Galatians 2:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Having thus shown that it is the height of absurdity to consider the accomplishment of this work so great and important to be useless, he then reproaches them.

This was precisely what the deeds of the Galatians proved. Therefore he says: O foolish Galatians...

Therefore, to the part of the argument set forth here, namely, "For if righteousness is through the Law, then Christ died in vain," we must add what follows logically and cannot be denied: "But Christ did not die in vain."

Then this conclusion may be drawn: "Therefore righteousness is not through the Law." Up to this point the discourse was against Peter. Now he turns to the Galatians.

Some deny this death, yet through its mystery we received the beginning of faith. For its sake we endure, that we may be disciples of Jesus Christ, our only Teacher.

How, then, can we live without Him? Even the prophets, being His disciples in spirit, awaited Him as their Teacher. Therefore He, Whom they rightly awaited, when He came to earth, raised them from the dead.

"I do not reject the grace of God," the Apostle adds reproachfully. If, with certain double-minded men unsure of the sufficient power of New Testament grace, one still places some means of justification in the law, then it follows that Christ died in vain.

"If righteousness is through the law, then Christ died in vain."

This co-crucifixion with Christ first showed itself in the painful feeling with which the rupture from the past took place. Still more, it appeared in the many sufferings he endured from the Judaizers for this throughout the time of his preaching.

Saint Chrysostom, explaining the Apostle's words, "Through the law I died to the law," says: "By this Paul shows that through this very law he died to the law. That is, the law itself persuaded him not to follow the law.

"How so? Moses, prophesying of Christ, says, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brethren. Him you shall hear' (Deut 18:15). It is clear from this that those who do not obey Christ transgress the law.

"These words may also be understood otherwise. If the law commands that all written in it be fulfilled, and punishes failure with death, then we have all died by it, because no one has fulfilled it.

"But it is not proper for a soulless and dead man to obey the commandments of the law. So it is with me, who died through the law.

"Since he said, 'I died,' lest they should say to him, 'How then do you live?' he presented the cause of life. He showed that the law slew him while he was living, but Christ raised the dead man and made him alive through His death."

Having said, "It is no longer I who live," he pointed to the way of life that follows, by the forbidding through which the members are put to death. What does it mean, "Christ lives in me"? It means, he says, that I do nothing displeasing to Christ.

For it is impossible to live to God otherwise than by dying to sin. Therefore, if you remain dead to sin, you will live and live to God. But if you rise again to sin, you will lose life again.

Paul is not such a man. Throughout his whole life he remained dead to sin. Although he gave his whole self to Christ, renounced everything temporal, and did all things according to His will, he did not say, "Therefore I live for Christ."

He said what is far greater: "Christ lives in me." For when sin gains mastery over a man, it lives in him and governs his soul according to its own will.

So also, when sin has been put to death and a man does what is pleasing to Christ, his life is not the life of a man. It is the life of Christ, Who lives in him, that is, acts and governs him.

"If Christ died, then clearly it was because the law is not able to justify us. But if the law justifies, then Christ died in vain."

"But Christ did not die in vain. Therefore righteousness is not through the law," says blessed Jerome.

According to Ambrosiaster, St. Paul speaks here as though saying: “I cannot prove ungrateful to the grace of God, nor fail to abide unshaken in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that no one has benefited me as He has. If I compare Him with another, namely the law, from which I received no help, I thereby show contempt for Him.”

“For if righteousness comes through the law,” δικαιοσυνη, that is, righteousness, a God-pleasing and saving life, “then Christ died in vain.” If the law bestowed both forgiveness of sins and inward uprightness and sanctification, then there was no reason for Christ to die.

He died in order to grant us these two essential blessings: forgiveness of sins and sanctifying grace. Apart from Him no one else could give them, and without them we have no salvation.

As long as we are under sin and unforgiven, we have no access to God. Even if we were forgiven, yet not inwardly renewed, and did not receive strength to walk unwaveringly in the will of God, we would still remain unfit before God.

The Lord and Savior died for us and nailed our sins to the Cross. Then, having ascended into heaven, He sent down the Holy Spirit from the Father. Therefore He grants those who believe in Him both forgiveness of sins and the saving grace of the Holy Spirit.

Without these two there is no salvation for us. Consequently, Christ, who obtained them for us, did not die in vain. But if the law bestowed these blessings, there would have been no reason for Christ to die, since the law would already provide everything needed for salvation.

The Apostle, however, states here only the general proposition. He leaves each person to draw the conclusion from it, because it is utterly evident. Namely: but Christ did not die in vain. It cannot possibly be said that Christ died needlessly. Therefore righteousness is not by the law.

St. Chrysostom says concerning these words of St. Paul: “What sin could be greater than this? What words could be stronger for reproof? If Christ died, it is clear that the law had no power to justify us. If the law justifies, then Christ died in vain.

But would it not be senseless to call useless and vain this work, so fearful and surpassing human understanding? This is the ineffable mystery which the patriarchs awaited with longing, which the prophets foretold, and upon which the angels looked with awe.

This work must rightly be acknowledged by all as the chief cause of God’s providence for us. Thus the Apostle presents it as the height of folly and absurdity to regard so great and weighty a work as vain.”

“This word is very strong,” writes Blessed Jerome, “against those who, after faith in Christ, think that the prescriptions of the law must be observed. If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.

Or let them show how Christ did not die in vain, if the works of the law justify. Yet however foolish they may be, they will not dare to say that Christ died for nothing.

Therefore we must complete the argument here by the following inference: but Christ did not die in vain. We must conclude: therefore righteousness is not through the law.”