Commentary on Galatians 3:6-14

Text in red, if any, are my additions. Text in purple are quotations from Fr. Callan's Commentary on Romans. 

THE SCRIPTURES PROVE THAT ABRAHAM WAS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

A Summary of Galatians 3:6-9~This section was rejected by Marcion on account of his opposition to the Old Testament; it showed too plainly against his heretical views that the principle of salvation is the same both in the Old and in the New Testaments (cf. St. Jerome here; Tertull., Adv. Marc. v. 3).

The Judaizers taught that in order to have part in the blessings promised to Abraham and his posterity, it was necessary for the Gentile converts to establish, through circumcision, that filial relationship with the father of their race by which they could really be called the children of Abraham. They erred, as St. Paul now points out, in not understanding that Abraham’s justification was through faith, and that consequently the faithful are truly his sons and heirs of the blessings promised him.

Gal 3:6  As it is written: Abraham believed God: and it was reputed to him unto justice.

See on Rom 4:3-5. Here is what Father Callan wrote regarding those verses:

3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice.

St. Paul now appeals to Scripture (Gen 15:6) to prove whereby Abraham was justified, and he finds there no mention of works, but of faith only; it was, therefore, on account of his faith, and not on acount of his works, that Abraham was declared just by God. We have not, however, in this verse an explanation of the manner in which Abraham acquired his justification; this is the problem which engages the Apostle’s attention in the following verses (Lagrange).

Abraham believed God, i.e., when God promised him a numerous progeny, although he was without child at the time. Of course, the Apostle is speaking here of the faith which animated the whole life of Abraham, beginning with his vocation (Gen 17:4: Gen 17:15; Gen 4:19-21).

It was reputed, i.e., it was reckoned (ελογισθη).

The Lutherans pretend to find in this verse a basis for their doctrine of imputed justice, according to which one’s sins are not really pardoned, but only covered by God for Christ’s sake. They say Abraham believed in God, and this faith sufficed that God should declare him just without his actually being so. This is as contrary to the true sense of Gen 15:6, as it is opposed to the doctrine of St. Paul.

4. Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.
 5. But to him that worketh not, yet believeth in him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of God.

In these verses St. Paul adduces an example drawn from daily life to show that Abraham’s justification was not due to works, but was a gratuitous gift of God. A workman, he says, is rewarded not according to favor, i.e., gratuitously, but according to what he deserves in strict justice for his labor. Hence the laborer has a claim to his wages. If, therefore, without works, and only on condition of faith, which is a gratuitous gift of God, one is freely justified, as in the case of Abraham, it cannot be said that one is receiving what is his due; but rather that he is the object of favor and of a gratuitous benefit because of which he has no reason for boasting, either before men or in the sight of God. The works to which St. Paul is referring here, as elsewhere in the same connection, are those which are performed without faith and the help of grace.

(vs 5). In him that justifieth, etc., i.e., in God who has the power to render just him who is unjust or sinful.

His faith is reputed, etc., i.e., his faith is reckoned, etc. Faith does not merit justification, but is the necessary foundation of it. “Nothing of those things which precede justification, whether faith or works, merits the grace itself of justification” (Conc. Trid., Sess. VI. cap. 8).

According to the purpose of the grace of God, i.e., according to the decree of God’s mercy by which He has determined from all eternity gratuitously to save men through faith in Christ. These words, however, are most probably a gloss, since they are not found in the Greek MSS., nor in any of the versions, except the Latin. Being a marginal explanation of how “faith is reputed,” they at length crept into the text.

It is written (Vulg., scriptum est) is not represented in the Greek.

Gal 3:7  Know ye, therefore, that they who are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

The Apostle here concludes that, since Abraham was justified by faith and not by works, they are his sons who imitate his faith.

Know ye (γινώσκω = ginōskō) can be imperative or indicative. St. Jerome
understood it as indicative.

They who are of faith, etc., i.e., those who make faith the principle of their religious life and activities. Faith is here contrasted with the ceremonial works of the Law (verse 10).

The same, i.e., these only (οὗτοι = houtoi) in an exclusive sense. Are the children (υἱός = huioi), i.e., enjoy the real sonship with all its privileges. The Jews thought physical relationship with Abraham was sufficient to establish also spiritual sonship.

Gal 3:8. And the scripture, foreseeing, that God justifieth the Gentiles by faith, told unto Abraham before: In thee shall all nations be blessed.

