Provoke To Jealousy

Valentin de Boulogne's depiction of "Saint Paul Writing His Epistles", 16th century

“Now it is clear no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by faith. But the law is not based on faith, but the one who does the works of the law will live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles, so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith”. Galatians 3: 11-14 NET

Paul's clear statement that the law is not based on faith, but on the performance of rules and ordinances which we cannot keep, leads to a paradox. Those who choose to live by the works of the law find that it becomes a curse for them. They see the law as a means to an end, the end being God’s acceptance, even though that is not the reason the law was given. The law was given not as a means to an end but as a means of recognizing that man is eternally lost when it comes to the law. The law serves as a mirror for man to see himself from God’s proximity, and that he could never measure up to the standards set in the law.

While the law may seem to have many negative aspects, it's important to remember its positive purpose. It was always meant as a temporary measure to keep the people in line until the Messiah, the ultimate guide, arrived. The law, in this context, served as a schoolmaster, preventing the people from straying and brought a sense of order to the Jewish community.

It's a matter of profound sadness that so many Jews have misunderstood the law of Moses, believing it to be their salvation when, in reality, it was never intended for that purpose. The law was designed to deter a self-righteous attitude, to prevent them from trying to earn God's favor through their own efforts, and instead, to lead them to their Messiah, Jesus Christ. This is why so many Gentiles have been drawn to Jesus Christ, recognizing Him as the crucial entry point into God’s favor through His sacrifice, not theirs.

But all is not lost; God saw this as an opportunity to bring His chosen people close to Him. God was to do this through Jealousy. That is right; God wanted the Jews to see the blessings being poured out upon the Gentiles in full measure so they would be profoundly jealous and come back to their God and realize that Jesus was their Messiah who did fulfill the law entirely during His time on earth, a feat that inspires awe and reverence. Jesus became salvation for all humanity, not just the Jews. That is why Paul says “(because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”) so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles so that we could receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.” Who is the “we” in that statement? Remember that Paul was a Jew, so he was including himself in that statement; the “we” is everyone who believes, both Jew and Gentile (non-Jew).

Papyrus 46, a manuscript of c. AD 150–250 
with the end of Ephesians and the
beginning of Galatians
(the text ΠΡΟϹ ΓⲀλⲀΤⲀϹ, PROS GALATAS 
is visible at center)

Paul drives this point home: “Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Seeing that I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow, I could provoke my people to jealousy and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the first portion of the dough offered is holy, then the whole batch is holy, and if the root is holy, so too are the branches.” Romans 11:13-16 NET.  God’s reclamation program is in full swing for all humanity, not just for the Jew’s, the Jew’s were the first fruits, the Gentiles are the full fruit harvest.

It is important that Paul was using this type of language to affirm his point about Christ being our full sufficiency because he was countering Judaizers who were corrupting the message of the Gospel in the Galatian meetings, as well as the numerous pagan converts who held beliefs which were contrary to the freedom offered in Christ. Paul was a diligent disciple, always trusting Jesus to guide him in encouraging the churches and bring clarity and vision to those who needed it most. The best part about Paul’s letters were that they were universal, even though he was writing to the believers in Galatia, his Godly wisdom still applies to us today as it did back then when it was written back in the first century.

Galatia, a region in what we now know as central Turkey, was the site of multiple church gatherings. Paul and Barnabas, two significant figures in the early church, undertook the task of planting churches in Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, all cities within Galatia. This resulted in the establishment of at least three distinct church plants. “The same thing happened in Iconium when Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a large group of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.” ACTS 14:1-2 NET.  Never let it be said that Paul or Barnabas had it easy, especially when you have the call of God in your life. You should expect persecution if you are doing it right, and Paul and Barnabas had their share.

Stephen Barnett