Galatians Study Week 8

Week eight of Word of God Home Fellowship's Study of Galatians.

Week 8

The Law and the Promise

15 Brothers, to take from a human analogy, I say: even if it is a human covenant that has been ratified, nevertheless, no one can annul it or can add to it.  16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and his seed.  It does not say “and to seeds” as in many people, but as in one person, “and to your Seed”, who is the Anointed.  17 Now I say this; the law, which came after 430 years, does not cancel the covenant that had been established earlier by God, in such a way as to nullify the promise.  18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, then it is no longer a promise; but God has given it as a gift to Abraham through a promise.

19 What is the purpose of the law then?  It was added for the purpose of transgressions, having been ordered through God’s messengers by the hand of a mediator, until the time when the Seed to whom it has been promised came.  20 Now the mediator is not of one party, but God is one. 

21 Therefore, is the law against the promises of God?  May it never be!  For if a law was given, one that was able to bring about life, then righteousness was indeed from the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, so that the promise may be given to the ones who believe through faith in Jesus the Anointed. My Translation

15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.  16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.  17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.  18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. 

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. 

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. NIV11

Comment

There are three sections to this part of the letter.  We will break it up into those parts.  They are 15-18, 19-20, and 21-22.

15 Brothers, to take from a human analogy, I say: even if it is a human covenant that has been ratified, nevertheless, no one can annul it or can add to it. My Translation

15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. NIV11

Up onto now, Paul has appealed to the Galatians’ experiences as well to Old Testament Scripture.  He now appeals to how the promise to Abraham, which pushes the promise to the Gentiles, i.e., the Galatians, can not be annulled by anyone.

Paul uses κατὰ ἄνθρωπον (according to a man/human) to introduce what he is about to write.  The idiom means that Paul is about to write something that pertains to human beings; something that occurs among humans.  The NIV11’s dynamic translation “let me take an example from everyday life” is a very good way to describe the idiom.  I translate it as “from a human analogy”.

Paul uses a word here that has a double meaning.  Διαθήκη means “a last will and testament”, but it is also used in the LXX for the covenant between God and Abraham and later between God and Israel the nation.  It is that double meaning that Paul uses in this passage.

Paul’s main point is that even if it is a human covenant/will that has been put into effect, no one can annul it or add any conditions to it thus changing it.  Of course, this is setting up the next two verses.  We will discuss the verb κυρόω (to give sanction to something, confirm, ratify, validate, make legally binding) at the conclusion.

16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and his seed.  It does not say “and to seeds” as in many people, but as in one person, “and to your Seed”, who is the Anointed. My Translation

16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. NIV11

Paul now uses a quote from Genesis 12:7 LXX.  The quote in the LXX refers to the promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham, but Paul just focuses on the promise part.  Even though σπέρμα (seed) is used as a collective singular in the LXX, Paul stresses the singular.  Paul in fact does understand that σπέρμα (seed) is used as a collective singular as he uses it that way in verse 29: εἰ δὲ ὑμεῖς Χριστοῦ, ἄρα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ σπέρμα ἐστέ, κατ᾿ ἐπαγγελίαν κληρονόμοι (Now if you are of the Anointed (Christ), then you are Abraham’s seed (singular), heirs according to the promise).  But instead of the “seed” being Isaac or even the people of Israel, Paul says that it is Christ thus inferring that the Galatians are offspring (seed) of Abraham due to their faith in Christ.  Note Paul’s Christology.  Jesus was the decedent of Abraham so that the Gentiles and everyone else who believe in him could be pronounced righteous.

The promises spoken to Abraham were not only for the land of Canaan, but that the nations (Gentiles) would be blessed through him.  The way the Gentiles would be blessed is by the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Paul has built upon that here.

17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. My Translation

17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. NIV11

Paul now explains what he is trying to say in verses 15-16 by using τοῦτο δὲ λέγω “Now I am saying this” or “What I mean is this”.  The 430 years represent the time that Abraham and his family (descendants) were in Canaan and Egypt until the Exodus.  It is taken from the Exodus 12:40 LXX.

