The capstone of Galatians 2:20 is every bit as beautiful as any other of that Verse’s thrilling revelations! It’s like the “icing on the cake!”
Let me show you. Paul writes, testifies: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Look at that last (compound) clause, please.
“THE SON OF GOD … WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”
Wow!
Needless to say, on this Website … the identity of the Son of God is None Other than Lord Jesus Christ!
But Paul here shares two facts about Jesus that are noteworthy.
Jesus loved Paul!
He loves you, by the way!
And yes, He loves me!
In fact, He loves the whole world!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
The verb for “love” used in today’s Text is “agapao,” which indicates the deepest, most enduring, most unselfish love in existence! It’s God’s Love, really! (As in Jeremiah 31:3, except we’re in Hebrew now … “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”)
But … how much did the Son of God love Paul, love you, and love me?
“THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”
Look!
He “gave Himself” for me!
That much love!
On the Cross at Calvary!
“Paradidomai eautou” … the Greek words so translated “gave Himself!”
“Didomai” means “I give.” And with the accompanying (fused) preposition “para” its meaning is intensified! Literally here, Jesus gave Himself “alongside” (“para”) Another! That in one sense would be God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, I think. Yes, Calvary was a Trinitarian Event!
The pronoun “himself” further makes Paul’s statement emphatic!
Jesus in John 10:17 … “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life.” This is doctrinally significant! Jesus willingly died for you and me!
Now, there’s even more …
“… the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself FOR me.”
Yes, let’s look yet again … Jesus died “for” me, claims Paul!
“Huper” means “in behalf of!” Or even “for the sake of!”
Twice in the King James Bible … “in (one’s) stead!”
Jesus took my place on Calvary!
This is a “substitutionary” Death!
A “vicarious” Death! (In Latin “vicarious” literally means “substitute,” really!)
In Catholicism, the Pope is said (wrongly) to be the very “Vicar” of Christ! They really believe that man is the substitute for Jesus on this earth!
No!
But Jesus did died “for” you and me!”
Two great facts indeed.
“THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME, AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME.”
Praise His Name!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell