Nancy Wichmann

Passage: Galatians 3:15-29

Introduction

It is not uncommon for Christians to turn to the Law (Torah) when they disagree with someone's actions or lifestyle. Paul reminds us of the promise made in God's covenant with Abraham and declares that the coming of the Mosaic Law did not modify that covenant. Paul shows that the Law is inferior to, and not a substitute for, the promise, but reveals sin and leads to Christ. He then declares that Christ's death frees us from the Law and its works, making all equal in the promise. In doing this, Paul declares that mature Christians should not be using the Law as a club to normalize behavior.

Author, Audience, Date

There is no significant challenge to Pauline authorship, as is claimed in the first verse of the letter. The style and theology of the letter are in full keeping with Paul's other writings.

In the second verse, Paul addresses the letter to the "churches in Galatia." In 4:19, he refers to the recipients as "my little children," suggesting that his intent was that this letter be delivered to churches that he had started. Since there is no clear evidence that Paul founded churches in the northern part of Galatia, this writer joins those who argue that the letter was meant for the churches in the southern part of the region.

Galatians is difficult to date and lots of paper and ink have been devoted to the subject. Two theories revolve around whether the letter was written to the churches in the southern or northern region of Galatia. The third theory is that the letter was written near the composition of Romans, and perhaps even after. Fitzmyer^[1] concludes that the letter was written around 54 CE, citing his adherence to the northern region theory. Oddly, his extensive argument for the northern destination does more to convince this writer of a southern audience.

This writer notes the less-than-careful attention to the epistolary form and posits that this is an indication that Paul wrote this letter prior to I Thessalonians, which shows all the standard elements. It can certainly be argued that Paul's anger at the Galatian response to the "false teachers" is the reason for getting right to the point. The first letter to the Corinthians is also full of anger and rebuke, yet fully holds to the epistolary form. Therefore this writer infers evidence of Paul's yet evolving care for his churches, and concludes that this is the first of the apostle's letters. That then dates the letter between 48 to early 50 CE. The mention of his visit to Jerusalem (2:1) tends to locate the date in the later part of that range. The opinion of this writer, however fascinating, does little to settle the ongoing debate; the reader is encouraged to form his, or her, own opinion.

Literary Form

This writing is generally accepted as an epistle, even though some common elements (e.g. a blessing) are missing or minimal. Scholars of Hellenistic writing^[2] classify this letter as of the "rebuke-request" form.

There is no question that the letter contains a rebuke – that begins immediately following the opening, I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you… (1:6) Astonishment was a common rebuke for not meeting the expectations of the writer^[3]. Paul immediately launches into the reasons for his disappointment. After additional rebukes and explanations, Paul begins the "request" in 4:12 with the appeal to imitate him in living the gospel.

Purpose

It is apparent that Judaizers had entered the Galatian communities and were attempting to persuade the recent converts that they needed to fully embrace Jewish beliefs and Law before they could become fully Christian. This was not the only time Paul had to fight this battle; even to the point of confronting Peter directly.

The origin of these people is another matter for debate. Some feel that they were internal to the community, and some believe that outsiders (e.g. the James party, 2:12) are responsible. This writer believes it likely that there was a combination at work. Paul was not the only itinerant preacher in the areas of his ministry (1 Cor. 1:12). It is not unlikely that there were Judaizers following behind Paul specifically with the intent of "correcting" his teachings. Those people may have been successful enough to leave behind them rabid locals who continued to dispute Paul's gospel and apostleship.

Having heard about this situation, Paul must defend not only his message, but also his right to preach it. His defense begins in the very first verse with the declaration of the divine origin of his understanding of the gospel.

Textual Analysis

Chapter 3 begins with another strong rebuke, You foolish Galatians! Paul then begins the argument continued in this pericope.

15-18 Paul begins with a midrashic development of the Abraham story (Gen 15, 17, 22). No one can alter a man's last will and testament (διαθήκην or diathēkēn), except the one making it. Here Paul begins using the word from the LXX in the Hellenistic sense^[4] of "will" but shifts to the LXX sense of "covenant" in verse 17. In Hebrew, the word zera is never used in the plural to refer to human descendants, but in Greek, spermata (σπέρμα) may be. However, Paul eschews the collective use of "seed" in order to point to Christ as the meaning. This digression from the argument lays the groundwork for the explanations in verse 19.

By using the 430-year period of Israel's sojourn in Egypt, Paul is giving a temporal separation between the Abrahamic promise and the Mosaic Law. Having already stated that the faith-covenant with Abraham was inviolable, something given later in time cannot modify that agreement, in keeping with the analogy of the will. Paul has completely severed law from covenant.^[5]

19-20 Most commentators break up the parts of verse 19 as though they were separate statements, but this writer is in agreement with Longnecker^[6] that they should also be taken as a unit because they lay the foundation of the arguments to follow.

