Exploring Paul’s Letters

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Galatians Study Weeks 14 & 15

Weeks 14 & 15 of Word of God Home Fellowship's Study of Galatians.

Week 14

Chapter 6

Bear One Another’s Burdens

1 Brothers and sisters, if a person is overtaken in some wrongdoing, you, the ones who are S/spiritual, must restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness/humbly, while paying attention to yourselves so that you will not be tempted as well. 2 Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of the Anointed. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something while being nothing, he is deceiving himself. 4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have a reason to take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself to another; 5 for everyone will carry one’s own load.

6 Now the one who is instructed in the word must share all good things with the one who instructs him. 7 Do not be lead astray. God is not to be made a fool of. For whatever a person sows, he will also reap; 8 because the one who sows in the flesh, he will reap of himself total destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows in the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 Now let us not be discouraged from doing good things, for in due time we will reap if we don’t give up. 10 So then, while we have time, let us work good things to all people, and especially to the members of the household of faith. My Translation

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. NIV11

Comment

Paul carries on his thoughts on how the Galatians should treat each other or how they should “love their neighbor as they love themselves”. He will also show examples of what it means to “keep in step with the Spirit” and how Spiritual fruit is actually produced.

1 Brothers and sisters, if a person is overtaken in some wrongdoing, you, the ones who are S/spiritual, must restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness, while paying attention to yourselves so that you will not be tempted as well. My Translation

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. NIV11

Paul is speaking of a person who is part of the congregation/s in Galatia. The most interesting aspect of the of the opening line is Paul’s use of παράπτωμα as we define as “sin,” “trespass,” or “wrong-doing.” Its cognate verb παραπίπτω (a combination of the preposition παρά meaning “from/beside” and πίπτω meaning “to fall”. Together, the word means “to fall beside or aside,” or “to stumble on something by chance.” In an ethical sense, it became known as “to be led past,” “to go astray,” “to be mistaken.” A παράπτωμα then is “slip” or “an error”. It could also possibly mean a “mis-step”. Paul is probably using παράπτωμα in contrast to “keep in step with the Spirit”. Therefore, it is probably used toward someone who is was “keeping in step with the Spirit”, but has suffered a “mis-step” while “walking by the Spirit”.

In the Greek text, Paul uses ὑμεῖς οἱ πνευματικοὶ (you, the ones who are spiritual). He is obviously speaking to the Galatian congregations as a whole. He is probably not using “you who are spiritual” as a contrast to the one who has had a “mis-step”. He means those who are “walking by the Spirit” and “keeping in step with the Spirit” not that they are more “spiritual” than the person who has just had a “slip”. That person has just had a “mis-step” while “walking in the Spirit”. The rest of the congregation members are to help that person to get back on track of “walking by the Spirit” without mis-stepping.

This restoration is supposed to be done ἐν πνεύματι πραΰτητος (in/by a spirit of gentleness” or “the Spirit of gentleness”. There should be no surprise here as Paul actually defines what the Spiritual fruit “gentleness” actually means. Here, the full force of the definition would apply: “gentleness, humility, courtesy”.

The congregation should restore the person in a “humble” manner while realizing that they too could be placed in this position. It is not Paul’s intent that the mis-step of a person could cause someone else to mis-step, although that could possibly happen. Paul’s message is that the rest of the congregation should restore a person in the same way they they would hope to be restored, by true love. If the Galatians “love their neighbor as they love themselves”, then they should remember that they too could slip up and fall. This is how they would become “a slave to each other” (5:13). Therefore, they are to treat the one who mis-step the same way that they would want to be treated.

Some may ask “how would members of a congregation become tempted? Remember 5:26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another or envying one another. There is always a temptation to place one’s self over a brother or sister who has sinned. But we should not think ourselves to be spiritually superior to others. That sort of thinking only makes us conceited.

2 Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of the Anointed. My Translation

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. NIV11

The Galatians are to carry each others “weight”. In this case, Paul is referring to the “weight” or “burden” of a “mis-step”. The Galatians are to help the ones who mis-step get through that burden of sin. By doing so, the Galatians (and we) fulfill or “fill up to the top” the law of Christ”. Back in 5:14, one fulfills the whole Jewish law by “You will love your neighbor as yourself.” Here, that love “fills up the brim” the law of Christ which represents the ethical treatment of “spirit people” to each other.

