9/12/19
Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, [J.P. Migne, Editor]. Patrologiae Tomus XXVI. Paris: D’Ambroise, Pres La Barriere D’Enfer, ou Petit-Montrouge, 1845. pp. 307-438.
After quoting Galatians 1:6, Jerome reviews several biblical passages using the word “transferre,” showing that the positive action is a turning toward God, but that the Galatians turned away from the Gospel of Christ (Jerome, Galatians, 317). On the contrary, the one turned by God can no longer be attacked by his enemies. However, the Galatians have been turned “into slavery of the works of laws” (Jerome, Galatians, 318, personal translation). What is more, Paul is amazed that they turned easily and quickly toward something that will cause them pain rather than freedom. Again, Jerome notes with Paul that this false teaching is not actually a gospel at all (v. 7).
Jerome asks if the logical outcome of the Galatians’ departure from the truth would be to follow Marcion and the other heretics who set up Christ as a separate god (Jerome, Galatians, 319). He then affirms that the false teachers may try to overturn the Gospel but that in fact they are not able, since the nature of Christ is true.
What cure is there for the Galatians? Verse 8 emphasizes that no apostle, not even an angel, who speaks against the Gospel, deserves attention (Jerome, Galatians, 319). Jerome notes that Romans 8:38 and 9:1 speak to the solidity of God’s revelation in Christ. At issue to Jerome is the suggestion, made by the Galatians’ departure from the truth, that God’s truth could actually be changed (Jerome, Galatians, 320). The idea of verse 8 is so very important that it is repeated in verse 9.
In verse 10, Paul asks whether he is trying to pelase God or please humans. Jerome cites other passages in which Paul also affirms that pleasing God is more important than pleasing man (Jerome, Galatians, 321). This, says Jerome, was not a lifelong pattern for Paul, who had formerly lived so as to please the Jews, before his conversion to Christ. He no longer lived this way, as he now desired to serve God. This is well documented by numerous passages, especially in Acts.