To further clarify, Paul says the Law was added (προσετέθη, or prosetethē), much as the Socratic tradition viewed that the laws of the city were added to the law of nature.^[7] The city cannot change, in writing, the overriding law of nature, which is not (cannot be) written, yet governs everything. The Torah, then, is supplemental to the covenant, thus subordinate to it, and in no way modifies its provisions.

In Romans 4:15, Paul more clearly states, "Where there is no law, there is no violation." The Law was added (to the covenant) because the Jews had not fully understood the love and mercy implicit in the Abrahamic covenant. Therefore, the Law was given that His people would see that they were transgressing the superior, and unwritten, law that was part of the original covenant. The Torah, then increased, or multiplied, transgressions so that grace (the promise) could increase all the more (Rom 5:20). Rather than preventing transgressions, Paul's view was that the Torah caused them. The coming of Christ put an end to this use of the Law.^[8]

Just to make sure his readers understand the inferiority of the Law, Paul draws on the Jewish tradition that the Law was delivered through the intermediary of angels. The tradition may have arisen to underscore the holiness of the Law. While this is not in the surviving scripture, certainly Moses remains as another, human, intermediary. Paul turns this around to use it to show the Law's inferiority. The promise was given by God himself and, therefore, remains as the governing covenant between God and His people.

In using αχρις (achris), translated usually as "until," Paul is clearly giving a limit to the time in which the Law is to be in effect – that is until the coming of Christ, the seed, on whom the promise was focused. Again, this writer must disagree slightly with many of the commentators; the coming of Christ refers to the individual person's acceptance of Christ's sacrifice, not the single event of His birth. Therefore, "until" is an active, living, time limit for each human.

In speaking of a mediator, Betz concludes^[9] that Paul is contrasting the plurality implicit in "mediator" with the oneness of God, and therefore further underscores the inferiority of the Law. This writer goes further in seeing that Abraham is also removed as a mediator, as some might suppose. God's promise simply is. Just as creation was called into existence by His Word, so the promise is spoken to all, directly. This promise, fulfilled in Christ, is superior to anything else.

21 – 23 At this point, Paul realized that his polemic against the Judaizers could lead to a completely negative view of the Law, so he jumps in with two reasons for having it. First, it places everything (πάντα, or panta) under the judgment of sin, setting limits and establishing blame. Secondly, it served as a guardian, a concept more fully discussed in the next two verses.

It is a fundamental doctrine in Judaism that God gave the Torah as a way for Israel into eternal life (Prov 3:1-2). Paul, of course, rejects that belief; the Spirit gives life (2 Cor 3:6). He concludes that the Torah was never given for that purpose. Since life is not given through the Torah, neither is righteousness.^[10] Indeed the Decalogue should not have been seen as a prescription for obtaining God's favor, but rather as a declaration of God's relationship with his people.^[11]

Paul then abruptly changes from "Torah" to "Scripture" (graphē). Law can no longer be taken as the agent of salvation; Scripture now has that role to play (see 3:8). Torah has become a tool for Scripture to use^[12].

While Jews described the Law as keeping others out so that they might remain pure, Paul reverses this notion. The Law confined the Jews under sin and curse (3:10). With the coming of Christ, this period of time ends and faith takes over. The apostle discusses this concept much more fully in Romans 5 – 8.

24-25 Paul lays out his final answer to the reason for the Law (Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian,) The word "disciplinarian" (also translated "tutor," "guardian," and child-conductor) is from the Greek word "παιδαγωγὸς" (paidagōgos), which gives us the English word "pedagogue." While some translators use words evocative of a teacher, that would be "διδάσκαλος" (e.g, 1 Cor 12:28), which is quite different from the pedagogue. The distinction seems to have been familiar to Paul's readers.

There are many descriptions of what the pedagogue's role was, but here we shall rely on Betz^[13] and Longnecker^[14]. The pedagogue was a trusted slave charged by a boy's father to accompany a boy to school (girls generally did not attend), carrying his books. This slave also protected the boy and made sure he learned manners. In verse 4:2, it is made clear that this guardianship had a limited timeframe, and this notion is important to Paul's use of the pedagogical concept.

