GALATIANS CHAPTER FIVE
September
September 1
Chapter 5, Verse 1, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Τῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ἡμᾶς Χριστὸς ἠλευθέρωσεν στήκετε οὖν καὶ μὴ πάλιν ζυγῷ δουλείας ἐνέχεσθε, Tē eleutheria hēmas Christos ēleutherōsen stēkete oun kai mē palin zygō douleias enechesthe, “In freedom us Christ has set free, stand firm therefore and not again in a yoke of slavery entangle yourselves.” Galatians 5:1 hearkens back to 4:28-31, connecting “children of promise, ” “born according to the Spirit,” and “the son of the free woman” to Jesus, in complete contrast to what the believers in Galatia where being tricked into believing by the false teachers. The Phillips paraphrase renders 5:1, “Do not lose your freedom by giving in to those who urge circumcision. Plant your feet firmly therefore within the freedom that Christ has won for us, and do not let yourselves be caught again in the shackles of slavery.” The New International Version renders it, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” The point, we are free for the sake of freedom. That is neither repetitive nor confusing. We must remember that, even though we who trust Christ for salvation has been set free from the penalty of sin, we still live in sinful flesh and it is dangerously easy for us to try to live under our own power (which is always a dismal failure) instead of in Christ’s freedom led by the Holy Spirit we must depend on Jesus and his word continually as we fight the good fight of faith living as overcomers for the glory of God.
September 2
Chapter 5, Verse 1, con’t, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
“Therefore” looks back to “For freedom Christ has set us free” and can be read, “So stand firm because Christ has set us free.” Remember, we are children of the free woman (4:31), In Romans 7, Paul wrote, “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code” (Romans 7:4-6). We are released to serve. The verb στήκετε, stēkete, is the present middle active form of στήκω, stékó, literally meaning “keep standing firm, implying that they had previously doing that very thing. It calls upon those to whom Paul was writing, and also to us. . .to stand firm in our faith, to be consistent in our walk, to persevere when we are tempted, tried, and persecuted, and to remain steadfast in our Christian conduct no matter the cost. Paul put it this way to the Philippians, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents” (Philippians 1:27-28). We need not be afraid to “contend for the faith” (Jude 1:3) because we are safe in the hands of God and we are being filled and led by the Spirit. To the men of Corinth, Paul wrote, “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13). We are to be alert, constantly standing firm in our faith, showing our strength in Christ. And the greater truth is when men stand strong for what is right, woman and children will follow suit.
September 3
Chapter 5, Verse 1, con’t, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
The problem with a yoke is it is typically heavy, so it is hard to hold up (bear), and there is always someone behind holding the reins, forcing the direction of steps. Farm animals do not like yokes, but they get used to having them around their necks and eventually they stop fighting the pull of the reins. Instead, they go along with the driver, even if he is leading them somewhere they really do not want to go. Of course, Paul is equating being under a yoke to the spiritual bondage that attends legalism. He could easily have said, “Don’t go backward and get tangled up in something that is absolutely of no value to you.” But, that is how legalism works. Once you get caught up in it, it is hard to break free. It can become cultic. Legalism causes pride to raise up (my way is better), and it can bring frustration and even lack of interest to the Christian life because it is always about the rules. This is not to say the the moral law of the Old Testament is bad and of no use. It simply is not the means of salvation nor the basis of living a spiritual life. Living a truly spiritual life for Christ should be exciting, satisfying, and certainly challenging, but never a burden.
September 4
Chapter 5, Verse 2, Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you.
“Ἴδε,” “Look,” is often translated “behold” and could be “Listen to me,” “Mark my words,” “Take note,” or as we often say in Bible study, “Underline this statement.” But even while Paul was essentially telling the Galatians to pay close attention, why was they whole circumcision issue such a big thing? The act itself was merely a surgical procedure, physically identifying (marking) all Jews males with the Abrahamic covenant. Right? When it is performed now, it rarely has anything to do with religious experience. How could that simple procedure make Christ of “no advantage?” More than an operation, it was and always has been, for Jews, a theological symbol. It was a good thing gone wrong, perverted. The symbol, for the judaizers, had become a requirement for salvation–it had become a ceremony signifying law-keeping as the means for righteousness. Those who submitted to it, as presented by these Jewish zealots, were devoting themselves to the idea that it somehow played a part in salvation. And since a woman could not do it, she had to devote herself only to the idea. Circumcision was really not the issue then; it was the importance a person assigned to it. Sadly, those adhering to the law and works for salvation would never be saved unless they removed their focus from the rules of legalism and let grace invade their hearts by simple faith in Christ. And for the believers who allowed the legalistic ideas to somehow overshadow their relationship with Jesus, they would never grow in grace and they would become stagnant in their faith, possibly looking and acting as if they were lost. That is what legalism did then and it was legalism does now.
