Galatians Chapter 3, Part 1
Chapter 3
(All scripture quoted is from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960,1962,1963,1968.1971,1973,1975,1977,1995.2020 by the Lockman Foundation, A Corporation Not for Profit, La Habra, CA, All Rights Reserved, unless otherwise noted.)
Thank you for listening to the First Day podcast. I am Patrick Cooley, the pastor of Northport Methodist Church, and I am so glad you’re spending some time with me.
So, Paul has received word that the churches in Galatia are beginning to wander away from the gospel message that Paul had preached to them. Although he does not tell us what this new, false gospel is, based upon the details of the stories that he shares in chapter two—particularly the ones concerning his encounter with Peter in Antioch—it is safe to assume that this false gospel has to do with the necessity of Gentiles taking up Jewish practices to be justified.
Paul ends the chapter by stressing how central Jesus Christ is to our justification and redefining, really, what it means to be alive. Let’s continue in the letter at chapter 3.
Read verses 1-5
"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?"
“You foolish Galatians…” They are not ignernt—as we say in the South—they are not stupid. He doesn’t even say here that they lack knowledge, since Paul, himself, has preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them. The Apostle here is accusing them of lacking wisdom and choosing to act on their own understanding.
“…did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” In Greek Paul’s comparison is between ex ergon nomou (from legal works) and ex akoes pisteos (from the message of faith). This second expression, akoes pisteos, can be translated in one of four ways: hearing with faith (as the NASB has chosen to translate it), hearing of faith, the message that results in believing, or the message of faith.
Although quite different from each other, these four options have one thing in common, they do not refer to the believer earning the Holy Spirit’s presence through their legal observances or ritual acts.
The presence of the Spirit is the gift of God through faith—which we first come to experience when we hear the message of the gospel—the message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen.
“Did you receive the Spirit from hearing the gospel that preached,” Paul asks, “or by your observance of the law?” The issue at hand gains some clarity with Paul’s next question. “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”
In his letters, this is the first time Paul refers to the Spirit. It is this Spirit that enables the Galatians to live the life of faith—the life of Christ. It is only in the Spirit can a believer be perfected. It appears as if the Galatians, although they had entered into their relationship with Christ by hearing the message that was preached to them through faith, now are trying to sanctify themselves by performing legal works—in particular, physical circumcision.
They have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, and they seem here to have suffered because of it. The empire was yet to begin open persecution of Christians, so in view here is not the same kind of suffering that James’ audience was experiencing.
The Galatians’ suffering would have arisen from reordering their lives by making the things of God take priority. Their hearts’ treasure would have changed. This would undoubtedly have resulted in shattered relationships with others and struggles in the broader culture there in Galatia.
Thankfully, Paul concludes this question with “if indeed it was in vain”, making this question about the futility of the Galatian’s conversion a rhetorical one.
Their experience of and suffering for the Spirit was not in vain. This is because it is God, “who provides [them] with the Spirit and works miracles among [them]” and not by their efforts to keep the legal works of the Law.
Read verses 6-9
"6 Just as Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer."
Here, Paul refers to Genesis 12:3 when he reports what God said to Abraham, the “All the nations will be blessed in [him].” For the apostle’s first declaration in this section, that “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” he is quoting Genesis 15:6, “Then he believed the LORD; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” But to fully get at what Paul is saying here, remember back to the previous series on James and his discussion of this same declaration and outcome of Abraham’s faith. James referred to Genesis 22 and the offering up of Isaac on Mount Moriah as the example of faith that has been credited as righteousness.
Genesis 22:15-18 declares:
"15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
And please do not forget that James says that “even the demons believe and tremble.” Faith, therefore, is belief with obedience. Put another way, faith without deeds is dead. Without obedience, faith is just the same belief that the demons have. This “faith is belief plus obedience” thing is reiterated in Genesis 26, when God extends the promise that He made to Abraham to Isaac, when Isaac appears to be planning to go down to Egypt because of a famine.
God tells him to stay in Gerar and to trust in His provision through the famine. It’s in verses four and five that God explains why Abraham’s faith was considered to be righteousness. God makes a covenant with Isaac.
"4 I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Abraham didn’t only believe; he demonstrated that he had faith.
So in verse 8, Paul points out that God had always planned to bless the Gentiles and bring them into a saving relationship with Him. And in verse 9, Paul tells the Galatians that God has extended the covenant to them through the same faith that Abraham—and Isaac—had. Though they are Gentiles, they are now because of faith God’s covenant people.
I know that I might be beating a dead horse here, but I think that this is of the utmost importance. I think many Christians—out of fear of being like the Galatians—have come to the thought that believing that Jesus is the Messiah is the only thing necessary to receive salvation. This means that all you must do is make an “I believe” statement and that’s it. “Pray this prayer,” I remember being told by preachers in my past. “You’re now saved.”
But by using Abraham as their example, Paul and James both indicate that this in NOT what they mean by a faith that is credited as righteousness. Read Genesis 26:5 again, and hear God explain to Isaac why his father Abraham was declared righteous, “5 because Abraham obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
God here is not talking about Abraham being justified by the works of the Mosiac Law, of course, because that didn’t exist, but he did perform his duty by keeping God’s laws. To what commandments, statutes, and laws is God referring? More on those as we continue our study through the New Testament. But with James under our belt, I think we can safely say that like Rahab, Abraham demonstrated through his actions that he believed God
(All scripture quoted is from the New American Standard Bible, © 1960,1962,1963,1968.1971,1973,1975,1977,1995.2020 by the Lockman Foundation, A Corporation Not for Profit, La Habra, CA, All Rights Reserved, unless otherwise noted.)
