Adventistische Schriften über: "Does the law in Galatians 3:19—“added because of transgressions, until the Seed should come”—refer to the ceremonial law or the moral law? What view did Ellen White hold, including in connection with the 1888 controversy?"

In the 1888 controversy, the ceremonial-law interpretation and the moral-law interpretation were opposed. According to the account presented here, Ellen White did not initially take a definitive position in Minneapolis, but preferred Waggoner’s view to Smith and Butler’s and considered neither position entirely correct. She later wrote that Galatians 3 speaks especially of the moral law, but also explained that the “schoolmaster” included both the ceremonial law and the moral law—not exclusively one or the other.

The opposing views of 1888

»The Eastern brethren held that the “added” law was the Jewish ceremonial system. The Western brethren, on the other hand, held that the added law was the moral law.«

1 - Robert W. Olson, 1888—Issues, Outcomes, Lessons (88IOL 2.2)

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Ellen White’s position and later clarification

»“I cannot take my stand on either side,” she explained, “until I have studied the question.” Although she preferred Waggoner’s view to that of Smith and Butler, she said that none of them was entirely right. […] In 1896 she stated: “In this scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle speaks especially of the moral law.” In 1900 she wrote: “What law is the schoolmaster to bring us to Christ? I answer: both the ceremonial law and the moral code of the ten commandments.” So it was not only one or the other; the entire legal system was presented as a schoolmaster.«

2 - Robert W. Olson, 101 Questions on the Sanctuary and on Ellen White (QSEW 56.5)

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