Holy Contradiction, Batman!
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them.” Galatians 3:10 NASB
Works of the Law – Most Christians are taught that Paul converted to Christianity. They believe that he left the Law behind as outmoded because Jesus “fulfilled” the Law and introduced the era of grace. This passage from Galatians is typically one of the proof texts used to show that no man can keep the Law, that the Law is a curse and is therefore not part of the new life in Christ. But read this again! Paul cites Deuteronomy 27:26 as a proof that the curse falls on those who do not keep the Law, not on those who do keep the Law. Something is really strange about Paul’s argument here. First he says that anyone under the “works of the Law” is cursed and then he says that the curse applies to anyone who doesn’t keep the Law. Is Paul confused? Is he contradicting himself?
The way most Christians read this verse makes it appear as a straightforward contradiction. Step 1: Everyone under the works of the Law is cursed. This implies that the Law itself is a very bad thing. But, Step 2: Everyone who doesn’t do what the Law says is cursed. This implies that those who keep the Law are doing great and the Law is a very good thing. So which is it? The answer is found in the Paul’s technical phrase “works of the Law.” Did you notice that Paul doesn’t say, “As many as are of the Law are cursed”? He uses the phrase “works of the Law.” Since Paul cites Deuteronomy as his authority that keeping the Law is a good thing, his phrase “works of the Law” must mean something other than “keeping the Law.” Otherwise Paul’s words are contradictory.
What does “works of the Law” mean? Paul uses this phrase to describe the legalists. These are men from Jerusalem who have come to Galatia to argue that in order to be a follower of the Jewish God YHWH one must first become Jewish. In other words, these men are advocating the process of being a proselyte – circumcision, Torah study and baptism – before a person is acceptable to God. The “works of the Law” is Paul’s way of describing those who claim that a believer must do something before God will offer grace. Paul teaches that God freely offers grace to all – Jew and Gentile alike. These men claim that a Gentile must become a Jew in order to find acceptance before YHWH. Paul strenuously objects. Why does Paul say that those who advocate “works of the Law” are cursed? Because, in Paul’s view, they have already broken one of the fundamental commandments of Scripture. He provides the reference for his assessment in the next verse. “The righteous man shall live by faith” tells us that anyone who imposes additional requirements for acceptability, that is, anything except faith, has violated God’s instructions, and as Deuteronomy 27:26 shows, is therefore cursed.
Does this mean that Paul thinks that Law itself is a curse? Hardly! How could he believe that the Law itself is a curse when he expects us to keep it? How could he claim that the Law is a bad thing when he clearly says, “The Law is holy, just and good” (Romans 7:12)? It isn’t the Law that is the problem. The problem is claiming that the Law is the basis of acceptance before God, that keeping the Law results in salvation. The Judaizers (legalists) have confused grace and obedience. Grace is God’s gift. It is not earned. It doesn’t require prior rituals or practices. But grace is the gateway to obedience. Once my life is committed to His Kingdom, I am expected to live according to His Kingdom rules, just as I would be expected to live by the rules of any kingdom where I am citizen. When I live according to God’s rules, I am blessed. When I don’t, I am cursed. That’s what Deuteronomy teaches me. Perhaps the ESV’s addition to the English translation helps. It reads, “For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse.” If we understand this to mean that there are men who claim one is saved by doing what the Law requires, then we can see why Paul thinks these men are cursed. They have broken one of the commandments with their very claim.
Paul clearly sees that none of my rule-keeping behavior has any affect of God’s grace freely offered to me, whether Jew or Gentile. Obedience is devotion to God after salvation, not before.
The apparent contradiction in Paul comes from reading “works of the Law” as if it were the equivalent of “those who live according to the Law.” But Paul never says that. So where did we get that idea anyway? Let’s go ask Augustine.
Topical Index: law, works of the law, ergon nomou, Galatians 3:10
“4 Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy”
“just” Based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair: “a just society”
Hmmm
In my view the Law 4 above provides two options:
1 Obey the Law and our action will be justified. And we will demonstrate our Faith in God
2 Disobey the law and our action will NOT be justified. And we will NOT demonstrate our faith in God
Paul: Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”
Paul: Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”
As Bob Dylan sang back in the 60’s “God said to Abraham, kill me your son”
In my view, God commanded Abram to sacrifice his son
Abraham obeyed God and thereby demonstrated his faith
Seems to me that Paul wants to make Jesus a “requirement”
But Jesus does not teach us to pray to him (a King in God’s kingdom)
On the contrary, Jesus teaches us to pray to “Our Father”
Who is obviously not Jesus
Finally this makes sense!! Thanks. Have a blessed Sabbath.
