PREFACE
I have finished my exposition on the epistle to the Romans, and as I said at the end of the sixteenth chapter, I feel it worthy to now begin an exposition to the churches in Galatia, because they are so similar in content. Both of these Epistles stress justification by faith. The Epistle to the Galatians was Martin Luther's favorite because of this fact. I feel very fortunate to be able to write these expositions because of several noteworthy facts. 1.) Because God has given me the gift of His marvelous grace, allowing me the mental freedom to understand Paul's writings; 2.) Because God has given me health and mental alertness to be able to comprehend commentators who have dedicated their entire lives to their pursuits; 3.) Because I am not gifted, I have to rely on the Holy Spirit to teach me. 4.) Because I have the support of my family, who say they enjoy them; 5.) Because, last but not at all the least, I have the support of my very wonderful wife who will not let me give up.
I am using the same format I have always used in my expositions of writing the verse out in the King James Version (KJV), and then following it up with my own literal Greek translation (LGT). I hope you enjoy my studies, for as I have said many times before; I receive more from them than anyone else could possibly receive. If you have taken the time to read this paper I pray God will bless you, for it is to His praise and glory, and for the wonderful fellowship I enjoy in His Word it is directed.
God's grace is sufficient
INTRODUCTION
The epistle to the Galatian Churches was probably written before Paul wrote to the Churches in Rome. The reason I use the plural "Churches" is because there was no central Church to my knowledge. When Paul wrote his epistles the Church met in private homes, in Synagogues, and even in cemeteries; they met wherever they could safely fellowship as a family around the Word of God, which consisted at that time, mainly of the Gospels and the Old Testament Scriptures; The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament.
Paul visited the churches in Galatia on each of his three missionary journeys. "Did Paul mean by Galatia the Roman province as he usually does or does he make an ethnographic use of the term and mean the real Celts of North Galatia? Luke uses geographical terms in either sense. Certainly Paul preached in South Galatia in his first mission tour. See Acts 16:6 for the discussion about the language there as bearing on his going into North Galatia. By "the churches of Galatia" Paul can mean the whole of Galatia or either South or North Galatia. (As I said above, there were many churches in which this Epistle would be passed around and read). Lightfoot held that the similarity of Galatians to Romans (written from Corinth spring of A.D. 56 or 57) naturally argues for the same general period and place. It is an impossible hypothesis that, when Paul reached Corinth late autumn or early winter of A.D. 55 or 56 (Acts 20:1f.), he received alarming reports of the damage wrought by the Judaizers in Galatia, he had won his fight against them in Corinth (1 and 2 Corinthians). So now he hurls this thunderbolt at them from Corinth and later in a calmer mood, sends the fuller discussion to the church in Rome. This hypothesis is adopted here, but with full recognition of the fact that it is only hypothesis. The language and the topics and the treatment are the same that we find in Romans. (I quote this to show that it is alright to hypothesize, as long as you make it clear that it is hypothesis - don't ever accept a man's word because he says this is a fact, without showing that it is fact). Galatians thus fits in precisely between 2 Corinthians and Romans. It is a flaming torch in the Judaizing controversy. This Epistle was the battle cry of Martin Luther in the Reformation. Today it has served as a bulwark against the wild criticism that has sought to remove the Pauline Epistles from the realm of historical study. Paul is all ablaze in this Epistle with indignation as he faces the men who are undermining his work in Galatia" (Robertson).
I was very interested in the way John Eadie in his exposition showed the similarity in the Epistle to the Romans and this Epistle to the Galatians. Now for your interest I will copy what he wrote in comparing the books by verses.
"The Epistle to the Romans is more massive, more expansive, and has about it as much the form of a discussion or a didactic [instructional] treatise as of a letter. The presumption then is, that as the likeness between the two Epistles is so close, they were written much about the same time"
The points of similarity between Galatians and Romans are, generally, as follows in this table: -
Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Compare:
Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Galatians 2:19: For I through the law am dead to the law that I might live unto God.
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Romans 7:4: Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved, and gave himself for me.
