PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Salutation	Greetings	The Salutation	Salutation	Address
1:1-5	1:1-5	1:1-5	1:1-2	1:1-5
			1:3
			1:4-5
There is No Other Gospel	Only One Gospel	The Galatian Apostasy	The One Gospel	A Warning
1:6-9	1:6-10	1:6-10	1:6-9	1:6-10
1:10			1:10
How Paul Became An Apostle	Call to Apostleship	Paul's Vindication of His Apostleship	How Paul Became an Apostle	God's Call
1:11-12	1:11-17	1:11-12	1:11-12	1:11-24
1:13-17		1:13-17	1:13-14
			1:15-19
	Contacts at Jerusalem
1:18-24	1:18-24	1:18-24
			1:20
			1:21-24

* Although they are not inspired, paragraph divisions are the key to understanding and following the original author's intent. Each modern translation has divided and summarized the paragraphs. Every paragraph has one central topic, truth, or thought. Each version encapsulates that topic in its own distinct way. As you read the text, ask yourself which translation fits your understanding of the subject and verse divisions.
 In every chapter we must read the Bible first and try to identify its subjects (paragraphs), then compare our understanding with the modern versions. Only when we understand the original author's intent by following his logic and presentation can we truly understand the Bible. Only the original author is inspired—readers have no right to change or modify the message. Bible readers do have the responsibility of applying the inspired truth to their day and their lives.
  Note that all technical terms and abbreviations are explained fully in the following documents: Brief Definitions of Greek Grammatical Structure, Textual Criticism, and Glossary.

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired but it is the key to following the original author's intent which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

 

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Verses 1-5, basically the prologue to Galatians, is one sentence in Greek.

 

B. Paul's usual note of thanksgiving (cf. Romans, I and II Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and 2 Thessalonians) is absent. This reflects the tension between Paul and this group of churches.

 

C. Verses 6-10 establish the theological theme of the entire book. It could almost be said that these few verses contain all of the theological elements which Paul develops in the letter.

 

D. Galatians 1:11-2:21 forms an autobiographical section where Paul defends his Apostleship and, by that, his gospel. This is very similar to 2 Corinthians 10-13.

 

E. Galatians 1:11-2:14 divides into the following areas:

1. Paul was not dependent on the Apostles in Jerusalem, 1:11-24.

2. Paul was recognized by the Church in Jerusalem, 2:1-10.

3. An example of Paul's equality, 2:11-14.

 

F. The main body of this letter is contained in 2:15-6:10. It can be divided as follows:

1. Paul defends the doctrinal truths of his gospel, 2:15-4:20.

2. Paul defends the implication of his gospel, 5:1-6:10.

 

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:1-5
 ¹Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), ²and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia: ³Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.

1:1 "Paul" Saul of Tarsus is first called Paul in Acts 13:9. It is probable that most Jews of the "diaspora" had a Hebrew name and a Greek name. If so, then Saul's parents gave him this name but why, then, does "Paul" suddenly appear in Acts 13? Possibly (1) others began to call him by this name or (2) he began to refer to himself by the term "little" or "least." The Greek name Paulos meant "little." Several theories have been advanced about the origin of his Greek name.

1. the second century tradition that Paul was short, fat, bald, bow-legged, bushy eye-browed, and had protruding eyes is a possible source of the name, deriving from a non-canonical book from Thessalonica called Paul and Thekla

2. passages where Paul calls himself the "the least of the saints" because he persecuted the Church as in Acts 9:1-2 (cf. 1 Cor. 15:9; Eph. 3:8; 1 Tim. 1:15).

Some have seen this "leastness" as the origin of the self-chosen title. However, in a book like Galatians, where he emphasized his independence and equality with the Jerusalem Twelve, this option is somewhat unlikely (cf. 2 Cor. 11:5; 12:11; 15:10).

▣ "an apostle" "Apostle" comes from one of the Greek words "to send" (apostellō). Jesus chose twelve of His disciples to be with Him in a special sense and called them "Apostles" (cf. Mark 6:30; Luke 6:13).

Paul asserted his apostleship in all of his letters except for Philippians, I and 2 Thessalonians, and Philem. This introductory paragraph is one of the strongest affirmations of his apostleship found in any of his letters, due to the situations in the churches where false teachers tried to refute his gospel by attacking him personally.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SEND (APOSTELLŌ)

NASB"not sent from men, nor through the agency of man"
NKJV"not from men nor through man"
NRSV"sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities"
TEV"did not come from man or by means of man"
JB"who does not owe his authority to men or his appointment to any human being"

This underscores one of Paul's major emphases, that his apostleship originated from a divine, not human, source (cf. vv. 12,16). The false teachers may have alleged that Paul received his gospel from: (1) the Twelve in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 9:19-22); or (2) the Mother Church, but he had subtly changed this gospel that he had been given. Paul defended himself in this regard because the gospel itself, not his credentials or reputation, was at stake (cf. 2 Cor. 10-13).

▣ "but through Jesus Christ and God the Father" Note Paul's bold assertion that he received his revelation and the content of the gospel from the resurrected, glorified Jesus Himself (cf. 1:12). Although Paul did not fit the criteria of apostleship found in Acts 1:21-22, he believed he was called by the Lord to perform this specific task (i.e., Apostle to the Gentiles).

"Jesus" means "YHWH saves" (cf. Matt. 1:21). It is the same as the Hebrew name Joshua. When this term is used alone in the NT, it emphasizes the humanity of Jesus (cf. Eph. 4:21).

"Christ" is equivalent to the Hebrew term, Messiah or Anointed One (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH below), which emphasizes the OT promise of the uniquely called, divinely inspired, coming One to bring in the New Age of righteousness.

"Jesus Christ" and "God the Father" are linked by one preposition which was the NT author's way of asserting the full deity of Christ; this occurs both in v. 1 and v. 3 (cf. 1 Thess. 1:1; 3:11; 2 Thess. 1:2,12; 2:16).

God is Father, not in the sense of sexual generation or chronological precedence, but interpersonal relationship and leadership, as in a Jewish home.

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH

SPECIAL TOPIC: FATHER

▣ "who raised Him from the dead" Paul emphasizes that it was God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. It was both the Father and the Son who gave him the gospel. Paul may have been asserting that he was called by the Risen Lord while the Twelve in Jerusalem were called by the still-human Lord, although this may be reading too much into the phrase.

In most passages, it is God the Father who raised Jesus from the dead and thereby gives Him the divine stamp of approval on His ministry (cf. II Cor. 4:14; Acts 2:24; 3:15; 10:40; Rom. 6:4; 1 Pet. 1:21). In Rom. 8:17 it is God the Spirit who raises Jesus from the dead. However, in John 10:17-18, God the Son asserts that He laid down His own life, and took it up again. This shows the fluidity between the work of the persons of the Trinity.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE RESURRECTION

1:2 "and all the brethren who are with me" It is unfortunate for modern Bible students that Paul did not name his companions, which would have confirmed one of the two theories concerning the recipients of the letter. The Northern Theory focuses on ethnic Galatia while the Southern Theory focuses on the Roman administrative province of Galatia. Paul did not mention whether it was Barnabas (first journey) or Timothy and Silas (second journey). The name "Barnabas" occurs three times in Galatians implying the first journey and, therefore, the early date.

Paul uses "brethren" often in this letter (cf. 3:15; 4:12; 5:11; 6:18), possibly because his message to these churches was so pointed, stern, or even combative. Paul often introduced new subjects by beginning with "brothers."

▣ "to the churches of Galatia" Again, the exact location of these churches remains undetermined. Some assert that it is Northern Galatia (cf. 1 Pet. 1:1), and make the date of this epistle in the middle 50's a.d. Acts 26:6 and 18:23 are interpreted as evidence that Paul preached in this area. Others interpret Galatia as the Roman province of Galatia, which encompassed a much larger area referred to in Acts 13 and 14 and would thereby refer to the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. This would make the date in the late 40's a.d., just before, but not identical with, the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHURCH (EKKLESIA)

1:3 "Grace to you and peace" The normal Greek epistolary greeting was the word charein. Paul characteristically changed this to the similar sounding Christian term charis, or grace. Many have suggested Paul combined the Greek greeting of "grace" with the Hebrew greeting "peace" [shalom]. Although this is an attractive theory, it may be reading too much into this typically Pauline introductory phrase. Theologically it is interesting to notice that grace alone precedes peace.

▣ "the Lord" The Greek term kurios is similar in meaning to the Hebrew term adon. Both were used in the sense of "sir," "master," "owner," "husband," or "lord" (cf. Gen. 24:9; Exod. 21:4; 2 Sam. 2:7; and Matt. 6:24; John 4:11; 9:36). However, it also came to refer to Jesus as God's Sent One, the Messiah (cf. John 9:38).

The OT usage of this term comes from the later reluctance of Judaism to pronounce the covenant name for God, YHWH, which is the Hebrew verb "to be" (cf. Exod. 3:14). They were afraid of breaking one of the Ten Commandments which said, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord Thy God in vain." Therefore, they thought if they did not pronounce it, they could not take it in vain. So, they substituted the Hebrew adon [Lord] which has a similar meaning to the Greek kurios [Lord]. The NT authors used this term to describe the full deity of Christ. The phrase "Jesus is Lord" was the public confession of faith and baptismal formula of the early church (cf. Rom. 10:9-14).

YHWH

1. This is the name which reflects deity as the covenant making God; God as savior, redeemer! Humans break covenants, but God is loyal to His word, promise, covenant (cf. Ps. 103).

This name is first mentioned in combination with Elohim in Gen. 2:4. There are not two creation accounts in Genesis 1-2, but two emphases: (1) God (i.e., Elohim) as the creator of the universe (the physical) and (2) God as the special creator of humanity (i.e., YHWH). Genesis 2:4 begins the special revelation about the privileged position and purpose of mankind, as well as the problem of sin and rebellion associated with the unique position.

2. In Gen. 4:26 it is said "men began to call upon the name of the Lord " (YHWH). However, Exod. 6:3 implies that early covenant people (the Patriarchs and their families) knew God only as El-Shaddai. The name YHWH is explained only one time in Exod. 3:13-16, esp. v. 14. However, the writings of Moses often interpret words by popular word plays, not etymologies (cf. Gen. 17:5; 27:36; 29:13-35). There have been several theories as to the meaning of this name (taken from IDB, vol. 2, pp. 409-11).

a. from an Arabic root, "to show fervent love"

b. from an Arabic root "to blow" (YHWH as storm God)

c. from a Ugartic (Canaanite) root "to speak"

d. following a Phoenician inscription, a causative participle meaning "the One who sustains," or "the One who establishes"

e. from the Hebrew Qal form "the One who is," or "the One who is present" (in future sense, "the One who will be")

f. from the Hebrew Hiphil form "the One who causes to be"

g. from the Hebrew root "to live" (e.g., Gen. 3:20), meaning "the ever living, only living One"

h. from the context of Exod. 3:13-16 a play on the imperfect form used in a perfect sense, "I shall continue to be what I used to be" or "I shall continue to be what I have always been" (cf. J. Wash Watts, A Survey of Syntax in the Old Testament, p. 67

The full name YHWH is often expressed in abbreviation or possibly an original form

(1) Yah (e.g., Hallelu - yah)

(2) Yahu (names, e.g., the "iah" in Isaiah)

(3) Yo (names, e.g., Joel)

3. As with El, often YHWH is combined with other terms to emphasize certain characteristics of the Covenant God of Israel. While there are many possible combinations terms, here are some.

a. YHWH – Yireh (YHWH will provide), Gen. 22:14

b. YHWH – Rophekha (YHWH is your healer), Exod. 15:26

c. YHWH – Nissi (YHWH is my banner), Exod. 17:15

d. YHWH – Meqaddishkem (YHWH the One who sanctifies you), Exod. 31:13

e. YHWH – Shalom (YHWH is Peace), Jdgs. 6:24

f. YHWH – Sabbaoth (YHWH of hosts), 1 Sam. 1:3,11; 4:4; 15:2; often in the Prophets)

g. YHWH – Ro‘I (YHWH is my shepherd), Ps. 23:1

h. YHWH – Sidqenu (YHWH is our righteousness), Jer. 23:6

i. YHWH – Shammah (YHWH is there), Ezek. 48:35

 

1:4 This series of phrases illuminates three major aspects of Paul's gospel message. Paul expanded the introduction to show the centrality of the person and work of Jesus of Nazareth. The three aspects are:

1. His substitutionary death on our behalf (cf. Rom. 4:25; 5:6,8; I Cor. 15:3; 2 Cor. 5:14,21)

2. His introduction of the New Messianic Age—this is an aorist middle verbal form which means "He, Himself, once and for all, plucked us out" of this present evil age

3. His mission was in obedience to the eternal, redemptive plan of God. He came to die (cf. Gen. 3:15; Isa. 53:4,10; Mark 10:45; John 3:16; Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28; 2 Cor. 5:21; 2 Tim. 1:9; 1 Pet. 1:20 and Rev. 13:8). See Special Topic: YHWH's ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN at Gal. 1:7.

"Wicked" is placed in an emphatic position which conveys the idea that "this is an evil, godless age" (cf. John 12:31; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2-7). The concept of the two Jewish ages—a current evil age and the age to come, which will be brought in by God's Messiah—can be seen in Matt. 12:32; 13:39; 28:20 and other passages in the NT. Although Jesus has ushered in the New Age, it has not yet been fully consummated.

▣ "who gave Himself for our sins" The word "gift" is a metaphor for God's initiating, free grace toward sinful humanity.

1. Jesus gave Himself, cf. Matt. 20:28; Luke 22:19; Gal. 1:4; 1 Tim. 2:6

2. God gave His Son for the world to be saved, cf. John 3:16; 1 John 4:10

3. Jesus is the gift of God, cf. John 4:10; Rom. 5:15; 2 Cor. 9:15

4. justification by grace through faith in Christ is the gift of God, cf. Rom 3:24; Eph. 2:8

 

NASB, NIV"rescue us"
NKJV"deliver us"
NRSV"to set us free"
TEV"to deliver us"
NJB"to liberate us"

This is an aorist middle subjunctive. In Acts 7:10,34 it is used of the Exodus. Jesus is the new Moses/new Exodus! In the context of Galatians this means that Christ's death brings believers forgiveness of sin (cf. Isaiah 53) potentially to all humans. It is God's will that sinful mankind be saved (cf. John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9).

▣ "this present evil age" See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME

▣ "according to the will of our God and Father" See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WILL (thelēma) OF GOD

1:5 "to whom be the glory forevermore" Typically Pauline, this doxology breaks into the context because of the majesty of God. Often the pronouns in Paul's writings have ambiguous antecedents. Most of the time, in these occurrences, the masculine singular pronouns refer to God the Father.

▣ "the glory" In the OT the most common Hebrew word for "glory" (kabod, BDB 217) was originally a commercial term (which referred to the use of a pair of scales) which meant "to be heavy." That which was heavy was valuable or had intrinsic worth. Often the concept of brightness (Shekinah cloud of glory during the wilderness wandering period) was added to the word to express God's majesty. He alone is worthy and honorable. He is too brilliant for fallen mankind to behold. God can only be truly known through Christ (cf. Jer. 1:14; Matt. 17:2; Heb. 1:3; James 2:1).

The term "glory" is somewhat ambiguous:

1. it may be parallel to "the righteousness of God"

2. it may refer to the "holiness" or "perfection" of God

3. it could refer to the image of God in which mankind was created (cf. Gen. 1:26-27; 5:1; 9:6), but which was later marred through willful disobedience (cf. Gen. 3:1-22)

 

SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA)

▣ "forevermore" Literally "unto the ages of the ages."

SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER (GREEK IDIOM)

▣ "Amen" This is a form of the OT Hebrew term for "faith" (emeth, cf. Hab. 2:4, see Special Topic at Gal. 3:6). Its original etymology was "to be firm or sure." However, the connotation changed to that which is to be affirmed (cf. 2 Cor. 1:20). It was used metaphorically of someone who was faithful, loyal, steadfast, trustworthy (cf. Robert B. Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, pp. 102-106). Here it functions as a close to a doxology to God the Father (cf. Rom. 1:25; 9:5; 11:36; 16:27; Eph. 3:21; Phil. 4:20).

