Commentary on Galatians 3.1–3.29

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” These are the words of one angry and astonished, because they had been so corrupted that they did not even recognize that they had been deceived. He used a preface; for everyone who is bewitched passes from good to evil, as these too passed from freedom and security to slavery and anxiety. “Before whose eyes Christ Jesus was proscribed, and crucified among you.” It is plain that in the eyes of the foolish Christ seems proscribed, that is, despoiled or condemned; but in the eyes and minds of the wise he not only is not condemned, but himself seems to have condemned death by his cross; for the Lord's passion is our life and the destruction of death. But because these, transferred to the law, had begun to think unworthily, he complains that Christ seems condemned in their minds; and so he added: “crucified among you.” That is, he has been crucified in your understanding, as a mere man; for one in whom there is not full hope is a man. Therefore these did not think that full salvation was in Christ, because they made the law equal to him. But in those who understand Christ fittingly, Christ lives; in Photinus he has been crucified. For he is truly dead in whom Christ is said to be crucified; for this is laid as an accusation.

“This only I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit from the works of the law, or from the hearing of faith? Are you so without understanding?” He still speaks with indignation; for he grieves greatly over their error, because he saw that his building, with which he had built them up through the gospel, had been destroyed. He was not so moved about the Corinthians; for although he calls them carnal (1 Cor 3:1), they had not been so far taken in mind as to let themselves be circumcised. Therefore these too are called foolish and without understanding, because they could not even take thought for the pain of their flesh. For one is usually induced only so far as what delights or causes no pain. These are, then, the words of one asking, and confirming in part what he asks, when he says: “This only I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit from the works of the law, or from the hearing of faith?” He asks them about what they also gloried in and could not deny: that they had received the Holy Spirit through faith, not through the law; so that, coming to their senses, they might recognize that they had received the gift of God in which they gloried not from the work of the law but by believing in Christ; so that, grateful to Christ at least in this way, they might leave the law, which they had learned profited them nothing. He puts forward what at that time could not be denied, that the Spirit of God was in believers; for to commend the rudiments of the faith, this gift of God was made manifest to men; as happened at the very beginnings in the apostles and the other disciples, and also in those twelve whom the apostle Paul commanded to be baptized in the name of the Trinity (because they had been not anointed but defiled in an adulterous baptism under the name of John's baptism); when hands were laid on them, the Holy Spirit fell upon them and supplied the speech of different tongues with their interpretation; so that no one would dare to deny that the Holy Spirit was in them. For this reason he calls the Galatians without understanding, who, knowing and aware of this, degraded themselves and subjected themselves to care for the flesh.

“Having begun in the spirit, are you now being finished in the flesh?” He says this because, while the ascent of faith is from lower things to the highest, these on the contrary have slid down from the highest to the lowest. For, made spiritual through faith, when turned to the law they had lost the grace of the Spirit which they had obtained; for 'being finished' signifies the loss, that is, of faith.

“Have you suffered so much in vain, if indeed in vain?” He indicates that they had suffered much for the faith from unbelievers; for at that time those who believed were a reproach to the others, whether of their household or outsiders; for they were marked with a finger like those guilty of treason. Hence the Galatians likewise suffered much, having experienced the more insane, the merit of which they had lost by putting themselves under the law. But since he added, “if indeed in vain”, he shows that he hopes they can be reformed. “Does he, then, who supplies the Spirit to you and works power in you, do it from the works of the law, or from the hearing of faith?” The sense is the same, to which are added the marks of power, which bear witness to faith, that it is a faithful and reasonable hope. But no power accompanies the law to draw people to its hope; for what is seen is not hoped for, but is temporal, like the law of works, which we have shown above.

“As it is written (Gen 15:6): Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” By the example of Abraham, who is the father of faith, he shows that righteousness is imputed not from the works of the law but through faith; for by believing he was justified; and therefore they foolishly and improvidently subjected themselves to the law, which was not given for justification.

“You know, then, that those who are of faith, these are the sons of Abraham?” It is true that believers are sons of Abraham; for if Abraham was the first to be justified by faith, all who believe after him are his sons, whether from the Jews or from the gentiles.