Holy Contradiction, Batman! ….those of us the get the heading are…..old.. 🙂
“But grace is the gateway to obedience.” What if the world got this? What a wonderful world this would be!
Shabbat Shalom
For so many years this idea of the Law being dead and outdated had befuddled me in so many ways. It never made sense to me, yet I was possessed by the authoritarian teachings of my Baptist surroundings. Now, with a smidgen of insight, like the flavor of this TW, it is all very simple and easy to understand, digest and work out. I’ve asked myself many times why things have to be so difficult. The answer of learning how to do my own research and study has helped tremendously. And, of course, gleanings from people like Skip help tremendously. Just explain it in proper context with clarity. Simple.
Thank you.
Freedom comes from a clear view of the truth, even when you are merely at the outer edges of it, prior to delving deeper. As one gets deeper, invigorating is added to the freedom mix.
Thank you, Skip, for the encouragement. I had repented long before I understood much about Torah law. The church with which I later associated felt conversion could only come about as a result of obedience to the Law. I still maintain that, first, grace is given. Second, we grow in the knowledge of that grace. Thank you again, for making this plain from scripture. My wife and I greatly appreciate your labors.
“If you love me you keep my commandments” John 14:15
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself, but the Father’s that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” John 14:10
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
Yeshua and God are one and the same, like Jesus said, Jesus/ God in the flesh comes to earth to
show us exactly how to walk out Gods commandments/ Torah ie. law. so we can follow Him thus
proving to Him and others how much I love Him by my actions!!!
Since making the shift and committing to 6 weeks of keeping the Shabbat Holy, 5 years now, we have
entered into an unbelievable walk with Father! An understanding and relationship we never could of
imagined! Setting ourselves apart from the world to be with Him exclusively has been such a reward and
blessing!!! We shall NEVER go back to our old ways. Paul was right, we are saved by grace thru faith,
not the law, now it is up to me to show Him how much I do love Him with my whole heart, soul, and
strength! I was a wondering sheep looking for the True Shepherd that heard the cry of my heart for
truth, and turned me from the Augustine shepherd of false doctrine. Haliluyah!!!
Skip, this seems like a circular argument to me – you don’t have to do what the legalists required to be “saved” (i.e., The Law), but when you ARE saved you DO have to do the things in The Law… or at least you SHOULD do what The Law states.
This isn’t much different than the Christian doctrines of “Say the sinner’s prayer and your saved” vs. the more hardline legalists that claim you must hear, believe, repent, confess & be baptized to wash your sins away (5 point) to be saved.
So in the Messianic, Torah-observant community of believers, what must one do to be saved?
~ For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is every one who does not abide by all things written in the book of the Law, to perform them.” ~ (Galatians 3:10)
Paul was not a converted Jew, but a completed Jew. A new name and a new nature. From Saul to Paul and in every man’s case, from “Cain to Christ.”
With his own words, -this is his testimony:
~ For I determined not to know anything among you, except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified ~ (1 Corinthians 2.2)
Why? Why would this be so? What did Paul know that we (apparently) do not?
Listen attentively to these words: “Resting in my Savior as my all in all.” None will find this “Sabbath-rest that remains” (Hebrews 4.9) until this happens. Our active “resting.” (only trust Him, – now!)
Tomorrow, “followers of the Way” (we certainly do not want to use the word “Christian- “little Christs” because it might offend someone- some find the cross of the Chosen and Crucified One offensive), but some nonetheless will celebrate an event that was indeed, as some may put it (mildly) – a “game changer.”
Who was the Man who is now risen? Who is Christ the Messiah, the One who often referred to Himself, (though fully the Son of God and God the Son) as “the son of man,”- the One known also known as the Second Adam? This is the question that must be asked of every man and of every kindred-tribe-nation and tongue:
~ What will you do with Jesus who is called (the) Christ?
Is this our answer also?
~ Away with Him, let Him be crucified, His blood be upon us and upon our children..~
This may sound cruel and harsh to some, but to me this statement has my “amen,”- let it be so.
Why? Why crucify the carpenter’s son, this Galilean peasant? Why? What evil has He done? – And my ready answer? None. I (too) find NO fault in Him, – let Him (therefore) be crucified. ( Wow! )- and again, why?
Was the death of the Messiah necessary? Did He have to die? Again, perhaps prophetically, – no, very much prophetically, the people again have spoken even though in a scoffing tone:
~ He saved others, Himself He cannot save ~ (Matthew 27.42).
I would tweak this just one bit.. Friends, it should read: ~ He will not save ~ Because the son of Man, the Second Adam, “willingly” went and embraced the tslav, the execution stake, but again the question still remains: Why?
Rubber, meet road. Why the cross? Is this crucifixion, “the central event of all of history?” And is not history, “His Story” as well? How many O.T. prophecies did this man “fulfill?” Not one, not two, but every single one of them. The Jews require a sign? (1 Corinthians 1.22) Well here’s your sign, written in three languages, and nailed to the execution stake that all may read and understand: “This is Jesus King of the Jews.”
And the Gentiles seek after wisdom? What wisdom is there in the death of the Chosen One? And “Who” of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption? (What was that Name again?)
O the depth of Love Divine, th’unfathomable grace!
Who shall say how bread and wine God into us conveys!
How the bread His flesh imparts, how the wine transmits His blood,
Fills His faithful people’s hearts with all the life of God!
Let the wisest mortals show how we the grace receive;
Feeble elements bestow a power not theirs to give.
Who explains the wondrous way, how through these the virtue came?
These the virtue did convey, yet still remain the same.
How can spirits heavenward rise, by earthly matter fed,
Drink herewith divine supplies and eat immortal bread?
Ask the Father’s wisdom how: Christ Who did the means ordain;
Angels round our altars bow to search it out, in vain.
Sure and real is the Grace, the manner be unknown;
Only meet us in thy ways and perfect us in one.
Let us taste the heavenly powers, -LORD, we ask for nothing more.
Thine to bless,’ tis only ours to wonder and adore.
~ Unto me, (the man formerly known as Saul) who am less than the least of all saints, is
this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles (also) the unsearchable riches of Christ!~ (Ephesians 3:8)
~ Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! ~
God, the Giver of every good and perfect gift has (once again) given something to us who now belong to Him. It is this: ~ He has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others ~ (2 Corinthians 5.19)
It is, without one shadow of doubt- the gospel, the “good news” of Christ. Ours is the very same message as the angel who announced the Advent of ADONAI:
~ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people ~ For unto you (O earth) is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the LORD ~
~ good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people ~ (What he said..)
God of wonders. Amazing Love. How can this be? That Thou, my God would die for me?
Wonder at tHis birth. Wonder at His life. Wonder at His words. Wonder again at His resurrection.
Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story,
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Shepherds, in the fields abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with man is now residing,
Yonder shines the infant Light;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King!
Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations,
Ye have seen His natal star;
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, the King of kings!
Saints before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear,
Suddenly the LORD, descending,
In His temple shall appear:
Come and worship,
Come and worship,
Worship Christ, our risen King!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIvwvZBS9ZI
The phrase “works of the Law” is also found within the contemporary writings of the Qumran community.
Here is an article expanding on this particular phrase:
http://www.tnnonline.net/faq/W/Works_of_the_Law.pdf
I just now got onto 4QMMT from the DSS and wanted to see if Skip has said anything about it – found this link from Brian – but it does not work – Skip – do you know of Ma’aseh haTorah???? Could this be what Paul was speaking against in Galatians???? Not meaning YHWH’s TORAH – but these Qumran writings specifically! Check out 4Q394-399 – says “Now we have written to you some of the “works of the law” (ma aseh hatorah), those which we determined would be beneficial for you…. And it will be reckoned to you as righteousness, in that you have done what is right and good before Him….” (These were rules outside of Torah on purity, etc and they claimed that doing them brought righteousness…)
Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” John 14:10
In my view the statement above is perfectly logical and true
And I can say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me
And I believe Jesus and the very works of which he speaks
But I believe works come first and faith comes second
And that Jesus is the Master, but not God
If I may try to explain, I believe it is clearly both, not a one or another. In the church.. we
were brought to salvation thru the 5 step program … saved unto eternity. Praise Jesus… without that
understanding and confession of our sins we are lost unto the lake of fire, Rev. 21:8; that is what I
understood to be true.
Entering into keeping the commandments/Torah-observant community, I began to understand
what my sin really was… I John 3:4″Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the
transgression of the law.” What law? Law is Torah… even tho all do not apply, my joy
in doing my best in keeping those that do began, with His help and mercy.
Just because I am “saved” I go right on sinning. If I am sinning against Him I better know exactly what sin
I am committing so I can confess. It it as “working out our salvation” daily, which I believe takes a life
time to do. The more we understand our righteous, which is but filthy rags, we will see that Torah/ His commandments give us a plumb-line to realign our selves up to so we can be continually made pure
before Father.
I hope this helps in answering your question… although it will probably raise more …
“If I may try to explain, I believe it is clearly both, not a one or another.”
