A Covenant With God

Week 8 Scriptures: Galatians 3:15-29

A few years back, I was teaching a lesson to a class of about 75 students at CSUB. The class was Christianity, and my topic was the influence of Judaism on early Christianity. I asked a the question, “Do Christianity and Judaism have any commonality?” A few hands went up. One gleaming freshman said, “Of course not, they’re two different religions.” Another gentlemen repeated the young women’s refrain, saying, “Well, at least that’s what I was taught in Sunday school.” Even in many Western churches, Judaism and Christianity often live in two worlds. Jesus has become a white, European businessman, rather than the Jewish peasant from Jewish Galilee. Paul has been stripped of his Jewishness, because of his apparent rebuke of the Law. However, framing Paul or Jesus in this light misses the truth behind these two key figures. Paul and Jesus are thoroughly Jewish—each of them circumcised, obeying food laws, and following Sabbath. Their ideals and teachings stem from their learning of childhood. The Old Testament prophets, Moses, and specifically Abraham informed their understanding of what was happening in the world at the appearance of Jesus. For Paul, then, his gospel is understood within the light of a salvation history that began with Adam, and was being brought through Abraham, and eventually accomplished in Jesus. In the beginning, Adam created a separation between humanity and God, but God, being gracious, brought forth a plan through his servant Abraham. He promised that through him “all the nations will be blessed” (Gen 12:2; Gal 3:8). God set forth this promise through Abraham, and the Jewish people. God’s intention was impeded upon when Judaism took a harsh turn. Instead of be a blessing to the world, they became isolated from it—with an intention to remain “holy.” For Paul, Jesus brought back to light the original mandate and promise of Abraham. Where Judaism lost sight, Jesus brought it back into focus.

            Therefore, Paul advances his plea with the church of Galatia by appealing to the covenant of Abraham. Much of the argument by Paul’s opponents was claiming true progeny of Abraham because of their “works of the law.” The opponents would argue that their being sons or daughters of Abraham—and therefore, God—came not just through faith in Jesus alone, but rather by their identity markers as such. For example, they claimed their circumcision set them apart from the rest of the Pagan world (“holiness”), and showed them to be following in the footsteps of their father Abraham (See Genesis 17:10). However, Paul saw this as a misunderstanding of Abraham, because the mission had always been to make God available for all people, not just some. For Paul, God’s majesty and power were to extend to all people, without reservation or barrier (Gal 3:28). Therefore, regardless of one’s ethnicity, political affiliation, gender, or social status, God’s original mission was to seek and save the all.

            Christians, as Paul sees it, are brought into this mission! Those who become the sons and daughters of Abraham are inheritors of his promise from God. We are integrated not only into the story of Abraham, but also his family—the family of God—and carry the family mission forward. We have the opportunity to make right what Judaism missed, to bless the world and everyone in it!

Questions to Ponder:

1.     How does it effect you to know that you are integrated into a salvation history that extends back to Abraham?

2.     God kept his covenant to Abraham. Even though it took many years to get back on track, God kept his promise. How does this speak to God’s faithfulness, and in what ways does it personally speak to you?

3.     Have you ever set up boundaries, like Judaism of Paul’s day, that has limited who gets to hear the gospel (i.e. homosexuals, criminals, ethnic difference, etc.)? Explain.

4.     How did Jesus’ own life represent Abraham’s mission? Explain.

5.     Do you see yourself as an inheritor Abraham’s mission? Why or why not?

6.     What does it mean for you to be apart of Abraham’s mission? Explain.