Commentaries on Galatians

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blhowes

Puritan Board Professor
Yesterday, as we were reading a chapter in Galatians, I found myself unprepared to answer one of my son's questions. I'd like to spend some time studying Galatians, and I was wondering which commentaries (preferably online) do a good job with Galatians?

BTW, the verse that caught my son's attention was:

Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin?. God forbid.
 
Bob,

Luther without a doubt is THE commentary on Galatians. Calvin next behind him.

I believe it was Bunyan that said that next to holy writ itself he would have Luther's commentary on Galatians above all other books. I agree.

Ldh
 
Originally posted by Larry Hughes
Bob,

Luther without a doubt is THE commentary on Galatians. Calvin next behind him.

I believe it was Bunyan that said that next to holy writ itself he would have Luther's commentary on Galatians above all other books. I agree.

Ldh
I like the way he explains the verse I mentioned in the original post:

Paul has good reason for calling the minister of the Law the minister of sin, for the Law reveals our sinfulness. The realization of sin in turn frightens the heart and drives it to despair. Therefore all exponents of the Law and of works deserve to be called tyrants and oppressors.

The purpose of the Law is to reveal sin. That this is the purpose of the Law can be seen from the account of the giving of the Law as reported in the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of Exodus. Moses brought the people out of their tents to have God speak to them personally from a cloud. But the people trembled with fear, fled, and standing aloof they begged Moses: "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." The proper office of the Law is to lead us out of our tents, in other words, out of the security of our self-trust, into the presence of God, that we may perceive His anger at our sinfulness.

All who say that faith alone in Christ does not justify a person, convert Christ into a minister of sin, a teacher of the Law, and a cruel tyrant who requires the impossible. All merit-seekers take Christ for a new lawgiver.

That makes sense.
 
Originally posted by Larry Hughes
Yep, it helps to understand "minister" as "servant" too.
I'll have to give that some thought.

(I wish it was morning now. My brain's fried from a hectic day of work...I tried to think, but nothing happened).

Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the servant of sin?.
 
Quick question:

Gal 1:10 (Geneva) For nowe preach I mans doctrine, or Gods? or go I about to please men? for if I should yet please men, I were not the seruant of Christ.

Gal 1:10 (KJV) For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Gal 1:10 (ESV) For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Preach, persuade, or seeking the approval of. Which is closest to the correct meaning?
 
Bob,

Here's a small quote from Wuest's word studies:

"Persuade is from Peitho which means "to persuade." The more precise meaning in this context is, "to win over, to conciliate and render friendly to one's self.""

He then gives what he calls an "Expanded translation" of the verse:

"For, am I at this present moment seeking to win the favor of men rather than the approval of God? Or, am I making it my business to be constantly pleasing men? If I still were pleasing men, in that case Christ's bondslave I would not be."

It sounds like he would agree most with the ESV on this one.
 
It helps this way:


"All who say that faith alone in Christ does not justify a person, convert Christ into a minister (servant) of sin, a teacher of the Law, and a cruel tyrant who requires the impossible. All merit-seekers take Christ for a new lawgiver. "

The law in this sense is a servant of sin, exposes it and as aside effect, sins reaction to law, increases it as Paul says. Christ does away with it by grace alone.

L
 
Originally posted by blhowes
The man is a walking internet database!

Thanks, Andrew.
That's nothing compared to his knowledge of pop culture!
 
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