
Text -- Galatians 2:21 (NET)




Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics



collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)
Robertson: Gal 2:21 - -- I do not make void the grace of God ( ouk athetō tēn charin tou theou ).
Common word in lxx and Polybius and on, to make ineffective (a privati...
I do not make void the grace of God (
Common word in lxx and Polybius and on, to make ineffective (

Robertson: Gal 2:21 - -- Then Christ died for nought ( ara Christos dōrean apethanen ).
Condition of first class, assumed as true. If one man apart from grace can win his o...
Then Christ died for nought (
Condition of first class, assumed as true. If one man apart from grace can win his own righteousness, any man can and should. Hence (
Vincent: Gal 2:21 - -- Frustrate ( ἀθετῶ )
Annul or invalidate. Comp. Mar 7:9; 1Co 1:19; Gal 3:15.

Vincent: Gal 2:21 - -- The grace of God ( τὴν χάριν τοῦ θεοῦ )
Χάρις is, primarily, that which gives joy (χαρά ). Its higher, Chr...
The grace of God (

Vincent: Gal 2:21 - -- Is dead ( ἀπέθανεν )
More correctly, died ; pointing to the historical incident.
Is dead (
More correctly, died ; pointing to the historical incident.

Vincent: Gal 2:21 - -- In vain ( δωρεὰν )
Groundlessly, without cause. See on 2Th 3:8. The sense here is not common. It is not found in Class., and in N.T. only...
In vain (
Groundlessly, without cause. See on 2Th 3:8. The sense here is not common. It is not found in Class., and in N.T. only Joh 15:25. In lxx, see Psalm 34:7, 19; 108:3; 118:161; 1 Samuel 19:5; Sir. 20:23; 29:6. Comp. Ignatius, Trall . v. Paul says: " I do not invalidate the grace of God in the offering of Christ, as one does who seeks to reestablish the law as a means of justification; for if righteousness comes through the law, there was no occasion for Christ to die."
Additional Note on Gal 2:14-21.
The course of thought in Paul's address to Peter is difficult to follow. It will help to simplify it if the reader will keep it before him that the whole passage is to be interpreted in the light of Peter's false attitude - as a remonstrance against a particular state of things.
The line of remonstrance is as follows. If you, Peter, being a Jew, do not live as a Jew, but as a Gentile, as you did when you ate with Gentiles, why do you, by your example in withdrawing from Gentile tables, constrain Gentile Christians to live as Jews, observing the separative ordinances of the Jewish law? This course is plainly inconsistent.
Even you and I, born Jews, and not Gentiles - sinners - denied the obligation of these ordinances by the act of believing on Jesus Christ. In professing this faith we committed ourselves to the principle that no one can be justified by the works of the law.
But it may be said that we were in no better case by thus abandoning the law and legal righteousness, since, in the very effort to be justified through Christ, we were shown to be sinners, and therefore in the same category with the Gentiles. Does it not then follow that Christ is proved to be a minister of sin in requiring us to abandon the law as a means of justification?
No. God forbid. It is true that, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we stood revealed as sinners, for it was Christ who showed us that we could not be justified by the works of the law; that all our legal strictness only left us sinners. But the inference is false that Christ is thereby shown to be a minister of sin.
For to say that Christ is a minister of sin, is to say that I, at his bidding, became a transgressor by abandoning the law, that the law is the only true standard and medium of righteousness. If I reassert the obligation of the law after denying that obligation, I thereby assert that I transgressed in abandoning it, and that Christ, who prompted and demanded this transgression, is a minister of sin.
But this I deny. The law is not the true standard and medium of righteousness. I did not transgress in abandoning it. Christ is not a minister of sin. For it was the law itself which compelled me to abandon the law. The law crucified Christ and thereby declared him accursed. In virtue of my moral fellowship with Christ, I was (ethically) crucified with him. The act of the law forced me to break with the law. Through the law I died to the law. Thus I came under a new principle of life. I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. If I should declare that righteousness is through the law, by reasserting the obligation of the law as you, Peter, have done, I should annul the grace of God as exhibited in the death of Christ: for in that case, Christ's death would be superfluous and useless. But I do not annul the grace of God.
In seeking to be justified by my own works.

Wesley: Gal 2:21 - -- The free love of God in Christ Jesus. But they do, who seek justification by the law.
The free love of God in Christ Jesus. But they do, who seek justification by the law.

