Scofield Reference Bible Notes/Galatians

by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield

Book Introduction - Galatians

Read first chapter of Galatians
WRITER: The Apostle Paul ( 1:1)
DATE: Galatians was probably written A.D. 60, during Paul's third visit to Corinth, The occasion of the Epistle is evident. It had come to Paul's knowledge that the fickle Galatians, who were not Greeks, but Gauls, "a stream from the torrent of barbarians which poured into Greece in the third century before Christ," had become the prey of the legalizers, the Judaizing missionaries from Palestine.
THEME: The theme of Galatians is the vindication of the Gospel of the grace of God from any admixture of law-conditions, which qualify or destroy its character of pure grace.
The Galatian error had two forms, both of which are refuted. The first is the teaching that obedience to the law is mingled with faith as the ground of the sinner's justification; the second, that the justified believer is made perfect by keeping the law. Paul meets the first form of the error by a demonstration that justification is through the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15:18), and that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after the confirmation of that covenant, and the true purpose of which was condemnation, not justification, cannot disannul a salvation which rests upon the earlier covenant. Paul meets the second and more subtle form by vindicating the office of the Holy Spirit as Sanctifier.
The book is in seven parts:

• Salutation1:1-5
• Theme, 1:6-9.
• Paul's Gospel is a revelation, 1:10-2:14.
• Justification is by faith without law, 2:15-3:24.
• The rule of the believer's life is gracious, not legal, 3:25-5:15.
• Sanctification is through the Spirit, not the law, 5:16-24.
• Exhortations and conclusion, 5:25-6:18.

CHAPTER 2

Verse 3

Grace
Grace (in salvation). Galatians 1:6,15; 2:21; Romans 3:24. (See Scofield "John 1:17").

Verse 4

sins
Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23").

Verse 6

grace
The test of the Gospel is grace. If the message excludes grace, or mingles law with grace as the means of either of justification or sanctification Galatians 2:21; 3:1-3 or denies the fact or guilt of sin which alone gives grace its occasion and opportunity, it is "another" gospel, and the preacher of it is under the anathema of God Galatians 1:8,9.

Verse 10

For now do
The demonstration is as follows:

• (1) The Galatians know Paul, that he is no seeker after popularity Galatians 1:10.
• (2) He puts his known character back of the assertion that his Gospel of grace was a revelation from God (Galatians 1:11,12).
• (3) As for the Judaizers, Paul had been a foremost Jew, and had forsaken Judaism for something better (Galatians 1:13-14).
• (4) He had preached grace years before he saw any of the other apostles (Galatians 1:15-24).
• (5) When he did meet the other apostles they had nothing to add to his revelations Galatians 2:1-6.
• (6) The other apostles fully recognized Paul's apostleship. Galatians 2:7-10.
• (7) If the legalizers pleaded Peter's authority, the answer was that he himself had claimed none when rebuked (Galatians 2:11-14).

Verse 13

Jews' religion
The new dispensation of grace having come in, the Mosaic system, if still persisted in, becomes a mere "Jews' religion."

Verse 14

religion
In verses 13 and 14 the Greek word for "the Jews' religion" is Ioudaismos (Judaism). In Acts 26:5; James 1:26,27 threskeia--religious service--is translated "religion," and in Colossians 2:18, "worshipping." Excepting James 1:27, "religion" has always a bad sense, and nowhere is it synonymous with salvation or spirituality.

Verse 15

We who are
Paul here quotes from his words to Peter when he withstood him at Antioch to show the Galatians that, whatever the legalists may have pretended, Peter and he were in perfect accord doctrinally. Paul appealed to the common belief of Peter and himself as a rebuke of Peter's inconsistent practice.
sinners Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23").

Verse 17

we seek
That is, "we" Jews. Romans 3:19-23. The passage might be thus paraphrased: If we Jews, in seeking to be justified by faith in Christ, take our places as mere sinners, like the Gentiles, is it therefore Christ who makes us sinners? By no means. It is by putting ourselves again under law after seeking justification through Christ, that we act as if we were still unjustified sinners, seeking to become righteous through law-works. Galatians 5:1-4.
sinners Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23").

