Ambrosiaster Q&A on Galatians

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(Galatians 2:11, 14)

2^ND CATEGORY NT

QUESTION 55. WHY DOES THE APOSTLE ST. PAUL TAKE UP PETER HIS COLLEAGUE IN THE APOSTOLATE THAT, OUT OF FEAR OF THE CIRCUMCISED JEWS, HE WAS SEPARATING FROM THE GENTILES, WHILE HE HIMSELF, OUT OF FEAR ALSO OF THOSE WHO WERE CIRCUMCISED, THOUGHT HE OUGHT TO CIRCUMCISE TIMOTHY, AGAINST THE DEFENSE HE HIMSELF MADE TO RECEIVE. CIRCUMCISION? HE IS THEREFORE REPREHENSIBLE. (ACTS 16:3) — It is quite incredible that such a great apostle has taken in another a fault to which he would have succumbed himself. It is not allowed to believe that such a great man has fallen into a contradiction which is proper only to those who live according to the flesh. The action of the Apostle St. Paul is therefore nothing reprehensible. He taught, it is true, that one should not be circumcised, but as he wanted to take with him Timothy who was born of a Jewish mother and a kind father, and that the Jews were scandalized that he would add a man born of a Jewish mother without being circumcised, he submitted for the moment to this observance and circumcised Timothy. So he did something useless with the consent of that he who was the object. As his mother was Jewish, and from his childhood he had applied himself in the synagogue to the study of the holy letters, that is to say the books of the Hebrews, he consented to be circumcised to remove any occasion of scandal to the Jews who were zealous for all that was due to the privileges of their race. "As for Titus, who was kind, he was not obliged, he said, to be circumcised. But for Timothy, who was born of a Jewish mother, as I have said, the Jews would not suffer that he should rank among the doctors without being circumcised. The Apostle had taken him with him to give him episcopal consecration, which he did indeed. His profound knowledge of prophecies gave him the means to preach Jesus Christ fruitfully. Now the Apostle St. Peter would not have been taken back, if according to the custom of the Jews he had simply separated from the Gentiles not to scandalize the Jews. Now, what the Apostle St. Paul assumes in him, is that in the presence of the Gentiles converted to the faith he ate with them and like them, whereas after the arrival of the Jews whom St. James had sent he feared the circumcised, and taught that Gentiles converted to the faith should Judaize. This is St. Paul's reproach: "If you are Jewish, live like the Gentiles; why are you compelling the Gentiles to Judaize?" This led to the questioning of the Gospel doctrine, which was an evil, since it erected with one hand and destroyed the other. The apostle Saint Paul calls a dissimulation, and if he thought it his duty to circumcise Timothy, he made known that he submitted to a useless observance not to scandalize the Jews, and that he yielded to them because Timothy had a Jewish mother, because it was the only motive of the Jewish authorities, for they could in no way condemn that Gentiles do not circumcise or be scandalized by this abstaining on the part of those which was not of the race of Israel, but not by dissimulation, but by yielding to force, that St. Paul acted in this circumstance. On the contrary, Peter's conduct was an act of concealment in the first place, because a large number surrendered guilty of this suppression, and several Jews, and Barnabas himself allowed themselves to be carried away.

1^ST CATEGORY NT

2^ND CATEGORY NT

(Galatians 2:15)

