Different View of Paul's Letter to the Galatians

Paul’s letter to the assembly at Galatia has been used by many to teach that God-Fearers (those from the nations) who believe in Yeshua (Jesus) are not required to obey all of the commandments God gave Israel at Mt. Sinai. Some go as far as dividing God’s Law (Torah) into ceremonial laws and moral laws to justify their position. They teach that the moral Laws are the only ones God-Fearers are obligated to observe. We strongly disagree with these views!

Nowhere in the Hebrew Bible does God separate His Law. God did not pull the God-Fearers aside at Mt Sinai and tell them they were exempt from the first five of the Ten Commandments! However, He did say:

• “You shall have the same Law for the stranger and for the one from your own county; for I am the Lord your God” (Lev 24:22).

If He meant it then, He still means it today, for He said:

• “For I am the Lord, I do not change.” (Malachi 3:6)

The idea that God-Fearers are exempt from some of the major aspects of the Law (e.g., Sabbath, High Holy Days, Dietary) is not seen in the teachings of Yeshua. Additionally, we do not see these doctrines in Paul’s letter to Galatia or in any of Paul’s letters.

Let’s look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians within the framework of his views of the Law and his response to the assembly at Colossae, where God-Fearers were also members. He warned them against man’s “dogma.”

Paul uses the Greek word “dogma” in Colossians, which is defined as man’s traditions, ordinances, or hand-writings. He told them that Yeshua had nailed “man’s traditions” to the tree (Col 2:14). Paul would not be telling anyone that God’s Written Law was done away with or destroyed.

Paul follows this statement in Col 2:16-17, by telling them to not let anyone:

• “…judge you in food (Lev 11) or in drink or regarding a festival (Lev 23) or a new moon or sabbaths (Ex 20:8; Ezek 20:12), which are a shadow of things to COME (Isaiah 66:20-24).

Paul’s advice here in Col 2 still applies to us today where people are still judging each other on “how” food is prepared, when to meet, or which customs should be followed in observing God’s festivals. This is an “in-house” discussion on “how to” apply God’s commandments. Paul is NOT saying that they DO NOT apply.

It is important to understand, and take into consideration, Paul’s view on God’s Law when interpreting his letters. He states that God’s Law:

• is holy (Rom 7:12);

• is spiritual (Rom 7:14);

• through the Law there is the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:2);

• we DO NOT make void the Law through faith but we establish the Law (Rom 3:31);

• the Law makes one wise for salvation, the Law is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness (2 Tim 3:14-15).

Also, in Paul’s letters to Timothy, he was encouraging him to continue in the faith and teach the assemblies this understanding of God’s Law. He DID NOT tell him that this only applies to the natural-born citizens of Israel.

ON TO THE GALATIANS LETTER

We see the main issue that Paul is addressing in Galatia is the same one that Yeshua faced; where some of the strictest sects of the Pharisees were advocating the “tradition of the elders” (Matt 15:2) and were “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt 15); making null and void the commandments of God.

Paul’s begins his letter by addressing the Galatians who were turning to “another gospel” (Gal 1:6) to achieve salvation. He then mentions his experience in the strictest sect of the Pharisees, which is our hint for identifying these “so called brothers” from Judea who were deceiving the believers. They were telling this assembly that the correct way to keep the commandments is by obeying their “traditions of the elders.” Otherwise, the Galatians would not receive salvation.

This group of Pharisees were NOT telling the Galatians to disregard part of God’s Law, as some teachers teach today, but they were pressuring them to do additional things in order to be accepted by God. This false teaching resulted in many believers turning back to their former way of life in paganism by observing special days, months, and years again (Gal 4:9-10). Yes, pagans have appointed times as well. Look up Saturnalia on the internet.

This is enforced by what Paul tells about himself in Gal 1:13-14:

• “For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers [elders].”

PROSELYTES AND GOD-FEARERS

In Paul’s day, there were two primarily groups of people from the nations who chose to be attached or grafted into God’s people, Israel, through the Abrahamic Covenant. These two groups were called Proselytes and God-Fearers.

Proselytes are mentioned by title in Acts 2:10, where God’s people were assembling for the festival of Shavuot / Pentecost, as commanded in the Law, and Yeshua’s taught ones, who were also assembling, were able to tell them about Yeshua. The Proselytes were those who kept all of the “traditions of the elders” and went through a formal conversion process, which today we would call them “converts to Judaism.”

An example of a God-Fearer is “Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment” in Acts 10. The God-Fearers only obligated themselves to keep God’s commandments as stated in the Written Law with less formality and more latitude on the “how to” apply God’s commandments. There was a big difference between them and the proselyte. For more, see our article, “God-Fearers of Israel-Are You One?”

To repeat again, “another gospel” was the requiring of the Galatian believers to become proselytes. Paul had already taught them what God’s Law required of them. These men from Judea told them they didn’t do things correctly. Just like the ones who told Yeshua and His taught ones that they did not wash their hands correctly in Matthew 15.

MODERN PROSELYTE-LIKE PRACTICES

The adding of man’s requirements that go beyond God’s Law are not just a thing of the past. Today, we are dealing with many centuries of thousands of dogmas, which have been added to God’s Law. One modern day example is a major church denomination that does not accept a person’s previous “baptism” (water immersion) of faith in Yeshua from other denominations. They require their new members to undergo another baptism in order to join their sect. This is no different than what was going on in Galatia.

Also, there are other denominations who judge all believers by requiring “speaking in tongues” as an outward demonstration that believers in Yeshua have the Holy Spirit. There are even extreme sects that require handling serpents (snakes) and drinking poison to demonstrate that they have faith. If someone does not participate, then they are judged as lacking.

On the modern Jewish side, there are dogmas as well. One that applies to this topic is the requirement of God-Fearers, who have already been circumcised, to go through another additional circumcision, although it is simply drawing a drop of blood.

We believe Paul was standing against these types of dogma in Galatia and other locations. He was trying to make it easier for God-Fearers from the nations to come into faith in Yeshua and to be members of His Covenant.

GALATIANS AND ACTS 15

This letter was one of the earliest letters that Paul wrote (47-49 CE). He made two trips to the Galatian area and established congregations. It is believed that his second trip to Galatia was after the Acts 15 meeting with the council of apostles and elders in Jerusalem. In Acts 15:1-2, it states:

• And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved." Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.

The Apostle Peter addresses this topic Acts 15:10,

• “Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?

In context, Peter is NOT talking about God’s Law being something they could not bear up under. Yeshua is the Law-Giver and He said that His yoke is EASY. Peter is addressing the additional “customs of Moses” or “traditions of the elders” being placed on new believers.

Then, we see James continuing the discussion (Acts 15:13), and reinforcing Peter’s statement, by listing several commandments, enough to show these God-Fearers had left idolatry and sexual practices within paganism. These were minimum requirements that would allow them have table fellowship with the Jewish believers and enter the synagogues.

James was not trying to list all the of God’s commandments here. Everyone there understood what he meant by only listing a few. James concludes his perspective by saying that those coming to faith in Yeshua did NOT HAVE TO BECOME A PROSELYTE.

These new believers were required to keep the commandments of God as a demonstration of their faith. He also stated that these believers in the Diaspora would learn more as they attended the synagogue on the weekly Sabbaths (Acts 15:21). James understood God’s plan to bring in the nations and educate them in the knowledge of God’s Law so they could become part of the Covenant. This was the “great commission” of Messiah Yeshua and it still continues today.

Re-read Acts 15 and Paul’s letter to the Galatians with these points in mind. We have lost the ideology and the interactions between the different groups that Yeshua and Paul were debating within their culture of the day. Never approach Paul’s letters with the mindset that he is teaching anyone to disobey God’s Law.

In Paul’s final days, he said that he believed all things in the Law and the Prophets in Acts 23 and he proved it in Acts 21. As he stood on trial before the Sanhedrin, he had other witnesses who agreed that he kept God's Law. In Acts 23:9:

• “There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the Law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. "We find nothing wrong with this man."

SOME KEY VERSES IN GALATIANS

With this historical background in mind, let’s examine a few of the misunderstood verses in Paul’s letter. Keep in mind that the Hebrew concepts that Paul tried to communicate do not translate well into the Greek language. To add to the problem, they are then translated into English.

Gal 2:3, “Not even Titus who was with me being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised.”

• The term “circumcised” sometimes refers to the Jewish people as a whole. The only way a person from the nations can become a “Jew” is through the Proselyte conversion. Paul is saying that these Pharisees were not able to force Titus to become a “Jew.” Titus remained a God-Fearer.

Ga; 2:15-16, “We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of law but by faith in Yeshua Messiah, even we have believed in Messiah Yeshua, that we might be justified by faith in Messiah and not by the works of law; for by the works of law no flesh shall be justified.”

• We believe the phrase “works of the law,” as used here, refers to the traditions (laws) of man, not God’s Law.

• In Mark 7:9, Yeshua said, "All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”

• Some teachers believe Paul is talking here about legalistic observance of God’s Law.

