Paul and the Law: Focus on Galatians and Romans - Research Paper Example

? Paul and the Law: Focus on Galatians and Romans Table of Contents Introduction 3 Social Differentiation, ‘Otherness’ and the Discussion of Law 3 “Works of Law” 6 Galatians 8 Curse 8 Ritual 10 Romans 11 Food 12 Love 13 Some Thoughts on Modern Life and the Example of Christ 14 Conclusion 15 Bibliography 16 Paul and the Law: Focus on Galatians and Romans Introduction Mosaic Law has been an issue of contention between scholars in relationship to its role in Christian life. Some speak of Mosaic Law as irrelevant to Christian life, while others speak of the difference between moral law and ritualistic law and how it relates to Christian living. In letters written Paul to both the Galatians and the Romans, the discussion of law seems confused and subject to speculation by modern scholars. What does seem clear is that the traditions of Mosaic Law have been placed outside of Christian life is distinguished from its Judaic heritage by replacing ritualistic worship to that of faith based worship. The place of the Law within Christian life, however, seems to have much less definition to modern readers. The following paper will first discuss the ways in which the life of Christ exemplified an ‘otherness’ that was difficult for new Christians to grasp without the condition of Mosaic Law to create ritual and order. The discussion will then focus on the Epistle to the Galatians and then the Epistle to the Romans in order to define what Paul said in relationship to law for the Church. Finally, an examination of the issue will bring to light how the letters written by Paul can be related to the Gospel revelations of the nature of Christ and his teachings to his followers. Through a look at faith based Salvation and the need for order through Law, the writings of Paul can be used to help uncover Mosaic Law traditions in relationship to the new responsibilities and freedoms of the followers of Christ. Social Differentiation, ‘Otherness’ and the Discussion of Law Defining individuals through social structures that place them into groups has been a long remembered method of defining the population across the world ‘Otherness’ was a problem in that the openness with which Christ taught was incongruent with the way in which people saw one another. Christ gave examples in order to show that he embraced all people for their differences, their faults, and even for their sins. When pressed to define who was a neighbor He made a Samaritan into the hero of the story at a time when Samaritans were looked down upon with contempt. After Jesus had left the world, however, the social differentiations that existed began to emerge as an issue where practices and traditions infiltrated the nature of the message that Paul gave in how to worship. Paul found that he had to dampen the belief in old ways so that the new could thrive in a world in which ritual was a strong part of life. Ritual still defines how people find structure in their life. Through the acts of ritual, order is established. It is far easier to do something than to simply believe in something. Paul saw that the need for ritual was clouding the message that he had brought to followers, the belief that in doing certain acts that followed Mosaic Law salvation could be gained. People rather naturally fall to doing to express what they feel rather than feeling what is needed to create faith. Faith is a difficult concept even in its simplicity. Faith means to believe, but there is a great deal of baggage between knowing and believing which can get in the way. People tend to fall to doing rather than devoting their time to belief as faith has such a deep emotional context that it can be hard to maintain. Culture and the Law tend to be an issue. As people take comfort in the rituals that build the familiar, the show of enacting the Law was outside of the practices of worship that Paul had given to followers. It was not the rituals themselves that were a problem but that he was afraid that they were using ritual in place of belief. In reading the work of Thompson the problem of social differentiation begins to emerge creating implications for the nature of law and its application to life. The mistake that seems to be made is in differentiating between Christians and other structures of faith with the misconception that where Christianity is one structure, other faiths have structures that they are bound to follow. One of the first sentences in his work states that “one could not appeal to the OT to justify Christian practices and that OT moral instructions were obligatory for Christians only when they were restated in the NT”.1 A salient point is missing in the process between the assumption that there are acts of law that must be practiced and the way in which Christ spoke about the devotion He expected from his followers. That Christians are relieved of the structures of OT law means that all of human kind is relieved of those structures. As Thompson continues, he suggests assumptions about the expectations of God in relationship to who was intended to be a part of the practices that are discussed. Wilson, at