Galatians 2:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Did he not, when reasoning about this with the Jews, strongly oppose them on the basis of this revelation? Did he not also send clear instructions about this from Jerusalem?

Therefore he says this not to correct Peter. Finding it necessary to direct his speech to Peter, he was meanwhile rebuking the disciples.

These words apply not only to the Galatians, but also to all who suffer the same disease as they do. Though at the present time many no longer circumcise themselves, they fast and observe the Sabbath together with the Jews.

By doing this, they deprive themselves of grace no less than the Jews do. If indeed Christ will profit nothing those who are only circumcised, then when fasting and the Sabbath are added, and two commandments are fulfilled instead of one, see what danger threatens.

This danger grows stronger with time. Those men acted thus at the beginning, when their city, temple, and everything else still existed.

But these people are witnesses both of the punishment the Jews suffered and of the destruction of their city. Yet despite this they observe the Law in still greater measure.

What defense can they present for preserving it now, when even the Jews themselves, despite all their desire, can no longer observe it?

You have put on Christ, become a member of the Master, and been enrolled in the city above. Yet do you still crawl around the Law? How is it possible for you to attain the kingdom of heaven?

Listen to Paul’s words, which say that by observing the Law the Gospel is overthrown. If you wish, learn how this is possible. Then be afraid and strive to avoid the abyss that threatens.

Why, indeed, do you observe the Sabbath and fast together with the Jews? Without doubt, because you fear to abandon the Law and its ordinances.

But you would not have feared to abandon the Law if you had not despised faith as weak and unable by itself to provide salvation.

If you fear not observing the Sabbath, it is evident that you have feared the Law as still possessing force at the present time.

If the Law is again necessary, then without doubt not part of it, nor one commandment only, is necessary, but the whole Law. If the whole is necessary, then little by little justification by faith is also destroyed.

If you observe the Sabbath, why will you not also offer sacrifices? If it is necessary to fulfill the Law, then it is necessary to fulfill all of it. If it is not necessary to fulfill all, then it is not necessary to fulfill part.

If, on the other hand, you fear condemnation for transgressing one part of the Law, then you must fear still more for transgressing the whole Law.

If violation of the whole Law does not bring condemnation, then clearly violation of a part does not bring it either. But if violation of one part brings condemnation, then all the more does violation of the whole Law.

If fulfillment of the whole Law is necessary, then one must renounce Christ, or, by following Christ, become a transgressor of the Law.

If the Law must be fulfilled, then those who do not fulfill it are transgressors. Christ will prove to be the cause of this transgression for us, since He Himself released men from fulfillment of the Law and commanded others to release them.

Do you see where the Judaizers arrive? They present Christ, the cause of our salvation, as the cause also of sin, as Paul says, “Is Christ then a minister of sin?”

After he had brought them to such an absurdity, he no longer needed proofs to refute them. One denial was enough. Therefore he said only, “Certainly not.”

Against complete absurdity and shamelessness there is no need to seek proofs. A denial alone is enough.

They were also abolished by the other Apostles and the Presbyters enlightened by the Holy Spirit. They set the boundary that believers in Christ should neither be circumcised nor fulfill the other demands of the ritual Law.

Therefore he also wrote to the Antiochians, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: to abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well" (Acts 15:28-29).

Whoever, after this divine and apostolic definition that abolished the legal ordinances, kept what the Law commanded was a transgressor of the commandment of the All-Holy Spirit.

Notice with what prudence and wisdom the wise Paul turned the guilt of transgression upon the heads of the Judaizers. They said that those who violate the works of the Law are transgressors.

But he proved that those who keep the works of the Law become transgressors. Then he strengthens his proof with the following words: Gal 2:19. "For I through the Law died to the Law, that I might live to God."

"Or, by following Christ, one becomes a transgressor of the Law. Christ will be for us the cause of this lawlessness. See to what the Judaizers come!

"Having brought them to such an absurdity, he did not need to bring other proofs for their refutation. Therefore he said only, 'May it not be.'

"The Jews wished to show that one who does not observe the Law is a transgressor. But he says the opposite, that one who fulfills the Law is a transgressor.

