Galatians 3:2

3:1-5 Several things made the folly of the Galatian Christians worse. They had the doctrine of the cross preached, and the Lord's supper administered among them, in both which Christ crucified, and the nature of his sufferings, had been fully and clearly set forth. Had they been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, by the ministration of the law, or on account of any works done by them in obedience thereto? Was it not by their hearing and embracing the doctrine of faith in Christ alone for justification? Which of these had God owned with tokens of his favour and acceptance? It was not by the first, but the last. And those must be very unwise, who suffer themselves to be turned away from the ministry and doctrine which have been blessed to their spiritual advantage. Alas, that men should turn from the all-important doctrine of Christ crucified, to listen to useless distinctions, mere moral preaching, or wild fancies! The god of this world, by various men and means, has blinded men's eyes, lest they should learn to trust in a crucified Saviour. We may boldly demand where the fruits of the Holy Spirit are most evidently brought forth? whether among those who preach justification by the works of the law, or those who preach the doctrine of faith? Assuredly among the latter.

Galatians 3:2-4 . This only would I learn of you — That is, this one argument might convince you; received ye the Spirit — In his gifts and graces, in his witness and fruits. See Galatians 4:6 ; Galatians 5:22 . By the works of the law — By your observing the ceremonies of Moses’s law, or by your embracing the doctrine which inculcates the necessity of complying with these rites? or by the hearing of faith — By receiving and obeying that doctrine, which teaches that justification is attained by faith in Christ, and in the truths and promises of his gospel? Are ye so foolish — So thoughtless, as not to consider what you yourselves have experienced? having begun in the Spirit — Having entered upon your Christian course under the light and grace of the Holy Spirit, received by faith in Christ and his gospel; do you now, when you ought to be more enlightened and renewed, more acquainted with the power of faith, and therefore more spiritual; expect to be made perfect by the flesh? — Do you think to retain and complete either your justification or sanctification, by giving up that faith whereby you received both, and depending on the law, which is a gross and carnal thing when opposed to the gospel?

“The law of Moses is called the flesh,” says Macknight, “because of the carnal form of worship, by sacrifices and purifications of the body, which it prescribed; because that form of worship did not cleanse the conscience of the worshipper, but only his body, and because the Israelites were put under the law by their fleshly descent from Abraham.” Have ye suffered — Both from the zealous Jews and from the heathen; so many things — For adhering to the gospel; in vain — So as to lose all the blessings which ye might have obtained by enduring to the end? Will you give up the benefit of all those sufferings, and lose, in a great measure at least, the reward of them, by relinquishing what is so material in that system of doctrine you have been suffering for? If it be yet in vain — Which I am willing to hope it is not entirely, and that, however your principles may have been shaken, yet God will preserve you from being quite overthrown.

This only would I learn of you, Received ye the {b} Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of {c} faith? (b) Those spiritual graces and gifts, which were a seal as it were to the Galatians that the Gospel which was preached to them was true. (c) Of the doctrine of faith.

By the Spirit here is understood the gifts of the Spirit, which were either such as were common to all believers, (such as faith, love, &c.), or else such as were peculiar to some, and those not all believers; such were those abilities for miraculous operations given to some. Some understand this text of the former, some of the latter: it is best to take in both; all the manifestations of the Spirit then given out, either for the sanctification and eternal salvation of those to whom they were given, or for the confirmation of the truth of the gospel. Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law? That he knew they could not say they did; for they were heathens, strangers to the commonwealth of Israel, so as they could pretend to no works of the law. Did you receive this Holy Spirit upon hearing the gospel (which is the doctrine of faith ) preached to you? Men should take heed of vilifying that ministry, or that doctrine, which God hath blessed to the change of their own hearts, or the hearts of others. We also may observe from hence, that the hearing the gospel faithfully preached is a blessed means by which men’s hearts are changed, and they receive the Holy Spirit; not enabling them (as it did some, and but some, in the beginning of the gospel) to work signs and wonders, but enabling them to the operations of a spiritual life.