3 For if anyone thinks he is something while being nothing, he is deceiving himself. 4 But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have a reason to take pride in himself alone, and not compare himself to another; 5 for everyone will carry one’s own load. My Translation

3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. NIV11

Paul carries on how the Galatians should treat one another. The idea of verse 3 seems to be formulated around the idea that one can be Spiritually superior to the one who has had a mis-stepped. This sort of thinking only leads to a person becoming conceited. If this happens, then the person who has become conceited is just fooling himself and is allowing his way of thinking to deceive himself (φρεναπατᾷ). φρεναπατάω is a compound word consisting of φρήν (thinking, understanding) and ἀπατάω (to deceive, to mislead).

A person should take a hard look at themselves and put their actions/works to the test and let the Spirit guide. If those actions/works turn out to be on the good side of things, the the Galatians have a “ground to boast”, but only to themselves. They and we should never compare their work with others’ work. If they do, then that plows fertile ground for even more conceit. It is in this way that all must carry their own loads. This, of course, is different from carrying someone else’s burden when it comes to restoring them in a humble way.

6 Now the one who is instructed in the word must share all good things with the one who instructs him. My Translation

6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor. NIV11

Most scholars believe that Paul is referring to how those who are in ministry should be supported by the ones that they minister to. But the context really doesn’t seem to support that idea, at least not here. Also, this is different from Paul’s other statements about ministry support (1 Corinthians 9:3-14; 1 Timothy 5:18). Nevertheless, it still could be what Paul is referring to.

There is no doubt that τὸν λόγον (the word) means “the Gospel”, or at least from the context, “correction by the word”. A person should share what he has (all good things) with the person who is instructing him which is the meaning of the verb κοινωνέω. Whether that represent finances or not, there is just not enough information here to tell. What is sure from the context is that this continues how Christians should treat each other.

7 Do not be lead astray. God is not to be made a fool of. For whatever a person sows, he will also reap; 8 because the one who sows in the flesh, he will reap of himself total destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows in the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. My Translation

Verse seven can be translated as “Do not be lead astray”. The next part of the verse literally means: God is not someone to turn up the nose at”. Mυκτηρίζω is from μυκτήρ (nostril, nose). Here, it means mockery or contempt. From the previous context, not living as “Spirit people” should live is probably in view. Up onto this point, the context has dealt with how people are to treat each other as Christians. Paul also brings back “the works of the flesh” and “the fruit of the Spirit” from 5:13-26. By treating each other badly, The Galatians (and we) are turning their nose up at God because they are ignoring the Holy Spirit’s work in their (our) lives. If they sow the works of the flesh, then they will reap from the field what the works of the flesh brings; total destruction. But the Spirit brings eternal life as a product of sowing the fruit of the Spirit.

9 Now let us not be discouraged from doing good things, for in due time we will reap if we don’t give up. 10 So then, while we have time, let us work good things to all people, and especially to the members of the household of faith. My Translation

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. NIV11

Paul wraps up his teaching on how to treat each other, but it can be expanded to include all good things that Christians do. Paul’s main verb in the opening part of verse 9 is ἐγκακέω. It means “to lose one’s motivation in continuing a desirable pattern of conduct or activity”, or “to lose enthusiasm”, or “to be discouraged”. Paul also carries on the “reaping” idea. Here, the Galatians will reap eternal life if they don’t give up on doing good things. From the context, Paul is still dealing with how they are treating one another. Therefore, the “good things” that the Galatians are doing are the well treatment of each other.

Paul also states everyone has a set time in which one will reap his eternal life. He states καιρῷ γὰρ ἰδίῳ (for in due time/for in own’s own appointed time/for at the proper time) to state that the time is set. This will only be obtained if one doesn’t “give up, be exhausted in strength, become weary (ἐκλύω).

The Galatians are to do the good things to all people while they have the set time to do it. Paul then adds special treatment to τοὺς οἰκείους τῆς πίστεως (the household of faith/family of believers). These, of course, are fellow Christians in Galatia. Paul is still not losing site of the context.

Conclusion

Paul continues to address how the Galatians, who are spiritual people, should treat each other. They are not to look down on one who “missteps” in sin. They are be humble in their restoration of that person in the Christian community. They certainly shouldn’t think that they are better than any other Christian.

The Galatians will reap eternal life if they don’t give up/out on doing good things to all people, but especially, to their own spiritual family.