Modern readers (including this writer) sometimes like to put a positive spin on the Law as preparatory to Christ, Longnecker rightly points out that Paul's intent was to focus on the inferior status of the boy under the control of a slave and the temporary nature of his position.^[15]

26 – 29 Paul now changes to the second person plural to show that the following verses are intended to be taken personally by his readers. The apostle takes the honorific phrase, "sons of God," from the Jews who would only get this title at the Last Judgment directly from God, and bestows this status on Gentiles who believe now.^[16]

"Put on Christ" recalls the tradition of being baptized naked and being wrapped in a robe (usually white, signifying purity) upon emerging from the water. Therefore Paul is evoking an image of the believer being covered in Christ, becoming blemish-free, as sacrifices were supposed to be. As "sons of God," the believer can now stand before God pure and blameless.

Paul then contrasts statuses in race, class, and gender claiming that the new, pure, creature of baptism can no longer be characterized by them as Christ has set them aside. Baptism has washed all the old statuses away and made all like Himself. Being one, then, there can be no distinctions. In the Greco-Roman world, this would have been an extremely radical concept, yet quite comforting to those who had been in the oppressed statuses (Greek, slave, women).

Finally, Paul says that "if you belong to Christ" – that is have faith in / of Him – then the believer is Abraham's descendant and, therefore, an heir to the covenant given to Abraham. While Paul uses the word "if" (ei), it is not conditional, but temporal, based on believing.

Many commentators view these verses as additions to the preceding arguments; indeed some gloss over this section as though it weren't there. This writer, however, sees these verses as the ultimate goal Paul has striven toward in his carefully crafted treatment of the Torah. The Judaizers have no basis for denigrating the Gentiles for not observing the requirements of the Jewish Law. Both Jew and Gentile are equal; both are heirs to the blessing of the Spirit. To return to the "ways of the flesh" (3:3) is contrary to the covenant God made with Abraham, and, by inheritance, to the believer.

Conclusion

Paul has made it clear that believers must take a different stance regarding the Law, or Torah. The Law confines people under sin; Faith breaks that prison. The Law is inferior to Faith and can have no role in salvation. Christ's death frees us from the Law and its works, making all equal in the promise. Mature Christians should not be using the Law as a means to normalize behavior, but, rather, accept one another as equal and justified through faith.

Application

All too often Christians point to the Law when they encounter someone different. While it might be useful in helping the different discern God's will for them, the Law cannot lead a person to salvation. That can only be the work of Faith.

For example, when Christians point to verses that they interpret to be against homosexuality, they are attempting to require the homosexual to conform to their understanding of the Law and to comply with it. Paul clearly argues that this is not the purpose of the Law and that to use it this way is wrong. Such requests are tantamount to requiring circumcision of the Gentiles. The Law cannot change someone's heart^[17] and should not be expected to have that effect. The Spirit, promised through faith, can change a heart. Rather than excluding these people from our churches, we should be embracing them, as Paul embraced the Gentiles. Only by helping to lead these people to Christ can we have the effect that we fundamentally desire. Once Faith has done its work, all that remains is a justified heir to the promise.

To paraphrase an old aphorism, the Church (Faith) is the hospital; the disease is the Law.

Bibliography

New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Roland E. Murphy; Prentice Hall 1990, 1968.

Hawthorne, Gerald F.; Martin, Ralph P.; Reid, David G.; Dictionary of Paul and His Letters; Intervarsity Press, 1993.

Polhill, John B.; Paul and His Letters; Broadman & Holman Publishers; 1999.

Betz, H. D., Galatians: A Commentary on Paul's Letter to the Churches in Galatia, Fortress, 1979.

Bruce, Frederick Fyvie The Epistle to the Galatians A Commentary on the Greek Text, Wm. B Eedrmans Publishing Co., 1982

Cole, R. Alan The Letter of Paul to the Galatians: An Introduction and Commentary (The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) , Wm. B Eedrmans Publishing Co., 1989

Arichea, Daniel C. Jr, Nida, Eugene A. A Translators Handbook on Paul's Letter to the Galatians, United Bible Societies, 1976

Luther, Martin Commentary on Galatians, translated by Erasmus Middleton, edited by John Prince Fallowes, Kregel Classics, 1979.

BibleGateway.com http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Gal/Understand....

Venema, Cornelis P. "The Mosaic covenant: a "republication" of the covenant of works?." Mid-America Journal Of Theology 21, (January 1, 2010): 35-101.

Belleville, Linda L. "Under law" : structural analysis and the Pauline concept of law in Galatians 3:21-4:11." Journal For The Study Of The New Testament no. 26 (February 1, 1986): 53-78.

Longenecker, Richard N. "The pedagogical nature of the law in Galatians 3:19-4:7." Journal Of The Evangelical Theological Society 25, no. 1 (March 1, 1982): 53-61.

Young, Norman H. "Paidagogos : the social setting of a Pauline metaphor." Novum Testamentum 29, no. 2 (April 1, 1987): 150-176.