SPECIAL TOPIC: AMEN

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:6-10
 ⁶I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; ⁷which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. ⁸But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! ⁹As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you have received, he is to be accursed! ¹⁰For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

1:6 "I am amazed" Instead of a thanksgiving—so common in Pauline writings—Paul observed with astonishment (the verb is found only here and 2 Thess. 1:10 in Paul's writings) that the Galatians had been too easily wooed away from the pure, simple, majestic gospel of justification by grace through faith by the false teachers.

▣ "so quickly" Two senses are possible: (1) so soon after they accepted the gospel that Paul preached, or (2) so soon after the false teachers came.

▣ "deserting Him" This verb is present tense, indicating the Galatians were in the process of turning away. "deserting" is a military term for revolt. Note the emphasis is on the personal element of turning away from God Himself by rejecting Paul's gospel. It can be a present passive verbal form, but the larger context (cf. 3:1ff. and 5:7) implies a present middle form. This emphasizes that although the false teachers instigated the deserting, the Galatians willingly participated in it.

▣ "who called you by the grace of Christ" The phrase "called you" usually refers to an action of God the Father (cf. Rom. 8:30; 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:9). This is significant because of the textual problem with the addition of the phrase "of Christ." It is not found in the papyrus P⁴⁶, F^*, or G, but it is found in the papyrus P⁵¹, and the uncial manuscripts א, A, B, K and F². "Of Jesus Christ" is found in MS D. This may be an early addition to clarify that it is the Father who calls us through Christ. It must be stated again: God always takes the initiative in human salvation (cf. John 6:44,65; Rom. 9; Eph. 1:3-14). See SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE at 1 Thess. 1:4 and SPECIAL TOPIC: CALLED at 2 Thess. 1:11.

▣ "for a different gospel" "Different" [heteros] is sometimes used in the sense of "another of a different kind," (cf. 2 Cor. 11:4). In verse 7 allos (i.e., "another of the same kind") is used; it can be translated "another of the same kind in a series." However, in Koine Greek these terms were becoming synonymous and a distinction should not be insisted upon too strongly. But, in this context, Paul obviously used both for contrast.

1:7

NASB"which is really not another"
NKJV"which is not another"
NRSV"not that there is another gospel"
TEV"there is no ‘other gospel'"
NJB"Not that there can be more than one Good News"

There are not two gospels, though the one true gospel is often perverted. The KJV translation of 2:7 has been often interpreted as referring to two gospels, one for the Greeks and one for the Jews. This is an unfortunate and untrue inference, although it may have been a statement of the false teachers.

NASB"only there are some who are disturbing you"
NKJV"but there are some who trouble you"
NRSV"but there are some who are confusing you"
TEV"there are some people who are upsetting you"
NJB"it is merely that some troublemakers among you"

"Disturbing" refers to a purposeful action like a military revolt (i.e., this context has several military terms). "False teachers" is plural in 5:12, but possibly only the leader of the false teachers is actually meant because of the use of the singular in 5:7 and twice in 5:10. They are called "agitators" in 5:12. Many assume the Judaizers of Galatians are synonymous with the converted Pharisees or priests of Acts 15:1,5,24. They emphasized the necessity of becoming a Jew before one could become a Christian. The Judaizers' emphasis on the Jewish Law can be seen in:

1. the necessity of circumcision (cf. 2:3-4; 5:1; 6:12-15)

2. their keeping of special days (cf. 4:10)

3. a possible inclusion of keeping the food laws which is implied in Paul's confrontation with Peter (cf. 2:11-14)

This was probably the same group of false teachers mentioned in 2 Cor. 11:26 and 1 Thess. 2:14-16. Their problem was not that they denied the central place of Christ in salvation, but that they also required the Mosaic Law, which confuses grace and human performance. The New Covenant does not focus on human merit (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-38).

The theological and practical problem of how to relate the OT and NT remains even today. Here are some possible options suggested through the years.

1. ignore the OT

2. magnify the OT

3. continue the ethics, but not the cultus of Israel

4. read the NT through the eyes of the OT categories

5. read the OT through the new message of Jesus

6. see it as a promise (OT) and fulfillment (NT)

I have struggled with this issue! It seems to me the OT is surely revelation (Matt. 5:17-19; 2 Tim. 3:15-16). One cannot understand the Bible without Genesis. The OT surely reveals God in marvelous ways, however, it seems to me that Judaism mishandled the Mosaic covenant by emphasizing the human aspect of covenant! I prefer to emphasize the divine universal aspect (i.e., Gen. 3:15; 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6) with a mandated covenantal human response!

The NT universalizes the national promises to Israel whereby the original intent of God to redeem fallen mankind, made in His image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) is fully realized! One God, one world, one way to restored fellowship (i.e., Isaiah's message)!

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH's ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

NASB"and want to distort the gospel of Christ"
NKJV, NRSV"and want to pervert the gospel of Christ"
TEV"and trying to change the gospel of Christ"
NJB"want to change the Good News of Christ"

"To distort" is an aorist infinitive meaning "to reverse," possibly another military term. Although morality is a significant element of the gospel, it always follows salvation. It does not precede it as the Judaizers asserted (cf. Eph. 2:8-9 & 10). Paul's gospel was Christ, then Christlikeness; their gospel was works righteousness (Mosaic Law) and then God's righteousness in Christ.

1:8 "but even if" This third class conditional sentence with an aorist middle subjunctive which shows a hypothetical situation (cf. 2 Cor. 11:3-4). Paul asserted that if he, or an angel from heaven, should preach a different gospel, they should be judged and separated from God.

NASB"he is to be accursed!"
NKJV"let him be accursed"
NRSV"let that one be accursed"
TEV"may he be condemned to hell"
NJB"he is to be condemned"

"Curse" (anathema, cf. Matt. 18:7; Rom. 9:3; 1 Cor. 12:3; 16:22) may reflect the Hebrew word herem which was employed in the sense of dedicating something to God. Herem developed a negative connotation from its use in the case of Jericho being dedicated to God for destruction (cf. Joshua 6-7). God's curse is a natural result of His people breaking a covenant (cf. Deut. 27:11-26). However, Paul specifically used this term to show the seriousness of the false teachers' gospel by consigning them to God's wrath

Syntactically, vv. 8 and 9 are parallel. However, the third class condition sentence of v. 8 shows potential action (i.e., hypothetical), while the first class condition sentence of v. 9 shows current, assumed action (i.e., the preaching of the false teachers).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CURSE (ANATHEMA)

1:9 "as we have said before" This is a perfect active indicative plural, which refers to the previous teaching and preaching of Paul's mission team.

▣ "a gospel contrary to that which you have received" The verb "received" (paralambanō, aorist active indicative) is a technical term in rabbinical writings for passing on "the Oral Tradition," indicating Paul was passing on the gospel tradition (cf. v. 12; 1 Cor. 11:23; 15:3; Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 2:13; 4:1; 2 Thess. 3:6)), but the context is emphatic that he did not receive this tradition from other humans (cf. v. 12).

To become a Christian one must receive (cf. John 1:12) or to put it another way, believe (cf. John 3:16) the gospel. Christian conversion has three aspects, all of which are crucial (all three correspond to the three uses of pistis - pistellō, see note at 1:23-24):

1. welcome Jesus personally (a person to believe in)

2. believe the NT truths about Him (truths about that person to affirm)

3. live a life like His (a life to live like that person's)

It must be clarified that the central elements of Paul's gospel came from Jesus directly (cf. v. 12). Paul contemplated and developed them for several years before he went to visit the Mother Church and its leaders in Jerusalem (cf. Gal. 1:18; 2:1). However, Paul also learned much about the words and actions of Jesus from those who knew Him in the flesh:

1. those he persecuted witnessed to him

2. he saw and heard the defense of Stephen (cf. Acts 7:58)

3. Ananias witnessed to him (cf. Acts 9:10-19)

4. he visited with Peter for 15 days (cf. 1:18)

Additionally, Paul also quotes many creeds or hymns of the early Church in his writings (cf. 1:4-5; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Eph. 5:14; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-20; 1 Tim. 3:16); and mentions Christian traditions several times (cf. 1 Cor. 11:2; 2 Thessalonians 3:6). Paul was speaking in very specific terms and in a guarded sense because of the accusations of the false teachers.

1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God" This is a development and continuation of the theme which began in 1:1. Paul's strong words to the false teachers proved that he was not trying to please men which they had apparently alleged. Possibly Paul was being criticized for his statement that he became all things to all men similar to 1 Cor. 9:19-27; Acts 21:17-26. This was misinterpreted as:

1. compromising with pagan culture

2. his preaching two gospels, one for Jews and another easier one for pagans

 

▣ "If" Verse 10 is a second class conditional sentence which expresses a statement "contrary to fact." Amplified, the sentence would read: "If I were still trying to please men, which I am not, then I would not be a bond-servant of Christ, which I am." See Appendix One, VII.

▣ "I were still trying to please men" There has been much discussion about the word "still." Does this imply that he never appealed to men or that it was a confession that as a zealous Pharisee in his earlier days he did attempt to please men (i.e., Pharisees, cf. 1:14)?

▣ "I would not be a bond-servant of Christ" This is an allusion to Christ's teaching that one cannot serve two masters (cf. Matt. 6:24). "Bond-servant" may have been used by Paul to refer to

1. Jesus as Lord and Paul as slave

2. an honorific title of leadership from the OT used of Moses (cf. Deut. 34:5; Jos. 8:31,33), Joshua (cf. Jos. 24:29; Jdgs. 2:8), and to David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:5; title, Psalm 18)

 

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:11-17
 ¹¹For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹²For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; ¹⁴and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. ¹⁵But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased ¹⁶to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, ¹⁷nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

1:11-2:14 This is a literary unit in which Paul defends his apostleship, so as to defend his gospel.

1:11

NASB"For I would have you know, brethren"
NKJV"But I make known to you, brethren"
NRSV"For I want you to know, brothers and sisters"
TEV"Let me tell you, my brothers"
NJB"The fact is, brothers, and I want you to realize this"

The KJV translates this as "I certify to you," a technical rendering of the phrase (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3; 15:1; 2 Cor. 8:1).

1:11-12 "the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man" This begins a phrase which repeats the twin disclaimers of 1:1. Paul claimed that his message does not have a human origin (cf. 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). He further asserted that he did not receive it from any human. The word "receive" was used of students being taught in rabbinical schools. The gospel was contrary to the teachings Paul received as a rabbinical student in Jerusalem. It was taught to him by a revelation from Jesus Christ, both on the road to Damascus and in Arabia (cf. Eph. 3:2-3). He stated this three times in verses 11-12!

The word "gospel" and the verb "was preached" are both from the compound term

1. eu, "good"

2. angelion, "news" or "message"

Paul uses them together in 1 Cor. 15:1.

1:12 "a revelation of Jesus Christ" This may be either subjective genitive case (emphasizing Jesus as the agent of the revelation, i.e., opposite "from men") or objective genitive case (emphasizing Jesus as the content of the revelation, cf. v. 16).

1:13 "you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism" It is not certain how these churches heard.

1. it was common knowledge

2. Paul shared with them

3. the false teachers had alluded to his former conduct

"Judaism" seems to refer to Pharisaism (cf. Acts 26:4-5). After the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 by the Roman general Titus, the Pharisaic party moved to the city of Jamnia. The Sadducean element was completely eliminated and Pharisaism developed into modern rabbinical Judaism. Paul mentioned something of his life as a zealous Pharisee in Phil. 3:4-6.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES

NASB"how I used to persecute beyond measure"
NKJV"how I persecuted"
NRSV"I was violently persecuting"
TEV"how I persecuted without mercy"
NJB"how much damage I did to it"

This imperfect tense verb is used in Acts 9:4, referring to his repeated activity described in Acts 8:1-3; 22:20; and 26:10 (cf. 1 Cor. 15:9; 1 Tim. 1:13). These are the same general contexts in which Paul shared his personal testimony.

For "beyond measure" (hyperbole), see Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PAUL'S USE OF "HUPER" COMPOUNDS

▣ "the church of God" Ekklesia is a compound Greek word from "out of" and "to call." This was used in Koine Greek to describe any kind of assembly, such as a town assembly (cf. Acts 19:32). The Church chose this term because it was used in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, written as early as 250 b.c. for the library at Alexandria, Egypt. This Greek term translated the Hebrew term qahal which was used in the covenantal phrase "the assembly of Israel" (cf. Num. 20:4). The NT writers asserted that they were the "divinely called out ones" who were the People of God of their day. They saw no radical break between the OT People of God and themselves, the NT People of God. We must assert that the Church of Jesus Christ is the true heir to the OT Scriptures, not modern rabbinical Judaism.

Note that Paul mentioned the local churches in 1:2 and the universal Church in 1:13. "Church" is used in three different ways in the NT.

1. house churches (cf. Rom. 16:5)

2. local or area churches (cf. 1:2; 1 Cor. 1:2)

3. the whole body of Christ on earth (1:13; Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22; 3:21; 5:23-32)

 

▣ "and tried to destroy it" This verb phrase is imperfect tense, meaning repeated action in past time.

1:14 "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries" This refers to Paul's fellow rabbinical students in Jerusalem. No one is more enthusiastic than a first-year theology student! The Jewish zeal for the Law was/is actually devotion and zeal without knowledge and truth (cf. Rom. 10:2ff.). Paul was trying to please his Jewish contemporaries!

▣ "being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions" Here is the use of the term "traditions" which was a technical term for "the Oral Tradition." The Jews believed that the Oral Tradition, like the written Old Testament, was given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai. The Oral Tradition was meant to surround, protect, and interpret the written Old Testament. Later codified in the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds, it resulted in formalism and folklore instead of a vital faith relationship (cf. Isa. 29:13; Col. 2:16-23; 2 Tim. 3:1-5). See note on "traditions" at 2 Thess. 2:15.

1:15

NASB"But when God"
NKJV"But when it pleased God"
NRSV"But when God"
TEV"But God"
NJB"Then God"

Many reliable ancient manuscripts, instead of having the term "God," use the Masculine pronoun "he," (cf. manuscripts P⁴⁶ and B). Theos [God] does occur in manuscripts א, A, and D. "He" was likely original and scribes later added theos to clarify the ambiguous pronoun. See Appendix Two.

▣ "who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace" Paul is alluding to the call of some OT prophets, particularly Jeremiah (cf. Jer. 1:4-5, or the Servant of YHWH, Isaiah 49:1,5). He felt a divine call to the ministry (cf. Rom. 1:1). This is another way of asserting that his authority and apostleship were not from men (cf. vv. 1, 11-12). The concept of being "called" by God is emphasized in Paul's personal testimony (cf. Acts 9:1-19; 13:2; 22:1-16; and 26:9-18). Some of the strongest biblical passages on election can be found in Paul's writings (cf. Romans 9 and Ephesians 1).

It is interesting that Paul's "through His grace" seems to be synonymous with "Holy Spirit." The terminology is common in Paul's writings (cf. Rom. 3:24; 1 Cor. 15:10; 2 Cor. 6:1; Eph. 2:8).

Grace reflects the unchanging character of God and the spirit makes the contact between the Holy God and sinful mankind (cf. John 6:44,65).

1:16

NASB, NKJV,
NJB"to reveal His Son in me"
NRSV, TEV"to reveal his Son to me"

"To reveal" [apocaluptō], translated "revelation" in verse 12 typically means "a clear manifestation or unveiling." Apparently this occurred on the Damascus road and later in Arabia (cf. v. 17).

The phrase "in me" has been much debated. Some believe it means that God revealed Jesus to Paul while others think it means that God revealed Jesus through Paul. Both are true. The Revised English Bible translation combines both possibilities ("to reveal His Son in and through me"). The larger context seems to fit the first option best, but in v. 16 the second option fits best.

▣ "that I might preach about Him among the Gentiles" The phrase "in me" is paralleled by "in the Gentiles." God called Paul to call the heathen (cf. Acts 9:15; 22:15; 26:16-18; Rom. 1:5; 11:13; 15:16; Gal. 2:7,9; E ph. 3:8; 1 Tim. 2:7). We derive the English word "ethnic" from this Greek word for "Gentiles."