The scripture, foreseeing. Better, “The Scripture foresaw.” Scripture is personified, because of the personality of God behind it. The meaning is that the Holy Ghost, the author of Scripture, foresaw before the Law was given that God the Father had determined to justify the Gentiles by faith. Of this truth the Galatians had had actual personal experience, and were therefore a confirmation; it was through faith that they had obtained the grace of Christianity.

Told unto, i.e., “announced the good news” (προευηγγελισατο = proeuengelisato) to Abraham. This announcement was really the beginning of the Gospel.

In thee, i.e., in thy person.

All nations, i.e., all those who shall imitate the faith of Abraham. The quotation is a fusion of Gen 12:3 and Gen 18:18, perhaps in order to emphasize the fact that the pagans were to participate in the blessings of Abraham. See on Rom 4:1. Here is what Fr. Callan wrote on that passage:

1. What shall we say then that Abraham hath found, who is our father according to the flesh.

What shall we say then. Then (ουν, “therefore”) shows the connection between this and verse 31 of the preceding chapter. If it be true that justification through faith was taught by the Old Testament, how was Abraham justified? by works or by faith? From the following verse it is evident that Abraham’s justification was not by works, but by faith.

According to the flesh. These words, according to the best authorities, should be joined to our father, thus: “What hath Abraham, our father according to the flesh, found?” i.e., how was he justified? Abraham was called the father of the Jews “according to the flesh” in opposition to a more extensive spiritual paternity which belonged to him by reason of his faith; by faith he became the spiritual father of all who believe.

Some exegetes join the above phrase to hath found, thus: “What hath Abraham found according to the flesh?” i.e., what profit or advantage had Abraham from circumcision? In this interpretation “flesh” means circumcision. Others understand “flesh” to mean works performed by natural strength, hence the meaning would be: “What profit had Abraham in the works performed by his natural strength?” “Before Abraham believed God, what justice do we hear of in him accruing from works?” (Theodoret). This last interpretation is made probable by the sense in which “works” is used in the following verse.

Gal 3:9  Therefore, they that are of faith shall be blessed with faithful Abraham.

Therefore. Better, “And so,” or “So that” (ὥστε = hoste).

Shall be blessed. Better, “Are blessed.”

A conclusion is drawn from what has been said. As the Gentiles, at the time of the promise made to Abraham, were blessed in his person, so now, in consequence of their faith, are they blessed with faithful Abraham. This blessing could not come to the Gentiles because they were his natural children, nor again because they had received circumcision; therefore only because they imitated his faith.

THE LAW BROUGHT A CURSE, INSTEAD OF A BLESSING; FAITH BRINGS THE BLESSING OF THE SPIRIT

A Summary of Galatians 3:10-14~After having proved that the blessings of Abraham have come to the Galatians through faith the Apostle now shows first, that neither blessing nor justification, but only a curse, could come through the Law; and then, that Christ, by becoming a curse for our sakes, has extended the blessings of Abraham to the Gentiles, in order that we may, through faith, receive the promise of the Spirit. Gal 3:13 is a return to the thought of Gal 3:10, and Gal 3:14 (“by faith”) looks back to verses Gal 3:11-12.

Gal 3:10  For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: Cursed is every one that abideth, not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

Far from giving a part in the blessings of Abraham the Law brought a curse upon those who, without grace, tried to fulfil it. This is proved by a citation from the Law itself (Deut 27:26).

As many as, etc., i.e., all, whether Jews or Christians, who think that their salvation is not to be obtained by faith, but through the fulfillment of the works of the law, such as, circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath and the like, are under a curse, i.e., in a state of permanent hostility to God, simply because they cannot, without the grace that comes through faith in Christ, keep the commandments and precepts of the Law.

St. Paul is not saying that no one could keep the precepts of the Law, but only that the Law itself, independently of God’s grace, gave no help for the fulfillment of its commands. The Law pointed out what should be done and what should be avoided, and in so doing, without at the same time giving any help towards keeping its mandates, it only multiplied transgressions.

Those, therefore, who trusted in the Law only, put themselves in a perilous position.

The citation of Deut. is according to the LXX, and is in conformity with the Hebrew, except for every one (πᾶς = pas) and in all things (πασιν = pasin), whose equivalents are not in the Hebrew, although St. Jerome thinks originally they were there. He suspects the Jews to have omitted the second (πασιν = pasin), so as not to be under a curse in case they were not able to observe the whole
Law.

Gal 3:11  But that in the law no man is justified with God, it is manifest: because the just man liveth by faith.

The meaning of this verse is that no one is rendered really and truly just before God in virtue of the Law. True justice in the sight of God comes only through faith.