If men might be justified by their obedience to the law, moral or ceremonial.

Wesley: Gal 2:21 - -- Without any necessity for it, since men might have been saved without his death; might by their own obedience have been both discharged from condemnat...
Without any necessity for it, since men might have been saved without his death; might by their own obedience have been both discharged from condemnation, and entitled to eternal life.
I do not make it void, as thou, Peter, art doing by Judaizing.

Justifying the strong expression "frustrate," or "make void."

JFB: Gal 2:21 - -- Greek, "Christ died needlessly," or "without just cause." Christ's having died, shows that the law has no power to justify us; for if the law can just...
Greek, "Christ died needlessly," or "without just cause." Christ's having died, shows that the law has no power to justify us; for if the law can justify or make us righteous, the death of Christ is superfluous [CHRYSOSTOM].
Clarke: Gal 2:21 - -- I do not frustrate - Ουκ αθετω· I do not contemn, despise, or render useless, the grace of God - the doctrine of Christ crucified; which ...
I do not frustrate -

Clarke: Gal 2:21 - -- For if righteousness - If justification and salvation come by an observance of the law, then Christ is dead in vain; his death is useless if an obse...
For if righteousness - If justification and salvation come by an observance of the law, then Christ is dead in vain; his death is useless if an observance of the law can save us; but no observance of the law can save us, and therefore there was an absolute necessity for the death of Christ
1. The account of the prevarication of Peter in the preceding chapter teaches us a most useful lesson. Let him who assuredly standeth take heed lest he fall. No person in a state of probation is infallible; a man may fall into sin every moment; and he will, if he do not walk with God. Worldly prudence and fleshly wisdom would have concealed this account of the prevarication of Peter; but God tells truth. This the fountain of it; and from him we are to expect not only nothing but the truth, but also the whole truth. If the Gospel were not of God we had never heard of the denial and prevarication of Peter, nor of the contention between Paul and Barnabas. And these accounts are recorded, not that men may justify or excuse their own delinquencies by them, but that they may avoid them; for he must be inexcusable who, with these histories before his eyes, ever denies his Master, or acts the part of a hypocrite. Had the apostles acted in concert to impose a forgery on the world as a Divine revelation, the imposture would have now come out. The falling out of the parties would have led to a discovery of the cheat. This relation, therefore, is an additional evidence of the truth of the Gospel
2. On, I through the law am dead to the law, etc., pious Quesnel makes the following useful reflections
"The ceremonial law, which is no more than a type and shadow of him, destroys itself by showing us Jesus Christ, who is the truth and the substance. The moral law, by leaving us under our own inability under sin and the curse, makes us perceive the necessity of the law of the heart, and of a Savior to give it. The law is for the old man, as to its terrible and servile part; and it was crucified and died with Christ upon the cross as well as the old man. The new man, and the new law, require a new sacrifice. What need has he of other sacrifices who has Jesus Christ? They in whom this sacrifice lives, do themselves live to God alone; but none can live to him except by faith; and this life of faith consists in dying with Christ to the things of the present world, and in expecting, as co-heirs with him, the blessings of the eternal world. And who can work all this in us but only he who lives in us? That man has arrived to a high degree of mortification, who can say Christ liveth in me, and I am crucified to the world. Such a one must have renounced not only earthly things, but his own self also.
3. Is there, or can there be, any well grounded hope of eternal life but what comes through the Gospel? In vain has the ingenuity of man tortured itself for more than 5000 years, to find out some method of mending the human heart: none has been discovered that even promised any thing likely to be effectual. The Gospel of Christ not only mends but completely cures and new makes infected nature. Who is duly apprised of the infinite excellency and importance of the Gospel? What was the world before its appearance? What would it be were this light extinguished? Blessed Lord! let neither infidelity nor false doctrine rise up to obscure this heavenly splendor!
Calvin -> Gal 2:21
Calvin: Gal 2:21 - -- 21.I do not reject There is great emphasis in this expression; for how dreadful is the ingratitude manifested in despising the grace of God, so inval...
21.I do not reject There is great emphasis in this expression; for how dreadful is the ingratitude manifested in despising the grace of God, so invaluable in itself, and obtained at such a price! Yet this heinous offense is charged against the false apostles, who were not satisfied with having Christ alone, but introduced some other aids towards obtaining salvation. For, if we do not renounce all other hopes, and embrace Christ alone, we reject the grace of God. And what resource is left to the man, who “puts from him” the grace of God, “and judges himself unworthy of everlasting life?” (Act 13:46.)
Christ is dead in vain 53 There would then have been no value in the death of Christ; or, Christ would have died without any reward; for the reward of his death is, that he has reconciled us to the Father by making an atonement for our sins. Hence it follows, that we are justified by his grace, and, therefore, not by works. The Papists explain this in reference to the ceremonial law; but who does not see that it applies to the whole law? If we could produce a righteousness of our own, then Christ has suffered in vain; for the intention of his sufferings was to procure it for us, and what need was there that a work which we could accomplish for ourselves should be obtained from another? If the death of Christ be our redemption, then we were captives; if it be satisfaction, we were debtors; if it be atonement, we were guilty; if it be cleansing, we were unclean. On the contrary, he who ascribes to works his sanctification, pardon, atonement, righteousness, or deliverance, makes void the death of Christ.
This argument, we shall perhaps be told, is of no weight against those who propose to unite the grace of Christ with works; which, it is universally admitted, was done by the false apostles. The two doctrines, it is alleged, stand together, that righteousness is by the law, and that we are redeemed by the death of Christ. True; supposing it were granted that a part of our righteousness is obtained by works, and a part comes from grace. But such theology, it may easily be proved, was unknown to Paul. His argument with his opponents is either conclusive or inconclusive. If any blasphemer shall dare to accuse him of bad reasoning, a powerful defense is at hand; for that justification in the sight of God of which he treats, is not what men may imagine to be sufficient, but what is absolutely perfect.
But we are not now called to plead in behalf of Paul against blasphemers, who venture to speak in reproachful language of the Holy Spirit himself. Our present business is with the Papists. They ridicule us, when we argue with Paul that, if righteousness come by works, Christ is dead in vain. They imagine it to be a beautiful reply, with which their sophists furnish them, that Christ merited for us the first grace, that is, the opportunity of meriting; and that the merit of his death concurs with the satisfactions of works for the daily pardon of sins. Let them ridicule Paul, whose language we quote. They must refute him before they can refute us. We know that he had to deal with men, who did not entirely reject the grace of Christ, but ascribed the half of salvation to works. In opposition to them he argues, that “if righteousness is by the law, then Christ is dead in vain;” and by so doing, he certainly does not allow to works one drop of righteousness. Between those men and the Papists there is no difference; and therefore, in refuting them, we are at liberty to employ Paul’s argument.
TSK -> Gal 2:21
TSK: Gal 2:21 - -- do not : Gal 2:18; Psa 33:10; Mar 7:9 *marg. Rom 8:31
righteousness : Gal 2:16, Gal 3:21, Gal 5:2-4; Rom 10:3, Rom 11:6; Heb 7:11
Christ : Isa 49:4; J...