40 ἡ δὲ κατοίκησις τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ, ἣν κατῴκησαν ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ἐν γῇ Χανααν, ἔτη τετρακόσια τριάκοντα, LXX

40 Now the dwelling of the sons of Israel, which was dwelt in Egypt and in Canaan, 430 years My Translation

Paul’s point is just not that the law came much later (430 years) than God’s promise to Abraham, but that the coming of the law could never annul the covenant with Abraham, thus it couldn’t do away with God’s promise to Abraham.  Paul now applies the double meaning of διαθήκη (will/covenant) where here it has the LXX meaning of “covenant”.  The covenant with Abraham was put into effect/ratified (κυρόω) and can’t be taken out of effect or unratified (ἀκυρόω).  The difference between these verbs is the alpha at the beginning of the latter verb.  The Greeks would set up an antithesis by placing the alpha in front of Greek words making the word opposite in its original meaning.

18 For if the inheritance is based on the law, then it is no longer a promise; but God has given it as a gift to Abraham through a promise. My Translation

18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. NIV11

Since the promise to Abraham came before the law, there is no way for the inheritance to be based on the law.  If the promise comes from the law, then one must earn the promise by performing the law.  Therefore, performing the law would be some type of merit system.  Paul says that this is not how Abraham received the promise.  Paul uses the verb χαρίζομαι here in the perfect tense (κεχάρισται).  The verb means “to give freely as a favor” or “to give as a gift as the result of grace/favor”.  The promise was given to Abraham freely.  Abraham was not required to earn the promise by performing the Jewish law which came much later.

19 What is the purpose of the law then?  It was added for the purpose of transgressions, having been ordered through God’s messengers by the hand of a mediator, until the time when the Seed to whom it has been promised came. My Translation

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. NIV11

Paul now moves into the law’s purpose.  What Paul says probably shocked the Galatians.  What Paul says probably shocks modern readers as well.  The English translation just doesn’t do the Greek justice.  Paul uses the preposition χάριν.  This word was used to either indicate “the goal”, or to indicate “the reason”.  The latter part normally came in the form of questions.  Is Paul stating that the law was given to bring about sin, or was it given in order to point sin out?  It was given to cause people to sin and to expose that sin.

Also, the law was not added to the promise.  It was added to the human existence until the promised “seed” was to come.  Once Jesus came, the law was no longer in effect.  If we were to look ahead at verse 22, then we could state that “the law was given to enslave everyone under sin until the promised seed/Christ came to redeem everyone under the enslavement of the law and under the enslavement of sin”.  That is Paul’s meaning here.  He just hasn’t stated it in full yet.

Paul also reveals later Jewish thought on how the law was actually given to Moses and then to the people of Israel.  Although the text in Exodus doesn’t say that Angels (God’s messengers) were involved in the transmission of the law, Jews developed this thought later, which was either based on the LXX translation of Deuteronomy 33:2 and Psalms 67:18 (68:18 in modern Bibles from the Hebrew) or was developed before the rendering of the LXX which led to the readings of the LXX.  It is probably the latter.  Let’s make a comparison.

Deuteronomy 33:2:

2 καὶ εἶπεν

Κύριος ἐκ Σινα ἥκει

καὶ ἐπέφανεν ἐκ Σηιρ ἡμῖν

καὶ κατέσπευσεν ἐξ ὄρους Φαραν σὺν μυριάσιν Καδης, 

ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ ἄγγελοι μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ. LXX

2 and he said

The Lord has come from Sinai

and has appeared to you from Seir

and has hastened from mount Paran with ten thousand of Kadesh, 

angels with him on his right hand. My Translation from the LXX

2 He said:

  “The LORD came from Sinai

and dawned over them from Seir;

he shone forth from Mount Paran.

He came with myriads of holy ones

from the south, from his mountain slopes. NIV11

Psalms 68:17 (67:18 LXX)

18 τὸ ἅρμα τοῦ θεοῦ μυριοπλάσιον, 

χιλιάδες εὐθηνούντων· 

ὁ κύριος ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐν Σινα ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ. LXX

18 The chariot(s) of God are ten-thousand fold, 

thousands flourish:

The Lord is among them in Sinai in the holy place. My Translation from the LXX

17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands

and thousands of thousands;

the Lord has come from Sinai into his sanctuary. NIV11

It is easy to see the later Jewish influence on the LXX.  Paul states that Moses was the mediator between the Angels and the people of Israel.  This is a setup for the next verse.

