It is in this epistle to the Galatians that we meet for the first time, the doctrine of the believer's identification

`with Christ':

`For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God' (Gal. 2:19).

and then the Apostle to show how he died to the law, and how he could live unto God, by saying:

`l am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in

the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me' (Gal. 2:20).

This emancipating work of the cross is further understood by the word translated `redeem' in Galatians 3:13 and

4:5. It is the Greek word exagorazo, `to buy out of the market', which has especial reference to redeeming a slave

with the intent of granting him his freedom. The words of 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 7:23 `Ye are bought with a price'

use the Greek word agorazo, the very words that were used for the manumission of a slave, as can be seen in the

inscription of 200-199 B.C. on the polygonal wall at Delphi:

`Apollo the Pythian bought from Sosibus of Amphissa ... for freedom ... with a price'

the full text of which can be seen in Deissmann's Light from the Ancient East, page 327.

The Apostle conveys his teaching very forcibly, by employing a series of antithetical statements, which we set

out as follows:

GALATIANS

A 1:1 to 2:14  The Apostle's authority. `Though an angel

from heaven'.

FAITH v. WORKS a Jerusalem Bondage

b Circumcision not compelled

c Persecution for Gospel

B 2:15 to 4:12

d I am crucified with Christ

e Not I but Christ

CROSS v. LAW

f  Redeemed from curse

g Covenant and adoption

A 4:13 to 6:10 The Apostle's infirmity. `As an angel of God'.

SPIRIT v. FLESH  a Jerusalem Free

b Circumcision availeth nothing

c Persecution for the cross

d I am crucified to the world

e Not circumcision but new

CROSS v. WORLD

g Israel of God

The Apostle's marks in his body

(see

GRACE and SPIRIT  Benediction and signature

2 Thess.

Another word that is illuminated by the customs of the time is the law of adoption, Galatians 4:5, the custom

being referred to in Galatians 3:15. This precious result of redeeming love is repeated in Romans 8:15,23 and in

Ephesians 1:5. It is also the special privilege of Israel according to the flesh (Rom. 9:3-6).

The need for the epistle to the Galatians arose out of the controversy set out in detail in Acts 15, and the Apostle

may well have taken the opportunity to write this letter to his brethren according to the flesh. Peter acknowledges in

2 Peter 3:16 that Paul had written at least one letter to them, and admitted that there were things therein that were