INTRODUCTION
The life of the believer is anchored on the work of Christ in the cross, and his daily walk with God is empowered by the Spirit that is within him. As we receive Christ as our Lord, knowing that he was crucified and that the crucifixion meant everything for us, we continue to live in the freedom that he has given us. In arguing about the freedom that the believers have, Paul now opens up his contentions in this part of the book of Galatians by letting the believers consider how they received the Spirit of God. This argument from experience is undoubtedly Paul’s best way to enlighten the Galatians that they did not receive the Spirit by the works of the law but by the hearing of the faith.
This paper will take a closer look and investigate Gal. 3:1-5 with the hope that it would not only be for the Galatians but for the Christians in the here and now that the truths as revealed here by the Spirit will be beneficial.
CONTEXT
The Apostle Paul’s emotion in dealing with the issues in this book right at the outset of this chapter is bursting. He could not believe what has happened to the people to whom he preached the Gospel. In asserting his basic purpose in writing this letter, the passage in focus here seeks to define the role of the Spirit in their Christian walk. Therefore, the primacy of the Spirit in their faith and walk is established in this section by Paul.
He appeals now to the experience of the Galatian believers when they received the Spirit from God through the six rhetorical questions he presented here. According to Longenecker,[1] the argumentative section that Paul used here is easily understandable since this kind of rhetorical technique is used typically during that time. Consequently, Paul desires for the Galatians to understand the whole circumstance that they are into.
VERSE 1a
+W avno,htoi Gala,tai( ti,j u`ma/j evba,skanen
"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you" (NAS) [2]
More than just a reproof, this part of the verse speaks of Paul’s frustration and enragement as to the attitude of the believers in Galatia. By using the word avno,htoi “foolish” twice (v.3), Paul describes the lack of discernment that the Galatians were guilty of. The lack of comprehension[3] of the believers here greatly sorrows and agonizes Paul as can be seen in the burst of emotion that he has in articulating his words.
According to F. F. Bruce, Paul uses the adjective avno,htoi here to emphasize that the Galatians became so illogical by returning their obedience to the Law[4] instead of holding on to the freedom that they received free from the law itself. The inability to discern made the Galatians to accept the Law again and deny the freedom that they received.
The verb baskai,nw, appearing in the New testament only here and which was figuratively commonly used in the Greek world means “fascinate by casting an evil eye” or “bewitch”. [5] Bruce believed that the strange behavior of the Galatian Christians were so indifferent with the message of freedom that they received before from Paul as if someone had put a spell on them.[6] The intensity of this words emotions made Paul so upset that he felt as if the believers in Galatian were “bewitched”.
VERSE 1b
oi-j katV ovfqalmou.j VIhsou/j cristo.j proegra,fh evn u`mi/n evstaurwme,nojÈ
before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
The verb progra,fw could either mean “beforehand” (the pro– being temporal) or “show forth” or “portray publicly” as on a placard (the pro– being locative). [7] Here, however, the locative sense of pro is the most evident, because the phrase “publicly portray” as on a public placard seems most appropriate with the imagery “before your eyes.” [8] Consequently, there is no denying that Paul indeed made himself clear in the preaching of the pure gospel that he presented to them. However, the false teachers easily swayed them to a law plus gospel.
The perfect passive participle evstaurwme,noj, being in the perfect tense, lays emphasis on the crucifixion as an accomplished fact with present results, and so should be translated “having been crucified,”[9] denoting still the present significance of the of the crucifixion of Christ itself.[10] The apostle perfectly stated here that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is enough for their salvation and by no other means can anyone be saved other than the gospel of the crucified Christ. This is evident in his message in Galatia as also is in Corinth where he was resolved to know nothing “except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Cor. 2:2). [11]
Dunn, emphasized that the language used here tells much about the preaching of Paul and the content presented in it which is the cross, adding that the preaching of Christ having been crucified is not just simply preaching him crucified, but also to preach him risen. [12] Thus, in a nutshell, the gospel is all the cross of Christ.
