Paul's Argument From Experience - Gal 3.1-5

7/31/2019 Paul's Argument From Experience - Gal 3.1-5

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PauPs Argument from

Experience:A Closer Look at Galatians 3:1-5

John F. Johnson

Paul's argument from experience in the Epistle to the Galatians isrightly viewed as a formidable proof for justification coram Deo by

grace. The purpose of this brief study is to explore the significance theargument has for contemporary ecclesiology as it ponders gifts(charismata) of the Holy Spirit. In marked contrast to the rich varietyand abundance of special charismata experienced in Corinth (1 Cor.12-14), only one such charisma is identified as being manifested in thechurches of Galatia.

Scholarly commentators usually distinguish a number ofarguments in the so-called probatio section of the letter (3:1-4:31). The

first is what Luther already in the 1535 Commentary describes asargumentum ab experientia.1 Some commentators refer to it as anargument of indisputable evidence, while others classify it as anargument from irrational experience.2

At least three reasons may be adduced as background for the useof the argument: 1) Paul had experienced the revelation of JesusChrist at his call to be an apostle to the Gentiles (1:1, 15f.). Heconfesses that the risen Christ revealed to him lives in him (2:20). 2)Paul had experienced the truth of the Gospel (1:6-9, llf.; 2:5, 14). 3)

xEpist ad Gal. WA 40/1.3282Many philosophers hold all arguments from experience to be at least dubious. Along

with revelation-faith arguments they fail to meet the strict demands of logic or empiricalevidence. Paul must have been aware of this, even though he may not have been at homein precise, contemporary terminology.

D J h F J h tl lt t t th I t


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Paul had experienced justification through faith in Christ, not byworks of Law (2:16).

3

The argument (3:1-5) is as direct and concise as Paul's descriptionof the events which occasioned it. Paul had proclaimed the truth of theGospel with such compelling integrity that he could label as false anycompromise of his message.4 Through the Gospel both Jews andGentiles in Galatia had experienced justification before God. Later, theopponents of Paul who preached to them a perverted, hybrid "gospel"demand that Gentile Christians adopt the Jewish Torah and submitto its external cultic sign of circumcision. Paul views such a demandas a substitution of merit for grace, of works for faith in Christ. TheGalatians are not only confused; they are foolish (Luther:

unverstaendiger Galater!) and bewitched if they fail to understand thedire consequences of such action. Any effort to bring them under thesphere of Law-works as means of justification undermines the Gospelof grace (1:3, 6, 15; 2:21; cf. 2:4f.). If that happens, the death of Christfor sins (1:4) becomes for them a death in vain (2:21).

I

Paul's carefully constructed argument takes the form of rhetoricalquestions whose answers are self-evident. The apostle had dramaticallyportrayed the crucifixion of Christ. He had done it so vividly that hecan say that the Galatians have, as it were, themselves witnessed theevent.5 His initial question is pointed and pressing. Who hasbewitched you so quickly to desert the God who raised Jesus Christfrom the dead and who called you in the grace of Christ? Who has casta spell upon you to follow a gospel which is really no gospel at all?

6

The answers are obvious, or should be obvious to the Galatian

believers. Who? Neither God who called them nor Paul who preached

3Note: "We have come to believe" (2:16b). This is followed by proof from Scripture

(2:16c), a method Paul pursues when the argument from experience is followed by prooffrom Scripture (3:6).

4A false gospel is really no gospel at all (1:6-9). Cf. 2:7 where Paul does speak of the

"gospel of the circumcision.,>

5

Cf. 1 Cor. 1:13-18,23; 2:2. For Paul, preaching Christ is preaching justification (1:4;2:16). Luther, on the basis of the Textus Receptus which adds the words, "among you,"suggests that because of their apostasy Christ was being crucified anew among the


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grace to them! The opponents have deceived them to consider Law tobe means of justification.

