Today we continue our closer look at the “works of the law” or “observance of the law” from Galatians 2:16. This is important because ever since the Reformation it has been widely proposed that Paul was refuting a Jewish belief that a person was “saved” by earning their salvation through good works, and that those good works are what Paul meant by “works of the law.” Nowadays, we extend that same formula to condemn any attempts to “be good” or do good things as a form of “legalism.”

The problem – as any informed Jew will tell you – is that the Jews never taught a form of works-based righteousness. In other words, they were never trying to “earn their way into heaven” (and I would argue hardly anyone today, Jew or otherwise, is trying to do so either).

• Read Psalm 143, paying special attention to verse 2.
• Read Galatians 2:11-21, paying special attention to verse 16.
• Read Romans 3:9-20, paying special attention to verse 20.

Paul is quoting a variety of OT sources (he quotes Psalm 143:2 in both Gal 2:16 and Rom 3:20) that echo the Jewish understanding that none were righteous in God’s eyes.

So, if Paul isn’t coming against an early form of earning salvation by good works, what might he be speaking against? This is not an easy question to answer, but look for clues in Galatians chapters 1-2. As yourself, what is the issue at hand? Is it doing good deeds or something else?