Galatians 3
|
Galatians 3:1:
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? |
“This will give direction unto them who are called unto the work of teaching others. The person and offices of Christ are things which principally they are to insist upon; for that which is the chiefest object of the church’s faith ought to be the chiefest subject of our preaching. So Paul tells the Galatians, that in his preaching Christ was evidently crucified before their eyes, Gal. 3:1. He proposed Christ crucified unto their consideration, ‘determining,’ as he speaks in another place, ‘to know nothing amongst them but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.’ For if the consideration of Christ be such an important duty in believers, certainly the due proposal of him unto their consideration is no less in preachers. Christ alone is to be preached absolutely, and all other truths as they begin, end, and centre in him. To propose the Lord Christ as amiable, desirable, useful, and every way worthy of acceptation, is the greatest duty of the dispensers of the gospel.” --John Owen
|
The strong language that Paul uses to refute this false teaching and the stern denunciations he makes about these legalists, who were insisting on adding to the simply truth of the gospel message: - that Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in the finished, sacrificial work of Christ alone.. serves only to demonstrate how dangerous Paul considered this legalist teaching. And so in the strongest language that is used in any of his epistles we hear Paul's blistering comment: you foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? SOURCE: Knowing Jesus
|
Galatians 3:10:
For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” |
All humans have failed to follow God’s law—whether the Israelites failing to follow the law of Moses or everyone else failing to follow the law written on our hearts (see Romans 2:14-15). In this way, we are all by default under a curse. Summarizing the “curse” section of Deuteronomy 27-28, Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26, saying, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law” (Gal. 3:10). Here again, we see a generational curse of sorts stemming from our original fallen ancestors.
Although this doesn’t mean we should feel guilt for our ancestors’ sins, we do inherit a proclivity and propensity to sin, which theologian Michael Strickland argues is well-described in the term “ancestral sin” (as more accurate than saying that we are born with their “original sin”). The good news is that, even though this ancestral sin is passed from generation to generation, Jesus broke the power of this millennia-long generational curse for all who place faith in him. As Paul put it, “Just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:18-19) --Daniel McCoy |
|
Galatians 3:11-12:
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. |
That no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that does them shall live in them,” (Gal. 3: 11, 12; Hab. 2: 4.) How could the argument hold unless it be true that works are not to be taken into account, but are to be altogether separated? The Law, he says, is different from faith. Why? Because to obtain justification by it, works are required; and hence it follows, that to obtain justification by the Gospel they are not required. From this statement, it appears that those who are justified by faith are justified independent of, nay, in the absence of, the merit of works, because faith receives that righteousness which the Gospel bestows. But the Gospel differs from the Law in this, that it does not confine justification to works, but places it entirely in the mercy of God. In like manner, Paul contends, in the Epistle to the Romans, that Abraham had no ground of glorying, because faith was imputed to him for righteousness, (Rom. 4: 2;) and he adds in confirmation, that the proper place for justification by faith is where there are no works to which reward is due. “To him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.” What is given to faith is gratuitous, this being the force of the meaning of the words which he there employs. Shortly after he adds, “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace,” (Rom. 4: 16;) and hence infers that the inheritance is gratuitous because it is procured by faith. How so but just because faiths without the aid of works leans entirely on the mercy of God? And in the same sense, doubtless, he elsewhere teaches, that the righteousness of God without the Law was manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, (Rom. 3: 21;) for excluding the Law, he declares that it is not aided by worlds, that we do not obtain it by working, but are destitute when we draw near to receive it. --John Calvin
|
|
Galatians 3:13-14:
Christ 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," in 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 |
ξύλον is an extremely difficult word to translate, although from its entry in BDAG you wouldn’t think so. It gives three basic meanings:
The other translations use “tree” (NASB [footnotes it could also be “cross”], ESV, HCSB, NRSV, NET, NLT, KJV). Of course, Jesus never hung on a tree. The cross was made from wood, but it wasn’t a tree. And he wasn’t “hung” in the sense that someone familiar with American culture would assume from the words. Paul is referring to Deut 21:23: “you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse.” The Hebrew עֵץ is defined by HALOT as “tree,” and all translations use “tree” except for the NIV. But executed criminals were generally impaled on a pole, which explains the NIV translation. By saying “hung on a tree” it creates an image that most assuredly is incorrect. This illustrates how difficult it can be to connect a NT to its OT allusion, and how the specifics of the ancient OT culture can make the translation even more difficult. By using “pole,” the NIV is uniquely calling attention to the fact that Jesus was not hung on a tree as in the wild west, but that his body was displayed for all to see on a pole, a pole in the shape of a cross made of wood. The translation of a person hung on a tree creates an incorrect image of the crucifixion. Hung on a pole is not much better, but how else can you say Jesus’ body was displayed on something made of wood in a way that reflected ancient practice and fulfillment of Deut 21:23? --William Mounce |
