The background to Galatians is vital really.
What was believed by the mainstream Judaisms of the day back then is vital to understanding Galatians. The Rabbis taught that 'all Israel has a share in the world to come'. They argued that to secure a place in the world to come, one needed to be a member of the covenant people. That meant either being born a Jew, or becoming a Jew.
In rabbinic language, the process of converting to Judaism is called 'circumcision'.
So when Paul says things like if you allow yourself to be circumcised you make Christ of no value. This would be better phrased... if you allow yourself to change your ethnicity by becomng Jewish to gain membership of the covenant people you make Christ of no value. Anyone who goes through conversion to Judaism through the act of circumcision is obligated to follow the whole Torah.
Paul's gospel though is that to gain membership of the covenant people (securing a place in the world to come), thus becoming an heir to all the promises made to Abraham (as he is our father) you do not need to convert to Judaism. This is what made Paul's gospel different from others around him.
Steve
p.s. Galatians reads much better if the rabbinic second temple defintions of the following phrases are used... circumcision = ritual conversion to Judaism; works of law = the act of circumcision; under law = being jewish.
That is just the view of NT Wright,it is also a
minority view,because the text does not indicate that.
Paul's gospel was the same as Peter's.So it was not different.It was also brought before the council in Acts 15,and it was about justification,that is why Peter spoke at the council meeting,and it was about justification,not inclusion.
Note here what they said..the judaizers.This is what started the debate,(verse 1,in Antioch)and what continued at the council.(verse 5,at the meeting).They were stressing salvation,not inclusion,it was about justification.
15:1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you
cannot be saved.
5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.
ok..now look at what peter said,at the meeting.
It was about cleansing the heart,by faith.(justification).And it did not come by the yoke of the law.That was a debate about law vs grace,same as Galatians.
Acts 158 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them,
having cleansed their hearts by faith. 10 Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? 11 But we believe that we will be
saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.
