Another Gospel

Introduction

₁Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. ₂For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ₃But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ₄For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. ₅For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. ₆But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things
(2 Corinthians 11:1-6)

From the beginning of the New Testament, it’s clear that the simple truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is under severe pressure. In the above passage, Paul suggests that this is part of the devil’s strategy to lead us astray. Immediately after creation, Adam and Eve were tempted to abandon the truth revealed by God and submit to the serpent’s deceitful manipulation, with all the consequences that entailed. After the covenant with Israel, as described in Exodus, was established at the foot of Mount Sinai, things went wrong within 40 days when the Israelites believed that dancing around a golden calf could be acceptable to God. This resulted in Moses smashing the tablets of stone containing the law God had given him, to make it clear that the Israelites had broken the covenant. Therefore, it is not surprising that, when the new covenant was established through Jesus Christ, the devil attempted to undo what Jesus had accomplished in our lives. One example of attacks on the gospel is the rise of Gnosticism in the second and third centuries, which proclaims a different Jesus. Traces of these teachings can still be found today. The emergence of Roman Catholic theology of works is another attack on the simplicity of the gospel. Throughout two thousand years of church history, there are many more examples of what could be considered the work of the anti-christian Satan. In this passage, Paul mentions three aspects. First, we encounter a different Jesus; Gnosticism is a clear example of this. Second, Paul speaks of a different spirit. Examples of this can be found in non-biblical mysticism and in some charismatic movements. Finally, he mentions a different gospel. Paul mentions the first example of this alternative gospel, which has its roots in Jewish tradition. This deception is seen today in many Reformed and Evangelical churches. Based on the epistle to the Galatians, I will address this problem so that we can recognize this deception in our day and age as well.

This issue is addressed in the epistle to the Galatians, one of Paul’s letters to the early church. In it, he addresses a significant conflict occurring in many congregations. Almost all of Paul’s letters address this problem to some extent. However, the epistle to the Galatians is the most extensive and explicit about this subject. To understand the conflict, we must examine this epistle in detail. Understanding the issues at stake at that time should also provide insight into the subject in our time.

Shortly after the first Gentile churches were established, this problem surfaces for the first time in Acts 15.

₅But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
(Acts 15:5)

Acts 15 describes how the early Church addressed this issue. The epistle we have before us addresses this problem most extensively.

The Epistle

When we read the letter, the first thing that strikes us is that, contrary to Paul’s usual practice, the epistle to the Galatians lacks an expression of thanksgiving. It’s as if Paul feels the need to address the problem immediately because it is apparently very important to him. From verse 6 onward, he begins addressing the problem immediately. First, let’s examine the text:

Galatians 1:6-9

₆ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: ₇which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. ₈But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. ₉As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Paul uses very strong words here. He uses the term accursed, in Greek ἀνάθεμα (anathema ^{Strong G0331}), the implication is that anyone who embraces this gospel, especially if they also preach it, will be cursed, and their salvation will probably be at stake. What is this all about? It is about a different gospel, one that deviates from what Paul initially taught them. Paul clearly considers the purity of the gospel to be of decisive importance. Paul uses different words here, which together give the right impression. In verse 6, the word “other” in Greek ἕτερος (heteros ^{Strong H2087}) is used, this is an alternative to the true gospel. In verse 7, he uses the word “not” ,  in Greek οὐ (ou^StrongG3756), indicating that it has nothing to do with the true gospel. He also uses the word “ pervert,” in Greek μεταστρέφω (metastrephō ^{Strong H3344}) which means to give something a turn. Twice he describes this gospel as “not taught by us”, in verse 9, he uses the term παρά (para ^{Strong H3844})which means “alongside” or “adding to.” Therefore, it is an alternative gospel that deviates from what Paul taught. He indicates that it should not be regarded as the true gospel because it provides a distorted picture. This distortion is characterized by the addition of something that does not inherently belong. As Moses indicates in two places in Deuteronomy 4 and 12, that in the law of God, nothing may be omitted and nothing may be added:

₂Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 
(Deuteronomy 4:2)

₃₂What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
(Deuteronomy 12:32)

This also corresponds with what John has been told in Revelation 22:

₁₈For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: ₁₉and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book_.
(Revelation 22:18-19)

Apparently, it is quite precise also in this regard. Nothing—and in Greek and Hebrew, nothing means just that: nothing—may be added to the gospel proclaimed by Paul; otherwise, we will be cursed. This means, at the very least, that we will be deprived of the blessings associated with the gospel. This does not say anything yet about the content of the alternative gospel, which is explained further in the following chapters of this epistle.

The rest of chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2 is Paul’s defence against accusations made by people who spread this false gospel. We will continue in chapter 2:11, where the first elements of the major issue emerge:

Galatians 2:11-14

₁₁But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. ₁₂For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. ₁₃And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. ₁₄But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

The predominantly gentile congregation in Antioch encountered a group of Jews from James’ inner circle in the Jerusalem congregation. This group believed that Jews should keep themselves separate from non-Jews so that they would not become unclean through any kind of contact. I have not been able to find this specifically mentioned in the Law of Moses, so apparently it is one of those so-called Jewish traditions. They believed this should also apply within the church. This position was seemingly so convincing that Peter and Barnabas were influenced by it. Consequently, they refused to sit at the same table with Gentiles. Paul indicates that he was so shocked by this that he decided to confront Peter about it publicly. In other portions of his epistles, Paul clearly states that there is no distinction between Jews and Greeks, a notion that also applies in this context.

It seems that the source of the deception stems from Jewish tradition. Jesus as well as Paul explicitly rejected this tradition, as evidenced by Jesus’s remark in Matthew 15:

 ₆…thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 
(Matthew 15:6)

The rest of chapter 2 is a summary of the gospel. Paul emphasizes that both Jews and non-Jews are justified by faith, not by works of the law:

Galatians 2:15-16

₁₅We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, ₁₆knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

This is the crux of Paul’s argument against the false gospel, which originated in Jewish thought.

Note that Paul uses the term “we, born Jews” here, referring to himself and his fellow Jews. Throughout the epistle, Paul consistently uses the term “we” when referring to Jews and the term “ye” when referring to the congregation as a whole, often specifically the gentile members.

Galatians 3:1^a

₁O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you,

First of all, Paul seems to be using strong words by calling them foolish. In essence, he is saying, “Don’t you think for yourselves? Don’t you have any sense?” The rest of the sentence is, “Who has bewitched you?” The deception here is apparently so convincing that one would fall for it quickly. Paul seems to be calling on them to think carefully and remain alert; otherwise, they will fall under a kind of spell. Earlier, we concluded that this false gospel stems from the Jewish tradition. This tradition is known for its symbolism, which many people welcome and hold in high regard. I often hear that we need to return to a Jewish way of thinking. After all, Jesus and the apostles were Jewish, implying that they reasoned from a Jewish perspective. Therefore, we should also learn to do so to correctly interpret the Bible. In retrospect, I recognize much of what I have just stated from my own experience with this issue. When I first encountered teaching about the so-called biblical feasts, I was deeply impressed and inclined to accept the idea wholeheartedly. I discovered how convincing this approach can be. I was involved in a Messianic congregation for a while, where the Sabbath, the feasts, and the law of Moses seemed to be central. I used to focus intensely on the Hebrew language, its letters, and their associated numerical values, as if only Hebrew could truly convey what was important. At that time, the name “Jesus” was not good enough; the Hebrew name “Yeshua” should be used instead. There were many more things like this. It sounded so impressive and convincing that it had to be true. I believe this is why Paul speaks of enchantment—because of the great persuasiveness associated with this teaching. It took me about five years to develop serious questions about the accuracy and biblical basis of all this. I have had difficulty breaking free from this mindset. The turning point came when I became more aware of Jewish traditions within these Messianic circles. These customs have no basis in the Bible, but rather, they stem from synagogue liturgy and Jewish teachings, often of a Talmudic nature. I found myself increasingly confronted with issues that could lead to heated discussions about thing like the correct pronunciation of God’s name and matters such as calendars. I also heard people say that they were starting to consider Moses more important than Jesus. Some even converted to Judaism, completely turning away from Jesus Christ. At one instance, I read a statement by an American rabbi who claimed that the largest influx into Judaism came from the Messianic circles, or the “Hebrew Roots movement,” as he called it. It took me a while, but I now clearly recognize the allure of this ideology, which is why I am addressing it specifically here.

