(The previous post concluded with the Theme of Chapter 3: Paul was concerned the Galatians were returning to the Law, so he gave an overview of the foundational Doctrine of justification by faith. This chapter was a review of one main theme of the Book of Romans: all people (Jews and Gentiles) are justified by faith in God, just as Abraham (the father of the Jews) was justified by faith.)
Galatians 4
1 But I say that so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all;
2 but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father.
(Paul continued showing there was no division between the Jews (heir) and Gentiles (bondservant) once the day appointed of the father arrived, which would be Final Judgment: Salvation and Reward.)
3 So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world:
4 but when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,
(The "fulness of the time" would be the time that God gave to Daniel (in Daniel 9) regarding when the Messiah would come.
Doctrine: Jesus was born of a woman and born under the Law.)
5 that he might redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
(Doctrine: Jesus was born under the Law so that He could redeem those who were under the Law and make it possible for those not under the Law to be adopted.)
6 And because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
(By believing, we are adopted children of God. Because we are sons of God, He sent His Spirit into our hearts.)
7 So that thou art no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
(Paul confirmed the Galatians (Gentiles) were sons of God without the Law.)
8 Howbeit at that time, not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them that by nature are no gods:
9 but now that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments, whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again?
(Paul wanted to know why the Galatians were going back towards the Law when they had been made free from the bondage of the Law by the Spirit. Paul showed the Galatians they were sons of God without the Law and the Law would not add anything to their position, but rather take away from their freedom.)
10 Ye observe days, and months, and seasons, and years.
11 I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain.
(Paul was afraid that he may have wasted his time by laboring towards the Galatians because they were going back to the Law by observing those traditions.)
12 I beseech you, brethren, become as I am, for I also am become as ye are. Ye did me no wrong:
13 but ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you the first time:
(An infirmity in Paul's flesh caused him to preach the Gospel to the Galatians when he did. The stoning of Paul in Lystra (Acts 14:19-20) may have been the cause of this physical infirmity. Some people believe that Paul may have been referring to the thorn in his flesh from 2 Corinthians 12.)
14 and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but ye received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
15 Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
16 So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?
(At first, the Galatians received Paul excellently, "even as Christ Jesus." At some point, Paul was being treated as their enemies. Paul asked if it was because he spoke the truth.)
17 They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them.
(Paul stated the false teachers were desiring to make the Galatians dependent on these false teachers. Notice, Paul was preaching a Gospel of freedom and giving the Galatians freedom. The false teachers were preaching a gospel of bondage and attempting to put the Galatians in bondage.)
18 But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.
(Paul gave them the freedom to be pursued by himself and others.)
19 My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you--
20 but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.
(Paul referenced his laboring to mature them spiritually, then stated he wanted to be with them so he could change his tone. Paul was perplexed about the Galatians and wanted to be present so that he could emphasize the key point: that we are ALL children of the promise.
Verses 21-31: Paul used the story of Sarah and Hagar (Genesis 16 and Genesis 17) to emphasize this point to the Galatians.)
21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?
(Paul began by stating that if you truly wanted to be under the Law, then you would have to accept everything that followed because it came from the Law.)
22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.
23 Howbeit the son by the handmaid is born after the flesh; but the son by the freewoman is born through promise.
(Ishmael was the son of the handmaid (Hagar). Ishmael was an effect of Abram and Sarai attempting to fulfill God's promise in their own strength. Isaac was the son by the freewoman (Sarah) and was God's fulfillment of His promise to Abraham and Sarah.)
24 Which things contain an allegory: for these women are two covenants; one from mount Sinai, bearing children unto bondage, which is Hagar.
(Each of these women was part of a different covenant, two different covenants.)
25 Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.
(Hagar was represented by Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Law. This was symbolic of her being in bondage.)
26 But the Jerusalem that is above is free, which is our mother.
(Sarah was represented by Jerusalem. However, not the Jerusalem on this earth but the one that is above, the new Jerusalem. This was symbolic of her being a freewoman.)
27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: For more are the children of the desolate than of her that hath the husband.
(Paul referenced Isaiah 54:1.)
28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise.
29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now.
