Download discussion questions:  Galatians 3:1-14
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Review – Paul’s Letter So Far

We began our discussion with a review of the first two chapters of Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches.  Our starting-point question was, “How does this section (beginning in Galatians 3) fit into Paul’s thought process?  What is the flow of his argument?  Too often we follow chapter and verse divisions which were added hundreds of years after the original writing.  Those helpful, but artificial, interruptions partition our thinking, isolating parts of Scripture that originally were written and intended to form a whole.  Remembering that individual passages occur in a larger context is critical for understanding the author’s meaning.

As a review, we used a simple outline: [1]

1. Introduction, Galatians 1:1-10
   1. Salutation — subdued greeting, vv. 1-5
   2. Subject — passionate disapproval, vv. 6-10
2. Personal, 1:11 — 2:14  Authority of the apostle
   1. Experience of Paul in Arabia, 1:11-17
   2. Experience of Paul with Cephas and James in Jerusalem, 1:18-24
   3. Experience of Paul with apostles in Jerusalem, 2:1-10
   4. Experience of Paul in Antioch with Peter, 2:11-14
3. III. Doctrinal, 2:15 — 4:31 Justification by Faith, Faith vs. Works, Liberty vs. Bondage
   1. Justification by faith — doctrine stated, 2:15-21
   2. ????????, 3:1-14

How does the beginning of chapter 3 continue this outline?  What connections does the passage have to what Paul said previously?  What new thoughts did he introduce?

The consensus of our group was that Paul’s previous focus had been establishing his authority.  That conviction was based on his personal experiences after the risen Christ met him.  He especially emphasized his limited influence from other human sources and the confirmation of his preaching from the church in Jerusalem.  The current passage shifts the focus to the Galatians themselves and their experience of the Holy Spirit.  The continuing thread from the earlier parts of the letter is the inadequacy of the law, either for justification or for the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

Discussion:  Galatians 3:1-14

When we turned to examine the passage in more detail, there were several repeated words or themes intertwined.

• The crucifixion of Jesus is mentioned at the beginning (v. 1) and near the end of the passage (v. 13). We discussed the fact that “hanging on a tree” (lit. “wood,” xulon, ξύλον) was a description from the Jewish Scriptures (Deuteronomy 21:23) written before the Romans invented crucifixion.
• Likewise, “Spirit” is mentioned early in the passage (v. 2, 3, 4) and at the very end (v. 14).
• The contrast between “works of the Law” (v. 2, 5, 10, 11, 13) and “faith” (v. 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14) or “belief” (v. 6, 9) continues Paul’s key theme of the importance of faith and the impotence of law. One observation was the capitalization:  “Law” or “law” in different translations.  For example, in a previous discussion we used the New International Version (NIV) for the preceding passage, and “law” was not capitalized.  (This is a good example of how comparing translations can raise more questions for discussion – a good thing that helps our understanding of Scripture.)  Since the original authors did not follow English grammar rules for capitalization, translators try to communicate what seems to be the writers’ meanings.  Our group suggested that “law” could be rules in general, while “Law” might be the Ten Commandments.  Law might be the Pentateuch (the first five books, Genesis through Deuteronomy, also called the Torah).  Law could be the entire Jewish Scriptures, or it might even include the rules imposed by the Pharisees.  Whatever way the word is taken, our group agreed that Paul’s point is that no form of law or Law is adequate for justification or (in the present passage) receiving the Holy Spirit.
• Another contrast uses repeated references to “blessing” (v. 8, 9, 14) and “curse” (twice in v. 10 and three times in v. 13).

The Faith of Abraham

A question came up in our discussion about Paul’s reference to Abraham, who he had not mentioned before in this letter.  Certainly Abraham’s experience of faith as the source of righteousness (justification) would strengthen Paul’s argument.  After repeatedly asserting that the experience of the Holy Spirit came to the Galatians by faith (v. 5b), Paul brought up the prime example of faith, Abraham the believer (v. 6).

As one person in the group pointed out, the example of Abraham demonstrates that God’s plan has always been about faith, since Abraham lived long before the Law was delivered to Moses.  Maybe even more significantly, God’s sign of circumcision was first given to Abraham (Genesis 17:10).  It seems logical to assume that the group insisting on law-keeping (and specifically circumcision, Galatians 2:3-12) would have appealed to Abraham’s example.  Paul appealed to Abraham’s earlier encounter with God (Genesis 15:6) where faith, not circumcision or any other “work,” was the basis of righteousness.  Paul’s introduction of Abraham into the argument again showed that faith has always been God’s plan for His people.

The passage says that the “gospel” or good news came to Abraham (v. 8), further evidence of the consistency of God’s work.  Abraham lived perhaps 2,000 years before Jesus was born, and even then the gospel was about faith.  The gospel was not only for Abraham:  “All the nations will be blessed in you” (v. 8b, quoting Genesis 12:3).  Paul showed one more confirmation that the gospel was for the Gentiles, the “nations” outside of Judaism.  Abraham’s faith, not his circumcision, was the source of the “blessing to come to the Gentiles” (v. 14).