Commentary
Paul’s language in this verse clearly expresses his serious disappointment to the attitude of the Galatian believers towards the Gospel. One cannot blame his use of the word avno,htoi (foolish) since he never thought that they would be easily swayed to believe and return to the Law again as opposed to the freedom that they experienced in Christ, which is not according to the Law. He was so dismayed that the he had to remind them of the truth they received from him which is the preaching of the cross.
The preaching of the cross of Christ has been the main theme of Paul’s message whenever he has to counter the message of the Judaizers. His use of the imagery of the public announcement of the message in one sense makes one think that Paul made sure that his message was heard and understood by them- that the cross of Jesus was publicly given to them, and Paul reserved nothing to withhold this truth from them. The question in this verse aims to bring back the Galatians to the cross of Christ as central to the message of a life free from the law and all that it requires of them. They are already free from it so there is not even a use to turn to the law again as what they are doing which only keeps them in slavery and dismisses the power of the cross in their lives.
VERSE 2
to mo,non qe,lw maqei/n avfV u`mw/n evx e;rgwn no,mou to. pneu/ma evla,bete( h' evx avkoh/j pi,stewjÈ
“This is the only thing I want to find out from you, did you receive the Spirit
by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”
This verse now gives the point that the apostle Paul would want to make clear in this passage. He appeals this time directly to the Galatians’ own experience of having received the Spirit and asks on what basis that experience came about. [13] This rhetorical question begins by letting the Galatian believers look at themselves by the words “This is the only thing I want to find out from you”, and reflect on their own experience in receiving the Spirit not through their obedience to the Law[14] but through the freedom that they obtained because of the Gospel of Christ.
Fung regards that verses 2 and 5 be studied together because of the same antithesis that they both employ, that is:“by keeping the law” or by “believing in the gospel message.”[15] Instead of presenting himself, he makes his main point in this passage clear by dealing with the experiential aspect of the believers with regards to the Spirit. [16] The reception now of the Spirit is in focus and Paul makes his point clear by asking this rhetorical question to the Galatians. The reason for the question here lies in the fact that the apostle wants to hear an answer straight from their experience.
Longenecker believes that Paul here does not argue as to whether or not his converts had received the Spirit since it is already a known fact to him and to them, [17] a shared familiarity that Paul was confident in asking because in reflecting the question, he knows that they would find themselves wrong in their action and realize how faulty they have been in their actions. Paul wanted them to remember that the Spirit was something that was not gained but was given to them[18] not out of their obedience to the Law but evx avkoh/j pi,stewj (by hearing with faith).
Consequently, the force of the question settles the truth that the receiving of the Spirit is the crucial factor and the only sufficient one in their salvation and that which make the Galatians a people of God- thus making the experience of the Holy Spirit indispensable in the justification of God’s people.
Longenecker admits that evx avkoh/j pi,stewj is somewhat difficult to translate. [19] The preposition ek denotes source or basis for, in this case, the source or basis for justification. Richard Hays on the other hand argued on how this should be translated. The problem is caused not only by the ambiguity of the genitive case but also by the fact that both avkoh and pi,stij have at least two possible meanings.Avkoh can mean either the ‘action of hearing’ or ‘that which is heard’ or the message itself; [20] and pi,stij can mean either ‘the act of trusting’ or ‘that which is believed’ (the gospel). If avkoh means ‘hearing’ and pi,stij means believing , evx avkoh/j pi,stewj, then could be translated as ‘by hearing with faith.” [21].
Another translation possibility of evx avkoh/j pi,stewj is ‘by hearing the faith.’ This is if avkoh means ‘hearing’and pi,stij means ‘the faith’ (or the gospel), evx avkoh/j pi,stewj, then could be translated as ‘by hearing with faith.”[22] A further interpretation for this is to translate it as ‘from the message that aims at (or enables) faith,”[23] is also espoused by some scholars, making Rom. 10:16-17 as an explanation that for Paul probably means “report, proclamation, preaching, message.”The word pi,stij is understood here is the response of the human to the preached gospel. The final interpretation, championed by Lietzmann, is somewhat similar to the second. For him, pi,stij here means “Glaubensbotchaft”(faith message). [24] However, the emphasis is changed from the hearing to the preaching of the message. This interpretation is the most challenged and the least accepted among the four discussed above.
Looking closely at the justifications given above, the best interpretation possible is “by hearing with faith.’ The word avkoh here should definitely be interpreted as ‘hearing’ and pi,stij as ‘believing’ so as to be faithful to the parallel passages where this words are used as well citing the book of Romans and Hebrews as examples.
Commentary
The rhetorical question given by the apostle Paul in this verse is the key to the entire passage as to what his intention is. When he asked the Galatian believers about their own experience of the Spirit, he brought them back to the very beginning of their faith experience when they received the Spirit as they were justified and not by obeying the law to gain favor from God. Thus, the apostle made it clear in this verse that one cannot keep obeying the law when he is already free from it by the liberating power of the Spirit that was given him in his salvation.
The experience of receiving the Spirit definitely calls for a reflective attitude of a believer as he ponders upon the truth of his justification. The Spirit as zeal of God’s ownership to us as is written in Eph. 1:13, saying ‘you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise.’ Clearly, the Apostle Paul showed the believers in Galatia that the gift of the Spirit is in them because God has sealed it when they received their salvation.
This passage reminds us that since the Spirit is in us, we need not be swayed by the works of the Law for it is not how freed men should live. Ezek. 36: 26, God said, “And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” Accordingly, the Spirit in us should lead us to obedience to God and not in the shackles of the Law.
VERSE 3
3Ou[twj avno,htoi, evsteÈ VEnarxa,menoi pneu,mati( nu/n sarki. evpitelei/sqeÈ
3Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
This is the second time that avno,htoi, is used in this passage. This vividly depicts the disappointment and displeasure of Paul to the condition of the believers in Galatia. However, it is just reasonable for Paul to feel this way since he never thought that they would go back to their previous lives in the Law.
The focal point of Paul’s rhetorical question in this verse has to do with the incongruity of one’s Christian life on one basis (‘with the Spirit’) and then changing to another (‘by human effort’). [25] As observed by Dunn, this has a double significance: (1) between Spirit as divine power and enabling, and flesh as weak, self-centered, self-indulgent humanity (this contrast is developed strongly in v.16). (2) Jewish emphasis on ethnic identity as exemplified in the demand for circumcision (6:13).[26] This spirit and flesh comparison is expounded by Paul quite exhaustively here which makes one think of the animosity that he has towards the obedience to the Law.
The adverbial participle Venarxa,menoi (having begun) speaks of the moment that one has become a Christian since the verb is both aorist and temporal. [27] And since one has been justified and has received the Spirit, he has to walk continuously ‘in the Spirit’ [28] and not in obedience to the Law. Therefore, the reception of the Spirit has to have its continuity as the believer walks in the light of God.
The present infinitive passive verb evpitelei/sqe with the adverbial participle nu/n stresses the Galatian Christians’ present orientation: “now trying to attain perfection.” [29] This intensely explains that the Galatians in obeying the Law once again try hard to attain perfection by the Law itself and forgetting the freedom that they have from it.
The two verbs VEnarcomai and evpiteleiw are similarly used of the beginning and completion of the Christian way in Phil. 1:6. [30] Fung noted that Paul here is making a sarcastic reference to the Judaizers’ claim that they can be made perfect by obeying the Law. [31] Remember that the Judaizers where people who believe that the Law has to be obeyed to gain the favor of God yet Paul had been in constant struggle with them.
Commentary
Though the fiery temper of the apostle is still unmistakable, he made it plain and simple to explain that the life which began in the Spirit cannot continue in the flesh and should never end with it. Paul made his argument clearer in this verse by pointing out to the beginning of the Christian walk of the Galatian believers which is the Spirit. The perfection therefore cannot be with the flesh.
While the Spirit resides in the believer, the latter should walk with Him. And even though the Law might distract from doing this, the Spirit will teach and help us to as we continue to give in to what the Spirit prompts us to do. The Christian walk could never end in the flesh for the way of the flesh is death and the way of the Spirit is life. [32]Therefore, believers must realize that the walk in the faith is a continuous walk in the Spirit and with the Spirit of God.
