Galatia The Law Covenant The law [covenant] . . . doth not disannul, so as to make the promise [covenant] of none effect.—Galatians 3:17 James Parkinson That faith is more important than the law is the main theme of the epistle of Paul to the Galatians. So why was a contrast of covenants emphasized in this letter? Galatia was a region, rather than a city, including much of the Anatolian Plateau and the central Halys River in modern Turkey. However, the dominant people were ethnically foreign to the region. Gaul was the Roman name for the ethnic Tarshish of Genesis 10, who in modern times are called the Celts of westernmost Europe. From their migrations we have the Gaels of the British Isles, the region of Galicia in modern Poland (among whom also red hair is not uncommon), and the Galatians, to the Christians of which Paul wrote this epistle. The Law, or a Redeemer? From early times, Tarshish had colonized from the Tartessian region of modern Portugal, to the city of Tarsus in southeastern coastal Turkey where Saul (Paul) was born. Thus, Saul of Tarsus had been acquainted with the Galatian culture, so remote from that of Israel. The Galatians learned of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, once for all, from the apostle Paul. They had no background in the law God gave Israel through Moses, so they were particularly impressed when Judaizers proclaimed that law to them. Who could, after all, find fault with the ten commandments? Are not the dietary and sanitary laws a good prescription for health? Circumcision on the 8th day of life (Leviticus 12:3) when the prothrombin concentration is temporarily maximum, minimizes an infant's liability to infection. And the sacrifices of the Passover lamb and the Atonement Day bullock certainly pointed to the ultimate sacrifice, the sacrifice of the Messiah (Christ) once for all (Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; Leviticus 16; Hebrews 10:5-10). But could the law give life? Paul reasons that “as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith” (Galatians 3:10,11). Was Abraham justified by the law? No, the law had not as yet been given. And even before circumcision, Abraham exercised faith, and he was justified by that faith. So, are you justified by faith, or by the law? Paul had been zealous for traditional Judaism. He had urged his fellows to stone Stephen, the first Christian martyr after Jesus, whose last words were, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” But it was not the law that converted Paul, it was our Lord Jesus Christ himself who converted him. He revealed himself directly to Paul. He did not tell Paul to go to Jerusalem to be taught of the apostles. In fact, Paul spent three years restudying the word before he even set foot in Jerusalem again. After just two weeks with Peter, it was another 14 years before Paul came to Jerusalem again, not for his spiritual education, but to get an agreement that God does not require circumcision of Christians who were Gentiles (Acts 15). James, Peter, and John did not require circumcision of the Greek brother who came with him. Instead, they encouraged the missionaries to continue bringing the gospel to the uncircumcised, to the nations. The only thing they required of them is that they help the poor. When one of the chief apostles from Jerusalem needed correction, Paul did it. The word of God carries more weight than even the best of men. “But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema” (Galatians 1:8). And he repeated it for emphasis! There is only one seed promised to Abraham. Is it through the law [covenant] or through the promise [covenant]? The seed of Abraham is Jesus Christ: “If ye are Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to [the] promise [covenant]. Now ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of [the] promise [covenant]” (Galatians 3:16,29; 4:28). Coming under the law cannot make us a part of the one seed of blessing, but only coming into Christ. Two Condemnations The law promised life to anyone to whom it was given, and who would keep it perfectly. Conversely, he who was under the law and broke it was under its curse. He who was not under the law was condemned to death in Adam, but he who was under the law was additionally cursed during his life (Deuteronomy 27:15-26; 28:15-68). The sacrifice of the perfect man Jesus Christ was sufficient to ransom Adam from death (and the race descended from him). The means of death could be used to redeem Israel (the people under the law) from their lifelong curse as exemplified in the Diaspora (dispersion of Jews throughout the world). “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree,” was the Lord's prescription for taking the curse of the law (Deuteronomy 21:23; Galatians 3:13). Jesus took the curse of the law upon himself when he was crucified on a wooden cross, as it is written, “God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law [covenant], that he might redeem them that were under the law [covenant]” (Galatians 4:4,5, ASV). Thus, the sacrifice of Christ on a cross was sufficient to redeem Israel from both curses. A Type: Hagar and Sarah Along with the promise to Abraham, there was also given an allegory, or type, of two covenants (Galatians 4:21-31). The mothers of Abraham's two first, and most prominent, sons typified God's first two covenants which nurture both the natural and spiritual Israel of God—the twelve tribes of Israel according to the flesh, and the church from the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. Sarah was the mother of the seed of promise, and thus she pictured the promise covenant. Hagar had been a handmaid (to Sarah, not to Abraham). She was the mother of those who are in bondage (to the law covenant). Hagar's son mocked Isaac and was cast away from Abraham. The nation of Israel mocked Jesus, had him slain, and then mocked those who have followed Christ; fleshly Israel was then cast away from God (for nearly nineteen centuries). There is nothing wrong with the law; it is perfect, but we are not. The law promised life, but only to the one who keeps it perfectly (Leviticus 18:5; Romans 7:10). The law was given so that we might recognize that we are sinful, that we need a Redeemer. Thus, the law was a school-guideLit. A body-guard (Greek: pedagogue) who led boys to and from school. Once this body-guard brought the boys to school, he turned them over to the teacher—in this case, Jesus Christ.> to lead us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). Now that we have been brought to Christ, let us turn our attention to the Teacher. Today neither circumcision nor uncircumcision matters. It is the new creation of God in Christ Jesus that matters, developing the bride of Christ; that is our work, that is everything to us. Adoption or Sonship? So long as an heir is a child, he is not treated differently than the child of a bondservant, even though he is to be master of all. He is under guardians and stewards of the house until the day appointed of the father, the time when he will be placed in a position of responsibility for the family estate. Jesus Christ redeemed us all from the condemnation of original sin, and redeemed Israel from the curse of the law, that the faithful might receive the placement-as-sonsLit. placing as sons, whether by adoption, or by the promotion suggested in verse 2.> (Galatians 4:5). Is this placement-as-sons an adoption or a sonship? If we are begotten of God, then we are not adopted (1 John 5:18). On the other hand, the placement-as-sons is declared to be future; we have now only the spirit of it (Romans 8:15,23). But if we are already sons of God (Romans 8:14; 1 John 3:2), then sonship also poorly fits the thought. The practicing Christian should remember that he is still immature, not yet ready for his placement or installation into his ultimate position of responsibility in the divine family. He is still being trained for future work with Christ for the blessing of all the families of the earth in the Millennial Resurrection Kingdom (Galatians 4:5,6). Which Fruit? For freedom did Christ set us free: “Stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage. For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh. Walk by the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:1,13,16). There are two kinds of fruit: choose the one that causes good growth:
We have a check list in Galatians 5:19-23. There are more ways to go wrong than to do right. Let us note the evil works against which we have made progress, and especially take note of, and resolve to stamp out, those with which we are tempted. If we willingly compromise on even one, we shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21). How well are we developing the fruit of the spirit? Strengthen the good fruit, and it will help choke out the evil weeds. “Walk by the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). He that soweth unto the spirit shall of the spirit reap eternal life. But beware of new leaven, beware of pride: “Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another. For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Galatians 5:26; 6:3, ASV). “And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6:9,10, ASV). |