Compare:
Romans 6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Galatians 3:5,6: He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
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Romans 4:3: For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Galatians 3:7: Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
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Romans 4:10,11: How was it then reckoned? When he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had yet being, uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also.
Galatians 3:8: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In these shall all the nations be blessed.
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Romans 4:17: (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
Galatians 3:9: So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
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Romans 4:23,24: Now, it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Galatians 3:10: For 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 law to do them.
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Romans 4:15: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
Galatians 3:11: But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
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Romans 1:17: For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Galatians 3:12: And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
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Romans 10:5: For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
Galatians 3:15-18: Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to his seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
Compare:
Romans 4:13-16: For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through his righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
Galatians 3:22: But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
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Romans 11:32: For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Galatians 3:27: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
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Romans 6:3, 13:14: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? - But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
Galatians 4:5-7: To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Compare:
Romans 8:14-17: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Galatians 4:23, 28: But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise. . . . Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
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Romans 9:7,8: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, in Isaac shall thy seed be called: that is, they which are children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted the seed.
Galatians 4:14: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
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Romans 13:8-10: Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. . . . If there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Galatians 5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
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Romans 8:4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Galatians 5:17: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
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Romans 7:23,25: But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. . . .So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Galatians 6:2: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Compare:
Romans 15:1: We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
McGee notes in his introduction to this Epistle:
"Therefore the Epistle to the Galatians has a particular message for us because it was written to people who were like us in many ways. They had a like temper, and were beset on every hand by cults and 'isms' innumerable - which takes us, likewise, from our moorings in the gospel of grace.
1. It is a stern, severe, and solemn message (see Gal. 1:6-6; 3:1-5). It does not correct conduct as the Corinthian letters do, but it is corrective. The Galatian believers were in grave peril because the foundations of their faith were being attacked - everything was threatened.
The Epistle, therefore, contains no word of commendation, praise, or thanksgiving. There is no request for prayer, and there is no mention of their standing in Christ. No one with him is mentioned by name. If you compare this Epistle with the other Pauline Epistles, you will see that it is different.
2. In this Epistle the heart of Paul the apostle is laid bare, and there is deep emotion and strong feeling. This is his fighting Epistle - he has on his war paint. He has no toleration for legalism. Someone has said that the Epistle to the Romans comes from the head of Paul while the Epistle to the Galatians comes from the heart of Paul. A theologian has said, 'Galatians takes up controversially what Romans puts systematically.'
3. This Epistle is a declaration of emancipation from legalism of any type. It is interesting to note that legalists do not spend much time with Galatians. It is a rebuke to them. This was Martin Luther's favorite Epistle. He said, 'This is my Epistle. I am wedded to it.' It was on the masthead of the reformation. It has been the Magna Carta of the early church. It is the manifesto of Christian liberty, the impregnable citadel, and a veritable Gibraltar against any attack on the heart of the gospel. As someone put it, 'Immortal victory is set upon its brow.'
In a sense I believe this Epistle has been the backbone and background for every great spiritual movement and revival that has taken place in the past nineteen hundred years (now two thousand). And, my friend, it will be the background for other revivals. I would like to see the Spirit of God move on our land today. I would like to hear the Epistle to the Galatians declared to America. I believe it would revolutionize lives.
4. Galatians is the strongest declaration and defense of the doctrine of justification by faith in or out of Scripture. It is God's polemic [an aggressive controversy] on behalf of the most vital truth of the Christian faith against any attack. Not only is a sinner saved by grace, but the saved sinner lives by grace. Grace is a way to life and a way of life. These two go together, by the way."
"The design of the whole Epistle, therefore, is to state and defend the true doctrine of justification, and to show that it did not depend on the observance of the laws of Moses. It was written to show that man could not be justified by any works of the law, or by conformity to any law, moral or ceremonial; the object of this is, to show that justification cannot be obtained by conformity to the ritual or ceremonial law; or that the observance of the ceremonial law is not necessary to salvation. It contains great and vital statements on the doctrine of salvation, and, as such, demands the profound and careful attention of all who desire to be saved, and who would know the way of acceptance with God" (Barnes).
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