Verse 18

transgressor
Sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23").

Verse 20

not I
See note, (See Scofield "Ephesians 4:24").

Verse 21

grace Grace (in salvation). vs. Galatians 5:4; Romans 3:24. (See Scofield "John 1:17").
righteousness (See Scofield "Romans 10:10").

CHAPTER 3

Verse 1

grace Grace (in salvation). vs. Galatians 5:4; Romans 3:24. (See Scofield "John 1:17").
righteousness (See Scofield "Romans 10:10").

Verse 3

perfect
(See Scofield "Matthew 5:48").

Verse 6

God
Jehovah. Genesis 15:6.

Verse 19

Wherefore then
The answer is sixfold:

• (1) The law was added because of transgressions, i.e. to give to sin the character of transgression.

\li2 (a) Men had been sinning before Moses, but in the absence of law their sins were not put to their account. Romans 5:13. The law gave to sin the character of "transgression," i.e. of personal guilt. (b) Also, since men not only continued to transgress after the law was given, but were provoked to transgress by the very law that forbade it Romans 7:8, the law conclusively proved the inveterate sinfulness of man's nature Romans 7:11-13.

• (2) The law, therefore, "concluded all under sin" Romans 3:19,20,23.
• (3) The law was an ad interim dealing, "till the seed should come". Galatians 3:19.
• (4) The law shut sinful man up to faith as the only avenue of escape. Galatians 3:23.
• (5) The law was to the Jews what the pedagogue was in a Greek household, a ruler of children in their minority, and it had this character "unto" i.e. until Christ Galatians 3:24.
• (6) Christ having come, the believer is no longer under the pedagogue. Galatians 3:25

because of for the sake, i.e. in order that sin might be made manifest as transgression. See, Romans 4:15; 5:20; 7:7,13.

Verse 21

righteousness
(See Scofield "Romans 10:10").

Verse 24

law
I. The law of Moses, Summary:

• (1) The Mosaic Covenant was given to Israel in three parts: the commandments, expressing the righteous will of God Exodus 20:1-26, the "judgments," governing the social life of Israel Exodus 21:1-24:11, and the "ordinances," governing the religious life of Israel ; Exodus 24:12; 31:18.
• (2) The commandments and ordinances were one complete and inseparable whole. When an Israelite sinned, he was held "blameless" if he brought the required offering Luke 1:6; Philippians 3:6.
• (3) Law, as a method of the divine dealing with man, characterized the dispensation extending from the giving of the law to the death of Jesus Christ Galatians 3:13,14,23,24.
• (4) The attempt of legalistic teachers (e.g.) Acts 15:1-31; Galatians 2:1-5, to mingle law with grace as the divine method for this present dispensation of grace, brought out the true relation of the law to the Christian, viz.

II. The Christian doctrine of the law:

• (1) Law is in contrast with grace. Under the latter God bestows the righteousness which, under law, He demanded Exodus 19:5; John 1:17. (See Scofield "Romans 3:21"). ; Romans 10:3-10; 1 Corinthians 1:30.
• (2) The law is, in itself, holy, just, good, and spiritual Romans 7:12-14.
• (3) Before the law the whole world is guilty, and the law is therefore of necessity a ministry of condemnation, death, and the divine curse Romans 3:19; 2 Corinthians 3:7-9; Galatians 3:10.

For Another Point of View: See Topic 301242
Other Factors to Consider: See Topic 301187

• (4) Christ bore the curse of the law, and redeemed the believer both from the curse and from the dominion of the law Galatians 3:13; 4:5-7.
• (5) Law neither justifies a sinner nor sanctifies a believer Galatians 2:16; 3:2,3,11,12.
• (6) The believer is both dead to the law and redeemed from it, so that he is "not under the law, but under grace" Romans 6:14; 7:4; Galatians 2:19; 4:4-7; 1 Timothy 1:8,9.
• (7) Under the new covenant of grace the principle of obedience to the divine will is inwrought Hebrews 10:6. So far is the life of the believer from the anarchy of self-will that he is "inlawed to Christ" 1 Corinthians 9:21 and the new "law of Christ" ; Galatians 6:2; 2 John 1:5 is his delight; while, through the indwelling Spirit, the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in him ; Romans 8:2-4; Galatians 5:16-18. The commandments are used in the distinctively Christian Scriptures as an instruction in righteousness ; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 13:8-10; Ephesians 6:1-3; 1 Corinthians 9:8,9.

to bring us Omit "to bring us."
unto up to, or until.

Verse 25

schoolmaster
(Greek - παιδαγωγός^[1], "child-conductor)." "among the Greeks and Romans, persons, for the most part slaves, who had it in charge to educate and give constant attendance upon boys till they came of age."--H.A.W. Meyer. The argument does not turn upon the extent or nature of the pedagogue's authority, but upon the fact that it wholly ceased when the "child" Galatians 4:1 became a ; Song 1:1; Galatians 4:1-6 when the minor became an adult. The adult "son" does voluntarily that which formerly he did in fear of the pedagogue. But even if he does not, it is no longer a question between the son and the pedagogue (the law), but between the son and his Father--God. (Cf) ; Hebrews 12:5-10; 1 John 2:1,2.

Verse 26

the children

• (Greek - παιδαγωγός^[2] = sons). (See Scofield "Ephesians 1:5").

CHAPTER 4

Verse 3

world
kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield "Matthew 4:8")

Verse 19

little children
The allegory Galatians 4:22-31 is addressed to justified but immature believers (cf) 1 Corinthians 3:1,2 who, under the influence of legalistic teachers, "desire to be under the law," and has, therefore, no application to a sinner seeking justification. It raises and answers, for the fifth time in this Epistle, the question, Is the believer under the law? ; Galatians 2:19-21; 3:1-3 3:25,26; 4:4-6 4:9-31.

Verse 24

Agar
Hagar.

Verse 25

Agar
Hagar.

CHAPTER 5

Verse 4

no effect
grace
no effect i.e. of no experimental effect: the sense of liberty is lost. Galatians 2:21; Colossians 1:23.
grace Grace (in salvation). Ephesians 1:6,7; Romans 3:24. (See Scofield "Galatians 1:6") , See Scofield "John 1:17".

Verse 5

righteousness
(See Scofield "Romans 10:10").

Verse 18

under the law
i.e. not under bondage of effort to please God by law-works. 2 Corinthians 3:17.

Verse 22

But the fruit
Christian character is not mere moral or legal correctness, but the possession and manifestation of nine graces: love, joy, peace--character as an inward state; longsuffering, gentleness, goodness--character in expression toward man; faith, meekness, temperance-- character in expression toward God. Taken together they present a moral portrait of Christ, and may be taken as the apostle's explanation of Galatians 2:20 "Not I, but Christ," and as a definition of "fruit" in John 15:1-8 This character is possible because of the believer's vital union to Christ ; John 15:5; 1 Corinthians 12:12,13 and is wholly the fruit of the Spirit in those believers who are yielded to Him. Galatians 5:22,23.

CHAPTER 6

Verse 1

fault
i.e. sin. (See Scofield "Romans 3:23").

Verse 6

communicate
Or, share with him. 1 Corinthians 9:7-15; 1 Timothy 5:18.

Verse 11

large
(Greek - αὑτου̑^[3] )...mine own hand." The apostle was, it appears from many considerations, afflicted with ophthalmia, a common disease in the East, to the point almost of total blindness (e.g.) Galatians 4:13-15. Ordinarily, therefore, he dictated his letters. But now, having no amanuensis at hand, but urged by the spiritual danger of his dear Galatians, he writes, we cannot know with what pain and difficulty, with his own hand, in the "large letters" his darkened vision compelled him to use.

Verse 12

constrain you to be circumcised
"Circumcision" stands here for externality in religion -- form rather than spirit. Colossians 2:16-23.

Verse 14

world
kosmos = world-system. Ephesians 2:2; John 7:7. (See Scofield "Revelation 13:8").

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