the end of his work, speaks of Christian Supersessionism which is related as “the idea that the Church has displaced the Jews as the elect people of God”.2 The question of law and the followers of Christ are not answered by socially segregating nations, races, or ethnicities, but in understanding that universal standards were set by Christ on how to treat one another. The rituals that he gave were not based on him commanding his followers to do these things, but through answering questions related to how to worship. To establish the law as it is discussed by Paul in relationship to the old law as it was replaced through the gifts of Christ of freedom and personal responsibility is to establish that Christ gave these gifts to human kind, not just to one social group. The social group defined by Christian was and is only one section of the human population. As shown by his use of many different people from a number of different walks of life, social grouping is not a part of differentiation made by God in developing the ministry of Christ through which He established His place in human history so to establish his love for and dominance over all people. That is what God did. He established his existence as a real and tangible presence within the human population in the embodiment of Christ. The evidence of His desires is present in the teachings of Jesus, His words made manifest not through books and letters written by human beings, but in the example and teachings of a man through whom His voice was made live and audible. As the gospels discuss the nature of how human beings should live, the letters and writings of human beings began to reflect the will of human desire through greed, prejudice, and an insistence in believing that God saw his people in groups of worthy and unworthy. From this belief of human construction, law is made important and is discussed as if it has relevance to the new life that Christ gave through the sacrifice and resurrection of His own. “Works of Law” An important part of understanding the problems that are presented to modern readers in the transcribed letters of Paul can be seen through trying to define the phrase “works of Law”. Schreiner approaches this problem in presenting the many ways in which this phrase can be interpreted. Paul uses the phrase as he says that no one is justified or receives the Spirit through “works of Law” and those who are of it will be cursed.3 Sloan expresses the opinions of Dunn in relationship to the concept of ‘works of law’ and suggests that it is a “narrowly nationalistic and racial conceptions of the covenant as specifically expressed in the religious and social identity markers”.4 In this type of a framework, the Law becomes a culture that Paul criticizes in order to support the idea that Judaic tradition was not supporting communion with God, but had become almost meaningless ritual for those who did practice. Rosner discusses the use of the law as it contrasts between Jews and Christians. Paul defines Jewish practice by the acknowledgement and trust in the Law, but fails to associate the Law with Christian practice in the same way which is one of the primary reasons that there is a lack of clarity where Paul stands with Christian practice and Mosaic Law. Rosner does suggest that the lack of the statement that Christians ‘rely’ upon the Law, where it is clearly stated that those of Jewish heritage do ‘rely’ on the Law specifically creates the contrast of those who do and those who do not rely on Mosaic Law for their connection to God.5 Paul takes the discussion of Law to a highly negative space in which it "enslaves" (Rom. 6:15; 7:1-4), "produces death"/"kills" (Rom. 7:5, 8-13; II Cor. 3:6), "works wrath" (Rom. 4:15), "increases sin" (Rom. 5:20; 7:5, 8-13; cf. Gal. 3:19), and from which one in Christ finds "liberation" (Rom. 6:15, 7:6; Gal. 3:23,25; 4:4,5; 5:1; II Cor. 3.14-17)”.6 At these points Paul takes great exception to the Law and creates a firm opinion on the value of it in relationship to Christian life. Christians should not be in service to the Law.7 Paul makes it clear that faith, as he has described it and explained its experience, is the way in which to find Salvation. Bandstra writes that “Paul had clearly meant that "works of the law" were legalistic perversions of the law”.8 In other words, trying to gain approval of God through works was a perversion of the purpose of the law, but this is not an indictment to ignore the structures of the law. Galatians The focus of the Epistle to the Galatians was that of the use of Mosaic Law in relationship to the behaviors and practices of Christianity. The primary conflict that creates a controversy about Salvation resides within accepting Salvation through belief or through the practice of Law. After giving his teachings to the people of Galatia, Paul came to find that they had begun to revert to Mosaic Law, likely to put order into their worship. Sloan refers to Saunders as he writes “If righteousness comes through Christ, then, by definition, it does not come from Law”.9 In Sloan’s argument he discusses how the Law is defined as an identity of the Judaic heritage, and in rejecting