Galatians 3:2 . Μόνον , only ) A weighty argument.— μαθεῖν , learn ) What it is that you think [what sentiment you entertain]. Here is the point of his questions: you have learned many things from me; I wish to learn this one thing alone from you.— ἐξ ἔργων νόμου , from the works of the law ) In which you seek righteousness.— τὸ Πνεῦμα , the Spirit ) [ in (through) whom you addressed GOD as Father .—V. g.], and whose presence [among the Galatians] was conspicuous by means of the gifts, which He bestowed; Galatians 3:5 ; Mark 16:17 ; Hebrews 2:4 . The gift of the Spirit accompanies righteousness [justification], Galatians 3:14 ; Ephesians 1:13 . Therefore the one is often put for the other; comp. note on Romans 6:18 . This argument is repeated, Galatians 3:5 : and it receives additional weight by the verses interposed, viz. Galatians 3:3-4 . Further, Paul, in this one epistle of his, although he so often names the Spirit, does not, however, even once add the epithet, Holy; and this he does not appear to have done without good reason; namely, the epithet ‘Holy’ is a very joyful one, but this epistle is decidedly severe.— ἢ , or ) Two things directly opposed.— ἐξ ἀκοῆς πίστεως , from [by] the hearing of faith ) The nature of faith is thus exquisitely denoted—faith [consisting in] not working, but receiving.

This only I will convince you of your error by this one point. Do you owe the gifts of the Spirit to the works of the law, or to the message of faith? Received ye, etc. The answer lies in the question. You cannot deny that you received the gifts of the Spirit by the message of faith. The hearing of faith (ἀκοῆς πίστεως) See on Galatians 1:23. For hearing, render message. So, often in N.T. See Matthew 4:24; Matthew 14:6; John 12:38. lxx, 1 Samuel 2:24; 2 Samuel 13:30; Tob. 10:13; Habakkuk 3:2.

Galatians 3:2 . The Apostle appeals with confidence to the personal experience of his converts. They were themselves conscious of having received on their conversion gifts of the Spirit. Whence then came the inward change? Was it the result of fulfilling law, or of listening in faith? The question needs no answer: for it was obviously the result of listening in faith. The second clause couples together two essential requisites for conversion: men must not only listen, but listen in a right spirit, desiring to know and do God’s will. The genitive πίστεως adds this essential condition.— τὸ πνεῦμα . The spirit constitutes in this Epistle a definite element in the regenerate nature, due to spiritual creation as the flesh is to natural creation—an internal organ by which the Holy Spirit operates on the will and prompts the action of man ( cf. Galatians 3:16-22 ). It becomes therefore a living human force within the heart, distinct from the personality of the Holy Spirit. But on the other hand it is absolutely dependent for its vital force on the original inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and can neither live nor grow without continual nourishment and sustenance from Him.

2. "Was it by the works of the law that ye received the Spirit (manifested by outward miracles, Ga 3:5; Mr 16:17; Heb 2:4; and by spiritual graces, Ga 3:14; Ga 4:5, 6; Eph 1:13), or by the hearing of faith?" The "only" implies, "I desire, omitting other arguments, to rest the question on this alone"; I who was your teacher, desire now to "learn" this one thing from you. The epithet "Holy" is not prefixed to "Spirit" because that epithet is a joyous one, whereas this Epistle is stern and reproving [Bengel]. hearing of faith—Faith consists not in working, but in receiving (Ro 10:16, 17).

(2) This only. —The Apostle considers a single argument enough. He will only place the present conduct of the Galatians in contrast with their past, and ask how they can possibly reconcile the two. Received ye the Spirit.—The reference is to those spiritual gifts, described more fully in 1 Corinthians 12, 14—the gift of prophecy, the gift of tongues, the interpretation of tongues, the discerning of spirits, gifts of healing, &c.—which attended the first preaching of the gospel, and were poured out upon the first converts in a manner and degree since unknown. The Galatians, it seems, had had a share in this outpouring, like the other churches, though their fickleness prevented them from reaping the full benefit from it. But a spiritual effect, such as this outpouring was, could only have a spiritual cause; it could not come from a mechanical performance of legal obligations. By the works of the law.—By works done in obedience to the Law. There is a certain emphasis on both words, for the main point in the contrast which the Apostle is drawing is between the Law, on the one hand, and faith, on the other. Still, faith is as much opposed to works (i.e., a spirit of literal and mechanical obedience) as it is to Law, and excludes both at once. It is to be noted, however, that the works here meant are those done, in a Judaising sense, as themselves the direct means of salvation—not Christian works, the natural product and outcome of faith.

By the hearing of faith.—These words correspond very nearly to a phrase which we should perhaps use more naturally: by the preaching of faith—i.e., by that preaching or hearing (hearing on the part of the recipients, preaching on that of the missionary Apostles) which has for its subject faith. What the Apostle had taught the Galatians on his first coming among them was not any system of laborious observances, but the duty of faith. They at first responded to his teaching: and in answer to their enthusiastic impulse of adhesion to Christ the gifts of the Spirit were abundantly shed upon them. Now all this had ceased. For the use of the word translated “hearing,” see the Note on Romans 10:16.