September 5
Chapter 5, Verse 3, “I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.”
μαρτύρομαι δὲ πάλιν, martyromai de palin, “I testify now again.” The word again likely refers primarily to verse 2, but just as likely it looks back to Paul’s whole argument against receiving circumcision as a requirement that must be meant and a means to be saved. The verb μαρτύρομαι, marturomai, means to testify, affirm, or take to record. It is from μάρτυς, martus, “a witness” to something in life either casually or judicially. Regardless, Paul was making a solemn and serious assertion such as would be made under oath in a courtroom. παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ περιτεμνομένῳ, panti anthrōpō peritemnomenō, to every man being circumcised.” The “cutting around,” circumcision, which was performed on all Jewish males on the eighth day after birth, was also applied to Gentiles who wanted to be “proselytes of righteousness” if they converted to Judaism. Paul did not condemn Gentiles nor Jews for being circumcised. He simply made it abundantly clear that circumcision did not make a Gentile a Jew any more than did it somehow prove or complete salvation. The perversion was in the judaizers making it a requirement for righteousness before God. Titus 3:4-7, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
September 6
Chapter 5, Verse 3, con’t, “I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.”
ὀφειλέτης ἐστὶν ὅλον τὸν νόμον ποιῆσαι, opheiletēs estin holon ton nomon poiēsai, “a debtor his is all the Law to keep.” The noun opheiletēs, is from opheilo = an ower, one indebted; figuratively, a delinquent, and morally, a transgressor (against God). In the New Testament, it is always used to designate someone under obligation to pay back a debt. In this context the owner of the debt is God, and the one obligated is the sinner. The problem is, in fact, the Law itself, with its demands. Depending on how it is counted, there are 613 rules (not just baptism and circumcision) that must be followed. All 613 must be kept concurrently, both in deeds performed and thoughts entertained. In other words, your thoughts must be pure, your motives must be pure, and everything you do must be pure, without fault, perfect. Absolute perfection is the demand of the Law. So, if the true believer, in Christ, chose to be obligated to the Law, they could not just choose part of it. They had to be perfectly faithful to all of it. That is impossible for everyone–except Jesus. He fulfilled the Law and that is why we must trust him, and him alone.
September 7
Chapter 5, Verse 4, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.”
κατηργήθητε ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ, katērgēthēte apo Christou, “You have been severed from Christ.” This statement from Paul must have been terribly frightening for the Galatians who had trusted Christ for their salvation. The verb καταργέω, katargeó, combines kata = “to be” or “according to,” and argeo = entirely idle; and so, it could be stated as “rendered useless.” Also, it is sometimes used to mean “make completely inoperative” or “put out of use.” Paul was essentially saying that by trying to add any element of the law to grace, they were cut off from the life of freedom they had in Christ. For those of their number who had truly accepted Christ (knowing full well that some who professed Christ had not really trusted in him) he was not saying they had lost their salvation. That is impossible for a child of God. Instead, he was telling them their spiritual lives would no longer enjoy the power and clarity of the Spirit. Their foolishness would not bring them closer to God but drive them farther away. They would be alienated from the joy of knowing God and would begin to feel like strangers to grace. That is the case for everyone who tries to add some form of legalism, ritual, or self-effort to faith.
September 8
Chapter 5, Verse 4, con’t, “You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.”
