JUSTIFIED BY FAITH St. John Chrysostom starts his commentary on this chapter, saying, [Here he passes to another subject; in the former chapters he had shown himself not to be an apostle of men, nor by men, nor in want of apostolic instruction. Now having established his authority as a teacher, he proceeds to discourse more confidently, and draws a comparison between faith and law.] A criminal is pardoned though he cannot be regarded as righteous. But justification is the act of God whereby he not only forgives us but puts Christ’s righteousness to our account. He gives us a righteousness that is not our own but Christ’s. God justifies the repentant sinner without justifying his sin. 1. The Galatians’ experience of the gospel [3:1-5] 2. The experience of Abraham [3:6-9] 3.the curse of law [3:10-14] 4. the law not to disannul the God’s promise to Ibrahim [3:15-18] 5. The purpose of the law [19-25] 6. Sons, not slaves [26-29] 1. THE GALATIANS’ EXPERIENCE OF THE GOSPEL St. Paul started his speech concerning faith as the source of justification by referring to the experience of the Galatians themselves. He called them foolish [1], not “without cause” (Matt. 5:22). St. Chrysostom says, [For after he had shown that they rejected the faith, and made the death of Christ to be without a purpose, he introduces his reproof, which, even as it is, is less severe than they merited.] They were called foolish because they ignored their own experience with the Savior and His redeeming action. St. Augustine says, [ We defend the apostle when he calls the Galatians fools, to whom he also gives the name of brethren; for he does not do it without cause1.] a. The Crucified Christ is set forth openly before their eyes [1]. By faith they see the Crucified Christ more distinctly than many of the Jews who were in Jerusalem and involved in the literal works of the law. How foolishly now they belittle the value of faith by accepting the deceit of those Judaizers and depend on the works of the law?! He was not crucified in Galatia, but at Jerusalem, yet he says, “among you,” to declare the power of faith to see events which are at a distance... By the eye of faith they saw more distinctly than some who were present as spectators... These words convey both praise and blame; praise, for their implicit acceptance of the truth; blame, because they left Him whom they had seen stripped naked, transfixed, nailed to the cross for their sakes, and betoken themselves to the law, disregarding unshamed any of those sufferings2. St. John Chrysostom b. By faith and not by the works of the law they experienced the grace of the Holy Spirit [2]. They already had the great power and benefits of the Spirit in their daily life 1 Our Lord’s Sermon on the mount, 1:9:25. 2 Chapter 3. 2 and conduct, why abandon it and go back to the law which can offer nothing of the same kind? c. They are foolish, for they began in the Spirit, with the high, and relapsed to the low, i.e., to the works of the law concerning the flesh [3]. Usually a wise person starts with small beginnings and makes progress to higher things, but they did the contrary. St. John Chrysostom says, [ After gazing on the sun you seek a candle, after having strong meat you run for milk!] d. They suffered so many things for the sake of their faith; is it in vain?! [4] You suffered much on behalf of your faith, don’t be afraid of those deceivers, lest they will strip you and rob you of your crowns?! e. By the hearing of the faith and not by the works of the law you were supplied by the Holy Spirit who worked miracles among you. Have you been vouchsafed, he says, so great a gift, and achieved such wonders, because you observed the law, or because you adhered to faith? plainly on account of faith1. St. John Chrysostom 2. THE EXPERIENCE OF ABRAHAM It is not a new experience that through faith man is justified, but even before the law Abraham the Patriarch had the same experience. St. Paul mentions Abraham because the Jews made great account of him, and the Gentiles hope to be his children, not in flesh, but by faith. St. Paul gives the proofs that the gospel of freedom agrees with the promises of the Old Testament; he shows the full harmony and continuity of the Gospel with the doctrine of the Old Testament. The Judaizers had misunderstood the relation between Christianity and the Old Testament, so he draws out the doctrinal basis of his doctrine of liberty of the Gen tiles from the Mosaic Law, by showing that they are the heirs of the promises and of the blessing given to Abraham before the Law and before circumcision2. a. According to the Jewish tradition itself, a midrashic homily (the word “midrash” means ‘explanation’) says that Abraham was made right with God by faith [6] and not by legal observances. b. By logic, true sons of Abraham, Jews and Gentiles, ought to be like him, i.e., to live by faith, so that they might share in the promises. The only true sons of Abraham are those who imitate his faith. The virtue of faith brings the Gentiles closer to Abraham than carnal descent brought the Jews. Those who rely on faith in Jesus Christ for their justification shall be blessed with the faithful Abraham3. That our faith was prefigured in Abraham, and that he was the patriarch of our faith, as it were, the prophet of it, the apostle has very fully taught when he says in the epistle to the Galatians [5-9]... He declared that this man was not only the prophet of faith, but also the father of those who from among the Gentiles believe in Jesus Christ, because his faith and ours are one and the same. We are children of Abraham because of the similarity of our faith, and the promise of inheritance4. 