A minister of sin, and a transgressor (2:17–18)

Says Galatians 2:17 is a condition: εἰ δὲ ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί (ei de zētountes dikaiōthēnai en Christō heurethēmen kai autoi hamartōloi). The apodosis is a question, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; (ara Christos hamartias diakonos, “is Christ then a minister of sin?”) (διάκονος, “a servant, attendant, minister”), answered μὴ γένοιτο (mē genoito, “may it not be”), the BSB’s “Certainly not!”.

Says Galatians 2:18 turns from “we” to “I”: εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ (ei gar ha katelysa tauta palin oikodomō). Abbott-Smith lists this verse where καταλύω, “to destroy, cast down”, stands opposite οἰκοδομέω, “to build”. The result is παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνιστάνω (parabatēn emauton synistanō): παραβάτης, “a transgressor”, with συνίστημι, “to show, prove, establish”, taking a double accusative.

Implies The answer μὴ γένοιτο refuses the inference that Christ serves sin; 2:18 places the fault in rebuilding what was torn down, not in seeking justification in Christ.