τῆς χάριτος ἐξεπέσατε, tēs charitos exepesate, “from grace you have fallen away.” In this phrase, we have a theological quandary, not biblically, but in one’s approach to matters of religious opinion, specifically, perseverance of the saints. Some believe a person can lose their salvation. That is foolish. John 10 clearly teaches that believers are secure in the grip of grace and could not escape even if they chose to leave. And how would a person know when they had sinned enough to lose what they did not provide in the first place? So, what is it that Paul was trying to communicate in this context? It can only be one of two things: either they were never saved or they were walking into something that would rob them of their peace with God and launch them into confusion that may well begin to look like they had left God. The verb ἐκπίπτω, ekpipto, speaks of the loss of favor, so that it is no longer experienced in one’s life. Losing God’s favor–or blessings–may look and feel like being lost if a believer drift’s far enough away from God, but that does not change the eternal relationship. In Hebrews 5:11, the writer (I believe it was Paul) warned Jewish believers (likely a group of Jewish priests) about becoming “dull of hearing.” They were willfully ignorant, living the Christian life like newborns instead of adults. In Hebrews 6:1-6, he clarified what that means, “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” In verses 1-3, he addressed maturity and not moving backward toward ritual and “dead works,” i.e., the rules of legalism. And in verses 4-6, he address those who never moved from the idea of repentance to true faith. This calls us to examine our own lives to discover if we are walking with God by faith or simply walking nearby and not living in relationship with him. 1 John 2:19, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”
September 9
Chapter 5, Verse 5, “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”
Ἡμεῖς γὰρ Πνεύματι ἐκ πίστεως, Hēmeis gar Pneumati ek pisteōs, “We for through [the] Spirit by faith.” The conjunction gar usually begins an explanation of something previously stated, but here it draws a strong contrast. Those who look to the Law are “severed” from the goodness of God and those who live by faith are drawn close to God’s goodness through the Spirit. We is Paul and the Galatians who trusted Christ and Christ alone for salvation. Through the Spirit means not through the flesh. It also means all that believers look forward to in their walk with God is the result of the Spirit being present and working in their lives. The flesh alienates–the Spirit reconciles and draws near. Apart from the Spirit in a believer’s life, there is nothing good to provide direction and understanding. We cannot know God’s will by following rules. Romans 8:1-4, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Because Jesus fulfilled all the Law (as opposed to doing way with it), the Spirit fulfills the righteous requirement of the Law in all who believe. It is tragic that anyone believes they can work their way to eternal life. Romans 9:30-33, “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
September 10
Chapter 5, Verse 5, con’t, “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”
Faith is a gift from the Spirit of God. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” And the purpose of that faith in the life of a believer is service. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” That is what Paul was trying to teach to the Galatians. We must understand that faith is not of our own doing. πίστις, pistis, a noun, is something that is always a gift from God and never something that a person conjures on their own. If a person comes up with what they call faith, it is mere religion and will eventually “wear off.” (See Sept. 8 notes, 1 John 2:19). Faith for the believer is God “divine persuasion” (the verb πείθω, peitho, from which pistis is derived, means “to persuade) and is different from human confidence. When thinking in terms of having confidence in God, trust is the better word. The phrase, “by faith” appears in the New Testament 42 times from Acts to James, 21 of those occurrences in Hebrews. In Acts 15:9, we learn that our hearts are cleansed by faith. Acts 26:18 teaches us that we are sanctified by faith. Romans 1:17 says the righteous live by faith. In Romans 5:1, we are justified by faith. 5:2 proceeds to teach that we have access to God by faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says we walk by faith. Hebrews 11:3 declares we understand truth by faith. Hebrews 11:7 clearly teaches that righteousness comes by faith. The whole of the Christian life is lived by faith. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).
September 11
Chapter 5, Verse 5, con’t, “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”
EXCURSUS: Faith in the Old Testament
The most prominent Old Testament word for faith is אֱמוּנָה, emuwnah, which is derived from the root אָמַן, aman. However, the concept of faith in the Old Testament is more complex than a simple translation can capture. Emuwnah is “active trust.” While usually translated faith or belief, it is best understood as a concept of firm, active, and steadfast trust in God. It is not just intellectual ascent to a proposition but a complete reliance of God’s character and promises. The word can also be translated as faithfulness, steadfastness, and loyalty. In Exodus 17:12, Moses’ hands are described as being “steady” (emuwnah) as he held them up during battle. The Hebrew concept of faith implies obedient action and living trust that impacts one’s way of life as can be seen in Abraham. Even when he and his wife Sarah had doubts, they still had faith and kept moving for God’s glory. Besides the term emuwnah, faith is also expressed in the Old Testament as בָּטח, batach, “trust.” Batach us used to express complete reliance and confidence in God. Also, faith is expressed in the verb, חָסָה, chacah, which means “to take refuge” or “to seek shelter.” Psalm 57:1, “Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge (chacah),
till the storms of destruction pass by.” All of these Old Testament words, when paired with pistis in the New Testament, express trust and conviction in God’s promises, his character, and the Word, even without physical proof. It involves assurance in what is hope for, action based on that trust, and a deep conviction of God’s reality and reliability. Throughout Scripture, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is described as that which comes through God’s grace and by his Spirit to provide eternal life for the believer.
September 12
Chapter 5, Verse 5, con’t, “For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.”
