20
votes
Is it appropriate to translate Galatians 3:21 as "If a law had been given"?
The OP questions the validity of the article "a" in English versions given the lack of a corresponding word in Greek. I will argue that "a law" is indeed an accurate translation.
There is no ...
- 26.2k
17
votes
Accepted
Why did God choose circumcision and Paul cancel it?
Succinctly stated, as Christ himself was circumcised,1 all those who are “in Christ” are also circumcised with Christ,2 just as all those who are in Christ:
suffer with Christ3
are crucified with ...
- 11.4k
13
votes
Why did God choose circumcision and Paul cancel it?
Simply put, the law of circumcision was given by God to the Hebrew people who made up the physical, geographical nation of Israel and to all the foreigners who would live in the nation of Israel. ...
- 131
9
votes
How to save Paul from the Galatians 3 "seed" vs "seeds" argument blunder?
The answer is very simple.
First, as already noted by the OP, the Hebrew word for seed (zera`) is both collective and singular. Throughout the Hebrew Bible the particular word occurs in the ...
- 16.6k
9
votes
Why the definite article in 'Abba, Father'?
ἀββα is the Greek transliteration of the Aramaic אַבָּא. In both Hebrew and Aramaic, the vocative is often indicated by definitizing a noun.1 Hence, we can interpret אַבָּא into English as the ...
- 11.4k
9
votes
Why did God choose circumcision and Paul cancel it?
The understanding for the sign of circumcision is deeply embedded in the OT concept of covenants.
All divinely initiated covenants in the Bible contain the following six elements:
Statement of pre-...
- 95.9k
8
votes
Accepted
What law are you under if you don't live by the spirit?
The power of the Holy Spirit enables one to live the Christ-like life. For example,
Gal 5:22-23 (NASB)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, ...
- 16.6k
8
votes
Did the Hebrews spend time in Egypt for 400 or 430 years?
Abraham was 75 when he left Haran. This was The Promise, and the start of 430 years to the Exodus.
25 years later, Abraham is 100 years old and Isaac is born. We are now 25 years from The Promise
5 ...
- 357
8
votes
Why did God choose circumcision and Paul cancel it?
The answer is quoted (Genesis 17:13) in the question.
Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.
If the covenant is everlasting, how can a human body, subject to death and decay, ...
- 29.6k
8
votes
Which Preposition is Used Concerning Paul's Body in Galatians 6:17?
The Greek preposition ἐν is predominately translated into English as “in” but is indeed sometimes translated as “on”. The apostle Paul refers to στίγματα (lemma στίγμα), which refer to marks made on ...
- 11.4k
7
votes
Why did God choose circumcision and Paul cancel it?
In your question you state:
God clearly meant that foreigners were to be circumcised also...
This is a misinterpretation of the inclusion of foreign-born slaves in the commandment that Abraham's ...
- 386
7
votes
Accepted
How does the OT quote in Galatians 4:27 relate to the situation in Galatia at that time?
First, What was the situation in Galatia at that time? Once that is established, the reason for the OT quote should become clearer.
On Paul and Barnabas’s first missionary tour, they had established ...
- 21.3k
7
votes
Galatians 3:23 Guarded in protective custody or held captive as prisoners under the law? Translation of ἐφρουρούμεθα συγκλειόμενοι
The key to understanding Paul's thought in v23 is to note from the next verse that the law is described as our PAIDAGOGOS.
Social changes have made it almost impossible to find a concise translation ...
- 5,624
6
votes
Accepted
In Galatians 1:19 is Paul saying he saw no apostles "except James" or "only James"?
Paul is referring to James, the brother of Jesus as an apostle. A word for word translation appears here:
ἕτερον δὲ τῶν ἀποστόλων οὐκ εἶδον εἰ μὴ Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Κυρίου
Other. moreover (but/...
- 12.5k
6
votes
The Spirit of his Son
According to the new testament witness, the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are one and the same Spirit (Romans 8:9).
The apostles tell us that this was true of the Spirit in the Old Testament ...