NASB"I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood"
NKJV"I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood"
NRSV"I did not confer with any human being"
TEV"I did not go to anyone for advice"
NJB"I did not stop to discuss this with any human being"

This seems to refer to Paul's private study time in Arabia (cf. v. 17). We are not sure how long he studied or how long he remained in Arabia. It was probably the Nabatean kingdom, which was very close to the city of Damascus, just to the southeast (cf. 2 Cor. 11:32). From verse 18 it seems that he could have stayed for as long as three years (but not necessarily). Paul's basic purpose for mentioning this (it is omitted in the book of Acts) was to show that he did not receive his gospel from the Apostles in Jerusalem, nor was he officially sanctioned by the Church in Jerusalem, but from God and by God (cf. vv. 1,11-12).

"Flesh" has sexual connotations. See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FLESH (sarx)

1:17 "to those who were apostles before me" Paul certainly recognized the leadership of the original Twelve, but also asserted his equality to them.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:18-24
 ¹⁸Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother. ²⁰(Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) ²¹Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. ²²I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; ²³but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy." ²⁴And they were glorifying God because of me.

1:18 "Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem" Paul freely admitted that he visited Jerusalem. The emphasis of this sentence is that Paul had no contact with Jerusalem or the Twelve until three years after his conversion. The book of Acts records five visits by Paul to Jerusalem, but Galatians only records two. It is very difficult to know which of the visits recorded in Acts are similarly recorded in the book of Galatians or if there were additional visits. Most people believe that this visit mentioned in v. 18 is equal to the visit recorded in Acts 9:26-30. See Introduction, Date and Recipients, C.

▣ "to become acquainted with" This is a Greek phrase from which we get our English word "history." Paul went (1) to get to know Peter or (2) for the specific purpose of learning from Peter the teachings of Jesus. Yet Paul did not stay with Peter the entire time (cf. Acts 9:28-30). He was preaching in the area and probably just spent the evenings and the Sabbath with him. This verse also emphasizes that he only stayed for fifteen days, which is much too short a stay for extended instruction. However, from the Pauline terminology and theology so obvious in I and 2 Pet., Peter may have learned more from Paul than Paul did from Peter.

NASB, NRSV,
NJB"Cephas"
NKJV, TEV"Peter"

Cephas (Aramaic for "rock") is found in MSS P⁴⁶, P⁵¹, א^*, A, B. Peter (Greek for boulder) is found in MSS א^c, D, F, G, K, L, and P. Paul uses "Cephas" in 2:9,11,14.

1:19 "But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord's brother" This Greek sentence is very ambiguous. The context implies that James was an apostle, but this meaning is not certain. It (apostles) could refer to Peter in v. 18. James seems to be an "apostle" in the same sense as Barnabas (cf. Acts 14:4, 14); Andronicus and Junias (cf. Rom. 16:7); Apollos (cf. 2 Cor. 4:9); Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25); or Silvanas and Timothy (cf. 1 Thess. 2:6; Acts; 18:5). This James was identified as the Lord's half-brother (cf. Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3), in order to differentiate him from James the Apostle, part of the Inner Circle, who was killed very early (cf. Acts 12). For several generations the church in Jerusalem had a physical relative of Jesus as their leader. Several biblical passages (cf. Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18; 1 Cor. 15:7; and James 1:1) indicate that James was a very important leader in the Church in Jerusalem. See SPECIAL TOPIC: JAMES, THE HALF-BROTHER OF JESUS at 2:9.

For "apostles" see Special Topic: Send at 1:1.

1:20 "I assure you before God that I am not lying" Paul knew the seriousness of oath-taking and still felt that it was important to assert his truthfulness by oath (cf. Rom. 9:1; 1 Tim. 2:7). Paul also employed God as a witness to his truthfulness elsewhere (cf. Rom. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1:23; 4:2; 11:31; 1 Thess. 2:5,10). Paul was certain of the divine origin and content of his message.

1:21 "Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia" Syria and Cilicia were Roman provinces but the smaller province of Cilicia was not totally independent (cf. Acts 15:41). This may be the reason it was mentioned second, even though in chronology it is first, Paul's work was in Cilicia first, for it was the area in which Tarsus, his hometown, was located. This seems to be recorded in Acts 9:30. Paul's time in Syria is recorded in conjunction with Antioch which was the capital of the Roman province of Syria. This period is recorded in Acts 11:25-26.

1:22 "but I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea" The word "unknown" in Greek is reflected in the English cognate "agnostic." "Knowledge" [gnosis] in this case has the alpha privitive which negates it. This is somewhat surprising because Paul was a famous persecutor of the Church, however, not all of the churches knew who he was, and he did not seek recognition from the churches of Palestine for his ministry.

▣ ""churches" See Special Topic at 1:2.

1:23-24 Although Paul did not seek affirmation from these early Jewish Christian churches, they gave it to him (cf. v. 24) when they heard about his ministry among the Gentiles. This is another point in his argument against the Jewish "Christian" false teachers who said that he did not have proper authority.

▣ "the faith" This term may have several distinct connotations. For the most part the presence or absence of the article does not help clarify which meaning.

1. OT background means "faithfulness" or "trustworthiness," therefore, it is used of our faithing the faithfulness of God or our trusting in the trustworthiness of God

2. in our accepting or receiving God's free offer of forgiveness in Christ

3. in the sense of faithful, godly living

4. in the collective sense of the Christian faith or truth about Jesus (cf. Acts 6:7 and Jude vv. 3 & 20)

In several passages, such as 2 Thess. 3:2, it is difficult to know which sense Paul had in mind. Here, option #4 is best.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. What is unique about Paul's opening remarks to the churches of Galatia?

2. List the three phrases which describe the person and work of Christ found in verse 4.

3. Why was Paul so appalled at the action of the Galatian churches?

4. Who were the false teachers and what was the basic content of their message?

5. What does the term "accursed" mean?

6. How does Paul prove that he is not a man-pleaser?

7. Why does Paul repeat the emphasis he made in 1:1 again in verses 11 and 12?

8. How were the false teachers using Paul's previous life against him?

9. Why did Paul go to Arabia?

10. Explain some of the possible charges that the false teachers were making against Paul and how he answered them in 1:10ff.

 

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

 

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Law or Faith	Justification by Faith	An Appeal to Experience	Law or Faith	The Christian Experience
3:1-6	3:1-9	3:1-5	3:1-5	3:1-5
		An Appeal to Abraham's Experience in Scripture		Witness of Scripture. Faith and the Law
		3:6-9	3:6-9	3:6-9
3:7-14
	The Law Brings a Curse			The Curse Brought by the Law
	3:10-14	3:10-14	3:10-12	3:10-14
			3:13-14
The Law and the Promise	The Changeless Promise	An Example from the Covenant with Abraham	The Law and the Promise	The Law Did Not Cancel the Promise
3:15-20	3:15-18	3:15-18	3:15-18	3:15-18
	Sons and Heirs	The True Purpose of the Mosaic Law		The Purpose of the Law
		3:19-20	3:19-20	3:19-22
Slaves and Sons			The Purpose of the Law
(3:21-4:7)			(3:21-4:7)
3:21-22		3:21-22	3:21-22	The Coming of Faith
3:23-25		3:23-26	3:23-25	3:23-29
		An Appeal to Baptismal Equality
3:26-4:7	3:26-4:7		3:26-29
		3:27-29

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired but it is the key to following the original author's intent which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

 

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Chapter 3 continues the literary unit begun in 2:15-21. In chapters 3 and 4 Paul develops the theological aspects of his gospel (these become developed further in the book of Romans). Apparently, the Judaizers attacked him personally as a means of attacking his preaching.

 

B. The structure of chapter 3 is easily discernible.

1. In verses 1-5 Paul appealed to the personal salvation experiences of the Galatians. He used his personal testimony as evidence of the truth of his gospel in 1:10-2:21, but here he uses their personal experiences. He does this with four or five rhetorical questions.

2. In verses 6-18 Paul develops the Old Testament experience of Abraham as a paradigm for the experience of all humans in the area of salvation. He particularly focuses on Abraham receiving justification by grace through faith before and apart from the Mosaic Law. This chapter is the theological precursor to Romans 4!

 

C. Paul quotes the Old Testament seven times in verses 6-18.

1. v. 6 – Gen. 15:6

2. v. 8 – Gen. 12:3

3. v. 10 – Deut. 27:26 (also possibly 28:58)

4. v. 11 – Hab. 2:4

5. v. 12 – Lev. 18:5

6. v. 13 – Deut. 21:23

7. v. 16 – Gen. 13:15 (also possibly 22:18)

The possible reasons for the extensive use of the OT were:

1.  Paul wanted the Judaizers and Galatians to see that his gospel was based on the OT also.

2.  The Judaizers used the OT in their argument, therefore, Paul did also

We must remember that Paul's presentation is being shaped by (1) current Jewish theology and (2) the emphases of the Judaizers. Paul's argument is ambiguous to us because we do not know the theology of the Judaizers and how (texts, illustrations, metaphors) they presented it. We are reading only half a conversation. It is obvious the people of the OT saw God's Law as a gift and a blessing, but Jewish legalism had distorted it!

D. Because of Paul's vehement attack on the misinterpretation and application of the Law by the Judaizers, he states the purpose of the Mosaic legislation (verses 19-29). He accomplished this with two questions (vv. 19 and 21). It must be asserted that Paul was using the term "law" here in a very specific manner. Paul was refuting the theology of the false teachers (i.e., that the Law is a means of salvation, cf. Rom. 4:14). One must balance this view of the Law with Jesus' use of the term in Matthew 5:17-21. The Law is good—the Law is from God! The Law is eternal (cf. Rom. 7:7,12-14). See SPECIAL TOPIC: PAUL'S VIEWS OF THE MOSAIC LAW at 3:19.

 

E. The Mosaic Law was personified in two senses (cf. 3:23-25; 4:1-2) which were known in the Greco-Roman world:

1. v. 23, "we were locked up under the law" – the law as jailor

2. v. 24, "the law has been our attendant" – the law as a child's custodian

a. v. 4:2, "guardians" – a child's custodian from birth through 14 years of age

b. v. 4:2, "trustee" – a young person's custodian from age 14 to 25 years of age

 

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:1-5
 ¹You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? ²This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? ³Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? ⁴Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? ⁵So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

3:1, 3

NASB, NKJV,
NRSV, TEV"You foolish Galatians"
NJB"are you people in Galatia mad"

This is the term "mind" [nous] with the alpha privative which is translated "foolish" (cf. Luke 24:25). Paul asserts emphatically that they had not clearly thought through the implications of the Judaizers' false teachings (cf. 1:6). As always, these false teachers must have been strong, gifted, logical personalities!

▣ "who has bewitched you" The use of the singular pronoun "who" may be a method of pointing out one primary false teacher to whom Paul was referring (cf. 5:7,10). But this may be reading too much into this context since the plural is used in 5:12.

"Bewitched" is likely a metaphor for mental confusion, though some scholars see it in this context as an OT allusion to "the evil eye," (cf. Deut. 15:9; 28:54; Prov. 23:6; 28:22; Matt. 20:15; Mark 7:22).

▣ "before whose eyes Jesus Christ was portrayed" The Koine Greek papyri found in Egypt (cf. Moulton and Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament) have shown that "portrayed" meant (1) to "vividly portray" or (2) an official legal notice posted publicly. This metaphor was used of Paul's clear teaching and preaching of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Evidently, the Galatian churches were turning from Paul's teaching to Jewish legalism.

▣ "as crucified" "Crucified" is a perfect passive participle implying that Jesus remains the crucified One. This may be a title, "the crucified One" (cf. Matt. 28:5; Mark 16:6; I Cor. 1:23; 2:2). When we see Him, He will still have the marks of His crucifixion. They are now symbols of His victory!

The passive voice may speak of God the Father as the true agent in the sacrifice of the Son (cf. Isa. 53:10; John 3:16; II Cor. 5:21).

3:2 "did you receive the Spirit" Receiving the Spirit is not a secondary act of grace (i.e., Acts 8:14-17); it occurs when one becomes a Christian (cf. Rom. 8:9). One has the Spirit or he/she is not a Christian. The Spirit here is seen as a sign of the New Age spoken of in Jeremiah 31:31-34. "Receive the Spirit" is another way of saying "receive the gospel." Beyond this point in Galatians, Paul mentions the Holy Spirit sixteen times. Paul and John develop the theology of the Spirit more than any other NT authors.

NASB"by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith"
NKJV"by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith"
NRSV"by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard"
TEV"by doing what the Law requires, or by hearing and believing the gospel"
NJB"was it because you practiced the Law that you received the Spirit, or because you believed what was preached to you"

"Faith" [pistis] is used repeatedly in this chapter and may be interpreted or translated in English as "faith," "trust," or "believe." See the Special Topics on both the OT and NT use of faith at 3:6. The English concepts of believing and trusting are very similar (cf. 2:26; 3:2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 22, and 26).

3:3 "Are you so foolish" This is the same term as in verse 1.

NASB"Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh"
NKJV"Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh"
NRSV"Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh"
TEV"You began by God's Spirit; do you now want to finish by your own power"
NJB"Are you foolish enough to end in outward observances what you began in the Spirit"

The grammatical structure of this second clause can be understood as (1) middle voice (NRSV, TEV, JB) or (2) Passive voice (NASB, NKJV). The middle voice emphasized the Galatians' actions while the passive would emphasize an outside agent. The middle voice fits the context best. The Galatians were trying to complete their salvation by their own efforts in fulfilling the Mosaic Law. Both our salvation and maturity are appropriated by grace through faith! The two significant terms in this phrase are also used together in Phil. 1:6. The rest of Paul's argument will focus on the fact that believers are complete and mature in Jesus Christ and Christ alone.

Paul's statement in v. 3 does not imply that believers do not make choices about how they live. Salvation is a response to God's initiating grace; so, too, is the Christian life is a continuing response to the Spirit's guidance by repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance. This is progressive Christlikeness (cf. 5:1-6:10)!

For "flesh" see Special Topic at 1:16.

3:4

NASB"Did you suffer so many things in vain"
NKJV"Have you suffered so many things in vain"
NRSV"Did you experience so much for nothing"
TEV"Did all your experience mean nothing at all"
NJB"Have all the favours you received been wasted"

"Suffer" may refer to

1. physical suffering (we do have some record of the churches in southern Asia Minor experiencing Jewish persecution as in Acts 14:2, 5, 19, 22)

2. emotional upheaval in their conversion

3. in Greek literature the term can refer to "benefits" (cf. Magill NT TransLine, p. 688)

 

▣ "if indeed it was in vain" This is a third class conditional sentence. There are two theories about this phrase: (1) it may relate to 1:16 (i.e., Paul's ministry to the Gentiles) or (2) it may relate to Paul's sustained argument about the spiritual futility of trusting in human performance of the Mosaic Law. If they are reverting to human effort then Christ's grace will not help them (cf. 4:11; 5:2-4; I Cor. 15:2).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE NEED TO PERSEVERE

3:5 "So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit" God's provision of the Spirit is a reference to initial salvation (cf. 3:14; Rom. 8:9). The participle is present active, also used of God's provision in II Cor. 9:10. Earlier uses of the word suggest it meant "to lavish upon" or "to grant freely."

▣ "and works miracles among you" This is also a present active participle which may indicate the continuing effect of

1. the miracle of their salvation

2. the accompanying signs and miracles which confirmed the gospel

3. the spiritual gifts (cf. I Corinthians 12) which were being manifested within the Galatian congregations

Translators disagree whether the phrase should read "in you," speaking of individuals, or "among you," speaking of "in your midst," speaking of the church.

Did God graciously give all His blessings because they were performing the Law of Moses? No! These miracles were God's confirmation of the true gospel that they received by grace through faith.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:6-9
 ⁶Even so Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. ⁷Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. ⁸The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the nations will be blessed in you." ⁹So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

3:6 "Even so Abraham" Verses 6-9 amplify the example of Abraham, the spiritual and racial father of the Jewish nation. The false teachers may have used Abraham as an example of someone who believed God and then later was circumcised. This explains why Paul's argument recorded in Romans 4 is not developed here. Abraham is paradigmatic of how all humans come to God (cf. LXX of Gen. 15:6). Salvation and right standing with God has always been by grace through faith. This was not a new message!

