Verses 3:1 – 4:31: In the first two chapters Paul has argued
that his gospel is the true one. Now the question is: “What is Paul’s gospel?”
So in chapters 3 and 4 the apostle defines his gospel. In short, it is that justification
(salvation) comes as the result of one’s faith in Christ, not as a result of
trying to obey the law.
Paul argues this point by appealing to the Galatians’ own
experience (3:1-5), to Old Testament Scripture (3:6-14), to the Abrahamic
covenant (3:15-18), to the purpose of the law (3:19-29), to the law’s temporary
nature (4:1-11) and to allegory (4:21-31).
Galatians
3:1
"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey
the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth,
crucified among you?"
“Foolish”: This refers not to lack of intelligence, but to
lack of obedience (Luke 24:25; 1 Tim. 6:9; Titus 3:3). Paul expresses his
shock, surprise, and outrage at the Galatians’ defection.
Foolish does not denote natural stupidity, but failure to
use moral and spiritual discernment. “Bewitched” means to cast an evil spell on
someone; Paul is thus saying that the only way to account for their theological
deception is by malicious magic.
“Who”: The Judaizers, the Jewish false teachers were
plaguing the Galatian churches.
“Bewitched”: Charmed or misled by flattery and false
promise. The term suggests an appeal to the emotions by the Judaizers.
“Set forth”: The posting of official notices in public
places. Paul’s preaching had publicly displayed the true gospel of Jesus Christ
before the Galatians.
The Greek word rendered “hath been evidently set forth”
means to show forth as on a placard (billboard). The message of salvation had
been set forth before the Galatians’ “eyes” (spiritual understanding) as on a
billboard: they had clearly understood the gospel, now they were confused about
it.
Paul is not calling these Galatians a fool, but is saying
that their actions are foolish. Foolish means to give the appearance of a fool.
Paul reminds them that they have been blessed with the glorious Truth.
“Crucified”: The crucifixion of Christ was a one-time
historical fact with continuing results into eternity. Christ’s sacrificial
death provides eternal payment for believer’s sins (Heb. 7:25), and does not
need to be supplemented by any human works.
God thought enough of them that He sent Paul to them to open
their eyes to the Truth of God. Paul had taught Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
As we said before, Paul taught that Jesus fulfilled the law. He became the
substitute for our sin. The law was fulfilled and all who believe live in the
grace of God.
Galatians
3:2
"This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works
of the law, or by the hearing of faith?"
“Received ye the Spirit”: The answer to Paul’s rhetorical
question is obvious. The Galatians had received the Spirit when they were saved
(Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13; 1 John 3:24; 4:13), not through keeping the law, but
through saving faith granted when hearing the gospel (Rom. 10:17).
The hearing of faith is actually hearing “with” faith. Paul
appealed to the Galatians’ own salvation to refute the Judaizers’ false
teaching that keeping the law is necessary for salvation.
Paul appeals to the Galatians’ own spiritual experience to
argue salvation by faith. Note that here the apostle refers to salvation by the
reception of the Spirit. Why? Because the moment one is converted he receives
the Holy Spirit. By a question, Paul states that they received the Spirit not
“by the works of the law” (meritorious or good works), but “by the hearing of
faith” (as a result of their faith).
Look, with me, at the Scriptures which describe exactly what
happens to those who are believers.
Ephesians 1:13-14 "In whom ye also [trusted], after
that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also
after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise,"
"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the
purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
Paul is attempting to make them realize that the law was of
the flesh and true Christianity is of the Spirit. Why would anyone who had
known the Spirit of God go back to a fleshly religion of ordinances? The answer
is so obvious in verse 2 above. The Spirit comes through faith, and not works.
Galatians
3:3
"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made
perfect by the flesh?"
“Are ye so foolish”: Incredulous at how easily the Galatians
had been duped, Paul asked a second rhetorical question, again rebuking them
for their foolishness.
