Studying through Galations I came this morning to Chapter 2, where Paul says, "For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor." (ESV) I had to stop and think about what Paul was saying in this verse.
Knowing that Scripture interprets Scripture I used the study notes in my Study Bible to look through several New Testament verses where the phrase "tore down" is mentioned In the New Testament it is the Greek word for tearing down edifices. Some of these scriptures are Matt. 24:2, Mark 13:2, Luke 21:6, and Rom. 14:20. In the three Gospels Jesus prophysied the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in A.D. 70 under the Roman General, Titus. In the Romans passage Paul talks about not tearing down another person by doing something against that persons conscience and causing him to sin.
But, according to the Commentator, the most likely verses that interprets this particular verse in Galations is found in Ephesians 2:13-15. "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances..."
The 'dividing wall of hostility', which Paul had torn down in his preaching of the Gospel, is what the Galatians were trying to rebuild! They were trying to rebuild the 'wall of hostility' caused by the curse of the Law by saying that the Gentiles had to be circumcised to be saved. Yet the Ephesians passage clearly shows that Jew and Gentile meet at the foot of the Cross on level ground with no walls between them because of the blood of peace Jesus shed for both, not by the Law that brought the wall of separation. And that wall the Gospel had torn down Paul was certainly not going to rebuild.
In our daily lives we too must remember that we must not 'rebuild the wall' by trying to 'work for our salvation' that was won for us by Christ on Calvary. Let us 'die to works' and live in, through and to Christ who deserves all our praise and glory.