|
After Jesus was nailed to the cross, the Scriptures indicate that he hung there for six hours. During the last three hours, from noon to three, the sky turned black and refused to shine. At noon He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He looked up and found He was cut off from God. He was separated. He was estranged. This One Who never sinned, Who had never had a dirty thought or a wrong motive, Who had never sinned in word, deed, or thought, looked up and God was gone. Can you imagine what it was like to have to have to have been in fellowship with God as Jesus was and then to look up and find God to be gone? At this point, all of our sin, rottenous, and filth, everything that we have done wrong, was laid on Jesus, and God could no longer look at His Son because of our sin. Therefore, Jesus cried out with this pathetic cry, "Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani?" ... "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" God could not look upon our sin, upon His Son, and Jesus was cut off, damned. When Jesus cried out those words, it was the most horrible cry that was ever uttered from this earth. Even the angels must have shudddered with horror at the spectacle of the Son of God hanging between heaven and earth, cut off and damned because of our sin. In fact, Scriptures say in Galatians 3:13, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." Jesus was damned for our sins. Jesus was damned that we might not be damned. He died that we might live. And this is the reason we're righteous. But because Another died for our sins. He was our substitute. And because He was judged for our sins, we don't have to be judged. He loved us that much. Therefore, on the cross, Jesus Christ cancelled our $10,000,000 debt. - Ernest Gruen "Freedom To Choose" p9-10
|
“in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26-28).
Identity politics, which divide and separate people for whom Christ died, have no place. For the Christian, identity is found in Jesus. As sinners, we stand on level ground at the foot of the cross. We identify with Jesus and find forgiveness and new life (Romans 6:1-4). The spirit of God and the word of God begin to transform the newborn child of God into the image of God's son, Jesus (Romans 8:29; II Cor. 3:18; Phil. 1:6; 2:1-4). The fruit of the spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) becomes evident and increases. The loved child of God becomes a loving neighbor to everyone in his path (Luke 10:25-37). He treats others the way he wants to be treated. He grows and becomes great in the kingdom of God by being a servant to others (Mark 10:42-45; I Peter 4:8-10). Unity will never be found in a humanistic utopia. The humanist sets himself up as a god. In his world only self reigns. His belly is god. No impulse is suppressed. Greed, lust, hatred, division and violence are the order of the day. His allegiance is to “I” not “I Am.” His love is for self and not the savior. Robert Frost, in “Mending Wall,” wrote, “Something there is that doesn't love a wall.” He's right. The “something” is someone and the someone is Christ! Jesus breaks down walls (Ephesians 2:14-15) and builds bridges. In fact, he is the bridge between earth and heaven, man and God (John 14;6). He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Real lasting peace and unity are found in him (Luke 2:14; I Peter 5:14). -Ken Haskins 
|
The Bible is clear-blessing comes to us by faith, and not through any other means. Abraham believed God and was blessed. Today, those who believe God through the gospel of Jesus Christ are blessed, be they Jew or Gentile. The truth is rather simple. But the false applications that now abound have so confused this matter that even those who have believed the gospel are convinced that they must seek information from their own past, sinful lives to break curses and find the key to blessings. We often hear from such persons, Christians whom false teachers have convinced that they are cursed. Why do they seek help? Because of symptoms that trouble them which are then attributed to their failure to adequately identify the sources (whether demonic or in past experiences) of their troubled situation.
Paul wrote three epistles to churches in Asia Minor-Colossians, Ephesians, and Galatians. The people in Asia Minor were known to practice various forms of syncretistic, magic arts in the hope of averting bad fate. The last CIC article (Issue 122) showed how this was described in the book of Acts and explained how it applies to the interpretation of Ephesians. Galatians was written to churches who faced the same issues-this time in a form more distinctly Jewish-yet mixed with elements from pagan sources. This is not surprising, given the ample evidence from Acts and other historical sources that uncover the prevalence of religious mixture that characterized Judaism in Asia Minor.
Paul's message is clear enough: To go back to practices that had never delivered anyone from the curse of the law would be to go back to being cursed, and not blessed. The only issue is one's status vis-a-vis Christ through faith. To change that would be to go back under the hostile powers from which they had fled through the gospel. Galatians 3:13, 14 teaches substitution: "for us" (huper in the Greek). This word is often used in the New Testament for the substitutionary atonement (on our behalf). Paul sternly rebuked his Galatian readers, when he told them that if they proceeded in their Christian life on some different basis than they began, they were "bewitched." This we shall see as we study Galatians 3:1-3.