“Begun in the Spirit … by the flesh”: The notion that
sinful, weak (Matt. 26:41; Rom. 6:19), fallen human nature could improve on the
saving work on the Holy Spirit was ludicrous to Paul.
That which they have “begun in” [by] “the Spirit” is the
Christian life. To be “made perfect by the flesh” is to bring the Christian
life to successful completion by human achievement and one’s religious
accomplishments. Paul’s rhetorical question denies the possibility; one begins
and ends his Christian career through the work of God’s Spirit.
The Spirit that fell at Pentecost was jubilee, as well. It
set them free from the bondage of the law. It empowered them to minister. What
a foolish thing to even consider giving up the freedom of the Spirit to go back
into the bondage of the law. The flesh has nothing to offer, but suffering.
Hope comes through the Spirit.
Hebrews 7:19 "For the law made nothing perfect but the
bringing in of a better hope [did]; by which we draw nigh unto God."
Galatians
3:4
"Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if [it be] yet in
vain."
“Suffered”: The Greek word has the basic meaning of
“experience,” and does not necessarily imply pain or hardship. Paul used it to
describe the Galatians’ personal experience of salvation in Jesus Christ.
“Many things”: This refers to all the blessings of salvation
from God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:30).
“It be yet in vain”: See Luke 8:13; Acts 8:13, 21; 1 Cor.
15:2; 2 Cor. 6:1; 13:5-6.
This verse could be translated, “Have you experienced so
many wonderful things without effect? If so, then it really would be to no
avail.” The “wonderful things” experienced are an understanding of the gospel
(verse 1), reception of the Spirit (verse 2), and seeing miracles performed in
their midst (verse 5).
Should they try to earn salvation by good works, then all
these “wonderful things” they have experience would have had no positive
influence on them.
It seems that the suffering, spoken of here, is the
persecution of the Christians by the Jews. It was not a popular thing to be a
Christian. Much ridicule came against them. Paul is saying, why did you suffer
all of that to turn back now?
Galatians
3:5
"He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles
among you [doeth he it] by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith?"
“Hearing of faith”: Of the Gospel.
“Ministereth” (or, supplies): God gives the Spirit to new
converts and “worketh miracles among” the readers not “by” [because of] “the
works of the law,” but “by” [as a result of] “the hearing of faith.”
Paul is reminding them, that his ministry was accompanied
with signs and wonders. There was no healing going on in the Jewish synagogue.
Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Jesus had said; your faith has
made you whole, when He healed them. Faithful Abraham was accepted, because of
his faith, not because of his works.
Faith is the key to receive anything from God. Acts 19:11-12
"And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:” "So that
from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the
diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them."
Paul's ministry was one of many miracles. The Jewish faith
brought no miracles. What proof did they need?
Galatians
3:6
"Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for
righteousness."
As he does in Romans (see note on Rom. 4:30), Paul, quoting
Gen. 15:6, uses Abraham as proof that there has never been any other way of
salvation than by grace though faith. Even the Old Testament teaches
justification by faith.
“Even as” (or, “just
as”): These two words draw a similarity between the Galatians and Abraham: they
received the Spirit by faith (3:2, 5) “just as” Abraham received
“righteousness.” This verse quotes Genesis 15:6: When “Abraham believed God,”
his faith “was accounted” [credited, reckoned] “to him for” [as]
“righteousness.”
Righteousness is the moral condition in which one ought to
be, hence, that state acceptable to God.
Romans 4:3 "For what saith the scripture? Abraham
believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness."
We know that all those who ever pleased God did so because
they believed. Read the 11th chapter of Hebrews, and you will see a
long list of those who put their faith in God.
"Righteousness" means being in right standing with
God. The Christians are righteous, because they are washed in the blood of the
Lamb (Jesus Christ). They have placed their faith in Jesus.
Galatians
3:7
"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the
children of Abraham."
Believing Jews and Gentiles are the true spiritual children
of Abraham because they follow his example of faith (verse 29; Rom. 4:11, 16).