"Even so," Curtis Vaughan, A Study Guide Commentary, makes the comment that this makes the comment that this phrase implies that as Abraham was made right with God by grace through faith, so too, the Galatians (p. 61). The faith principle is expanded to all who have faith in vv. 7,9; even to Gentiles, v. 8!

One's relationship to Abraham was not determined by (1) physical lineage (Israel) or (2) physical sign (circumcision, cf. Rom. 2:28-29), but by grace (cf. v. 18) through faith (cf. Eph. 2:8-9)!

▣ "believed"

SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH, AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (ןמא)

SPECIAL TOPIC: Faith, Believe, or Trust (Pistis [noun], Pisteuō, [verb], Pistos [adjective])

▣ "it was reckoned to him as righteousness" This is a quote from the Septuagint of Gen. 15:6. "Reckoned," an aorist passive verb, is a commercial term that meant "to make a deposit into another's account" (cf. Rom. 4:3,9,22). See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS at 2:21. God's righteousness was given to Abraham because of God's love and Abraham's faith that God would give him an heir. The Gen. 15:6 quotation comes from the Septuagint. Paul quotes the Law of Moses several times (see Contextual Insights, C) to strengthen his argument. Since the false teachers used the Law to make their argument, Paul used the same technique to prove them wrong. The writings of Moses (Genesis – Deuteronomy) were the most authoritative section of the Hebrew canon for Judaism for first century Judaism.

3:7 "be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham" This statement is the major thrust of this contextual unit. This declaration would have appalled the Jewish-oriented false teachers. This same truth (i.e., Jews were not right with God because of their ethnic origins) is alluded to in the message of John the Baptist (cf. Luke 3:8) and specifically in the words of Jesus in John 8:37-59. This theological truth is developed by Paul in 3:14,29 and Rom. 2:28-29. One can tell Abraham's sons by

1. who they trust and know (personal relationship with Jesus)

2. how they live (Christlikeness), not by who their parents (ancestors) are

 

3:8 "The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith" This Hebraic idiom affirms the full inspiration of the OT. In this verse the Scripture is personified twice. See note at 4:30.

The salvation of all humans has always been God's plan (cf. Gen. 3:15; 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6). There is only one God and all humans are made in His image (Gen. 1:26-27; 5:1; 9:6), therefore, He loves everyone (cf. Ezekiel 18:32; John 3:16; I Tim. 2:4; II Pet. 3:9). The universal love of God, which includes the Gentiles, is clearly seen in Isaiah (cf. 2:2-4; 45:21-25; 56:1-8; 60:1-3).

The mechanism of this universally available salvation is God's grace through

1. the work of Christ

2. the drawing of the Spirit

3. a human faith response (cf. Eph. 2:8-9)

4. which issues in Christlikeness (v. 10)

 

▣ "preached the gospel beforehand" This English phrase translates one work in Greek (proeuangelisato, aorist middle [deponent] indicative).

1. pro – before

2. eu – good

3. angelia – message/news

4. euangelizomai – means to preach

5. all together it means "preach the good message beforehand"

It is found only here in the NT. It denotes that God's love for all humans was revealed to Abraham in his initial call (i.e., Gen. 12:3). The gospel (euangelion) has its roots in the writings of Moses.

▣ "All the nations will be blessed in you" Here Paul quotes God's promise to Abraham, recorded in Gen. 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4. The Hebrew verb form may be

1. a passive form, "will be blessed" (cf. Gen. 18:18; 28:14)

2. a middle reflexive form, "will bless themselves" (cf. Gen. 22:16-18; 26:4)

However, in the Septuagint and in Paul's quote, it is passive, not middle. In this text Paul combined Gen. 12:3 with 18:18 from the Septuagint. The salvation of all humans made in God's image has always been God's plan! See Special Topic: Bob's Evangelical Biases at 1:7.

3:9

NASB"those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer"
NKJV"those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham"
NRSV"those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed"
TEV"Abraham believed and was blessed; so all who believe are blessed as he was"
NJB"Those therefore who rely on faith receive the same blessing as Abraham, the man of faith"

The preposition "syn," meaning "joint participation with," shows the close identification between Abraham and all those who have faith in God. The description of Abraham as "faithful" or "believing" emphasizes that Abraham believed God by trusting in His promise. NT faith also means trusting in the trustworthiness of God and His promises. However, remember that Abraham did not have perfect faith, he too, tried to help God fulfill His promise by having a natural child with Hagar (cf. Genesis 16). It is not mankind's perfect faith, but the object of their faith.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:10-14
 ¹⁰For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law to perform them." ¹¹Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, "The righteous man shall live by faith." ¹²However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, "He who practices them shall live by them." ¹³Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"—¹⁴in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

3:10

NASB"For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse"
NKJV"For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse"
NRSV"For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse"
TEV"Those who depend on obeying the Law live under a curse"
NJB"those who rely on the keeping of the Law are under a curse"

In the next step in the argument, Paul moved from Abraham to the strict legal requirements of the Mosaic Law. The argument challenges the bad theology of the Judaizers. Trusting in adherence to the Law characterized the Pharisees of Jesus' day (cf. Rom. 10:2-5). Paul asserted that self-effort to obtain right standing is only a road to damnation (cf. 2:16). Paul knew this road well! Although Paul was primarily referring to the Mosaic Law, the referent is "law" in general or human effort by means of some external moral standard. Which standard is not important—the essential truth is that fallen mankind cannot claim that their moral accomplishment deserves acceptance by God. We call this approach self-righteous legalism. It is alive and well and thrives among religious people!

▣ "for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law to perform them'" This alludes to Deut. 27:26 and 28:58ff. Although the word "all" does not appear in Deut. 27:26, it does appear in 28:58. The curse of the Law is alluded to in John 7:49. If one breaks the law (after Bar Mitzvah) in one way, even just once, he falls under the condemnation of the Law, (cf. James 2:10; Gal. 5:3). The OT Law became a death sentence for all humans (Col. 2:14). God said "the soul that sins, it will surely die" (cf. Ezek. 18:4,20). All of the children of Adam have sinned! The Law, as a means of right standing with God, is only applicable to the one who never commits sin. The problem with this is that all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God (cf. Rom. 3:9-18,22,23; 11:32).

3:11

NASB"for, ‘The righteous man shall live by faith'"
NKJV"‘The just shall live by faith'"
NRSV"‘The one who is righteous will live by faith'"
TEV"He who is put right with God through faith shall live"
NJB"the righteous man finds life through faith"

Here Paul quotes Hab. 2:4 (cf. Rom. 1:17 and Heb. 10:38). Rather an ambiguous verse, Hab. 2:4 has been understood in several different ways.

1. the Masoretic Text has "the righteous shall live by his faith/faithfulness"

2. the Septuagint has "the righteous shall live on the basis of my (God's) faithfulness"

3. Paul's use favors faith-based righteousness through Christ versus works-based righteousness through the Mosaic Law (cf. v. 12, which quotes Lev. 18:5)

There may be a veiled allusion to Gen. 15:6 because both Hab. 2:4 and Gen. 15:6 contain the same two key terms: "faith" and "righteousness."

See SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH, AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (ןמא) at 3:6.

3:12

NASB, NKJV"the Law is not of faith"
NRSV"the law does not rest on faith"
TEV"the Law does not depend on faith"
NJB"The Law is not even based on faith"

Here is the basic assumption! In the matter of right standing (salvation) with God, the choice is faith or law, not faith and law. The Judaizers had turned faith in God into rules by God. Even in the OT the individual Israelite was only right by personal faith in YHWH. Never were all Israelites right with God because of their descent from Abraham (cf. John 8:31-59)

▣ "on the contrary, ‘He who practices them shall live by them'" This quotation comes from Lev. 18:5 (cf. Rom. 10:25), stressing the importance of performing the demands of God (i.e., Moscai law). However, the OT is a history of mankind's inability to perform the OT Law (cf. Nehemiah 9). The OT accentuated fallen humanity's spiritual need (cf. vv. 19,22). Therefore, another way of salvation was introduced, which in reality, had always been God's means of salvation: not human effort, but faith (cf. Hab. 2:4). Salvation by grace through faith is the essence of the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-36; Acts 2; Rom. 4; Eph. 2:8-9).

3:13 "Christ redeemed us" Here Paul refers to the substitutionary atonement of Christ. He purchased for us that which we could not purchase for ourselves (cf. Isa. 53; Mark 10:45; II Cor. 5:21). The term "redeemed" or "ransomed" means "to buy someone back from slavery" or "capture" (cf. Acts 20:28; I Cor. 6:20; 7:23; I Pet. 1:18-19).

SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM

▣ "from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us" This verse quotes Deut. 21:23 which was used to describe someone who had already been killed and was then publicly hanged or impaled as an act of public humiliation. This inappropriate burial was interpreted as a curse by God (cf. Isa. 53:4, 10). Jesus' crucifixion as a sinless substitute meant that He took the curse of the Law on Himself for us (cf. II Cor. 5:21; Phil. 2:8). This truth is overwhelming—He became the curse for us! He fulfilled the law Himself, but died under its curse on our behalf (cf. Isaiah 53) and thereby destroyed its power (cf. Col. 2:14).

3:14 The two purpose clauses in v. 14 serve to describe the purpose of God in calling Abraham.

1. to bring the heathen into the blessings enjoyed by Israel through the promise to Abraham (cf. Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:8-9)

2. that by faith all might receive the Spirit which was the promised sign of the New Age

The experience of Pentecost was a sign to the Apostles that the New Age had dawned. Receiving the Spirit is a metaphor for salvation (cf. 3:1; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; Rom. 8:9).

There are two words apparently confused in this verse in some ancient Greek manuscripts.

1. the blessing (eulogiau) of Abraham

2. the promise (epaggelian) of the Spirit

The ancient papyrus manuscript P⁴⁶ (written about a.d. 200) and the uncial manuscript Bezae (D, fifth century) have "blessing" twice, but the vast majority of other ancient witnesses (MSS א, A, B, C, D²) have "promise" in the second phrase. The UBS⁴ gives "promise" an "A" rating (certain).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:15-22
 ¹⁵Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. ¹⁶Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. ¹⁷What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise. ¹⁹Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made. ²⁰Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. ²¹Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. ²²But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

3:15-17

NASB, NKJV"a man's covenant"
NRSV"a person's will"
TEV"that covenant"
NJB"If a will"

Paul proceeds with his argument by means of a common human illustration. He uses a term in Koine Greek which may be translated as either "will" or "testament," in connection with one's inheritance. In Classical Greek it is translated "covenant." In the Septuagint this term is always used of a covenant between God and humanity. Due to this ambiguity, Paul used this legal metaphor as an example for God's covenanting or contracting with Abraham and his descendants. This contract cannot be changed! The same type of argumentation using the concept of a last will and testament is found in Heb. 9:15-20.

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

3:15

NASB"yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it"
NKJV"yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it"
NRSV"once a person's will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it"
TEV"when two men agree on a matter and sign a covenant, no one can break that covenant or add anything to it"
NJB"has been drawn up in due form, no one is allowed to disregard it or add to it"

Paul responds to the Judaizers' claim that the Mosaic Law superseded the Abrahamic promise. The promise to Abraham in Genesis 15 was ratified by both God's promise (i.e., the Exodus) and a sacrifice in which Abraham had no covenant responsibilities, only faith (i.e., an unconditional divine covenant, cf. Gen. 15:12-21).

3:16 "the promises" "Promises" is plural because of the number of times God repeats His promise to Abraham (cf. Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15:1-5, 12-18; 17:1-14; 22:9-19).

▣ "his seed" The use of "seed" is a word play on a common idiom for descendant. Although singular in form, it can be singular or plural in meaning. In this case, Paul used it as a reference to Jesus, not Isaac—thus, God's promise was not linked to the Mosaic Covenant. "Seed" could be understood in the corporate sense of God's children by faith, like Abraham (cf. Rom. 2:28-29).

3:17 "the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later" Paul gives another reason for the superiority of the Abrahamic promise, it preceded the Mosaic Law in time. There has been much discussion about the number four hundred and thirty years, which comes from Exod. 12:40-41 and relates to the Egyptian captivity. Some scholars use the Septuagint translation and the Samaritan Pentateuch of Exod. 12:40 which adds "and in the land of Canaan" (F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 170). Genesis 15:13 and Acts 7:6 record that Israel was in captivity in Egypt for 400 years. Others assert, however, that the promise was not to Abraham alone, but was repeated to all of the Patriarchs, and simply refers to the time from the last repeated promise to the Patriarchs to the time of Moses' receiving the Law. In context, Paul's explanation concerns not the duration of time, but the long interval between the promise to Abraham and the Law to Moses.

▣ "as to nullify the promise" This word (katargeō) is translated so many different ways but its main meaning is to make something useless, null and void, inoperative, powerless but not necessarily non-existent or destroyed.

SPECIAL TOPIC: NULL AND VOID (KATARGEŌ)

▣ "by God" This is the reading of the best ancient manuscripts (P⁴⁶, א, A, B, C, P) to which UBS⁴ gives an "A" rating (certain), but wait, several tenants of biblical criticism come into play.

1. on the positive side

a. usually the shorter reading is to be preferred (scribes tended to add and clarify, not remove)

b. the older and most widespread geographical reading is probably original. The longer reading is first found in MS D (sixth century)

2. on the other side

a. the most unusual reading is probably original. Paul normally has "in Christ" (en Christō), not "into Christ" (eis Christon)

b. the author's normal usage affects how one views a variant. However, Paul uses the same unusual form in Gal. 2:16 and 3:24.

See Appendix Two: Textual Criticism.

3:18

NASB"but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise"
NKJV"but God gave it to Abraham by promise"
NRSV"but God granted it to Abraham through the promise"
TEV"However, it was because God had promised it that he gave it to Abraham"
NJB"and it was precisely in the form of a promise that god made his gift to Abraham"

This perfect middle (deponent) indicative emphasizes what God Himself has done in the past with results that abide into the present. The basic root of "granted" (charizomai) is "gift" or "grace" (charis). It emphasizes the free nature of God's acts, solely on the grounds of His character through the work of the Messiah.

3:19

NASB, NRSV"Why the Law then"
NKJV"What purpose then does the law serve"
TEV"What was the purpose of the Law, then"
NJB"What then was the purpose of adding the Law"

Paul returned to his rhetorical style of verses 1-5. He began with two questions through which he tries to explain the purpose of the Mosaic Law in the plan of God (cf. v. 19 and 21). He engages in this contrasting approach because he had so devastated the purpose of the Law in his previous argument that some readers might think he was advocating antinomianism. The OT still functions in sanctification but not (and never did) in justification!

SPECIAL TOPIC: PAUL'S VIEWS OF THE MOSAIC LAW

▣ "It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made" There are several different readings in the MSS tradition, but the one printed in NASB is rated "A" by the UBS⁴. Four elements regarding the Law's inferiority to the promise may be discerned here.

1. it was added later

2. it increased transgressions

3. it was only until the Messiah, "the seed," came

4. it was given through an intermediary

The phrase "increased transgressions" can be interpreted "limit transgressions." This translation is possible syntactically. However, according to Paul's full exposition in the early chapters of Romans (cf. Rom. 3:20; 5:20; 7:1), the Law was given to clearly show humans their sins. Before the Law sin was not counted (cf. Rom. 4:15; 5:13).

Philippians 3:6 and Rom. 7:7-11 pose a paradox. Paul felt that he had fulfilled the requirements of the Law in his life. However, covetousness, which was later made obvious to him, showed him that he was a sinner and in need of spiritual salvation.

The rabbinical view of angels as agents in the mediation of the Law can be seen in the translation of Deut. 33:2 in the Septuagint. The angel(s) who are related to the giving of the Law are also discussed in Acts 7:38,53 and Heb. 2:2; Josephus'Antiquities of the Jews, 15.5.3; and the non-canonical Book of Jubilees, 1:27-29. Paul may have had in mind the Angel of the Lord who continued with the people when YHWH did not (cf. Exod. 23:20-33; 32:34; 33:2).