They are to examine their own experience. Did you receive the(Holy) Spirit on the basis of works of Law? Or did you receive theSpirit on the basis of the hearing of faith?7 Again their answer mustbe obvious. They experienced the Holy Spirit by means of the Gospel,quite apart from Law. Paul drives his point home. How then can yoube so foolish? Having begun in Spirit, do you finish up in the realm offlesh? Has your experience been in vain? Then Paul poses the crucialquestion. Does God who gifts you with the Spirit and who worksmiracles among you do so by works of Law or by the proclamation offaith? (3:5). Again the answer is clear. God gave them the Spirit of His

Son (4:6) by means of Gospel. Gospel, not Torah, is the divine meansof justification coram Deo.

II

This raises the issue we desire to probe. Does this argument fromexperience, with its reference to working of miracles, provide insightsas we seek to relate special charismatic phenomena to theproclamation of the Gospel of justification?

In the churches of Galatia, the occurrence of miracles (3:5) is a signof the Spirit's working in their midst.8 A number of questions surface.Like Paul's rhetorical questions they readily admit of their ownanswers. The churches in Corinth and Rome were gifted by the Spiritwith a rich variety of special charismata. Was working of miracles theonly special charisma experienced by the churches of Galatia?Apparently so. Would Paul's case for a truly genuine experience of theSpirit by the Galatian believers have been considerably strengthened

by the presence of additional special charismata! Apparently not. Wasthe Spirit fully at work in the Galatian churches even though specialcharismata were limited to miracles? Apparently so. For Paulunrestrictedly names the Galatian Christians pneumatics, i.e., peopleendowed with the Spirit (6:1). Was the real problem in Galatia a lackof special charismata rather than confusion about grace and freedomin Christ (5:1)? Apparently not. Careful examination of the argumentfrom experience discloses that working of miracles is almost tangentialto Paul's case.


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The fact of the matter is that God had sent the Spirit ofChrist intotheir hearts (4:6).

9They had experienced God's adoptive love in their

redemption by Christ (4:4f.), their baptism into Christ (3:26ff.), andtheir Spirit-wrought faith in Christ (3:1-3). Their status before God

was patently not conditioned by consideration of special charismata.

Ill

In a parenetic section which concludes the letter (5:1-6:10), Paulprovides ample evidence of the dynamic presence of the Spirit in theChristian communities of Galatia. Believers

10are eagerly awaiting

the hope of righteousness, i.e., their eschatological justification. They

are exhorted to walkby Spirit so theywill not carry out desires of theflesh (5:16). They are being carried away by the Spirit and not underLaw(5:18; cf. 3:23; Rom. 8:14). In the struggle between Spirit and flesh

which characterizes existence in Christ, they are empowered to bearthe fruit of the Spirit as He leads them in their course of life (5:6, 22-25). Because they are pneumatics, they are to restore transgressors

within the community in a spirit ofgentleness (6:l).n

In sum, for Paul, those who have the Spirit of Christ are a newcreation (6:13-15). For such, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision

(and, we might add, special charismata) are anything of which toboast. Spirit-wrought, justifying faith works by love. That appears tobe much more important than the working of miracles or the presenceofother special charismata.

Surely the Gospel and justification by grace are at stake inGalatia. A sound ecclesiology (or pneumatology) is also at issue. IfGentile Christians submit to the Torah and circumcision they forfeitgrace (5:2-4). In so doing they separate from the church.

12Paul's

argument from experience serves toremind

the church of every age ofthe proper relationship between proclamation of Gospel and bestowalofspecial charismata by the Holy Spirit upon the church.

9Cf. Rom. 8:14-17, 26f. for a close parallel.

10Note the words: "by() faith; by Spirit," 5:5 (cf. 2:16; 3:2, 5, 7ff.).

11This will mark them as true pneumatics. If they deal differently they deceive

themselves into imagining they are truly Spirit-filled (6:3). Might this also speak of the

self-delusion ofthose who claim to have charismata of tongues and healing while lacking


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Paul's Argument From Experience - Gal 3.1-5