Galatians 3:2-3 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:2

This only would I learn of you ( τοῦτο μόνον θέλω μαθεῖν ἀφ ὑμῶν ); this only would I learn from you. I need ask for nothing more to show that the Law is nothing to you, than that you should tell me this. Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law? ( ἐξ ἔργων νόμου τὸ πνεῦμα ἐλάβετε ;); was it in consequence of works of the Law that ye received the Spirit ? I came amongst you as an apostle, preaching the gospel, and upon your baptism laying my hands upon you;... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:2-5

The apostle's first argument in this controversy. I. APPLICATION OF THE TEST OF EXPERIENCE . "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?" He begins by a practical test, which can be easily settled by experience and history. He refers to the time of awakening grace and first love. They had "received the Spirit." 1 . He concedes that they were Christians , though they were neither faithful, nor stable, nor sound. "The Holy Spirit is the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:3

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? ( οὕτως ἀνόητοί ἐστε ἐναρξάμενοι , πνεύματι νῦν σαρκὶ ἐπιτελεῖσθε ); are ye so foolish ? having begun with the Spirit , are y¢ now finishing with the flesh ? πνεύματι , as contrasted with σαρκί , means the element of spiritual existence (comp. the use of πνεῦμα in Romans 1:4 ; 1 Peter 3:18 ) into which they had been brought at their conversion by the Holy Spirit's... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 3:2

This only would I learn of you - I would ask this of you; retaining still the language of severe reproof. The design here, and in the following verses, is, to prove to them that the views which they had at first embraced were correct, and that the views which they now cherished were false To show them this, he asks them the simple question, by what means they had obtained the exalted privileges which they enjoyed? Whether they had obtained them by the simple gospel, or whether by the observance... read more

Albert Barnes

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

Are ye so foolish? - Can it be that you are so unwise? The idea is, that Paul hardly thought it credible that they could have pursued such a course. They had so cordially embraced the gospel when he preached to them, they had given such evidences that they were under its influence, that he regarded it as hardly possible that they should have so far abandoned it as to embrace such a system as they had done.Having begun in the Spirit - That is, when the gospel was first preached to them. They had... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 3:2-4

Galatians 3:2-4. This only would I learn of you That is, this one argument might convince you; received ye the Spirit In his gifts and graces, in his witness and fruits. See Galatians 4:6; Galatians 5:22. By the works of the law By your observing the ceremonies of Moses’s law, or by your embracing the doctrine which inculcates the necessity of complying with these rites? or by the hearing of faith By receiving and obeying that doctrine, which teaches that justification is attained by... 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 3:2

would . Greek. thelo . App-102 . of . Greek. apo . App-104 . Spirit . App-101 . by. Greek. ek . App-104 . the. Omit. faith . Greek. pistil. App-160 ., Compare Romans 10:16 , Romans 10:17 . read more

E.W. Bullinger

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

begun . Greek. enarchomai . Here and Philippians 1:1 , Philippians 1:6 . made perfect = being perfected. Greek. epiteleo . App-125 . See 2 Corinthians 7:1 . by = in. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Galatians 3:2

This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?It will be noted that "Law" has been capitalized throughout this chapter to indicate the one and only law Paul referred to throughout, meaning the Law of Moses. The commentators are less than candid when they use terminology that confuses this, as Dummelow, who said: "The apostle upbraids their speedy change from faith to legal observances,"[5] leaving room for the allegation that... read more