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The Letter to the Galatians

Martin Taylor

{31Oct2021 Harlington BC}

Good morning and welcome to Harlington Baptist Church.

Last week, we looked at Galatians 2:15-21. Paul made clear the Central Issue for his letter. Galatians is about the Truth of the Gospel, and the Truth of the Gospel is this: Salvation is through faith alone, not through obeying the Law.

Today, Paul reinforces the Rebuke that he first declared in Gal 1:6. There he said “ I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—⁷ which is really no gospel at all.” TNIV

Today, we see that shock and disappointment repeated and amplified.

Let me read today’s passage to you from the New Living Translation to give you an overview feel.

Gal 3:1-6 Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. ²Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. ³How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? ⁴Have you experienced^[^a^] so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?

⁵I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.

⁶In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”

That was from the New Living Translation. I will be using the Complete Jewish Bible when looking at individual verses.

In some ways, Gal 3:1-6 acts like an opening bracket to a section of the letter (which happens to be bracket-closed by Gal 5:1-12). That said, there is still a significant shift in Paul’s approach around 4:12 which some commentator therefore interpret as the close-bracket immediately followed by an open-bracket.

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Galatians 3:1

O foolish …
Who confused you? – Gk baskano
Before your eyes – Gk ophthalmous
Jesus the Anointed One
Portrayed publicly – Gk prographe
Having been crucified

Gal 3:1 You stupid Galatians! Who has put you under a spell? Before your very eyes Yeshua the Messiah was clearly portrayed as having been put to death as a criminal!

Complete Jewish Bible

This is the first direct address to his audience since Gal 1:11. Paul does not sound happy with the Galatians does he. Telling your audience that they are stupid (or foolish, unintelligent or unwise) is not a modern approach to making friends and influencing people. Apparently though, it was used as an approach in speeches of the day.

Indeed, Jesus uses similar words “O foolish ones” when talking to Cleopas and co. on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:25. There, Jesus upbraids them for failing to understand what the prophets had spoken.

Next Paul asks a rhetorical question. Who confused you? It is a means of introducing a concept, associating it in the minds of the audience, but in such a way as to add force to the overall argument. The Galatians are unlikely to want to admit to being either confused, or influenced in some inappropriate way, so the rhetorical question deliberately puts them on the back foot. It makes them want to deny it; to say that they have not been confused or adversely affected.

The word translated bewitched or spell (or occasionally fascinated or hypnotised) in the Greek is baskano (Latin fascinatio). It is only used here in the New Testament. It carries an overtone of a ‘powerful noxious glance of the eye’. Paul uses it as a figure of speech and balances it against ‘before your very eyes’.

The Greek prographe could be time-related ie ‘written beforehand’, or location-related ie ‘written on a placard in public’. Most translators go for the ‘public portrayal’ which does link better to the ‘before your eyes’ phrase.

The ‘having been crucified’ then emphasises the purpose of Christ. Paul uses it as an abbreviated form of the Gospel (see also 1 Cor 1:23, 2:2). Jesus was willing to die on the cross on our behalf.

Paul finds it utterly inconceivable that, anyone having embraced the Gospel of ‘Christ crucified’ should ever try to add to it in any way. This act of self sacrifice, at the same time so appealing, yet so shocking in its nature; becoming sin to save us from sin; becoming a curse to release us from a curse; dying so that we might have life; the metaphors pout out one after another. Why would anyone turn away from it once they have accepted it?

No wonder Paul said, back in Gal 1:6 “I am staggered” … that you have so quickly deserted …

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Galatians 3:2

Tell me one thing …
Did you receive the Spirit?

See Gal 4:6, Acts 14:10 also Rom 8:14-17

By following the Torah
Or by hearing and believing

Also Rom 10:17

Gal 3:2 I want to know from you just this one thing: did you receive the Spirit by legalistic observance of Torah commands or by trusting in what you heard and being faithful to it?

Paul now switches tack and opens up a different line of reasoning. Again, there is a rhetorical question that signals a new approach, a new point for discussion. This time, Paul wants to link the audiences’ emotions back to something good in their memory, and specifically, the action of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

It is as if he is leaning over the pulpit and saying gently to the Galatians. You remember what happened when I first came. You remember how the Holy Spirit came to live in you and changed you from the inside. Do you recall how the Spirit came down upon some of you? You remember people getting healed? You remember the miracles that happened? Now I would like to learn just one thing from you.

