1: O foolish Galatians who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ has been evidently set forth crucified among you 2: This only would I learn of you received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law nomos or by the hearing of faith 3: Are you so foolish having begun in the Spirit are you now made perfect by the flesh 4: Have you suffered so many things in vain if it be yet in vain 5: He therefore that ministers to you the Spirit and works miracles among you does he [do] it by the works of the law nomou or by the hearing of faith 6: Even as Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness 7: Know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham 8: And the scripture foreseeing that God would justify ethnic [peoples] ethnos [1] through faith preached before the gospel to Abraham saying in you shall all ethnic peoples ethnos be blessed 9: So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham 10: For as many as are of the works of the Law nomou are under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one who continues not in all things which are written in the scroll of the Law biblion nomos to do them 11: But that none is justified by the law nomO in the sight of God it is evident for the Just shall live by faith 12: And the Law nomos is not of faith But those who do them shall be bound by them 13: Christ has reclaimed us out of the curse of the Law nomou being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree 14: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the ethnic peoples ethnos through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith 15: Brethren I speak after the manner of mortals Though it be but a human covenant yet if it be confirmed none disannuls or adds to 16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made He said not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ [2]17: And this I say that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law nomos which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect 18: For if the inheritance [is] from the Law nomos it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise 19: Why then the Law nomos It was added because of transgressions till the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator 20: Now a mediator is not a mediator of one but God is one 21: [Is] the Law Nomos then against the promises of God? God forbid for if there had been a law nomos given which could have given life verily righteousness should have been out of the Law nomou 22: But the scripture has concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe 23: But before faith came we were garrisoned [guarded and protected] under the Law nomon having been locked up together into the faith which should afterwards be revealed [3] 24: Wherefore the Law nomos was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith 25: But after that faith is come we are no longer under a schoolmaster [4] 26: For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus 27: For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ [5] 28: There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus [6] Acts 15:9, [Ephesians 3:4-9 The fellowship of the Mystery of Christ?] 29: And if you be Christ’s then are you Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise [7]
[1] Semantics matter. In Bible translation,
the Greek word, ethnos, refers
to various ethnic peoples, ethnicities, tribes, nations, to all people other
than Jews, and not in a derogatory manner. The word simply identifies a people
group, tribe, or nation as non-Jew. But within Christian tradition it has so commonly been translated using the
derogatory word, “heathen,” as to incite prejudice against any who were
not English, not white, did not conform to English/“Christian” norms.
Historically, all non-white/non-English (if not considered “Christian”) were
called “heathens,” a really awful word that eventually came to encompass all
who did not follow Christian “norms.” A look at just this one word “heathen” (and
there are many more) shows that semantics are a powerful part of any propaganda
machine.
Semantics have been used to
color perceptions of not only non-whites and non-Jews, but also of 1.) non-citizens,
2.) non-wealthy, and 3.) non-males.
1.
Regardless of color, all non-Romans in the Roman
Empire, were called barbarians. All barbarians could be brought into slavery. Many
modern-day white Europeans are descendants of Roman-empire era slaves
2.
The modern English word “villain” [meaning:
criminal, law-breaker, outlaw, offender, felon, convict, malefactor, a person
or thing responsible for specified trouble, harm or damage], came from an old English word, “villein,” meaning a serf or a peasant.
The powers that be [the wealthy and aristocratic], viewed the poor as bad. The word
used to describe the poor, back then, has passed down into modern English a word
to describe wicked and evil people, which is exactly how the wealthy viewed the
poor in ancient times.
3. There are many derogatory words describing womenbut not so many describing men. Here are only a few examples: sexually promiscuous man/playboy; sexually promiscuous woman/whore/tramp/loose; unmarried older man whether or not he has been sexually promiscuous/eligible bachelor; unmarried older woman who is a virgin; old maid; divorced man whether or not he is sexually promiscuous/eligible bachelor; divorced woman usually assumed to be sexually promiscuous/divorcee; The word divorcee does not refer to divorced men. It is typically used in reference to a divorced woman, who is usually viewed as someone who may more easily be seduced into sexual behavior because she is not a virgin.