VERSE 4
4Tosau/ta evpa,qete eivkh/|È Ei;ge kai. eivkh/|Å
4Did you suffer so many things in vain-- if indeed it was in vain?
The critical word in this next rhetorical question is the verb pa,scw, which could either mean “experience suffering” or “great experiences”. [33] Commonly used in the Septuagint and the New Testament, most have understood evpa,qete here sensu malo (in a bad sense) as in persecution. Nevertheless looking closely in the context of this passage, it should be understood as sensu bono (in a good sense), referring to positive experiences of the Spirit.[34]
What the Galatians actually suffered is uncertain because there is no reference of them being persecuted because of their faith. Dunn acknowledged that we are not really informed whether there is an implication of ecstatic experiences which involved some suffering that the Galatians experienced or not. [35]
The use of eivkh/| points to the truth of the believers’ series of experiences which gives a clear hope to the apostle that their situation is not permanent. In rhetoric, the exclamatory eivkh/| seems to have been a popular device for threatening people who involves into some questioning deals. [36] The phrase Ei;ge kai. eivkh/| express Paul’s hope that they will be regained to the truth of the gospel. [37] Paul’s tone of voice in this verse does not sound helpless though disappointed, for he still believes that they were only swayed to go back to their old lives as if literally bewitched (v.1) but not without hope of returning to the pure gospel.
Commentary
It would be wise to accept the idea of Longenecker that the meaning of evpa,qete here is in sensu bono (in a good sense) for the basic reason that there is lack of evidence from the book of Galatians that the believers experienced suffering because of persecution in any way. Looking at it etymologically will not suffice to justify a sensu malo (in a bad sense) idea of the word. Furthermore, the argument presented by Paul here suggests a good experience of the believers in receiving the Spirit since his disappointment was such that he cannot comprehend why the Galatian believers has to live according to the Law after experiencing the blessings of their salvation especially in receiving the Spirit.
However, the context of the evpa,qete, as vague as it is, should not lead any believer to return to their previous lives, just because of any difficulty or persecution. Instead, the more the believers experience suffering of any kind, the more they have to live in and with the Spirit.
VERSE 5
5~O ou=n evpicorhgw/n u`mi/n to. pneu/ma kai. evnergw/n duna,meij evn u`mi/n(
evx e;rgwn no,mou( h' evx avkoh/j pi,stewjÈ
evx e;rgwn no,mou( h' evx avkoh/j pi,stewjÈ
5Does He 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?
This verse closes Paul’s rhetorical questions of vv.1-5 directly asking again the question in v.2, though here question is asked in light of all Paul has referred in vv. 2-4. The postpositive ou=n (then) indicates the fact that Paul is summarizing his arguments from experience by stressing on the Galatians reception of the Holy Spirit which makes them a part of God’s eschatological people (vv.2-3); and their continuous experience in v.4. [38]
The two substantival participles evpicorhgw/n (“the one who gives”) and evnergw/n (“the one who works”) refer to the same person (the unexpressed qeoj,“God”) and described related activities affecting the same persons. [39] Paul in this verse clearly states the Person who gives and who works in the lives of the believers in Galatia. He is the one who provided them with the same Spirit that they had when they were saved which is the same Spirit that is in them as they continue to walk in their Christian lives. The miracles that they experienced and received were brought by the unexpressed qeoj, “God” in the beginning of the verse.
Fung discussed vv. 2 and 5 at the same time because both declare the same antithesis. He further explained that it is their hearing of the proclamation of “Jesus Christ crucified” that the Galatians initially received the gift of the Spirit and now continue to experience his power. [40] The problem is that the believers here might have forgotten this truth that they need to be reminded again by Paul so that they would be set free from the bondage of the Law where they had been freed previously.