the Law, Paul is rejecting the substance of the heritage as it is defined in contrast to the new life of Christian followers. Thompson shows that Calvin supported the concept that the moral law of the Old Testament was still in place, but the ritualistic law was no longer relevant to the practices of those following Christ.10 Curse During the writing of this Epistle, a strong condemnation of the use of Law appears. Paul writes that “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law".11 Part of the problem with the language of this verse is that it can appear that Paul is cursing anyone who continues to enact the works of the Law. What he is saying is that in being tied to the Law, the belief that to not do the rituals of the Law meant that a burden of curse was upon them. Once established that the Mosaic Law should be followed, the ties that bound the individual to the ritual meant that they would be cursed in not following them. Paul is not cursing those who follow the Law, but stating that in being tied by their boundaries individuals begin to accept that in not practicing those Laws they are filled with guilt and remorse that acts as a curse upon them. In following Mosaic Law they are obligated by it or subject to the curse that comes from not acting. Taking that one step further, the curse comes from the guilt and shame of not completing the rituals, an emptiness that comes from not fulfilling the rituals of worship. Schreiner discusses that the problem that Paul revealed about that Law was that it was flawed in that no one could be perfect in adherence to the Law, thus being freed of it, the potential for Salvation existed.12 Schreiner goes further in discussing the aspects of the problems associated with the Law that are brought forward by Bultman in that in worship through practice, idolatry is being indulged. He quotes Bultman for saying “man’s effort to achieve salvation by keeping the Law only leads him into sin, indeed this effort in the end is already sin”.13 Here lies a fundamental problem within modern contexts of discussions on the meaning of the Bible in that in trying to define the meaning, the absolutism emerges and finds a way to condemn. In looking at the life of Christ, He showed how to accept and to not condemn each other, but somewhere in the confusion of reading the words of Paul there seems to be the need to return to the idea of absolutism. The evil of doing ritual only exists when the individual is so tied to the acts of ritual that they are plagued when rituals are not followed. This is the point that Paul makes in his words to the Galatians. He was offering them freedom through faith, not condemnation. A fact of human life is that people like and need instructions. The Mosaic Law provided a set of instructions on how to practice respect and worship for God. The problem that Paul brought to the front is that in being tied by those practices, the curse of not doing them was itself a curse. The curse is not that the individual will go to hell for not doing the practices of Mosaic Law, nor is it a curse to enact ritual for the comfort that it brings. Idolatry is rife within the practices of any formalized religion, no matter how they will try to deny it. Going into any Church supports the anthropological observations of ritual, each set of social practices adding up to the ritual of worship. Paul seems to have wanted the followers of Christ free from the burden of ritual and to understand that all that was required was faith. Ritual As Paul was speaking to Gentiles, he had provided the structures of Mosaic Law as a way in which to walk in righteousness and live a Godly life. He did not deny the ability to celebrate and worship in the ways that he had known his whole life, but only not to depend on them as a means to Salvation.14 Boneau describes the importance of ritual as he says “By engaging in rituals peculiar to it alone, a group sets itself off from other groups. In this way rituals contribute to building a group's identity”.15 The Galatians were in a state of crisis in that they identified with the rituals that established Jewish life and were finding confusion in the way in which those rituals expressed their faithfulness. Boneau goes on to say that: The Galatians, in their confused thinking fostered by the appearance of purveyors of the different gospel in their midst, find themselves before a seemingly impossible dilemma: in behaving as faithful Jews (signified by observing the works of the law for fear of incurring the curse of the law) they would be denying the resurrection, while in behaving as faithful Christians (forgoing the works of the law) they would be transgressing the law (and thus incurring the curse of the law).16 Paul sought to free his converts from the confusion they were experiencing by defining the difference between what their actions meant to God and what they meant to society. In acting within the traditions of Mosaic Law they were presenting to the world that they were righteous, but this meant little to God other than to look upon their ‘works of Law’ as pleasing representation to others on Earth. These acts, while laudable, did not bring