the same curse of the law, he says in the next verse that Christ has redeemed them from it. Why? They live by his faith (unlike the "works of law" group, who live by their own standards).
Galatians 3:19
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Many say this means the law had a termination period. That it was only to last until the promised "seed" came. However, when he did come, he still upheld the law and said it hung off the imperative of love (Matthew 22:36-40). This scripture is saying the law was not given as a means of salvation but "for transgressions". For transgressions until the promised seed. Once that promised seed has come, the role of the law as a means of accusing us of sin disappears (so again, forcing circumcision upon another because you think it will save them is error). This rebukes the perversion that salvation comes through the law. He makes it clear that it was never given for such a thing in the first place!
Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:25
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
We should look at the context to interpret these verses correctly. He is establishing the true purpose and intent of the law (to keep us in sin until the redeemer can come).
Galatians 3:22
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Galatians 3:23
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Here is what he means by being under the schoolmaster. He's giving the purpose and intent of the law (as opposed to being a means of salvation), and that is to guard us till we can look forward to that seed by faith.
And then he continues with, "wherefore the law was our schoolmaster...". What is he talking about? Sin and faith (not whether or not to obey the law). So because we don't need to be guarded by the law, the heretics troubling the Galatians cannot come and tell them they need to be circumcised and brought up the ranks to be little Jewish prosyletes before they can be saved. How is the blessing of Abraham received according to his promised "Seed"? It is revealed now by and in Messiah, not by the law. The gift of salvation comes directly by faith. That is how we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Notice how he calls the law "scripture" here in verse 22. See 2 Timothy 3:16.
The whole point of this letter is to protect the Galatians from the heretics. It is not a letter about how bad the law is and how we need to stop doing it. Paul would never degrade five scrolls of Yahweh's Word in such a manner.
Galatians 2:14
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Many maintain that Peter was living as a gentile (and it was okay) but when certain Jews came, he went back to trying to live by the law and forcing gentiles to do so. Some even maintain that because it says in verse 12 that he "did eat with the gentiles", that he was eating unclean meat in direct violation of the law (and it was okay).
Wrong. Firstly, the text doesn't say what he was eating. Eating is symbolic of fellowship. Nothing in the text suggests that he was eating unclean food. Secondly, Peter should not have been living like a gentile. The next verse says:
Galatians 2:15
We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the gentiles
The thing here is hypocrisy. Peter was acting one way at one time, and another way at another time. As far Peter forcing gentiles to live like Jews ("Jewish customs"), many Messianic Jews say that the customs are Jewish law (not torah law, or the law of God). But, regardless, it doesn't matter. Peter was rebuked here for hypocrisy, not because he was doing fine living like a gentile and then decided wrongly to become "Jewish" again.
Galatians 2:16
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Yeshua Messiah, even we have believed in Yeshua Messiah, that we might be justified by the faith of Messiah, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Paul is not saying we shouldn't do the law here, as people try to prove with this verse. What he is saying is that you can't say you are saved because you have kept the law. Why? All have sinned (Romans 3:23). If you're justification (innocence) was measured by your obedience, you would fail, as no one is perfect.
Rather, we are justified by the faith of Christ, not merely by faith in him. So we should actually walk as he walked (1 John 2:6). He lived by the law. Paul is actually quoting scripture here. No one was ever justified by the law. This never stopped Yahweh from commanding it.
Galatians 2:19
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto Elohim.
Meaning dead to sin and iniquity, which is found by knowledge of the law (Romans 3:20). Paul continually kept the law throughout his life. Surely this would have been a false statement if it is taken to mean that he doesn't keep the law anymore. He wouldn't really be dead to it (if dead to it means, as many suppose, not having to do it -- see Romans 2:13 and compare James 1:22).
Galatians 2:21
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Meaning if our righteousness unto salvation was based upon the law, then there is no reason for Christ dying for us. But he is not saying, as many believe, that we were at one time supposed to try to keep the law to be saved, but since we "failed", we must now rely on Christ and stop doing the law. He makes it clear in Galatians 3:21 that the law was never given for that purpose. What he is saying is that those preaching that we need to begin with circumcision and the law to be saved are in error because righteousness (unto salvation) never came by the law, and it can't now so doing what's in it doesn't make up for sin.
On to chapter 3.
Galatians 3:2
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Galatians 3:3
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Simple. Do we receive the Spirit by our works (any works, including those of the law) or by faith? The answer is by faith. So why were the Galatians submitting themselves to the dogma of the Jews that were troubling them with their perversion of the scripture? Some try to equate the "flesh" here with the law. However, they need to read Romans 7:14. The "flesh" here is not obeying the law. The "flesh" here is submitting themselves to the circumcision preached by the certain Jews who were bothering them.
Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Galatians 3:11
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of Elohim, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 3:12
And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
This does not mean that those who "try" to obey the law and can't do it perfectly are cursed, as many say, or that we should live by faith rather than by the law. This is talking about the "works of law" group and their adherents, imo. Why are they under a curse? They haven't continued in the things written in the law (see Galatians 6:13). They are falsely perpetrating Yahweh's Word to spread the message of salvation by circumcision (while the law or the rest of the scripture says no such thing).
Then Paul says no one is justified by the law but "the just will live by faith". This means, imo, that our faithfulness is what we live by unto salvation. Not by our own means and works of righteousness. You can't say, "I've never killed, so that makes me a good person and I am justified". Error. The just will rather live by the faith of the Messiah. Then he says the law is not of faith. This means that you can't say living by the law is the same thing as living by faith; however, "the man that doeth them shall live in them", meaning, those claiming to live by the law, although you can't equate it with faith, should act like they live by the law rather than being hypocrites teaching a false message. Then, just in case any accusations arise of Paul and his audience being under the same curse of the law, he says in the next verse that Christ has redeemed them from it. Why? They live by his faith (unlike the "works of law" group, who live by their own standards).
Galatians 3:19
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
Many say this means the law had a termination period. That it was only to last until the promised "seed" came. However, when he did come, he still upheld the law and said it hung off the imperative of love (Matthew 22:36-40). This scripture is saying the law was not given as a means of salvation but "for transgressions". For transgressions until the promised seed. Once that promised seed has come, the role of the law as a means of accusing us of sin disappears (so again, forcing circumcision upon another because you think it will save them is error). This rebukes the perversion that salvation comes through the law. He makes it clear that it was never given for such a thing in the first place!
Galatians 3:24
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Galatians 3:25
But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
We should look at the context to interpret these verses correctly. He is establishing the true purpose and intent of the law (to keep us in sin until the redeemer can come).
Galatians 3:22
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
Galatians 3:23
But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Here is what he means by being under the schoolmaster. He's giving the purpose and intent of the law (as opposed to being a means of salvation), and that is to guard us till we can look forward to that seed by faith.
And then he continues with, "wherefore the law was our schoolmaster...". What is he talking about? Sin and faith (not whether or not to obey the law). So because we don't need to be guarded by the law, the heretics troubling the Galatians cannot come and tell them they need to be circumcised and brought up the ranks to be little Jewish prosyletes before they can be saved. How is the blessing of Abraham received according to his promised "Seed"? It is revealed now by and in Messiah, not by the law. The gift of salvation comes directly by faith. That is how we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Notice how he calls the law "scripture" here in verse 22. See 2 Timothy 3:16.
The whole point of this letter is to protect the Galatians from the heretics. It is not a letter about how bad the law is and how we need to stop doing it. Paul would never degrade five scrolls of Yahweh's Word in such a manner.