3:20

NASB"Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one"
NKJV"Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, but God is one"
NRSV"Now a mediator involves more than one party; but God is one"
TEV"But a go-between is not needed when there is only one person; and God is one"
NJB"Now there can only be an intermediary between two parties, yet God is one"

This verse presents the interpreter with many different possibilities. In context, an obvious reading would be that the order of the Law's transmission was from God, through angels, to Moses, to the people. Therefore, the promise is superior because it was given face-to-face between only two persons, God and Abraham, while the Mosaic covenant involved four parties. The promise to Abraham required no mediation.

It could also refer to God's unconditional promise to Abraham in Gen. 15:12-21. Only God participated in its ratification. Now, although God's initial contact with Abraham was conditional (cf. Gen. 12:1), Paul is using the Genesis 15 passage to make his point. The Mosaic covenant was conditional for God and mankind (see Special Topic at 3:15-17). The problem was that since the Fall (cf. Genesis 3) mankind was incapable of performing their part of the covenant. The promise, therefore, based on God (i.e., "God is One") alone, is superior!

3:21 "Is the law then contrary to the promises of God" The Greek text does not have the article with the term "law," which would have implied the Mosaic Law. The use of "law" with no article occurs three times in v. 21 and 4:5. Often "law" in Galatians does not have the article in which case it refers to mankind's attempt to earn God's favor by means of the performance of religious guidelines or cultural norms. The key is not which guidelines, but the belief that a human being cannot earn acceptance with a holy God (cf. Eph. 2:9). Here is where a careful reading of Romans 7 is crucial.

The phrase "of God" has some variations in the Greek manuscripts.

1. some have "of God" – MSS א, A, C, D, F, G

2. some later minuscule manuscripts (104, 459) have "of Christ"

3. some omit the words – MSS P⁴⁶, B

The UBS⁴ cannot decide on the wording ("C" rating) and puts "of God" in brackets, which fits the context best.

▣ "For if a law had been given" This second class conditional sentence which expresses a concept "contrary to fact." An amplified translation would read: "if a law had been given that was able to impart life (which there never was), then right standing would have come through law (which it does not)." The Law was never the way to be right with God. It is a true revelation from God (Matt. 5:17-19; Rom. 7:12). The Law is inspired revelation and valuable but not in the area of right standing or salvation.

▣ "righteousness" See Special Topic at 2:21.

3:22

NASB"But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin"
NKJV"But the Scripture has confined all under sin"
NRSV"But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin"
TEV"But the Scripture has said that the whole world is under the power of sin"
NJB"Scripture makes no exceptions when it says that sin is master everywhere"

To which OT text Paul was alluding is uncertain, though one possibility is Deut. 27:26, referred to earlier in Gal. 2:16; 3:10. The fall of humanity and their estrangement is the first point of Paul's gospel (cf. Rom. 3:9-18,22-23; 11:32).

Literally this is "all things" (neuter), not "all men" (masculine). Some see here the cosmic significance of Christ's redemption (cf. Rom. 8:18-25; Eph. 1:22 and the entire book of Colossians whose theme is cosmological redemption in Christ). However, in this context, it refers to all mankind, including Jews, Judaizers, and Gentiles.

▣ "that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe" This is a summary of the entire discussion that God's grace and favor come through His promise to Abraham and his "Seed" (i.e., Messiah), not through human merit or performance! Notice the repetition of the term, pistis, translated as "faith" and "believe." See Special Topic at 3:6.

For a discussion of how to understand and translate "by faith in Jesus Christ" see note at 2:16.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3:23-29
 ²³But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. ²⁴Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. ²⁵But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. ²⁶For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. ²⁷For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.

3:23 "But before this faith came" The definite article used in tandem with "faith" implies the body of Christian truth (i.e., the gospel, cf. Acts 6:7; 13:8; 14:22; Gal. 1:23; 6:10; Jude vv. 3,20). However, in this context, it is metaphorical for the gospel age.

NASB"we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed"
NKJV"we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed"
NRSV"we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed"
TEV"the Law kept us all locked up as prisoners, until this coming faith should be revealed"
NJB"we were allowed no freedom by the Law; we were being looked after till faith was revealed"

The law was first depicted as a jailor as in v.22. Humans were put in protective custody until the Messiah came (cf. Phil. 4:7; I Pet. 1:5). The second metaphor used to describe the law is in v. 24, where it is called our custodian (cf. 4:1-2). In Greek and Roman society, this term referred to caretakers of young Greek or Roman boys. The guardian was in charge of their protection, food, transportation, and tutoring, so "custodian" had a dual connotation: protector and disciplinarian. Paul distinguished the two intentional purposes of the law in the plan of God:

1. to show us our sinfulness

2. to keep us as a guardian until the free offer of grace in Christ came (cf. John 1:12; 3:16; Rom. 1:16; 10:9-13)

 

3:24

NASB"the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ"
NKJV"the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ"
NRSV"the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came"
TEV"So the Law was in charge of us until Christ came"
NJB"The Law was to be our guardian until the Christ came"

Two varying interpretations of the prepositional phrase "to Christ" are possible: (1) to bring us to Christ, as in the NASB, NKJV, and NIV or (2) until Christ came, as in NRSV, TEV, and the JB.

▣ "that we may be justified by faith" "Justified by faith" was Luther's famous slogan of the Reformation. The Law has a part to play in God's free gift in Christ. It provides a necessary pre-condition to the gospel—our need! The saving "faith" always has (1) cognitive, (2) volitional, and (3) relational elements.

3:25 "But now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor" Believers are no longer underage children, but they have become full sons, full heirs! All of this occurs through God's grace, Christ's finished work, and our repentant faith response.

3:26 "you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" The phrase "are all sons of God" refers to those who have received Christ by faith (cf. John 1:12; 3:16; Rom. 8:14-17). This verse does not advocate universalism; nor does Rom. 5:18 or 11:32, but it does speak of the universal offer of salvation. "All" appears first in the Greek sentence for emphasis.

3:27 "For all of you who were baptized into Christ" This is not an emphasis on baptism as a means to salvation, for that is exactly the argument the Judaizers were using in connection with circumcision. Christian baptism is a sign of the work of the Spirit which is mentioned earlier in verses 2,3,5,14 (cf. I Cor. 12:13). To be baptized in/by/with the Spirit was a biblical metaphor for becoming a Christian. Baptism was simply the opportunity for a public confession of faith in Christ and an accompanying symbol of an inner change. To make water baptism a precondition for salvation is to become a neo-Judaizer!

SPECIAL TOPIC: BAPTISM

▣ "have clothed yourselves with Christ" This is an aorist middle indicative which emphasizes a purposeful action on our part. This involves the idea of our "putting on" (as a garment) the family characteristics of God. This clothing metaphor was used often by Paul (cf. Rom. 13:14; Eph. 4:22,24,25,31; Col. 3:10,12,14). It is possible that it refers to the Roman rite of passage when a boy traded his childhood toga for his adult toga, thereby becoming a full citizen (like the Jewish rite, Bar Mitzvah). This then would symbolize our becoming of full age and, thereby, a full heir.

3:28 The distinctions which the Judaizers emphasized are now totally removed in Christ. There are no barriers for anyone to become a Christian. The Jewish arrogance against Gentiles, slaves, and women has been totally removed. Distinctions are not valid for salvation (cf. Rom. 3:22; I Cor. 12:13; and Col. 3:11), yet this does not mean that we are no longer male or female, slave or free, Jew or Greek. Those distinctions remain and there are passages that speak to these distinctions, but in the area of becoming a Christian there are no barriers. Every barrier raised by self-righteous, legalistic or biased humans, Christ has knocked down once and for all. Hallelujah!

Manfred T. Brauch, Abusing Scripture, p. 68 (also F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians, p. 187) asserts that the three contrasting groups reflect an ancient synagogue prayer where Jewish men thank God they were not created as women, slaves, or Gentiles! The new reality in Christ has negated and revealed the bias of first century Judaism. "In Christ" supercedes everything!

SPECIAL TOPIC: RACISM

▣ "for you are all one in Christ Jesus" As humans are all one in Adam (Rom. 5:12ff.), they are all potentially one in Christ (cf. Rom. 5:18). The only barrier is personal repentance and faith in Christ (Mark 1:15; Acts 3:16,19; 20:21).

This collective emphasis is very similar to the concept of corporate Israel. We are now one new collective unit, the Church (cf. John 17; Rom. 12:4,5; I Cor. 12:12ff.).

3:29 "if" Here, "if" introduces a first class conditional sentence, assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes.

▣ "if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise" Not all national or racial Israel is truly spiritual Israel (cf. 6:16; Rom. 2:28-29; 9:6), but all who are the true Israel are so by faith. Therefore, no more distinction was made between Jew and Gentile; only between those who have faith in the Messiah and those who do not. There is no favoritism with God. God's one-time, universal gracious plan for the redemption of mankind is repentance and faith in His crucified Son. Those who respond by faith are made sons and heirs of God (cf. Titus 3:7)! There is no longer the OT distinction of Jew vs. Greek.

This new reality also affects the nationalistic and geographical prophecies. The distinction between Jew and Gentile is no longer valid. Now the distinction is unbeliever and believer. No NT author, including Jesus, ever reaffirms the OT nationalistic prophecies to Israel. Palestine and Jerusalem are no longer the focus of God's activity. The whole world is the new holy land. Jerusalem is no longer a special, holy city. It is now "new Jerusalem" (cf. Rev. 3:12; 21:2,10), which is a symbol of heaven. Be careful of systematic theologies that focus or magnify OT prophecies as ultimate future realities!

Here is a selected part of the introductory notes to my commentary on Revelation (pp. 1-2).

"FIRST TENSION (OT racial, national, and geographical categories vs. all believers over all the world)

The OT prophets predict a restoration of a Jewish kingdom in Palestine centered in Jerusalem where all the nations of the earth gather to praise and serve a Davidic ruler, but Jesus nor the NT Apostles ever focus on this agenda. Is not the OT inspired (cf. Matt. 5:17-19)? Have the NT authors omitted crucial end-time events?

There are several sources of information about the end of the world:

1. OT prophets (Isaiah, Micah, Malachi)

2. OT apocalyptic writers (cf. Ezek. 37-39; Dan. 7-12; Zech.)

3. intertestamental, non-canonical Jewish apocalyptic writers (like I Enoch, which is alluded to in Jude)

4. Jesus Himself (cf. Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21)

5. the writings of Paul (cf. I Cor. 15; II Cor. 5; I Thess. 4-5; II Thess. 2)

6. the writings of John (I John and Revelation).

Do these all clearly teach an end-time agenda (events, chronology, persons)? If not, why? Are they not all inspired (except the Jewish intertestamental writings)?

The Spirit revealed truths to the OT writers in terms and categories they could understand. However, through progressive revelation the Spirit has expanded these OT eschatological concepts to a universal scope ("the mystery of Christ," cf. Eph. 2:11-3:13. See Special Topic at 10:7). Here are some relevant examples:

1. The city of Jerusalem in the OT is used as a metaphor of the people of God (Zion), but is projected into the NT as a term expressing God's acceptance of all repentant, believing humans (the new Jerusalem of Revelation 21-22). The theological expansion of a literal, physical city into the new people of God (believing Jews and Gentiles) is foreshadowed in God's promise to redeem fallen mankind in Gen. 3:15, before there even were any Jews or a Jewish capital city. Even Abraham's call (cf. Gen. 12:1-3) involved the Gentiles (cf. Gen. 12:3; Exod. 19:5).

2. In the OT the enemies of God's people are the surrounding nations of the Ancient Near East, but in the NT they have been expanded to all unbelieving, anti-God, Satanically-inspired people. The battle has moved from a geographical, regional conflict to a worldwide, cosmic conflict (cf. Colossians).

3. The promise of a land which is so integral in the OT (the Patriarchal promises of Genesis, cf. Gen. 12:7; 13:15; 15:7,15; 17:8) has now become the whole earth. New Jerusalem comes down to a recreated earth, not the Near East only or exclusively (cf. Rev. 21-22).

4. Some other examples of OT prophetic concepts being expanded are:

a. the seed of Abraham is now the spiritually circumcised (cf. Rom. 2:28-29)

b. the covenant people now include Gentiles (cf. Hos. 1:10; 2:23, quoted in Rom. 9:24-26; also Lev. 26:12; Exod. 29:45, quoted in II Cor. 6:16-18 and Exod. 19:5; Deut. 14:2, quoted in Titus 2:14)

c. the temple is now Jesus (cf. Matt. 26:61; 27:40; John 2:19-21) and through Him the local church (cf. I Cor. 3:16) or the individual believer (cf. I Cor. 6:19)

d. even Israel and its characteristic descriptive OT phrases now refer to the whole people of God (i.e.,"Israel," cf. Rom. 9:6; Gal. 6:16, i.e.,"kingdom of priests," cf. I Pet. 2:5, 9-10; Rev. 1:6)

The prophetic model has been fulfilled, expanded, and is now more inclusive. Jesus and the Apostolic writers do not present the end-time in the same way as the OT prophets (cf. Martin Wyngaarden, The Future of The Kingdom in Prophecy and Fulfillment). Modern interpreters who try to make the OT model literal or normative twist the Revelation into a very Jewish book and force meaning into atomized, ambiguous phrases of Jesus and Paul! The NT writers do not negate the OT prophets, but show their ultimate universal implication. There is no organized, logical system to Jesus' or Paul's eschatology. Their purpose is primarily redemptive or pastoral.

However, even within the NT there is tension. There is no clear systemization of eschatological events. In many ways the Revelation surprisingly uses OT allusions in describing the end instead of the teachings of Jesus (cf. Matt. 24; Mark 13)! It follows the literary genre initiated by Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah, but developed during the intertestamental period (Jewish apocalyptic literature). This may have been John's way of linking the Old and New Covenants. It shows the age-old pattern of human rebellion and God's commitment to redemption! But it must be noted that although Revelation uses OT language, persons, and events, it reinterprets them in light of first century Rome (cf. Rev. 1:7)."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. What does it mean "to receive the Spirit?"

2. Why did Paul use Abraham as the focus for his argument?

3. How does the term "curse" apply to us, to the Judaizers, and to all men?

4. Did Paul record an error in chronology in verse 17? Why or why not?

5. Give the four aspects of why the Law is inferior to the promises listed in verse 19.

6. List the two reasons for God's purpose for the Law in verses 23-24.

7. Explain the implications of verse 28 in the Church today.

 

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

 

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
		A Final Proof
(4:21-5:1)		(4:21-5:1)
Christian Freedom	Christian Liberty	The Nature of Christian Liberty	Preserve Your Freedom	Christian Liberty
	5:1-6		5:1	5:1
5:2-6		5:2-6	5:2-6	5:2-6
	Love Fulfills the Law
5:7-12	5:7-15	5:7-12	5:7-10	5:7-12
			5:11-12
				Liberty and Love
5:13-15		5:13-15	5:13-15	5:13-15
The Fruit of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh	Walking in the Spirit
5:16-21	5:16-26	5:16-21	5:16-18	5:16-24
5:22-26		5:22-26	5:19-26	5:25-26

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired but it is the key to following the original author's intent which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

 

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Chapter 5 articulates the crucial, practical aspect of Paul's justification by grace through faith. The Judaizers were concerned that the Gentile Christians would not conform to their conceptions of Mosaic godliness, therefore, they tried to force the OT regulations upon them. However, Paul was equally concerned with godliness, but he affirmed that it is not a result of external rules but of a changed heart (i.e., internal guidance, cf. Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:26,27). It is correct to say that the Judaizers had all of the elements of true salvation but they had them in a reverse order. They felt that mankind's performance led to or gave evidence of an acceptable place with God. However, the gospel of the crucified Christ shows that it is a personal relationship with Christ by faith which leads to a life of godliness through gratitude. The new life in Christ is not the basis of one's right standing with God, but the evidence of it. Paul was also concerned with the children of God living moral, upright, service-oriented lives. Chapter 5 addresses this moral imperative.

