Galatians 3:2

Galatians 3:2. Paul appeals to their own experience at their conversion, which alone should be sufficient to convince them of the error of their present position. This only, among other concessions which I might draw from your own spiritual experience. The ‘only' indicates that this is sufficient. Was it by worn of law (law-works, Gesetzeswerke) that ye received the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the greatest of gifts. He is communicated to believers through the gospel, regenerates and sanctifies and makes them children of God and heirs of eternal life. In the apostolic age, the Spirit manifested itself also in extraordinary gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophesying, working of miracles (comp. Acts 8:17; Acts 10:44-46; Acts 19:6; Acts 1 Corinthians 12-14)

From the preaching (or, message, not ‘hearing') of faith, comp. Galatians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:2. and Romans 10:17: ‘faith com-eth from preaching, and preaching through the word of God.' The Greek (ἀ κοή) admits of two meanings: (1.) active: the hearing of faith, i.e., the reception of the gospel preached (comp. ‘obedience of faith,' Romans 1:5; Romans 16:26); (2.) passive: the report, the message which treats of faith (genit. of the object). Lightfoot adopts the first, but the second is preferable on account of the usual meaning of the word in the New Testament, and because the contrast is between the two principles, law and faith, not between two actions, doing and hearing. The emphasis lies on ‘law' and ‘faith.' In the New Testament, ‘faith' is mostly used in the subjective sense of the act and exercise of faith, not in the objective sense of doctrine of faith or creed. Faith is the organ by which we receive the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel.