Epistle of St Paul to the Galatians
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http://www.biblecentre.net/comment/nt/je/gal/gal01.html First Next -> THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL TO THE GALATIANS Based on the Greek Text By John Eadie, D.D., LL.D. Oujde; ga;r dei' ta; rJhvmata gumna; ejxetavzein, ejpei; polla; e{yetai ta; aJmarthvmata, oujde; th;n levxin kaqj eJauth;n bastavzein ajlla; th'/ dianoiva/ prosevcein tou' gravfonto" .—CHRYSOST. ad Galat. 1:17. Officii mei est obscura disserere, manifesta perstringere, in dubiis immorari. — HIERONYM Praefat. lib. iii. cap. i. Commentar. in Epist. ad Galatas. Non hic audeo praecipitare sententiam, intelligat qui potest, judicet qui potest, utrum majus sit justos creare quam impios justificare. —AUGUSTIN. Tract. LXXII. in Joannis Evangelium. I myself can hardly believe that I was so plentiful in words, when I did publicly expound this Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, as this book showeth me to have been. Notwithstanding, I perceive all the cogitations which I find in this treatise, by so great diligence of the brethren gathered together, to be mine; so that I must needs confess, either all or perhaps more to have been uttered by me, for in my heart this one article reigneth, even the faith of Christ, from whom, by whom, and unto whom all my divine studies daily have recourse, to and fro, continually. And yet I perceive that I could not reach anything near unto the height, breadth, and depth of such high and inestimable wisdom; only certain poor and bare beginnings, and as it were http://www.biblecentre.net/comment/nt/je/gal/gal01.html (1 of 2) [04/08/2003 08:41:13 a.m.] http://www.biblecentre.net/comment/nt/je/gal/gal01.html fragments, do appear. Wherefore I am ashamed that my so barren and simple commentaries should be set forth upon so worthy an apostle and elect vessel of God.—LUTHER, Preface to Commentary on Galatians , English translation, London 1575. PAULOS — mevga" th'" ajlhqeiva" pragwnisth'" kai; didavskalo". — GRHGORIOS oJ Qdovlogo" . Non est cujusvis hominis Paulinum pectus effingere. Tonat, fulgurat, meras flammas loquitur.—ERASMUS, Annot. ad Colos. 4:16. Omnis bonus Theologus et fidelis interpres doctrinae coelestis, necessario esse debet, primum grammaticus, deinde dialecticus, denique testis.—MELANCTHON. PREFACE First Next -> http://www.biblecentre.net/comment/nt/je/gal/gal01.html (2 of 2) [04/08/2003 08:41:13 a.m.] Microsoft Word - gal.doc <- Previous First Next -> The object of this Commentary is the same as that stated in the prefaces to my previous volumes on Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. Nor do its form and style greatly vary from those earlier Works. Only it is humbly hoped, that longer and closer familiarity with the apostle's modes of thought and utterance may have conferred growing qualification to expound him. The one aim has been to ascertain the meaning through a careful analysis of the words. Grammatical and lexical investigation have in no way been spared, and neither labour nor time has been grudged in the momentous and responsible work of illustrating an epistle which contains so vivid an outline of evangelical truth. To find the sense has been my first step, and the next has been to unfold it with some degree of lucid and harmonious fulness. How far my purpose has been realized, the reader must judge; but, like every one who undertakes such a task, I am sadly conscious of falling far short of my own ideal. While I am not sensible of being warped by any theological system, as little am I aware of any deviation from recognised evangelical truth. One may differ in the interpretation of special words and phrases, and still hold the great articles of the Christian creed. I have gone over every clause with careful and conscientious effort to arrive at its sense, and without the smallest desire to find a meaning for it that may not jar with my theology. For “Theology,” as Luther said, “is nothing else than a grammar and lexicon applied to the words of the Holy Spirit.” I am well aware that scholastic theology has done no small damage to biblical interpretation, as may be seen in so many of the proof-texts attached to Confessions of Faith. The divine words of Scripture are “spirit and life,” and have an inherent vitality, while the truth wedged into a system has often become as a mummy swathed up in numerous folds of polemical dialectics. Several features of this epistle render its exposition somewhat difficult. In some sections, as in the address to Peter, the apostle's theology is but the expression of his own experience; brief digressions and interjected thoughts are often occurring; longer deviations are also met with before he works round more or