Πίστις Χριστοῦ in Galatians 2:16: Clarification from 3:1-6

Abstract

Because grammar alone is inadequate to determine the meaning of πίστις Χριστοῦ, whether ‘faith in Christ’ or ‘faith[fulness] of Christ’, some scholars now observe that exegesis must judge between the theories. This article is an attempt to use exegesis to determine the meaning of πίστις Χριστοῦ in Galatians 2:16. The argument proceeds in two steps: the first is to confirm that ἀκοή πίστεως in Galatians 3:2, 5 refers to the faith of the Galatians (‘hearing with faith’), and the second is to establish the link between ἀκοή πίστεως in 3:2, 5 and πίστις Χριστοῦ in 2:16. The article concludes that πίστις Χριστοῦ in Galatians 2:16 refers to human faith.