LO SPARTITO DELLA LIBERTÀ NELLA LETTERA AI GALATI
THE SONG OF LIBERTY IN THE LETTER TO THE GALATIANS

Summary/Abstract: With the presentation of freedom and of its opposite, slavery, we tried to understand the reason that caused Paul to write to the Galatians. The research was based on occurrences of eleuth root, which are present in 2: 4; 3: 28; 4: 22, 23, 26, 30, 31; 5: 1, 13, that is, in all its thematic parts: autobiographical, doctrinal and hortatory.In addition to eleuth root, we met two other terms within the same semantic field of freedom or liberation: exelētai, from exaireō, with the meaning of “tear away”, “save”, “free from danger” (1: 4); and exagorasē, from exagorazō, which means “free”, “make good use of” (3: 13; 4: 5). These terms show a multidimensional freedom, condensed in freedom from sin and from this evil eon, as well as from the Jewish Law. The gift of freedom is highlighted by the indicative of salvation obtained in Christ, a gift watched and envied by some false brothers, who had infiltrated in the Galatian communities, in order to lure them into slavery (2: 4). In 3: 10, 13 Paul highlights also the liberation of the obligation of the Law. For Paul, to impose the Jewish Law, with its requirements, it would be synonymous with the return to the elements of the world (4: 3, 9), a return to being children (4: 1), that is, incapable of taking responsibility, worthy of freedom obtained in Christ. The intention of Paul is directed toward the invitation to become mature Christians, passing from the state of nēpios (4: 1) to huiothesia (4: 5b), remaining in the freedom offered from Christ, as a gift. In other words, for Paul, if there is the indicative, it follows also the imperative, as evidenced already in 5: 1, 13, 25, that is, the gift becomes responsibility.From the double aspect of slavery, under the pagan mentality and under the Law, it is evidenced that the freedom in Galatians can be analysed from an anthropological-ethical point of view.

• Details
• Contents