Galatians 3:1-5

Paul offers his first argument, in which he makes an appeal to their experience, as a Christian community, of the Holy Spirit. He does so by a series of rhetorical questions. One reason this appeal might be persuasive is that people are not prone to doubt their own experience. The use of rhetorical questions can, in itself, be persuasive. One way to think of the argument is that the opponents of Paul recognize that they began with Christ, but now, they need to complete their faith, they need to bring it to completion, through the Law. For Paul, their argument denies the significance of the death of Christ and exchanges liberty for bondage.
             In verse 1, the word "bewitched" is interesting. Martin Luther said that Satan has sometimes even distorted his vision of Christ. The devil has this uncanny ability to make us believe a lie until we would swear a thousand times it were the truth. The cross was central to the gospel has Paul preached it. The cross so completely ruled out the Law as a means of getting right with God that it was scarcely credible that people who had once embraced such a gospel should ever turn to the Law for salvation.

The phrase “public display” has come in for some discussion. Luther thought of the “public display” as powerfully put forward in preaching. Betz agrees. Gunther Bornkamm prefers the idea of a notice or proclamation publicly set up, a decree promulgated by authority. Karl Barth refers to Christ being on public display before humanity in terms of the gentleness of God toward humanity. The likeness of God becomes accessible and visible to us. True, this entry of the Logos into humanity is a veiling, a kenosis (self-emptying) and passion. God bends down to us in a form familiar to us. God does not meet us as a stranger. In Jesus Christ, we find one like God and like us. Now, if this public display in the cross could happen, it may be that just the mention of his death set into motion a whole series of reflections.

In verse 2, the contrast is between faith and works. Luther says that his opponents regard faith as an easy thing, “but I know from personal experience how hard it is to believe. That the Holy Ghost is received by faith, is quickly said, but not so quickly done.” He suggests that “reason” experiences offence because people will rely upon “carnal security” and people will “do no good at all.” F. F. Bruce says Paul assumes that they had received the Spirit and that they knew that they had received the Spirit when they heard and believed. The implication is that there is no higher privilege for mortal human beings than the gift of the Spirit. Since this gift was received through believing the gospel and not through obedience to the Law, the superiority and sufficiency of the gospel called for no further demonstration. The Spirit is the guarantee of final salvation.

In verse 3, the rhetorical question appeals to their beginning in the Spirit, but ending in the “flesh,” a word that could refer to general human weakness, but likely refers to circumcision of males, something the original readers would have supplied, given the nature of the debate.

In verse 4, F. F. Bruce points out the large degree of silence in Acts about these churches.

In verse 5, Paul could appeal to both their experience of faith and “signs and wonders” as a result of their belief in what they heard, apart from any “works of the Law.”

Throughout this section, Paul has brought to their attention the role of the Spirit in their community and individual life.