20 Now the mediator is not of one party, but God is one. My Translation

20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. NIV11

As one would expect, what Paul says here is somewhat baffling.  On the surface level, it is obvious that Paul is using “mediator” in some type of negative way, especially as he compares the mediator to God, who is one.  But why?  What does God being one have to do with the Jewish law?  The only thing that could make sense is this: The law was not given to the people of Israel directly from God.  It passed from God to the Angels, then from the Angels to Moses, and then to Israel’s people.  On the other hand, God’s promise came directly to Abraham which required no mediator.  In other words, the law is twice removed from God, while the promise to Abraham was directly given.

The agitators could have referred to how awesome the giving of the law was on Mount Sinai with all of the glorious angels.  In Jewish thought, the more the angels, the bigger and more glorious the event.  Yet, Paul turns that idea on its head by putting the many angels with God in a negative light.

Also, since God is one, it is fitting that he provide one way of salvation to both the Jews and the Gentiles.  Since the law divided the two groups, God provided one way to salvation which is by faith.

21 Therefore, is the law against the promises of God?  May it never be!  For if a law was given, one that was able to bring about life, then righteousness was indeed from the law. My Translation

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. NIV11

Of course now the question must be asked if the law takes away the promise.  Paul states “of course not”.  It is still God’s law.  But the law was not brought about to bring life to those who performed it.  In fact, since the law brought about sins, it could only cause death.  Therefore, righteousness can’t come from a place that causes people to sin.  If the law could produce righteousness, then there would have been no need for Jesus nor faith in him.  

Note Paul’s use of ζωοποιέω (to make life, to bring about life, or to bestow life) in this verse.  Paul has been dealing with how one is pronounced righteous before God.  Now, Paul moves into the realty of what the Spirit in a person produces: life!  It is faith in Jesus that produces righteousness and the seal of acceptance is the Holy Spirit given to that person which empowers them to live.

22 But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, so that the promise may be given to the ones who believe through faith in Jesus the Anointed. My Translation

22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. NIV11

Paul now explains why the law is not against the promises of God.  God’s law had a purpose, but it was not to bring righteousness.  It was brought about so the ones who were under it can realize that they have no hope, but must put their faith in God as the only way out.  In other words, the law imprisoned all things under the power of sin, therefore the only hope for human beings was the grace of God.  This would allow the people to look at the promise to impart life since the law couldn’t provide it.  People who were trying to rely on the law for righteousness, were misusing the law as that was not the law’s intent.  The Galatians are to look to God’s promise to Abraham for righteousness, because the law only brings sin, which leads to death.

“Scripture” is used here as if it were God himself.  This is another instance of what Paul thinks about the Old Testament.  Since ἡ γραφὴ was produced by God (God-breathed), then there is no doubt as to how Paul felt about it.

The Gentiles were to be blessed through Abraham.  Abraham had faith in God.  In order for Gentiles (and Jews alike) to have righteousness, and be given the promise of the Holy Spirit, they must believe in Jesus in order to receive it.

Conclusion

The Gentiles would be blessed through Abraham through his “seed”, who is Jesus.  No one can add to a covenant (the promise) after it has been ratified.  The law was inferior to the promise as it was 2 times removed from God in its delivery.  The law caused sin, thus death until Jesus came because the law couldn’t make life, but the Spirit of God does!

Additional Study

Paul uses the Greek verb κυρόω in verse 15 which means “to give sanction to something, confirm, ratify, validate, make legally binding” (BDAG).  What is not normally taught is that one of this verb’s cognate nouns is κύριος which is translated into English as “lord”.  Another cognate is κῦρος (supreme power), but it is not used in the NT.  Kύριος has a wide range of meanings in the NT, but it mostly given as a title to Jesus.

In the Greek OT (LXX), κύριος is the main word that replaces Yahweh (God’s name) from the Hebrew.  This was done in the LXX because the Jews were afraid that they would take God’s name in vain (or blaspheme), thus breaking the law of Moses.

I would have to say that κύριος is a fitting title for God.  If the verb means to ratify, to validate, to make legally binding, then κύριος is the one who ratifies, validates and make something legally binding.  By example, God spoke the creation into existence.  By speaking it, he ratified it, thus making it happen, thus putting it into existence.

This very idea could have been in John’s thoughts when he penned “In the beginning, there was the word/message”.  When the word is spoken by the one who makes it legally binding, it comes into existence.  The message about Jesus is the message that redeems all humans from their sin by putting their faith in him.  When he speaks it, we are truly pronounced righteous before him and thus sealed with his empowering Holy Spirit.

