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Day 3

Today’s lecture summarized the proposition in Paul’s argument or theology. The moment

we understand Paul’s theme statements, our understanding of Galatians is made easier. Paul

proposes that no man whether a Jew, Gentiles, slave or free is made right by living by the Mosaic

law. People became sinners by the definition of the law, therefore, by abandoning the law to

have faith in Christ we are made right with God. In the opening remarks at Galatians 3, Paul

challenges his audience they have given in to false doctrines. He exaggerates or overstates what

has actually happen to them as someone has cast a spell on them. The term bewitched did not

mean that an actual spell has been cast on them, but it meant that they had become susceptible or

gullible to false doctrines of being circumcised before they are made right. This forms the bases

of Paul calling them foolish. Indeed, Galatians have become unwise because they started in the

Spirit but they also taught that they could be perfect, made mature and complete by following the

law. They failed to realize that the two dispensation and requirement were distinct from each

other.

The Galatian church had experienced the sensational Spirit of Pentecost and they were

very much aware of the sign, wonders and miracles. Paul draws their attention to what know,

observed and perhaps experienced directly or indirectly. His whole argument rested on the verse

2 of Chapter 3 That they received the Spirit not by following the law. What he also sought to

impress upon the people was that faith came before the sign of covenant or circumcision

(Gal.3:19). Another thing that appealed to me was the ministerial of goal of Paul. He desired

that Christ will be form in them. I think that the Rhetoric with all its principles he was using, the

ultimate goal was to see Christ formed in them. It thought this goal was for the Galatian ministry

only. However, I got to know that such a goal is universal for all ministers of the gospel of
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Christ. Additionally, Paul compared the law to faith by using what is known as allegory. This

time now, Paul did not appeal to the people’s ethos, or pathos. Rather, he used logos to make his

point clearly know to the people. He compared the sone born by Hagar and the son born by

Sarah. Paul makes a masterful argument and says the Ismael is born of a slave woman while

Isaac is born of a free woman. Again, he says one is born in an ordinary sense, while the other is

born as a result of a promise correspondingly. He compares also Hagar to mount Sinai

representing slavery and Sarah to Jerusalem which is free. Paul indicates also that the son born of

slavery persecuted the son born of promise. Figuratively, Paul says to the Judaizers that are like

Ishmael persecuting Isaac the child of promise. Conclusively, if the slave woman and child were

driven away, the Galatians should not the give attention to the Judaizers because they are slaves

while Galatians are children of a free woman. I would not have understood the figures of speech

and allegory Paul uses, if not for this course.