GALATIANS MISUNDERSTOOD
Paul Was NOT Rejecting the Law of Moses — He Was Fighting the Same Religious System Yeshua Confronted
Series: Torah & Gospel Alignment
Author: Bishop Jaha
For centuries, the Book of Galatians has been used to claim that the Law of Moses is abolished. But this interpretation collapses immediately once we restore:
- the Hebrew context,
- the religious climate of the first century,
- the lifestyle and testimony of Paul,
- and the teachings and battles of Yeshua Himself.
The truth becomes inescapable:
Paul did NOT speak against the Law of YAHUAH.
He spoke against man-made religious laws and customs that enslaved people — the very same system Yeshua confronted.
Both Yeshua and Paul confronted the same enemy:
Human religious tradition replacing the commandments of YAHUAH.
This article exposes that truth fully and forcefully. The Law of YAHUAH will be referred to as "Torah" for flow in this article.
1. THE REAL PROBLEM IN GALATIA WAS NOT TORAH — IT WAS RELIGIOUS CONTROL
The trouble in Galatia did not come from Moses or the Torah. It came from religious men imposing their own customs and rules.
Acts 15 reveals exactly who they were:
"Then some men came down from Judea and started to teach the brothers, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the CUSTOM of Moses, you cannot be saved.'"
Acts 15:1
They did NOT say "according to the Law." They said custom — meaning tradition of the elders, not Torah.
These men:
- demanded conversion to their sect
- elevated human rulings
- required adherence to oral laws
- created identity markers
- preached salvation through ritual and membership
- sought to dominate Gentile believers
Paul calls them "false brothers," "spies," and those "who wanted to bring us into bondage."
Galatians 2:4
This is religious slavery, not obedience to Torah.
2. YESHUA HIMSELF FOUGHT THIS SAME CORRUPT RELIGIOUS SYSTEM
The traditions Paul confronted in Galatia were the same traditions Yeshua confronted in Israel.
The Pharisees and scribes taught the traditions of the elders, a massive collection of man-made rules added to the Torah.
"Yeshua told them, 'Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites. As it is written, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines." You abandon the commandment of YAHUAH and hold to human tradition.' Then he told them, 'You have such a fine way of rejecting the commandment of YAHUAH in order to keep your own tradition!'"
Mark 7:6–9
This is the exact same conflict Paul faces in Galatians.
3. YESHUA NEVER BROKE THE LAW OF MOSES — HE BROKE THEIR MAN-MADE TRADITIONS
Every accusation against Yeshua came from their traditions — never from the Torah.
Accusation #1: Healing on the Sabbath
Their tradition forbade it. Torah does NOT.
"It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath days."
Matthew 12:12
Accusation #2: Eating with unwashed hands
They said He violated the tradition.
"You are destroying the Word of YAHUAH through your tradition that you have handed down."
Mark 7:13
Accusation #3: Violating Sabbath by allowing grain to be picked
Their fences forbade nearly everything. Torah did not.
"The Sabbath was made for man."
Mark 2:27
Yeshua broke man-made religion, not Torah.
So did Paul.
4. WHAT PAUL CALLS "WORKS OF THE LAW" WAS NOT TORAH
Most Christians assume "works of the law" means "obeying the Law of YAHUAH", the Law as given to Moses, the Torah.
But archaeology proves otherwise.
The Dead Sea Scrolls (4QMMT) use the phrase "works of the law" to refer to:
- sectarian rulings
- denominational interpretations
- human purity codes
- added regulations
- oral traditions
NOT the written Torah.
"A man is not justified by works of the law…"
Galatians 2:16
Paul's meaning:
"You are not saved by joining a sect or following man-made customs and traditions."
This is identical to Yeshua's rebuke of the Pharisees.
5. PAUL PERSONALLY KEPT THE LAW AND SAID IT WAS GOOD
Paul's own life destroys the idea that he opposed Torah.
Paul Proclaims:
"I believe in everything written in the Law and the Prophets."
Acts 24:14
"The Law is holy, righteous, and good."
Romans 7:12
"The Law is spiritual."
Romans 7:14
"We uphold the Law."
Romans 3:31
Paul kept:
- Sabbath
- Feasts
- Dietary laws
- Temple service
- Vows
- Purification rituals
The idea that Paul abolished the Law is impossible.
He lived the Law.
6. PAUL'S MOST POWERFUL STATEMENT YET: KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS IS EVERYTHING
Paul removes all doubt with the clearest statement in the New Testament on obedience.
"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing. What matters is KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS OF YAHUAH."
1 Corinthians 7:19
This means:
- Religious labels don't matter
- Ethnicity doesn't matter
- Sect membership doesn't matter
- Ritual status doesn't matter
What matters is obedience to YAHUAH.
This is Paul's own voice declaring the ongoing authority of the commandments.
This verse alone destroys the "Paul abolished the Law" argument.