Galatians Study Week 7

Week seven of Word of God Home Fellowship's Study of Galatians.

Week 7

Chapter 3

Law or Faith

1 O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you, to whom Jesus the Anointed was publicly portrayed before your eyes as having been crucified?  2 I only want to learn one thing from you; did you receive the Spirit from the works of the law or from believing what you heard?  3 Are you so foolish that after beginning in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh?  4 Have you endured so many things to no avail?  If indeed it even was to no avail.  5 Therefore, is the One who is supplying the Spirit to you and working miracles among you doing so by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?  6 Just as Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness.

7 Then understand that the ones who have faith, these people are Abraham’s decedents.  8 Now the Scripture, foreseeing that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the Good News in advanced to Abraham that “In you, all nations will be blessed”.  9 So, the ones who have faith are blessed with Abraham, the faithful one.  10 For as many as are from the works of the law are under a curse, for it has been written that, “Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue to do all things which have been written in the book of the Law”.  11 But since no one is justified by the law in the presence of God, it is clear that the just will live by faith.  12 But the law is not based on faith, but The one who does them, will live by them.  13 The Anointed redeemed us from the curse of the law after becoming a curse for our sake, because it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”,  14 so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in the Anointed Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. My Translation

1 You foolish Galatians!  Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.  2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard?  3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?  4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?  5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?  6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.  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.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”  13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. NIV11

Comment

It should be stated right up front that Paul quotes or alludes to six OT passages in this section of his letter and possibly a seventh.

1 O foolish Galatians, who bewitched you, to whom Jesus the Anointed was publicly portrayed before your eyes as having been crucified? My Translation

1 You foolish Galatians!  Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. NIV11

The first three words are very telling.  Ὦ (O) carries emotion with its use.  As we have seen, Paul has certainly been emotional up to this point with anger.  ἀνόητος means “unintelligent, foolish, dull-witted”.  In Romans 1:14, Paul places ἀνόητος as the opposite of σοφός (wise).  Paul goes on to state a question with τίς ὑμᾶς ἐβάσκανεν (Who has bewitched you?).  βασκαίνω means “to exert an evil influence through the eye, bewitch, as with the ‘evil eye’” (BDAG, 171).  This is very telling of what Paul thought of the agitators as well as the Galatians who allowed the agitators to fool them.

Paul now brings the centerpiece of the Christian faith back into view for the Galatians.  “Before your eyes”, Greek: κατ᾿ ὀφθαλμοὺς (according to the eyes), Jesus was “clearly, publicly portrayed as crucified” before the Galatians.  It is Christ’s atoning work on the cross that has ushered in the new life for the Galatians, not the Jewish law.  It was Christ’s death and resurrection that caused the Galatians for receive forgiveness for their sins.  It was certainly not the Jewish law.

2 I only want to learn one thing from you; did you receive the Spirit from the works of the law or from believing what you heard? My Translation

2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? NIV11

Paul asks a question in which he already knows the answer.  What’s really funny about it is that the Galatians know the answer as well.  Was it in the Galatians knowledge of the Jewish law that they were sealed by the Holy Spirit?  No.  Was it by performing the Jewish law that allowed the Galatians to be sealed by the Holy Spirit?  No.  How did they receive it?  By believing what they heard.  And what did they hear?  Paul has already answered that question in verse 3:1.  Jesus was crucified.  God raised him from the dead (1:1).  Jesus gave himself for the Galatians’ sins so that they may be rescued from the present evil age (1:4).  This also fits nicely with Paul’s general explanation of the Gospel he preached in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11.

The Spirit was not received by performing the works of the law, but ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως (from the hearing/report of faith) translated here as “from/by believing what you heard”.  This is most likely an allusion to Isaiah 53:1a from the LXX.

1 κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; 

1 Lord, who has believed our hearing/report/message?

Paul quotes this passage in Romans 10:16 about Israel and goes on to explain it in verse 17.

16 Ἀλλ᾿ οὐ πάντες ὑπήκουσαν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ. Ἠσαΐας γὰρ λέγει· κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσεν τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν;  17 ἄρα ἡ πίστις ἐξ ἀκοῆς, ἡ δὲ ἀκοὴ διὰ ῥήματος Χριστοῦ.