The Spirit of God gives us faith and, in that faith, “we eagerly wait.” The verb ἀπεκδέχομαι, apekdechomai, is a compound of three Greek words. The verb δέχομαι, dechomai, “to receive,” expresses a welcome like one would give to a special friend who has come for a visit. The preposition ἀπό, apo, “off” means to move focus from one thing to another. And the preposition ἐκ, ek, is added here in the perfective sense, intensifying the meaning of the verb. Together, the idea is an intense yearning and ardent waiting for something. Since the verb is in the perfect tense, it describes the continual mindset of a believer and the middle voice show that the believer is the beneficiary of the eager waiting. Waiting for what? The “hope of righteousness.” In the New Testament, ἐλπίς, elpis, is the expectation (hope) of something certain as over against a simple, “I hope so.” And δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosuné, is being right with God. This hope of righteousness is not what we receive when we are saved. That is a done deal. When we put our personal faith in Christ, his righteousness is imputed to us. So in this verse, it is either what we are growing into (sanctification), or it is what we will receive when Jesus returns (glorification). The context seems to point to that day when Jesus welcomes his bride, the church, into heaven. If that is the case, Paul was addressing the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Let us be encouraged that our future as believers is secure and bright regardless of what the world throws at us because of our faith.
September 13
Chapter 5, Verse 6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, en gar Christō Iēsou, “In for Christ Jesus.” Throughout all of my commentaries, almost every time in Christ, is part of a passage, it is italicized. That is because being in Christ is the most important issue of life. The first time the phrase is used in the New Testament is Acts 24:24 after Paul had been arrested in Caesarea by angry Jewish authorities and brought before the regional governor, Felix, because he was a Roman citizen. Verse 24, “After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus.” 86 more times it is used by Paul from Romans 3:24 to Hebrews 3:14, and Peter used it 3 times in his first letter. Why is being in Christ essential? First and foremost, it describes the spiritual union where a believer is situated in Christ, similar to how a branch is in a tree. Believers are seen by God as new creations and sons of God, with Christ’s righteousness credited to them. This indicates a new identity. Because of this union, sin are forgiven, and the broken relationship with God is restored, with Christ acting as the believer’s advocate in heaven. Being in Christ involves being part of a new, unified community of believers, a spiritual kingdom established by Christ. And also because of this union, the Holy Spirit lives in believers, providing understanding of God’s Word and transforming their lives from within. Ephesians 1:3-10, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” In Christ, we can know God’s will for our lives and live it to the fullest.
September 14
Chapter 5, Verse 6, con’t, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
οὔτε περιτομή τι ἰσχύει οὔτε ἀκροβυστία, oute peritomē ti ischyei oute akrobystia, “neither circumcision any has power nor uncircumcision.” Male circumcision is neither good or bad. For Abraham and all Jewish males who followed, it was a covenant sign of inclusion. Medically, as it is still performed today, it offer health benefits like cleanliness and reduced risk of disease. But Paul was strictly addressing spiritual benefits and there are none either way. Nothing done externally, i.e., works of the flesh, regardless of their “spiritual” appearance, offer any advantage in regard to true spirituality. So we may think about it like this: nothing outward is essential or helpful and what is done inward is of utmost importance. Believers are created for good works (Ephesians 2:10), but those works are a product of faith, not a substitute for faith. True faith in Christ, does not change our “what,” but it does change our “why.” What we are is all of faith, and why we serve is driven by that same faith.
September 15
Chapter 5, Verse 6, con’t, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
ἀλλὰ πίστις δι’ ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη, alla pistis di’ agapēs energoumenē, “but only faith through love working.” Looking carefully at verse 5 and 6 together, I notices a reflection of 1 Corinthians 13:13, faith, hope, and love. This is also apparent in 1 Thessalonians 1:3, “remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” For a believer, it is important to remember the powerful significance of these three working together. This is our great advantage (vs. 2) in Christ. Faith is the trust and belief we have concerning God and his word. Hope is our expectation of what is certain and our confidence that what God has promised he will deliver. And love, biblically speaking, is what God has shown us in Jesus. It is the love of choosing what is right, the love of humble service to God and his kingdom, and the love we have for one another (John 13:35). Faith works through love. The verb ἐνεργέω, energeo’, here “working,” is present tense and signifies a continual activity coming from living, overflowing faith. This is a supernatural combination that allows the power of God to flow through us to others, and through which we see results that can only be attributed to God.
