Truth: "Works of the Law"

Truth: Bible Truth

"Works of the Law" - Page 11

Notice, Paul is not viewing circumcision as an end in itself, or merely as a representation of the obsolete ritual ordinances of Israel. Paul is using circumcision as an example of how one puts himself under the WHOLE law. This is the same principle he used in Gal 3:10-12 in reference to the moral law; and James 2:10-13 in reference to the moral law; and Romans 5:20 in reference to the moral law. Obviously, it is not circumcision in itself that is the problem; rather, it is what circumcision does when one practices it illicitly – its puts him under the WHOLE LAW and thus condemns him.

Who will deny that it was the Judaizers who fit Paul's description of "you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace"? This again proves the point that the Judizers were out of the grace of God and were seeking to be justified by works of the law, not within the grace of God and needing to be taught to share it with Gentiles.

Finally, let's go back to Galatians 2:16

"...nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified."

The words "nevertheless knowing" should really be "nevertheless having known," since the verb is a Greek perfect participle (eijdovteV de; oJvti). This means that the knowledge was something known in the past and continues to be known in the future. Moreover, the verb is a plural, which means that the knowledge is privy to both Paul and the Jews. Hence, they know already that a man is not justified by works of the law.

Now let's back up a bit. In verses 14-15 Paul says:

14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?" 15 "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles;"

Now, because Paul speaks of "compelling Gentiles to live like Jews," some apologists automatically assume that the "works of the law" in verse 16 can only refer to circumcision and the ceremonial law, but here is where they make their biggest mistake.

If in Galatians 3:10-12 we have Paul stating what is "known" among the Jews about the Law, and that passage is clearly referring to more than the ceremonial law (as per Augustine, Aquinas, et al), then isn't what is "known" in Galatians 2:16 also of the same species? Certainly.

Thus, in Galatians 2:16, Paul is drawing on the Jews' previous knowledge that the Law, in toto, cannot justify a man. Since by using the plural verb form Paul is placing himself in the group of those who have "known," and we know from various other passages that what Paul has "known" is that the WHOLE law is that which convicts man and cannot justify him, then surely the Jews in that "plural" group do not have a different concept of the Law than Paul.

They will recognize that the Law, in toto, cannot justify, and thus, if they can see reason, they should also recognize that their attempts at forcing circumcision brings one back into the condemnation of that WHOLE law, which is precisely what Paul says in Galatians 5:3-4:

"And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace."

So its not Judaizing, per se, that is the real issue. Its what Judaizing results in, that is, putting someone under the condemnation of the WHOLE law. Circumcision doesn't convict anyone of sin. It is the whole Law which convicts, and circumcision puts one under the whole Law.

Help from James

We can prove the above point concerning Galatians 2:16 by looking at the way James speaks of the Law in James 2:8-13 to the New Testament Christians. He tells them that if they don't show love to the poor man, then they will take themselves out of the mercy of God and put themselves under the Law. If they are put under the Law, they will have to obey the WHOLE Law, without fault, or they will be condemned.

Isn't this exactly what Paul said to the Galatians in Galatians 5:3-4 that I cited above? The only difference is that in Galatians 5:3-4 circumcision is the catalyst which puts someone back under the Law, whereas in James 2:1-13 it is a lack of love.

"Works of the Law" - Page 11

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