He has his audience on the edge of their seats – because they did remember. They remembered both the inner witness of the Spirit within them to their identity in Christ (Gal 4:6, Rom 8:14-17). They also knew that wonders had happened amongst them (Acts 14:10).

“Tell me, did you receive the Spirit?”. It is a leading question. Both Paul and the Galatians knew the answer would be yes. Paul knew what had happened to them. Paul was the catalyst for their conversion, their agent of change. He knew that the revolution in their lives engendered by God’s Spirit was profound. He is so certain of it that he is not really going out on a limb when he uses it here as part of his argument. Paul knew and the Galatians knew.

Now Paul has them right where he wants them.

“I want to learn just one thing from you” says Paul “Did you receive the Spirit … by works of the law, or by believing what you heard”.

Paul is banging the drum of faith versus works once again, but drawing in the personal experience of his audience. Reminding them of the still small voice of the Spirit at work in the believer, and reminding them also of the part played by the ears in the process. See also Rom 10:17

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Galatians 3:3

Really? Are you so foolish?
You began – Gk enarxamenoi

See Phil 1:6

with the Spirit
Are you finishing – Gk epitelesthe

See Phil 1:6

in the flesh?

Gal 3:3 Are you that stupid? Having begun with the Spirit’s power, do you think you can reach the goal under your own power?

“Is it possible that you are so foolish?” says Paul in the lead up to his 3^rd rhetorical question. The use of the same word in 3:1 and 3:3 provides a sort of bracket around 1b and 2 linking the content to what follows. Thus ‘beginning with the Spirit’ has a clear link back to ‘receive the Spirit’ in v2. The ‘flesh’ here is thus compared back to ‘works of the law’ in v2.

The work of conversion and regeneration (being born again) is a work performed by the Spirit. The gift of the Spirit follows and confirms the work of Christ in us at salvation.

Despite their good beginning, it seems that the Galatians are being tempted to leave the narrow path of faith and put their hopes in their own efforts.

The begin and finish/perfect/complete has a close parallel in Phil 1:6 “the one who began a good work in you will perfect it / bring it to completion …”

There has been a mention of circumcision as a clear example of what the Torah demands, however Paul is not concerned just about circumcision (see Gal 6:15). It is not necessary to become Jewish (or English, or any other grouping) in order to be a Christian. It is not necessary to be perfect to be a Christian. What is necessary is faith in Jesus. Paul is against any work of the Torah that anyone might suggest should be added on to the Gospel. And he would be against any modern day suggestion that something needs to be added to ‘faith in Jesus alone’ in order for us to become Christians or get to heaven or be counted as righteous.

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Galatians 3:4

Have you suffered in vain?

Experienced v suffered – Gk epathete

Gal 4:29. See also Acts 14:22

If it has been in vain

Gal 3:4 Have you suffered so much for nothing? If that’s the way you think, your suffering certainly will have been for nothing!

Here we have Paul setting out his fourth Rhetorical question.

There are some who argue that that epathete should be translated in a positive sense (as in experienced) and that is how it appears in the TNIV and TEV. It is a possible meaning of the word. The immediate context of the verb with experiencing the positive miracles and regeneration of the Spirit might allow this translation. However, it would be the only place in the NT (out of 42) where it could be seen as positive. It is clear that Paul experienced persecution in Galatia. It is also clear that around this time there were Jewish traditionalists (or bandits, or freedom fighters, pick your own term) who were prepared to instigate violence against fellow Jews who collaborated with Gentiles. It would not be a surprise to find that some Galatians had suffered physically. Indeed Paul says as much in Gal 4:29. See also Acts 14:22.

Thus most translations use the word suffer.

Suffering in vain or experiencing in vain. Either positive or negative, to have it all be for nothing would be a waste. Paul makes the Galatians ask themselves why. You have gone through so much. Why? Is it all meaningless? Clearly, Paul sees it as beneficial, but he uses these questions to make his audience think.