Thank you for listening to the First Day podcast. I am Patrick Cooley, the pastor of Northport Methodist Church, and I am so glad you’re spending some time with me.
So, Paul has received word that the churches in Galatia are beginning to wander away from the gospel message that Paul had preached to them. Although he does not tell us what this new, false gospel is, based upon the details of the stories that he shares in chapter two—particularly the ones concerning his encounter with Peter in Antioch—it is safe to assume that this false gospel has to do with the necessity of Gentiles taking up Jewish practices to be justified.
Paul ends the chapter by stressing how central Jesus Christ is to our justification and redefining, really, what it means to be alive. Let’s continue in the letter at chapter 3.
Read verses 1-5
"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?"
“You foolish Galatians…” They are not ignernt—as we say in the South—they are not stupid. He doesn’t even say here that they lack knowledge, since Paul, himself, has preached the gospel of Jesus Christ to them. The Apostle here is accusing them of lacking wisdom and choosing to act on their own understanding.
“…did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?” In Greek Paul’s comparison is between ex ergon nomou (from legal works) and ex akoes pisteos (from the message of faith). This second expression, akoes pisteos, can be translated in one of four ways: hearing with faith (as the NASB has chosen to translate it), hearing of faith, the message that results in believing, or the message of faith.
Although quite different from each other, these four options have one thing in common, they do not refer to the believer earning the Holy Spirit’s presence through their legal observances or ritual acts.
The presence of the Spirit is the gift of God through faith—which we first come to experience when we hear the message of the gospel—the message of Jesus Christ crucified and risen.
“Did you receive the Spirit from hearing the gospel that preached,” Paul asks, “or by your observance of the law?” The issue at hand gains some clarity with Paul’s next question. “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?”
In his letters, this is the first time Paul refers to the Spirit. It is this Spirit that enables the Galatians to live the life of faith—the life of Christ. It is only in the Spirit can a believer be perfected. It appears as if the Galatians, although they had entered into their relationship with Christ by hearing the message that was preached to them through faith, now are trying to sanctify themselves by performing legal works—in particular, physical circumcision.
They have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, and they seem here to have suffered because of it. The empire was yet to begin open persecution of Christians, so in view here is not the same kind of suffering that James’ audience was experiencing.
The Galatians’ suffering would have arisen from reordering their lives by making the things of God take priority. Their hearts’ treasure would have changed. This would undoubtedly have resulted in shattered relationships with others and struggles in the broader culture there in Galatia.
Thankfully, Paul concludes this question with “if indeed it was in vain”, making this question about the futility of the Galatian’s conversion a rhetorical one.
Their experience of and suffering for the Spirit was not in vain. This is because it is God, “who provides [them] with the Spirit and works miracles among [them]” and not by their efforts to keep the legal works of the Law.
Read verses 6-9
"6 Just as Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 Therefore, recognize that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “ALL THE NATIONS WILL BE BLESSED IN YOU.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer."
Here, Paul refers to Genesis 12:3 when he reports what God said to Abraham, the “All the nations will be blessed in [him].” For the apostle’s first declaration in this section, that “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” he is quoting Genesis 15:6, “Then he believed the LORD; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” But to fully get at what Paul is saying here, remember back to the previous series on James and his discussion of this same declaration and outcome of Abraham’s faith. James referred to Genesis 22 and the offering up of Isaac on Mount Moriah as the example of faith that has been credited as righteousness.
Genesis 22:15-18 declares:
"15 Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand, which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18 And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
And please do not forget that James says that “even the demons believe and tremble.” Faith, therefore, is belief with obedience. Put another way, faith without deeds is dead. Without obedience, faith is just the same belief that the demons have. This “faith is belief plus obedience” thing is reiterated in Genesis 26, when God extends the promise that He made to Abraham to Isaac, when Isaac appears to be planning to go down to Egypt because of a famine.
God tells him to stay in Gerar and to trust in His provision through the famine. It’s in verses four and five that God explains why Abraham’s faith was considered to be righteousness. God makes a covenant with Isaac.
"4 I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, 5 because Abraham obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws." Abraham didn’t only believe; he demonstrated that he had faith.
So in verse 8, Paul points out that God had always planned to bless the Gentiles and bring them into a saving relationship with Him. And in verse 9, Paul tells the Galatians that God has extended the covenant to them through the same faith that Abraham—and Isaac—had. Though they are Gentiles, they are now because of faith God’s covenant people.
I know that I might be beating a dead horse here, but I think that this is of the utmost importance. I think many Christians—out of fear of being like the Galatians—have come to the thought that believing that Jesus is the Messiah is the only thing necessary to receive salvation. This means that all you must do is make an “I believe” statement and that’s it. “Pray this prayer,” I remember being told by preachers in my past. “You’re now saved.”
But by using Abraham as their example, Paul and James both indicate that this in NOT what they mean by a faith that is credited as righteousness. Read Genesis 26:5 again, and hear God explain to Isaac why his father Abraham was declared righteous, “5 because Abraham obeyed Me and fulfilled his duty to Me, and kept My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”
God here is not talking about Abraham being justified by the works of the Mosiac Law, of course, because that didn’t exist, but he did perform his duty by keeping God’s laws. To what commandments, statutes, and laws is God referring? More on those as we continue our study through the New Testament. But with James under our belt, I think we can safely say that like Rahab, Abraham demonstrated through his actions that he believed God