“But the Scripture, foreseeing that God justifies the gentiles by faith, announced beforehand to Abraham: In you all nations will be blessed” (Gen 12:3). He says this because Abraham is the pattern of all believers, so that those who believe are blessed in him; for, following his faith, they become sharers in the same blessing.

“So those who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham; for as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse.” It is plain that the faithful are blessed with the faithful one, as the unfaithful are punished with the unfaithful. For those who are under the law are under a curse, because they are transgressors of the law. For it is written (Deut 27:26): “Cursed is everyone who does not abide in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them.” This is written in Deuteronomy, that if anyone passed over anything of the law, he was held cursed. And the commandments are so many that it is impossible to keep them. Hence the apostle Peter too says in the Acts of the Apostles: “Why do you put on the brothers a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” (Acts 15:10). For these things were given to a negligent and proud people, so that they would have the law in all their conduct.

“But that in the law no one is justified before God is plain, because the righteous lives by faith” (Hab 2:4). And so he teaches that one must withdraw from the law, lest the righteousness sought through faith perish. “But the law is not of faith; but whoever does them will live in them” (Ezek 20:21). The law is not of faith, because it commands nothing to be believed. For all its things are plain, so that by keeping the law one lives; if not, he must be punished, because he committed what he knew was to be avoided. It can be objected on the other side, and said: “If no one is justified in the law, why is one who passes over anything of the law cursed?” It is true that no one is justified through the law before God; but he is justified before the world, so as to be secure in the present life. But if he wishes to be justified before God, so that it may profit him for merit on the day of judgment, let him follow the faith of God; otherwise, secure here, he will be guilty in the future. The law, then, is profitable, but the one written on the tablets; for the rest, as he said, was given to be a burden.

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” Since no one could fulfil the law, all were guilty under the curse of the law, so that it might punish them; but Christ, born a man, offered by the Father for us, redeemed us from the devil. For, offering him, who was willing, to death for those who were liable to the curse of the law, he made him a curse in this way, as in the law a victim offered for sins was called 'sin'; therefore, offered for the cursed, he was made a curse; for to the Jews too he was made a curse, when he was killed as a sinner. Therefore he did not say, “having become cursed for us”, but “a curse”; for one who was offered to death for his own sin became cursed, for he died in his own cause. And if you look more closely, you will see that Christ was made the curse of those by whom he was killed; for the Saviour's cross is the sin and curse of the Jews. “For it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Deut 21:23). Moses said this in Deuteronomy of those guilty of death, that it should suffice for those hanged on a tree to be there until evening, and to be taken down for burial. “For cursed”, he says, “is everyone who hangs on a tree”; so that it should suffice for one guilty of death that he died hanged on a tree, lest, if he hung longer, his death have greater disgrace than it ought, and a stain come upon his family, if his death were further publicized. And therefore the Saviour, innocent, hanged on a tree, is not cursed, but the curse of those by whom he was hanged. Yet as far as the Jews are concerned, handing him over to Pilate to be killed as a sinner, they made him a curse, so that he was killed as guilty, though he was innocent, because one worthy of death is cursed according to the law. For seeing many gather to his teaching, they were jealous, saying: “Behold, the whole world has gone after him” (John 12:19); and therefore he is said to have been killed for us, and for us in two ways; for when they thought he should be killed so that he would not teach, they achieved nothing; for both his teaching grew and he emptied death in his passion. For, descending to the underworld, he freed the human race; for which reason he also allowed himself to be killed, knowing that it was for us and against the devil.

“So that the blessing of Abraham might come to the gentiles through Christ Jesus, and that we might receive the blessing of the Spirit through faith.” He says this because, the Jews having been reproached and cursed, when they flattered themselves about the righteousness of the law, and the Saviour having been killed as a violator of the sabbath, the blessing of the promise to Abraham passed over to the gentiles through faith in Christ Jesus. Hence the Lord says to the Jews: “The kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation producing its fruits” (Matt 21:43).

