From: Ryan Jones
To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject: Understanding the Book of Galations
UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK OF GALATIONS
(http://www.zionist.com)
The reason for writing this paper is to make my attempt at addressing
a problem that many Hebrew minded Christians are now trying to
address. The problem is the modern interpretation of a book that was
written in an age and setting and for a reason that are no longer
known or understood in most Christian circles. Because of this
problem, many Christians have been lead astray concerning something of
vital importance, G-d's Word.
In this essay I am going to look at the letter from Sha'ul (Paul) to
the Galatians just as the people of the Church in Galatia in the 1st
century AD would have. That is, I am going to look at it without the
influence of Sha'ul's other epistles, and with the mindset that the
Tenach, or Old Testament, is the only scripture that exists.
The basic rules of hermeneutics must apply when one is studying
something such as Sha'ul's epistles, especially when one is making
theological decisions and judgements based on that study. Hermeneutics
simply means that in order to study and fully understand something,
primarily scripture, one must read and look at the subject in and
through the scope of the time and place in which it was written.
I believe to truly understand the meaning of this letter, we must look
at it in this way, from the mindset of both the writer, a 1st century
rabbi, and the recipients, recently converted pagans. It is the Swiss
Protestant theologian Karl Barth who puts it best when he says, "The
Bible.is a Jewish book. It cannot be read and understood and expounded
on unless we are prepared to become Jews with the Jews."
THE
PURPOSE OF GALATIONS
The book of Galatians was written in the 1st century AD by Rav Sha'ul
(Apostle Paul) to the newly founded church in Galatia. Galatia was a
Roman province consisting of what is today much of central and
southern Turkey. The people of Galatia were primarily of Greek
descent, and deeply rooted in paganism. Many of these former pagans
had recently accepted Yeshua as L-rd by the teachings of Sha'ul.
Now that we know who the original recipients are, what was the
problem? The problem was that certain Jewish believers in Yeshua were
traveling amongst many of the churches that Sha'ul had helped to set
up, telling the newly converted pagans that in order to complete their
salvation they had to adhere to certain aspects of the Torah, namely,
circumcision and kosher laws.
Now, being recently converted from a form of paganism in which works
and adherence meant everything, these "baby" believers were quickly
taken in by these reports. Greek paganism required worshipers and
believers to perform certain acts in order to appease the "gods". So,
for these former pagans to now think that they must perform certain
acts in order for their salvation in Yeshua to be complete came as
second nature.
It was a problem with the PEOPLE, not with the Torah, that Sha'ul was
addressing when writing his letter to the Galatians. Indeed, as Marvin
Wilson puts it, "That is not where the problem ever existed, for
Israel or the Church; the problem always was with the people, not the
law." Sha'ul was not writing against the following of Torah, but
against the misuse of Torah. In doing so, Sha'ul was doing more to
protect and uphold the Torah than to discredit it.
THE
BOOK OF GALATIONS
In this section I would like to do a complete run through of the
major, and most controversial, verses throughout Galatians.
Chapter 1
Verses 6-7, "I wonder that you are so quickly being transferred from
Him having called you by the grace of Christ
to another gospel, which is not another; only there are some
troubling you and desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ."
In verses 6-7, Sha'ul states his purpose for his letter, the
perverting of the gospel of Yeshua. Yeshua's gospel is one of radical
faith, played out in love and obedience. Like Sha'ul said, they (the
Judaizing believers) were not proclaiming something that was not true,
the importance of following G-d's Torah, but they (the Judaizing
believers) were perverting it.
Verse 10, "For do I now persuade men or G-d? Or do I seek to please
men? For if I yet pleased men, I would not be slave of Christ."
The purpose of following G-d's Torah in love is to please Him, and Him
alone. We can't earn His love, it is too expensive for us, but we can
show our love for Him by following His instructions, and thus being
more productive for His kingdom. The following of the Torah should
never be for man's approval or praise. The Judaizers against whom
Sha'ul is writing were attempting to force the Torah upon the Galatian
believers for their own purposes.
Verse 12, "For I did not receive it (the gospel) from man, nor was I
taught it, but by a revelation of Yeshua the Messiah."
Sha'ul received the gospel he was to spread from a revelation of
Yeshua. When on earth, Yeshua taught to uphold the Torah, and to
follow it, especially the love portions of it. Why would Yeshua, in
His revelation to Sha'ul, contradict what He had taught on earth by
telling Sha'ul that the Torah is now obsolete or unimportant? Either
Yeshua contradicted Himself, or Sha'ul is lying somewhere. The only
other possibility is that our modern interpretation of this book is
wrong.