16 But not all have obeyed the Gospel.  For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our hearing/report/message?”  17 Therefore the faith is from hearing the message, and the hearing of the message is through the words of/about Christ. My Translation

It was not by performing the Jewish law that the Spirit came to the Galatians, it was by believing what they had heard about Jesus.

3 Are you so foolish that after beginning in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh? My Translation

3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? NIV11

The Galatians had received the Spirit, which was their seal of justification.  Paul uses σάρξ (flesh) in apposition to the Jewish law.  Sometimes, Paul uses σάρξ  in other ways to say “body”, but most of the time he uses it to explain a human being’s sinful nature.  As we have found out in our Holiness studies, Paul places the Jewish law in same boat with Paganism.  He is doing that here.  This will unfold more clearly as the letter goes forward.

4 Have you endured so many things to no avail?  If indeed it even was to no avail.  5 Therefore, is the One who is supplying the Spirit to you and working miracles among you doing so by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? My Translation

4 Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain?  5 So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? NIV11

Πάσχω normally means “to suffer” in the New Testament, but since there isn’t any indication that the Galatians were suffering affliction for their faith like the Thessalonians were, many scholars believe that Paul uses the word to express the Galatians’ favorable experiences after they were converted.  That seems to fit well with verse five.  I would also like to bring out that in the LXX, the verb always means “to suffer” or “to endure”.  If the Galatians were suffering for their faith, it is not mentioned here, but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t.  But from the way that the text is presented, “experienced” in a favorable way seems to be at the forefront.

Paul asks them a question: Have you endured/experienced so much in vain?”  Have they just set aside everything that has happened to them just to follow the Jewish law?  Paul offers a glimmer of hope for them by saying “if it really was in vain”.

Paul now asks his question from verse 2 again, but in a different way.  In Greek, it is “the One who is supplying the Spirit to you”, which we know to be God.  The NIV11 goes ahead and supplies God in the translation for clarity.  Paul’s use of the present participles “supplying” and “working” shows that God was still working among the Galatians at that time as the present tense of the Greek verb carries a continual aspect.  This is something that the Galatians would have recognized.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul supplies a list of manifestations of the Spirit.  Paul’s use of δυνάμεις (δύναμις) “power/strength”, is also referred to as “miracles” or “mighty works”.  We can assume that the manifestations spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12 were also at work among the Galatians.

What can’t be overlooked is how Paul places the Spirit and miracles as opposites to the works of the law.  Again, Paul reminds the Galatians that the Spirit that God supplies and the miracles that he is working did not come about by the Galatians performing the Jewish law!  The Spirit and miracles came by believing what they heard; “the hearing of faith”.  That is, believing who Jesus was/is and putting their faith/trust in him for salvation from the present evil age.  After the Galatians had seen so much from God, it is really hard for Paul to believe that they’ve fallen so quickly to the agitators.

6 Just as Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness. My Translation

6 So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” NIV11

Paul now uses Old Testament scripture to back up what his just wrote.  Perhaps not so much as the part about receiving the Spirit, but certainly around being pronounced righteous before God and God working miracles.  Abraham’s miracle was the birth of Isaac, which Paul will go on to explain later in this letter.  The quote is from Genesis 15:6 LXX.  We’ll compare the texts.

Gal. 3:6 Καθὼς Ἀβραὰμ ἐπίστευσεν τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην·

Gen. 15:6 καὶ ἐπίστευσεν Αβραμ τῷ θεῷ, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην.  LXX

Paul introduces the quote with Καθὼς (just as).  The only changes that Paul makes from the LXX is he changes Αβραμ (Abram) to Ἀβραὰμ (Abraham) and switches the position of the verb (believed) and the subject (Abram/Abraham).  The rest of the verse is identical.  Paul’s use of this verse shows the Galatians they the ones who live by faith are just like Abraham.  Paul is setting up his next paragraph and that will take a little unpacking to understand it.

Perhaps the best way to unpack the meaning of verse 6 as well as the rest of this passage is to refer to Silva’s diagram of the passage.

