21–5:1. _Another appeal, based upon the principles underlying the history of Hagar and Sarah, and the birth of Isaac. Christ set us free; stand fast therefore in this freedom_ (Galatians 4:21) You wish to be under the Law? Listen then to the teaching of the Law itself, (Galatians 4:22) For it stands... [ Continue Reading ]
ἼΔΕ. As interjection here only in St Paul’s writings. Contrast ἰδού, Galatians 1:20, also ἴδετε, Galatians 6:11. For ἴδε with even a plural see Matthew 26:65. ἘΓῺ ΠΑΥ͂ΛΟΣ. Colossians 1:23 note. Emphatic: I who, they say, preach circumcision (Galatians 5:11). There can hardly be any reference to his... [ Continue Reading ]
_Another, but sharper, appeal and warning. The observance of the Law is inconsistent with faith in Christ _... [ Continue Reading ]
2–6. _The effect of circumcision and of faith contrasted_ (Galatians 5:2) See! I, I Paul (accused of preaching circumcision, Galatians 5:11) say to you that, so far from circumcision being necessary, if you are circumcised Christ will not profit you at all. (Galatians 5:3) On the contrary I protest... [ Continue Reading ]
3. Galatians 5:3-4 are at once a solemn reiteration of the truth stated in Galatians 5:2, and an explanation of it. ΜΑΡΤΎΡΟΜΑΙ ΔῈ. The δέ suggests a contrast to ὠφελήσει. So far from receiving advantage from Christ you will fall under obligation to the Law. μαρτύρομαι, “I protest,” strengthening th... [ Continue Reading ]
4. St Paul’s object here is partly to explain Galatians 5:2 further, and partly to turn them from their mistaken purpose by the sharpness of his language. ΚΑΤΗΡΓΉΘΗΤΕ, Galatians 5:11; Galatians 3:17. St Paul could hardly have employed a stronger word. They would have existence, but existence that i... [ Continue Reading ]
5. The contrast of St Paul and those who acted as he. ἩΜΕΙ͂Σ ΓᾺΡ (true believers, Galatians 4:26; Galatians 4:28) ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΙ. One of the difficult instances of anarthrous πνεῦμα (Galatians 5:16; Galatians 5:18; Galatians 5:25). We must translate it “by the spirit,” but the connotation is probably not... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΓᾺΡ. Explaining St Paul’s reliance on πνεύματι and especially ἐκ πίστεως. ΧΡΙΣΤΩ͂Ι [ἸΗΣΟΥ͂]. Ἰησοῦ is omitted by B only. So Galatians 2:4; Galatians 3:26; Galatians 3:28, cf. Galatians 3:14. St Paul adds the dear personal name which recalls His life, death, and whole work of salvation. _In Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝΈΚΟΨΕΝ אABCD etc. ἀνέκοψε[135] Text. Rec. with a few cursives. [135] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament. 7. ἘΤΡΈΧΕΤΕ ΚΑΛΩ͂Σ (“Ye were running finely”). τίς, contemptuous. No one had the right to do so, Galatians 3:1; cf.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Against continuing in retrogression; with sharp words against the leader and the false teachers generally_ (Galatians 5:7) You were running your race nobly; who hindered you, so that (to drop all metaphor) you should not obey truth? (Galatians 5:8) This persuasion of yours is not from Him whose voi... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ ΠΕΙΣΜΟΝῊ ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΚ ΤΟΥ͂ ΚΑΛΟΥ͂ΝΤΟΣ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. οὐκ is omitted by D* and some other “western” authorities, e.g. Orig. _De Princ_. III. i. 7 ἡ πεισμονὴ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἡμῶν, but evidently read by him in _c. Cels._ VI. 57. 8. Ἡ ΠΕΙΣΜΟΝῊ[136], “This persuasion.” The word is rare, and in Ignat. R... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΙΚΡᾺ ΖΎΜΗ Κ.Τ.