The Limitation of the Law

From the blessing of Abraham in v. 9, Paul suddenly shifted in v. 10 to the topic of a curse.  The stark, even startling contrast between blessing and a curse illustrates the difference between faith and the law.

The problem with law-keeping as a lifestyle, for first-century Galatians or for Jews in Jerusalem or for us today, is the issue of degree.  How much of the law do I need to keep to please God?  How perfectly do I need to observe the law to have favor with God?  Paul’s answer from the Jewish Scriptures is crystal clear:  “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of law, to perform them” (v. 10, quoting Deuteronomy 27:26, emphasis added).  The same all-or-nothing character of law-keeping is repeated in Deuteronomy 28:15 and in Leviticus 26:14.  No wonder Paul could say, “That no one is justified by the Law before God is evident” (v. 11).  Anyone, Jew or Gentile, should be able to see that perfect law-keeping is unattainable.  Living by faith may be difficult at times, but living by the Law (all the Law) is not humanly possible.

The logical consequence is that, if all we have is the law, then we are all doomed.  We are all under the curse of God.  That’s where Paul delivered the punch line, the gospel, the good news:  Jesus, by His death on the cross, “hanging on a tree,” took the curse.  He became the curse for us.  The fallacy in the law-keepers’ argument was that it just doesn’t work.  The beauty of the argument of faith is that the work has been done.

One person in our group asked how this passage might relate to the process of making disciples (one of the intended themes of Calvary Institute).  Someone pointed out the simple statement that living by law or rules to please God never works:  “He who practices them (the works of law) shall live by them” (v. 12).  Every self-aware person knows that none of us lives up even to our own standards.  That “bad news” is often the starting point to understand and appreciate the good news.  Another comment noted that even we as believers need to be reminded that we are not dependent on law for our relationship with God.  We frequently need each other to remind us of that essential truth.

The Blessing of the Nations

Paul emphasized the fact that now we (along with the Galatians), because of our faith, are the children, the offspring of Abraham (v. 7).  The blessing that God began with Abraham continues to us, and it continues through us to the rest of the nations.  Lest we think this promise of blessing is a minor footnote in God’s plan, consider the following references:

And I will bless those who bless you,
And the one who curses you I will curse.
And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.”
Genesis 12:3

since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and in him all the nations of the earth will be blessed?
Genesis 18:18

In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Genesis 22:18

by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
Genesis 26:4

in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis 28:14

It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’
Acts 3:25

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.”
Galatians 3:8

At least five times in the Jewish Scriptures, and twice in the New Testament, this promise is repeated.  Our group discussed what this might look like for us.  What does it mean for us to be a blessing to others?  Certainly sharing the gospel, the good news of salvation is a high goal, but might there be other ways as well?  Simply being a pleasant presence to other people, such as a grocery clerk or a grumpy neighbor or offensive coworker can provide a refreshing contrast to our harsh culture of attack or indifference.  A kind word may be enough to change a person’s day, or it may lead to further conversations that change their life.  Christian writer Madeleine L’Engle, author of A Wrinkle in Time, said,

We draw people to Christ not by loudly discrediting what they believe, by telling them how wrong they are and how right we are, but by showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it.[2]

The Promise of the Spirit

How do we show “a light so lovely?”  There are no rules (or laws!) that govern how we might be a blessing to others.  Perhaps that is why in this passage Paul connected the blessing in Abraham (v. 14a) with the promise of the Spirit (v. 14b).

When we think of the gospel and people coming to Christ, or even of our own conversion experience, we may not give enough attention to the promise of the Spirit.  However, that promise held a prominent place in the early preaching of the church:

But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 7:39

but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:
‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,
‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;
Acts 2:16-17a

This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
Acts 2:32-33

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”  Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:37-38

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.  All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Acts 10:44-46

The gift or promise of the Holy Spirit was part of the presentation of the gospel.  Jesus foretold it, and the apostles at Pentecost preached that promise to the Jews.  The expansion of the gospel was confirmed by that promise granted to Gentiles.  Christians are sometimes criticized or even ridiculed for being only “heavenly minded.”  The gospel includes the promise of the Holy Spirit for living fully and abundantly right now.  The Holy Spirit is the One who empowers in us the “light so lovely” that draws people to Christ.  The Holy Spirit is the One who enables our shared life with the Father and the Son.  That shared life displayed to the world draws them to believe (John 17).  The more we learn to listen to promptings from the Spirit and act on them – a kind word, helping a neighbor, sharing the gospel – the more those around us will be drawn to the Triune God.

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[1] Adapted from BlueLetterBible.org, “Dr. J. Vernon McGee::Outline for Galatians”
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mcgee_j_vernon/notes-outlines/galatians/galatians-outline.cfm
Retrieved October 24, 2018.

[2] Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water:  Reflections on Faith and Art (Wheaton, Illinois:  Harold Shaw Publishers, 1980), 122.