Galatians 3:1-5

₁O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? ₂This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? ₃Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? ₄Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. ₅He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

When referring to “works of the law,” it is important to first consider the meaning of this term. The law encompasses various aspects, such as moral standards—particularly those set forth in the Ten Commandments—as well as numerous regulations pertaining to temple service and sacrifices and numerous rules concerning society and God’s order within it. Calendars and associated feast days are also part of the law, as are many other things described in the Law of Moses.

Paul asks whether keeping these rules can be the basis for receiving the Spirit of God. It is a rhetorical question of course with only one answer: “No.” The works of the law are not the basis for anything—not for receiving the Spirit nor for justification, as we have seen before. Why not? Because no one can claim to have kept them perfectly or to have kept them all the time. Paul addresses this in his epistle to the Romans:

₉What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; ₁₀as it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one:
₁₁There is none that understandeth,
There is none that seeketh after God.
₁₂They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
There is none that doeth good, no, not one.
(Romans 3:9-12)

James also has something to add to this discussion, emphasizing that achieving 100% is the only acceptable outcome:

₁₀For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
(James 2:10)

If you want to appeal to God’s law, you can only do so if you adhere to it 100% in content and 100% of the time. No one can do that, except Jesus.

In the Old Testament, however, we are obligated to report to the priest and bring a sacrifice if we have broken the law. Couldn’t something like that serve as a basis? No, only Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross is sufficient. The temporary provisions surrounding the temple and its priestly service merely point to Jesus. Disconnecting these provisions from a Jesus-centred perspective renders them meaningless. The epistle to the Hebrews elaborates on this at length, including the relationships between Moses and Jesus, Aaron and Melchizedek, the earthly and heavenly temples, and other related topics.

The single basis is “faith”; besides that, there is nothing else we can rely on.

Galatians 3:6-9

 ₆Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
₇Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. ₈And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. ₉So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Not until we come to faith do we receive the Spirit, but what does that signify? In the epistle to the Galatians, Paul refers to Abraham in the book of Genesis. Galatians 3:6 is derived from a passage in Genesis:

  ₆And he ^(Abram) believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
(Genesis 15:6)

Faith is therefore a concept that is as old as the Bible itself. So, what is faith? It means placing your trust in God and what Jesus did for us, allowing His sacrifice to reconcile us with God, leading up to a life of obedience to God’s will. Paul expresses this concept elsewhere as follows:

 ₈For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ₉not of works, lest any man should boast. ₁₀For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
(Ephesians 2:8-10)

Abraham believed in God, listened to his voice, and did what God asked of him willingly. However, he could not rely on his obedience itself; he had to surrender to God’s promises, which were accounted as righteousness. God justified him, which was not a result of his own efforts. Therefore, he became the father of all believers. Anyone with the same faith can expect to be justified in the same way and receive the Spirit on the same basis. In John 8, among other places, the Jews claim to be children of Abraham. but not only Paul but also Jesus did not agree with this.

