I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives 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.
All Commentaries on Galatians 2:20 Go To Galatians 2
John Chrysostom
AD 407
In the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself up for me.
How is this, O Paul! Why do you appropriate a general benefit, and make your own what was done for the whole world's sake? For he says not, Who loved us, but, Who loved me. And besides the Evangelist says, God so loved the world; John 3:16 and Paul himself, He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up, not for Paul only, but, for us all; Romans 8:32 and again, that He might purify unto himself a people for his own possession, Titus 2:14 But considering the desperate condition of human nature, and the ineffably tender solicitude of Christ, in what He delivered us from, and what He freely gave us, and kindled by the yearning of affection towards Him, he thus expresses himself. Thus the Prophets often appropriate to themselves Him who is God of all, as in the words, O God, you are my God, early will I seek You. Psalm 63:1 Moreover, this language teaches that each individual justly owes as a great debt of gratitude to Christ, as if He had come for his sake alone, for He would not have grudged this His condescension though but for one, so that the measure of His love to each is as great as to the whole world. Truly the Sacrifice was offered for all mankind, and was sufficient to save all, but those who enjoy the blessing are the believing only. Nevertheless it did not deter Him from His so great condescension, that not all would come; but He acted after the pattern of the supper in the Gospel, which He prepared for all, Luke 14:16 yet when the guests came not, instead of withdrawing the viands, He called in others. So too He did not despise that sheep, though one only, which had strayed from the ninety and nine. Matthew 18:12 This too in like manner St. Paul intimates, when he says, speaking about the Jews, For what if some were without faith, shall their want of faith make of none effect the faithfulness of God? God forbid: yea let God be found true, but every man a liar. Romans 3:3-4 When He so loved you as to give Himself up to bring you who wast without hope to a life so great and blessed, can you, thus gifted, have recourse to things gone by? His reasoning being completed, he concludes with a vehement asseveration,