Week 15

Final Warning and Benediction

11 You see what I wrote to you with large letters in my own hand. 12 Those who are willing to make a good showing in the flesh are trying to force you to be circumcised only so that they may not be persecuted because of the cross of the Anointed. 13 For the ones who are circumcised are not even keeping the law themselves, but are desiring for you to be circumcised, so that they may take pride in your flesh. 14 But may it never be for me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, through which the world has been crucified to me and I have been crucified to the world. 15 For circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a new creation is something. 16 And as many as will keep in step with this rule, there is peace and mercy on them, even on the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble. For I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed be with your spirit brothers and sisters. Amen. My Translation

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. 14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. NIV11

Comment

Paul is about to close his letter, but he can’t close it without one more departing blow on the agitators.

11 You see what I wrote to you with large letters in my own hand. My Translation

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand! NIV11

Paul now takes the pen from whom he has been dictating this letter to so that he can write the last few sentences. Apparently, the “large letters” represent the change in handwriting style so that the Galatians will know that Paul is the writer of the last lines. Some scholars have reached back to 4:15 where the Galatians would have dug out their own eyes for Paul to try to explain the large letter reference here. There just isn’t any evidence that Paul had any eye problem, so therefore, we must take this as a “change in handwriting style”.

12 Those who are willing to make a good showing in the flesh are trying to force you to be circumcised only so that they may not be persecuted because of the cross of the Anointed. 13 For the ones who are circumcised are not even keeping the law themselves, but are desiring for you to be circumcised, so that they may take pride in your flesh. My Translation

Paul immediately goes back into the main reason that he wrote this letter to begin with; the agitators’ threat to the Galatians. Paul states that their motives were to keep themselves from being persecuted for the sake of the cross. The only ones who could persecute them with the conformity of the Jewish law were the Jews themselves. Apparently, the agitators were trying to curry favor with the unbelieving Jews by having Gentile Christians circumcised, thus making out that the Gentile Christians were desiring to become proselyte Jews. The results, at least from the agitators’ standpoint, would have been that the non-believing Jews would treat the believing Jews better.

Paul also reinforces that the law can’t be kept fully, not even by these agitators. They merely want to boast or take pride in what they would have accomplished if the Galatians did in fact become circumcised. I suppose that they would have thought it to be a “feather in their cap” to the non-believing Jews.

14 But may it never be for me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, through which the world has been crucified to me and I have been crucified to the world. My Translation

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. NIV11

If one should boast or take pride, then it should be over one’s deliverance from the law and sin. If we keep Paul’s context of the letter, then κόσμος (the world) is the same as τὰ στοιχεῖα τοῦ κόσμου (the basic elements of the world) in 4:3 which is the same as τὰ ἀσθενῆ καὶ πτωχὰ στοιχεῖα (the weak and poor basic elements) found in 4:9. As established in the letter, both of these phrases represent both Judaism and Paganism. Both enslaved people under sin. Both people enslaved under these needed a Redeemer! Someone who could “buy them out” of both the law and sin. Jesus did buy out all Christians from the law and sin. He did that by giving his life by the worse possible means available at the time...a cross. As a result, Christians are no longer under the law and sin, nor do they have anything to do with it. When one is crucified, one dies. The life that one had before is destroyed.

15 For circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything, but a new creation is something. 16 And as many as will keep in step with this rule, there is peace and mercy on them, even on the Israel of God. My Translation

15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. 16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God. NIV11

Paul uses γὰρ (for) to explain what he just wrote by his own hand. If one has crucified or put to death their old way of life, whether it was Judaism or Paganism, then that former life means nothing. What is importing now is one’s “new being” or καινὴ κτίσις (new creation). The old way is gone. The new way is now and as I have translation it, “it IS something” while the past is not anything.

Paul uses στοιχέω here as he did back in 5:25. There, it was “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Here, the Galatians are to “keep in step” with the rule that Paul established in verse 15. Of course, to keep in step with this rule actually shows that a person is letting the Holy Spirit influence their life, thus they are also “keeping step with the Spirit”.