1 Chapter 3. 2 A New Catholic Commentary, p. 1178. 3 A New Catholic Commentary, p. 1178. 4 Adv. Haer. 4:21:1; 4:7:2. 3 St. Irenaeus If he who was before grace, was justified by faith, although plentiful in works, much more we. For what loss was it to him, not being under the law? None, for his faith sufficed unto righteousness. St. John Chrysostom As they made much of their descent from Abraham, and feared lest abandoning the law, they should be considered strangers to his kin; Paul removes this fear by turning their argument against themselves, and proves that faith is especially concerned in connecting them with Abraham1. St. John Chrysostom c. The false teachers used to perplex the Galatians by saying that the law was older and faith afterwards. St. John Chrysostom says, [Now he removes this notion by showing that faith was anterior to the law; as is evident from Abraham’s case, who was justified before the giving of the law.] Abraham was justified by faith fifteen years before the law of circumcision was imposed. d. The Law-giver preached Abraham that the nations would be justified by faith [8]. If justification is realized by the works of the law God would preach him with giving the law and not by the blessing of faith. He Himself who gave the Law, had decreed, before He gave it, that the heathen should be justified by faith. And He says not “revealed,” but “preached the gospel,” to signify that the patriarch was in joy at this method of justification, and to great desire for its accomplishment2. St. John Chrysostom e. Redemption from the curse of the law comes through Christ in whom the blessing of Abraham has been fulfilled [10-14] 3.THE CURSE OF LAW The Law itself (Deut. 27:26) testifies that those who seek to do it are under a curse, because it asks for doing and presupposes that righteousness is earned thereby, whereas in reality doing leads to pride in accomplishment, which is the essence of sin. The Law cannot give righteousness, but it does bring death upon all those who do not keep it [3:10]. A curse (a sentence) is upon all who break the law, while a blessing is upon all those who live by grace. In other words, those who consider themselves righteous because of the works of law fell into the sin of pride and become under a curse, and those who are weak to fulfill all its works also are under the curse. Now, how does Christ liberate us from this curse? We can say that through sin we became under the curse, while our Savior who is without sin became a curse for our sake [13] not by committing a sin but by being hanged on a tree, and thus he embraced us while we were under the curse and saved us from it by His grace. The crucified Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by fulfilling in his Person all the requirements of the Law perfectly and at the same time making complete and perfect satisfaction for all the transgressions of the Jews (and mankind in general) against the Law. The Law thus satisfied has no further claims on Him nor on the rest of 1 Chapter 3. 2 Chapter 3. 4 the human race in so far as they are united with Him by baptism1. St. Justin in his dialogue with Trypho the Jew, says that all the human family was in need to be freed from the curse by the Cross. [If those who are under this law appear to be under a curse for not having observed all the requirements, how much more shall all the nations appear to be under a curse who practice idolatry, who seduce youths, and commit other crimes? If the Father of all wished His Christ for the whole human family to take upon Him the curses of all, knowing that, after He had been crucified and was dead, He would raise Him up, why do you argue about Him, who submitted to suffer these things according to the Father’s will, and if He was accursed, and do not rather bewail yourselves?2] You see how he proves that they are under the curse who cleave to the law, be cause it is impossible to fulfill it [10,11]; next, how comes faith to have this justifying power... The law being too weak to lead man to righteousness, an effectual remedy was provided in faith, which is the means of render king that possible which was “impossible by the law” (Rom. 8:3)... Christ exchanged this curse for the other, “curse is every one that hanged on a tree.” As then both he who hanged on a tree, and he who transgresses the law, is cursed, and as it was necessary for him who is about to relieve us from a curse, to be himself free from it, yet had to receive another instead of it, therefore Christ took upon Him such another, and thereby relieved us from the curse... Christ took upon Him not the curse of transgression, but the other curse, in order to remove that of others. For, “He had done no violence neither was any deceit in His mouth” (Isa. 53:9). And as by dying He rescued from death those who were dying, so by taking upon Himself the curse, He delivered them from it3. St. John Chrysostom On hearing “Christ has become a curse for us,” and ‘He