The Spirit by hearing with faith
Says Paul asks who has bewitched the Galatians, since before their eyes Jesus Christ was “clearly portrayed as crucified” (προεγράφη (proegraphē, “publicly set forth”); ἐβάσκανεν (ebaskanen, “bewitched”)). He then asks whether they received the Spirit ἐξ ἔργων νόμου (ex ergōn nomou, “from works of the law”) or ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως (ex akoēs pisteōs, “from hearing of faith”), which the BSB renders “by hearing with faith” in 3:2 and “because you hear and believe” in 3:5. “because you practice the law” in 3:5 is ἐξ ἔργων νόμου (ex ergōn nomou, “from works of the law”), as in 3:2. He contrasts beginning in the Spirit with finishing in the flesh, and asks whether they suffered so much in vain. RP 2018 and the TR add two phrases in 3:1 that the printed text lacks; see ἐβάσκανεν … προεγράφη / + τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μὴ πείθεσθαι … + ἐν ὑμῖν.
Implies Set side by side twice, the two phrases ask on which ground the Spirit was given.
Uncertain What “works of the law” are is not defined in these verses. Calvin (p. 68) and Luther (p. 89), writing on 2:16, take them as all that the law requires. Wesley, on 2:16, writes, “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law—Not even of the Moral, much less the Ceremonial Law”. These are their readings (see Justified by faith, not by works of the law); no verdict is given here. Burton, on 3:10, writes of “works of legalistic obedience to statutes”, which is not the same claim. See Bewitched, and publicly portrayed (3:1), Bewitching and public portrayal (3:1) and Hearing with faith (3:2–5).
Claims
- SaysGalatians 3:1–5 asks who bewitched the Galatians, since Christ was publicly set forth as crucified, and whether they received the Spirit from works of the law or from hearing with faith, one Greek phrase that the BSB renders two ways.
- ImpliesThe paired phrases ask on which ground the Spirit was given.
- UncertainCalvin (p. 68), Luther (p. 89) and Wesley (p. 495), writing on 2:16, take works of the law as all that the law requires; no verdict is given here.
Citations
- BSB public domain Gal 3:1–5
- SBLGNT CC BY 4.0 Gal 3:1–5
- Wesley, Notes NT (1755) public domain Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755), on Gal 2:16 (carried line), p. 495 (leaf n508); checked against the printed page (scan); quoted, otherwise paraphrased
- Calvin, Galatians (Pringle) public domain Calvin, Commentaries on Galatians and Ephesians (Pringle, CTS 1854), p. 68, on Gal 2:16; checked against the printed page (scan); paraphrased, not quoted
- Luther, Galatians (Middleton 1833) public domain Luther, A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (London, 1833), p. 89, on Gal 2:16; checked against the printed page (scan); paraphrased, not quoted
- Burton, Galatians (ICC) public domain Burton, Galatians (ICC, Scribner 1928 printing of the 1920 edition), p. 164, on Gal 3:10; checked against the printed page (scan); quoted, otherwise paraphrased
2026-11-13
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