For all for “keep in step” with this rule, they will have peace and mercy on them. Paul then adds a phrase that has somewhat perplexed people. He adds καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ θεοῦ (and/even on the Israel of God). Many have asked “what does this mean?” Given the context of the letter where the Galatian Christians were the “Jerusalem that is above” back in 4:26, it should be of no surprise that Paul states that the “new creation” is “God’s Israel”. In the OT, Israel was God’s people, but now, God’s people are all who put their faith in Jesus and thus who are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, καὶ is being used in a way that explains who will receive the peace and mercy. It could be translated as “even” or “that is”. NIV11 also translates this phrase in such a way so that the reader understands what Paul is actually stating. “The”, with the article, “Israel of God”. God’s true people.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble. For I bear the marks of Jesus on my body. My Translation

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. NIV11

Paul has now completely explained himself and the true way of the Christian. Therefore, the Galatians should rid themselves of all of the problems that the agitators caused among them. By doing so, they will no longer trouble Paul as he has been “at a loss about them”, thus the Galatians are troubling him in what is going on.

Why should they not trouble Paul going forward? Because he bears τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ (the marks of Jesus) in his body. A στίγμα is a tattoo or a brand that was used in “branding” or “marking” slaves. It was also used as “tattooing” those of certain religions.

Back in 1:10, Paul calls himself “a slave of Christ”. He now states that he bears the marks to prove that he belongs to Christ as a slave. But Paul didn’t have a tattoo or a brand per se. He bore the scars of persecution of being a true Christian.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus the Anointed be with your spirit brothers and sisters. Amen. My Translation

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. NIV11

Paul ends his letter in typical Pauline style. He wishes that the Lord Jesus’ grace be with them. Not just on them in a bodily way, but with their inner being, their spirit.

Conclusion

Paul ends his letter writing the last lines himself. He summarizes the purpose of the letter again and states that the agitators’ motives were bad. The Galatians are reminded that their past life is nothing anymore. What they should look to is their current life in the Spirit as they and we are “The Israel of God”.

Paul himself states that he is branded as a slave of Jesus Christ. Not by a tattoo or are branding iron, but by the persecution that has come to him by being a Christian.

Aftermath

And what effect did Paul’s letter have on the Galatians? There is no doubt that this letter and the one from the Apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 15) put a stop to promoting the Jewish law among the Gentile Christians. But what are we to make of what the Galatians really thought of Paul’s letter? The proof of what they though lies in the fact that this letter is still with us today! Although this letter would have been hard on the Galatians, they keep and copied this letter to the extent that it eventually became “Scripture”.

It was written to the Galatians, but for us to gleam understanding of what Christian life was and what Christians faced in the 1st Century. It is also a great guide for us today. Although the law is long gone in todays Christians, the idea of legalism is alive and well throughout all of Christianity in some way or the other. I suppose it is human tendency to follow rules and regulations instead on relying on God. There is always the next man who is going to teach something “new” to Christians. Let us not fall victim to such. Let us strive to keep Christ first in our lives and not the rules and transitions of mankind. They will only hinder us in our walk in the Spirit. Use this letter as a guild as it was certainly used by the Galatians as one.

Galatians Study Week 13

Week 13 of Word of God Home Fellowship's Study of Galatians.

Week 13

The Fruit of the Spirit and the Works of the Flesh

13 For you were called on the basis of freedom brothers and sisters, only do not let your freedom become a favorable opportunity for the flesh, but be a slave to one another through love. 14 For all the law has been fulfilled in one commandment, in that “You will love your neighbor as yourself.”

15 Now if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not destroyed by one another.

16 Now I say this, walk in the Spirit and may you never carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is against the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is against the flesh. For these things are opposed to one another, so that you may not do whatever you want to do. 18 Now if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are clear; they are sexual immorality, impurity, indecency, 20 idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, strife, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, division, heretical division, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the likes of these, which I formally speak to you just as I previously have spoken that the ones who are doing these things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 Now the fruit of Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against these things. 24 But the ones who belong to the Anointed Jesus crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another or envying one another. My Translation

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. NIV11

Comment

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. NIV11

Paul transitions from his call to freedom to other matters that he has heard about the Galatians. Based upon the context, the matter of the Jewish law had caused some strife between the congregations and Paul finds himself in need to try to correct that. These divisions were causing the Galatians to treat each other in a way that is opposite from the way they should. The problem is not known today as there is not much evidence, but there was a correction nevertheless. Their freedom from the law was not to be used in treated each other in an unloving way.

The Greek word ἀφορμή has a base meaning of “a base or circumstance from which other action becomes possible, such as the starting-point or base of operations for an expedition, then generate the resources needed to carry through an undertaking”. I translate it as “a favorable opportunity”. The NIV11 translates it as “to indulge”. In other places in the NT, it simply means “an opportunity”.