The plural duna,meij (powers) was regularly used in the sense ‘miracles’,since it obviously had in view actions with the character of power, that is, as explainable only in terms of divine power, or actions with visible and often striking effects. [41] In lieu of this, Paul reminded them that the miracles and the powers of God did not come upon them because of their obedience to the Law but through the freedom that they received outside of the Law. The reception of the Holy Spirit was the way in which these miracles were manifested amongst them. This reception of the Spirit, the miracles and the provisions that they received from God was initiated when they were justified through their faith in the message of Paul- “The Christ crucified,” thus, this encapsulates the message of Paul.
Commentary
The crucial point of Paul in repeating his question in v.2 here is to firmly remind the Galatians about the truth that they became slaves through the Law and it is only by the Spirit that they have experienced freedom. This freedom that they received has the Spirit of God living in them and in which they have experienced the miracles of God.
In comparing the works of the Law and the hearing with faith, we can deduce that Paul wants them to realize that both could never go together, each being the antithesis of the other. Therefore, they could either go back to their faith, which is the best thing to do or be bewitched continuously (v.3).
CONCLUSION
The issue of the Spirit as the seal of the believers in their justification is given much more prominence in this passage. Paul could not emphasize this better because he is convinced
through his own experience and by the Scriptures itself of this one great truth.
The believers in Galatia could have been more careful about their actions yet, they were as Longenecker would say, “enchanted” and allowed themselves to be under the Law again instead of living as freed men of God. Still, Paul bursting with emotion again proclaimed to them this truth by focusing on the cross of Jesus Christ as the sole message of the gospel and the reception of the Holy Spirit as their mark in being a part of God’s eschatological people.
Much has been discussed and truth has been told, it is only right and proper to adhere to the truth of the message of the cross and be firm on it so that we, as the Galatians should be, may not allow ourselves to be bewitched by the works of the Law so we can gain the favor of God. Instead, we ought to be vigilant and as God’s people, we should always walk and live by the Spirit, proclaiming and living the cross of Christ and him crucified.
endnotes:
[1] Richard N. Longenecker,Galatians, Word Biblical Commentary(Waco, Texas: Word, 1990), 99.
[2] All Scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard (NAS) Translation unless otherwise indicated.
[3] James Dunn, The Epistle to the Galatians, (Bedford Row: London: A & C Black ltd., 1993),151.
4] F.F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Galatians, NIGTC (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982), 148.
5] Longenecker, 100.
6] Bruce, 148. Both Dunn and Ryken concur to this idea saying that Paul knew that the Galatians were not really enchanted. They were under the influence of the false teachers who wanted to add the Law to faith in Jesus to produce a “Jesus plus” gospel. Dunn, 151; Ryken, Galatians, 82.
[7] Longenecker, 100.
8] Longenecker, 100.
9] Longenecker, 101.
[10] Philip Graham Ryken Galatians, (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R Publishing, 2005), 84.
11] Dunn, 148.
[12] Dunn, 152.
13] Longenecker, 101.
14] Longenecker, 102. He expounded on the idea that Paul, in talking about e;rgwn no,mou, wanted to emphasize that it is never through the works of the law that man could win the favor of God, thus giving them their salvation.
15] Y.K. Fung, The Epistle to the Galatians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament,(Grand Rapids, Michigan: William Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955), 130.F. F. Bruce stressed that Paul assumes that they had received the Spirit- his presence and power were manifested among them by the duna,meij of v.5, thus the clear association of verse 2 and 5.Bruce, 149; In this verse, the significance of Paul’s question boils down to the idea that he did not ask what the Galatians learned from him, nor what they believed but as in the words of Dunn, the question was, “Was it by works of the Law that you received the Spirit or by hearing with faith?” Dunn, 152.The apostle concentrated right away to their experience of ‘receiving the Spirit’.
[16] Hans Dieter Betz, Galatians, A Commentary on Paul’s Letter to the Churches in Galatia, (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979), 132.
17] Longenecker, 102.
[18] Ryken, 102.
[19] Longenecker, 102.
[20] Richard B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ, The Narrative Structure of Galatians 3:1-4:11, 2nd ed., (Dearbom, Michigan: Dove Booksellers, 2002), 125. Longenecker added one more which is ‘the faculty or organ of hearing’, Longenecker, 103.
