Commentary on the Epistle to the GalatiansLuther, Martin
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Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians
Luther, Martin
Bible. Galatians -- Commentaries
Paul knows how to explain the law of God. He condenses all the laws of
Moses into one brief sentence. Reason takes offense at the brevity with
which Paul treats the Law. Therefore reason looks down upon the doctrine
of faith and its truly good works. To serve one another in love, i.e.,
to instruct the erring, to comfort the afflicted, to raise the
fallen, to help one’s neighbor in every possible way, to bear with his
infirmities, to endure hardships, toil, ingratitude in the Church and
in the world, and on the other hand to obey government, to honor one’s
parents, to be patient at home with a nagging wife and an unruly family,
these things are not at all regarded as good works. The fact is, they
are such excellent works that the world cannot possibly estimate them at
their true value.
It is tersely spoken: “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” But what more
needs to be said? You cannot find a better or nearer example than
your own. If you want to know how you ought to love your neighbor, ask
yourself how much you love yourself. If you were to get into trouble or
danger, you would be glad to have the love and help of all men. You
do not need any book of instructions to teach you how to love your
neighbor. All you have to do is to look into your own heart, and it will
tell you how you ought to love your neighbor as yourself.
My neighbor is every person, especially those who need my help, as
Christ explained in the tenth chapter of Luke. Even if a person has done
me some wrong, or has hurt me in any way, he is still a human being with
flesh and blood. As long as a person remains a human being, so long is
he to be an object of our love.
Paul therefore urges his Galatians and, incidentally, all believers
to serve each other in love. “You Galatians do not have to accept
circumcision. If you are so anxious to do good works, I will tell you in
one word how you can fulfill all laws. ‘By love serve one another.’ You
will never lack people to whom you may do good. The world is full of
people who need your help.”
VERSE 15. But if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be
not consumed one of another.
When faith in Christ is overthrown peace and unity come to an end in the
church. Diverse opinions and dissensions about doctrine and life spring
up, and one member bites and devours the other, i.e., they condemn each
other until they are consumed. To this the Scriptures and the experience
of all times bear witness. The many sects at present have come into
being because one sect condemns the other. When the unity of the spirit
has been lost there can be no agreement in doctrine or life. New errors
must appear without measure and without end.
For the avoidance of discord Paul lays down the principle: “Let every
person do his duty in the station of life into which God has called
him. No person is to vaunt himself above others or find fault with the
efforts of others while lauding his own. Let everybody serve in love.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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