“Brothers, I speak according to man.” He says this because he wants to commend the reasoning of the divine promise by the example of a human case. “No one annuls or adds to a man's will once it has been confirmed.” It is true that a will made lawfully by one who has died cannot be torn up.

“The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say 'and to seeds', as of many, but as of one: 'and to your seed', which is Christ.” This is what is written in Genesis to Abraham: “And in your seed all nations will be blessed” (Gen 22:18). This was certainly fulfilled in Christ, in whose name all nations will be blessed through faith. Therefore the promise was confirmed not in many, but in one, who is Christ. By this argument the Apostle marks as guilty of forging the will those who, believing in Christ, also hope for something from the law; so that salvation would be promised not only in Christ but also in the law. Therefore he proves that the promise of blessing was made in Christ alone.

“Now this I say: a covenant confirmed by God in Christ, the law, which was made four hundred and thirty years afterwards, does not annul so as to make the promise void.” He says that the promise of blessing was confirmed in Christ alone, so as to show that the law was given four hundred and thirty years later; for, the promise having been established, the law was given afterwards, which certainly would not weaken the promise, but would signify that it was to come, and when it would come. “For if the inheritance is from the law, it is no longer from promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise.” The Jews defend two causes contrary to each other; for by no agreement, no reasoning, can the Jews be persuaded that Abraham's promise was made void by the law, and rightly; but they defend another, contrary to it, with improvident presumption, thinking that justification cannot come about without the work of the law; though they know that Abraham, who is the pattern of this matter, was justified without the works of the law, through faith alone. But, blinded by a certain jealousy, they do not understand, nor consider, that if justification is through the law, the promise is excluded; and if the promise is excluded, without doubt the faith of Abraham will be frustrated; which the Jews would not even allow themselves to hear, knowing that the promise to Abraham is from faith. This promise justifies through faith, not through the law; as Abraham too was justified by faith. These, then, are heirs of Abraham's promise who succeed him, taking up the faith in which Abraham was blessed and justified. The testimony of the promise to Abraham, then, is called a testament, so that after his death they might be heirs in the promise, made his sons through faith. This matter ran on until Christ, promised to Abraham, so that, after the death of Christ, believers might be heirs of Abraham's faith through the testament of Christ's blood. The gift, then, which was promised to Abraham has been paid to his sons in Christ; although Abraham himself also obtained this gift there, where he was found.

“Why, then, was the law of deeds laid down, until the seed should come to whom it was promised?” The law of deeds, that is, of Moses, was laid down in the middle between the promise made at first and the seed to whom the promise was made, that is, between Abraham and the Saviour. It was given long after the promise was made so that by the very distinction the law might appear one thing and the promise another; so as to train the people of God, set apart from the gentiles, in the fear of God, so that it might become worthy to receive the promise, which is Christ. It is called the law of deeds because it teaches what is to be done bodily, at God's command, about sacrifices, firstborn, tithes, and other such things. “Ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator.” He calls 'angels' God's messengers, that is, Moses, and Joshua son of Nun, and the other prophets up to John the Baptist, of whom God says: “Behold, I send my angel before your face” (Mal 3:1). Through these, then, the law was ordained, arranged by God in the hand, that is, the power, of the Saviour; for he is the mediator or reconciler of God and men (1 Tim 2:5), to save whom he wishes of those who received the law through the 'angels' mentioned above. For he himself says: “As the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also the Son gives life to whom he wishes” (John 5:21).

