7. To rout such vain delusions and boasts, and to show that the Jews
were not justified through the Law and did not become God's children
thereby, Paul cites the fact that the holy patriarchs, their fathers,
were justified neither by the Law of which they boast, because it was
not yet given, nor by their own deeds, whether of the natural law or
the ten commandments. God had based no promise of blessing or
salvation on their works. He had promised out of pure grace to give
them the blessing freely (that is, to give them grace or
righteousness and all eternal blessing), through the coming seed,
which had been promised also to our first parents without their
merit, when by their transgression they had fallen under God's wrath
and condemnation. Therefore, although the fathers had a knowledge of
the Law, or God's commandments, these did not help them to become
righteous before God. They had to hear and apprehend by faith the
promise of God, which was based not on works but only on the coming
seed. For if they had been able by means of the Law or of good works
to become righteous, it would have been wholly unnecessary to give
the promise of blessing in Christ.
8. Now, if Abraham and the fathers could not be justified by works,
and in fact were not justified by them, no more were their children
and descendants justified by the Law or by works. They were justified
in no other way than by faith in the promise given to Abraham and to
his seed, a promise by which not only the Jews but all the heathen
(through the same faith) were blessed.
9. This truth Paul now further enforces and establishes on the basis
of these two particulars--God's promise, and his free grace or
gift--in opposition to the boasting of the Law and our own merit.
First, he makes a declaration concerning the value and weight which
every testament or promise of the last will possesses. Likewise in
the fourth commandment is implied an ordinance that the last will of
parents should be honored by their children and heirs.
10. In regard to this subject he asserts that the rule is, if a man's
testament be confirmed (and it is confirmed by his death) no man dare
alter it nor add to it nor take away from it. So the jurists declare
it to be a divine law that no one should break a man's last will. How
much more then should God's testament be honored intact? Now, God has
made a testament, which is to be his final last will; namely, that he
will bless all nations through the seed which at first he promised to
the fathers. This he determined upon, and assured to Abraham, and in
him to all the world--to us all. And he has confirmed it by the death
of this seed, his only Son, who had to become man and die (as was
typified by the sacrifice of Isaac on the part of Abraham) in order
that the inheritance of the blessing and eternal life might be
bestowed upon us. This is God's last will. He does not desire to make
any other. Therefore, no man can or dare change it or add anything to
it. Now, it is adding to it, it is breaking or revoking it--since
this testament has been opened and the blessing proclaimed to all the
world--if anyone claims that we must first earn that blessing through
the Law, proceeding as if, without the Law, this testament, by mere
virtue of its promise and will, had no force at all.
11. In short, this testament, Paul concludes, is a simple promise of
blessing and sonship with God. Accordingly, there is no law which we
must keep in order to merit it. Here nothing avails but the will
which promises saying, I will not regard your deeds, but promise the
blessing--that is, grace and eternal life--to you who are found in
sin and death. This I will confirm by the death of my Son, who shall
merit and obtain this inheritance for you.
Now, God made this testament in the first place without the Law, and
has thus confirmed it; therefore, the Law, published and confirmed
long afterwards, cannot take aught from it, much less annul or revoke
it. And he who declares or teaches that we are to be justified by the
Law--are to obtain God's blessing by it--does nothing else but
interfere with God's testament and destroy and annul his last will.
This is one argument of Paul, based on the word "promise," or
"testament," and is readily understood; for no one is so stupid that
he cannot distinguish between these two--law or commandment, and
promise.
12. The second argument of Paul is based on the words, "God gave it
to Abraham by promise." Here also it is easy for one who is possessed
of common sense to perceive there is a marked difference between
receiving something as a gift and earning it. What is earned is given
because of obligation and debt, as wages, and he who receives it may
boast of it, rather than he who gives it, and may insist upon his
right. But when something is given for nothing and, as Paul here
says, is bestowed freely--out of grace--then there can be no boasting
of right or of merit on the part of the recipient. On the contrary,
he must praise the goodness and kindness of his benefactor. So Paul
concludes: God freely gave the blessing and the inheritance to
Abraham by promise. Therefore, Abraham did not earn it by his works;
nor was it given to him as a reward, much less to his children.
13. It is evident enough to even a child that what is earned by works
as a reward is not identical with what is promised or bestowed
gratis, out of grace and pure free will. There is a distinction
between them. God has stopped the mouth of all the world and deprived
it of all occasion for boasting that it has received God's grace by
reason of the Law. For he promised and bestowed that as a gift,
before the Law or merit through the Law had any existence. In his
dealings with his own people, with Abraham and his descendants, God
promised to bless the patriarch and all his race and said nothing of
any law, works or reward; he based all solely on the coming seed.
14. In the faith of this promise they lived and died--Abraham himself
and his children's children--till over four hundred and thirty years
had elapsed. Then only did God give the Law, institute an outward
form of worship, a priesthood, etc., and direct them how to live and
govern themselves. They had now become a separate people, released
from foreign domination, and brought into their own land, and they
needed an external form of government. It was not intended that only
now and by means of these gifts they should obtain forgiveness of
sins and God's blessing.
15. This is the substance of the first part of this epistle. In
teaching how we are to be justified before God, Paul would have us
distinguish well these two points, promise and law; or again, gift
and reward. If we teach that God, out of pure grace, and not because
of any law or merit, bestows forgiveness of sins and eternal life,
the question at once presents itself: Why is the Law given, or of
what use is it? Shall we not perform any good works? Why do we teach
the ten commandments at all? Paul takes up this matter and asks the
question, "What then is the Law?" Then he proceeds to discuss at
length what is the office and use of the Law, and shows the
difference between it and the Gospel. Of this enough has been said
elsewhere, in other postils.
_Fourteenth Sunday After Trinity_
Text: Galatians 5, 16-24.
16 But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of
the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the
Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the
other; that ye may not do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye are
led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the
flesh are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousies,
wraths, factions, divisions, parties, 21 envyings, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like; of which I forewarn you, even as I did
forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit
the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness,
self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And they that are of
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts
thereof.