In the law. The Greek is εν νομω (=en nomo), without the article, but the Jewish Law is clearly meant, as elsewhere in this Epistle.

Because the just man, etc. See on Rom 1:17.

Gal 3:12  But the law is not of faith: but he that doth those things shall live in them.

The last words of the preceding verse form the major of a syllogism; in the present verse we have the minor; the conclusion is in Gal 3:10 above.

The law is not of faith, i.e., the Law, as such, has not the same nature as faith; faith is concerned primarily with internal dispositions, while the Law regards only external acts. “The precepts of the Law are not concerned with things to be believed, but with things to be done” (St. Thomas).

He that doth, etc. This citation is a free rendering of the Hebrew of Lev 18:5. It means that he who keeps the Law shall live; but St. Paul’s point is that this keeping of the Law is impossible without some further help which the Law itself could not provide. The just of the Old Testament were not justified by the Law, but through their faith in the Messiah to come. It was this faith that procured for them the grace necessary to keep the precepts of the Law. See on Rom 10:5. Here is what Father Callan wrote there:

5. For Moses wrote, that the justice which is of the law, the man that shall do it, shall live by it

The Apostle quotes Moses (Lev. 18:5, according to the LXX) to show the difference between the justice of the Law and that of faith. If a man is able to obtain the justice of the Law, he will have as his reward, temporal, and even eternal life; but this justice is very difficult, being beyond man’s natural strength.

The justice … of the law, i.e., the justice which resulted from an observance of all the precepts of the Mosaic Law.

The man that shall do it, etc., i.e., the man that is able to do such a difficult thing.

Shall live by it. To the observers of the Law there was promised a life of temporal blessings (Deut. 28:2-13; 30:9-10), and also life eternal (Matt. 19:17; Luke 10:25-28). But to obtain this latter it was necessary to observe, not only externally, but also internally, all the precepts of the Law; and, in particular, to love God and have faith in Christ to come (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:36; Rom. 2:13; 4:11)—a task utterly beyond the powers of fallen human nature unaided by grace (Rom 7:22-25). This grace, however, which the Law could not provide, would be given by God in virtue of faith in Christ to come. The Jews erroneously thought they could keep the Law by their own mere natural strength, and thereby obtain the rewards promised.

Very probably the Judaizers had used the above text to prove to the Galatians the necessity of observing the Law, but St. Paul turns it against his adversaries, taking it for granted that his readers will understand that the Jews did not and could not observe the Law by virtue of any help that it afforded them.

Gal 3:13  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us (for it is written: Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree).

What the Law could not do Christ, dying on the cross, has accomplished. He redeemed us, i.e., us Jews, from the malediction under which we lived by reason of the Law. “Us” could not include the pagans, because they were not under the curse of the Law; but the liberation of the Jews who became Christians brought about the diffusion of the blessing among the Gentiles (Cornely).

Hath redeemed, i.e., has satisfied for our sins by the pouring out of His blood on the cross. Here there is question of being ransomed from the curse of the Law.

Being made a curse, etc., i.e., He took upon Himself all the maledictions of the Law in order to liberate those who were under the Law; He put Himself in the place of the enslaved that He might free them, becoming Himself an object of malediction for their sakes. Christ was an object of malediction, inasmuch as upon Him the fury of God’s wrath was poured out, not because of any personal wrong, but as bearing the sins of the whole world.

For it is written. St. Paul cites as an illustration the text of Deut 21:23, which shows that Christ, having been a victim for sin, incurred also the curse of sin. The Law declared him cursed by God who hung on a tree; and Christ was nailed to the wood of the tree. The citation is made freely according to the LXX.

Crucifixion was not a Jewish form of execution, and was resorted to only in rare cases (Num 25:4). The dead body of a criminal was sometimes raised on a cross as a deterrent against crime, but it had to be taken down the same day, lest, being a thing accursed of God (Deut 21:23), it should pollute the land.

Gal 3:14  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus: that we may receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.

This shows the end for which Christ suffered on the cross, namely, that the blessings promised to Abraham, i.e., justification by faith and all the Messianic gifts, might come to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, and that we, i.e., the Jews, might receive the promise of the Spirit, i.e., all the gifts of the Holy Ghost which make us sons of God and heirs of heaven.

Through Christ Jesus. Better, “In Jesus Christ,” the Redeemer, who ransomed the Jews, and in and through whom both Jews and Gentiles are united and receive the gifts of the Spirit by faith, and not by the works of the Law.