[21] Hays, 126.This was advocated by a long line of interpreters including Lightfoot and D. Guthrie and adopted by some translations (see RSV, ESV and NASB). This translation accurately reflects the general “Protestant” understanding of Paul’s message. Dunn said that in the nearest parallel passage (Rom. 14-17), Paul stresses the importance of hearing in the reception of the gospel, also considering that the apostle elsewhere makes use of the Hebrew understanding of obedient or heedful hearing. Dunn,154.
[22] Hays, 127.This interpretation has not received much popularity because of the difficulty of finding evidence to support it. This translation is supported by Calvin and J. Bligh who points to Gal. 1:23 as evidence that can mean for Paul “that which is believed."
[23] Hays, 127. This has gained fairly widespread acceptance among interpreters, many of whom have recognized including Bultmann.
[24] Hays, 127.
[25] Longenecker, 103.
[26] Dunn, 155. The parallelism between verses 2 and 3 clearly links ‘Spirit’ and ‘faith’ on the one side and ‘flesh’ and ‘works of the Law’ on the other.
[27] Longenecker, 103.
[28] Betz, 133. This is explained more in Gal. 5:25 when it says, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” Bruce explained that the reception of the Holy Spirit does not mark a higher stage of justification but the gift of the Spirit is the confirmation of Christ’s redemptive work. Bruce, 150.
[29] Longenecker, 103. Bruce compared this to Acts 19:2 when the 12 disciples of Ephesus were asked, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They would have answered yes because they began their walk as Christians in (or with) the Spirit. Bruce, 149.
[30] Longenecker, 104.
[31] Fung, 134.
[32] John 6:63 says “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing;bthe words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” Also, since the flesh is in opposition to the Spirit as stated in Gal. 5:117-18, it therefore brings death through the obedience to the Law.
[33] The New English Bible translates this phrase as “great experiences”.
[34] Longenecker, 104. The positive experiences in the Spirit could either refer back to “having begun with the Spirit” of v.3 or forward to the statements about God giving his Spirit and working miracles among them (v.5) or both. Fung suggests that since there is such an ambiguity to the meaning of the pa,scw, one cannot dispel the probable interpretations of it though he also concede to the idea that if context will decide, he would have to agree with the translation in sensu malo. Fung, 133.
[35] Dunn, 156.
[36] Betz, 135.
[37] Bruce, 150.
[38] Longenecker, 105.
[39] Longenecker, 105.
[40] Fung, 132. The phrase O evpicorhgw/n u`mi/n to. pneu/ma undoubtedly refers to the Galatians’ initial reception of the Spirit at the time of their conversion. The implication of this statement is that the giving of the Spirit is fully in accord with God’s nature as God. The present tense could reinforce that this is what God does. Longenecker, 105.
[41] Longenecker, 105. Betz considers duna,meij as the evidence for the fact that the Spirit is at work among the believers in Galatia. Betz, 135.
SELECTED BIBILIOGRAPHY
Betz, Hans Dieter, Galatians, A Commentary on Paul’s Letter to the Churches in Galatia. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.
Bruce, F.F., The Epistle to the Galatians, NIGTC: A Commentary on the Greek Text. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982.
Dunn, James D. G., The Epistle to the Galatians, Black’s New Testament Commentaries. Bedford Row, London: A & C Black Ltd., 1993.
Ebeling, Gerhard, The Truth of the Gospel, An Exposition of Galatians, translated by David Green. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Fortress Press ex libris publication, 2007.
Fung, Y.K., The Epistle to the Galatians, The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1955.
Hays, Richard B., The Faith of Jesus Christ, The Narrative Structure of Galatians 3:1-4:11, 2nd ed. Dearbom, Michigan: Dove Booksellers, 2002.
Longenecker, Richard N., Galatians, Word Biblical Commentary. Waco, Texas: Word, 1990.
Ryken, Philip Graham, Galatians. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P& R Publishing, 2005.
Martyn, J. Louis, Galatians, A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, The Anchor Bible. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc. 1977.
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