The Jewish Annotated New Testament (274 page)

5.13
–15: Summarizing Torah.
Although not under the law, the Galatians should not abuse that freedom by yielding to temptation or strife.

14
:
Summed up
, lit., “fulfilled,” cf. Rom 8.4.
Love your neighbor as yourself
, Lev 19.18; cf. Rom 13.8–10; Mt 22.34–40. Rabbinic literature attributes a similar statement to Hillel (
b. Shabb
. 31a) (see “The Concept of Neighbor” p.
540
).

5.16
–26: Living by the Spirit.
On
flesh
vs.
Spirit
see 3.3n.

18
:
Subject to the law
, see 4.21n.

19
–21
: Vice lists are common in Paul’s letters (Rom 1.29
–
31; 1 Cor 6.9
–
10; 2 Cor 12.20). Cf.
m. Avot
2.7 (virtues and vices).

21
:
Kingdom of God
, 1 Cor 15.50 suggests that this is an eschatological idea, cf. 1 Cor 6.9
–
10; Rom 14.17 suggests that the kingdom presently exists. In rabbinic usage “kingdom of heaven” is not eschatological but refers to the acknowledgement of God’s suzerainty in this world; cf. 5.1n.

22
–23
: Catalogue of virtues: 2 Cor 6.6
–
7; Phil 4.8. Cf.
m. Avot
2.7 (virtues and vices); 3.17; 6.6.

24
:
Crucified the flesh
, Christians participate in Jesus’ crucifixion (see 2.19n.), which in turn represents the mortification of the body (cf. 6.14; Rom 8.13). Philo interpreted circumcision as “the excision of excessive and superfluous pleasure” (
Spec. Laws
1.1
–
11
)
. Paul transfers the metaphor from circumcision to crucifixion.

6.1
–10: Concluding exhortations. 1
:
Anyone
, lit., “a person,” here a fellow Christian.

2
: Paul cites Jesus’ teachings (1 Cor 7.10; 9.14; 11.23; perhaps 1 Thess 4.15
–
17), which may constitute
the law of Christ
. Perhaps Paul means the Christian life animated by Christ’s spirit, cf. 1 Cor 9.21; Rom 8.2.

6
:
Word
, presumably the word of God, either scripture or the lessons derived from scripture. A
teacher
(1 Cor 12.28; Eph 4.11; 1 Tim 5.17) is entitled to compensation from students (1 Cor 9.4
–
14; Phil 4.14
–
19; cf. Mt 10.9
–
11). The Mishnah disagrees (
m. Ned
. 4.3).

7
:
You reap whatever you sow
, proverbial expression found in classical literature (e.g., Cicero,
De or
. 2.65) as well as Hos 8.7; 10.12; Prov 22.8; Job 4.8. Cf. 2 Cor 9.6.

8
:
Eternal life
, from Dan 12.2. Cf. Rom 2.7; 5.21; 6.22–23. See Rom 8.5–8.

10
:
Those of the family
(lit., “household”), Paul has various images to express Christian unity: temple of God (1 Cor 3.16–17; 2 Cor 6.16); house (or building) of God (1 Cor 3.9); body of Christ (1 Cor 12.12–27). Here Paul conceives of the Christian community as a household
of faith;
cf. Eph 2.19; 1 Tim 3.15; 1 Pet 4.17. Hence all Christians are siblings: 1.2n.

6.11
–18: Postscript. 11
: Paul dictated this letter to a secretary, but adds the postscript in his
own hand
, cf. 1 Cor 16.21; Col 4.18; 2 Thess 3.17; Philem 19.

12
:
Persecuted
by fellow Jews
for the cross:
Jews who do not believe in Christ are persecuting (what exactly this means is unclear) Jews who do believe in Christ, presumably because the former suspect the latter of rejecting the Torah. Hence to avoid persecution the Christian Jews demonstrate their loyalty to the Torah by demanding circumcision of the Galatian Gentiles who believe in Christ. Cf. 5.11n.

13
:
Even the circumcised
, lit., “even those who are being circumcised,” Galatian Christians who follow Paul’s opponents. The variant, “even those who have been circumcised,” may refer to Jewish Christians.
Do not themselves obey the law
, if referring to circumcised Galatian Christians, the verse implies that they did not, and apparently were not expected to, observe the entire Torah (see 5.3); if to Jewish believers in Christ, perhaps Paul is alluding to Peter’s alleged failure to observe the law (2.14) or something similar. Paul reprises his argument that those subordinate to the law must observe the entire law, which is impossible (3.10–14; 5.3).

15
: See 5.6; 1 Cor 7.19.
New creation
, Isa 65.17; 66.22; 2 Cor 5.17.