 

B. The theme of freedom is expressed in chapter 5 in relation to two different perversions,

1. Verses 1-12 deal with the legalistic (human merit) perversion of freedom

2. Verses 13-15 deal with the antinomian (lawlessness) perversion of freedom (cf. Rom. 14:1-15:13; I Cor. 8; 10:23-33)

 

C. This book could be called a message of absolutely free grace. Paul uniquely understood the problems of self-effort (i.e., vv. 1-12). His gospel was a call to freedom, but not a freedom that leads to licensed excess (i.e., vv. 13-15) but one that leads to loving service. In our day we need to see the balance that believers are truly free in Christ, but by being free from the Law they are now free to respond appropriately to God's freely-given love (cf. Romans 6). Romans 14:1-15:13 is a great example of the biblical balance between freedom and responsibility, as is I Corinthians 8-10. He (the Spirit) gives us the power to live godly lives.

 

D. Verses 16-26 show us the supernatural source of Christian freedom which is the Holy Spirit. As salvation is a free act of God's love through Christ, so also is the Christian life through the Spirit. As believers must yield in repentance and faith to salvation, they must yield in repentance and faith to the ongoing leadership of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives. Justification starts a process; it does not conclude it!

 

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:1
 ¹It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

5:1 "It was for freedom" The first phrase of 5:1 should probably go with 4:21-31 or start a new paragraph (NKJV, TEV, NJB). This may be a play on "freewoman," 4:30,31; "freedom," 5:1, and "free," 5:1. The purpose of the gospel is to free people from the curse of the Mosaic Law so that they might willingly and appropriately respond to God in a way similar to the promise of God to Abraham. Therefore, believers are free not to sin and free to live for God (cf. 2:4 and Romans 6, especially v. 11).

The noun "freedom" is fronted and the verb form of the same root is used ("freed," aorist active indicative) to emphasize the concept!

▣ "that Christ set us free" Christians are truly free in Christ (cf. John 8:32, 36; II Cor. 3:17). As Martin Luther said so well, "A Christian man is the most free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian man is the most dutiful servant of all, subject to all." Believers are free from the Fall, free from the tyranny of self, free again to serve God and others!

NASB"therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery"
NKJV"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage"
TEV"Stand, then, as free men, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again"
NRSV, JB"Stand firm therefore, and refuse to submit again to the yoke of slavery"

Paul issued two admonitions in light of believers' true freedom in Christ:

1. that they persevere (cf. Rom 5:2 and I Cor. 16:13; see Special Topic at Gal. 3:4)

2. that they stop turning back to different forms of legalism or self-effort

Both of these are present imperatives, however, the second has the negative particle which usually means to stop an act which is already in process.

A good parallel for the "yoke of slavery" can be found in Acts 15:10. Jesus also has a yoke but His is easy (cf. Matt. 11:29-30). The rabbis used "yoke" as a metaphor for the stipulations of the Law. The "law of Christ" is completely different from the law of Judaism or human merit (cf. James 1:25 and 2:8, 12).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:2-12
 ²Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. ⁴You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. ⁵For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. ⁷You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. ⁹A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. ¹¹But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. ¹²I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.

5:2

NASB"Behold I, Paul, say to you"
NKJV"Indeed I, Paul, say to you"
NRSV"Listen! I, Paul, am telling you"
TEV"Listen! I, Paul, tell you this"
NJB"It is I, Paul, who tells you this"

This is the imperative form of "behold" with the strong, personal pronoun (egō). "I, Paul" shows the authoritative emphasis of Paul's remarks. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, is giving revelatory information!

NASB"that if you receive circumcision"
NKJV"that if you become circumcised"
NRSV"that if you let yourselves be circumcised"
TEV, NJB"if you allow yourselves to be circumcised"

This is a third class conditional sentence meaning potential action. This would suggest that the Galatian Christians had not yet been circumcised but were tending to submit to the new prerequisites for obtaining salvation (or at least perfection, cf. 3:1) given by the Judaizers. Yet circumcision was not the fundamental issue (cf. v. 6; I Cor. 7:18-19). Circumcision was only one aspect of the entire Jewish system of works righteousness. Paul circumcised Timothy in Acts 16:3 in order that he might minister to Jews. But Paul reiterated that true circumcision is of the heart (cf. Deut. 10:16; Jer. 4:4), not the body (cf. Rom. 2:28-29; Col. 2:11). The issue was not circumcision but how a person is brought into right standing with God (cf. v. 4).

▣ "Christ will be of no benefit to you" Paul is contrasting two ways of being right with God: (1) human effort and (2) free grace. The theme of the entire paragraph is that these two ways are mutually exclusive: to choose human effort is to negate free grace; to choose free grace is to exclude human effort. One cannot mix them as a basis of salvation as Gal. 3:1-5 clearly shows.

5:3 "he is under obligation to keep the whole Law" If one chooses the way of human effort, then he must adhere perfectly to the Law from the age of moral responsibility (bar-mitzvah, age 13 for boys, bath-mitzvah, age 12 for girls) to death (cf. Deut. 27:26; Gal. 3:10; James 2:10). The Bible asserts that since no one has ever done this (except Jesus), everyone is in the category of law breakers, sinners (cf. Rom. 3:9-18,22-23; 6:23; 5:8 and 11:32).

5:4 "who are seeking to be justified by law" The theological theme of chapters 3 and 4 is that our acceptance by God is based solely on His character, the empowering of the Spirit, and the work of His Messiah. This is the essence of Paul's radical, new gospel of justification by grace through faith alone (cf. Romans 4-8).

NASB"You have been severed from Christ"
NKJV"You have become estranged from Christ"
NRSV"You. . .have cut yourselves off from Christ"
TEV"have cut yourselves off from Christ"
NJB"you have separated yourselves from Christ"

This Greek verb (an aorist passive indicative of katargeō) is translated in many ways: (1) to render useless; (2) to render powerless; (3) to render unproductive; (4) unprofitable; (5) empty; (6) cancel; (7) make null and void; (8) bring to an end; (9) annihilate; or (10) sever from. It was used by Paul more than twenty times. See Special Topic at 3:17. One can see some of its flavor from Gal. 3:17 (to abolish) and 5:11 (to annul). If one tries to be right with God through human effort, he/she cuts himself/herself off from grace righteousness as a means of salvation (cf. 5:12):

1. in an initial salvation (when the Galatians first received the gospel)

2. in a works-oriented life (when the Galatians were thinking of now pursuing the Mosaic Law)

 

NASB, NKJV,
NJB"you have fallen from grace"
NRSV"you have fallen away from grace"
TEV"You are outside God's grace"

Those who seek God by human performance have lost the free grace approach which is found in the finished work of the crucified Messiah. This context does not deal primarily with the modern theological question about the possibility of those who had salvation and have now lost it, but how humans find salvation. However, notice that salvation involves an initial and an ongoing response. It is a point and a process, both of which involve grace and faith. Both are crucial (cf. v. 7).

Paul was dealing in this letter with a legalism connected to salvation. Today most legalism within the church relates to the Christian life (cf. Gal. 3:1-3). Most legalistic Christians are similar to the "weak brothers" of Rom. 14:1-15:13. They are unable to accept the freedom and liberation of the gospel. They are not trusting in their performance for salvation, but are afraid they will somehow offend God. This attitude, however, issues in judgmental criticism toward other believers. This disruption of fellowship occurred in the Galatian churches and is still occurring in the churches of our day.

▣ At this point in the discussion of a fully free, but cost-everything salvation, I would like to mention three Special Topics. The first deals with salvation as a process and the second deals with salvation as a relationship to the end of like, and the third the theological issue of apostasy. See Special Topic: Greek Verb Tenses Used for Salvation at I Thess. 5:9.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PERSEVERANCE

SPECIAL TOPIC: APOSTASY (APHISTĒMI)

5:5 "For we through the Spirit, by faith" This phrase shows the two necessary qualifications (i.e., covenant) involved in our salvation:

1. the drawing/wooing of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 6:44, 65; 16:7-13)

2. human response (cf. Mark 1:15; Acts 3:16,19; 20:21)

These phrases are placed first in the Greek sentence for emphasis.

▣ "are waiting for the hope of righteousness" "Hope" is often used in the NT for the Second Coming. The Second Coming is the time when believers will be completely saved. The NT describes our salvation as

1. a completed act

2. a state of being

3. a process

4. as a future consummation

These four attributes of salvation are complimentary not mutually exclusive. We are saved, have been saved, are being saved, and shall be saved. The future aspect of salvation entails the believers' glorification at the Second Coming (cf. I John 3:2). Other passages describing the future event of salvation include Rom. 8:23; Phil. 3:21 and Col. 3:3, 4. See SPECIAL TOPIC: SALVATION (GREEK VERB TENSES) at I Thess. 5:9.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HOPE

5:6 This verse encapsulates the theme of the book of Galatians: we are right with God by faith, not by human rituals or performance—including circumcision, the food laws, and/or moral living.

The concluding phrase has been understood in either a passive or middle sense (Barbara and Timothy Friberg, Analytical Greek New Testament, p. 584; Harold K Moulton [ed], The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised, p. 139). Roman Catholicism has mostly interpreted it as passive which means that love is the source of faith. However, most Protestants have understood it in a middle sense which means that love issues out of faith (cf. I Thess. 1:3). This term is used regularly in the NT as middle (cf. Rom. 7:5, II Cor. 1:6; Eph. 3:20; I Thess. 2:13, and II Thess. 2:7). Faith is primary.

This was Paul's answer to the false teachers concerning the lifestyle of pagans who are accepted freely in Christ. It is Spirit-motivated love (after salvation) that sets the standard of conduct for believers and gives the ability to obey. It is the new covenant, a new heart and new mind (cf. Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:26-27).

5:7 "who" The singular pronoun used of a false teacher is also found in v. 7 and twice in v. 10. However, the plural form occurs in v. 12. It may be a collective use of the singular. But because of 3:1, the use of the singular may imply

1. a local ring-leader who was converted to the Judaizer's point of view and was now pulling the church in that direction

2. a persuasive visiting leader of the Judaizers

 

NASB"You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth"
NKJV"You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth"
NRSV"You were running well; who prevented you from obeying the truth"
TEV"You were doing so well! Who made you stop obeying the truth"
NJB"You began your race well: who made you less anxious to obey the truth"

"You were running well" is an imperfect active indicative. This means that for a period of time the churches of Galatia were doing so well in Christian maturity. Paul often used athletic metaphors. He was especially fond of "running" (cf. 2:2; I Cor. 9:24-26; Phil. 2:16; 3:12-14; II Tim. 4:7).

The verb "hindered" or "prevented" (aorist active indicative) commonly had military and athletic connotations. In the military sense, the word meant the act of destroying a road in the face of an oncoming enemy. In the athletic sense, it meant the act of one runner cutting in front of another, thereby causing them both to lose the race.

 Paul was engaging in a word play between "obeying the truth" in v. 2, and "persuasion" in v. 8. This does not imply that the Galatians were not personally responsible, but that they had been influenced.

Paul uses "obeying the truth" as a way of expressing "obeying the gospel." See Special Topic: Truth in Paul's Writings at 2:5.

5:8 "Him who calls you" Often the pronoun antecedents are ambiguous. As in Gal. 1:6, this phrase is always used of the electing choice of God the Father. See note at I Thess. 2:12.

5:9 "a little leaven" Yeast is a common NT proverb in the Bible, often used in a negative sense (Matt. 16:6; Mark 8:15; I Cor. 5:6, though not always (cf. Matt. 13:33). Here the metaphor may be underscoring the pervasive power of the doctrine of works righteousness (cf. Matt. 16:6,32).

SPECIAL TOPIC: LEAVEN

5:10 "I have confidence in you" This is a perfect active indicative which implies that Paul has, in the past, and continues to have, confidence in the Galatian Christians (cf. II Cor. 2:3; II Thess. 3:4; Philemon v. 21).

▣ "that you will adopt no other view" See note at 4:12.

NASB"but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is"
NKJV"but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is"
NRSV"But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty"
TEV"and that the man who is upsetting you, whoever he is, will be punished by God"
NJB"and anybody who troubles you in the future will be condemned, no matter who he is"

Believers are responsible before God., but they can be influenced (cf. 1:7; Acts 15:24). The severity of punishment for those who lead God's new believers astray can be seen in Matt. 18:6-7.

5:11 "if I still preach circumcision" This is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes (this usage shows that the construction is not always true to reality). Paul is using a rather unusual grammatical construction to say "since they are still accusing me of preaching circumcision," which may be a reference to

1. his circumcision of Timothy (cf. Acts 16:3) and his unwillingness to circumcise Titus (cf. 2:2-5)

2. Paul's statement in I Cor. 7:18-19

Whatever the background, Paul was declaring the Judaizers to be inconsistent, because if he preached circumcision they should have enthusiastically accepted him, but since they were persecuting him, it is a good evidence that he was not advocating circumcision for Gentiles.

▣ "then the stumbling-block of the cross has been abolished" "Stumbling-block" or "hindrance" [skandalon] means "a baited trap-stick used to capture animals"(cf. Rom. 9:33; I Cor. 1:23). The cross was an offense to the Judaizers because it gave freely that which they were working so hard to achieve (cf. Rom. 10:2-5).

▣ "has been abolished" This is a perfect passive indicative. See Special Topic at 3:17.

5:12

NASB"I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves"
NKJV"I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off"
NRSV"I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves"
TEV"I wish that the people who are upsetting you would go all the way; let them go on and castrate themselves"
NJB"Tell those who are disturbing you I would like to see the knife slip"

"Mutilate" is used in the sense of "castration." It is known from history that the cult of Cybele, which was present in the province of Galatia, castrated all of their priests (eunuchs). Paul was making a sarcastic hyperbole of circumcision (as is Phil. 3:2, where he calls them "dogs").

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:13-15
 ¹³For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁵But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

5:13 "For you were called to freedom, brethren" This begins a new stage of the argument. The term "brethren" usually marks a change of subject. As vs. 1-12 have dealt with the perversion of legalism, vv. 13-15 deal with the perversion of antinomianism. We must not use our freedom as a license for indulging the sinful passions of fallen human nature (cf. Rom. 14:1-15:13).

NASB"only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh"
NKJV"only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh"
NRSV"only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence"
TEV"But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires rule you"
NJB"but be careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence"

"Opportunity" is a military term for a military, assault-staging area (cf. Rom. 6:1-14). Several English translations translate "flesh" with the phrase "lower nature." This latter rendering agrees with Paul's use of "flesh" (see Special Topic at 1:16) in this context as the natural propensities of mankind which have been twisted toward the self ever since the fall, recorded in Genesis 3. The same polarization between the Adamic nature and the Spirit-led life is expressed in Rom. 8:1-11.

▣ "but through love serve one another" This verb is present active imperative. Previously Paul asserted that they should not be slaves to legalism, but he now balances this with the command that they must be slaves to one another in love (cf. v. 6; John 13:34-35; Eph. 5:21; Phil. 2:3-4). This entire context is communal (the church), not individual (cf. Gordon D. Fee, To What End Exegesis? pp. 154-172). Modern western interpretation has been deeply influenced by individualism. The Bible is primarily a corporate book.

5:14

NASB"For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word"
NKJV"For all the law is fulfilled in one word"
NRSV"For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment"
TEV"For the whole Law is summed up in one commandment"
NJB"since the whole of the Law is summarized in a single command"

This same truth is expressed in Rom. 13:8; James 2:8. This is the "law" as God's revealed will (cf. Matt. 5:17-20), not a works righteousness system of salvation. There is still a proper function for the OT in Christianity! This was a quote of Lev. 19:18 from the Septuagint. It may have functioned as a rabbinical summary regarding the purpose of the Law. It was also used by Jesus in a very similar way in Matt. 5:43-48; 22:39 and in Mark 12:29-31; Luke 10:25-28. This is a Perfect tense verb, which emphasizes a culmination of a past act into a continuing state or condition. It can be understood as (1) a summary of the law or (2) a fulfillment of the law.

