Chapter 3
Review
Outline of Galatians:
I.
Salutation (1:1-5)
II.
The problem in Galatia: another Gospel from false teachers
(1:6-9)
III.
Defense of Paul’s apostleship (1:10 – 2:14)
IV.
Paul’s defense of the Gospel (2:15 – 6:10)
V.
Conclusion (6:11-18)
(New Geneva Study Bible)
(Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible)
We noted that in chapter 3 there is a change in tone in Paul’s argument. While the first two chapters had theoretical arguments and were riddled with subtle messages to the Galatians, in chapter 3 Paul turns his sights entirely upon the Galatians and addresses them forcefully (v. 1). Also, in chapter 3, we noted a generalization of Paul’s discussion about the relationship between the Law and justification. In the first two chapters Paul talked about circumcision, in particular, and about how it did not add anything to the Galatians’ status as Christians. In chapter 3, the discussion is widened to include all the works of the Law, not only circumcision.
2.
What is the topic of chapter 3?
Paul continues the argument begun in chapter 2 about the true nature of justification. He shows that justification is by grace through faith and apart from the works of the Law (v. 1-19). Having done this, he also answers a few of the potential question that could have arisen in his readers’ minds about the purpose of the Law (v. 19-29).
3.
What is the reason for Paul’s forceful beginning of the
chapter?
In the first passage of chapter 3 (v. 1 – 5), Paul applies the argument that he made in chapter 2 directly to the Galatians. He does so in a very forceful manner (v. 1), calling the Galatians foolish (Gr., anoetoß - unwise, foolish). He goes on to inquire who bewitched them to disobey the truth. Something to note here is that, in Paul’s mind, for someone to turn away from the truth of the Gospel that he, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit had preached, was nothing short of madness. Also, note that, in his assessment, nobody would forsake the truth once they learned it, except due to bewitchment. Some translations use hypnotize or charm in this sentence, once again to emphasize that no one in their right mind would turn from the truth once he has been brought to the knowledge of it.
4.
How does Paul use the Galatians’ own experience in his
argument?
In verses 2-4, Paul draws on the experience of the
Galatians themselves. He takes his
argument from fairly theoretical (end of chapter 2) to very personal. He asks the Galatians directly about what
they believed in regard to their salvation.
He points out clearly that Galatians had believed that their salvation
had been accomplished through faith in the Lord Jesus and through His grace and
that the Holy Spirit indwelled them because of that. Now, he shows the Galatians that they are trying to add to this
already complete picture. What he
implies is that, by their trusting in the Lord Jesus for their salvation and by
their being indwelled by the Holy Spirit, they are living testimony that
nothing more is required. They have
already received the Spirit of the Lord.
What else are they striving for through their own strength?
It is highly illogical, if we consider this more
carefully. The Galatians had admitted
that they needed the Lord Jesus for their salvation; that they could not attain
that of their own power. However, once
salvation was bestowed upon them due to God’s grace and through faith, they
realize that they could have contributed something to it. (It is not just the
Galatians that have fallen into this mistaken way of thinking.)
Verse 4 is another piece of proof about the Galatians’
foolishness. According to Paul, they
had suffered for the cause of the Gospel.
Now, they had suffered for the Gospel and had persevered due to God’s
help. If God strengthened them to be
victorious in their trials while still uncircumcised, what made them think that
circumcision was of any profit?
5.
In order to debunk the Galatians’ belief that obeying
the works of the Law could have added to their salvation, Paul goes on to show
the true nature of justification based on three notions. What are these notions?
Paul bases his argument for the true nature of justification – by grace, through faith, and apart from works - on three notions, as we discussed: Abraham’s example, the Law itself, God’s covenant with Abraham. We will approach these one at a time.
Abraham’s Example
Starting in verse 6, Paul points out, as he also does in
Romans 4, that Abraham was declared righteous because he believed God (Genesis
15:6 and Romans 4:9). As we discussed
in Romans as well, it is not a coincidence that Paul chooses to use Abraham as
an example. Abraham was the physical
father of the people of Israel. He was
a man chosen by God. He was the one
with whom God established a covenant.
He was a man who spoke to God in a very real and personal way. What Paul is trying to get the Galatians to
realize is that not even this man, as impressive as his resume might sound,
relied on his works for his salvation.
Contrariwise, he relied wholly on the Lord and believed that God Himself
will provide a Redeemer for him and for his descendants. The Galatians should have started to realize
the error of their ways.
The Law
The second basis of Paul’s argument for justification by
grace through faith is the Law.
Interesting, isn’t it? In other
words, the reason why one cannot earn God’s forgiveness through the works of
the Law is the Law itself. We see this
in verses 10-14. In verse 10, Paul uses
a verse from Deuteronomy 27:26. It is a
terrible utterance, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things
which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” What does this mean? It means, that if
one starts out to obey the law perfectly, he had better obey it perfectly. If one does not continue in all things
written in the book of the law, one inherits a curse. This verse alone paints such a powerful image of or powerlessness
to uphold God’s law. Reading it, we
realize that if it were left up to us our justification would be hopeless. We
cannot perfectly uphold God’s law, so to rely upon that for our salvation would
be utter foolishness.
In verse 11, Paul continues with a quote from Habakkuk
2:4, saying that just shall live by faith.
Paul goes to a prophet of the Old Testament to show the Galatians that
justification by grace through faith is perpetual truth. In other words, it has always been the case
that God’s grace and His prompting were necessary for one’s salvation. Paul is trying to show the Galatians that
justification by grace through faith was not a novel idea, a figment of his
imagination, but rather that it was the way the God had always dealt with His
chosen.