CHAPTER 2
Verse 16, ".knowing that a man is not justified by works of law,
but that it is through faith in Yeshua the
Messiah (we (Jews) also believed in Messiah Yeshua, that we may be
justified by faith in Messiah and not by works of law, because all
flesh
will not be justified by works of law)."
Here, Sha'ul states that the Jews also believe in Messiah because they
know that works will not save them. It has always been faith in G-d
that has saved, never the Torah, not even in the time of Moses. Like
Sha'ul stated, the Torah will never justify us, because we can't keep
it. However, the purpose of the Torah was never for justification,
because G-d knew from the beginning that we could never keep it. The
purpose of the Torah has always been, and will always be for
sanctification after justification has taken place. It is simply to
show us the right way to go as we walk out our relationship with G-d.
The whole sacrificial system of the Torah is based on this. G-d put
the sacrificial system into the Torah because He knew man would never
be able to keep Torah perfectly, and would need to have his sins
covered in blood. The same is true today. The sacrificial system is
the same, we just obtain the blood from different source now, a pure
source.
Verse 18, "For if I build again these things
which I destroyed,
I confirm myself as a transgressor."
Sha'ul is speaking of the time before his acceptance of Yeshua, a time
in which he himself misused the Torah. He destroyed the misuse of
Torah in his life, he discontinued its use as a means of salvation. He
is now attempting to cut off this error in the Galatians before it
goes too far.
Verses 19-20, "For through law I died to law, that I might live to
G-d. I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet, no longer
I, but Christ lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I
live by faith toward the Son of G-d, the One loving me and giving
Himself over on my behalf."
We actually obey Torah by dying with Messiah, and leaving our flesh
behind. Thus, we die to our futile attempt at following Torah
perfectly, and put our faith in Yeshua, not Torah. Justification is
not through obedience because none of us can obey well enough to be
justified. Only when we truly understand the meaning of this can we
follow Torah the way G-d intended us to.
CHAPTER 3
Verse 6, "Even as
Abraham believed G-d, and it was counted
to him for
righteousness."
I am afraid that most people must skip over this verse, viewing it as
unimportant for lack of knowledge concerning it. One of the biggest
problems with modern Christianity's interpretations of Sha'ul is that
we tend to view everything through a distorted "Dispensational"
mindset that says that before Yeshua there was an "Age of Law", and
after Him an "Age of Grace". This is completely wrong. As this verse
states, grace has always been, we are no more under grace than Abraham
was.
Salvation has always, I repeat, always come by G-d's grace. No one has
ever earned it, and that was not the purpose of G-d giving the Torah.
Verse 10, "For as many are out of works of law, these are under a
curse. For it has been written, `Cursed is everyone who does not
continue in all the things having been written in the book of the
Law, to do them.'"
This verse is simply stating, again, the theme of Galatians. If anyone
is attempting to earn salvation through the Torah, he falls under all
of the curses of the Torah, for he can never keep it perfectly. Under
Yeshua, the curse is gone, and we are free to learn and follow Torah
without fear of being stoned for slipping up.
Verse 11, "And that no one is justified by law before G-d is
clear because, `The just shall live by faith.'"
The justified ones have gained their justification, and thus eternal
life, through faith in G-d, just as they always have. However, if we have
complete faith in G-d, we must realize that His Torah is perfect and
good, and we should strive to learn and follow it, not for justification
or salvation, but for sanctification and purity.
Verse 12, "But the Law is not of
faith, but, `The man doing
these things shall live in them.'"
The Torah is not a faith issue, it is an obedience issue. You must
accept faith in G-d before you can know how to follow Torah. The
second part of this simply means that the Torah, or G-d's Word, is to
be a lifestyle for us. Once again, it is not for salvation, but to
show us how to live after we have been justified.
Verse 19, "Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions,
until the Seed should come, to whom it had been promised, being
ordained through angels in a mediator's hand."
If there is any verse that proves my point, it is this one. This verse
asks the perfect question, "Why the Law then?", and gives the perfect
answer, though that answer has been grossly misused. Sha'ul states
NOT that the Law was given for salvation or justification, but he says it
was given because of transgressions.
What does that mean? Simply this, G-d had already made His convenant
with the Hebrew race through Abraham. However, the Hebrews had now
grown large and numerous, and the sin in their camp was abundant. G-d
needed a way to sanctify them so that He could dwell among them. The
Torah was the perfect answer. It revealed the peoples sin, and then
showed them how to live how they should.
It also gave them a means to cover their sins, the sacrificial system.
So, we see in this verse that the Torah was clearly not given for
salvation, but simply to reveal the sins of the people in order to
sanctify. Remember, the Torah was given to a people who were already
saved by their faith in G-d, they were just in need of a little bit of
cleaning, just as we are.