5:15 This is a first class conditional sentence, assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. This verse uses violent imagery describing wild animals devouring each other, which is a picture of the terrible reality the false teachers had caused in the Galatian churches. This interpretation is reinforced by the equally strong statement in v. 26. This is a corporate problem, not an individual focus.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:16-24
 ¹⁶But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. ¹⁹Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, ²¹envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

5:16 "walk by the Spirit" A present active imperative, Paul urged the Galatians to live a life supernaturally and continuously controlled by the Spirit of God (cf. Eph. 4:1,17; 5:2,15-18). A primary idea in Galatians was that the Spirit is He who brings initial salvation. Thus, this verse meant that which was begun by the Spirit (cf. 3:3), is also that which is perfected by the Spirit (cf. Rom. 8:16-25). The related term "law of the Spirit," Rom. 8:1 and implied in v. 18, is exactly the same as the "law of Christ" in I Cor. 9:21 and James 1:25; 2:8,12. The law of love serves others as well as self (cf. Phil. 2:1-4).

▣ "and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh" The strongest negation possible in Koine Greek utilizes the double negative with an aorist subjunctive, which means "never under any circumstances." This is found in this verse, followed by a very strong Greek word for "gratify." The Christian life and eternal salvation are of supernatural origin. Believers are not only called to be saved—but called to Christlikeness (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4). The contrast between "flesh" and "spirit" is common in Paul (cf. Rom. 8:1-11). "Flesh" [sarx] is used in two senses by Paul: (1) the physical body; and (2) mankind's fallen, sinful, Adamic nature. Here it is obviously #2. See Special Topic: Flesh (Sarx) at 1:16.

5:17 This contrast between the two ways of life is also found in Rom. 8:1-11. Paul presented the two supposed ways of being saved: (1) human effort; and (2) God's free grace in Christ. There are then two ways to live a godly life: (1) human effort (which is affected by the Fall) and (2) God's free power in the Spirit. The Judaizers were asserting human effort in both salvation and the Christian life, but Paul asserted God's supernatural provision in both.

5:18 "But if you are led by the Spirit" This is a first class conditional sentence, assumed true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. Those who are led by the Spirit are not subject to the law (cf. Rom. 6:14; 7:4,6). This does not imply that Christians will not sin (cf. Romans 7 and I John 2:1), but rather that their lives are not characterized by rebellion (cf. I John 3:6,9).

▣ "you are not under the Law" No article precedes "law" in the Greek text, so the word may have a wider connotation than just the Jewish law. Here, the law has the sense of a way of life used to approach God. Here again is the contrast between the two ways of being pleasing or acceptable to God: self-effort and God's free grace.

5:19 "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident" Many commentators see several distinct categories in this list of sins. However, there is a unity here based primarily on pagan worship excesses. People reveal their true selves in their actions and motives (cf. Matt. 7:16,20; 12:33). The results of the Fall are seen in our lifestyle choices.

The KJV adds the term "adultery" to this list. It is only supported by the Greek manuscript D, Codex Bezea, which is from the sixth century a.d. It is also included into some Old Latin and Vulgate manuscripts.

For "flesh" see Special Topic at 1:16.

SPECIAL TOPIC: VICES AND VIRTUES IN THE NT

NASB"immorality, impurity"
NKJV"fornication, uncleanness"
NRSV"fornication, impurity"
TEV"immoral, filthy"
NJB"fornication, gross indecency"

This first Greek term [porneia] originally meant "harlot," but it came to be used for sexual immorality in general (cf. I Cor. 6:9). We get the English term "pornography" from this Greek word. The second term [akatharsia], "impurity," is also a general term for sexual immorality, though originally used in the OT in the sense of ceremonial uncleanliness or moral uncleanliness. Paul intended the latter meaning.

NASB"sensuality"
NKJV, NRSV"licentiousness"
TEV"and indecent actions"
NJB"sexual irresponsibility"

This implied a public flaunting of sexual desires (cf. II Cor. 12:21). This kind of sexual activity knew no bounds or social inhibitions. Pagan worship was characterized by sexual activity (as were some later Gnostic false teachers, cf. I Tim. 1:10; II Tim. 3:6; Titus 3:3).

5:20 "idolatry" This refers to the worship of anything in place of God (cf. I Cor. 10:14; Eph. 5:5; Col. 3:5; I Pet. 4:3). It especially related to acts of worship to statues or inanimate objects.

▣ "sorcery" This was the Greek term pharmakia from which the English word "pharmacy" is derived. Sorcery may have referred to the practice of using drugs to induce a religious experience. It was later used for magical practices of any kind.

NASB"enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions"
NKJV"hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies"
NRSV"enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions"
TEV"People become enemies and they fight, they become jealous, angry, and ambitious"
NJB"feuds and wranglings, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions"

This litany describes the attitudes and actions of angry, fallen, selfish people. Remember 5:15 and 26.

▣ "enmities" This word (echthra) describes the condition of being characteristically hostile toward people.

▣ "strife" This means "fighting for prizes."

▣ "jealousy" This word (zēlos) can have positive or negative connotation, but in this context it means "self-centeredness."

▣ "outbursts of anger" This Greek term (thumos) means "a sudden, uncontrollable outburst of rage."

▣ "disputes" This implies conflicts based on self-seeking or ambition which knows no bounds.

▣ "dissensions, factions" These two terms go together. They describe a factious dogmatic division within a larger group, something akin to political parties (cf. I Tim. 5:15 and 26). It is used to describe churches, like the Corinthian Church (cf. I Cor. 1:10-13; 11:19; II Cor. 12:20).

5:21 "envyings" A common Stoic proverb of the day said "envy is to grieve at another's good."

Some older Greek manuscripts add the word "murders" after the word "envy." It is included in manuscripts A, C, D, G, K, and P, yet it is excluded in P⁴⁶, א, and B. It is also excluded in the writings of the early heretic Marcion and the early church fathers, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Chrysostom, Jerome, and Augustine. Scribes may have added it from Rom. 1:29.

▣ "drunkenness, carousing" These last two words describe the drunken orgies associated with pagan worship (cf. I Cor. 6:9).

▣ "and things like these" This phrase indicates that this list is not exhaustive but representative (cf. I Cor. 6:9-10; Eph. 5:5). As a warning, it may have reminded the Galatians of Paul's preaching on a previous occasion. This verse, in tandem with I John 5:16, is the source of the Roman Catholic distinction between mortal and venial sins. However, this interpretation is very dubious, in light of the overlapping definitions of the terms, as well as the fact that these sins are even committed by Christians. These verses warn that though Christians could sin in these areas and still be saved, if their lives are characterized or dominated by these sins, they have not really become new creatures in Christ (I John 3:6,9).

▣ "of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" One's lifestyle choices reveal the heart. Those who are truly redeemed still struggle with sin, but their lives are not characterized by sin (cf. I John 3:6,9). It is not that these sins cannot be forgiven or that true Christians do not commit these sins, but that in a true believer the process of Christlikeness has begun. The Spirit, who drew believers to Christ, is now forming Christ in them (cf. 4:19; John 16:8-13). Jesus was very clear about the lifestyle of believers in Matthew 7, "by their fruits you shall know them" and John 15.

The "kingdom of God" is the subject of Jesus' first and last sermons and most of His parables. The reign of God in men's hearts now will someday be consummated over all the earth (cf. Matt. 6:10; I Cor. 6:9-10; Eph. 5:5).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

5:22 "But the fruit of the Spirit is" Paul described human effort as works of the flesh, but he described the Christian life as the "fruit" (cf. John 15) or product of the Spirit. He thereby distinguished human-focused religion and supernatural-focused religion. Obviously, the fruit of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are different. While spiritual gifts are given to every believer at salvation (cf. I Cor. 12:7,11), the fruit is another metaphor to describe the motives, attitudes and lifestyle of Jesus Christ. As the gifts are the distribution of the different ministries of Christ among the body of Christ, the fruit is the collective attitude of Christ in performing these gifts. It is possible to have an effective gift and not have a Christlike attitude. Therefore, Christlike maturity, which the fruit of the Spirit brings, gives ultimate glory to God through the various gifts of the Spirit. These are both brought about by the filling of the Spirit (cf. Eph. 5:18).

It is also interesting to note that fruit is singular in this verse. The use of the singular can be understood in two ways: (1) love is the fruit of the Spirit, described by the varying terms that follow; or (2) it is a collective singular like "seed."

▣ "love" This Greek form for love, agapē, was used in a unique way by the early church of God's self-giving love. This noun was not used often in classical Greek. The church infused it with new meaning to describe God's special love. Love here is theologically analogous to hesed (BDB 338), God's covenant loyalty and love, in the OT.

▣ "joy" Joy is an attitude of life that rejoices in who we are in Christ regardless of circumstances (cf. Rom. 14:17; I Thess. 1:6; 5:16; Jude 24).

▣ "peace" Peace may mean

1. our sense of well-being because of our relationship to Christ

2. our new world-view based on the revelation of God that does not depend on circumstances

3. tranquility in our relationship with other people, especially believers (cf. John 14:27; Rom. 5:1; Phil 4:7)

Peace with God brings peace within and without (i.e., covenant brothers and sisters).

▣ "patience" Longsuffering was proper even in the face of provocation. This was a characteristic of God the Father (cf. Rom. 2:4; 9:22; I Tim. 1:18; I Pet. 3:20). As God has been patient with us, we are to be patient with other people (cf. Eph. 4:2-3), especially believers (cf. 6:10).

▣ "kindness, goodness" "Kindness" describes not only the life of Jesus, but His yoke (cf. Matt. 11:30). Together the two terms describe a positive, open and accepting attitude toward others, especially believers (cf. 6:10).

▣ "faithfulness" Pistis is used in its Old Testament sense of loyalty and trustworthiness. It was usually used of God (cf. Rom. 3:3). Here it describes the believer's new relationship with people, especially believers.

5:23 "gentleness" Sometimes translated as "meekness," praotes is characterized by a submissive spirit. It was a metaphor taken from domesticated animals. Gentleness was not included in the Greek or Stoic lists of virtues, because the Greeks saw it as a weakness. It is uniquely Christian (cf. I Cor. 4:21; II Cor. 10:1; Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:12; I Tim. 6:11; II Tim. 2:25; Titus 3:2). It was used of both Moses (cf. Num. 12:3) and Jesus (cf. Matt. 11:29; 21:5).

▣ "self-control" The capstone of the list, self-control characterizes Christlike maturity (cf. Acts 24:25; Titus 1:8; II Pet. 1:6). This term was used in I Cor. 7:9 for the control of our sexual drive and that may be alluded to here because of the list of the sexual abuses of pagan worship.

▣ "against such things there is no law" There is a new inner law in the life of a believer which shows its presence by living in godliness (cf. Rom. 6:19; James 1:25; 2:8,12). This is exactly the goal of the new covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34 and Ezek. 36:22-32). Christlikeness is the goal of God for every Christian (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4).

5:24 "those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh" This is aorist active indicative which speaks of completed action in past time. This passage, and others which imply mystical union, can be interpreted within theological categories (cf. Rom. 6:6). Throughout the book of Galatians, particularly 2:20, "crucify" is used to characterize our relationship to the Law. Once we accept God's free offer of grace in Christ as our only means of salvation, we decisively cut ourselves off from the evil of our fallen nature and the fallen world system. This personal decision of cutting ourselves off is the biblical metaphor of "crucifixion" as seen in Gal. 2:20; 5:24 and 6:14.

This is often characterized as "death to self." God has made us individually (cf. Psalm 139) to serve Him and not ourselves (cf. Rom. 6). This new life in Christ means death to the fallen, self-centered lifestyle of rebellious mankind (cf. 2:20; Rom. 6:11; II Cor. 5:14-15; I John 3:16).

For "Flesh" see Special Topic at 1:16.

▣ "with its passions and desires" The Greeks identified the body as the source of sinfulness because they did not have supernatural revelation about creation and the fall of mankind (cf. Gen. 1-3). Therefore, they blamed the morally neutral physical body as the source of evil. Believers understand from Paul that the body is morally neutral (cf. Rom. 4:1; 9:3; I Cor. 10:18). Jesus had a real human body (cf. John 1:14; Rom. 1:3; 9:5). Its goodness or wickedness depends on how we use it, for God or for evil. Once we become believers, we must yield our fallen, self-centered tendencies to the power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 7 and I John 2:1).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 5:25-26
 ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

5:25 "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" This is a first class conditional sentence, assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. It summarizes the entire section (cf. v. 16; Rom. 8:1-11). Since believers have been given free grace, they ought to live appropriately (cf. Eph. 4:1,17; 5:2,15-21).

5:26 This is parallel to v. 15 and shows the terrible consequences of the false teachings of the Judaizers among the churches of Galatia and the absence of the Spirit's control in the disruptive attitudes within the congregations.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Outline chapter 5 in its relationship to the rest of Galatians.

2. Explain freedom and what it means in the Christian life.

3. Explain the contextual meaning of the concluding phrase of verse 4.

4. How does a gospel which is freely offered to us control our lifestyle?

5. What are the implications of verses 15 and 26 for the Church today?

6. Do verses 19-21 describe the churches of Galatia or the tendency of pagan worship?

7. How are the gifts of the Spirit related to the fruit of the Spirit?

 

Copyright © 2012 Bible Lessons International

 

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS*

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Salutation	Greeting	Salutation	Salutation	Address
1:1	1:1	1:1	1:1	1:1
The Thessalonians' Faith and Example	Their Good Example	Thanksgiving	The Love and Faith of the Thessalonians	Thanksgiving and Congratulations
1:2-10	1:2-10	1:2-10	1:2-10	1:2-3
				1:4-10

* Although they are not inspired, paragraph divisions are the key to understanding and following the original author's intent. Each modern translation has divided and summarized the paragraphs. Every paragraph has one central topic, truth, or thought. Each version encapsulates that topic in its own distinct way. As you read the text, ask yourself which translation fits your understanding of the subject and verse divisions.
 In every chapter we must read the Bible first and try to identify its subjects (paragraphs), then compare our understanding with the modern versions. Only when we understand the original author's intent by following his logic and presentation can we truly understand the Bible. Only the original author is inspired—readers have no right to change or modify the message. Bible readers do have the responsibility of applying the inspired truth to their day and their lives.
  Note that all technical terms and abbreviations are explained fully in the following documents: Brief Definitions of Greek Grammatical Structure, Textual Criticism, and Glossary.

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired but it is the key to following the original author's intent which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

 

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 1-10

A. Verse 1 is a standard letter form of the first century. Paul made it uniquely Christian by substituting "grace" for the similar sounding Greek word "greetings" (charis vs. charein).

 

B. Verses 2-10 form one long thanksgiving prayer to God for the believers at Thessalonica:

1. Verses 2-5 form one sentence that describes Paul's evangelistic witness.

2. Verses 6-9 describe the Thessalonians' response.

 

C. The Trinity is revealed in vv. 2-5. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Galatians 4:4.

 

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:1
 ¹Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

1:1 "Paul" Saul of Tarsus is first called Paul in Acts 13:9. It is probable that most Jews of the "diaspora" had a Hebrew name and a Greek name. If so, then Saul's parents gave him this name but why, then, does "Paul" suddenly appear in Acts 13? Possibly (1) others began to call him by this name or (2) he began to refer to himself by the term "little" or "least." The Greek name Paulos meant "little." Several theories have been advanced about the origin of his Greek name:

1. the second century tradition that Paul was short, fat, bald, bow-legged, bushy eye-browed, and had protruding eyes is a possible source of the name, deriving from a non-canonical book from Thessalonica called Paul and Thekla

2. passages where Paul calls himself the "the least of the saints" because he persecuted the Church as in Acts 9:1-2 (cf. I Cor. 15:9; Eph. 3:8; I Tim. 1:15)

Some have seen this "leastness" as the origin of the self-chosen title. However, in a book like Galatians, where he emphasized his independence and equality with the Jerusalem Twelve, this is somewhat unlikely (cf. II Cor. 11:5; 12:11; 15:10).

Notice there is no defense of Paul's apostleship in this introduction to the Thessalonian church. Of all of Paul's churches Thessalonica and Philippi were the most supportive.