₃₉They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ₄₀But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. ₄₁Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
₄₂Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. ₄₃Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. ₄₄Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. ₄₅And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
(John 8:39-45)

Since these Jewish leaders do not believe in Jesus, he declares that they have the devil, not Abraham, as their father. According to Jesus, only those who believe in Him can claim to be descendants of Abraham. Paul teaches us this in accordance with Jesus’s statements. In Genesis 12:3, God tells Abraham that through him, all nations will be blessed, not just Israel or the Jews. Therefore, the claim that God’s promises to Abraham are intended for the modern state of Israel is completely erroneous. Only true believers, both under the old and new covenants, can make this claim.

Galatians 3:10-14

₁₀For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. ₁₁But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. ₁₂And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. ₁₃Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: ₁₄that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith..

What about the law? Why can’t we appeal to it? Paul quotes a passage from Deuteronomy 27. In this chapter, the people of Israel are instructed to gather on two mountains with a valley between them after entering the land. Six tribes are to stand on one mountain, and six on the opposite mountain, which are called Ebal and Gerizim. The Levites must then pronounce the curses for violating the law, and the people must respond with “Amen.” In effect, the people place themselves under the curse because they were disregarding Gods commandments:

 ₂₆Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen_.
(Deuteronomy 27:26)

This quote by Paul is the last in a series of curses that the people must agree to. What does this curse entail? You can read about it in the following chapter, which contrasts blessing and curse. I would particularly like to highlight one of these curses:

₆₃And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it. ₆₄And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people…
(Deuteronomy 28:63-64^a)

If the Israelites do not obey God’s laws, God will remove them from the land and scatter them among the nations. This has happened at various instances throughout history. The House of Israel was removed from the land by Assyria and never returned. The House of Judah was removed by Nebuchadnezzar and later also in the years 70 and 135 CE, the last remnant was removed by the Roman emperors. Paul expounds upon this in Romans 9 and 10:

₁Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. ₂For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. ₃For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. ₄For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth..
(Romans 10:1-4)

Paul’s fellow countrymen, well-meaning and zealous Jews, wrongly believed that they were righteous before God. As mentioned earlier, less than 100% is not enough. The Bible shows us that Israel was incapable of keeping the law on its own. As a result, they were cursed. Only through faith in Christ can this dilemma be resolved. He is the end, or final destiny, of the law. He took the curse upon Himself so that we could receive the blessing of Abraham.

Incidentally, Shechem, where God made the covenant with Abraham, lies between the mountains Ebal and Gerizim, as can be read in Genesis 15. This is the only covenant in the Old Testament for which God takes full responsibility. While Abraham is in a deep sleep, God himself passes between the two halves of the sacrificed animals.

Note that it is not so much by “faith”; the term used here and in various other places is “the faith,” which stands for the whole package of things related to faith. It is more than just embracing something as true. It is a package consisting of demonstrable conversion, faith, and receiving the Spirit that makes us new people.

Galatians 3:15-18

₁₅Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. ₁₆Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. ₁₇And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. ₁₈For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Here, Paul establishes a connection to receiving an inheritance by the Heir. Although the people of Israel share in the promises made to Abraham, this passage shows that they are not the heirs. Rather, the inheritance is destined for the Seed, namely Christ. Below is a corresponding text:

₁God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ₂hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
(Hebrews 1:1-2)

The entire Old Covenant culminates in Jesus Christ, the Heir of all things. The people of Israel can only serve as a reference to Jesus, and only in this manner can they receive God’s blessings. God made His promises to Abraham before the Law of Moses was given, so the Law was not yet in force. Paul explains this in detail in Romans 4.

As long as the Seed has not come, the people of Israel may administer the inheritance, but as soon as the Seed comes, the inheritance passes to the Heir, and the administrative responsibility ends. From that moment on, the role of the people of Israel is over. The promises that God gave to Abraham can be claimed only by those who are in Christ.