Hi Lynn,
I think what you are explaining is perfectly clear and logical
My argument would be that it is based on your experience
In my experience, “Just because I am “saved” I go right on sinning.”
To me, being “saved” in that sense is somewhat irrelevant
And tends to cloud my view
If I were more disciplined, I would only focus on the most important thing
“thy kingdom come and thy will be done”
Being saved is relatively irrelevant IMO 🙂
Mark Beauvais, The gospel and good news of YHVH has always been Ezekiel 18:31 – i.e. to repent and be reconciled to Him. This has always been the requirement to accept God’s free gift – anywhere in the Bible. God has NEVER changed.
YHVH has always been Ezekiel 18:31
Hi Ida,
I’ve always liked Ezekiel, because like that Old Moor Karl Marx
Ezekiel puts those who sleep with their neighbor’s wife
And bankers (“usurers “who take interest on loans)
In the same box
What was Cain’s crime? – and why was his “offering” not acceptable? Were the fruits and vegetables not arranged properly? Were not (in Cain’s case) all thing done decently and in order? What was the conundrum of Cain?
Is is possible that his was not of faith Carl ?
Abel, Noah, and Abraham offered blood (not vegan) sacrifices because they had faith in the salvation promised through the coming Savior. The O.T. sacrifices were symbols of Jesus and intended to keep fresh in mind the True Lamb of God who would come to earth and shed HIS blood for our redemption (Heb. 20, 22).
“What was Cain’s crime?”
2 … Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.
4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.
Hi Carl,
I don’t don’t think Cain committed a crime until he killed his brother
The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.
Apparently the second son, Abel, had the upper hand in this game
The advantage of having been given flocks rather than fruit to tend
Then Cain compounded his problem by getting angry
“So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.”
6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”
It seems that you are assuming God gave no instructions of how He was to be approached and therefore whatever Cain had on hand was acceptable. It is not. We must approach God by God’s way.
(I AM the Way the Truth the Life)
Cain could have traded with his brother for a lamb. After all, a shoemaker does not throw a shoe in the missions offering box, nor does his wife try to serve a baked shoe for supper. Each of us trades in some fashion for the acceptable item for a chosen purpose.
Cain had indeed sinned before murdering Able. He had already missed the mark.
“Cain could have traded with his brother for a lamb.”
Hi Dorothy,
Cain had no reason to trade with his brother for a lamb
That is to say there is no “evidence” in the text that God wanted Cain to trade
It appears to me that God tries to teach Cain how to respond to “rejection”
As my mother would say, “no one likes a sore loser”
Cain turns out to be a “worst case scenario”
1 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.”
2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.
4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.
The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.
ANYTHING THAT IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN.
ANYTHING THAT IS NOT OF FAITH IS SIN.
Hi Carol,
I think the statement above is illogical
For example:
Faith No Faith
Faith: “I have faith in Skip” (Not a sin)
No Faith: “I have no faith in Skip” (Not a sin) (Not true either)
“Michael… do you believe that when we are NOT pleasing GOD that we are sinning ?”
Hi Carol,
Of course not 🙂
Sitting here watching the Bloomberg channel and lamenting my losses in the stock market today
Is NOT sin as far as I know, but I don’t think it pleases God all that much either
Michael… do you believe that when we are NOT pleasing GOD that we are sinning ?
Are you in agreement that without faith. ..it is impossible to please God ?
Ever wonder why when the Lord returns to earth that HE is looking for Faith ?
If we are not trusting HIM and believing in Him and relying on HIM , what is the opposite of this called ?
“Are you in agreement that without faith. ..it is impossible to please God ?”
Hi Carol,
Of course, because we please God when we obey his laws 🙂
When we obey his laws, we demonstrate our faith
When we say the Lord’s prayer, I think we demonstrate our faith
Only I don’t say the Lord’s prayer to demonstrate our faith
I say the Lord’s prayer to try to align myself with God’s will
To try to find peace and avoid unnecessary pain
What just may be crouching at our door if faith is not activated ?
What must be mastered ?
“What must be mastered ?”
Hi Carol,
Well we need to learn to master our will
It is our will that not only drives what we do
It also determines what we are responsible for
Based on my understanding of the Lord’s Prayer
We need to make our will one with our Father’s will
Speaking of Will, one of my favorite movies is called “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”
Clive Owen plays a man named Will, whose brother is killed by the London “Mob”
Will has been working as a logger, living alone deep in the woods
Will has been trying to redeem himself from a shameless life of crime
When the Mob receives the news that Will is coming back to London
Some say he’ll never come back alone, others say he’s too weak now
But the Mob boss says Will is a determined man
And “will go the distance”