The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

195 (3:6) and the Galatians faith (3:2-5) is based upon the verb in 3:6, lnfcrTEucrEv , and the understanding of the phrase in 3:2, 5, l~ dxofjc; nfcrTEwc; as "hearing with faith" or an equivalent expression emphasizing the human response of faith. As was argued previously however, those who are l~ ciKofjc; nf crTEwc; are not those who exercise faith as opposed to those who work but those who are identified with "the report of the gospel" or "the faithful– ness preached." While it is true that these have believed, the antithesis set up in 3: 1-5 is between those identified with Moses and those identified with the preaching of the gospel. Furthermore, as we hope to demonstrate shortly, Paul does not emphasize the argument of faith in 3:6-9; his argument takes a different route. If Paul's comparison of 3:6 does not concern human faith, then what does it concern? The critical question which he asked in 3:1-5, upon which he was willing to rest hi entire case (To0To µ6vov ), was "Did you receive the Spirit by identification with Moses or with the gospel message? " The correct answer of course was that they received the Spirit by identifying with the gospel message . This would imply that Paul 's comparison with Abraham should concern what God granted to him and what he believed rather than hi personal response. If this is the case, it may well be that the word which Paul intend to empha ize in 3:6 may be " reckoned" (E11oyfcr8 ri ) rather than "believed" (lnfcrTEUcrEv ). 148 Thu God' reckoning of righteousness to Abraham would corre pond to hi "providing (tmxopriyw ) the pirit and working (lvEpywv) miracle " among the Galatian (3 :2, 5). 149 hough e actl hat Abraham believed i unexpres ed in 3:6, the conte t of Gene i 15 :4-6 clearl in ol pr mi e of an heir. When Abraham received thi promi e God' gift a gi n to him . h t 14 ~ n e in, th1 i n t t imply th t br h m' f ith i n t imp rt nt t P ul r h mentio raham th eh rm 3 · It 1 t ffirm , h r , th t P ul ' mph 1 1 up n the me a whi h A r h m 1 d rather th n h1 r t th m 1 9 an d " h ur , th and th " 11 .