In verse 12, Paul appeals to another verse from the Old
Testament, this time from Leviticus 18:5 which says “You
shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he
shall live by them: I am the Lord.” What
Paul says in verse 12 is that according to God’s word in Leviticus, if one kept
God’s statutes and judgments, one would live.
There is that pesky if, of course. Technically, if one were able to keep God’s statutes, it would be
true that one would need no faith in order to be justified. As we pointed out, there is that huge
insurmountable if.
In verses 13-14, Paul gives the Galatians (and us)
the good news, which is that the curse that should have fallen on us for not
upholding God’s Law fell on the Lord Jesus (as a fulfillment of Deuteronomy
21:23). He bore the curse so that we
could receive the blessing – the very core of the doctrine of
justification. The Lord Jesus’ life,
death, and resurrection was the means by which God’s promise of blessing of all
nations in Abraham was fulfilled.
So, Paul showed the Galatians the hopelessness of
one’s attempt to earn righteousness. He
showed them that attempting to gain God’s favor by works could only lead to a
more terrible curse. He also presented
once again the good news of Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice.
God’s Covenant with Abraham
The third basis of Paul’s argument for justification by grace
through faith is God’s covenant with Abraham. We discussed this in Romans, as well. Paul makes an argument to show that God’s
promise to bestow forgiveness on His people pre-dated the Law and was not
voided by the Law.
Paul shows that God confirmed His covenant with Abraham (a
covenant of blessing) 430 years before the Law was given to Moses. Paul shows that the promises made to Abraham
were made to him and His Seed. He
shows that that Seed was Christ. The
promise given to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations and all
nations would be blessed in him came true because Abraham’s most illustrious
descendant (his Seed, capital S) was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Through Him, indeed all nations are blessed
because He redeemed people from every nation.
Paul shows that the blessing came as a result of God’s
promise apart from Abraham’s actions (actually, in spite of them). Once again, the message is loud and clear;
justification is by God’s grace and through faith alone, apart from your
works. Not just that, but
justification given this way is complete not needing any later contributions.
6.
What questions regarding does Paul address in verses
19-29?
Paul addresses two questions: ‘What is the purpose of
the Law?’ (v. 19, 20) and ‘Is the Law at odds with God’s promises?’ (v.
21-25).
What is the purpose of the Law?
Paul gives an answer to the question in verse 19, which
says, It was added because of transgression. What does this mean?
When we discussed Romans 7, we touched upon this topic. The Law was given to emphasize the
sinfulness of sin; in other words, to make sin sinful. I know it is an odd way to put it, but that
is precisely what the Law does. If
there were no Law there would be no awareness of sin. As an example, you cannot tell a line is crooked unless you
compare it to a straight line or you have the notion of what straight is. That is the purpose of the Law, according to
verse 19 – to be the yardstick that our behavior is measured against. (It is also true that, as we read in Romans
1, every human being has some notion of right and wrong by the mere fact that
every human being is created in God’s image, even though this image is horribly
marred by sin. The Law confirms and
emphasizes this notion of right and wrong.)
In v. 19, we read that the Law was given until the Seed
should come. What does this mean? Did
the importance of the Law finish with Christ’s coming? Certainly not. It was given in an external manner until Christ’s coming. After Christ’s coming, life, and resurrection
due to His saving us, the Law is no longer an external entity but rather it is
written on our hearts, as Jeremiah prophesied in Jeremiah 31:33-34. By our being indwelled by the Holy Spirit of
God who applies His Word to our lives, this prophecy is fulfilled.
At the end of v. 19, we read that the Law was given
through a mediator. This is obviously
Moses. Then v. 20 says that a
mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one. What does this mean? One interpretation could be that Paul
continues the discussion on two planes – before Christ’s coming and after
Christ’s coming. The mediator between
God and the people when the Law was given was Moses. The new Mediator between God and His people is no longer another
person but is God Himself. God – the
Lord Jesus Christ – is the mediator between God and His people.
Is the Law against God’s promises?
Certainly not! Paul shows that if the law could be upheld it would bring
life, just like God promised. However,
due to our sinfulness, the Law (here used interchangeably with the
Scriptures) can do nothing but condemn us.
As we mentioned earlier the Law was the yardstick that was meant to show
us how short we fall of God’s standard.
The Law served as a tutor. According to my study Bible, at the time of the writing of the
epistle, a tutor was usually a slave charged with the education of a master’s
child. The job of the tutor was mainly
pointing out and punishing the children’s mistakes. The Law fulfills the same role – it points out clearly our
mistakes and condemns them.
The painful realization of one’s sinfulness and repentance
are the steps before salvation. In this
sense, the Law does bring us to Christ that we might be justified by
faith. In v. 25 we read that we are
no longer under a tutor. As I
already mentioned, along with salvation we receive the Holy Spirit and He
becomes the Comforter rather than the tutor, the One who guides us along the
path of our Christian lives. The Holy
Spirit does this through the Word, prayer, and not least, through the Church.
7.
What truth do we find comfort in?
Verse 26 reiterates to the Galatians the amazing truth
that they were children of God through faith in the Lord Jesus. In v. 27, Paul gives a powerful image of the
Galatians’ being God’s sons. He says
that all those baptized put on Christ.
The image is of someone donning a great robe. We were covered by Christ.
When the Father looks at us He sees us through the prism of His Son’s
redemptive sacrifice.
Verse 28 is a great conclusion to the argument of chapter
3 for the true nature of justification – it gives the essence of the argument
put in a way meant to show the Galatians that their attempt to become
circumcised to add to their salvation was absolutely unnecessary. Verse 29 puts
it even more clearly/bluntly – if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s
seed and heirs according to the promise.
We also are Abraham’s seed through the Lord Jesus.
Thanks be to God!
Sorin Voicu-Comendant
Soli Deo Gloria!