7. THE REAL "BONDAGE" IN GALATIANS WAS MAN-MADE RELIGION
"They came to spy out our liberty to bring us into bondage."
Galatians 2:4
Bondage = the system of:
- oral laws
- conversion rituals
- Pharisee authority
- human rulings
- religious identity politics
Not the Torah.
Paul never calls YAH's Law bondage.
"The Law is good if one uses it lawfully."
1 Timothy 1:8
8. GALATIANS 4:9–10 — PAUL IS NOT ATTACKING THE SABBATH
Paul rebukes the Galatians for returning to:
- "days"
- "months"
- "seasons"
- "years"
Many assume this condemns Torah.
But the Galatians were former pagans.
Before faith, they kept:
- astrological calendars
- Roman festival cycles
- pagan feast days
- idolatrous seasons
Paul is saying:
"Don't go back to your pagan past."
He is NOT saying:
- ✘ Stop keeping the biblical Sabbath
- ✘ Stop keeping the biblical Feasts
The context is 100% paganism — not Torah.
9. YESHUA AND PAUL BOTH CALLED RELIGION "SLAVERY"
"They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders…"
Matthew 23:4
"Do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage."
Galatians 5:1
Same enemy.
Same fight.
Same message.
10. THE NEW COVENANT WRITES THE SAME LAW IN A NEW PLACE
The New Covenant does not replace the Law. It relocates it.
"I'll put my Law within them and will write it on their hearts."
Jeremiah 31:33
"I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts."
Hebrews 8:10
"The righteous requirement of the Law is fulfilled (lived out, demonstrated) in us who walk according to the Spirit."
Romans 8:4
The Spirit Empowers Obedience to the Law of YAHUAH.
Not rebellion.
⭐ FINAL SUMMARY: THE TRUE MESSAGE OF GALATIANS — CONFIRMED BY YESHUA, PAUL, PETER, AND JAMES
Bishop's Insight
The Book of Galatians has been tragically twisted into a weapon against the Torah. But when Scripture interprets Scripture, the truth becomes undeniable:
Paul did NOT reject the Law of YAHUAH.
He rejected the man-made religious system that replaced it — the exact same system Yeshua confronted.
Yeshua battled:
- the traditions of the elders (Mark 7:6–13)
- added oral laws
- sectarian rulings
- religious hypocrisy
- oppressive burdens placed on the people (Matthew 23)
Paul battled the same system in Galatia:
- "works of the law" = man-made sect rules, not Torah
- false brothers demanding conversion (Gal. 2:4)
- traditions taught as salvation requirements
- ritual identity markers replacing obedience
- bondage to human authority
- legalism built on human commandments
Both Yeshua and Paul stood against religion — not against the Law of YAHUAH.
"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing. What matters is KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS OF YAHUAH."
1 Corinthians 7:19
Paul upheld the Law. Paul defended the Law. Paul lived the Law.
- Sabbath
- Feasts
- Dietary law
- Temple service
- Vows
- Purification rituals
Paul's life proves Paul did not abolish Torah.
⭐ THE APOSTOLIC WARNING: DO NOT TWIST PAUL
"Paul wrote some things that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable TWIST as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
2 Peter 3:15–16
- Paul's words are deep
- People twist Paul's words
- Twisting Paul's words leads to destruction
- The problem is not Paul — it is misusing Paul
⭐ JAMES' WARNING
"Faith without works is dead."
James 2:17
"I will show you my faith BY my works."
James 2:18
"A person is justified by works, not by faith alone."
James 2:24
James upholds Torah directly:
- "The Royal Law" (Lev. 19:18) — James 2:8
- The Commandments — James 2:11
- "Judged by the Law of liberty" — James 2:12
Paul never taught against the Law — but many would twist his words into lawlessness.
⭐ THE TRUE GOSPEL: FAITH AND OBEDIENCE IN UNITY
- Yeshua upheld the Law
- Paul upheld the Law
- Peter warned about twisting Paul's words
- James upheld obedience
- Jeremiah + Hebrews says that the Law is written on the heart
- Revelation says that the Elect keep the commandments of YAH
⭐ THE KINGDOM OF THE ELECT
Galatians does NOT abolish Torah. Galatians abolishes:
- man-made religion
- human commandments
- Pharisee traditions
- sect membership requirements
- denominational authority structures
- purity codes not found in Torah
- bondage created by men
- false gospels based on tradition
YAHUAH's Law is holy, righteous, good, and eternal.
Romans 7:12 • Psalm 19:7 • Psalm 119
Yeshua restored the commandments to their rightful place.
Matthew 5:17–19
Paul defended the Law from religious corruption.
1 Corinthians 7:19 • Romans 3:31
Peter warned not to twist Paul into lawlessness.
2 Peter 3:16
James taught obedience is the evidence of true faith.
James 2
The Elect are described as commandment-keepers.
Revelation 12:17 • 14:12
This is the gospel of the Kingdom. This is the faith of Yeshua. This is the call of the Elect.