Galatians 3:15-25

₁₅Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. ₁₆Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. ₁₇And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. ₁₈For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
₁₉Wherefore then serveth the law? 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. ₂₀Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. ₂₁Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. ₂₂But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
₂₃But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. ₂₄Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ₂₅But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

If the law cannot justify you, why did God give it in the first place? First, the law shows that we are incapable of fulfilling it on our own. Therefore, the law shows that we need Jesus and that we have no future without Him. Jesus, the Seed, is the Mediator who must intercede for us. Without Him, we cannot stand before God. We are all, as it were, locked under the yoke of sin. The law holds us hostage until Jesus comes. How does that work? When we look back at the time when God gave the law, we see that the Israelites immediately broke the covenant and the law by worshipping the golden calf. As a result, a number of things changed. In Exodus 19, God makes a promise:

₃And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; ₄ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. ₅Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: ₆and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.(Exodus 19:3-6)

Instead of being a kingdom of priests for the whole world, God appoints the priesthood of Aaron to make atonement for the people. Because of the breaking of the covenant, the priesthood promised to Israel no longer applies; Israel itself needs a priest. Thus, the entire temple service, with all its sacrifices, becomes a kind of disciplinary measure through which the Israelites can call upon the future Messiah and High Priest in faith. Without Jesus, who is still in the future for them, there is no hope of salvation.

₃₉And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: ₄₀God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
(Hebrews 11:39-40)

The long list of Old Testament witnesses to the faith will only share in the promises when Jesus appears. Without the Church of Jesus Christ, no one—not even the most devout Jew—can share in the perfection that is ours in Christ.

Galatians 3:26-29

₂₆For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. ₂₇For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ₂₈There 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. ₂₉And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

To share in sonship and become partakers of the inheritance, we must be immersed in and clothed with Christ. Only then are we considered children of Abraham and heirs with Christ. Gender, social status, and ethnicity—whether Jewish or Gentile—are completely irrelevant. Claiming that the Jewish people, as descendants of Abraham, occupy a special place in God’s plan, now or in the future, is utterly absurd. It is all about Jesus, and nothing or no one else. To be part of God’s plan, we must be in Him. The church of Jesus Christ is the offspring of Abraham, so there are no exceptions for Jews.

Galatians 4:1-6

₁Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; ₂but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. ₃Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: ₄but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ₅to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
₆And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Paul returns to the analogy of inheritance, showing that Israel—referred to as “we”—must be seen as immature under the old covenant. They were not yet mature enough to receive the promised inheritance. Under the old covenant, Israel was subjugated and not free, so they lived in a state of slavery resulting from the initial fall into sin. Paul elaborates on this further in this chapter. To be free, they had to wait for the coming of the Messiah, the Son of God. Only upon His arrival would they receive the right to sonship.

From the term “ye” used in verse 6, one can deduce that this promised sonship is not only for the Jews but for the church as a whole—Jews and Gentiles together. Therefore, this sonship is not linked to ancestry, but to receiving the Spirit:

₁₅And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. ₁₆Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. ₁₇Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 
(Acts 11:15-17)

This is confirmed in this passage from the Book of Acts, where it is clear that no exceptions are made in the outpouring of God’s Spirit. The Gentiles in Cornelius’ house receive the gift of the Spirit ‘as he did unto us’, so exactly in the same manner. Therefore, they also share in sonship in exactly the same way.

Galatians 4:6-11

₆And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. ₇Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
₈Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. ₉But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? ₁₀Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. ₁₁I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Being an heir is not linked to physical descent, which only Jews could claim, but rather to whether or not we have received the Spirit. Apparently, no distinction can be made on the basis of ethnicity.

Paul then addresses the Gentiles in the church: ‘You once served idols’, but these Gentiles have come to know God without the intervention of the rules or ceremonies of the Old Testament.