QUESTION 81. THE APOSTLE, SAYS, "WE ARE THE JEWS OF OUR BIRTH," WANTS TO SHOW THAT THE JEWS DERIVE THEIR BIRTH FROM THE JEWS, AND I DO NOT SPEAK HERE OF THE PROSELYTES WHO BECOME JEWS. SO THOSE BORN IN THE DESERT WERE NOT CIRCUMCISED, YET THEY WERE JEWS. IT IS NOT CIRCUMCISION THAT MAKES THE JEW, BUT THE BIRTH OF PARENTS FAITHFUL TO THE RELIGION OF A CREATOR GOD. IF, THEN, JEWS ARE BORN OF THE JEWS, WHY ARE NOT CHRISTIANS ALSO BORN OF CHRISTIANS, JUST AS PAGANS ARE BORN PAGANS? — All that is born is not of the same nature as that which gives birth to it. Thus gold is born from the earth without being earth itself, so is the food that comes from the wood, the little bird that is born from the egg. Now, if Gentiles are born of the Gentiles, here is the reason: every pagan is in ignorance, and he who is born having no true idea, both are ignorant. There is, however, this difference between them, that the one who gives birth is undoubtedly a blasphemer, and thereby even a child of the devil; while the child who has just been born can neither blaspheme nor bless, yet he is pagan because he has no understanding of the truth. The Jew is born of a Jew because he owes the day to his parents who are faithful to the worship of the Creator God. This is what Adam said at the birth of Cain: "I have begotten a man by the grace of God.” (Gen. 4:1) Just as pagans without religion for the Creator give thanks to the devil in all the events of their lives, so the Jews who worship the Creator God praise Him in all their deeds, they are blameworthy only not to recognize Christ by whom all things exist. (Jn. 1:3) The Jew is born of Jewish parents in this way. It is not, as some think, that circumcision is the Jew. Circumcision is the sign of Judaism and not Judaism, just as the circumcision of Abraham was not justice for him, but the sign of righteousness, so that those who were born of Abraham would bear the characteristic sign as children of Abraham. It is from Judas Maccabee that the Jews derive their name, and not only the inhabitants of the tribe of Judah, but all the other children of Jacob are called Jews (Judæi) because Judas was their leader; and that is why the Jews receive at their birth a sign which makes them recognize. For the Christian, on the contrary, he is not born of a Christian, because whoever gives him birth is not born, but has become a Christian. He who is born of him must also become if he wants to be; for he is not born Christian by virtue of his nature, he becomes so by the faith which is given him after his birth. Ignorance is the companion of carnal birth, the spiritual gift of faith is given only afterwards. But this is what is objected to: If the one who begets has become a Christian, he must transmit through the generation what he is to perpetuate the dignity with which he is clothed. That is how senators give birth to senators. I answer that the dignity of senator is without merit in the eyes of God. It is not to nature, that is, to the substance of man, that this dignity is attached, it is entirely in the fame and appreciation of men. This appreciation is transmitted by the generation, but the dignity it gives exists only in public opinion, so that the consuls, or those to whom statues are raised, put their joy in vanity. But when one becomes a Christian, nature itself is clothed with this dignity, the essence of man enters into the participation of the eternal benefit of incompatibility; it is not here a mere presumption, it is an actual reality in the eyes of God. The first are like an eloquent but poor man, who is lauded with praise and lacks bread or other things necessary for life. The dignity really worthy of praise is that which shelters from all need the one who is clothed with it, who is independent by nature and needs no help, no support; such is true wealth and true glory.

(Galatians 2:15)

QUESTION 56. THE APOSTLE SAYS, "WE ARE JEWS BY OUR BIRTH.” ACCORDING TO HIM, JEWS ARE BORN OF JEWS? BUT THOSE BORN IN THE DESERT WERE NOT CIRCUMCISED JEWS. IT IS NOT CIRCUMCISION THAT MAKES THE JEW, BUT THE BIRTH THAT TAKES PLACE UNDER THE RELIGION OF A CREATOR GOD. IF, THEREFORE, JEWS ARE BORN OF JEWS, AND PAGANS OF PAGANS, CHRISTIANS MUST ALSO BE BORN CHRISTIANS. — All that is born is not of the same nature as that which gives birth to it. So gold, etc. There is, however, the pagan who is without intelligence, and who has no merit either by himself or by another. Now the Jew is born of a Jew, and so on. But this is what is objected to: If the one who begets has become what he is, he must engender a being like himself, in order to ensure the transmission of the dignity with which he is clothed, as he has done for the Jews; for Abraham, idolatrous as he was, became a servant of the true God, and it is from him that the Jews have their origin, just as those who become senators in turn create senators. But the dignity of the senators has no merit in the eyes of God, this dignity is attached neither to nature nor to substance, it consists entirely in the fame and appreciation of men, and this appreciation is transmitted. by the generation, but the dignity it gives exists only in opinion. We said why Jews are born Jews. As for the Christian, his nature, his substance, his whole being, participate in the dignity he receives, it is not only a mere presumption, it is an actual reality before God. Let us add that by the remission of sins man is completely purified and becomes the adopted son of God. It is therefore necessary that all who are born be subject to this second birth, because the mercy of God gives each one grace. One cannot receive for others the remission of sins. The soul that is born in the body or with the body, subject to the death of which Adam was the cause, cannot avoid the torment of hell if it bears the sign of the victory it has won over death. Everyone receives this benefit for himself, and not for him who does not yet exist. If the one who becomes a Christian immediately came into possession of immortality, the child born of him would be like the one who gives him birth. Those who become Christians, receive the sign that frees them from the second death, yet they cannot escape the present death, following the sin of Adam. Now, children are baptized, innocent as they are, so that their soul without experience who is born with the body bears the sign of his victory over death, who loses his rights over it. Abraham and the prophets have no sign, because the time has not yet arrived; it was reserved for the Son of God who came to triumph over death to spread this grace in the souls of believers. This is why Our Lord said to the Jews: "Abraham, your father, desired to see my day, he saw it, and rejoiced in it.” Abraham knew, indeed, that Christ had been promised him as the liberator of the human race; and as it was absolutely necessary that those who were in limbo waited for his arrival, Abraham shuddered with joy when he saw in the spirit the birth of Christ, in the certainty that he would soon come out of this place of waiting to enter heaven. How, then, could Christians be born of Christians, since faith and baptism are two necessary conditions for being a Christian?