Salvation. Romans In Romans Paul speaks about the law as a part of life, but not to be confused with gaining Salvation. He makes it clear that while the Law can lead to sinful life, it is not the Law that is sinful.17He writes "For as many as have sinned without the law will perish without the law; as many as have sinned by the law, will be condemned by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who will be just before God, but the doers of the law will be justified (Romans 2:12-13)”.18 Where this may seem confusing, what Paul is saying is that once it was considered a sin to not follow the Law, there were also many who tried to work the Law but were failing, thus sinning. Doing the Law supports justification in the sight of God, but it is not the road to Salvation. It is a way of life that provides goodness as order is established. Where it seems that in Galatians Paul has established the Law as a negative and in Romans a positive, conflicting messages creating confusion, Paul is actually finding truth by defining that there is a place for the Law, but the way in which belief in the Law manifests is in conflict with the concept of faith. Believing in the rituals as a road to Salvation is false, but acting within the Law is a way in which to express righteousness through living a clean life. In Romans 9-10 Paul establishes that in acting out the rituals but living a poor version of that life, the Jewish people were sinning.19 The Gentiles who were living in the framework from Torah were expressing their faith by living a good life, but not expecting that to be the basis on which they gained Salvation. In other words, to live a good life is an expression of belief, but it is not the belief itself. Food In Romans 14 Paul discusses the rule of Law where food is concerned in connection to how Christians should observe or not observe those Laws and how it relates to their judgments. The focus of some of the discussion is that of food. In Romans 14:20 he clearly establishes that there are no foods that are unclean, but that in judging the beliefs of others in relationship to what they believe, a follower of Christ is alienating someone who he or she could turn towards belief. This conversation is extremely important as it establishes the idea that judgment is not for the believer in Christ, but acceptance and open exchange is the responsibility of the Christian. Active recruitment was far more important than passing judgment on the actions of those whose belief systems included ritual and adherence to the Law. That they should adhere to the Law regarding food was made clear, but if adherence interrupted faith than it was not material to belief that they follow those laws. Udoh writes that “Paul is thus able to maintain that observance and non-observance are matters of indifference so long as they are not a stumbling block to others and to the unity of the community”.20 Paul is making it clear that participation in community in an open and accepting manner is a clear responsibility, where judging others in relationship to their adherence to the Law was a stumbling block to good relationships. Love The ‘Love Command’ that is a part of Christian worship is often the most difficult to follow. Pederson writes that “In the New Testament, confession to the one God is an expression of a committed confession to the one Creator-God experienced as He who through Jesus' life and death has submitted Himself to all His sinful creation. As the human response to this the Christian must love God by loving His every creature, including the persecutor (Romans 12:14-21).21 In showing love to all things under God, people are included in this discussion which refers back to Paul’s belief that while following Law on food is important, it is more important to respect the beliefs of others on the cleanliness of food in order to have them in turn respect the Christian faith. Showing love means showing acceptance to the degree that petty differences in opinions on things that do not really matter to God are without argument. Love is the highest responsibility that Christ gave to his followers and Paul discusses this in relationship to how Christians should show their faith. In Romans 14:15 Paul makes it clear that all things under the Kingdom of God should be loved in order to act within the framework of the commandment to give love. In Romans 1:18-32, Paul defines the nature of love as it is related to faith in that the evidence of love for the Creator can be found in the love that is shown to one another. Without following the commandment to love one another, Christians are in conflict with their mandate to have faith.22 Some Thoughts on Modern Life and the Example of Christ If the example of Christ were to truly be the predominant practice of His followers’ then food would be free, education would be open and a natural part of passing down the instructions of life and success would be defined by the ability to live a life filled with love and generosity rather than acquisition for material wealth. Instead of following the example of Christ, the need for law and government has overridden the principles of His teachings and