(Handout)

Thesis 1 (implied)

[God gives you the Spirit by the hearing of faith]

Grounds (v. 6)

Abraham believed God, and [his faith] was reckoned to him for righteousness

Thesis 2 (vv. 7, 9)

the ones who are of faith—these are sons of Abraham …

the ones who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham

Grounds (v. 8)

all the Gentiles will be blessed in you

Thesis 3 (v. 10a)

as many as are of works of law are under a curse

Grounds (v. 10b)

cursed is everyone who does not remain in all the things written in the book of the law in order to do them

[Assumed premise: all are disobedient (this point is disputed)] But see 2:16 (my comment)

Thesis 4 (v. 11a)

through the law no one is justified before God 

Grounds (v. 11b)

the righteous one will live by faith

Stated premise (v. 12a)

the law is not of faith

Grounds for premise (v. 12b)

the one who does them will live by them

Thesis 5 (v. 13a)

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us

Grounds (v. 13b)

cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree

Conclusion (v. 14)

in order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles,

so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith

Handout taken from Silva’s commentary, Page 792: “Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament” (Beale-Carson Commentary)  Edited by G. K. Beale  and  D. A. Carson

7 Then understand that the ones who have faith, these people are Abraham’s decedents. My Translation

7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. NIV11

Incredibly, Paul now states that Christians who live by faith in Jesus are the sons/decedents/children of Abraham.  Paul has now placed a direct relation between true Christians who live by faith in Jesus and Abraham.  It is quite possible that Paul’s opponents had told the Galatians that in order for them to be “sons of Abraham”, then they would have be circumcised just like Abraham was.  Paul says “no”.  He will go on to explain.

8 Now the Scripture, foreseeing that God justifies the Gentiles by faith, proclaimed the Good News in advance to Abraham that “In you, all nations will be blessed”.  9 So, the ones who have faith are blessed with Abraham, the faithful one. My Translation

8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. NIV11

Paul goes on to explain that the children of Abraham, which are the Galatians/Gentiles became this way because the Scripture foresaw it.  What did Scripture foresee?  The Gospel that Paul preaches.  Paul puts together Genesis 12:3c and 18:18 LXX to form his rendering.

Gal. 3:8b Ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη·

Gen. 12:3c καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς.

Gen. 18:18 Αβρααμ δὲ γινόμενος ἔσται εἰς ἔθνος μέγα καὶ πολύ, καὶ ἐνευλογηθήσονται ἐν αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς γῆς.

Gal. 3:8b “All nations/gentiles will be blessed in you”

Gen. 12:3c “and all the tribes of the earth will be blessed in you.”

Gen. 18:18 But Abraham will become a great and numerous nation, and all the nations/Gentiles of the earth will be blessed in him.

Paul basically replaces πᾶσαι αἱ φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς (all the tribes of the earth)  from 12:3 and substitutes πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (all the nations/Gentiles) and removes τῆς γῆς (of the earth).  It is simply Paul’s way to combining both passages for the most effect on the Galatians.

It is possible that Paul’s opponents had told the Galatians that the only way that they could be “children of Abraham” was through circumcision.  Paul says that they are “children of Abraham” because they, like Abraham, had faith/belief in God/Jesus and not because of circumcision.

It is also worthy to note how “Scripture” is practically identical with “God”.  In other words, in Paul’s way of thinking, “Scripture” is the same as God speaking.  This is something that we can relate to today.

The ones who have faith in God are blessed with Abraham who was the faithful one.  Since Abraham was pronounced righteous by his faith, and the Gentiles will be blessed through Abraham, then the Gentiles are also pronounced righteous by their faith in Christ.  

Before we leave this passage, we must take a looked at the inferred Christology of the whole passage.  Abraham is justified by his faith in God.  The Gentiles are like Abraham because of that faith and due to the fact that through Abraham the all of the nations/Gentiles will be blessed.  The difference is that the Gentiles put their faith in Jesus and are justified by doing so.  This is yet another way that Paul places God and Jesus in performing the same task.

10 For as many as are from the works of the law are under a curse, for it has been written that, “Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue to do all things which have been written in the book of the Law”.  11 But since no one is justified by the law in the presence of God, it is clear that “the just will live by faith”. 12 But the law is not based on faith, but “The one who does them, will live by them”.  13 The Anointed redeemed us from the curse of the law after becoming a curse for our sake, because it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”,  14 so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in the Anointed Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. My Translation

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.” 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”  12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”  13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. NIV11

Paul starts our verse 10 with a quote from Deut. 27:26 with some changes.  Let’s take a look at it.

10b γέγραπται γὰρ ὅτι Ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὃς οὐκ ἐμμένει πᾶσιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά. 