has made Him sin for us who knew no sin” (2 Cor. 5:21), we do not simply conceive this, that the whole Christ has become a curse or sin, but that He has taken on Him the curse which lay against us (Is. 53:4; 1 Peter 2:24). Just as He has not Himself become a curse, but is said to have done so because He took upon Him the curse on our behalf, so also He has become flesh not by being changed into flesh, but because He assumed on our behalf living flesh, and has become Man. He instructs the Hebrews and the Galatians to place their hopes, not in the Law, but in the Lord who had given the Law4. St. Athanasius of Alexandria He was made sin and a curse not on His own account but on ours... Cursed He was, for He bore our curses5. St. Ambrose How can He be sin, Who sets us free from sin; and how can He be a curse Who 1 A New Catholic Commentary, p. 1175, 50. 2 Chapter 95. 3 Chapter 3. 4 Four Discourses against the Arians, 2:47; Ep. 59 ad Epictetum, 8; De Synodis, 45. 5 Of the Christian Faith, 5,14, 178. 5 redeems us from the curse of the Law? it is in order that He may carry His display of humility even to this extent, and form us to that humility which is the producer of exaltation. For my sake He was called a curse, Who destroyed my curse... He became a new Adam to take the place of the old, just so He makes my disobedience His own as Head of the whole body1. St. Gregory of Nazianzen It was that He became obedient, even He Who “took our infirmities and bare our sickness” (cf. Matt. 8:17), healing the disobedience, that by His stripes He might heal our wound, and by His own death do away with the common death of all men,-then it was that for our sakes He was made obedient, even as He became “sin” and “a curse” by reason of dispensation on our behalf, not being so by nature, but by becoming so in His love for man2. St. Gregory of Nyssa By the law we became under the curse, while by the grace of Christ we are delivered from it. Grace usually reveals what God has done for us [1 Cor. 15:3,4], while Law reveals what He demands of us [Exod. 20:1-7]. Grace gives us life and power that we might obey [John 14:23] and be holy [Rom.6:14-22], while Law demands the perfect obedience and holiness [Deut. 6:24, 25] or death [James 2:10]. Grace almost reveals God’s love for us [John 3:16], while the Law almost commands us to love God [Matt. 22:37]. Through grace the divine blessings are announced [Gal. 3:4], while under the Law the curse was pronounced [Gal. 3:10]. Grace grants us freedom in Christ [Gal. 5:1], while under the Law we were slaves to sin [Gal. 4:1-3]. Grace is the power of God [Rom. 1:16], while the Law is the strength of sin {1 Cor. 15:56]. By grace we attained adoption to the Father [Gal. 4], while the Law shuts man out of God’s presence [Exod. 19: 12-24]. Grace reveals the very image of good things, while the Law has a shadow of good things to come [Heb. 10:1]. By the seed of Abraham (Jesus Christ) the blessing would come upon the Gentiles [14] (Gen. 22:18; 26:4). 4. THE LAW NOT TO DISANNUL THE GOD’S PROMISE TO IBRAHIM After giving many arguments founded on the Jewish tradition and the holy scripture the apostle uses a human example, saying, “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds thereto” [15]. In other words the human covenants must be respected by not missing or adding any new condition. Now He made a covenant with Abraham 430 years before receiving the law. It didn’t refer to the observance of the 1 Oration 37:1; The Fourth Theological Oration, 5. 2 Against Eunomius 2:11. 6 works of the law, but to faith. If this condition is added afterwards, it means that the divine covenant has been abused. The law was received after God’s promise not to disannul the promise but to pave the way to faith. If the works of the law are the source of salvation Abraham would not receive a promise of the blessing by his seed, but rather by receiving the law. By the figure of the permanency of a human covenant he was defending the divine testament1. Tertullian “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds thereto” [15]. Hence he says, “Brethren...;” above he had called them “foolish,” now he calls them “brethren,” at once chiding and encouraging them... If a man, says he makes a covenant, does anyone dare to come afterwards and overturn or subjoin aught to it? for this is the meaning of “adds thereto.” Much less then when God makes a covenant; and with whom did God make a covenant?... Thus God made a covenant with Abraham, promising that in his seed the blessing should come upon the heathen; and this blessing the law cannot turn aside... It was promised Abraham that by his seed the heathen should be blessed; and his seed according to the flesh is Christ [16-18]2. St. John Chrysostom God made his promise to Abraham and his offspring about 430 years before He gave the Law to Moses. The promise which preceded the Law has been fulfilled in Jesus, the off spring of Abraham. Number 430 is mentioned at the Palestinian Targum (on Exod. 12:40), that is a paraphrase of the scripture heard in synagogue services at the time of St. Paul. St. Augustine says that Abraham had a promise not only of Christ, the seed of Abraham who blesses the nations [16], but also of His Body, the Church of Christ [29]. [For if the seed of Abraham can only be understood of Christ; but this seed of Abraham we also are; therefore This Whole, that is the Head and the Body, is One Christ3.] 5. THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW The question opening this section has been raised by the course of St. Paul’s own argument, which has so far suggested a purely negative evaluation of the law and its works (Rom. 7:27-25). St. Paul rejects the notion that the law is contrary to God’s promises. He holds, rather, that its function is to define a person’s legal standing before God. Therefore, it is incapable of effecting righteousness and transform one’s relationship to God. The tenure of the literal observances of the law as an effective instrument of God’s plan is limited -until faith should be revealed and Christ came. A mediator is not a mediator of one [20], and God is one, not divided among the Persons in Whom we have been taught to believe (for the Godhead in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is one), the Lord, therefore, becomes a mediator once for all 1 Against Marcion, 5:4. 2 Chapter 3. 3 Sermons on N. T. Lessons, 94:5. 7 betwixt God and men, binding man to the Deity by Himself1. St. Gregory of Nyssa What then is the purpose of the Mosaic Law [19]? Christ can save only sinners. Grace cannot begin until the law has proven that we are guilty, as the epistle to the Romans shows each of us. The Law could only “shut up all under sin” [22], as in a prison. Then Christ came to grant us freedom and offer us His righteousness. The law is spiritual, but it has no redemptive power or a power to justify. It is intended to demonstrate to fallen mankind the incurable sinfulness of the old Adam’s nature. It reveals to a person his sin, blindness, and contempt of God, and that he is under God’s wrath. Thus, it drives us to Christ by showing us our need of the Savior and Physician. The law was not given to heal the infirm, but to discover and to manifest them... They received the law, which they were not able to fulfill; they learnt in what disease they were, and they implored the Physician’s aid; they wished to be cured because they came to know they were in distress, which they would not have known if they had not been unable to fulfill the law which had been given2. St. Augustine As long as the person thinks he is innocent, he is proud and despises the grace of God. The law tames this pride and lays it bare, it is the good teacher (pedagogue) whose task it was to convince the proud and to take children to school, make sure they paid attention, to discipline them when necessary, and to see to their moral and physical safety. This pedagogue was entrusted with taking children through the streets to their schoolmaster, and trained them to find pleasure in accepting the good tidings (the Gospel) and Christian experience. His work appropriates to childhood until the believer arrives to spiritual adulthood in Christ [3:25-29], Who grants him the skill of self-discipline and self-restraint. God restored our hearts by putting the iron needle of law at first, then He draws a lifelong thread of gospel love and peace and joy. In Christ all of God’s promises of grace would be fully realized. He (Paul) has said that the law was our pedagogue (to bring us) to Christ Jesus... For the law never hindered them from believing in the Son of God; nay but it even exhorted them so to do, saying that men can be saved in no other way from the old wound of the serpent than by believing in Him who, in the likeness of sinful flesh, is lifted up from the earth upon the tree of martyrdom, and draws all things to Himself (John 12:32; 3:14) and raises the dead3. St. Irenaeus As the Jews were not even conscious of their own sins, and consequently did not even desire remission; the law was given to probe their wounds, that they might long for a physician... Now the tutor (law) is not opposed to the Preceptor, but co-operates with him, ridding the youth from all vice, and having all leisure to fit him for receiving instructions from his preceptor. But when the youth’s habits are formed, then the tutor leaves him, as 1 Against Eunomius 2:12. 2 Sermons on N. T. Lessons 75: 2. 3 Adv. Haer. 4:2:5. 8 Paul says. The law then, as it was our tutor, and we were kept shut up under it, is not the adversary but the fellow-worker of grace, but if when grace is come, it continues to hold us down, it becomes an adversary; for it confines those who ought to go forward to grace, then it is the destruction of our salvation1. St. John Chrysostom For the God of the two Testaments is One, Who in the Old Testament foretold the Christ Who appeared in the New; Who by the Law and the Prophets led us to Christ’s school... And if ever you hear any of the heretics speaking evil of the Law or the Prophets, answer in the sound of the Savior’s voice, saying Jesus came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it (Matt. 5:17) 2. St. Cyril of Jerusalem St. Athanasius reads in the words of St. Paul here that the Law given to the Jews as a tutor, was involved in the faith of Christ, but they misunderstood it, and could not touch the truth we possess which the Law contains, because they were conformed to the letter, and did not submit to the spirit3. Dom B. Orchard says that for St. Paul there are three stages in the religious life of the world from the time of Abraham, the founder of the Jewish race: 1. From Abraham to Moses: during which justification came through faith in God’s promises, without any positive law properly so-called (circumcision being only of God’s covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17:11). 