(Galatians 2:16)

2^ND CATEGORY OT & NT

QUESTION 5. IF NO ONE IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW BEFORE GOD, WHY IS IT WRITTEN: CURSED HE WHO WILL NOT REMAIN FAITHFUL TO ALL THE PRESCRIPTIONS OF THE LAW, TO PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE? (DEUT. 27:26) IF MEN ARE JUSTIFIED BY FAITH AND NOT BY LAW, WHY THIS CURSE ON HIM WHO HAS NOT FULFILLED THE LAW, SINCE IT IS USELESS FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS? — The law given by Moses produced justice, it is true, but a worldly justice, a temporary justice for those who observed it, and who discharged them simply of guilt, for the just according to the law is the one that does not do wrong to no one. Which makes the Apostle say: "The law is not according to faith, but he who observes these precepts will find life there" (Gal. 3:12), that is to say, he who fulfills the law will not die, he will live by the present life. Justice, on the contrary, which comes from faith, justifies men before God and makes them worthy of the rewards of the future time. For it is right, indeed, to know who and by whom we are, so that the true confession of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit may lead us to the kingdom of heaven. The elders themselves who, in observance of the precepts of the law, have joined the love of God with the hope of promises, have been justified before God. It is the law alone which according to the doctrine of the Apostle cannot make men just before God, just as faith alone to the exclusion of works is not sufficient to render them pleasing to God; to render men perfect, the justice of the earth must be joined to divine justice. This is what the Savior teaches us when He says, "If your righteousness is no more abundant than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:20)

(Galatians 3:20)

