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Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Wiersbe - Paul used six different arguments to prove that God saves sinners through faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. He began with the personal argument (Gal. 3:1-5), in which he asked the Galatians to recall their personal experience with Christ when they were saved. Then he moved into the scriptural argument (Gal 3:6-14), in which he quoted six Old Testament passages to prove his point. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Bob DeWaay - In calling the Galatians foolish or stupid, Paul was not casting aspersions on their intelligence. No one can read the Letter to the Galatians without realizing that Paul presupposed a high level of intellectual ability on the part of his readers. The Galatians were not lacking in IQ but in spiritual discernment. (Galatians 3:13-14 Cursed by Works or Blessed by Faith) The Judaizers had infiltrated the church and were undermining the very core of Christianity, namely, justification by faith alone in Christ alone. They were teaching that to be Christians, Gentiles had to become Jewish proselytes and obey the Mosaic Law including circumcision. Appalled that the Galatians would tolerate, much less embrace, such heresy, Paul called them anoetos or people without understanding, reason, and thought, people who had abandoned the very truth of the glorious Gospel they had been taught by one of the greatest teachers in the history of the church. The believers in Galatia were not stupid but had simply failed to use their spiritual intelligence when faced by the unscriptural, Gospel-destroying teaching of the Judaizers . In a word they had failed to use their heads!
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Wiersbe - "It was 'Christ and Him crucified' that Paul had preached in Galatia, and with such effectiveness that the people could almost see Jesus crucified for them on the cross." (Bible Exposition Commentary)
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Wiersbe on suffering - “When you are in the furnace, your Father keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat.” (Bible Exposition Commentary)
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Wiersbe - "Do you really believe the miracles in the Bible?" a skeptic asked a new Christian who had been a terrible drinker. "Of course I do!" the believer replied. The skeptic laughed. "Do you mean that you really believe that Jesus could turn water into wine?" he asked. "I sure do! In my home He turned wine into food and clothing and furniture!" (Bible Exposition Commentary) Don Anderson observes that "If the Holy Spirit comes in when we accept Christ by faith—and He does— then the obvious answer to our maturity in spiritual things is the in-living Christ who wants to be released to operate in our lives by the same faith....Whereas works can keep us from salvation in Christ, so even after we become a Christian works once again can keep us from spiritual growth. How subtle and easy it is for us as Christians to feel that any fruit that is going to come out of our lives in being changed is going to be something which we are going to do on our own efforts. And so we contribute greatly to hypocrisy and phoniness and real insincerity by feeling that Christian growth and development is dependent upon us. We need to recognize His analysis of things in John 15:5, and that is, without Him we can do nothing. (Notes)
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Wiersbe adds "The Jewish people were very proud of their relationship with Abraham. The trouble was, they thought that this relationship guaranteed them eternal salvation. John the Baptist warned them that their physical descent did not guarantee spiritual life (Matt. 3:9). Jesus made a clear distinction between "Abraham's seed" physically and "Abraham's children" spiritually (John 8:33-47). Some people today still imagine that salvation is inherited. Because mother and father were godly people, the children are automatically saved. But this is not true. It has well been said, "God has no grandchildren." (Bible Exposition Commentary) As an aside another truth illustrated by this exchange between Jesus and the Jews is that when you are deceived, you don't know it! David
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Wiersbe - James quoted Amos 9:11+ during the Jerusalem conference when the leaders discussed the matter of the place of the Gentiles in the church (Acts 15). The question was, “Must a Gentile become a Jew in order to become a Christian?” But note that James did not say that Amos 9:11+ was fulfilled by the Gentiles’ coming into the Church, but that the prophets (plural) agreed with the Gentiles’ being a part of the Church (Acts 15:13–18). After all, if believing Gentiles are one day going to be a part of the Messianic Kingdom (David’s dynasty restored), why can’t they be a part of the Church today? Why should they be forced to become Jewish proselytes in order to become Christians? However, some interpret Amos 9:11+ and the words of James to mean that the Church is the “tabernacle of David” so that the Old Testament prophecies about the kingdom are now fulfilled in the church. How the church is like David’s kingdom “as in the days of old” is difficult to understand, and the references to Edom (Amos 9:12+) and the fruitfulness of the land (Amos 9:13–15+) are also difficult to apply to the Church. (Commentary on Amos - Bible Exposition Commentary - Old Testament ) Foreseeing (4275) (proeido from pró = before + eído = to see, perceive, know) means to see ahead of oneself (speaking of time), to look forward, to see beforehand, to catch sight of, to portend, and to see afar off (speaking of distance) as in Septuagint (Lxx) of Ge 37:18 ("When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them") In the NT the idea is to foresee or to know beforehand. The only other NT use is by Luke in Acts 2:31+ of David's Spirit inspired prophetic vision of Christ as recorded in Psalm 16:10 - "he (David under the inspiration of the Spirit) looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY." Proeido is used 3 times in the Septuagint (Lxx) - Gen 37:18, Ps 16:8, Ps 139:3