Λ. Despise not the beginning of evil. I grieve not only for what is but for what will be (cf. Theodore, Chrys.). The proverb is general, but to the Jewish mind ζύμη would suggest at once that which might not be offered to God on the altar (Leviticus 2:11), though permitted when the br... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓῺ. The absence of a conjunction increases the emphasis on both the personality and the assurance. St Paul sets himself over against the τίς. ΠΈΠΟΙΘΑ ΕἸΣ ὙΜΑ͂Σ: still harping on πείθεσθαι, πεισμονή. With εἰς[137] contrast 2 Thessalonians 3:4. [137] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passa... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΛῺ ΔῈ. Primarily in contrast to the change, probably made and certainly taught, by the false leader. I, in contrast to him, and also to what is said of me by him and others like him, am different from what I was as a Jew before my conversion, and remain different. I at any rate have made no change... [ Continue Reading ]
ὌΦΕΛΟΝ. This shortened form of ὤφελον has become virtually a particle, _utinam_, both in the LXX. (Exodus 16:3) and in the N.T., with a past tense (1 Corinthians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 11:1; Revelation 3:15[138]) of an impracticable wish. Only here with the future, of a practicable wish. See Burton, _Te... [ Continue Reading ]
13–6:10. PRACTICAL. LIBERTY IS NOT LICENSE BUT SERVICE; NOT THE FLESH BUT THE SPIRIT MUST BE THE AIM OF THE BELIEVER... [ Continue Reading ]
13–15. _I say, you were called for freedom. But do not forget that true freedom implies service to others_ (Galatians 5:13) I speak so strongly about those that are confounding you, for _you_ were called on the basis of freedom, my brothers. Only do not hold your freedom for an occasion to the fles... [ Continue Reading ]
ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ ΓᾺΡ. St Paul takes up the ὑμᾶς of Galatians 5:12 and defends his wish that the false teachers would so act that their real character would be seen. For you (emphatic) were not meant to do as they desire. You were called on the footing of freedom. He thus returns to Galatians 5:1, but, in acco... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ἙΝῚ ΛΌΓΩΙ. Marcion read ἐν ὑμῖν instead. Both readings are found in D*G. 14. ὁ γὰρ πᾶς νόμος. γάρ justifies service to one another. This is the real fulfilment of the Law, which you have been wanting to serve. ὁ πᾶς νόμος (cf. Galatians 1:2) stands to πᾶς ὁ νόμος in the same relation as “the who... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ΔῈ�[141] ΚΑῚ ΚΑΤΕΣΘΊΕΤΕ. A glimpse of the strife engendered through the false teaching. You are like beasts or. dogs when being fed. [141] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament. ΒΛΈΠΕΤΕ (Colossians 2:8 note) ΜῊ ὙΠʼ ἈΛΛΉΛΩΝ�... [ Continue Reading ]
ΛΈΓΩ ΔῈ. Galatians 4:1 note. The δέ primarily, after St Paul’s manner, expresses a contrast to the immediately preceding description of disputes, but the chief motive of the following passage is to explain what is meant by liberty (Galatians 5:13) in daily life, and how it is to be attained. ΠΝΕΎΜΑ... [ Continue Reading ]
16–24. _The nature, outcome, and means of Liberty in daily life_ (Galatians 5:16) In contrast to such disputes, which are the visible signs of lives lived by the flesh, walk by the spirit and you will not finish the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:17) For though the flesh lusts against the spirit, t... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΑΥ͂ΤΑ ΓᾺΡ א*BD*G latt. ταῦτα δὲ אcACDcKLP etc. syrHarcl.; ταῦτα οὖν syrpesh. Origint. 17. Ἡ ΓᾺΡ ΣᾺΡΞ. γάρ introduces the reason for the triumph over the flesh (Galatians 5:16): the flesh lusts against the spirit, but, thank God, the reverse is also true! The verse is a very brief summary of the ex... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ΔῈ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΙ ἌΓΕΣΘΕ, ΟΥ̓Κ ἘΣΤῈ ὙΠῸ ΝΌΜΟΝ. The contrast is to the possibility implied in Galatians 5:16-17 of listening to and carrying out the lust of the flesh. If you are led by the spirit you are not under (shall I say the flesh? nay, I will say that which calls out the power of the flesh) the... [ Continue Reading ]
