“You observe days and months and seasons and years”
Under the influence of legalists who came into Galatia [Judaizers], the Galatians began to keep the Jewish religious calendar. Love for religious holidays is to go from one religious trap to another.
You observe
The word “observe” denotes to watch carefully, assiduously. The Judaizers convinced the Galatians to keep the Sabbaths and Old Testament feasts scrupulously lest any prescribed observance of the law is overlooked. If the Galatians relapsed into this slavery to religion, they lose their freedom in Christ. Religion always brings a scruples approach to gaining merit with God.
days
The word “days” here probably refers to the weekly Sabbaths in the Old Testament. The Sabbath was one day of rest out of seven. The Christian rests seven days out of seven. Our Sabbath is in Christ (Matthew 11:28; Hebrews 3,4).
and months
“Months” is new moon observance, the monthly feast.
and seasons
Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles were occasional celebrations, each with a span of seven days.
and years
The Jews observed sabbatical and jubilee years (Corinthians 2:16). God designed all religious days on the Jewish calendar to picture the person and work of Christ. These days were a shadow of reality. They were not the reality but only pointed to reality. Christ was the reality. Passover was a picture of the death of Christ on the cross. The eating of the lamb was a picture of personal trust in Christ.
Principle:
We confound law and grace when we attempt to gain God’s approbation by what we do.
Application:
Legalism does not commend us to God. Special observance of religious holidays does not merit any favor with God. When we attempt to justify ourselves by what we do, we expect self-righteousness to impress God. Mankind has a love for religion.
Legalism immobilizes us and keeps us from living the most effective life possible with God. In God’s economy of grace, no single day is greater than another. If we single out special holy days, we tacitly admit that some days are more holy than other days. The Christian observes every day equally. We do not discharge our duty to God by observing certain religious days. Some of us say, “I’ll do my religious thing on religious days, but the other days are mine.” We cannot make a superficial division between God’s days and our days. Every day is God’s day; our whole life is God’s possession.
We cannot parcel out the Old Testament. If we keep the Sabbath, then we must keep Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. If we do this, then we violate the fact that Christ fulfilled these feasts. Christ fulfilled all feasts fully. He is our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7,8). The law was good at diagnosing sin, but it could not produce a cure. Jesus was the cure for sin. All of this came to an end in Christ.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).
“So let no one judge you in food or drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance [reality] is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17).
There is no brazen altar any longer because Christ is our sacrifice for sin. It does not obtain for the church today. God eradicated the tabernacle and temple because Jesus fulfilled the law completely. God has a different plan altogether for people in the church.
“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:16-17).
This always confuses me. Romans 14,5 says One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
Is the difference doing something to obtain favor rather than doing it in honor of the Lord?
Dawn, The Romans 14-15 passages as well as the 1 Co 8-10 passages are dealing the issue of doubtful things. Doubtful things are issues where the Bible does not speak but a weaker Christian has scruples about them. The book of Galatians deals with the issue of legalism among Christians. Legalism is an attempt to please God apart from the work of Christ.
Since some Jews do not believe that Jesus is the Messiah, do they still perform animal sacrifice? If not, why not?
Lydia, the reason Jews do not sacrifice today is that they do not have a temple. They believe they can be forgiven by repentance and prayer.
Iam wondering then if they don’t believe in Jesus as the Messiah, then how are they thinking they can be forgiven of sins? Iam so sorry, Iam not trying to belabor anything Iam just trying to understand.
Since asking the last question. I did a little research of my own. This rebuilding business is a mess. All the requirements and such. Iam sooo, so thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his atoning death on Calvary’s cross. By believing in him is true relief, simplicity and joy and freedom. Truly there is no greater love.
Typical, to take scripture out of context. Normally used in Paul’s letters to say we can break God’s laws and still be in His Kingdom. To me the whole book of Galatians is a response to the situation with Peter in Gal 2. This book and incident happened after Acts 15, and Gal was written after that conference. I will make this short. Notice Gal 2:16: we are not saved by our works but by faith. Paul in Galatians does NOT say we should not keep the law (except circumcision…not a law on Mt. Sinai). Nor does Paul say we should not keep the Sabbath, Holy Days or such (of Acts 4:10), but rather he does say that we should not depend on our works to save ourselves into God’s Kingdom This also is said in Psalms 32, especially V2 “Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” V5 “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah” How can you have sin if there is no law??? What have you transgressed?? Why do you need forgiveness if there is no sin. ortransgression??.
Again, Peter’s actions in Antioch exemplified the Jewish attitude of “bondage” (keeping the law to gain salvation) of Acts 15 which was resolved. Paul’s letter in Galatians addresses this attitude.
Keep reading the book!! Gal 5:18 mirrors Psalm 32:2, but notice Paul goes on and says in V 19-21 if you engage in lawlessness (pretty much the 10 Commandments and other “laws”) V21 (end) “as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” HOW do you explain this scripture if you think Paul saying we do not have to keep God’s laws??
dean, I am afraid that your exposition is not very good. You bounce around without doing the thing you purport to do–keeping the context. The entire argument of Galatians is to warn Christians against legalism, including a legalistic view of the Sabbath. The most important context is the argument of the entire book, then the major section in which the passage is found and then finally the immediate context of the passage (note the previous verse).
Thanks for your response, Grant. As I said in my comment, I kept it short and perhaps my “short” version fell short of what you expected. However, explain to me how to not Legalistically keep the Sabbath. Not keep it at all??? Also, I notice you failed to explain Gal 5:19-21. Wow, even Paul gets legalistic. As I pointed out, here Paul is saying one has to “keep” God’s laws (we won’t do it perfectly, that is where grace come in) to be in God’s kingdom!!