2^ND CATEGORY NT

QUESTION 57. WHY WAS IT NECESSARY FOR THE APOSTLE, IN THE REPROACHES HE ADDRESSES TO THE GALATIANS, TO INSERT THE REFLECTION THAT FOLLOWS? THE GALATIANS, AFTER HAVING EMBRACED THE GOSPEL, HAVING RETURNED AGAIN TO THE OBSERVANCES OF THE LAW, THE APOSTLE SAYS TO THEM, "A MEDIATOR IS NOT JUST FOR ONE PERSON ALONE, BUT GOD IS ONE," AS IF THE GALATIANS DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF A SINGLE GOD, THEY HAD INDEED BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO THE LAW IN THE NAME OF THIS DOCTRINE WHICH MADE THEM BELIEVE IN THE EXISTENCE OF ONE AND ONLY GOD, AND LOOK UPON CHRIST AS A PREDESTINATED MINISTER OF GOD TO DISTRIBUTE TO MEN THE GIFT OF GOD'S GRACE. — It is certain that the Galatians, by letting themselves be dragged back into the observance of the law, professed to believe in Jesus Christ, but their faith was not worthy of him; it was the faith of Photin; since the law, he said, teaches the existence of one God, it is contrary to the law to say that Jesus Christ is God. It was the invention of the Jews, who, overcome by the brilliance of the miracles they witnessed, believed in Jesus Christ after his death, that is to say, while professing to believe in Jesus Christ, they still wanted to keep the law, as if one did not place all his hope in Jesus Christ. It is these Christians whom the Apostle calls false brothers. (Gal. 2:4, 2 Cor. 11:26) Thus, after the teaching given by the apostles, they had corrupted the spirit of the Galatians and wanted to make them Jews under the name of the Savior. This is why the Apostle says that Christ came to be the mediator of circumcision and uncircumcision: "To form in himself one new man and to bring peace between the two peoples," he writes to the Ephesians. (Eph. 2:15) If therefore Jesus came as a mediator, and the office of the mediator is to bring peace between the two parties, and to draw a new rule by stripping them both of their way of seeing, Our Lord reconciles them so that they attach themselves exclusively to his feeling and thus renounce all the causes of their old discords. On one side the Jew supports circumcision, on the other the good man claims that one should not be circumcised, and opposition reigns between them. Take away this principle of discord, and peace is reborn immediately. Now, if it be so, says St. Paul, why do you, Galatians who make you Jews, want to destroy the office of mediator of Jesus Christ? This is why he says to them, "You are strangers to Jesus Christ.” They despise the principle of reconciliation which he had established between the two peoples, and they return to the old ideas of the Jews, condemning themselves by the same as well as the one who reconciled them, for all that displeases is by the same accused and sentenced. And as the reason that brought back the Galatians to the observance of the law, was that they believed in one God, but without any mystery, and that they regarded as contrary to the law of recognizing the divinity of Christ. The Apostle says to them, "A mediator is not one, but two. For you, on the contrary, who return to the law, you refuse the mediator; however, God is one.” The Apostle, in thus establishing the divinity of Jesus Christ, does not wish to make a God other than the one who exists, nor to teach that there are two Gods; God is one, he tells them, as it is written in the law. When we teach, in effect, that Jesus Christ is God from God, we do not claim to authorize belief in another God, for what is of God does not suffer to be called another God. Whether we consider God or what is God, it is always one God. There is no difference between God and what is of God. It is another himself; it is another because of the distinct person who is called the Son; it is the same because of the unity of substance. Let it not be wrong that I here employ the name of a person whom some believe must reject; Let us follow the example of the Apostle who says to the Corinthians, “If I gave anything, I gave it because of you, in the person of Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 2:10)

1^ST CATEGORY NT

2^ND CATEGORY NT

(Galatians 4:3)

QUESTION 82. NO DOUBT THE PAGANS WERE SUBJECT TO THE ELEMENTS OF THE WORLD. WHY THEN DOES THE APOSTLE SAY, "WE OURSELVES WERE ENSLAVED UNDER THE ELEMENTS OF THIS WORLD.” IF THE JEWS WERE THEMSELVES ENSLAVED TO THE ELEMENTS, HOW WERE THE PAGANS DIFFERENT? — It is certain that adding, deleting or changing a single syllable is enough to distort the meaning of a proposition. But everyone knows that the Gentiles worshiped the elements. The Jews, on the other hand, rendered no worship to the elements, but they served God with the help of the elements, that is to say, elementary institutions, such as the new moons, the Sabbath, circumcision and other similar prescriptions which are primitive and carnal, because all that is visible is carnal and comes from the elements. But as these prescriptions were of divine institution, they were part of the worship that was rendered to God; these visible things had the effect of raising minds to invisible things, and the fidelity to these prescriptions made them capable of understanding greater truths and worthy of spiritual promises. In this respect, therefore, which I have indicated, the Jews were subjugated under the elements; but on the other hand they had a spiritual law that defended sin and exhorted the love of the Lord God, who according to the promise made to them, was to come for the remission of sins.

(Galatians 4:3)