[2] Galatians 3:17-19: Paul was writing of
two covenants here. The first was the
covenant of promise given to Abraham and the other is the Law nomos /
nomou given to Moses over four-hundred years later. The covenant with
Abraham is forever. The Law nomou given to Moses was only until
“The Seed Jesus” should come. All three variations of the Greek word
translated as Law in this passage (nomos, nomou, nomO) are used in
reference to Torah, the acts of which are required only until the
seed Jesus should come. The context of these three words [as used in
verses 17-19], refute the claim that Paul was exclusive in his language in
differentiating between Torah and the Traditions. In referencing Torah,
Jesus also used the same variations of the same Greek words Paul used here. The
phrase, “Until the seed should come,” clearly denotes the required acts of the Law
Torah were a temporary requirement that would come to an end
after the seed Jesus came. There are many other clear scriptures
that attest to this.
[3] Under the Old Covenant, just as under
the new, God’s people were justified by faith, and not works. By the statutes
contained in the Torah nomon,
the children of Israel were literally surrounded by and immersed in, the “faith
that should come.” The faith that should come, would fulfill the
requirements of the Law and do away with them. When the people went to the
priest and offered sacrifice, when they ceremonially cleansed themselves
according to the requirements of Torah,
when they observed the great and prophetic Feasts of the Lord, they were illustrating
something that had to do with the redemptive person and work of Jesus Christ.
When the Torah was followed and
obeyed in faith, it was counted to them as
faith, even though they did not
understand, at the time, that they were continually keeping the Messiah [his
sacrifice and their justification by faith alone] before their eyes Hebrews
10:1, Habakkuk 2:4.
[4] Galatians 3:24-25 is not speaking of
the tradition of the elders. It was the acts of the Torah nomos that
brought to Christ and not the extra scriptural traditions. [The] nomos
was the schoolmaster that led to the Messiah. No tradition of the elders could
ever do that. Jesus said the traditions nullified the Word of God, they made it
of no effect.
New Covenant believers, Christians, are no longer required
to perform the acts of Torah. The Bible says these acts are written on
our hearts. Jesus said when we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul,
and strength, and we love our neighbors as ourselves, then we will have fulfilled all
of the Law nomos and all the prophets. The acts of Torah
were the Law nomou of Love. It is of note that Jesus used the
word nomou [along with four or five variations of the word] in referencing
Torah. There is no single Greek word that applies specifically to Torah
while all others refer to the traditions of the elders.
[5] Galatians 3:27 is not speaking of water
baptism. It is speaking of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which baptizes all
believers into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13).
[6] Galatians 3:28 obliterates all notions
of hierarchy within the body of Christ. There is no racial, ethnic, or gender hierarchy among the Out-Calleds of Christ. Unscriptural organizations have
implemented hierarchy from the beginning, thus corrupting the worship, service,
and preaching of Christ, limiting to males most forms of leadership seen in modern
churches, but not ordained by our Creator.
[7] Galatians 3:29, is an awesome revelation
to the Body of Christ that in no way negates promises made to the physical seed of Abraham [the Jews/Hebrews]. The Body of Christ and the people
of the world who will inhabit the first one-thousand years of Christ’s earthly
Kingdom will participate in the common wealth of the nation of Israel.
The Bible says, the New Covenant is a better covenant based
on better promises. The Old Covenant contains amazing promises. But not
a single promise made to Abraham and his physical descendants is taken from
them and “transferred” to “The Church.” This is a false and anti-Semitic teaching
that began with the organization founded by Constantine and later called Roman
Catholicism, with the Vatican as its capitol and also its embassy. Not many
understand that the Vatican City is a sovereign nation which many nations,
including, the united states, have ambassador’s to. The goal of the Vatican has
always been a literal, global dominion of Roman Catholicism in an attempt to
usurp the promise that Israel will one day be the head nation in Christ’s global Kingdom.
Historically, the Vatican has used military and naval power (Spanish Armada) and
terrorism (the Spanish Inquisition) to achieve this goal. They now use the
ecumenical movement [which they founded] to achieve global dominance in appropriating
to themselves, what God promised the Jews.
Protestants also have their own anti-Semitic version of
what it means to be “Abraham’s seed.” We see this in the false teachings of
Reformed and Dominion theologies. Though reformed and dominion teachings are
not identical and disagree on many points, but both paradigms appropriate to
themselves promises made to Abraham, and both groups are anti-Semitic in their disavowal
of the physical seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob…Israel. Some Messianic groups
are anti-Semitic in this way, as well, using Galatians 3:29 as a basis for
disavowing physical the Jews as God’s chosen people.
