For Paul, Did Christ Die "as a Gift"?

My latest paper concerns Galatians 2:21.

"For if justice comes through the Torah, then Christ died 'as a gift.'"

Paul uses the most interesting Greek word here: δωρεάν. The word means "as a gift" almost everywhere else in the NT, but translators and interpreters have preferred to translate the word here as "in vain" (a meaning attested nowhere else in Greek literature). They do this in spite of the fact that Paul regularly uses other words to mean "in vain." My paper is arguing that the word δωρεάν should be read "in the manner of a gift, i.e. without providing compensation" (or something close to this). (Romans 3:24 also plays a role in my paper.)

I'm slogging my way through the paper at a snail's pace, but I hope the pace will pick up tonight now that I feel like I'm on to something. I've only found a few commentators who seriously deal with the issue.

I better keep my shoulder to the wheel!

Justin