16
:
This rule
, the rule or principle of v. 15, that circumcision does not matter; only new creation in Christ matters.
Peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God
, Paul adapts the traditional “peace be upon Israel” (Ps 125.5; 128.6). The NRSV translation invokes a double blessing (cf. 1.3n.) upon two groups, those who live according to the rule of v. 15, and the Israel of God. An alternative translation, “Peace be upon them, and mercy upon the Israel of God,” suggests that he invokes peace on the former and mercy on the latter. However, reading the Gk as “Peace and mercy be upon them, that is to say, upon the Israel of God,” Paul invokes a double blessing on only one group. At stake is what
Israel of God
means. This is the first time Galatians uses
Israel
, and the only time anywhere that Paul qualifies Israel with
of God
, a locution never found in the Hebrew Bible. Elsewhere Paul argues that “not all Israelites truly belong to Israel” (Rom 9.6); “Israel according to the flesh” (Gk, 1 Cor 10.18) is not the same as the “real” Israel, what Paul here calls
the Israel of God
. Presumably Paul’s opponents argued that if the Galatian Christians wish to be part of God’s chosen, the people Israel, they need to be circumcised and observe the Torah. Paul argues that the old distinction between circumcision and foreskin, between ethnic Israel and ethnic Gentile, no longer obtains (3.28), because the true Israel, the Israel of God, consists of all those who are a new creation in Christ (cf. Rom 2.29; Phil 3.3).

17
:
Marks of Jesus branded on my body
, lit., “For I carry the scars (“stigmata”) of Jesus on my body” (“branded” is not in the Gk). “Stigmata” can indicate branding (as of a slave) or tattooing (as of a religious devotee). Paul’s scars are the result of his beatings (2 Cor 6.4–6; 11.23–27) which he understands to mirror Jesus’ sufferings (2 Cor 4.7–10). Alternatively, the scars may be metaphorical (cf. 1 Cor 15.32, whose reference to “fighting beasts” might be literal or metaphorical).

18
: This is the only Pauline letter in whose closing benediction Paul refers to his addressees as
brothers
; Paul wishes to end on an irenic note.

1.1
–14: Salutation and blessing.
Praising God who grants believers an inheritance as part of the cosmic order.

1
–2
: Salutation, cf. Col 1.1–2.

1
:
Apostle
, Gk “one who is sent,” someone acting as representative or ambassador for another.
Saints
, Gk “hagioi,” “holy ones,” those set apart and sanctified by God through faith in Christ. In the Torah, Israel is “a holy people” sanctified by the covenant (Ex 19.6; Deut 7.6).
In Ephesus
, the absence of this phrase from some textual witnesses suggests the epistle might have been intended for general circulation. For Ephesus, see Acts 18.19–21; 19; 1 Cor 16.8.

2
:
Father
, cf. 1.3,17; 2.18; 3.14; 4.6; 5.20; 6.23. The term was often used by Jesus’ followers, describing their relationship to God as father (Mt 6.9; Mk 11.25; Lk 11.2; Rom 8.15–17; Gal 4.6–7). The image was infrequent, but not unknown, in the Hebrew Bible (Isa 63.16; 64.8; Jer 3.4,19; Ps 68.5; 89.26; 103.13).

3
:
Blessed be
…, reminiscent of Jewish blessing formulas, e.g., 1 Kings 8.15,56; Ps 103.48; 1 Chr 16.36; cf. 2 Cor. 1.3; 1 Pet 1.3.
Spiritual blessing
, sanctification, being made holy or being set apart in the Holy Spirit.
Heavenly places
, unseen realms cf. 1.20; 2.6; 3.10; 6.12 but in this sense nowhere else in the NT.

4
:
Chose us … before the foundation of the world
(cf. Col 1.15–17). The Damascus Document (CD 2.2–13) makes a similar claim. On Christ’s preexistence, see Jn 1.1–5; Wisdom, which
Gen. Rab
. 1.1 understands as Torah, plays this role in Prov 8.22–31.
Blameless
, lit., “without blemish,” like priests in the Temple (Lev 21.16–23) or sacrificial animals (Lev 22.17–25). Cf. 5.27; Col 1.22.
In love
, God liberates Israel because “the Lord loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors” (Deut 7.8).

5
–6
:
Adoption
as God’s children, being granted status as heirs; cf. 2.19. By adoption one becomes a full family member, with all rights and responsibilities.
Grace
(Gk “charis,” Heb “
ḥ
en”), favor (see Gen 6.8; Prov 3.4).
Freely bestowed
by God; see Rom 8.14–17; Gal 4.1–7. Torah’s treatment of Israel as God’s “firstborn son” suggests adoption; see Ex 4.22; Jer 31.9; Hos 11.1.
Beloved
, cf. Mk 1.11; Col 1.13.

7
:
Redemption
(cf. 1.14; 4.30; Col 1.14), as in freeing a slave or returning a captive;
through his blood
, Mt 26.27–28; Mk 10.45; Lk 22.20; Heb 9.14,20. In the biblical tradition blood is life (Gen 9.4; Deut 12.23); here it is the sacrifice of Christ’s life poured out for
redemption
.
Forgiveness of our trespasses
, see Mt 6.14–15. The Jewish tradition, especially concerning Yom Kippur, stresses both human and divine forgiveness (
b. Yoma
85b; Maimonides,
Rules of Repentance
2.9–10; Karo,
Code of Jewish Law
[“Orech Chaim,” “Laws of Prayer”] 606).

9
:
Mystery of his will
, that Jews and Gentiles alike are part of God’s chosen people. The Dead Sea literature frequently refers to mysteries (“raz”), and “raz nihyeh” (“mystery of existence” or “mystery of what is to come”) is prominent in 4QInstruction (4Q415–418c, 4Q423; see also 1Q26).