The verse may read: “therefore recognize that those who
believe these only, are Abraham’s sons.”
If we are truly the children of Abraham, then we must
believe the same thing he believed. The one thing that set Abraham aside from
all others was that he believed God. The thing that should separate all
believers in Christ from the rest of the world is that we believe Christ. We
are like Abraham in the fact that we have faith in God, and faith that what He
promised He will do.
Galatians
3:8
"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, [saying], In thee shall
all nations be blessed."
“Scripture, foreseeing”: Personifying the Scriptures was a
common Jewish figure of speech (4:30; John 7:38, 42; 19:37; Rom. 7:17; 10:11;
11:2; 1 Tim. 5:18). Because Scripture is God’s Word, when it speaks, God
speaks.
“Preached before the gospel unto Abraham”: The “good news”
to Abraham was the news of salvation for all the nations (quoted from Gen.
12:3; 18:18). See Gen. 22:18; John 8:56; Acts 26:22-23. Salvation has always,
in every age, been by faith.
“Preached before the gospel” is better said, “announced good
news beforehand.” Paul equates “justify” with being “blessed.”
The physical house of Abraham is just one nation. The Hebrew
nation is the physical house of Abraham. They are the physical house of Israel.
All believers in Christ make up the spiritual house of Israel and are the
nations, plural, mentioned here as nations blessed through Abraham. We are
children of Abraham, because we have faith as he had faith.
Galatians 3:29 "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
This seed of Abraham is in the spirit realm. Jesus is the
seed spoken of. The justification of the heathen is in Jesus Christ, because
they believed.
Galatians
3:9
"So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful
Abraham."
“They which be of faith … with faithful Abraham”: Whether
Jew or Gentile. The Old Testament predicted that Gentiles would receive the
blessings of justification by faith, as did Abraham. Those blessings are poured
out on all because of Christ (John 1:16; Rom. 8:32; Eph. 1:3; 2:6-7; Col. 2:10;
1 Pet. 3:9; 2 Pet. 1:3-4).
This verse might be, “so then they who believe are blessed
along with believing Abraham” – that is, they are justified.
Faith pleases God.
Romans 4:16 "Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might
be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that
only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham;
who is the father of us all,"
Read the 4th chapter of Romans beginning with about the 15th
verse to get the full impact of this. In fact, it continues on in the 5th
chapter as well for a few verses. The fact is, if we believe as Abraham
believed, then the covenant promises made to Abraham are ours as well through
faith.
Galatians
3:10
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for
it is written, Cursed [is] every one that continueth not in all things which
are written in the book of the law to do them."
“As many as are of the works of the law”: Those attempting
to earn salvation by keeping the law.
“Under the curse”: Quoted from Deut. 27:26 to show that
failure to perfectly keep the law brings divine judgment and condemnation. One
violation of the law deserves the curse of God. Deut. 27 and 28.
“All things”: See James 2:10. No one can keep all the
commands of the law – not even strict Pharisees like Saul of Tarsus
(Rom7:7-12).
“As many as are of the works of the law” refers to all who
rely upon obedience to the Mosaic Law as the means of winning divine approval
(salvation). To be “under the curse” is to be subject to God’s wrath and
condemnation. “Continueth” is explained by “to do,” which means “to obey.”
The recipient of divine wrath is “everyone” who, believing
salvation can be obtained by meritorious works, fails to obey the law
perfectly. Complete obedience to the law is impossible for sinful man (Acts
15:10; James 2:10). All, then, who attempt to secure salvation by this route
are doomed.
The law was impossible to live up to. If you are under the
law, you would be cursed if you did not do every little thing the exact way it
was given. Even in the Old Testament, we find that to obey God was better than
sacrifice.
1 Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as
great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of
the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the
fat of rams."
God wanted our love and loyalty from the beginning. He
wanted us to have unwavering faith in Him. Every time I read the law that was
given Moses, I praise God for the gift of grace through faith. There would be
no way to remember all of the sacrifices and ordinances, much less keep them.