QUESTION 59. NO DOUBT THE PAGANS WERE ENSLAVED TO THE ELEMENTS OF THIS WORLD. WHAT, THEN, ARE THESE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE: "WE WERE OURSELVES UNDER THE ELEMENTS OF THIS WORLD.” IF THE JEWS WERE THEMSELVES UNDER THE ELEMENTS, HOW WERE THE PAGANS DIFFERENT? — The pagans are not only subjugated under the elements, but enslaved to the elements themselves, for they adore in the firmament the stars, the sun, the moon, the luminaries; in the lower world, the earth, the water; in the sea, Neptune; in the underworld, Pluto; in a word, everything is God for them in creation, with the exception of the Creator. The Jews were also under the elements; but yet they served God who was the author of these institutions. They observed new moons, sabbaths, sacrifices of animals. At the beginning of the seventh month they sounded the trumpet, and on the fifteenth day of that month they took the fruits of the most beautiful tree, the branches of the palm trees, the branches of the most tender trees, the branches of the willows, and they lived seven days under tents formed of these branches of the tree. (Lev. 23:40) In observing these prescriptions, the Jews were under the elements in a true sense, because they have for their object the elements. Christians, on the contrary, by serving God, not under the elements, but rising above the elements, and hastening to arrive at the heavenly Jerusalem worship God in spirit, not with the help of external things and visible, but by an inner worship, and rendering homage invisible to the invisible God, following the Lord's recommendation in his Gospel: "The hour is coming when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” (Jn. 4:23) So the truth is to serve God in spirit, and worship him where the spirit has more share than the body, because God is spirit. In one respect the Jews were thus subjugated under the elements, as I have recalled; but, on the other hand, the end of their law was wholly spiritual; it forbade them to sin, commanded them to love God with all their heart and to put their hope in Jesus Christ. Now, while the apostles preached to them all these spiritual duties, the Jews defended the elementary and carnal institutions. St. Paul recalls this memory to confound the Jews who remained enslaved to visible observances, and despised the spiritual part of the law. The Apostle therefore wants to show them the weakness and powerlessness of these practices compared to the law of faith, and he does so by intervening personally in the debate, he who was once a zealous zealot of these observances. But as soon as he had known Jesus Christ, he would have nothing but contempt for these practices, for the grace of God given to us by Jesus Christ differs immensely from the law of works.

(Galatians 4:12)

2^ND CATEGORY NT

QUESTION 60. THE APOSTLE TELLS THE GALATIANS THAT HE REPROVES AND CONDEMNS IN ALL THIS EPISTLE: "BE LIKE ME, SINCE I AM LIKE YOU.” IF HE SHOWED HIMSELF AS THEY WERE, IT WAS USELESS TO SAY TO THEM: BE LIKE ME. PERHAPS HE HAD IMITATED THEM IN SOMETHING, AND THAT HE WANTED THEM TO BE SIMILAR IN OTHER RESPECTS? — What could the Apostle imitate in them, or what could he fail the doctor of the nations? He therefore exhorts the Galatians to be his imitators, and he refutes the impossibility that they could object by saying to them: I am what you are, for you are men as I am; do what I do. These words may be related to what he said was done to everyone by sharing their ideas when they were true to the truth, especially those of the Gentiles. (1 Cor. 9:22) There were among the Jews institutions that should no longer be observed, but whose observance was once legitimate, such as circumcision, Sabbath observance, new moons, the distinction of food. But he shows that the truths which he thought he ought to approve among the Gentiles never cease to be obligatory. So they think that the world is the work of God and of men, it is the one thing that always remains. If, therefore, he associates himself here with their feelings, he urges them to become equally like him, that is, to believe what he believes himself.

(Galatians 5:17)

