11 - Chapter 9 The Biblical Case: Galatians

Because of its importance in the debate on the believer and the law, I am taking
Galatians out of biblical order. 1 The fact is, Paul’s argument in this letter, coming so
early in the New Testament age, is crucial; it is the ‘benchmark’ for the doctrine of the
law. 2 Before we start, however, just a word or two on ‘the law’ as used by the apostle
in this short letter. It is sometimes claimed that Paul started with one meaning, then
switched – without any explanation or hint of it – to a new meaning for a few
paragraphs, and then switched back again. Or else, as I will show, Reformed writers
frequently add one or other of their usual glosses. This, of course, proves useful in their
efforts to fit certain Galatian passages into their system – passages which they would
otherwise find worse than awkward. The fact is, however, throughout Galatians (thirty-
two times), with only three (obvious) exceptions, 3 when Paul used ‘the law’, he meant
‘the law’, the entire law, the law of Moses (including the ten commandments), as at
least some Reformed writers recognise. Let us proceed, reader, on this basis. And let us
stick to it! Let us allow Paul to tell us what he meant!