There is little doubt that σάρξ (flesh) is being used as “the corrupted human condition”. As BDAG puts it: “In Paul’s thought especially, all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σάρξ or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likewise present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ.” In this case, the people of the congregations in Galatia were doing something “fleshly” to each other that was unlike love.

Paul tells the Galatians that they should be a slave to each other (δουλεύετε ἀλλήλοις), but this must be done διὰ τῆς ἀγάπης (through love/the love). Up until now, Paul has explained the negative aspects of being a slave to the law and to sin. Back in 1:10, Paul stated that he was “a slave of Christ”. Now, the Galatians are to be slaves to each other (one another) through the love that they have for each other. He will go on to explain.

14 For all the law has been fulfilled in one commandment, in that “You will love your neighbor as yourself.” My Translation

14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” NIV11

It is indeed interesting that Paul now appeals to the very law that he has been fighting against. But Paul hasn’t forgotten that the law was God’s words. His defense has been that the law couldn’t bring righteousness to those who sought for it by performing the law. Paul now quotes Leviticus 19:18. He says that in this one commandment, the whole law is fulfilled. But the Galatians don’t have to perform the law in order to fulfill it. Their faith has created the love for one another that is required to fulfill the law without actually performing the law.

It is quite possible that Paul has concluded that this verse is a prediction of the coming Holy Spirit. For it is the Holy Spirit in one’s life that directs the form of love required to keep this commandment.

15 Now if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not destroyed by one another. My Translation

15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. NIV11

The “occasion for the flesh” is now fully exposed. The agitators had caused division among the Galatians with the introduction of the Jewish law. By adding this in, the Galatians are now acting towards each other in a way that they should not.

The image is that of a wild animals fighting each other until both are killed. This is not how the Galatians are to act. Indeed, “a little feast causes the who lump of dough to rise”!

What sometimes seems to be easy to understand may not be so easy to understand at all! The first verse is easy. If one walk in/by the Spirit, then one will not carry out the desires of the flesh. The first part of verse 17 is the same way. Of course both the Spirit and the flesh is contrary to each other. But the last part of 17 needs a bit of unpacking.

What jumps out at a person is this: “They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want”. Does this mean that if a person wants to do Spiritual things, the flesh prevents him from doing it? Or when a person wants to do fleshly things, the Spirit puts him in check? Or is a person completely hopeless as the flesh always stands in the way of the Spirit and the Spirit always stands in the way of the flesh so that there is a stalemate?

Perhaps the best way to look at this is two-fold. 1. The Galatians have freedom from the law, but that doesn’t mean that should be lawless or do whatever they want to do! The Spirit will lead them to the law of Christ (6:2). If they let their corrupt nature get in the way, then they can’t carry out what the Spirit desires. On the other hand, 2. Paul is still dealing with the Jewish law to an extent as verse 18 attests. If one is lead by the Spirit, that person is not under the law. But the law had been introduced to the Galatians by the agitators and now they are fighting among themselves. They were lead by the Spirit, but the introduction of the law has now gotten them to not love each other in the way that they should. In this letter, the law = sin, the law = slavery, and the law = flesh.

The law was unable to prevent people from sinning. In fact, it encouraged sin. The law and the Spirit are in contradiction to each other. The Galatians had started in the Spirit and were now trying to complete salvation in the flesh (3:3). This was keeping them from doing what the Spirit desired of them to do. But if one is truly walking by the Spirit, he is not under the law.

The main point is that the Spirit is enough to overcome what the flesh desires. In past, the law told people what they could and could not do. But the people couldn’t keep the law and it became a curse to them. The flesh, without the Spirit, will overcome a person, but a person with the Spirit will overcome the flesh. The Spirit is supreme to the law because it actually stands against what the flesh desires. The law, on the other hand, enticed people to sin more, thus making people more “fleshly”. The Spirit empowers a person to live apart from the law, so that the person may not do the things that a person might do by not living by the law.

Paul now defines what the works of the flesh are. We will look at each one. This is not an exhaustive list as Paul doesn’t limit this list by saying “and the likes of these” in verse 21.