• Contributing to our confusion is the fact that “nomos” is the only word in the Greek language for any kind of “law.”

Gal 2:21, “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Messiah died in vain."

• Paul is advocating for the grace of God. All Scripture teaches us to respond to God’s grace through personal faith, as Habakkuk 2:4, states, “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by faith.’

Gal. 3:10-12, “For as many as are the works of law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.’ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them."”

• God’s Law was given to Israel as a positive way to live with Him and with each other as a holy people. It was NEVER given to Israel to replace their faith in God or Messiah Yeshua.

• God’s Law contains curses as well as blessings. Curses are negative consequences for breaking a commandment (De 27:26). This is contrasted with the “blessings” we receive for obeying His commandments as an expression of our love for Him.

Gal 3:24-26, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Messiah, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of G-d through faith in Messiah Yeshua.”

• “Tutor” in the Greek is Paidagogos. It means a “boy leader,” a servant who leads a son to and from his teacher. One function of God’s Law is to be a custodian who leads us to Yeshua.

• Paul CANNOT be saying there is no longer a need for God’s Law once we become part of the family of God (Acts 21; 2 Tim 3:15.16). Then, the Holy Spirit leads us and writes His Law on our hearts.

• “Torah Rediscovered” and “Take Hold” authors Ariel and D'vorah Berkowitz do a great job explaining this section: "For the unredeemed: The Torah [Law] was intended to preserve the mental, moral, and social safety of the environment into which an individual was born and raised. The person was protected “until the date set by the Father” (Galatians 4:2) when the Spirit of HaShem would lead them to the Teacher, the Messiah. The Torah does this by providing a safe environment in which they may live. The judgments, commandments, ordinances, and other teachings of the Torah all help to create a safe community surrounded by the protective border of the Torah. Anyone who lives within the confines of that border will live in relative safety…”

Gal 4:3-5, “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world. But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

• “Elements of the world” is NOT speaking of God’s Law! The Greek concept of “elements” was that their gods controlled the elements (building blocks) of the world: earth, wind, fire, air. God delivered the God-Fearers from this idolatry though His Son Yeshua.

• “under the Law” – Greek: upo nomon – it is clearly talking about those who were born within the framework of God’s Law. This is NOT a negative phrase. God’s promises to Abraham are for those “under the Law” of God and those who are grafted into the Abrahamic family.

Gal. 4:9-11, “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.

• Remember, “elements” are associated with the time when the God-Fearers previously worshiped Greek gods. Paul would NEVER say that God’s Law was weak and beggarly!

• There are hundreds of days associated with the worship of pagan deities and some are still in practice today. For example: Mithra, the sun god (Dec 25th at winter equinox); Selene, the moon goddess; Ishtar, the fertility goddess (at the spring equinox). There was also Roman Emperor worship that had its own days, months, seasons, and years.

Gal. 4:24-25, “Which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar-- for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—”

• Paul says that he is speaking symbolically in this section. He is saying those who base their covenant membership on the “flesh” (Hagar) are like Ishmael, born through the works of the flesh. Those who base their covenant membership on “faith” (Sarah) are like Isaac, born through divine appointment.

• Christianity has historically taught that Paul was contrasting the “old covenant” with the “new covenant” in this section. He is not addressing this at all. He is contrasting works of the flesh versus works of the spirit.

• Remember that the Law given at Mt Sinai did not produce “slaves.” It was not given to make covenant members. It was given to those who were already covenant members and a free people!

• In the next verses, Paul poses a question, do you want to be like Sarah or Hagar? The one who relied on faith and trust in God or the one who relied on the flesh?

Gal 5:2-3, “Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Messiah will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law.”

• Paul is saying, “If you succumb to the ‘proselyte ritual’ for membership into the Abrahamic Covenant, you are rejecting the price paid by Yeshua.”

• The term “whole law” meant both oral (traditionary) law as well as God’s Written Law in the first century.

Gal 5:10-11, ““And I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted?”

• There was a time, in Paul’s past, when he taught the “proselyte ritual.” And, if he continued to do so, he would not currently be persecuted. As well, the “so called brothers” may have falsely told the Galatians that Paul was in agreement with them, which was no longer the case.

Gal 5:18, “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

• If you are led by the Spirit, you are under the Law of God, which is the perfect Law of liberty (James 1:24). You will not be under the man's law of traditional dogma.

• Again, this is the main point of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

We hope God-Fearers can see this Paul's letter the way we believe Paul intended it to be understood. He was obviously dealing with problems of the day and would not want his letters to be used to circumvent God’s perfect Law. He would say, “God forbid!”