Galatians
3:11
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, [it is]
evident: for, The just shall live by faith."
“No man is justified by the law”: Rom. 3:20.
“Justified”: Made righteous before God.
“The just shall live by faith”: See note on Rom. 1:17.
Paul’s earlier Old Testament quote (verse 10; Deut. 27:26) showed that
justification does not come from keeping the law; this quote from Hab. 2:4 show
that justification is by faith alone. (Heb. 10:38).
The last part of this verse means, “He who is just because
of his faith shall live,” that is, forever.
There is no one who ever completely kept the law, it is impossibility.
Isaiah 53:6 "All we like sheep have gone astray; we
have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity
of us all."
The law condemns, grace sets us free.
Romans 8:2 "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 5:21 "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even
so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord."
The law brings death to the law breaker. The grace of the
Lord Jesus Christ brings life eternal.
Galatians
3:12
"And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live
in them."
Justification by faith and justification by keeping the law
are mutually exclusive, as Paul’s Old Testament quote from Lev. 18:5 prove.
This verse declares that the law is a matter of performance,
not of faith; it is a principal of doing, not believing.
The law is obligations and ordinances. Those who are under
the law must keep every single one of them.
Galatians
3:13
"Christ hath 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:"
“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law”: The
Greek word translated “redeemed” was often used to speak of buying a slave’s or
debtor’s freedom.
Christ’s death, because it was a death of substitution for
sin, satisfied God’s justice and exhausted His wrath toward His elect, so that
Christ actually purchased believers from slavery to sin and from the sentence
of eternal death (4:5; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18; Rom. 3:24; 1 Cor. 1:30; Eph.
1:7; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12).
“Being made a curse for us”: By bearing God’s wrath for
believers’ sins on the cross (see note on 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 9:28; 1 Pet. 2:24;
3:18), Christ took upon Himself the curse pronounced on those who violated the
law.
“For it is written”: The common New Testament way (61 times)
of introducing Old Testament quotes. Deut. 21:23 is quoted.
“The curse of the law”, from which “Christ hath redeemed”
[delivered] “us,” is that of verse 10, incurred because of incomplete obedience
to the law. “Being made a curse for us” means “by becoming accursed for us.”
Jesus Christ is the redeemer of all who have faith in Him.
He became our substitute on the cross. He took the sin of the whole world upon
His body on the cross. The curse of the cross was the sin that we each laid
upon Him. The Father turned away at the moment that the sin was placed upon the
body of Jesus on the cross.
This was the moment Jesus said, Father why hast thou
forsaken me? God had not turned away from the Spirit within the body, but had
turned away from the sin upon the body. God cannot look upon sin. Sin died on
the cross for all who will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Accept the
salvation Jesus offers you in the place of your sin.
Galatians
3:14
"That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith."
“The blessing of Abraham”: Faith in God’s promise of
salvation.
“Promise of the Spirit”: from God the Father. Isa. 32:15;
44:3; 59:19-21; Ezek. 36:26-27; 37:14; 39:29; Joel 2:28-29; Luke 11:13; 24:49;
John 7:37-39; 14:16, 26.
The word “that” appears twice in this verse, identifying two
reasons “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law” (verse 13): (1)
that Gentiles might receive “the blessing of Abraham” (i.e., justification as
in verses 8-9); (2) that believers “might receive … the Spirit” (i.e., the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit).
This implies that when one is justified, he is at the same
time divinely granted the Holy Spirit.
The following Scriptures tell of the promises made to faithful
Abraham. These are the promises to all believers in Christ, as well.
Genesis 12:2-3 "And I will make of thee a great nation,
and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a
blessing:" "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that
curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
Isaiah 44:3-4 "For I will pour water upon him that is
thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed,
and my blessing upon thine offspring:" “And they shall spring up [as]
among the grass, as willows by the water courses."
1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things
which God hath prepared for them that love him."
