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corpus-paul - Re: [Corpus-Paul] Galatians 2:16: Exploring the Relationshipbetween Faith and Works

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  • From: "Rabbi Saul" <tim AT rabbisaul.com>
  • To: "Corpus-Paul" <corpus-paul AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Corpus-Paul] Galatians 2:16: Exploring the Relationshipbetween Faith and Works
  • Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2004 17:15:36 -0600

>
> John:
> I think there is help in understanding that Paul is talking about 'we who
are Jews by
> birth' (2:15) and that he understands that even the law observance is not
enough to free
> them from the flesh. Peter appears to be in full agreement with Paul (Acts
15:11). The
> law was supposed to purify the heart (Psalm 19:7ff) but the rites that
were being
> substituted for the meditation on the law were preventing this from
happening among
> the Jews. I think this is what Paul is objecting to and would be in
agreement with Jesus
> and the prophets viz a vis 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice' (Mathew 9:13
quoting Hosea
> 6:6). That is while the work that is done in the believers heart is a gift
of God's grace, it
> requires his active participation in terms of his doing what his faith
leads him to do
> (Romans 14:23 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin'). The challenge of the
community is to
> learn to let each other stand on his own faith rather than to coerce the
other into
> following the path that seems right to the strong (or the weak). This IMO
is the reason
> why Paul challenges a code that fits all.

Paul isn't just challenging a code that fits all. He is denying that
*Jewish Christians* are under the Mosaic covenant as well (even if they
normally follows its observances). (If this seems inconsistent, remember
that for Paul, in the new creation neither circumcision nor uncircumcision
"is anything;" he has no problem with the observances themselves, as long as
such observance does not impinge upon new creation life, as it does when
Peter withdraws from table fellowship with Gentiles.) He implies as much
when he says that Cephas himself has Gentilized (corresponding to the
compulsion to "Judaize"). Cf 1 Cor 9.21.

Throughout Gal. 3-4, Paul is arguing that liberation from Torah has been
effected through the advent of Christ. Torah was a paidagogos - a
child-custodian suitable for Israel while Israel was in its minority. But
Christ was born under law in order to redeem those who were under law
(4.4-5). This redemption is specifically redemption from Torah. Torah is a
slave (as a paidagogos always was), which is why Paul will go on to link
Torah with Hagar the slave woman. Those who wish to remain bonded to the
slave woman as her children are disqualified from inheriting with the
"children of the Spirit/promise." Only free children inherit, and now that
the inheritance has come with the Seed to whom it was promised (3.16, 22-5),
the free children are not under the slave/child-custodian (3.25). Rather,
by clothing themselves with the mature Son, the Seed/Inheritor, they
themselves become mature sons and thus qualified to inherit; this is how
they may be identified as Abraham's "seed," in the one "Seed" (3.26-9).

Paul says that Torah belongs to the stoicheia, the "elements" of the old
kosmos (4.3). The difference between the old kosmos and the new is
radicalized. The old kosmos is "under Sin," and therefore submitting
oneself to the elements of the old creation is de facto a repudiation of the
eschatological gospel of Jesus Christ. That is why one cannot be justified
by Torah. Paul's justification is eschatological, and Torah is
pre-eschatological. By definition and intention, it cannot deliver the
promise (cf 3.21).

Paul is not opposing good works. He is, however, opposing any notion that
the Mosaic covenant remains operative in the new creation (cf 6.15).

tim

Tim Gallant
Pastor, Conrad Christian Reformed Church
Conrad, MT

Biblical Studies Center
http://www.timgallant.org/center.htm

Pauline studies:
http://www.rabbisaul.com

(406) 278-5846 / (406) 278-7809
Fax: (406) 278-7809
http://www.timgallant.org







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