The term ‘beggarly elements’, here referring to ‘the elements of the world’ mentioned in verse 3, also appears in Paul’s epistle to the Colossians, where it is translated as ‘rudiments of the world’. First, let’s examine the verses in question:

₈Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ,
(Colossians 2:8)

₂₀Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, ₂₁(touch not; taste not; handle not; ₂₂which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? ₂₃Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.
(Colossians 2:20-23)

In the original Greek text, the term ‘rudiments of the world’ is rendered as στοιχεῖον (stoicheion ^{Strong G4747}) which translates as ‘elements’ or ‘rudiments’, of the κόσμος (kosmos ^{Strong G2889}) which should be translated as ‘harmonious order’ or ‘world order’, comparable to God’s order of creation. In this context, it refers to the way in which the Jews interpreted God’s order not on the basis of the Bible, but on the basis of their traditions. In verses 20–23, Paul criticises the strict way in which the Jews interpreted this. Paul also uses this term in Galatians 4, relating it to the observance of Old Testament rules: ‘You observe days, months, seasons, and years’, which apparently no longer apply under the new covenant. The young church was apparently under pressure to observe Jewish traditions such as circumcision and calendars. When Paul then suggests that his efforts may have been in vain, he explicitly states that introducing these kinds of Jewish traditions is not only undesirable, but downright dangerous. This will become apparent later in relation to circumcision: if we allow ourselves to be circumcised for the sake of these things, it will jeopardise our salvation.

₂Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing(Galatians 5:2)

Even today, the church of Jesus Christ is under considerable pressure to introduce many Jewish traditions, such as biblical feasts, the Sabbath, and sometimes even circumcision, because we can be so impressed by the beautiful symbolism surrounding them. However, embracing these customs means submitting to the beggerly elements, which cloud our view of our freedom in Christ. The result is that Christ becomes less relevant to us. The kingdom of darkness is clearly at play here, seeking to undermine our witness in the world.

Thanks to the coming of Jesus, we are free and no longer bound by such rules. The law and everything it encompassed were useful, but only insofar as they led us to Jesus. Let us return once more to the epistle to the Colossians:

₁₆Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: ₁₇which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.
(Colossians 2:16-17)

Jesus Christ embodies the things that the shadow offers us only a glimpse of. The ceremonies surrounding temple service point to Jesus; they are a kind of reflection. Now that Jesus has come, these ceremonies are no longer needed, as we have received the Spirit of God, who reveals to us the true nature of things that the ceremonies could only hint at.

Galatians 4:21-31

₂₁Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? ₂₂For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. ₂₃But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. ₂₄Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. ₂₅For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. ₂₆But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ₂₇For it is written,
Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not;
Break forth and cry, thou that travailest not:
For the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.
₂₈Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. ₂₉But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. ₃₀Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. ₃₁So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

This passage confronts us with the controversy between the earthly city of Jerusalem, connected to the Old Covenant, and the heavenly city of Jerusalem, connected to the New Covenant. Paul refers back to the story of Abraham as described in the Book of Genesis. By comparing Ishmael and Isaac, he illustrates the profound difference between the old covenant and the law, and Jesus and the new covenant. After Isaac was born, God required Abraham to send Ishmael and his mother away. The promises and inheritance associated with them are intended only for Isaac. Through this analogy, Paul is telling us that we must reject everything associated with the physical reality of the old covenant because only the spiritual reality of the new covenant still matters. The old Jerusalem, which was still standing when Paul wrote this letter, is connected to the Old Testament reality of slavery, whereas we are connected to the heavenly Jerusalem of freedom. Paul emphasises this once again in his epistle to the Hebrews:

₁₈For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, ₁₉and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: ₂₀(for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: ₂₁and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) ₂₂but ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, ₂₃to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, ₂₄and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
(Hebrews 12:18-24)

The ancient city of Jerusalem, with its temple still standing at the time Paul wrote this epistle, was completely destroyed in the year 70. Jesus predicted this when he entered Jerusalem and wept over the city:

₄₁And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, ₄₂saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. ₄₃For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, ₄₄and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation
(Luke 19:41-44)

God himself was therefore responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem. According to historians from that period, such as Flavius Josephus, not a single stone was left standing in the city after Titus and his Roman army had finished. Present-day Jerusalem was rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian around 130 AD, and the city walls were reconstructed by Sultan Süleyman I between 1537 and 1541 AD. Nothing of the original city remained, except perhaps the Wailing Wall, and even that is disputed by some. If Paul indicated at that time that Jerusalem no longer mattered, how much more so does present-day Jerusalem? Within the New Covenant, we are connected to the heavenly Jerusalem, referred to in Revelation 21 as the Bride of Christ.

