20. | build again the things which | destroyed (a xaré- AUCa TADTA TaALY oiKodou@). Peter, by his Christian profes- sion, had asserted that justification was by faith alone; and by his eating with Gentiles had declared that the Mosaic law was no longer binding upon him. He had thus, figuratively, destroyed or pulled down the Jewish law as a standard of Christian faith and conduct. By his subsequent refusal to eat with Gentiles he had retracted this declaration, had asserted that the Jewish law was still binding upon Christians, and had thus built again what he had pulled down. Build- ing and pulling down are favorite figures with Paul. See Rom. xiv. 20; xv. 203 1iCor. viiin310 sexn2s oxy els Eph. ii. 20f. For caradvew destroy, see on Rom. xiv. 20; 2eCor. veo 1.
| make myself (€uautov cunctdvw). Better, prove myself. The verb originally means to put together: thence to put one person in contact with another by way of introducing him and bespeaking for him confidence and approval. 7 com- mend, as Rom. xvi. 1; comp. Rom.-v. 8; 2 Cor. iii. 1; iv. 2; v.12. As proof, or exhibition of the true state of a case is furnished by putting things together, the word comes to mean demonstrate, exhibit the fact, as here, Rom. iii. 5; 2 Cor. shed
A transgressor (7apaSartnv). See on Jas. ii. 11, and on mapaBacis transgression, Rom. ii. 238. In reasserting the
Cu. IL] THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 107
validity of the law for justification, which he had denied by seeking justification by faith in Christ, he proves himself a transgressor in that denial, that pulling down.
19. For (yap). Justifying the previous thought that the reérection of the law as a standard of Christian life and a means of justification is a condemnation of the faith which relies on Christ alone for righteousness.
Il, through the law, am dead to the law (éya d:d vdpou vow atéVavov). Kor am dead, render died. Faith in Christ created a complete and irreparable break with the law which is described as death to the law. Comp. Rom. vii. 4,6. The law itself was the instrument of this break, see next ver. *Eyo is emphatic. Paul appeals to his personal experience, his decided break with the law in contrast with Peter’s vacil- lation.
Might live unto God (@e@ Sjcw). With death to the law a new principle of life entered. For the phrase, see Rom. yi. 10, 11.
20. | am crucified with Christ (Xpict@ cuvertavpopa). This compound verb is used by Paul only here and Rom. vi. 6. In the gospels, Matt. xxvii. 44; Mk. xv. 82; J. xix. 32. The statement explains how a believer dies to the law by means of the law itself. In the crucifixion of Christ as one accursed, the demand of the law was met (see Gal. iii. 13). Ethically, a believer is crucified with Christ (Rom. vi. 3-11 ; Philip. iii. 10; 1 Cor. xv. 31; 2 Cor. iv. 10), and thus the demand of the law is fulfilled in him likewise. Paul means that, “owing to his connection with the crucified, he was, like him, legally impure, and was thus an outcast from the Jewish church.” * He became dead to the law by the law’s own act. Of course a Jew would have answered that Christ was justly crucified. He would have said: “If you broke
* Professor C. C. Everett, The Gospel of Paul, p. 147. The reader will do well to study his interesting and suggestive discussion.
108 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Ca.
with the law because of your fellowship with Christ, it proved that both he and you were transgressors.” But Paul is addressing Peter, who, in common with himself, believed on Christ (ver. 16).
l live; yet not | (f@ &€ ov«érs éyo). The semicolon after live in A. V. and Rev. should be removed. Rend.: and it is no longer I that live, but Christ, etc. The new life of Christ followed his crucifixion, Rom. vi. 9-11. He who is crucified with Christ repeats this experience. He rises with Christ and shares his resurrection-life. The old man is crucified with Christ, and Christ is in him as the principle of his new life, Rom. vi. 4-11.*