▣ "Silvanus" This was his Roman name. He, like Paul, was a Roman citizen (cf. Acts 16:37). Luke always calls him "Silas." He was a gifted prophet and a respected member of the Jerusalem church like Barnabas (cf. Acts 15:22,27,32; I Pet. 5:12). He replaced Barnabas as Paul's companion on the second and third missionary journeys.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SILAS/SILVANUS

▣ "Timothy" He was Paul's convert from Lystra on his first missionary journey. Timothy became Paul's team member on the second journey (cf. Acts 16:1-3) replacing John Mark. For a fuller description cf. Introduction B. 3.

▣ "the Thessalonians" Acts 17:1-9 describes Paul's encounter with these people.

▣ "church" Ekklesia means "called out ones." It originally meant a town assembly in Greek society (cf. Acts 19:32). The Greek translation of the OT, the Septuagint, uses it to translate the Hebrew qahal, meaning "congregation" (cf. Exod. 12:6; 16:3; Lev. 4:13; Num. 14:5; 20:6; Deut. 5:22; 9:10; 10:4; 18:16). The early church considered themselves the Messianic congregation of Israel. See Special Topic at Gal. 1:2.

▣ "in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" God and Jesus are combined in a syntactical way by using one preposition to identify them both (cf. 3:11; 2 Thess. 1:2, 12; 2:16). This is one technique used by the NT authors to theologically assert the Deity of Christ. Another was to attribute OT titles and functions of YHWH to Jesus of Nazareth. See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FATHER

▣ "the Lord" God revealed His covenant name to Moses in Exod. 3:14—YHWH. The Jews later became afraid to pronounce this holy name, lest they take it in vain and break one of the Ten Commandments (cf. Exod. 20:7; Deut. 5:11). Therefore, they substituted another word when they read the Scriptures, Adon, which meant, "husband, owner, master, lord." This is the source of the English translation of YHWH: Lord.

Often when the NT authors called Jesus "Lord" (kurios), they were asserting the Deity of Jesus. This affirmation became the early church's baptismal creedal statement, "Jesus is Lord" (cf. Rom. 10:9-13; Phil. 2:6-11).

▣ "Jesus" This name means "YHWH saves" (cf. Matt. 1:21), equivalent to the OT name "Joshua." "Jesus" is derived from the Hebrew word for salvation (hosea) suffixed to the covenant name for God (YHWH).

▣ "Christ" This is a translation of the Hebrew term for "Anointed One" (mashiach). This refers to the special empowering and equipping by the Spirit for YHWH's assigned task. It is the Hebrew term for God's Special, Promised, Coming One, "Messiah" (cf. Luke 2:11,26; 3:15; 4:41; 9:20; 22:67; 23:2,35,39; 24:26,46).

▣ "Grace" Paul changed the secular greeting charein (greetings) to charis (grace), making it uniquely Christian and theologically primary. Grace always precedes peace.

▣ "peace" This reflects the Hebrew greeting shalom. The phrase "grace and peace" was possibly intended to combine traditional Greek and Hebrew greetings.

The King James Version adds a typical Pauline phrase "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" from 2 Thess. 1:1 after "peace." This phrase does not appear in the Greek uncial manuscripts B, F, or G. It does appear in the ancient uncial manuscripts א and A. A slightly modified form appears in manuscript D. It may be a scribal gloss from 2 Thess. 1:2. The UBS⁴ gives the shorter text without the additional phrase an "A"rating (certain).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 1:2-10
 ²We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; ³constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, ⁴knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; ⁵for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with joy of the Holy Spirit, ⁷so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. ⁸For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. ⁹For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, ¹⁰and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

1:2 "We" This refers to Paul, Silas and Timothy (the believing Jewish mission team). Paul used this plural pronoun more often in 1 Thessalonians than in any other letter. It is uncertain how this affected the process of writing the book. Paul often used scribes. Exactly how much freedom these scribes had is unknown.

▣ "give thanks to God" This is a present active indicative indicating continuous action. A spirit of thanksgiving characterizes the entire letter (cf. 2:13; 3:9). Paul had a wonderful relationship with this church as he did with the church at Philippi. Paul's opening prayers are not only culturally expected in Greek style, but often seem to outline his theological topics.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THANKSGIVING

▣ "making mention of you" This is a present middle participle indicating a purposeful decision by Paul to continue to pray. The syntactical structure of Paul's prayer can be seen in the three dependent clauses: (1) making mention (v. 2); (2) constantly bearing in mind (v. 3); and (3) knowing (v. 4).

SPECIAL TOPIC: INTERCESSORY PRAYER

1:3 "constantly bearing in mind" This is a present active participle. This shows Paul's intense, abiding concern for these believers. He thought of and thanked God often for these converts, as he did for all the churches (cf. Rom. 1:9; Eph. 1:16; Phil. 1:3-4; Col. 1:9; II Tim. 1:3; Philemon v.4).

NASB, NRSV"your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope"
NKJV"your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope"
TEV"how you put your faith into practice, how your love made you work so hard, and how your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ is firm"
NJB"your faith in action, worked for love and persevered through hope"

Each of these three phrases is in a grammatical construction that asserts that the work is produced by faith, the labor is produced by love, and the steadfastness is produced by hope. The focus is on active, faithful believers. Faith is always a response to God's initiating activity.

These characteristics form the basis of Paul's thanksgiving to God. In Eph. 2:8-10, grace and faith are related to good works. These three terms (faith, hope, and love) are often linked in the NT (cf. Rom. 5:2-5; I Cor. 13:13; Gal. 5:5-6; Col. 1:4-5; 1 Thess. 5:8; Heb. 6:10-12; 10:22-24; I Pet. 1:21-22). The order often differs. "Faith," in this context, does not refer to doctrine (cf. Jude 3 & 20), but to personal trust (cf. v. 8). See Special Topic at Gal. 3:6.

▣ "labor" "Labor" is a very intense word—Christianity is active not passive (cf. I Cor. 15:58).

▣ "steadfastness" This is not a passive concept either, but an active, voluntary, steadfast endurance in the face of trials (cf. Lk. 21:19; Rom. 5:3-4). It meant to see a need and then voluntarily help carry the load as long as needed (cf. 2 Thess. 1:4).

▣ "hope. . .in the presence of our God" This refers to the parousia or Second Coming, a major theme of this letter (cf. 1:10; 3:13; 4:13-5:11; 5:32; 2 Thess. 1:7,10). Notice that each chapter ends discussing this very subject. "Hope" does not have the connotation of a doubtful "maybe" or "could be" as in English, but rather the expectation of an event with an ambiguous time element. See Special Topic: Hope at Galatians 5:5.

1:4 "knowing" This is the third of three participles which relate to Paul's prayer in v. 2.

▣ "beloved by God" Literally "divinely loved ones." This perfect passive participle phrase is theologically linked to their election (cf. Eph. 1:4-5). It emphasizes believers continuing status as "loved ones." The agent of love is God. The adjective "beloved" (agapētos) is usually used of the Fathers's love for Jesus (cf. Matt. 3:17; 12:18; 17:5; Eph. 1:6). It comes to be used for those who trust Him by faith and are now also the beloved by the Father (cf. Rom. 1:7; Col. 3:12; 2 Thess. 2:13).

NASB"His choice of you"
NKJV"your election by God"
NRSV"that he has chosen you"
TEV"God. . .has chosen you"
NJB"that you have been chosen"

While no verb appears (just the noun phrase "the choice of you"), the agent of the action is God in Christ, which is expressed by the passive voice in the previous verb and with God specifically mentioned. This is asserting the theological necessity of God's initiating love and choice (cf. John 6:44,65). Paul knew they were chosen because they responded to the gospel! God's choice was confirmed by His powerful actions expressed in v. 5. Election is a call to holiness (cf. Eph. 1:4) and service (cf. Col. 3:12-14; II Pet. 1:2-11).

SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE

1:5

NASB, NKJV"did not come to you in word only"
NRSV"came to you not in word only"
TEV"not with words only"
NJB"it came to you not only as words"

More than just an abstract idea, the gospel changed their lives (cf. Romans 1:16; James 2:14-26). This must be true of gospel preaching today. Holiness, not only accurate doctrine, is the goal (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4). The gospel is (1) a person to welcome, (2) truths about that person to be believed, and (3) a life emulating that person to be lived! All three are crucial.

▣ "in power and in the Holy Spirit " There are three related things that confirmed God's choice:

1. gospel came in word

2. gospel came in power

3. gospel came in Holy Spirit

This refers to (1) what happened to the Thessalonian believers personally or (2) God's work through Paul (cf. Rom. 8:15-16). There was powerful confirmation of the truth and spiritual power of the gospel through Paul's preaching and teaching.

▣ "with full conviction" This "full assurance" (cf. Col. 2:2; Heb. 6:11; 10:22) could refer to Paul's preaching or the Thessalonians' response to the gospel.

▣ "as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake" Paul is contrasting the way he and his mission team acted among the Thessalonians (cf. 2:7,10) compared to those mentioned in 2:3-6. Notice the differences in chapter 2:

Paul	Others
amid much opposition not from error not from impurity not by way of deceit not men pleasers not flattering speech not for greed not seeking glory gentle as a nursing mother having a fond affection imparted the gospel and themselves	error impurity deceit men pleasers flattering speech greed seeking glory

Paul is describing false teachers and trouble makers among the Jews (e.g., Acts 17:5).

1:6 "You also" This is an emphatic contrast to the "we" of vv. 2-5.

NASB, NRSV"You also became imitators of us and of the Lord"
NKJV"And you became followers of us and of the Lord"
TEV"You imitated us and the Lord"
NJB"and you were led to become imitators of us, and of the Lord"

"Imitators" comes into English as "mimic" (cf. the Greek term and concept are found in 1 Thess. 1:6; 2:14; 2 Thess. 3:7,9; I Cor. 4:16; 11:1; Gal. 4:12; Phil. 3:17; 4:9). Christlikeness is God's goal for every believer (cf. Rom. 8:28-29; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 1:4). The image of God in mankind is to be restored (cf. Lev. 11:44; 19:2; Matt. 5:48; Eph. 1:4; 5:1).

NASB, NKJV"having received the word"
NRSV"you received the word"
TEV"you received the message"
NJB"you took to the gospel"

This term has the connotation "to receive as a welcomed guest" (cf. Matt. 10: 40-41; 18:5) or "to receive a message" (cf. II Cor. 11:4; James 1:21). This is an aorist middle (deponent) participle. Humans must respond to God's offer of love in Christ's finished work by repentance and faith (cf. Mark 1:15; John 1:12, 3:16; Acts 3:16,19; 20:21; Rom. 10:9-13). Salvation is (1) a message (doctrinal truth); (2) a person (existential encounter); and (3) a life to live (v. 6). We receive the gospel message and befriend Jesus. We must trust completely in both. This results in a new life of faithfulness and holiness.

NASB"in much tribulation"
NKJV"in much affliction"
NRSV"in spite of persecution"
TEV"even though you suffered much"
NJB"the great opposition all round you"

This is literally "to press" (cf. John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 2 Thess. 1:4,6). Becoming a Christian does not guarantee a lack of tension—on the contrary, it is quite the opposite (cf. Matt. 5:10-12; John 15:18-19; Rom. 8:17; I Pet. 3:13-17; 4:12-19). Acts 17 describes some of the persecution Paul (cf. II Cor. 4:7-12; 6:3-10; 11:23-28) and this church experienced.

▣ "with the joy of the Holy Spirit" This joy given by the Spirit is so encompassing and complete that it is present and sustaining amid great persecution and pain. It is a joy unaffected by circumstances (cf. Rom. 5:2-5; II Cor. 7:4; I Pet. 4:13).

1:7 "you became an example to all the believers" In some ways this is hyperbole, but in others very literal. The Thessalonian believers' joy and perseverance under testing and trial was a source of great encouragement to other believers. This is also how the suffering of Job, the prophets (cf. Matt. 5:10,12), the Messiah, and the Apostles affect future believers. Often believers most powerful testimony is during times of trial, pain, and persecution.

▣ "example" See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FORM (TUPOS)

▣ "in Macedonia and in Achaia" These were Roman provinces. Achaia is located within modern Greece; Macedonia is a political state independent of Greece, though culturally and economically related.

1:8 "has sounded forth" This is literally "trumpeted" or "thundered." It is a perfect passive indicative which implies that through their joy amidst trials the gospel "sounded forth and still sounds." In English we get the word "echo" from this Greek word. Verses 8-10 form one sentence in Greek.

▣ "but also in every place" This is a metaphorical exaggeration (hyperbole) similar to v. 2 (cf. Rom. 1:8). The Bible, being an eastern book, often uses figurative language. Be careful of western literalism.

SPECIAL TOPIC: EASTERN LITERATURE

NASB"so that we have no need to say anything"
NKJV"so that we do not need to say anything"
NRSV"so that we have no need to speak about it"
TEV"There is nothing, then, that we need to say"
NJB"We do not need to tell other people about it"

An ambiguous phrase, many translations supply "the faith" from the previous clause. This does not necessarily mean that they understood everything about Christian doctrine or even about suffering. But their lives showed that the gospel truly took root in their hearts and minds. The Holy Spirit will reveal the basics of the gospel to every receptive heart.

1:9 "turned to God from idols" This refers to their repentance from pagan idolatry. The gospel is both negative and positive—repentance and faith (cf. Mark. 1:15; Acts 3:16, 19; 20:21). There is a "turning from" as well as a "turning to."

The NASB Study Bible (p. 1748) makes the observation that the three destructive evidences of the Thessalonian conversion were

1. turning from idols

2. serving God

3. waiting for Christ's return

 

▣ "to serve" Literally this means "as a slave." This is a present infinitive/span>. They turned (aorist) from idols and continued to serve the true, living God (cf. Rom. 6:18). This portrays God as King and His followers as servants. In one sense, we are slaves, in another, we are sons.

▣ "a living and true God" This reflects God's covenantal name, YHWH (cf. Exod. 3:14). YHWH is the ever-living, only-living God. This is the basis of biblical monotheism (cf. Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4; Isa. 45:5,6,18,21-22; 47:8,10).

SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY

1:10 This verse is like a summary of the gospel (cf. I Cor. 15:1-4). These summaries are often called the kerygma ("proclamation").

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KERYGMA OF THE EARLY CHURCH

▣ "to wait for His Son from heaven" This is another present infinitive. They continued to serve (cf. v. 9) God and to wait for Christ's return. Paul continued his emphasis on the Second Coming as the theological keynote of the letter. Every chapter ends on this subject (cf. 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:23). See Special Topic at 5:9.

▣ "whom He raised from the dead" This was confirmation of the Father's acceptance of the Son's substitutionary death (cf. I Cor. 15). All three persons of the Trinity were active in Christ's resurrection: the Father—Acts 2:24; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30, 33, 34, 37; 17:31; the Spirit—Rom. 8:11 and the Son—John 2:19-22; 10:17-18. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Gal. 4:4.

▣ "rescues us" This is a present middle (deponent) participle which emphasizes Jesus' continuous action on our behalf. The victory is ongoing (cf. Rom. 8:31-39). He continues to intercede for us (cf. I John 2:1; Heb. 7:25; 9:24).

▣ "wrath to come." For some, Jesus' Second Coming is their great hope, but for others it will be their eternal loss. The believers will experience the persecution and pressure of Jews and pagans, but they will never experience the wrath of God (cf. 5:9). The wrath of God is coming (present middle [deponent] participle) on all those who reject Christ (cf. 1 Thess. 2:16; Matt. 25; Rom. 1-2). It is surely true that wrath is an anthropomorphic term, but so too, is "the love of God."

At the end of each chapter in 1 Thessalonians an allusion to the Second Coming is prominent (cf. 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:13-18; 5:23). New Testament writers view time and history through their world-view of a coming day of judgment and reward. The NT is thoroughly eschatological (cf. How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth by Fee and Stuart, pp. 131-134).

SPECIAL TOPIC: TRIBULATION

SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS A HUMAN (anthropomorphic language)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did Paul not assert his apostleship in this letter?

2. What is significant about verse 1?

3. Why are faith, hope and love mentioned together so often in the New Testament?

4. How is election linked to the believers' actions?

5. Why do Christians suffer? How does the Second Coming address the problem of suffering?

 

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