Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is
not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even
we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of
Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified.
"In 1921, Ernest De Witt Burton stated that in Gal. 2:16, "nomou is
here evidently used ... in its legalistic sense, denoting divine law viewed as
a purely legalistic system made up of statutes, on the basis of obedience or
disobedience to which men are approved or condemned as a matter of debt without
grace. This is divine law as the legalist defined it." [1] The Greek of
Paul's day lacked any term corresponding to the distinct position of
"legalism", "legalist", or "legalistic", leading
C.E.B. Cranfield to commend "the possibility that Pauline statements which
at first sight seem to disparage the law, were really directed not against the
law itself but against that misunderstanding and misuse of it for which we now
have a convenient terminology" (legalism). [2] Messianic Jewish Bible
translator David H. Stern cited these two scholars to support the translation
framework that often "'nomos' means 'legalism' and not God's Torah",
especially in Paul's constructs erga nomou (literally "works of law",
rendered by Stern "legalistic observance of Torah commands") and upo
nomon (literally "under law", rendered by Stern by 13 words, "in
subjection to the system which results from perverting the Torah into
legalism"). [3]" (http://wapedia.mobi/en/Works_righteousness)
References
1. Burton, Ernest De Witt, The International Critical Commentary,
Galatians, 1921, p. 120.
2. Cranfield, C.E.B., The International Critical Commentary, Romans, 1979, p.
853.
3. Stern, David H., Jewish New Testament Commentary, 1992, pp. 535-8, 552-3, on
Gal. 2:16b, 3:23b.
- - -
"... Paul produces a sort of radical... midrash - but
midrash, nevertheless - in support of his new understandings of Judaism. The
very fact, however, that he supports his view with midrash indicates his
conviction that he stands in continuity with the Torah and not against
it." (More: Daniel Boyarin. A Radical Jew: Paul and the
Politics of Identity(http://www.escholar
Gal 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
Shaul said so because of Hashem put Torah (the law, teaching) in our hears by Ruach ha-Kodesh:
Jer 31:33 But this [shall be] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law (TORAH) in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matt 5:17-19)
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
"... ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of (will seize) him that is a Jew..."
Zech 8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days [it shall come to pass], that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of (will seize) him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard [that] God [is] with you.
The Christian commentaries
"take hold of the skirt - a gesture of suppliant entreaty as to a superior. Compare Isaiah_3:6; Isaiah_4:1, on a different occasion. The Gentiles shall eagerly seek to share the religious privileges of the Jew. The skirt with a fringe and blue ribbon upon it (Num_15:38; Deut_22:12) was a distinguishing badge of a Jew." (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary)
"Zech 8:23 - Ten men - That is, many men. All languages - No nation is any longer excluded. A Jew - To whom the gospel was first preached. We have heard - And now see, and are assured. That God - The true God, the only true God, whom to know is life eternal." (Wesley)
Tzitzit on the skirts symbolizes the mitzvot (the commandments) of Hashem. How can we understand this verse of Zechariah? The community with Israel, to know all Bible (Torah, all TaNaCh and Brit Hadasha), to fulfill the mitzvot of Hashem.
The Jewish commentaries
"ten men: from the seventy nations. This equals seven hundred for each corner. For the four corners of the tallith there will be two thousand and eight hundred." (Rashi) (http://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/16212/showrashi/true)