By adding ‘if it has been in vain’ Paul gives the impression that he hopes his audience will listen to

him – and thus bring meaning back into their suffering/experience.

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Galatians 3:5

Therefore/then – Gk oun
God
Who gifts – Gk epichoregon

the Spirit – Gk pneuma
and miracles – Gk dynameis

among you – Gk en hymin
By works of law or hearing of faith?

Gal 3:5 What about God, who supplies you with the Spirit and works miracles among you — does he do it because of your legalistic observance of Torah commands or because you trust in what you heard and are faithful to it?

The ‘therefore’ or ‘then’ is not often carried across from the Greek to the English. You will find it in the NKJV and an equivalent ‘well then’ in the NRSV. It serves to connect verse 5 with the preceding four verses.

Verse five part-repeats the question from verse two but with two key differences.

Firstly, instead of asking ‘how’ the Galatians received the Spirit, Paul here asks about “He who supplies/gifts the Spirit and miracles”. The verse doesn’t actually use the Greek word for God – Theos. Instead it uses ‘Ho’ – ‘the one’ as an allusion, but still so clear that many versions simply place ‘God’ into the English.

Secondly, Paul emphasises the nature of this ‘One’ who continually gives; who supplies the Spirit at conversion and continues to act through miracles of the Spirit. These serve to tie back to both v2 (which covers conversion) and v4 (which focuses on continuing life as a Christian)

En hymin can mean either among you, or in each one of you. It is worth noting that Paul has a clear expectation that ‘dynamite’ is still happening among them. The gifts of the Spirit have not stopped operating among the Galatians.

The style of the rhetorical question is the same though – is all this through works of law or by hearing of faith? Paul bangs the drum once more.

The question is one which we need to ask ourselves. Was our Christian life made certain by going to Church? By singing spiritual songs? By participating in Communion? There is no suggestion that any of these things are wrong – they are all valid things for a Christian to do. The purpose of the question is to make you think. What or Who is important. Are we depending on God, and doing these things as a response? Or are we depending upon the actions themselves to save us?

That is the question that Paul repeats so often – our actions? Or faith in Jesus?

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Galatians 3:6

Even as – Gk Kathos
Abraham (see Gen 15:6)
Believed God
Credited as – GK elogistho
righteousness

Gal 3:6 It was the same with Avraham: “He trusted in God and was faithful to him, and that was credited to his account as righteousness.” Complete Jewish Bible

Paul has, over the last 5 verses argued from the personal experiences of the Galatians. He has appealed to two convictions. First that ‘Christ crucified’ removes all ability to depend on legal righteousness - however that is worked out in practice – be it through specific Torah related practices or wider works. No such human efforts can be allowed to be attached to the Gospel.

Second, that the Galatians knew full well that ‘Christ crucified’ was what had been preached to them. They could have no doubt about the ‘truth of the gospel’.

Now once again, Paul switches gear. Verse six signals the change.

The Greek Kathos is not always flagged well in the English. It means ‘even as’ and is meant to tie verses 5 and 6 together. It picks up from the rhetorical question in verse 5 and expects the answer to be placed here. Like “it is not by works of the law – it is clearly by faith – even as in the case of Abraham …’

Paul quotes Gen 15:6 almost verbatim from the Septuagint – the Old Testament translated from Hebrew into Greek that was the primary Bible text available at the time. Though he does turn Abram into Abraham.

At this point in the Bible the Torah has not yet been written – so it would be hard for the Galatians or anyone else to claim that Abraham was depending on a legal righteousness based on a non-existent code of practice. It even occurs before Abraham is circumcised which comes in Gen 17:4-14. So by appealing to Gen 15, Paul removes all support for both the Law AND support for all the distinguishing practices that go with it.

The Greek word elogistho draws from the business or accounting world a concept of ‘credit’, to put on one side of a ledger, accounting as a positive. God chooses to see Abraham as righteous because of Abraham’s faith.

Now Luci will pick up from here next week.

But the closing thought I want you to be pondering on for the rest of the week is ‘Which parts of the Christian life should not be dependent of faith’?

This is a rhetorical question where the answer is ‘none’. But think it through anyway.

Back to the Worship Leader.