πορνεία: “sexual immorality”. It mostly involved prostitution, but it becomes a general term of sexual misconduct through the NT.
ἀκαθαρσία: “impurity”. It refers to something dirty or unclean, but becomes a state of moral corruption in Paul letters.
ἀσέλγεια: “indecency/excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures”. BDAG defines it as “lack of self-constraint which involves one in conduct that violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable”.
εἰδωλολατρία: “idolatry”. The worship of idols.
φαρμακεία: “witchcraft/sorcery”. Potion mixing perhaps as the word leads to our modern day word “pharmacy”. It was to do harm to others here. Sorcery was even against Roman law.
ἔχθρα: “hatred/hostilities”. Both toward God and fellow people in many ways.
ἔρις: “strife/discord”. Engagement in rivalry or competition. There is no place in Christianity for competition, but it happens all the time.
ζῆλος: “jealousy/zeal”. The act of being jealous of one another always leads to bad things. It is not always bad, but Paul uses it in the bad sense here.
θυμός (θυμοί: plural in the text): “rage/anger/wrath”. Uncontrollable bits of rage.
ἐριθεία (ἐριθεῖαι: plural in the text): “selfish ambition”. The work of Christ has no place for this.
διχοστασία (διχοστασίαι: plural in the text): “division/dissensions”. The state of being in argumentative opposition. This was going on already with the introduction of the law to the Galatian congregations.
αἵρεσις (αἱρέσεις: plural in the text): “heretical division”. Transliterated as heresy. Certain people believing things that distinguishes them from the main group. This is very similar to διχοστασία.
φθόνος (φθόνοι: plural in the text): “envy”. Similar to ζῆλος. It is the act of being envious.
μέθη (μέθαι: plural in the text): “drunkenness”. Being drunk on wine. It probably goes with the next “fleshly work”.
κῶμος (κῶμοι: plural in the text): “carousing”. Excessive feasting or drinking; orgies.

Paul warns the Galatians that those who do such things can’t inherit the Kingdom of God. This language is more from the Synoptic Gospels than of Paul.

Paul now lists the fruit of Spirit. It should be stated up front that ὁ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός (the fruit of the Spirit) is the opposite of τὰ ἔργα τῆς σαρκός (the works of the flesh). Also, “works” are something that are done, while “fruit” is something that is produced. “Works” are something that people do. In this case, “the works of the flesh” are human “works”. But “the fruit of the Spirit” is produced by the Spirit inside of a person.

We will go through them, but it must be stated that love leads the list. I should also state that “fruit” is a collective singular. Therefore “fruit” embodies the entire list as a whole. This list also seems to be how people are to treat each other.

ἀγάπη: “love”. Love for God and love for one another.
χαρά: “joy”. The experience of gladness. Together! This word was so highly thought of, it was used as a proper name just as it is today.
εἰρήνη: “peace”. Peace with one another.
μακροθυμία: “patience”. “The state of being able to bear up under provocation,” BDAG. In Paul’s letters, it is always used toward one another! We have to “put up with each other”!
χρηστότης: “kindness”. How we help each other or how we benefit each other. The quality of kindness.
ἀγαθωσύνη: “goodness”. The positive moral quality characterized especially by interest in the welfare of others.
πίστις: “faith/belief/faithfulness”. Faith in God. Paul has been dealing with this in this entire letter. Perhaps also faith in each other as a congregation.
πραΰτης: “gentleness, humility, courtesy”. “The quality of not being overly impressed by a sense of one’s self-importance.” BDAG We all need healthy dose of this.
ἐγκράτεια: “self-control”. “Restraint of one’s emotions, impulses, or desires,” BDAG. Especially in sexual matters, feasting, and to one another. Here, it is probably the opposite of κῶμοι (excessive feasting).

And there’s the list. Paul adds that the law is not against the things in this list. The law was created for sin and its exposure. As Spirit-filled people, one doesn’t need a law to state “you shall not kill”. A Spirit filled person already knows that “killing” is unlawful. The law of Christ has been written on our hearts.

If one belongs to Christ (owned by Christ), then that person has crucified both the flesh and what it desires which is always against the Spirit. If the flesh is crucified, then it can’t work these things.

If one lives by the Spirit, one should also keep in step with the Spirit. The verb στοιχέω means to be in line with something considered as standard for one’s conduct. We encountered its cognate noun στοιχεῖον in 4:3 and 4:9. There, it was “basic elements” or “basic things in a series”. Paul now uses the verb to express the lining up with the Spirit as in marching along side of the Spirit.

