Paul's letter to the Galatians

“For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.”   -Galatians 3:10

Beginning in Verse 10, we have an apparent contradiction. Paul writes, “For as many as are of the works the law are under a curse…” This statement is pretty plain. If you are of the “works of the law,” then you “are under a curse. And then, continuing in the same thought, he writes, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, to perform them.” So on one hand the curse is upon those who are of the “works of the law,” but on the other hand the curse is upon those who do “not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, to perform them.” Either Paul is speaking nonsense or we have missed something important.

This clears up perfectly when we apply context to the verse. Remembering that Paul has been talking about Judaism, circumcision, and gentile acceptance by those in Judaism, from the beginning of the letter, we can conclude that his context is still intact, or he’s a very confused man. I think the problem is with the reader, not the writer. Context demands that we read this in light of what Paul has previously written.

His discussion of Abraham, in the previous verses of Galatians Chapter Three, in context with all the discussions by Paul, the writer of Hebrews, and James, Yeshua’s half brother, give us the Biblical perspective on Abraham. We learned that he was justified by faith, being obedient to Torah (Genesis 26:4-5), and it was accounted to him as righteousness. And we read that all this happened to him before he was circumcised. He wasn’t an Israelite, or Jew. We learned that Jacob was called Israel by Yahweh, after he was a grown man. Prior to him there was no Israelite. Prior to Judah there was no Jew. The point made is that Abraham was justified by faith (believing what God said) proven by his obedience, before he was circumcised. Circumcision, in context, is the works of the law – the law of Judaism that crossed land and sea to make one proselyte, making the convert to Judaism “twice the son of hell” that they themselves were.

Conversely, by the consistent witness of Scripture we are able to read clearly that there is a curse for disobedience to Torah, and blessing for obedience. This makes perfect sense of the second half of Galatians 3:10, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT ABIDE BY ALL THINGS WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE LAW, TO PERFORM THEM.” (Deuteronomy 27:26-28, Deuteronomy 29:20,  Jeremiah 11:3, Ezekiel 18:4, Romans 6:23, James 2:10)

Clearly Paul is contrasting two laws in this verse. When one chooses to live by the “works of (this) the law,” is under a curse. The other Law brings a curse upon the one who does not “abide by all things” written in its Book, “to perform (do) them.”

Let’s backtrack to regain our context on the “works of law,” from Paul’s own pen.

 ”But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?

“We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. “But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! “For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. “For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and thelife which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” -Galatians 2:11-21

Cephas (Peter) had a problem with fear of man. He was willingly, and peacefully having fellowship with gentile believers. But when the “party of the circumcision,” came for a visit, Peter’s hypocrisy was exposed, when it was shown that he feared those of the circumcision. The circumcision had a problem with those who were not circumcised. We see this attitude in Peter when we read Acts 10, when God deals with him about it. Remember, from the context of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. This plainly shows the conflict between the two people groups.

“Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands” -Ephesians 2:11

These two groups were from different worlds, separated by physical lineage and some flesh. The Circumcision set themselves forth as an exclusive elite club. Their exclusivity made those who were excluded want to be a part of it. So the way was made, in the flesh, through circumcision, removing the flesh. It became a way of justification, being made a part of Israel through becoming a proselyte. But Scripture teaches that justification is only through faith. Faith is simply believing what God said, and the evidence of that faith is what is seen in the life, by the Spirit’s work of grace – works.

This separation is not Yahweh’s plan. Paul writes in Ephesians 4;

“There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” -Ephesians 4:4-5

In Messiah Yeshua we are made one. The law of Judaism that makes a distinction between those who are of the Circumcision and those who are called the Uncircumcison, is destroyed in Messiah. And, as Paul writes, He made “one new man” out of the two. Now the new man, who is no longer separated, is a citizen in the kingdom of Yahweh, in Messiah Yeshua. The Gentile is not in the kingdom of God through becoming a part of Israel. Not only does the gentile need to be born again, from above, into the family of Yahweh, so does the Jew/Israelite.

“But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. AND HE CAME AND PREACHEDPEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” -Ephesians 2:11-22

I can’t say it any better than Paul wrote. The consistency and context of Paul’s letters, and the witness in all of Scripture, continues to show us that two laws are contrasted in the Book of Galatians – the law of Judaism versus the Torah/Law of Yahweh. The law of Judaism and the “works of the law” of Judaism are not of faith. Remember that faith is believing what God said, proven by obedience to what God said, just as Abraham gave us example. The Torah/Law/Instruction of Yahweh is what we are to believe and obey. The “works of the law” of Judaism are of no value over the indulgence of the flesh.

The law of Judaism is a law of flesh, where one seeks to be made perfect in the flesh, as Paul wrote in Galatians 3:3, through “the works of the law”. The Law/Torah/Instruction of Yahweh is “holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good,” as Paul writes in Romans 7:12.

With what we read, from Paul’s own pen, in Romans 7:12, how can we make the jump to a false premise that he would teach that obedience to the Word/Torah of Yahweh/LORD, the God/Elohim, of the Bible, puts a person under the curse?

Judaism attempted to establish their own righteousness, and draw men to their version of the gospel, that is not the gospel of Messiah Yeshua. The gospel/good news of Messiah Yeshua has been preached to us, just as it was to those who came out of Egypt, led by Moses, as the writer of Hebrews reminds us, in Hebrews 4:2. What they heard profited them not one whit, not being mixed with faith. The writer of Hebrews tells us what “not being mixed with faith” means. He says plainly that it was unbelief. Faith is believing what Yahweh said. When we read, or hear, the Word/Torah of Yahweh, and don’t believe it, evidenced by disobedience to it, then we have not mixed the gospel with faith. That is not Biblical faith. It is no faith at all, as James wrote (James 2); “Faith without works is dead.” And James shows us who our example of faith is; Abraham. The one that Paul writes, is the father of those of faith. And Paul writes that, “through Abraham’s Seed (Messiah) we become children of Abraham. We don’t become children of Abraham through paternal lineage nor through “the works of the law,” circumcision.

“Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.” -Galatians 3:16

We will see this unfold even more as we continue in Galatians Chapter Three……..

Abraham, bible, Circumcision, ephesians, Faith, flesh, galatians, Grace, hebrews, istruction, james, law, paul, romans, Torah, uncircumcision, Yeshua