10b For it has been written that “Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue to do all things which have been written in the book of the Law”

Deut. 27:26 Ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ἄνθρωπος, ὃς οὐκ ἐμμενεῖ ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ νόμου τούτου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτούς· καὶ ἐροῦσιν πᾶς ὁ λαός Γένοιτο. LXX

Deut. 27:26 Cursed is every person, who doesn’t continue in all the words of this law, to do them.  And all the people shall say “Let it be”. LXX

The main changes that Paul makes are 1. He removes ἄνθρωπος (man, person), 2. He replaces ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς λόγοις τοῦ νόμου τούτου (in all the words of this law) with πᾶσιν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου (all which has been written in the book of the law).

Paul’s interpretation of Deut. 27:26 goes hand in hand with Psalms 143 (142 LXX).  Since no one is righteous before God, then that means that no one can actually keep the Jewish law in its entirety.  Therefore, Deut. 27:26 has a whole new meaning from what the Jews previously thought.  Since no one is able to keep the law, then they are under the curse of the law.

Paul them adds strength to his assertion by alluding to Psalms 143 (142 LXX) again and by quoting Habakkuk 2:4b. ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεώς μου ζήσεται. (but the righteous will live by faith in me).  This also backs up what he said about Abraham.

In our verse 12, Paul says that the law isn’t based on faith.  He then cites a part of Leviticus 18:5.

Gal. 3:12b ἀλλ᾿ Ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὰ ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς

Gal. 3:12b but “the one who does them will live by them”

Lev. 18:5 καὶ φυλάξεσθε πάντα τὰ προστάγματά μου καὶ πάντα τὰ κρίματά μου καὶ ποιήσετε αὐτά, ἃ ποιήσας ἄνθρωπος ζήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς· ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.

Lev. 18:5 and you will keep all my commands, and all my judgements, and you will do them, which by doing them, a man will live by them.  I am the LORD your God. LXX

In Paul’s citing of the LXX, he condenses the last part of Leviticus 18:5 to an easier form to quote.  

Up onto this point in the letter, Paul has established that those who were under the law were not righteous before God (Psalms 143) because they can’t keep the whole law.  If a person can’t keep the whole law, then they are cursed by not doing so (Deut. 27:26).  But righteousness comes by faith, not the law (Habakkuk 2:4) because the law is not based on faith, but works (current passage/Lev. 18:5).  Now, Paul cites that the only way a person will live under the law is to keep the whole law, but he has established that this is not possible!  This leads us to verse 13.

Paul states that Christ bought us out of the curse of the law.  ἐξαγοράζω (ex-agorazo) is a compound verb derived from the preposition ἐκ (from/out of) and the word ἀγορά (market place).  ἀγοράζω means “I buy”.  By adding the preposition, the verb now means “to buy out” or “to buy back”.  In other words, we were indebted to the law, therefore it was a curse to us, but Jesus bought out the obligation to the law for us.

How did Jesus do this?  Paul paraphrases a portion of Deuteronomy 21:23 LXX.

Gal. 3:13b ὅτι γέγραπται, Ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου

Gal. 3:13b because it has been written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”

Deut. 21:23c ὅτι κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου...

Deut. 21:23c because cursed by God is everyone hanging on a tree...LXX

Jesus became the curse to deliver us (buy us out) from the curse.  What’s the difference?  Jesus was the only one who was able to keep the whole law, but in the end, he gave himself as a curse voluntarily, not because he couldn’t keep it.  That tree was the cross that Jesus hung on.

Paul wraps up this section by basically stating that the law had to go.  While the law was in place, the gentiles couldn’t receive the blessing brought about by Abraham.  That blessing through Abraham’s faith, brought about the promise of the Holy Spirit which seals a person’s righteousness.  Paul will go into more of this in our next week’s session.

Conclusion

In Romans 16:25-26, which is at the end of Paul’s letter to the Romans, he states this:

Rom. 16:25 Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past,  26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 

Clearly, this is an abbreviated way of saying what Paul just stated in his letter to the Galatians.  This is what Paul has come to know.  A person is not righteous by the law because no one can keep the law in its entirety.  Therefore, the law is a curse to all who try to keep it.  But Jesus bought us out of that curse by becoming a curse under that same law.  The man of faith, Abraham, is our ancestor because his faith in God allowed for the Gentiles (all nations) to be blessed.  That shared faith brought about righteousness which God sealed by suppling the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit came by believing what the Galatians heard about Jesus, and not by the law.