Galatians 3:2

Here the Apostle makes a personal appeal to their own experience. He might have adduced other arguments to shew the excellence of faith. But he confines himself to one question, which they alone could answer, and the answer to which is decisive. -Was it from (as the fruit of) the works of the Law that ye received the Spirit, or from the preaching of faith"? Luther shews at large, by reference to the Acts of the Apostles, that -the Holy Ghost is not given by the Law, but by the hearing of the Gospel". -Hereby", he says, -we may see what is the difference between the Law and the Gospel. The Law never bringeth the Holy Ghost, but only teacheth what we ought to do: therefore it justifieth not. But the Gospel bringeth the Holy Ghost, because it teacheth what we ought to receive. Therefore the Law and the Gospel are two contrary doctrines. To put righteousness therefore in the Law, is nothing else but to fight against the Gospel. For Moses with his Law is a severe exactor, requireth of us that we should work, and that we should give; briefly, it requireth and exacteth. Contrariwise the Gospel giveth freely and requireth of us nothing else, but to hold out our hands, and to take that which is offered. Now to exact and to give, to take and to offer, are clean contrary, and cannot stand together".

Received ye the Spirit Once only (in the Apostolic commission, John 20:22) does the expression, Receive the Holy Ghostoccur in the Gospels. The reason for this is given, John 7:39. But when our Lord had ascended into Heaven, He sent the promised Gift from the Father to them which believed. Bp. Middleton classifies the uses of the words, Spirit, or Holy Spirit, in N. T. (Doctrine of the Greek Article, note on Matthew 5:18). The word -spirit" is not employed here in its personalsense, but refers to the gracious gifts and operations of the Holy Ghost, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. These gifts were twofold, (a) extraordinary, miraculous and temporary; and (b) ordinary and abiding, that -fruit of the spirit" of which an enumeration is given, c. Galatians 5:22-23. The former were the credentials of the early Church, attesting to the world her Divine mission; the latter are a witness in the heart of the believer both to the truth of the Gospel and to his own share in its unspeakable blessings. But this distinction must not be regarded as exclusive. Miracles serve to confirm the faith of believers, and the holy lives of Christians are an evidence to the world of the power of the Gospel, and so of its truth. Both kinds of gifts are probably included here in the expression, -the spirit". Comp. Acts 2:4; Acts 2:17-18; Acts 2:33; Acts 8:17; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 19:2-6; Romans 8:9-11; Romans 8:13-16; Romans 8:23; Romans 8:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-14.

the hearing of faith The word rendered literally -hearing" has two senses, -the reception, or act of receiving by the ears", as in Luke 7:1; 1 Corinthians 12:17; 2 Peter 2:8; and, the thing heard, or report or message, as in Matthew 14:1; Romans 10:16-17 in which latter passage it is = preaching. On the whole it seems better to take it in the latter sense here. Thus we have in strongest contrast the works of the Law and the preaching of faith. The Law said, This do, and thou shalt live; the Gospel, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.