less gradually to the main theme. The epistle is not like a dissertation, in which the personality of the author is merged; it is not his, http://www.biblecentre.net/comment/nt/je/gal/gal02.html (1 of 2) [04/08/2003 08:41:24 a.m.] Microsoft Word - gal.doc but himself—his words welling up freshly from his heart as it was filled by varying emotions of surprise, disappointment, anger, sorrow, and hope. So, what he thought and felt was immediately written down before its freshness had faded; vindication suddenly passes into dogma, and dogma is humanized by intermingled appeals and warnings,—the rapid interchange of I, We, Thou, Ye, They, so lighting up the illustration that it glistens like the changing hues of a dove's neck. The entire letter, too, is pervaded by more than wonted fervour; the crisis being very perilous, his whole nature was moved to meet it, so as to deliver his beloved converts from its snares. One result is, that in his anxiety and haste, thought occasionally jostles thought; another idea presses upon him before the one under hand is brought to a formal conclusion; his faculty of mental association being so suggestive and fertile, that it pressed all around it into his service. These peculiarities show that the letter is an intensely human composition—the words of an earnest man writing in the fulness of his soul to other men, and naturally throwing himself on their affection; while there lies behind, in conscious <- Previous First Next -> http://www.biblecentre.net/comment/nt/je/gal/gal02.html (2 of 2) [04/08/2003 08:41:24 a.m.] Microsoft Word - gal.doc <- Previous First Next -> combination, that divine authority which conferred upon him the apostleship in connection with the appearance and voice of the Saviour, and that divine training which opened up to him those sudden and perfect intuitions which he terms Revelation. The contents and circumstances of the epistle endeared it to Luther, for it fitted in wondrously to his similar experiences and trials, and he was wont to call it, as if in conjugal fondness, his Katherine von Bora. One may also cordially indorse the eulogy of Bunyan: “I prefer this book of Martin Luther's (except the Bible) before all the books that I have ever seen, as most fit for a wounded conscience.” For the epistle unveils the relation of a sinner to the law which condemns him, and from which, therefore, he cannot hope for acceptance, and it opens up the great doctrine of justification by faith, which modern spiritualism either ignores or explains away. Its explicit theology is, that through faith one enjoys pardon and has the Spirit conferred upon him, so that he is free from legal yoke; while his life is characterized by a sanctified activity and self-denial, for grace is not in conflict with such obedience, but is rather the spring of it—death to the law being life to God. It is also a forewarning to all time of the danger of modifying the freeness and fulness of the gospel, and of allowing works or any element of mere ritual to be mixed up with the atoning death of the Son of God, as if to give it adaptation or perfection. Any one writing on Galatians must acknowledge his obligation to the German exegets, Meyer, De Wette, Wieseler, and the others who are referred to in the last chapter of the Introduction. Nor can he forget to thank, among others at home, Bishop Ellicott, Dean Alford, and Prof. Lightfoot, for their learned and excellent labours. Each of these English commentaries has its distinctive merits; and my nope is, that this volume, while it has much in common with them, will be found to possess also an individual character and value, the result of unwearied and independent investigation. Ellicott is distinguished by close and uniform adherence to grammatical canon, without much expansion into exegesis; Alford, from the fact that his exposition extends to the whole New Testament, is of necessity brief and somewhat selective in his remarks; while Lightfoot himself says, that “in his http://www.biblecentre.net/comment/nt/je/gal/gal03.html (1 of 2) [04/08/2003 08:41:30 a.m.] Microsoft Word - gal.doc explanatory notes such interpretations only are discussed as seemed at all events possibly right, or are generally received, or possess some historical interest;” and his collateral discussions occupy longer space than the proper exposition. I have endeavoured, on the other hand, to unite grammatical accuracy with some fulness of exegesis, giving, where it seemed necessary, a synopsis of discordant views, and showing their insufficiency, one- sidedness, ungrammatical basis, or want of harmony with the context; treating a doctrine historically, or throwing it into such a form as may remove objection; noticing now and then the views and arguments of Prof.