Verse 21, "Then is the Law against the promises of G-d? Let it not
be! For if a law had been given which had been able to make alive,
indeed righteousness would have been out of law."
As Sha'ul states, the Torah is not opposed to G-d's promises which
have been realized in Messiah Yeshua. The Torah simply shows us how a
person that is under G-d's promises and grace is supposed to live, and
thus grow closer to G-d.
Verses 23-26, "But before the coming of faith, we were guarded under
law, having been locked up to the faith being about to be revealed. So
that the Law has become a trainer of us until Christ, that we might be
justified by faith. But faith coming, we are no longer under a trainer; for
you are all sons of G-d through faith in Christ Jesus."
These verses speak specifically of the ancient sacrificial system.
Before Messiah, when sins could be taken away by faith, the people
were guarded from their sins by the sacrificial system G-d gave to
cover them. The Torah was and still is a trainer on how to live. The
Torah is not a promise and contains no promises except that of
Messiah.
The Torah is still to be used in the same way, as a guide, or trainer.
However, we are now no longer under that trainer, but we are free to
work side by side with it. We are free to learn the Torah and follow
it through our faith in Yeshua, but we should never disregard the
importance of our trainer, and the things it can teach us.
CHAPTER 4
Verses 8-10, "But then, indeed, not knowing G-d, you served as
slaves to the ones not by nature being gods. But
now, knowing G-d, but rather being known by G-d, how do you turn to
the weak and poor elements to which you desire again to slave anew?"
Remember who this letter is written to, recently converted pagans.
These people were using the Torah to try and justify their salvation
from G-d, just as they had done with their pagan gods by different
means. Sha'ul was no doubt greatly distraught that they were
attempting to "appease" G-d the same way they had their pagan gods.
They were making themselves slaves of the Torah and not slaves of
Yeshua, as they should.
Does a servant obey his master, or his master's commands? A difficult
and confusing question, but the answer is obviously that a servant
obeys his master. So it should be with us and our relationship with
Yeshua. We are to be slaves and servants to Yeshua, and therefore, we
should learn His Word and His ways, not as a means of justification,
but because He has showed us so much love for nothing and we should
strive to live the way He would like us to.
Verse 19, "My children,
for whom I again travail until
Christ should be formed to
you."
We are to be formed into the form of Yeshua who now lives in us, not
by force or coercion, and not to be saved, for He is already in us.
Why then? We are to die to our former, sinful selves, and be reborn in
the image of Messiah, the only sinless one. This is who He is, and He
is in us, drawing us close to Him, teaching us His ways. What form is
Messiah? Hold on, this may hurt..A BIBLICALLY TORAH
OBSERVANT JEW!
Verse
21, "Tell me, those desiring to be under Law, do
you
not hear the Law?"
Under the Torah is best translated in long form as "fear of death for
not following Torah." This is the curse that has been taken away. The
curse has never been following Torah, but that we are not able to
follow it perfectly. Now, under Yeshua's blood, we don't have to worry
about dying for slipping up, we are free to learn and follow Torah
without fear. Of course, it must be remembered, repentance for our
sins is always required, no matter how free one may feel.
Verse 31, "Then,
brothers, we are not children of a slave
woman but of the free
woman."
Summing up this verse and the six before it is quite simple. We are
children of the promise through Yeshua's blood. Children of the
promise are now free, and not under the curse any longer. Therefore,
we are free to work hand in hand with the Torah, not under it, to
become more and more like Messiah in our ways. We should never
let the Torah enslave us, but we should let it help us.
CHAPTER 5
Verses 1-4, "The stand firm in the freedom with which Christ made us
free and do not be held again with a yoke of slavery. Behold, I, Paul,
say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And
I testify again to every man being circumcised, that he is a debtor to do
all the Law, you who are justified by law are deprived of all effect from
Christ, you fell from grace."
Sha'ul not once in this little series of verses says not to follow
Torah. He does say however to not use Torah as a justification for
salvation, we can't do it. In order to be justified by Torah, we must
follow all of it perfectly, which we are incapable of doing. This is
the reason that Yeshua came and spilled His blood to take away our
sins, He will save us, not the Torah.
It has always been this way, the Torah has never saved, it has always
been faith in G-d. Why then did Yeshua have to come and die? Because
the sacrificial system of the Torah used the imperfect blood of
animals to "cover up" the sins of the people. Because the sins were
only "covered up", the people were still under the curse. Now that
Yeshua has totally removed our sins, we are free from the curse to
follow Torah without fear.
Verse
18, "But if you are led by the Spirit, you
are
not under law."
If you are led by the Spirit, if Yeshua has justified you, then you
are not under any fear of death for transgressing the Torah. Now,
there is no fear, but freedom to learn and grow.
Verse
23, ".Against such things there is not a law."