Paul now gets back to why one must “keep step with the Spirit”. The introduction of the law had caused division and strife among the congregations. Paul wishes for them to put all of that to an end. He says “Let us not become conceited” or “don’t have exaggerated self-conceptions”. We shouldn’t “provoke” or “call one another out” as to challenge them to be hostile. We also shouldn’t be envious of each other.

Conclusion

Freedom from the law doesn’t mean a “free for all”. The Spirit empowers the Galatians to live their life in such a way that is Godly. Paul includes a list of bad things, and a list of Spiritual things. They describe the differences between one who is not of the Spirit and one who is. The Galatians have let the agitators cause division among them to the extent that they are not treating each other as Spirit people should. If one lives by the Spirit, then one should be in line with the Spirit in ethical things as well as how they treat each other. Paul will conclude his thoughts on this in the next section.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Galatians Study Week 12

Week 12 of Word of God Home Fellowship's Study of Galatians.

Week 12

Chapter 5

Christian Freedom

2 Behold, I, Paul, am speaking to you that if you have yourself circumcised, the Anointed will profit you nothing. 3 Now I testify again to every man who has himself circumcised that he is obligated to perform the whole law. 4 You have ceased to exist apart from the Anointed, all of you who are trying to justify yourselves in the law, you have fallen away from grace. 5 For we, who are in the Spirit by faith, eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in the Anointed Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any value, but faith working through love is of value.

7 You were running well. Who cut in front of you in order for you to not be persuaded by the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from the one who is calling you. 9 “A little yeast causes the whole batch of dough to rise.” 10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will think of nothing other, but the one who is stirring you up will bear the judgement, whoever he is. 11 But, brothers and sisters, if I am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Therefore, the stumbling block of the cross has ceased to exist. 12 O that the ones who are trying to upset you would castrate themselves! My Translation

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. 11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! NIV11

Comment

2 Behold, I, Paul, am speaking to you that if you have yourself circumcised, the Anointed will profit you nothing. My Translation

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. NIV11

Paul's words Ἴδε ἐγὼ Παῦλος λέγω ὑμῖν (Look! I, Paul, am speaking to you) tells the Galatians that this is their friend. One who they know. One who spent much time with them when he was with them. The one who they would have dug their own eyes out for. But, he is also warning them, thus the NIV11‘s translation “Mark my words!” Paul says to “Remember what I say!” If you have yourself circumcised, Χριστὸς ὑμᾶς οὐδὲν ὠφελήσει (Christ will benefit you nothing!). Paul will go on to say why Christ will benefit nothing.

3 Now I testify again to every man who has himself circumcised that he is obligated to perform the whole law. My Translation

3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. NIV11

Paul declares that if one has himself circumcised, circumcision is not enough. One must keep the whole law in order to accomplish what the Galatians are trying to do. One token of the law won't do. Because the ones who keep the law will do everything in the law. This argument has already been let. Of course the problem is that no one can keep the entire law. It only enslaves people under sin. Therefore, if one is enslaved under the law, then he is also enslaved under sin.

4 You have ceased to exist apart from the Anointed, all of you who are trying to justify yourselves in the law, you have fallen away from grace. My Translation

4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. NIV11

Kαταργέω can mean "to set aside", "to make to no effect", and even "to wipe out". If the Galatians have themselves circumcised, they have fallen away from the grace of God. Thus ceasing to exist in Christ. Christ is the way, not the law. If the Galatians put their faith in themselves that they can keep the law, then they have fallen away from God’s grace.

In God’s grace, salvation was freely given. It can’t be earned. Not by the law, or anything else!

5 For we, who are in the Spirit by faith, eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. My Translation

5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. NIV11

"For" is used to explain what has just been said. Interestingly enough, Paul alludes to the return of Jesus. This is Paul's first time in this letter that he refers to the coming of The Lord Jesus. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, Paul says

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. NIV11

It is the hope of Jesus coming that keeps the faith. Our righteous truly comes to us when Jesus comes.

In 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, Paul states:

51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. NIV11

We will truly be righteous in the end, but by the Spirit, not by the law. The law is the power of sin and sin is the sting of death.

6 For in the Anointed Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any value, but faith working through love is of value. My Translation

6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. NIV11

Whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, one circumcised, or one not, it has no effect on that person if they are in Christ Jesus. In other words, it doesn't help a person either way. The only thing that is of value is faith and that faith has to be put into effect by love.