2^ND CATEGORY NT

QUESTION 61. HOW DO WE HAVE THE USE OF OUR FREE WILL AND OF OUR CHOICE, SINCE THE APOSTLE SAYS: "THE FLESH HAS DESIRES CONTRARY TO THOSE OF THE SPIRIT, AND THE SPIRIT IS CONTRARY TO THOSE OF THE FLESH, AND THEY ARE OPPOSED TO ONE ANOTHER, SO THAT YOU DO NOT DO ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE?" IF THE FLESH HAS DESIRES CONTRARY TO THOSE OF THE SPIRIT, THEN IT IS BAD, BECAUSE THE SPIRIT ONLY SUGGEST GOOD THINGS. — Here it is meant by the flesh not the very substance of the flesh, but the evil deeds and wickedness that are signified by the flesh. As every error has its source in external and visible things, and the flesh is in contact with them, since it is a compound of the elements of this world, the Apostle gives the name of flesh to all error. It is not only adultery, fornication, impurity that he places among the works of the flesh, but idolatry, malice, blasphemy, and other similar crimes. Does the flesh call for blasphemy or idolatry? Is it not the vices of the soul that consents to error? Yet he is right in saying to those who do good: You are no longer in the flesh, but in the spirit. And yet they are still in the body. He, therefore, who walks in the path of virtue and who does not reject the hope of the faithful, though he lives still in the flesh, is no longer in the flesh. He, on the contrary, who does evil and opens his lips to blasphemy; the Apostle says that he is in the flesh and that he is flesh; for just as good men are spiritual, yet united with the flesh, those who engage in evil are carnal despite their union with the soul. Here is the explanation of the words of the Apostle. This error, which he calls the flesh, covets against the spirit, that is to say it suggests guilty desires against that same spirit which is the law of God. Indeed, he wants to clearly point to two laws here: the law of God and the law of the devil. He uses the name of spirit, because the law of God is spiritual to fight against the flesh, that is to say against the vices to keep man to God. On the contrary, the law of the devil, which is the error, is in struggle against the spirit by the seductions of sensuality and the false sweets of the world. In the midst of these two opposite laws is man; does he wish to consent to the inspirations of the spirit, the flesh does not want it; he lends a helping hand to the flesh, he despises the spirit, that is to say the law of God. Is he about to surrender to the solicitations of the flesh, the spirit holds him back so that he does not do what he wants; does he wish to follow the inspirations of the spirit, the flesh urges him not to do what he thinks is useful; but the spirit opposes to the flesh a just and wise resistance, and seeks to snatch the man from the counsels of Satan. But the flesh, that is to say, the opposite law, uses its solicitations, resists the spirit of the law only to deceive by its ploys. The Apostle, in establishing the reign of these two laws, has for design to show to free will which side he should incline his will. He does not want to destroy free will, but to teach him the choice he has to make. If man had not the free use of his will, neither the law of the devil, which is the flesh, nor the law of God, which is the spirit, would be in conflict with one another, in soliciting the man to follow their inspirations, because to solicit is to persuade. But he who persuades does not do violence, he tries to dodge himself, and he who gives in to his suggestions sees his will changing under the influence of these deceptive counsels. Now, if free will did not exist, the man would be driven in spite of himself to do what he does not want.

(Galatians 6:1)

2^ND CATEGORY OT & NT

QUESTION 10. WHY DOES SAINT PAUL SAY TO THE GALATIANS: I AM ASTONISHED THAT YOU WOULD SOON LEAVE THE ONE WHO CALLED YOU TO THE GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST TO PASS TO ANOTHER GOSPEL, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO OTHER GOSPEL? IF IT IS ANOTHER, IT IS NOT THE SAME; IF HE IS NOT THE SAME, HOW IS HE NOT ANOTHER? — The Apostle calls another Gospel the one that was preached to the Galatians, because it was different from the one they later began to follow. They had let themselves be diverted from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and into Judaism under the very name of Jesus Christ as if it were absolutely necessary to embrace it, and they taught principles quite different from the doctrine of the Apostle. That is why he adds: “As they seek to persuade you." Indeed, the false apostles, to more easily deceive the Gentiles who embraced the faith, presented to them as the doctrine of the Savior their own inventions, as we see in the Acts of the Apostles: "If you are circumcised according to the law of Moses, you cannot be saved." (Acts 15:1) Also a great pain takes hold of the soul of the Apostle at the sight of the perversion of the Galatians and he says to them, "I am astonished that you should leave the person who called you to the grace of Jesus Christ to move on to another gospel, even though there was none else." He is astonished, therefore, that, having borne a light burden, and much less heavy, they were willing to undertake hard and painful obligations, that is to say, instead of the simple doctrine of the faith, they endeavored to be circumcised, to observe the new moons, the Sabbath, by once again subjecting himself to the elements, and so as not to appear to furnish to the false apostles the pretext of saying that the doctrine which the Apostles received was not in accordance with the tradition of truth, he immediately adds: "Not that he disturbs him among you, and who wishes to change the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The Gospel to which the Apostle had called them was therefore different from that which they had begun to follow under the influence of the false apostles. However, there was no other gospel than that which Jesus Christ had taught, and that alone was enough to convince them that they had been misled and bring them back to the only doctrine of faith, confessing that Jesus Christ God is the only principle of salvation, and it is through him and not by law that they have received the remission of their sins that the grace of God forgives under the law.

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