Galatians 3:15

After the manner of men. That is, to use a human illustration, one taken from common civil relations between man and man (cf. Rom. 6:19).

Covenant. Gr. diatheke, generally in the NT and in the papyri “will,” or “testament,” meaning a unilaterally formulated plan or arrangement that the other party might accept or reject, but could not alter. The word for a compact, or agreement, in which two parties come together on equal terms was suntheke, a word that does not occur in the NT, however. Paul here uses diatheke, “man’s covenant” — “will,” or “testament” — to illustrate God’s “covenant” with Abraham (Gen. 15; Gal 3:6-9, 16-18). God ordained the provisions of that “covenant”; Abraham accepted them by faith and obeyed them.

Confirmed. That is, ratified, made binding, agreed to. Once an agreement has been formally accepted by those who enter into it, its provisions are legally binding and cannot be changed except by mutual consent. If the provisions of a human agreement are considered thus binding, Paul argues, would God capriciously alter His promise to Abraham to save men on the basis of their faith in the coming Messiah (see Gal. 3:6-9, 14; see on Gal. 3:16; Heb. 6:17, 18)?

Disannulled. Or, “revokes,” “cancels.”