Ãâó: http://archive.catholic.com/thisrock/1993/9306ntg.asp
N e w T e s t a m e n t G u i d e
GALATIANS
By ANTONIO FUENTES
AT the beginning of this third apostolic journey, around the
year 53 (Acts 18:23), Paul passed through Galatia to visit the Christian
communities he had established in the area (Acts 13:14ff), which he had also
visited during his second journey (Acts 16:15). The communities in question were
in the southern part of Galatia - Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Derbe, and Lystra.
On this last journey Paul was very surprised to find that the Galatian
Christians - most of whom came from a Gentile background - had been led astray
by "false brethren," Judaizers, who made out that Christians should
conform to the Mosaic law and should be circumcised. Perhaps because he was
short of time, the apostle was unable to go into the matter in detail; at any
rate, when he reached Ephesus (53-54) he wrote the Galatians a letter, refuting
the errors involved, in which he goes into the whole question of the
relationship between the gospel and the Mosaic Law, between the Old Covenant and
the New.
He tries to get them to see that the key point is this: Accepting Mosaic
doctrine would mean in practice renouncing the justification won for us by
Christ - and therefore denying the value of the redemption; it would imply
renouncing freedom, because they would be submitting to the yoke of the Law,
which is slavery; it would mean rejecting the grace and salvation which faith in
Jesus Christ brings with it. The universality of the Church would be destroyed
and Christ's doctrine irreparably damaged.
The Judaizers, for their part, were arguing that God himself had instituted the
Law of Moses, which Christ had come not "to abolish but to fulfill"
(Matt. 5:17). They even went so far as to invoke the authority of the Twelve
against Paul, ignoring (because they did not want to obey them) the decisions of
the Council of Jerusalem, which had gone into this whole question and with whose
teaching Paul was in line (Acts 15:28-29).
With characteristic energy and zeal, Paul defends his apostolic authority and
denounces the error of the Judaizers, into which many of the Galatians had
fallen. He ends by telling them in no uncertain terms, "If you receive
circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you" (5:2).
The content of the letter - which is reminiscent Of Romans - ranges much more
widely than this. For example, it makes the following points:
1. While recognizing Peter's preeminent position as visible head of the Church,
the letter stresses that the Church is one and universal, a community entered
into through baptism, one in teaching and government, under the infallible and
absolute authority of the apostles (1:9, 2:9).
2. Transition from a state of sin or alienation from God to a state of grace
happens only through faith in Christ, who by dying redeemed us from all sin -
original sin and personal sin. Faith makes us truly children of God, who share
in God's own life, and heirs of heaven, in keeping with God's promises.
3. This faith in Jesus Christ is the only faith by which we can be saved;
through it we attain the grace of forgiveness and the true freedom proper to the
children of God. Therefore, as the apostle says, anyone who submits to the
observances of the Mosaic Law falls back into the slavery of the Law and denies
the redemption wrought by Christ.
4. Christians, whether of Jewish or Gentile background, are the true children of
Abraham, according to the spirit, because through faith in Christ they have been
justified and incorporated through baptism into his Church, the new people of
God.
5. Jesus Christ, true God and true man, died on the cross as the representative
of all mankind, to make satisfaction for all sin - not only sins against the
Mosaic Law but also those against the natural law.
6. Following in Christ's footsteps, Christians also must die to the old Law if
they want to live for God (2:19). This is the death of the old man brought about
through baptism, which enables us to live a new life, the life of grace, so we
can "walk by the Spirit" (5:24) and not under the Law (5:18).
7. Only in this way will Christians attain the true freedom of the sons of God,
which requires that we mortify our vices and the concupiscence of the flesh to
become "a new creation" (6:15) and reproduce in ourselves the life of
Christ, of whom we are both a member and a temple.
8. This new life, the life of grace, makes Christians yield the fruit of the
Spirit (5:22-23). The Law no longer has any power; what matters is faith in
Jesus Christ, which works through love (5:6).
Antonio Fuentes is a professor at the University of Navarre.
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