Gal 3:1-5 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gal 3:1-5: 3:1–5:12 Paul now defends the truth of his message—that right relationship with God comes by faith in Christ alone—and proves the fallacy of the message that Gentiles must keep the law in order to be acceptable to God. Summary for Gal 3:1-9: 3:1-9 Paul compares the Galatians’ spiritual experience (3:1-5 ) with Abraham’s (3:6-9 ), showing that they were made right with God in the same way, through faith and not through the law (Eph 2:8-9 ). 3:1 Oh, foolish Galatians! Their foolishness was both intellectual and spiritual (cp. Luke 24:25 ; see 1 Sam 25:1-38 ) as they turned away from Christ (Gal 1:6 ) and put faith in the law. • The Galatians were deceived by the teachers’ evil spell (cp. Gen 3:1-7 )—not literal witchcraft, but enticing arguments. • For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross (literally Before your eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified ): Paul’s proclamation of the Good News clearly portrayed Christ’s death and explained its significance (see Rom 10:14-17 ).

Summary for Gal 3:1-5: 3:1–5:12 ^a Paul now defends the truth of his message—that right relationship with God comes by faith in Christ alone—and proves the fallacy of the message that Gentiles must keep the law in order to be acceptable to God.
Summary for Gal 3:1-9: 3:1-9 ^b Paul compares the Galatians’ spiritual experience (3:1-5 ^c) with Abraham’s (3:6-9 ^d), showing that they were made right with God in the same way, through faith and not through the law (Eph 2:8-9 ^e). 3:1 ^f Oh, foolish Galatians! Their foolishness was both intellectual and spiritual (cp. Luke 24:25 ^g; see 1 Sam 25:1-38 ^h) as they turned away from Christ (Gal 1:6 ⁱ) and put faith in the law.

• The Galatians were deceived by the teachers’ evil spell (cp. Gen 3:1-7 ^j)—not literal witchcraft, but enticing arguments.

• For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross (literally Before your eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified): Paul’s proclamation of the Good News clearly portrayed Christ’s death and explained its significance (see Rom 10:14-17 ^k).
3:2 ^l The Galatians, like all Christians, received the Spirit by faith in Christ, not by obeying the law of Moses (see Acts 2:38-39 ^m; Rom 8:9-11 ⁿ; 2 Cor 1:22 ^o; Eph 1:11-14 ^p; cp. Acts 10:44-48 ^q; 11:15-18 ^r). God accepted the Galatians because of their faith in the message . . . about Christ (cp. Rom 10:14-17 ^s), which made their turning to the law absurd (Gal 3:3-4 ^t).
3:3 ^u by ... human effort (literally by flesh): Paul makes a pun: The Galatians were trying to become perfect by human effort through keeping the law about circumcising the flesh of the male foreskin.
3:4 ^v Have you experienced (or suffered) so much for nothing? This could refer to suffering, but what is known about the Galatian church does not suggest this. Paul was probably referring to the spiritual experiences the Galatians had through the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:3 ^w, 5 ^x). Turning to the law for right standing with God would mean regarding the work of the Spirit as meaningless.
3:5 ^y work miracles: See 1 Cor 12:4-11 ^z. The Holy Spirit is present with believers and in the church because of faith in the message . . . about Christ.