Back in 2:20, Paul talked about that he had put his faith in the son of God who loved him. But here, Paul is introducing that the Galatians need to show their faith that is produced by their love. In verse 22, we will see that love is the first of the fruits of the Spirit. The question, of course, is how can love produce faith or how can faith be expressed through love?

The love for God, the love for Christ, and the love for each other is how. Even the love between Paul and the Galatians is a part. Paul uses this last statement as a setup statement for what he will say in 13-15.

Paul uses a race analogy to describe what has happened to the Galatians. Paul uses ἐγκόπτω (to make progress slow or difficult) to add to his analogy of a race. The Galatians were running their race well, but they let someone cut in front of them and thus hindered them from running full speed. Running full speed in Paul’s analogy meant to obey or be persuaded by the truth which was that the law wouldn’t justify anyone.

Paul says ἡ πεισμονὴ (this/the persuasion) did not come from God. God here is the one who presently calls you. This “persuasion” is a play on the infinitive verb that Paul just wrote in verse 7. Paul uses the present tense of τοῦ καλοῦντος (the one who is calling) to demonstrate that God presently and continually is calling the Galatians. In this case, he is calling them back from their recent diversion from the race.

Paul then uses a proverb to demonstrate how a little idea spreads to the entire set of congregations. “A little yeast causes the whole batch of dough to rise” is also used 1 Corinthians 5:6. It suggests that Paul does use this saying as a proverb to state that little things can become big situations. That is what has happened here. A few have come in and turned the Galatians thinking upside down.

10 I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will think of nothing other, but the one who is stirring you up will bear the judgement, whoever he is. My Translation

10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty. NIV11

Paul renews his confidence in the Galatians that they will forget the “new persuasion” and stick with what gave them the Spirit to begin with. He then adds a little phrase for the one who has caused all of this mischief. He says that that person will bear the judgement. Normally, Paul’s idea of judgement has to do with the return of Jesus to the earth. During that time, God will pour out his judgements on those who are not believers in Christ. It is interesting that the one who has troubled the Galatians is now facing that very judgement, even though they think themselves to be a Christian. The problem is that they/he has perverted the Gospel. Therefore, a perversion of the Gospel in no Gospel at all. Thus, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω “let him be accursed!” in 1:8-9, comes into its full meaning.

One last thing, Paul has moved from the plural form of οἱ ταράσσοντες ὑμᾶς (the ones who are stirring you up) to the singular form of ὁ ταράσσων ὑμᾶς (the one who is stirring you up). Is Paul referring to the leader of this perversion? Do we have some idea as to whom that person could be? It is still quite possible that Paul is referring to James the leader of the Jerusalem church. Regardless if it is James or not, Paul is pointing at a single individual who has caused all of the confusion.

11 But, brothers and sisters, if I am still proclaiming circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Therefore, the stumbling block of the cross has ceased to exist. 12 O that the ones who are trying to upset you would castrate themselves! My Translation

11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! NIV11

Apparently, Paul had been accused to actually preaching that circumcision was the norm, but that he didn’t teach the whole truth to the Galatians. Paul defends himself by saying that if he actually preached circumcision, then why is he still being persecuted by those who preach circumcision? Paul then states that if what the agitators have said is true, then the scandal/stumbling block/offense of the cross has been done away with. By saying this, Paul is bringing to an end his argument about faith in Jesus verses performing the law. If the Galatians go forward with the law, then Jesus’ redeeming act of the cross means nothing for them.

Paul’s final ending here shows just what he thinks of the agitators. He opens verse 12 with ὄφελον which carries emotion. It means “an expression of a wish that something had taken place or would take place”. In this case, he wishes that they would go the whole way in their circumcision process and castrate themselves. I translate it as “O that the ones who are trying to upset you would castrate themselves!” It is a hard expression, but it drives home how Paul feels about what they have done to the Galatians.

Conclusion

Circumcision and the works of the law will do the Galatians no good. If fact, it will cause them to lose what they have in Christ Jesus. They will and have fallen from God’s grace. God’s salvation is freely given, not earned. If it could be earned, then the law really would have been the way. But the law was not the way. Jesus is the way. Faith in Jesus is the way that God provided for salvation.

Paul has confidence in the Galatians that they will run their race true. But he has unkind words for the ones who have “cut in front of” the Galatians. They/he will face God’s judgement as the scandal of the cross has ceased to exist for them.