The Study of Galatians

Week 3 

Galatians 3:1-5  

In Galatians 1 and 2, Paul wrote defending the gospel of grace. He would not allow anyone, specifically some Jewish legalizers, to add to the message of salvation through faith in Christ alone.

These Jewish Christians were pushing for the Gentile Christians to follow the Jewish tradition of circumcision and “marry” it with their faith in Christ. Obviously, that didn’t sit well with Paul. He could not figure out why the Galatians are entertaining this notion.

After chapters 1 and 2, Paul shifts from more of a personal perspective to a doctrinal one. He uses a series of bold questions to wake up these spiritually lazy Galatians.

Paul moves from defending the gospel of grace to explaining it.  

His overriding message is this: the Holy Spirit is given by faith and faith alone, continue living in faith.

In a series of questions, Paul drills them.

And to get their attention, he calls them “fools”! 

“You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?” (v1) 

This word, foolish, is important. It is only used four times in the New Testament, two of those times by Paul while addressing the Galatians. It literally means “without thinking.” Jesus used “foolish” in this same context in Luke 24:25. Other contexts uses “foolish” to mean wicked, but not here.  

Why is this important? Because Paul, who in an earlier part of his letter called them “brothers and sister” was now exercising his spiritual position in their lives to call it like he saw it, “you foolish (without thinking) Galatians.”  He wasn’t saying they were wicked, no, but he was challenging their thinking!

His first question to them started like this, “before whose eyes was Jesus Christ publicly portrayed as crucified?”  Had these people actually seen Christ crucified? Absolutely not!  But Paul was saying that the gospel, the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus had been so clearly communicated to them, they could see Christ come to life in their mind’s eye and in their hearts. 

For the life of him, Paul cannot understand why these people would not fight for their faith, the message of Christ, the gospel of grace, and the Holy Spirit given to them by faith alone.

Thus, his characterization: foolish, unthinking, completely unthinking.

He continues to defend his message that the Holy Spirit is given by grace alone, not by works.  Paul uses even more questions in an effort to get them to think! 

“Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” (v2)

“Are you foolish? (unthinking) Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (v3) We can be guilty of this kind of thinking today, can’t we?  

“Did you suffer so many things in vain(for nothing), if indeed it was in vain(for nothing)?” (v4)

“Does He (God) then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” (v5)

Paul used this inquiry method not to teach them but to remind them of what they already knew, what they already had experienced and what they had already committed to, a saving faith in Christ and Him alone.

Paul has begun to establish, in many ways, a foundation for the Christian doctrine.

His first point: we are saved through faith in Christ and it is through that faith alone that we should live.

jeannaswann 

#nowuntohimwhoisable

 Question for discussion - (your email is never posted or shared)

If our salvation is a result of faith in Christ, where do you see yourself or others trying to throw “works” into Paul’s message?