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Wiersbe: "Yes, there is a fascination to the law, but it is only bait that leads to a trap; and once the believer takes the bait, he finds himself in bondage. Far better to take God at His Word and rest on His grace. We were saved 'by grace, through faith' and we must live 'by grace, through faith.' This is the way to blessing. The other way is the way to bondage." (Bible Exposition Commentary ) As
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Wiersbe has an interesting note on Genesis 12 that relates to Galatians 3:14 - Notice the contrast between Genesis 11:1–9 and Gen 12:1–3+. At Babel, men said, “Let us!” but to Abraham, God said, “I will.” At Babel, men wanted to make a name for themselves; but it was God Who made Abraham’s name great. At Babel, the workers tried to unite men, only to divide them; but through Abraham, a whole world has been blessed, and all believers are united in Jesus Christ. Of course, Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47+) is the “reversal” of Babel; but Pentecost could not have occurred apart from God’s covenant with Abraham (Gal. 3:14). (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Spurgeon on the promise of the Spirit - Wherever the Spirit of God dwells, the covenant is fulfilled. You have in the Spirit the foretaste of the promised rest (See Rest in the Bible); you have the initial stages of the promised perfection; you have the dawn of the promised glory. The Spirit is the earnest of the inheritance till the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. F B Meyer -Our Daily Homily)That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Galatians 3:14 “The promise of the Spirit” is the invariable term for the special Pentecostal gift; and this is to be equally received by faith as the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. To me this text once came as a perfect revelation. It was the clue to unravel perplexity, the point around which truth held long in solution suddenly crystallised. Before this verse spoke to my heart it had been my constant endeavor to feel the Spirit’s presence as the sign of my having received; but now it became clear that one might receive by simple faith God’s very richest communications, even though the emotion tarried long. The stages have been thus specified:— There is such a blessing. — Yes; there can be no doubt of this; for it pleased the Father that the fulness of the Holy Spirit should dwell in Jesus, that He might communicate Him to each member of his Church. It is for me. — At Pentecost Peter said, This promise is for as many as the Lord our God shall call. I have not received. — It is very important to realize what your standing is. Paul’s first inquiry of the Ephesians was to ascertain this. I would give anything if it might be mine. — Because of the life, and love, and power it would bring into your life, and the immense increase of power over others, there is no sacrifice you should be unwilling to make. I do now in humble faith receive. — There may be no coronet of flame, nor rush of wind, nor flash of joy; but if we have put ourselves in the right attitude towards God, and opened our hearts to receive — He who taught us to hunger and thirst must have bestowed. Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man's covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it. Greek - Adelphoi kata anthropon lego (1SPAI) homos anthropou kekuromenen (RPPFSA) diatheken oudeis athetei e' epidiatassetai (3SPPI) Amplified: To speak in terms of human relations, brethren, [if] even a man makes a last will and testament (a merely human covenant), no one sets it aside or makes it void or adds to it when once it has been drawn up and signed (ratified, confirmed). Phillips Let me give you an everyday illustration, my brothers. Once a contract has been properly drawn up and signed, it is honoured by both parties, and can neither be disregarded nor modified by a third party. Wuest Brethren, what I have to say is in accordance with common human practice. Even though it be a man’s covenant, when it has finally been ratified, no man annuls it nor adds stipulations to it. (Eerdmans Publishing) NET Galatians 3:15 Brothers and sisters, I offer an example from everyday life: When a covenant has been ratified, even though it is only a human contract, no one can set it aside or add anything to it. GNT Galatians 3:15 Ἀδελφοί, κατὰ ἄνθρωπον λέγω· ὅμως ἀνθρώπου κεκυρωμένην διαθήκην οὐδεὶς ἀθετεῖ ἢ ἐπιδιατάσσεται. NLT Galatians 3:15 Dear brothers and sisters, here's an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or amend an irrevocable agreement, so it is in this case. KJV Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. ESV Galatians 