Sha'ul has just finished listing what many call the "fruits of the
Spirit". Against the things of G-d there is no law or Torah
commandment, because the Torah is the perfect Word of G-d. Now, just
before the fruits of the Spirit, Sha'ul lists the works of the flesh,
which totally contradict the Torah. The works of the flesh are
practiced by someone who has no instruction and operates in
lawlessness.
If we do not have the Torah to refer to and the Spirit to write its
commandment on our hearts, then we are living in lawlessness, for how
else can we tell if we are sinning or not?
Verse
25, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk
in the Spirit."
Walking in the Spirit means walking in faith and in G-d's ways. G-d's
ways are clearly laid out for us in the Torah, and on top of that, we
have His Spirit to guide us in our learning. Sha'ul is also stating
that the Spirit should guide us in our learning and following of
Torah, not the opinions of man. This is one of the mistakes the
Galatians were making.
CHAPTER 6
Verse 1, "Brothers, if a man is taken in some fault, you, the
spiritual ones, restore such a one in the spirit of
meekness, considering yourself, that you not also be tempted."
If one is seen to be blatantly sinning against G-d, then one who is
strong in spirit is to gently and meekly point him back in the right
direction, but not to judge. This is what we in the church do today,
we guide one back to the right path if they are veering off. Why then,
if we are constantly trying to veer people back to the right path,
which like it or not is Torah, do so many disregard Torah?
Verse 4, "But let each one prove his work, and then he alone will
have a boast in himself and not as to another."
Sha'ul is simply saying not to judge another concerning Torah. Only
G-d is qualified to judge us concerning our following of Torah and our
sins against it.
Verses 8-9, "For the one sowing to his flesh will reap corruption of
the flesh. But the one sowing to the Spirit will reap everlasting
life from the Spirit. But we should not weaken in doing good, for in
due time we shall reap, if we do not faint."
We should never tire of doing good, and what is good.the Word of G-d
and His Torah. We should constantly strive to follow His Torah, but
for the pure purposes for which it was given, not the corrupt purposes
that man usually attaches it to.
CONCLUSION
Galatians was written to confront a specific problem in a specific
place, and we should not apply it to the general, pure use of Torah.
This quote by Eddie Chumney says it all, "In all honesty, Christians
need to start reading the Bible in CONTEXT. We shouldn't make the
mistake of making a "religious doctrine" out of one verse, ignoring
the rest of scripture, which is needed to understand the context of
each scripture. Christians do an outstanding job of being able to
quote selected verses (usually from the writings of Rav Sha'ul/Apostle
Paul) and reading these verses from our Western Protestant 20th
century dispensational law vs. grace mindset and view everything
through the eyes of salvation."
Salvation should never become the goal of any believer. Salvation is
only the first step, if you stop there, you condemn yourself to living
as a baby believer your whole life, and never growing in your
relationship with G-d. Our goal as believers should be first
salvation, which is guaranteed through the blood of Yeshua, then we
should focus on the righteous, holy living that is laid out in G-d's
Word. It is a little ridiculous for Yeshua to remove our sins if we
have no intention of attempting to live a sinless life afterwards.
Many Christians do follow the basics of Torah without even knowing it.
Many love the L-rd with all their hearts, and always show love to
their fellow man. This is the way it should be, but for some reason,
every time the "Jewish" aspects of the Torah come into question,
Christians put up their "Age of Grace" shields. What makes us think
that part of G-d's Torah is obsolete while others aren't? It is G-d's
Torah, not the Jews, He used them to bring it to us.
The feasts that G-d laid out in Torah are just as important to Him as
the commandment to not commit adultery. However, we view one as a
never ending statute of morality, and one as an obsolete "Jewish"
practice. G-d does not change His mind on things. By the way, the
ancient Hebrew sacrificial system that so many Christians view as an
obsolete "Jewish" practice is the same one that we as Christians
follow by accepting the blood of Yeshua's sacrifice on us.
G-d's Word is not obsolete, not one part of it. It is all important
for us if we are to live the righteous lifestyle that He has called us
to live. The Torah, used correctly, can only bring us closer to G-d.
This is exactly why Sha'ul was so harsh in his reply to the Galatians,
because he wanted to see believers use the Torah the way it is
supposed to be used, not to corrupt the Word of G-d.
I would like to thank Rabbi David Hargis and Eddie Chumney, from whom
the majority of my study material on this subject came.
Ryan Jones
**********************************************************************
To educate, train and equip for study both the Jew and
Non-Jew in the Rich Hebraic Heritage of our Faith.
Please visit the Hebraic Roots Global Network
Web Site located at:
http://www.hebroots.org/
Eddie Chumney
Hebraic Heritage Ministries Int'l