- 812
6
votes
What is Paul saying in Galatians 2:17-19?
Gal. chap. 2 is wrestling with those who kept coming in to the 1st century assemblies and telling them they had to keep the law; ie. be circumcised, etc. The background then is whether they were still ...
- 9,783
6
votes
Accepted
Why the definite article in 'Abba, Father'?
The word transliterated αββα is Aramaic (אַבָּא), not Hebrew (which would be אָב). Aramaic marks definiteness with the absolute state (usually the suffix -ā), as opposed to Hebrew which uses a prefix. ...
- 3,738
6
votes
Could the law give life?
The Tanakh contrasts statutes and judgments that if an Israelite does “...he shall live by1 them,”2 with statutes and judgments that if he does he “shall not live by3 them.”4 In Ezekiel, where both ...
- 11.4k
6
votes
I've been assigned to do an exegesis on Gal. 3:15-20 this coming Sunday morning and I would appreciated any help with this passage
Rule Number 1 is to establish the context, and Rule Number 2 is to stick to the passage being expounded (as opposed to skipping all over the Bible with related texts.) The goal of your exposition is ...
- 21.3k
6
votes
Galatians 4:14. Paul says that Jesus is Angel of the Lord?
Since the Pauline corpus differentiates between the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the angels, giving to the first a greater, in fact divine honour, in comparison to the first (Hebrews 1:5), and even ...
- 10.2k
6
votes
Was Kosher Food the real issue in Galatians 2?
There might not be a specific law against eating with Gentiles, but there was at that time a strong belief in whom one should not eat with.
Peter himself makes reference to this in Acts 10:28: "...
- 5,824
6
votes
What does Paul mean by 'one word' in Galatians 5:14?
The "Word" is an allusion to what the OT calls, "words", namely commandments, specifically
Deut 10:4 - Then He wrote on the tablets, like the first writing, the Ten Words [ie, ...
- 95.9k
6
votes
What's the correct translation of Galatians 5:17
While the NIV translation appears to be a command,. the Greek is definitely not. Both the verbs θέλητε (you might wish) and ποιῆτε (you might do) are subjunctive (ie, not imperative). Here is my ...
- 95.9k
5
votes
How is an "accursed" life different from a normal life?
The OP asked:
Galatians 3:10 says that "as many as are of the works of the law [as opposed to those who live by faith] are under the curse." Is this different from being accursed [as described in 1:...
- 26.2k
5
votes
What is Paul's purpose in highlighting that the Christ was born of a woman?
The phrase "born of woman" is definitely used to draw attention to Jesus's humanity, however, there are many ways to do this and it was typically done in the Gospels with Jesus's self-title, ...
- 3,725
5
votes
What is Paul saying in Galatians 2:17-19?
Why would we think that seeking to be justified by Jesus Christ would somehow suggest that we are found to be sinners?
The notion is that Christ made those Jewish Christians who sought to be ...
- 12.1k
5
votes
How to reconcile "Carry one another’s burdens" in Galatians 6:1 and "carry his own load" in Galatians 6:5
Paul uses the word phortion when he says that all will bear their own 'burden'. This is the same word that Jesus uses when he says 'My yoke is easy and my burden light'. This burden, therefore, is one'...
- 29.6k
5
votes
Accepted
Are there exegetical differences between "God and the Father" and "God the Father"?
Let me begin by listing all four verses you quote with my very (overly?) literal translation:
Col 1:3, Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Θεῷ Πατρὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πάντοτε περὶ ὑμῶν προσευχόμενοι, = We ...
- 95.9k
5
votes
Why did God choose circumcision and Paul cancel it?
Essentially, the Jews who were "whitewashed tombs" (Matthew 23:27) kept the law outwardly, but just as Abraham was justified by faith (see Romans 4), so also must everyone else be. Physical ...
- 149
5
votes
Law of God vs Law of Christ
Others have shown how the phrase in question only appears once in the NT (1 Cor. 9:21). The Q, Is Paul equating the Law of Christ with the Law of God that he assiduously claims to be under, or is he ...
- 21.3k
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