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

224 Galatians If Paul wrote the book of Galatians immediately after his first missionary journey then it would be one of the first contributions to the New Testament. Having given careful attention to the historical situation we concluded that Paul did not write to give a comprehen– sive theology of Law. Rather his aim was to answer the historical and specific question of "should Gentiles become Jewish (by taking on Mosaic obligation) in order to obtain Abrahamic sonship." Paul's answer was basically twofold. First , he affirmed that Gentiles are blessed in Christ with Abraham's blessings and second , the temporary role of the law in redemption history was not to bless but to bring Israel under a curse. Thus , for Gentiles to turn from Christ to the Law would be to attempt the impossible of turning back God 's eschatological time clock and to deny their only source of blessing of being in Christ. No longer is the Mosaic covenant the badge of the "heir of Abraham." Now blessing is only found "in Christ" and specifically in identification with his crucifixion . In the book of Galatians Paul argues that the New Covenant has come . He sees Gentiles as not obligated to Moses and declares that identification with the Law is completely insufficient for alvation . In short, a new age had dawned which signalled the redemption of I rael and direct ble ing for Gentiles in the Seed of Abraham apart from the Law . Synthesis The que tion i how to harmonize the conflicting tea hing c n rning la in th ew Te tament. 2 One guideline which thi tudy may offer i to a id r ding di u 1 n which concern freedom r m law for entil (Galatian , t I0, I ) a th u h th 2 W f C Lheolog mu t b rI h thr k hop ull m di ' u ' i n ' th t t l t