Galatians 3

To understand Galatians 3 you really need to start in Genesis 2:16

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.

The Greek word kia is translated even, it should be translated also it should read “we also believed in Jesus Christ”

Okay we are to know that no one is justified by works of the law. That agrees with Romans 10:9,10,17

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

As you will find when working in Galatians, Corinthians and Romans they work well with each other because they are designed that way.

17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

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 the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

I like how the REV handles this section.

17 But if, while seeking to be declared righteous in Christ, we Jews are ourselves also found to be sinners, is Christ a servant of sin?  Absolutely not! 18 For if I build again those things that I destroyed, I show myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through law I died to law, in order to live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!  And the life that I am now living in the flesh, I am living by the trust in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Galatians 3 King James Version (KJV)

3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

The word foolish is the Greek word anoetos Below is from the commentary for the REV

Anoetos (453) “without noeo (3539).” Noeo = to perceive or observe with the mind.  Thus it is “without comprehension; lacking intelligence; unreflecting.”  Used of one who is unwilling to use one’s mental faculty to understand; also used of one who does not govern his lusts and acts out his passions without thinking.  Foolish, unthinking. “Unthinking; foolish.”

• Christ told the two men on the way to Emmaus they were “foolish” and “slow of heart to believe” (Luke 24:25).
• The Galatians were foolish because although they had believed in the risen Christ, they wanted back under the law, and although they had believed in justification by faith, they wanted back under works (Gal. 3:1; 3:3).

Thus it could be rendered unthinking or even foolish.

The word bewitched is the Greek word baskainō and this is the only place it is used in the bible It means to deceive. Most versions translate it it bewitched or put a spell on you.

The Aramaic into plain English translates this verse:

1 Oh stupid Galatians! Who has rivaled you? For behold, The Fashioner was portrayed * before your eyes, Yeshua The Messiah, when he was crucified.

I like how this version handles the first part of the verse.

The words that ye should not obey the truth are not in the Greek text and should be omitted.

2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith is a figure of speech eironia (irony; sarcasm) it is not an inquiry looking for an answer, they and Paul already knew the answer. This is Paul attempting to bring them back to the revelation of Romans.

It is surprising to me how often and easily this seems to happen. I believe most people just want a law to live under. They say they want freedom but when it comes down to brass tacks they don’t want to have to think for themselves they want simple minded rules to follow rather than working it out themselves by working the word. I pray you don’t get to that point in your life where simple and easy replaces the truth.

3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

No article the in the text.

4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain

“suffered.” The Greek word is paschō  it can mean either good or bad. Often the experience is bad, and paschō gets translated “suffer,” or some similar word. The REV commentarry

5 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?

The word miracles is the Greek word dynamis we get our word dynamite from this word it means potential power.

6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

It never says that old Abe was perfect  it fact his faith is what was accounted to him for righteousness. This is a figure of speech called a gnome. It means it is a quote from the Hebrew Scriptures look at Genesis 15:6

Gen. 15:6 And he (Old Abe) believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

This section starting back in chapter 2:16 is an argument that we are justified by faith and not by works. Notice I did not say saved I said justified. Yes we are saved by faith but after salvation things don’t suddenly change your salvation is not contingent upon your works it is still faith even after salvation. Your rewards now that is a different story that is based on your works but you never lose salvation because you foul up. The failure to understand this has caused many well meaning Christians to teach that you can lose your salvation because there are some verses that you need to understand are talking about inheritance and not salvation. I will not be rewarded for those times I did what God says not to do It is talked about in Corinthians as well.

1 Corinthians 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

Whenever you read in Galatians you may find corresponding info in Romans and or Corinthians those three epistles work together and compliment each other.

7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

You may remember the scribes and Pharisees took the position that they were the children of Abe. They thought they had it, never did they realise that the physical connection was not enough they needed to have the faith of old Abe. These men are the great example of those who want to live by rules.

8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

Bullinger translates this:

8 And the scripture foreseeing that God Justifieth the Gentiles on the grounds of faith preached before the gospel to Abraham saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Set out very plainly and simply.

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 book of the law to do them.

Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

So the logical question what things are in the law? There are over 900 laws I am told. All of those laws must be followed. This would include the sacrifices as well as going to the temple for the various feasts.

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.

The word “just” is dikaios which means  righteous. So the righteous shall live by faith. Notice it does not say till you do something wrong then you are under the law again.

12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

First thing to remember is that there is no punctuation in the Greek, so 12 and 13 make one verse

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God it is evident: for the just shall live by faith and the law is not of faith but the man that doeth them shall live in them.

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the  of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Verse 13 is a gnome it is a quote from the Hebrew Scripture

Deuteronomy 21:23

his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance.

Look at this from the English Standard Version in context

18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, 20 and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

22 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance.

It is interesting from the time of these verses being written till the first person was crucified was over a thousand years. No one used Crucifixion till the Romans started using it.

14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

15 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.

16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

15 To give a human example, brothers:f even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offspring,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

This is from the commentary of the REV

“because of transgressions.” The Law was not added in order that transgressions would come. See commentary on Romans 5:20. Hence, the word charin (#5484 χάριν), should be translated as “because,” as most versions do. The word can also be used to show purpose, “indicating the goal” (BDAG, def. a) and could be translated “for the sake of.” But we feel, along with most translators, charin here is “indicating the reason” (BDAG, def. b), that the Law was added “on account of” transgressions.

20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

If there had been a way to be made righteous God would have done it that way.

22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

From the REV

Galatians 3:23 But before the coming of the trust in Christ, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned in regard to the trust that was about to be revealed.

24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.