“But a mediator is not of one.” Without doubt a mediator, that is, an arbiter, is not of one but of two; for since two peoples were fighting against each other, always at odds and enemies through difference of teaching, the Saviour came as their arbiter, cutting away from both peoples that through which they disagreed, so that they could be at peace. He took away, then, from the gentiles the number of gods and the service of the elements, which was a stumbling block to the Hebrews; he took away also from the Jews the works of the law, that is, new moons, circumcision, and the care of the sabbath, and the distinctions of foods, and the other things which the gentiles abhorred; and so those who were formerly enemies were made peaceable. If, then, these things are so, why do the Galatians, through dullness of mind, corrupt this arbitration, turned to Judaism? For they bring the Saviour's judgment to nothing when, after peace has been made, as if repenting of it, they subject themselves to the things that were formerly hostile to peace. According to the Galatians' understanding, then, Christ is not an arbiter; for, led into the law, they made one people out of two, and certainly no one is the arbiter of one people. He pursues this same meaning to the Ephesians, saying: “For he is our peace, who made both one, and broke down the dividing wall of partition, abolishing in his flesh the enmity, the law of commandments in decrees, so as to create in himself one new man out of the two, making peace” (Eph 2:14–15). If he makes peace in one new man, he certainly took away from both that through which they were at odds, and established for both, by giving his law, that through which they would be at peace. This the Galatians broke into, turned to Judaism. “But God is one.” He says this lest, in preaching as God Christ, whom he calls arbiter for the one God, he be thought to have preached against the law and the prophets. He teaches, then, that he is to be understood as arbiter through the taking on of flesh, as he says to Timothy: “The arbiter of God and men, the man Jesus Christ” (1 Tim 2:5); but according to that by which he is God, he is not separated from the Father, but is one with the Father. For whether Father or Son, God is one; for 'God' is the name of nature and power, which the very reasoning of the names teaches remains undivided in the Father and the Son. “Is the law then against the promises of God? Far from it.” Far from it indeed, because the law is not hostile to the promise, since it confirms it. For Moses first says: “God will raise up for you a prophet from your brothers” (Deut 18:15). The apostle Peter proves that this was said of Christ in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 3:22). “For if a law had been given which could give life, righteousness would truly be from the law.” He means that righteousness which is imputed as righteousness before God, that is, of faith; for the law too had righteousness, but for the present, not such as would justify before God. For it could not forgive sins, so as to make the righteous out of sinners; but it was given for this, to be a terror, calling men to a good life, punishing the irreverent. And therefore the law was not given which could give life, but condemn. “But the Scripture shut up all things under sin, so that the promise from the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” He set down this meaning to the Romans too, saying: “God has shut up all things under sin, so that he may have mercy on all” (Rom 11:32). He said what I mentioned above: that the law was given for this, that sinners might know themselves guilty before God. For their sins having been made manifest, they were shut up, so that they could not excuse themselves, but would seek mercy; so that the one promised to Abraham, coming, would ask of them faith alone, which Abraham had; so that we might obtain both pardon for our evils and justification. For God had made this manifest through the prophet Isaiah, saying: “He will come from Zion who will rescue and turn away ungodliness from Jacob; and this will be my covenant with them, when I take away their sins” (Isa 59:20).

“For before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up for the same faith which was beginning to be revealed.” This is what he says: that before the Saviour came, we lived under the guard of the law, so as not to sin, so that we might be worthy when the promise came. For in this hope the law kept us safe, so as to offer us, that is, the Jews, to Christ when he came.

“So the law was our tutor in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith.” The sense is the same: we were under the care of the law until Christ came, to justify us who believe.

“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor; for you are all sons of God through the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” One who lives under a tutor is not in his own power; for a little child, prone to sin, is kept under the care of a tutor. But when Christ came, who as it were makes elders out of minors, freed from the power of the tutor, through the washing away of sins we were made sons of God, when we were slaves of sin.

“For as many of you as were baptized in Christ have put on Christ.” He says this because believers, when they are changed, put on Christ, since they are called by what they believe.

“There is neither Jew nor Greek; there is neither slave nor free; there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” He says there is no distinction among believers, so that no one is prejudged by what he was before he believed; for one gift has been decreed for all these. For with God there is no distinction of persons, except of merit and life; so that people of one faith are distinguished by merits, not by persons.

“If, then, you are all one in Christ Jesus, then you are Abraham's seed, heirs according to the promise.” All believers are Abraham's seed, because Abraham is the father of all believers; and these are sons, and necessarily heirs of his promise too; so that they may obtain through faith what was promised to Abraham, so that we may be sharers in his justification in the kingdom of heaven.