Blessing and cursing are relational, and not symptomatic. That means that what appears to be a bad situation caused by curses due to anything-past sins, ancestors, demons, hexes, past occult involvement, misinterpreted past memories, chronic sickness, strange feelings, demonic oppression, demonic manifestations in one's home, or an unlimited number of other possible symptoms of being cursed-are not an issue for those in Christ. We are blessed-period. Paul claimed that those who rely on any "works of law" (i.e., whether the Law or other practices that are law-works for Christians) depart from the only means of blessing-faith.
--Critical Issues Commentary
Paul wrote three epistles to churches in Asia Minor-Colossians, Ephesians, and Galatians. The people in Asia Minor were known to practice various forms of syncretistic, magic arts in the hope of averting bad fate. The last CIC article (Issue 122) showed how this was described in the book of Acts and explained how it applies to the interpretation of Ephesians. Galatians was written to churches who faced the same issues-this time in a form more distinctly Jewish-yet mixed with elements from pagan sources. This is not surprising, given the ample evidence from Acts and other historical sources that uncover the prevalence of religious mixture that characterized Judaism in Asia Minor.
Paul's message is clear enough: To go back to practices that had never delivered anyone from the curse of the law would be to go back to being cursed, and not blessed. The only issue is one's status vis-a-vis Christ through faith. To change that would be to go back under the hostile powers from which they had fled through the gospel. Galatians 3:13, 14 teaches substitution: "for us" (huper in the Greek). This word is often used in the New Testament for the substitutionary atonement (on our behalf). Paul sternly rebuked his Galatian readers, when he told them that if they proceeded in their Christian life on some different basis than they began, they were "bewitched." This we shall see as we study Galatians 3:1-3.
Blessing and cursing are relational, and not symptomatic. That means that what appears to be a bad situation caused by curses due to anything-past sins, ancestors, demons, hexes, past occult involvement, misinterpreted past memories, chronic sickness, strange feelings, demonic oppression, demonic manifestations in one's home, or an unlimited number of other possible symptoms of being cursed-are not an issue for those in Christ. We are blessed-period. Paul claimed that those who rely on any "works of law" (i.e., whether the Law or other practices that are law-works for Christians) depart from the only means of blessing-faith.
--Critical Issues Commentary
|
Galatians 3:19:
What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. |
Where there is no law, there is no sin. A man cannot be condemned for doing wrong if he did not know it was wrong. Therefore the function of the law is to define sin. But, while the law can define sin, it cannot cure it.
1) The law was added because of transgressions, with a restraining effect. 2) The law was added to create transgressions, acting as a lure. 3) The law was added to increase or intensify transgression, acting as an identifier. One clue within this phrase is the inclusion of the word parabaseon (“transgressions”). This word is used specifically within Paul’s letters to denote wrongdoing done in the presence of the law. Romans 4:15 functions almost like a dictionary entry when Paul writes “where there is no law there is no transgression.” Parabaseon is a specialized word. Before something can be called a transgression, there must be some standard to transgress, and that standard in Galatians is the Mosaic Law. One scholar has rightly noted that with the word transgression “Paul is not thinking of the general condition of sin that justifies the infliction of God’s wrath, but the more specific situation that obtains wherever people are confronted with clearly defined, verbally transmitted laws and commands. Parabaseon always refers to passing beyond the limits.” The use of “transgression” here does not imply that the law itself brings sin, but rather a qualitative difference to the sin. Instead of a vague imperfection or general wrongdoing, it now becomes outright disobedience to a known command of God. This is also how this word is used in Romans 5:14, where the first sin of Adam is described as a transgression since it involved Adam’s disobedience to a known command of God. This consideration of the meaning of parabaseon gets to the heart of what Paul means in Galatians 3:19. If one considers that a transgression is not even possible unless there is a law to transgress, Paul cannot mean that the law was given to restrict transgression, for there was no transgressions to restrict until the law appeared. So the function must be different. The law is valuable here in that it was added to identify the character of sin, labeling it as explicitly contrary to God. So the law was added to label, identify, and condemn sin as something contrary to God. At the end of verse 19 and in verse 20 Paul begins his attempt to diminish the vital nature of the law. In what has become a passage that has sparked much confusion, Paul declares that “the law was instituted through angels by a mediator. A mediator does not represent just one party, but God is one.” While the meaning of this verse is still in some dispute, the tenor of the passage seems to indicate a simple, Jewish thought. The law was given to the people through Moses, and Jewish tradition had angels carrying the law to Moses at Sinai. But the promise to Abraham was given directly and audibly and unmistakably. Paul is using a simple illustration to show that the promise is superior to the law as its transmission was more direct, and consequently to affirm again his foundational belief in the monotheism of God. If the Galatians were to return to the law again then the monotheism of God would be placed in jeopardy. For then there would be one God for the Jews, and not for the rest of the world. Paul is desperately trying to show that God is God of both Jew and Gentile. |
|
Galatians 3:24:
"Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by the faith." |
The metaphor of the schoolmaster as leading to fuller understanding, was clearly to deny the law as a means of justification. If the law was leading believers to a greater source of understanding it could not be the means of salvation. Justification, says Paul, is by faith in Christ and his righteousness, not by works. The law had and has an important role for believers, but it was not then, nor is it now, a means of justification.
