Galatians
The
churches in Galatia were formed partly of converted Jews, and partly of Gentile
converts, as was generally the case. St. Paul asserts his apostolic character
and the doctrines he taught, that he might confirm the Galatian churches in the
faith of Christ, especially with respect to the important point of
justification by faith alone. Thus the subject is mainly the same as that which
is discussed in the epistle to the Romans, that is, justification by faith
alone. In this epistle, however, attention is particularly directed to the
point, that men are justified by faith without the works of the law of Moses.
Of the importance of the doctrines prominently set forth in this epistle,
Luther thus speaks: “We have to fear as the greatest and nearest danger, lest
Satan take from us this doctrine of faith, and bring into the church again the
doctrine of works and of men’s traditions. Wherefore it is very necessary that
this doctrine be kept in continual practice and public exercise, both of
reading and hearing. If this doctrine be lost, then is also the doctrine of
truth, life and salvation, lost and gone.”
Excerpt from:
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Bible
Matthew Henry (1662 - 1714)
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