(Just as Ishmael persecuted Isaac, those who put themselves in bondage by holding to the Law were persecuting believers.)
30 Howbeit what saith the scripture? Cast out the handmaid and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.
(Paul quoted Genesis 21:10.)
31 Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a handmaid, but of the freewoman.
(Theme of Chapter 4: Paul emphasized to the Galatians that they were free and saved without the Law and the Law would not only add nothing, it would put them in bondage.)
Galatians 5
1 For freedom did Christ set us free: stand fast therefore, and be not entangled again in a yoke of bondage.
(Paul began this section summarizing the previous chapter: freedom in Christ vs. returning to bondage under the Law. Stand fast in Christ where we are free and not in the Law which was bondage. "Stand fast" was the cause, freedom was an effect of this.)
2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing.
(Receiving circumcision (relying on the Law) will profit you nothing from Christ.)
3 Yea, I testify again to every man that receiveth circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4 Ye are severed from Christ, ye would be justified by the law; ye are fallen away from grace.
(When we try to be justified by works (doing things in our own power), we are fallen from grace, we are apart from the Holy Spirit working through us.)
5 For we through the Spirit by faith wait for the hope of righteousness.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith working through love.
(Circumcision, in and of itself, is not good or bad. What is important is faith working through love.)
7 Ye were running well; who hindered you that ye should not obey the truth?
(The Galatians were making progress and Paul wanted to know what was hindering them by making them think they needed the Law.)
8 This persuasion came not of him that calleth you.
(Paul said this false information was not coming from God.)
9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
(Just as a little leaven will leaven the whole lump, one deceiving person can make an entire community unprofitable.)
10 I have confidence to you-ward in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
(Those who cause others to stumble will bear the judgment of the trouble they caused. This was similar to what Jesus said about causing "one of these little ones to stumble" (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2): it would be better to have a "great millstone" hung on your neck and dropped in the sea than to cause "one of these little ones to stumble.")
11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then hath the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.
12 I would that they that unsettle you would even go beyond circumcision.
(Paul implied that those who were teaching the Galatians that they needed circumcision would perform a surgery on themselves that went beyond only removing the foreskin.)
13 For ye, brethren, were called for freedom; only use not your freedom for an occasion to the flesh, but through love be servants one to another.
(Doctrine: Our freedom ought to result in loving others and being servants to each other, not as an excuse to walk in the flesh.)
14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
(The Law is fulfilled (ultimate effect) by loving your neighbor as yourself (which is a direct effect of loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength). This was how Jesus fulfilled the Law: through love.)
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
(Doctrine: Walking in the Spirit (living by grace through faith) will stop us from fulfilling the lusts of the flesh. We do not have to focus on what not to do, like the Law. We can focus on what to do, which is grace.)
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.
(Doctrine: The flesh and the Spirit contradict each other. You cannot walk in the Spirit and the flesh simultaneously.)
18 But if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
(Paul further stated that being led by the Spirit would remove you out from under the Law. How is that possible?)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies, wraths, factions, divisions, parties,
21 envyings, drunkenness, revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
(Verses 19-21 were a list of effects of walking in your flesh. These things will happen if you live according to your flesh. Notice, there are many laws dealing with the destructive effects that result when people do the behaviors in that list.)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.
(Verses 22-23 were a list of effects of walking in the Spirit. These things will happen if you live according to the Spirit. Notice, there are no laws against any of these nine effects of walking in the Spirit, which would mean the Law has no effect on people who exhibit these behaviors.)
24 And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.
25 If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk.
(Paul encouraged the Galatians to not only live by the Spirit but to walk by the Spirit. "Walking" implied progress: actions. Remember, the Soul/Mind and the Spirit need to work through the flesh. Living by the Spirit is the Soul/Mind being in agreement. Walking in the Spirit is the Mind/Soul and Spirit able to successfully work through the flesh.)
26 Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.
(Paul also stated that we should not envy other believers who walk in the Spirit better than us, which was another way the Law could be brought back over us.)
(Theme of Chapter 5: Paul emphasized that the Law had no effect on believers who walked in the Spirit. Believers who were led by the Holy Spirit (grace) did behaviors that were the opposite of the flesh and there were no laws against these behaviors.)
