On the book of Galatians a question has been asked that calls for another preliminary study before beginning the study of the book in detail.
The inquiry is: Since the ceremonial law, the moral law, and the general idea of law, are all involved in the argument, what then becomes of the view that has been so long held, and that seems to rest upon authority, that the ceremonial law is the chief subject as to law in the book of Galatians?
The answer is, It is true. Yet in this answer there must be borne in mind what is comprehended in the term "ceremonial law," and especially the ceremonial law involved in the book of Galatians. This is worth studying.
That it is not the ceremonial law, as expressed in sacrifices and offerings, that is particularly the subject, is evident from the fact that from the beginning to the end of the book, neither sacrifice nor offering is even once referred to.
That it is the ceremonial law, as expressed in circumcision and it's meaning among the "Pharisees which believed," is evident from the fact that, over and over, circumcision is named.
What, then, was the meaning of circumcision among the "Pharisees which believed." How much did circumcision cover that Pharisaic ceremonial system?--Rabbi Jehuda Hakkadosh declared, "So great is circumcision that but for the Holy One, blessed be he, would not have created the world;" and that "but for circumcision, heaven and earth could not exist." "It is as great as all the other commandments." "How great is circumcision, since it is equivalent to all the commandments of the law!"--Farrar's "Life of Paul," chap. 15, note to par. 4 from end; and chap. 22, note to par. 5.
By this it is evident that with those "false brethren" (Gal. 2:3-5) who are answered in the letter to the Galatians, circumcision comprehended all the commandments of the law--even all the commandments of the moral law, equally with any other. So that one who was circumcised, in that bore the certificate that he was a keeper of the law. This is also evident from their demand, "Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law;" and from the expression, in Gal. 6:13, "For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law."
Now, it is true that in the mind of God true circumcision did signify the full and perfect keeping of the law. But true circumcision was, and is always, "that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter," of which the outward circumcision in the flesh was only the sign. Therefore it is written, "The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul." Deut. 30:6. And to love the Lord with all the heart and with all the soul, is the keeping of all the commandments.
Wherein, then, were the people wrong, who were bothering the Galatians and all other people to whom Paul preached, in insisting that "ye must be circumcised and keep the law," and that circumcision comprehended all the commandments?--They were wrong in this, that with them it was all of works; it is all done to be justified, to be saved--except ye do so, "ye can not be saved."
On the other hand, while in the mind of the Lord circumcision also comprehended all the commandments, here it was all of faith. With the Lord, the sign of circumcision was a seal of the righteousness of faith (Rom. 4:11; Gal. 3:5-7)--"faith which worketh by love." Gal. 5:6. And as "this is the love of God that we keep his commandments," it was a faith that keeps all the commandments.
With the "Pharisees which believed," those "false brethren," men must perform these works of circumcision and keeping the law in order to be justified. With the Lord and Paul, men are justified by faith without any deeds of any law.
With the "Pharisees which believed," men must work in order to be justified. With the Lord and Paul, men must be justified in order to work.
With the "Pharisees which believed," everything was of works, of the flesh, outward, and formal. With the Lord and Paul, everything must be of faith, of the Spirit, inward, and spiritual; and outward only as the manifestation of the new life within.
With the "Pharisees which believed," everything was ceremonial; because it was outward, of works, of the flesh, of self; everything was done and must be done, in order to be justified by it, in order to be righteous by it, in order to be saved by it. In this way the moral law itself was made merely ceremonial--the moral law, the ceremonial law, all law, was thus reduced to one vast system of ceremonialism. And of this vast system of ceremonialism, circumcision was the very nucleus.
And it is this system, and this spirit, of ceremonialism, that is combated and repudiated in the book of Galatians. And this is the ceremonial law which, over all and through all, is the great subject as to law in the book of Galatians; and which as a false gospel, subverted souls, and perverted and opposed the true gospel.
Bear in mind, however, that this is not by any means to say that such is the true ceremonial law. There was nothing true about it; it was ceremonialism entire: circumcision was perverted; the moral law was perverted; everything as to law was perverted by it; and it fought hard to pervert even the gospel. But it could not prevail: the book of Galatians was written to set the ceremonial law, the moral law, and the gospel, in their true and relative positions; and to annihilate ceremonialism forever.
All this will be plainly seen, as we shall study the book of Galatians in detail. In the meantime, let all read the book of Galatians through seven times, with this thought in mind, and they will be the better prepared for the study in detail as it shall be given next week.