That the works of the law cannot justify, because Abraham was justified by faith long before the law of Moses was given, Galatians 3:6, Galatians 3:7. The law shows us how incomprehensible flawed we are in comparison to an infinite and holy Godhead, but we are free from the law now. We just read in Galatians the law 07:33 couldn't give life. His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. We can’t even obey God for one day. It is by faith we have been saved just as it is by faith that they have been saved. “How does understanding the “curse of the Law” as an allusion to Deuteronomy’s “Blessing and Cursing” change the way we understand Paul in this passage?” Paul really hit me hard when he spoke in Galatians 3:3-5, “…because you have observed the law, or from what you have heard?” that part really hits me, because even though Paul was speaking to the Galatian church, it still continually speaks to anyone who reads it and are looking for God to speak to them through his words. 10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.' In a general sense, YHVH didn’t give the Israelites the Torah at this time—the principles of which they and their forefathers already knew (e.g. The word, "us" here, must refer to all who are redeemed; that is, to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. They need to now only know what these verses say, but also the context in which they are found. The general principles of the Torah are inviolate and have never changed. In these chapters Paul has claimed that he was commissioned directly by God to preach his gospel to the Gentiles (1:1-2, 11-12) and that he is not under the authority of the Apostles in Jerusalem (1:13-24). Righteousness, then, cannot be accomplished through the law but must come completely separate. I think that is what Paul was getting at when he was speaking to the Galatian’s; he was confronting them, and challenging them at the same time. Galatians 3:10 Parallel Verses [⇓ See commentary ⇓] Galatians 3:10, NIV: "For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.'" These eternal and inviolate principles had already been passed on down to successive generations by men like Enoch, Noah and the patriarchs. Who has bewitched you? This of course is absurd. Galatians 3:13, Curse of the law. Speaking to the Jews, he says, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that Elohim is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.’”, As I was meditating on the realization that YHVH gave His nation a constitution, a legal system of judges to judge righteously (as in Ex 18:21) that in His kingdom, this will be the order of things, the greatest and the least in the kingdom ruling righteously with Him. It comes from faith. An unattainable standard In Galatians 3:10-13, Paul states that anyone who relies on observing the Law in order to gain salvation is “cursed” because Deuteronomy 27:26 states: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law… Paul’s mission was to the Gentiles during this time. sperma]. Being a Jew and a part of the chosen people, Paul needed to demonstrate how non-Jews could be a part of God’s family, so he turns to Abraham. Why did Saul Persecute the Jewish Christians? Paul packs together several texts from the Hebrew Bible to make this point, and requires a great deal from his readers. But he does not refer to the law itself as a curse. 2:20), we are no longer under this guardian.” (Gal. Galatians 3:13 informs us that Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law, that is, everything that was written in the Book of the Law. For 53 verses Moses is telling the people of Israel all the horrible things that will happen to them if they “don’t carefully follow all his commands and decrees” (Duet. The law served a purpose but that purpose as Paul says, “was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come” (Gal 3:19). For it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." Now we have LAWLESSNESS n our streets . 28:15). Read Galatians 3 at Bible Gateway. Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” (Gal. While the Law itself is perfect and holy, those who try to justi... Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer. As opposed to the blessing, which is grace, the Law is a curse upon all mankind, none of whom can possibly fulfill its requirements. If Christ’s is restoring the world and making it right, cursing the generations to come seems a bit counterproductive. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. So what other law was added? Therefore, a secondary modern meaning of pedagogue is a teacher or schoolmaster and pedagogy is the science of teaching. Even to say that those under the Law are “under a curse” requires more of a reader than the single line from Deuteronomy cited by Paul. His most recent book is Galatians: Freedom through God’s Grace (Wipf & Stock, 2019). 3:1, NIV’11 Update). Galatians 3:13 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.’” Explanation and Commentary of Galatians 3:13. 07:27 "for what the law could not do in that it was weak 07:30 "through the flesh. " Who has bewitched you? That is the foundation on which w… The Law can point out where we fail and fall short of God’s will, but it cannot pronounce us righteous; that was not its purpose. I would have never caught it if P. Long didn’t bring it up but he said, “That Abraham believed is important, but when he believed is critical to Paul’s point.” Polhill talked about how the Judaizers were arguing that the Galatian people should be cut off if they didn’t keep the circumcision law. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. How does understanding the “curse of the Law” as an allusion to Deuteronomy’s “Blessing and Cursing” change the way we understand Paul in this passage? 3:1, ESV). Anyone of us can do great “works” in or community; but not have the faith in or heart. Because Jesus had come they no longer needed the law and by relying on the law to save them they were actually damning themselves. The first two chapters of Galatians dealt directly with the relationship of Paul and the Jerusalem Church. Paul later explains this as it is by faith that we accept the Spirit into or heart and life; not by the works that we do. Righteousness, then, cannot be accomplished through the law but must come completely separate. July 01 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report It doesn’t seem all that unusual that Paul required the reader or listener in those days to understand the context of the passage of the Hebrew Bible if in fact the Galatians were Jews. It also shows us how to know Elohim intimately (1 John 2:3) and how to have the love of Elohim in us (1 John 2:5) and how to walk as Yeshua walked (1 John 2:6).It also shows us how to love the Messiah (John 14:15). A similar situation occurred with the law of Moses, except the source for it was the Word, will, heart and character of Elohim, which he had revealed his servants of antiquity, and which then had been passed on down as well as additional laws that were given to Moses pertaining to governing the nation of Israel. This passage of scripture is detrimental to a Christian’s faith, because often times we just go off of what we hear, or what we have heard about God’s law. Paul explains to the Galatians: “All who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law’” (Galatians 3:10, emphasis added). He has Masters degrees in Biblical Exposition and Old Testament from Talbot School of Theology (BIOLA) and a PhD in New Testament from Andrews University. He explains why in his JNT Commentary (p. 553). Paul “began the chapter by contrasting Spirit and Law” (p.148). To say that we don’t need the Torah any longer is tantamount to saying that it’s now all right to worship idols, take Elohim’s name in vain, dishonor our parents, steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, covet, have sex with animals, etc. Rom 1. 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