Galatians 6
1 Brethren, even if a man be overtaken in any trespass, ye who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; looking to thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
(Paul wanted the Galatians to facilitate the restoration of a man who was overtaken by sin, while being contrastive on themselves so that they were not tempted as well. This was a theme of 2 Corinthians: forgive and receive the repentant sinner.)
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
(Bearing each other's burdens is a part of leadership. Leaders bear pain; leaders do not inflict pain. Notice also, this was connected to fulfilling the "law of Christ." Bearing the burdens of others would be done in love: giving them a value without expecting anything in return.)
3 For if a man thinketh himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
(When a man is in pride he deceives himself. Thinking you are "something" is a right what. Being "nothing" is a wrong how/why, which is similar to being a "reprobate/castaway": appearing to be something good, but not actually having the value/worth/works.)
4 But let each man prove his own work, and then shall he have his glorying in regard of himself alone, and not of his neighbor.
(Think contrastively; consider you could be wrong. This will cause you to have glory in who you are and you will not be dependent on having glory because of others, you will not be a reprobate/castaway.)
5 For each man shall bear his own burden.
(We are accountable for our own actions. A person must learn the bear their own burden before bearing the burdens of others.)
6 But let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
(Verse 7 spoke directly toward causality. Denying causality is mocking God because it implies that God is not the First Cause.)
8 For he that soweth unto his own flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth unto the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.
(Paul gave examples of causality: sow into your flesh and you will reap corruption; sow into the Spirit and you will reap eternal life.)
9 And let us not be weary in well-doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
(You will not get worn out from doing good to others if you have a correct understanding of causality and Justice.)
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.
(We ought to do good to all men but especially other believers. Doing good to other believers will result in profitability with each other, which Jesus said was proof to unbelievers that we are believers: when we love other believers.)
11 See with how large letters I write unto you with mine own hand.
(Many scholars stated that verse 11 meant that Paul had bad vision and had to write with large letters. Paul had dictated his other letters. Some translations interpreted this verse as "See how large of a letter I write unto you with mine own hand." The reason being if Paul had to write with large letters because he couldn't see well, then he probably wouldn't have written the letter himself, but had someone write it for him. The greater implication was that this letter was longer than what we have here because the rest of the letter was the Book of Hebrews. We will look at that perspective during the Book of Hebrews. Regardless, we can see that Paul wrote this letter himself.)
12 As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh, they compel you to be circumcised; only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.
13 For not even they who receive circumcision do themselves keep the law; but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
14 But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
(Paul concluded with a warning: the false teachers that convinced others to keep the Law were hypocrites because they did not keep the Law themselves. Paul stated these false teachers were glorying in their ability to make others follow the Law. Paul stated he only gloried in the cross of Jesus Christ.)
15 For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
(Once again, Paul reminded the Galatians that circumcision, in and of itself, was not good and was not bad.)
16 And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
17 Henceforth, let no man trouble me; for I bear branded on my body the marks of Jesus.
(The "marks of Jesus" on Paul's body were the scars he had because of the beatings he undertook. Clearly Paul felt good about these scars in that he called them the "marks of Jesus.")
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
(Theme of Chapter 6: Paul concluded this letter by reminding the Galatians of the main points of his letter. Specifically, Paul emphasized to the Galatians that they were free and saved without the Law and the Law would not only add nothing, it would put them in bondage. Paul stated the false teachers that convinced others to keep the Law were hypocrites because they did not keep the Law themselves. Paul reminded the Galatians that circumcision, in and of itself, was not good and was not bad.)
(The Book of Galatians was originally written as a letter to the believers in southern Galatia, which was a Roman province in what is now Turkey. Galatia was the area where, on his first missionary journey, Paul established the congregations in Pisidia Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. This letter was written by Paul around 68 AD from Rome during his time in prison. While this was the fourth book of the section of the New Testament known as the Pauline Epistles, it also began a mini-section of epistles known as the Prison Epistles because they were all written while Paul was in prison. Paul wrote this letter to encourage new believers not to listen to false teachers who were attempting to convince the Galatians they needed to be under the Law in order to have Salvation.)
Day 337
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