ἍΤΙΝΆ ἘΣΤΙΝ ΠΟΡΝΕΊΑ. א*ABCP vulg. syrpesh. μοιχεία is inserted after ἐστιν by Text. Rec. with אcD(G)KL syrHarcl. 19. ΦΑΝΕΡΆ ΔΈ ἘΣΤΙΝ. In Galatians 5:19-23 St Paul contrasts the signs that mark the nature of each kind of life. δέ either _explicativum_, when the contrast always underlying δέ is to t... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΡΙΣ אABD* syrPesh. ἔρεις Text. Rec. with CDbcG etc. latt. syrHarcl. Westcott and Hort margin. ΖΗ͂ΛΟΣ BDgrGgr*syrPesh., ζῆλοι Text. Rec. with אCDbc etc. vulg. syrHarcl., Westcott and Hort margin. 20. ΕἸΔΩΛΟΛΑΤΡΊΑ. The connexion of immorality with heathen worship readily leads St Paul to mention id... [ Continue Reading ]
ΦΘΌΝΟΙ without φόνοι אB. 17. φόνοι is added by Text. Rec. with ACD etc. syrr. ΚΑΘῺΣ ΠΡΟΕΙ͂ΠΟΝ. So א*BG. καὶ is inserted by W.H. margin with Text. Rec. 21. ΦΘΌΝΟΙ, “envyings.” See notes on Textual Criticism. The plural, 1 Peter 2:1[145]. Wetstein quotes Soph. _Oed. Col._ 1234 sq. φόνοι, στάσεις, ἔρ... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΔῈ ΚΑΡΠῸΣ. In contrast to τὰ ἔργα, Galatians 5:19, where see note. Cf. Ephesians 5:9; Philippians 1:11; James 3:18; Revelation 22:2. The following virtues are introduced as one καρπός, for they stand in necessary connexion with each other. If one were to perish all would. In Proverbs 10:16 (ἕργα δ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΓΚΡΆΤΕΙΑ. The “western” authorities D*G with some inferior MSS. of the Vulgate, the Latin translations of Irenaeus and Origen, with Cyprian and Ambrosiaster, add ἁγνεία. 23. ΠΡΑΫ́ΤΗΣ, “meekness,” here towards men, Colossians 3:12 note. ἘΓΚΡΆΤΕΙΑ, Acts 24:25; 2 Peter 1:6 _bis_[150]; cf. ἐγκρατεύομ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἹ ΔῈ. The verse is to be taken closely with the preceding clause. So far from Law prevailing against the production of such virtues, union with Christ has brought to an end the power of the flesh. ΤΟΥ͂ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ͂ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂. They who belong to the Messiah—I mean Jesus, who Himself lived superior to the... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸ ΖΩ͂ΜΕΝ ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΙ κ.τ.λ. St Paul returns to the thought of Galatians 5:16 a, but by the way of contrast to Galatians 5:23 and of development of Galatians 5:24. It is not the Law but the spirit by which we must regulate our life, as I said in Galatians 5:16 a. Yet St Paul, as usual, _recule pour mie... [ Continue Reading ]
25–6:6. _Life by the spirit brings unselfish care for others, e.g. for one’s teachers_ (Galatians 5:25) Life by the spirit leads to a life in right relation to others. (Galatians 5:26) We must all beware of conceit, self-assertion, envy. (Galatians 6:1) For example, my brethren; take even the case o... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΛΛΉΛΟΙΣ אACD. ἀλλήλους is read by W.H. margin with BG*. 26. ΜῊ ΓΙΝΏΜΕΘΑ, in contrast to the preceding suggestion of harmony. Observe the humility and tact whereby St Paul writes as though he himself was exposed to this temptation. Perhaps he was; certainly they were, by the very fact of their disp... [ Continue Reading ]