"He is a transgressor not only against faith, but also against the Law itself. For by the words, 'What I destroyed, this I build again,' he means the Law.

"His words have this meaning: the Law has reached its end, and we ourselves confirmed this by leaving it and fleeing to seek salvation from faith.

"But if afterward we strive to restore the Law, by this very thing we become its transgressors. This happens when we stubbornly wish to observe what has been abolished by God Himself."

"This rebuke is very strong. Therefore Saint Paul turns it toward himself, as though he himself had acted in this way, in order to soften the impression, which could not have been pleasant," according to Bishop Theophan.

By the word “seeking,” the Apostle shows that all who heard his word were indeed stirred and were zealously seeking salvation. They sought it in the Law and saw that it did not satisfy the demands of conscience and of a heart that loves God.

Therefore they lawfully left it and cleaved to the Lord, the true Savior, the Physician of souls, in whom all spiritual treasures are given to us. They sought this in Christ and, of course, found it, for everyone who seeks it in Him finds it.

Why then turn back again to the weak elements? This behavior cannot be understood. “We sought to be justified, but were found sinners.”

When they found us doing such things, which testified that we believe we are saved solely in the Lord Jesus Christ, without the works of the Law, we came to ourselves. We became ashamed before others and before our own conscience.

Then we hurried to correct our mistake. We had accepted freedom, and then we leapt back from it, as though burned, as though we had committed a destructive sin.

“Is Christ then a minister of sin?” According to you, it follows that to cling to Christ and place all hope of salvation in Him alone, while abandoning works of the Law, is the same as falling into sin.

Christ has become for you a minister of sin, casting into sin everyone who clings to Him by faith. Can this be, when He came for our salvation, and we turned to Him expecting this salvation and actually finding it?

This is the meaning of your action. Those who understood the force of these words of the Apostle could draw from them a motive to abandon the Law completely and never return to it again.

Chrysostom writes: “If faith in Christ cannot justify, he says, and the Law is again necessary, then we have left the Law for Christ and have not received justification through leaving it, but have come under condemnation.

We shall have to acknowledge as the cause of our condemnation Him to whom we passed over, leaving the Law. See to what unavoidable absurdity he brought his argument.

For if the Law must not be abandoned, he says, and we have abandoned it for Christ, then we shall be judged for this.

But why, Paul, do you say and advise this to Peter, who knew all this perfectly? Did not God reveal to him that an uncircumcised man must not be condemned because he is uncircumcised?

He says this not to correct Peter, but, directing his speech to Peter because he found this necessary, he speaks meanwhile to the disciples.

You have put on Christ, become a member of the Lord, and been enrolled in the city above. How then do you still crawl around the Law? How can you attain the Kingdom?

Attend to Paul’s words, that by observing the Law the Gospel is overthrown. If you wish, I will show you how this is so. Be afraid, and strive to avoid the abyss that threatens.

Why do you observe the Law? Of course, because you feared the Law and were afraid to abandon those writings. But you would not have feared to abandon the Law if you had not despised faith as weak and unable by itself to save you.

If fulfillment of the Law is necessary, then one must necessarily renounce Christ or, by following Christ, become a transgressor of the Law. If the Law must be fulfilled, then those who do not fulfill it are transgressors of the Law.

For us, Christ will be the cause of this transgression of the Law, since He Himself released men from obligation to this Law and commanded others to release them from this obligation.

See where the Judaizers arrive. They make Christ, the cause of our justification, into the cause of sin, as Paul also says, ‘Is Christ then a minister of sin?’

When he had brought them to such an absurdity, he no longer needed to bring other proofs against them. The denial alone was enough.” Therefore he said only, “Certainly not.”

Against a completely evident absurdity there is no need to seek proofs. A denial alone is enough.

According to blessed Augustine, this “Certainly not” was pronounced by Saint Paul not in his own person alone, but in the person of all who heard him, including the zealots of the Law who had come.

For they too could not say that Christ was a minister of sin. They not only believed in Christ themselves, but did not even wish the Gospel to be taught to anyone except the circumcised.