|
If God never commanded that I not covet my neighbor’s things then I would not know that is was sinful to do such things, even though it would still be sinful. But God did command, and His law ever points at my fallen nature by revealing to me God’s righteous standards and my failure to live accordingly. But this is where the power of the Gospel is revealed. The law teaches that man is fallen and rightly deserves God’s wrath. But rather than pour that wrath out on us, God instead sent His Son to die on the cross in the behalf of those who put their faith in Him. The more we grasp God’s law, and our inability to live according to it, the more we grasp the glory of the cross. How can anyone meditate on such things and not be moved into praise, thanksgiving, and the worship of our glorious God? Meditate on such things. You must seek to grasp this lest the redemption that occurred on that cross become dull and small. It was by no means anything but glorious. --Dear Children
|
Galatians 3:28:
"There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." |
In other words, status, sex, and ability do nothing to get you and me closer to the Kingdom of God. You and I cannot climb to the Kingdom of God, for if we climb, we will never find the Kingdom of God. Bluntly stated, we do not find the Kingdom of God in the heights of our accomplishments, the clouds of our glory, or the peaks of our popularity, for the Kingdom of God is not above us but below us.
Dear friends, Jesus flips everything upside down for Nicodemus, and He does the same for you and me. Listen up! The greatest in the kingdom of God are not the religious elites but little children – babies. The greatest in the kingdom of God, well… it is not those who are first but those who are last. If you want the kingdom of God, you are not to take up a list of goals and accomplishments but take up a cross and die. But there is a problem, our sinful nature does not like to hear this, though. Your sinful nature, and mine as well, likes to climb. Our sinful nature is so easily seduced into trying to go up the pecking order to obtain the Kingdom of God. And once our sinful nature has climbed a little bit, the sinful nature demands that God and His church applaud for the heights it has achieved. -Matthew Richard; PM Notes |
President Joe Biden said, “White supremacy has no place in America.” I believe this is true and, I would argue, white supremacy has no place in Christianity. St. Paul said in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Inequality Will Always Exist on Planet Earth In some form or another.
Regardless of which side of the fence you might be on in regards to events surrounding Ferguson, Missouri or the Eric Garner case out of New York, if a "win" means that everyone will accept one side against the other....it will not happen. The Gospel makes it clear that there is only one path to equality and that is found in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." I don't have great hope that such a place will ever be reached by all men on this side of eternity. And I think a reading of Revelation will bear that out as wars and rumors of wars will besiege us until that day.
The proclamation to the church in Galatia is an important tenant of the mature Christian life, for it requires a knowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. It is nonsense to those who would rather seek their own way in this life, and while seeking for something to believe in, find power in believing that the opinion of many is a more powerful platform for which to stand on....and even live on.
Platforms deteriorate and fail. Pride comes before a fall. Jesus Christ reigns forever and ever.
Regardless of which side of the fence you might be on in regards to events surrounding Ferguson, Missouri or the Eric Garner case out of New York, if a "win" means that everyone will accept one side against the other....it will not happen. The Gospel makes it clear that there is only one path to equality and that is found in Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." I don't have great hope that such a place will ever be reached by all men on this side of eternity. And I think a reading of Revelation will bear that out as wars and rumors of wars will besiege us until that day.
The proclamation to the church in Galatia is an important tenant of the mature Christian life, for it requires a knowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. It is nonsense to those who would rather seek their own way in this life, and while seeking for something to believe in, find power in believing that the opinion of many is a more powerful platform for which to stand on....and even live on.
Platforms deteriorate and fail. Pride comes before a fall. Jesus Christ reigns forever and ever.