3:15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. ASV Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto. CSB Galatians 3:15 Brothers, I'm using a human illustration. No one sets aside or makes additions to even a human covenant that has been ratified. NIV Galatians 3:15 Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. NKJ Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. NRS Galatians 3:15 Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person's will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it. YLT Galatians 3:15 Brethren, as a man I say it, even of man a confirmed covenant no one doth make void or doth add to, NAB Galatians 3:15 Brothers, in human terms I say that no one can annul or amend even a human will once ratified. NJB Galatians 3:15 To put it in human terms, my brothers: even when a will is only a human one, once it has been ratified nobody can cancel it or add more provisions to it. GWN Galatians 3:15 Brothers and sisters, let me use an example from everyday life. No one can cancel a person's will or add conditions to it once that will is put into effect. BBE Galatians 3:15 Brothers, as men would say, even a man's agreement, when it has been made certain, may not be put on one side, or have additions made to it. Brethren, I speak in terms of human relation.: Ro 6:19 1Co 15:32 even though it is only a man's covenant: Heb 9:17 Galatians 3:15-22 God’s Promise: Why the Law? - John MacArthur Galatians 3:23-29 Under the Law or in Christ? - John MacArthur Galatians 3:15-22 Why the Law? - Phil Newton Galatians Commentary - Verse by Verse - Kenneth Wuest Galatians 3 Resources - Multiple sermons, commentaries, etc ILLUSTRATION: BINDING NATURE OF A WILL Paul had just spoken of the blessing of Abraham and the promise (Gal 3:14). Now he will discuss how the earlier covenant promises to Abraham related to the later covenant of the Law given to Moses. Paul is addressing the probable argument of the Judaizers that since the Law came later, it took precedence and that at the very least the Mosaic Law had to be added to Abrahamic faith. They may have even gone to the extreme of claiming that the Mosaic Covenant annulled and therefore replaced the Abrahamic Covenant! They would reason something like "Why else would God give another covenant (Law)?" Paul now proceeds to address the legalists, showing that the Law which came later than the Covenant cannot change it. John
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Wiersbe quips "You can almost hear the Judaizers shouting the question in Galatians 3:21: "Is the Law then against the promises of God?" Is God contradicting Himself? Does His right hand not know what His left hand is doing?....He does not say that the Law contradicts the promise, but rather that it cooperates with the promise in fulfilling the purposes of God. While Law and grace seem to be contrary to one another, if you go deep enough, you will discover that they actually complement one another." (Bible Exposition Commentary ) Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? The Law was later than, was inferior to and did not annul the promises of God. Contrary is the Greek preposition kata which means against. Louw-Nida add that kata is a marker of opposition...against...in conflict with." This is a straightforward question asking if the law opposes or conflicts with the promises of God? Absolutely not! As Donald Campbell says God "gave both the Law and promises, but for different purposes. And it was not the purpose of the Law to give life." (See The Bible Knowledge Commentary) Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! - Is the Law against or opposed to the promises? Now ponder this a moment. Who gave Law? God. Who gave the promises? God. So logically they cannot be opposed for then He would be in a sense working against Himself! As
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Wiersbe - Finally, the Law could never make us heirs of God (Gal. 3:29). God made the promise to ?Abraham?s Seed? (singular, Gal. 3:16), and that Seed is Christ. If we are ?in Christ? by faith, then we too are Abraham's seed spiritually speaking. This means we are heirs of the spiritual blessings God promised to Abraham. This does not mean that the material and national blessings promised to Israel are set aside, but that Christians today are enriched spiritually because of God's promise to Abraham (see Rom. 11:13ff). (Bible Exposition Commentary) Donald Campbell - believers in Christ are Abraham's seed. As Paul previously stated, Christ is the Seed of Abraham (Gal 3:16, 19); therefore being in Christ makes a believer a part of that seed and an heir of the promise to Abraham. Any discussion of the seed of Abraham must first take into account his natural seed, the descendants of Jacob in the 12 tribes. Within this natural seed there is a believing remnant of Jews who will one day inherit the Abrahamic promises directed specifically to them (cf. Ro 9:6, 8-note). But there is also the spiritual seed of Abraham who are not Jews. These are the Gentiles who believe and become Abraham?s spiritual seed. They inherit the promise of justification by faith as Paul explained earlier (cf. Gal. 3:6-9). To suggest, as amillenarians do, that Gentile believers inherit the national promises given to the believing Jewish remnant—that the church thus supplants Israel or is the "new Israel"—is to read into these verses what is not there. (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) (See related article - Are Israel and the Church the Same Thing?) Dr Thomas