2. From Moses to Christ: during which justification came through faith in the promises, but with the obligation besides of keeping the Law positively given on Sinai (faith not Law, justifying). 3. Since Christ: justifying by faith in Him and at the time by observance of the Gospel (which is much more than a new and improved edition of Judaism4. 6. SONS, NOT SLAVES The law paved the way to the faith, and as a tutor brings us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith [24]. Now what is the role of faith in our life? It leads us to perfect manhood [25], for we are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ [26]. Justification (dikaiosune), which means for St. Paul the passage from the state of enmity with God resulting from original and actual sin to the state of sonship in which we possess the divine life of Christ in our selves, is always the free gift of God to us in virtue of the gift of faith5. “Adoption” is a Roman legal word and means “the placing of a son” in a son’s legal position. Christ came to ransom us so that we would be no longer slaves under the law but would possess all the privileges of full-grown sons and heirs. We call our God, “Abba, Father” [4:6]. We are no longer under a tutor [25], “for you are all sons of God” [26]. Wonderful! see how mighty is the power of faith, and how he unfolds as he proceeds! Before, he 1 Chapter 3. 2 Catech. Lect. 4:33. 3 Festival letters, 19:2. 4 A New Catholic Commentary., p. 1174. 5 A New Catholic Commentary., p. 1174. 9 showed that it made them sons of the patriarch...; now he proves that they are sons of God also... Then, when he has said this great and wonderful thing, he names also the mode of their adoption. “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ” [27]... If Christ be the Son of God, and you have put on Him, you who have the Son within you, and are fashioned after His pattern, have been brought into one kindred and nature with Him1. St. John Chrysostom Though Scripture testifies that our Lord Jesus Christ is the only Son of God, it says, that the brethren and coheirs whom He has vouchsafed to have, are made so by kind of adoption through divine grace2. St. Augustine “Abba” is in Hebrew exactly what “Pater” is in Latin... Just as the phrase, “Abba, Father,” contains the idea of the two races, the Israelites and the Gentiles, the word “Father,” used alone, points to the one flock which these two constitute3. St. Augustine PUT ON CHRIST Let no spot or wrinkle defile the pure robe of immortality; but keep holiness in all your members, as having put on Christ.” For,” it is said, “as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.” Wherefore let all your members be holy as becomes their investment in a raiment of holiness and light4. St. Basil the Great By water and Spirit we have put on Christ, though we did not perceive His glory5. St. Isaac the Syrian Having been baptized into Christ, and put on Christ, you have been made conformable to the Son of God6. St. Cyril of Jerusalem ONENESS IN CHRIST The inclusiveness of the gospel is illustrated by references to baptism. It is the consequence of the act of faith, and the newly baptized are as it were clothed with Christ (Rom. 13:4; Eph. 4:24),even more since they are one with Him, participate in His crucifixion and enjoy the new life with Him (2:20). Since baptism unites all persons with Christ (1 Cor. 12:13) it unites them with one another, for all are brethren “for whom Christ died” (1 Cor. 8:11; Rom. 14:15). All who believe without distinction, have one Lord (Rom. 10:12-13; Eph. 2:11-22; Col. 3:11)7. Through baptism we put on Christ [27] who unites all the members -the sons of God-in Him. “ There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female: for you all are one in Christ Jesus” [28]. we all 1 Chapter 3. 2 Sermons on New Testament Lessons 1:28. 3 The Harmony of the Gospels, 3:4. 4 Ep. 292. 5 Hom. 64. 6 On the Mysteries, Lect. 1:1. 7 Furnish, p. 291-292. 10 become one, have the same inheritance which God promised Abraham. “And if you are Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise” [29]. This is the purpose of the great mystery for us. This is the purpose of God for us Who was made man and became poor (2 Cor. 8:9), to raise our flesh (Rom. 8:11), and recover His image (1 Cor. 15:49), and remodel man (Col. 3:11), that we might all be made one in Christ He who was perfectly made in all of us all that He Himself is, that we might no longer be male and female, barbarian Scythian, bond or free, but might bear in ourselves only the stamp of God, by Whom and for Whom we were made, and have so far received our form and model from Him, that we are recognized by it alone1. St. Gregory of Nazianzen St. Gregory of Nyssa states that the creation of our nature is in a sense twofold: one made like to God which sin spoiled and our Lord renewed and one divided according to this distinction (male and female)2. 1 Panegyric on his Brother S. Caesarius. 2 On the Making of Man 7, 8.
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