Galates 3:1, Galates 3:3 BDS

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 3:1

O foolish Galatians - That is, foolish for having yielded to the influence of the false teachers, and for having embraced doctrines that tended to subvert the gospel of the Redeemer. The original word used here (ἀνόητοι anoētoi) denotes void of understanding; and they had shown it in a remarkable manner in rejecting the doctrine of the apostles, and in embracing the errors into which they had fallen. It will be remembered that this is an expression similar to what was applied to them by... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 3:1

Galatians 3:1. St Paul having, by many arguments, proved himself to be a real apostle, and showed that his knowledge of the gospel was given him by immediate revelation from the Lord Jesus, proceeds in this and the following chapter to treat of the doctrines in dispute between him and the false teachers, and especially of that of justification, which these Jewish teachers affirmed could not be obtained by the Gentiles unless they were circumcised, and observed the ceremonies of the law of... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Galatians 3:1-5

3:1-4:31 LAW-KEEPING HAS NO PLACE IN THE GOSPELExperience of the Galatians (3:1-5)When the Galatians first heard the gospel from Paul, they understood clearly that salvation was based solely on Christ’s death, and they gladly received it by faith. Now, because they have fallen under the power of the Judaisers, they have turned from this gospel and are trying to live according to the law (3:1-2). If the almighty power of God’s Spirit was necessary to save them from the penalty of sin, how do... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Galatians 3:1

foolish = senseless. Greek. anotetos . See Romans 1:14 . hath . Omit. bewitched . Greek. baskaino . Only here in N.T. In Septuagint of Deuteronomy 28:54 , Deuteronomy 28:56 . The noun baskanos in Proverbs 23:8 ; Proverbs 28:22 . that . . . truth . The texts omit. not . Greek. me . App-105 . obey . Greek. peitho . App-160 . before . Greek. kata . App-104 . Jesus Christ . App-98 . hath been = was, evidently set forth , Greek. prographo . See Romans 15:4 . crucified = as having... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Galatians 3:1

GAL. 3In this great chapter, Paul proceeded, after relating his confrontation with the apostle Peter, to expound the central theme of Galatians, which is Justification by the Faith of Jesus Christ. This chapter is considered by many commentators and theologians to be the stronghold of their doctrine that the subjective faith only of Christians is the ground for justification, notwithstanding the truth that not a single word in the chapter may legitimately be construed as teaching such a... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Galatians 3:1

Galatians 3:1. O foolish Galatians,— By the account that St. Paul has given of himself in the foregoing chapters, the Galatians beingfurnished with evidence sufficient to clear him in their minds from the report of his preaching circumcision he comes now, the way being thus opened, directly to oppose their being circumcised, and subjecting themselves to the law. The first argument which he uses is, "That they received the Holy Ghost, and the gift of miracles, by the Gospel, and not by the law."... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Galatians 3:1

1. that ye should not obey the truth—omitted in the oldest manuscripts. bewitched—fascinated you so that you have lost your wits. THEMISTIUS says the Galatians were naturally very acute in intellect. Hence, Paul wonders they could be so misled in this case. you—emphatical. "You, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been graphically set forth (literally, in writing, namely, by vivid portraiture in preaching) among you, crucified" (so the sense and Greek order require rather than English Version).... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Galatians 3:1

It is folly to mix law and grace. The Galatians were behaving as though they were under some kind of spell and not in full use of their rational faculties. Paul had drawn graphic word pictures of Jesus Christ crucified as their substitute when he had been among them, and they had understood the gospel.To bring them to their senses Paul asked four more questions of them in Galatians 3:2-5. He probably intended his introductory rhetorical question in this verse as a rebuke. [Note: F. Blass and A.... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Galatians 3:1-5

1. The experiential argument 3:1-5The apostle began to apply the principle stated in Galatians 2:15-21 to his audience. read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 3:1-29

Justification is by Faith, not Works1-14. The Apostle upbraids the Galatians with their speedy change from faith to legal observances, reminding them of the fact that their reception of the Spirit had not been through the works of the Law, but through faith, and appealing both to the testimony of their own consciences and to the teaching of sacred history in the parallel case of Abraham.Paraphrase. ’(1) You thoughtless Galatians have surely been bewitched. I told you plainly of Christ dying for... read more