“Legalism” is a term to intimidate others without any real substance. I will await your explanation of Gal 5:19-21 (plus Paul posted similar scriptures in other letters he wrote). So was Paul “legalistic” ??
dean,
Abolition of the Sabbath
The New Testament abolished the legal requirement to keep Sabbath. Jesus fulfilled the law and in Him we positionally have fulfilled it as well. While individual Christians are allowed to keep Sabbath, the practice is never imposed on the church. Two major Pauline passages substantiate this. The first is Galatians 4:10–11: “You observe days and months and seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have labored for you in vain.” Those who keep “days” or “Sabbatical years” have missed the argument of Paul in Galatians.
Romans 14:5, indicates that the keeping of Sabbath is a matter of personal conscience for the believers at Rome, not a legal requirement: “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” The issue in Romans 14 is the weaker brother who held that a special day of the week was an imperative from God; however, the argument of Romans 14-15 is that the stronger brother should respect the weaker brother’s conscience. See my studies there. It is possible, therefore, for the legalistic believer who still has scruples about the law to keep the Sabbath but under the qualification that he is the weaker brother.
Colossians 2:16–17 makes the point that the Sabbath is a matter of law. Failure to keep it brings capital punishment (Exod 31:14–15; 35:2). In the New Testament, however, keeping Sabbath is optional; breaking it brings no negative consequences like the death penalty in the Old Testament. If the Sabbath is no longer mandatory, the Sabbath is no longer law. The conclusion is inescapable. See my study of that passage here: https://versebyversecommentary.com/colossians/colossians-216/
A major problem with people who assert that we must keep the Sabbath is that the word means “seven,” or in our day, it is Saturday, the 7th day.
Your explanation of Galatians 2 has a problem. You quote Galatians 2:16 but Paul used that verse to rebuff the apostle Peter for falling in with the legalists. The problem with Peter is that he violated the principle of grace—if so, Christ died for no reason: see my two studies on Galatians 2:21 and 2:21b: https://versebyversecommentary.com/galatians/galatians-221/
Chapter five begins with the question of legalism and falling from the grace principle. See my study beginning with Galatians 5:1 https://versebyversecommentary.com/galatians/galatians-51/ If you follow the argument from 5:1 throughout the chapter Paul is rebuffing the Galatians for their legalism and need to walking the Spirit instead.
Paul was in no way legalistic in Galatians 5:19-21. Those who live by grace depend on the Holy Spirit to do so (Galatians 5:18, 22-23). It is not legalistic to confess and deal with any sin that may come into our lives. It is necessary to confess our sin (1 Jn 1:9). See my studies beginning at Galatians 5:19 https://versebyversecommentary.com/galatians/galatians-519/ The works of the flesh are manifestations of those who attempt to live the Christian life in their own power. The contrast is between legalistic Christians and believers who live by the power of God.
Thanks for you more comprehensive answer. I will be busy for awhile. I have skimmed your info, but will read it more thoroughly later. I have seen many of these arguments before and do have answers and scriptures for explanations.
However briefly: You said: ” It is not legalistic to confess and deal with any sin that may come into our lives. It is necessary to confess our sin” So are you admitting that we sin?? If so, there must be law, for without law there is no sin. I John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” By this definition, unless we have to keep the law, there is no sin. See my earlier post, we cannot earn salvation by keeping the law, but we must “grow” in the culture of God.
Are you admitting that 1. There is law, and 2. We have to obey the law…or we sin?? Isn’t that what you are calling “legalistic”??
dean, you are confusing nomenclature. The distortion of legalism does not mean that there is no moral law. Legalism is the attempt to live the Christian life without appropriation of God’s principles for life, but instead to live the Christian life by operation bootstraps. If you look at my arguments from Galatians 3:19 and following, the Scripture makes the point that the purpose of the moral law (not the ceremonial law) is to define sin for believers of all time: https://versebyversecommentary.com/galatians/galatians-319/ Sure, we commit sin, that is why we have to confess our sin. See my studies here: https://versebyversecommentary.com/1-john/1-john-19/
So what is “ceremonial law??” vs “moral law”? Scripture?? Not just your opinion. Again, if you admit that we commit sin, then you are admitting that the law exist, and not keeping the law is sin. Who gets to decide which laws we have to keep and which we can ignore?? (like the Sabbath and Holy Days??)
dean, the Mosaic law was divided into three divisions 1) civil law, such as laws about food and cleanliness; these were law for the function of the nation Israel; 2) ceremonial law, which the book of Hebrews makes clear was only a type of the Antitype. For example, the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, they only typified the One whose blood would take away sin. 3) the moral law is God’s standard of holiness.
Grant- can you please give us bible reference for the 3 divisions of law above? (2) where do we classify Sabbath, Pentecost, terbernacle and the likes
Olawale, the Mosaic Law has been divided traditionally into three parts—the Ten Commandments (often considered the same as the moral law), the ordinances (ceremonial laws governing Israel’s religious life), and the judgments (the judicial part of the Law governing her civil life). The number of passages are too numerous to attempt to list here. Just read the Pentateuch and notice these divisions. The Sabbath is classified under the ordinances or ceremonial laws of Moses. Pentecost is not under the Mosaic law but is the beginning of the church. Israel was a national entity whereas the church is an organism, not a nation.