collapse allCommentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)
Barnes -> Gal 2:21
Barnes: Gal 2:21 - -- I do not frustrate the grace of God - The word rendered "frustrate"( ἀθετῶ athetō ) means properly to displace, abrogate, abolis...
I do not frustrate the grace of God - The word rendered "frustrate"(
For if righteousness come by the law - If justification can be secured by the observance of any law - ceremonial or moral - then there was no need of the death of Christ as an atonement. This is plain. If man by conformity to any law could be justified before God, what need was there of an atonement? The work would then have been wholly in his own power, and the merit would have been his. It follows from this, that man cannot be justified by his own morality, or his alms-deeds, or his forms of religion, or his honesty and integrity. If he can, he needs no Saviour; he can save himself. It follows also that when people depend on their own amiableness, and morality, and good works, they would feel no need of a Saviour; and this is the true reason why the mass of people reject the Lord Jesus. They suppose they do not deserve to be sent to hell. They have no deep sense of guilt. They confide in their own integrity, and feel that God ought to save them. Hence, they feel no need of a Saviour; for why should a person in health employ a physician? And confiding in their own righteousness, they reject the grace of God, and despise the plan of justification through the Redeemer. To feel the need of a Saviour it is necessary to feel that we are lost and ruined sinners; that we have no merit upon which we can rely; and that we are entirely dependent on the mercy of God for salvation. Thus feeling, we shall receive the salvation of the gospel with thankfulness and joy, and show that in regard to us Christ is not "dead in vain."
Poole -> Gal 2:21
Poole: Gal 2:21 - -- I do not frustrate the grace of God I do not despise, reject, make void, (for by all these words the word here used is translated, Mar 7:9 Joh 12:48 ...
I do not frustrate the grace of God I do not despise, reject, make void, (for by all these words the word here used is translated, Mar 7:9 Joh 12:48 Joh 3:15 Heb 10:28 ), the free love of God, in giving his Son to die for our sins: from whence is easily gathered, that those who live a loose life, and take a liberty to sin, from their justification, or from the free grace of God in Christ, they do contemn and despise the grace of God: or rather, (if we refer it to the following words), those who assert justification by the works of the law, they do reject and despise the free grace of God in the gospel, and (as much as in them lies) make it vain and frustrate.
For if righteousness come by the law for if it be possible, that a man by works done in obedience to the law should arrive at a righteousness, in which he may stand before God,
then is Christ dead in vain then Christ died to no purpose, or without any just cause: the reason of this must be, because it was the main and principal end of Christ’ s death, to procure or purchase a righteousness wherein sinners might stand before God, to bring in an everlasting righteousness, Dan 9:24 . If the most proper effect of the death of Christ be taken away, then his death is made causeless, and to no purpose. Thus the apostle concludeth his thesis, laid down Gal 2:16 : That none shall be justified by the works of the law, from two absurdities that would follow upon the contrary, viz. justification by the works of the law, the rejecting of the grace of God, and the frustration, or making void, of the death of Christ.
Gill -> Gal 2:21
Gill: Gal 2:21 - -- I do not frustrate the grace of God,.... Or "cast it away", as the Vulgate Latin version reads it; or "deny it", as the Syriac and Arabic; or "despise...
I do not frustrate the grace of God,.... Or "cast it away", as the Vulgate Latin version reads it; or "deny it", as the Syriac and Arabic; or "despise, reject, and make it void", as other versions; meaning either the grace of the Son of God in giving himself for him, just mentioned by him; or the particular doctrine of grace, justification, he is speaking of, as proceeding from the grace of God, upon the foot of the righteousness of Christ; or the whole Gospel, all and each of which would be denied, despised, rejected, made null and void, be in vain, fallen and departed from, should justification be sought for by the works of the law: but this the apostle did not do, and therefore did not frustrate the grace of God: which to do would be to act the most ungenerous and ungrateful part to God, and Christ, and to that love and grace which are so largely displayed in the free justification of a sinner.
For if righteousness come by the law; if a justifying righteousness is to be attained unto by the works of the law, or men can be justified by their obedience to it,
then Christ is dead in vain; there was no necessity for his dying: he died without any true reason, or just cause; he died to bring in a righteousness which might have been brought in without his death, and so his blood and life might have been spared, his sufferings and death being entirely unnecessary; which to say is to cast contempt upon the wisdom, love, and grace of God in this matter, and to offer the greatest indignity to the person, character, sufferings, and death of Christ. Wherefore it may be strongly concluded, that there is no righteousness by the law of works, nor to be attained that way, otherwise Christ had never died; and that justification is solely and alone by his righteousness.

expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

expand allCommentary -- Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis -> Gal 2:1-21
TSK Synopsis: Gal 2:1-21 - --1 He shows when he went up again to Jerusalem, and for what purpose;3 and that Titus was not circumcised;11 and that he resisted Peter, and told him t...
Combined Bible -> Gal 2:21
Combined Bible: Gal 2:21 - --color="#000000"> 21. I do not frustrate the grace of God.
Paul is now getting ready for the second argument of his...
MHCC -> Gal 2:20-21
MHCC: Gal 2:20-21 - --Here, in his own person, the apostle describes the spiritual or hidden life of a believer. The old man is crucified, Rom 6:6, but the new man is livin...
Matthew Henry -> Gal 2:11-21
Matthew Henry: Gal 2:11-21 - -- I. From the account which Paul gives of what passed between him and the other apostles at Jerusalem, the Galatians might easily discern both the fal...
Barclay -> Gal 2:18-21
Barclay: Gal 2:18-21 - --Paul speaks out of the depths of personal experience. For him to re-erect the whole fabric of the law would have been spiritual suicide. He says tha...
Constable -> Gal 1:11--3:1; Gal 2:11-21
Constable: Gal 1:11--3:1 - --II. PERSONAL DEFENSE OF PAUL'S GOSPEL 1:11--2:21
The first of the three major sections of the epistle begins her...