Galatians 5:1-12

₁Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
₂Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. ₃For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. ₄Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. ₅For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. ₆For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
₇Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? ₈This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. ₉A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. ₁₀I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. ₁₁And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. ₁₂I would they were even cut off which trouble you_.

If we believe that we must obey laws such as circumcision once again, then we are placing ourselves back under the law and must therefore obey it to the last detail. This means that we are no longer under grace, and Christ and everything He stands for are of no benefit to us. Through faith in Christ, we are justified by the Spirit of God, whom we received when we came to believe. Circumcision and other Jewish traditions no longer hold any significance for us. Paul compares these traditions to leaven, which, when added in small amounts, slowly but surely permeates everything. Embracing Jewish tradition is akin to a silent killer that will slowly but surely squeeze the life out of our existence. It may start small, but it ends big.

One reason for the pressure at that time was pressure from persecution by Judaism. Jews were and still are extremely offended by the New Testament approach.

₆₀Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? ₆₁When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? ₆₂What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? ₆₃It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. ₆₄But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
(John 6:60-64)

The words spoken by Jesus are “Spirit as well as life”. In John 6, the Jews took such offence at this that the vast majority left and no longer wanted to be associated with Jesus. The Gospels describe how the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus because He did not fit into their concept of the Kingdom of God, and because He endangered their position. Therefore, the pressure on the early church was related to these leaders, who wanted to persuade them to abandon the aspects of Jesus’ teachings that had offended the Jews. Recognising Jesus as a prophet is one thing, but acknowledging Him as the Son of God was perceived as blasphemous:

 ₆₂And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? ₆₃But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. ₆₄Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. ₆₅Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. ₆₆What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.(Matthew 26:62-66)

Galatians 6:7-8

₇Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. ₈For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Galatians 6:12-16

₁₂As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. ₁₃For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. ₁₄But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. ₁₅For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. ₁₆And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

If we boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, then we possess all that we need. Paul compares the reintroduction of Jewish traditions, such as circumcision and various festivals, as well as the glorification of Jerusalem and Israel, to sowing in the flesh. This results in us reaping destruction. To reap eternal life from the Spirit, we must sow exclusively in the field of the Spirit.

Another gospel

We kicked off with Paul’s warning about another gospel, and how it robs us of the blessings of God connected to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this epistle, Paul not only warns us about it, but also explains the source of this deception: Judaism at that time. He even speaks of false brethren — people who pretend to be Christians but are not true believers. In Galatians 2, we find a comment by Paul that should set off alarm bells for all of us, and the reason for this is that it challenges everything we have been led to believe up to this point:

₄and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: ₅to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 
(Galatians 2:4-5)

We must realise that, as in the past, the devil is still trying to rob us of our freedom in Christ and enslave us once more. He does not hesitate to present himself as a messenger of light, and the same is true of his cohorts. Like Paul, we must not meekly succumb to this pressure, so that the truth of the gospel remains intact, whatever the consequences. There is only one gospel: the gospel of Jesus Christ, which Paul and the other apostles also preached. Anything that deviates from this — whether concerning a different Jesus, a different spirit or a different gospel, the latter of which has its source in Jewish tradition rather than the New Testament — brings with it the ANATHEMA of chapter 1. Instead of the promised blessing, we incur the curse.

I will end as Paul ends his epistle:

₁₈Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
(Galatians 6:18)