established blame and condemnation as the backbone of the Christian Church, throughout the denominations, as a way of control and domination over His followers. From the pulpit the imagery of leaping fiery pits of hell is burned onto the conscience of His followers, yet the charity that he expressly bid His followers to bestow is often lost in modern messages. The concern of the law and how it pertains to Christian life has been explored in a great number of writings. Paul and his take on expressing his beliefs about the law to those who he advised expresses both a need of social conformity, but a rejection of the old laws in favor of those related to the expression of Christian ideals in life. Lamp writes that “Paul's purpose in (Romans) 1:18-3:20 has been to show that both Jew and Gentile stand on equal footing before God as to responsibility for sin”.23 The writing that he does is intended to show that it is not for human beings to judge one another, but for God. Behaviors are socially important, but Salvation is only found through faith. This contrasting set of concepts has created a great deal of identity confusion within the Christian faith, supporting problems of judgment and aestheticism while denying the freedoms that seem clearly revealed in the Gospels as they discuss the direct teachings of Christ. Context is relevant to the discussion of the freedoms of Christians and the responsibilities that Paul discussed in his work. The context of the writing related to the contemporary culture in which he wrote his words. In trying to see how Paul believed the expression of law should be utilized in the practice of worship, much of his advice becomes lost on modern readers as what is social advice becomes confused with commands on behavior. The overall social responsibility of the Christian was to not alienate others by behaving in ways that the society defined as outside of acceptance or in defiance of respectful social behaviors. Christ shows this repeatedly during the events of his life and the ways in which he teaches his disciples. He uses characters such as the Good Samaritan in order to define how he intends for people to behave towards one another. The development of his teachings is not consistent with a world in which judgment and condemnation rule the belief systems of His followers. Conclusion A discussion of good and evil in relationship to Mosaic Law is not relevant, even in light of some of the inflammatory statements that can be attributed to Paul in both Galatians and in Romans. The Law is a benign concept until Salvation is attached and the intention of the ‘works of Law’ is to impress upon God devotion. The Law is a way of living that Paul clearly believes provides a wholesome nature to existence within the world, but it should not be placed above the beliefs of others as a way of displaying righteousness and to suggest that these ‘works’ were the way into the sight of God. Although Paul’s language choices often seem in conflict, the Law is something he holds in respect as long as Christians do not become tethered to it. If the expansion of Christianity is held back by an insistence to put the Law before acceptance, then the mission of Christians is then averted and in this sin occurs. Despite the confusing nature of the works of Galatians and Romans, it is clear that the end result should be a life lived clean and in Christ. Bibliography Adeyemi, Femi. "Paul's Positive Statements about Mosaic Law." Bibliotheca Sacra 164, no. 653 (January 1, 2007). 49-58. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Bandstra, Andrew J. "Paul and the Law: Recent Developments and an Extraordinary Book." Calvin Theological Journal 25, no. 2 (November 1, 1990). 249-261. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Boneau, Mormand. 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"Paul's Understanding of the Biblical Law." Novum Tesamentum, Vol. 44, no 1 (January 1, 2002). 1-34. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Rosner, Brain S. "Paul and the Law: What He Does Not Say." Journal for the Study of the New Testament 32, no. 4 (June 1, 2010). 405-419. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Schreiner, Thomas R. "Works of Law in Paul." Novum Tesamentum, Vol. 33, Fasc. 3 (July 1991). 217-244. http://wwwjstor.org/stable/1561358 (accessed September 9, 2012). Sloan, Robert B. "Paul and the Law: Why the Law Cannot Save." Novum Tesamentum 33, no. 1 (January 1, 1991). 34-60. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Thompson, James W. "Paul's Doctrine of the Law and the Stone-Campbell Movement." Restoration Quarterly 50, no. 2 (January 1, 2008). 79-89. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Udoh, Fabian E. "Paul's Views on the Law: Questions About Origin (Gal. 1:6-2:21; Phil. 3:2- 11)." Novum Tesamentum 42, no. 3 (January 1, 2000). 214-237. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Wilson, Todd A. "The Leading of the Spirit and the Curse of the Law: Reassessing Paul's Response to the Galatian's Crisis." Tyndale Bulletin 57, no 1 (January 1, 2006). 157-160. ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed September 9, 2012). Read More