September 16
Chapter 5, Verse 6, con’t, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
The only way to understand true love, or love that is real, is in the context of relationship with God because — God is love. Biblical love is always selfless and sacrificial, putting the needs of others before self, even at great personal cost. The greatest example is God sending his son, Jesus, to die for humanity. True, biblical love is unconditional, not based on feelings or whether or not someone is worthy of receiving it. It is a decision to care deeply in spite of imperfections. Real love is active and action-oriented, demonstrated through deeds and truth rather than just words and emotions. It always involves doing what is best for others. When the love of God is in the human heart, and is expressed to another person, it is patient and kind, it endures difficult circumstances, is not easily angered, and is not rude or self-serving. The hardest part of real love is that it always addresses truth and righteousness, not allowing for evil or wrongdoing. And, unlike romantic love, which is an emotion (but not a bad thing), biblical love is a conscious declaration based on truth and is commanded by God. God is its foundation, Jesus is its greatest example, and believers are commanded to imitate it in their daily lives. Love, true love, never fails. God’s love in union with romantic love, is unstoppable. For a context of true, biblical, unfailing love, read Hosea 1:1-10, and 3:1-5. Hosea, the prophet/poet, loved and loved more, in spite of horrific circumstances, and according to the command of God.
September 17
Chapter 5, Verse 7, “You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
Ἐτρέχετε καλῶς, Etrechete kalos, “You were running well.” The verb τρέχω, trecho, generally means “to run,” but its precise use usually means “to move forward with haste toward a specific goal.” The idea, then, is running wide open and the goal is to win the race. Paul was famous. for his metaphorical use of athletics to describe everyday life–wrestling (Ephesians 6:12, boxing (1 Corinthians 9:26-27, and running (2 Timothy 4:7). He used these ideas to point out that the life of a believer is to be active, that by its very nature it is combative, and it calls for followers of Christ to be full of energy. This is the opposite of how the bible describes a sluggard, a lazy person. Proverbs 21:25, “The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.” Seriously, and with a hint of sarcasm and rhetoric, Paul was saying, “You were doing so well. What happened?” He knew all to well what happened. But instead of a harsh rebuke, here he remind them that they were walking in God’s grace, growing, and learning, until false teachers came in and caused confusion. False teachers are always a hindrance to a true spiritual life because they sow doubt and discord about the veracity of Scripture. Always beware of anyone who comes along with a “better way” to walk with God.
September 18
Chapter 5, Verse 7, con’t, “You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
τίς ὑμᾶς ἐνέκοψεν, tis hymas enekopsen, “Who you cut into.” The verb ἐγκόπτω, egkopto, combines the preposition en = “in” and sometimes on, by, about, etc., and kopto = “to chop,” properly, to cut or be incised, as in “cut to the heart of the matter.” The New Living Translation renders it, who. . .held you back, The Berean Standard Bible says, who has. . .obstructed you, and the Christian Standard Bible, among others, reads, who. . .prevented you. Taken altogether, the phrase might read, “who interfered with your quest for truth?” But even at that, the question is completely rhetorical because Paul knew exactly who was responsible and how they had gotten in the way. A part of my own running history includes relay racing, passing the baton, as it were. Occasionally, someone would get in the way and slow my progress. The “cut into” my race lane and caused me to break stride. I would have to slow down, adjust my approach to the end of the race, and try to catch up to the leaders. That was never easy. That goes right along with Paul’s previous assertion, “You were running well.” False teaching, legalism in particular, that is, piling rules on the gift of grace, always stunts real spiritual growth. The religious noise that is palmed off as essential to walking with God, never promotes growing in the freedom of Christ. To the contrary, it holds back believers and frustrates their spiritual momentum. We should never allow our walk with God to become rigid. That quickly becomes tragic and makes a Christian both shallow and unusable in kingdom work.
September 19
Chapter 5, Verse 7, con’t, “You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?”
[τῇ] ἀληθείᾳ μὴ πείθεσθαι, tē alētheia mē peithesthai, “the truth not to obey.” In today’s society, statements like “Well, this is my truth,” and “Just follow your truth” are common, but based on a false narrative. Those making such statements may actually believer a certain truth is theirs alone when, in fact, what they claim may actually be something misunderstood on their part, or worse, an outright lie they choose to accept instead of truth. That is what happened to the Galatians. They were fooled into believing a lie and apparently some of them fully embraced the lie. The phrase “obeying the truth,” in this context, could refer to the gospel message or the way believers live their Christian lives. Paul probably meant both since the legalism being taught was hindering some from coming to faith and others from walking in their faith. The verb πείθω, peitho’, “to convince” by argument or persuasion, is used here in the present tense meaning one is required to continually depend on the Spirit of God to follow the truth as over against falling for the legalistic lies of the judaizers. Remember, if something is true, it is true for everyone. We are called by God to handle the truth carefully. 2 Timothy 2:14-17, “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.”
September 20
Chapter 5, Verse 8, “This persuasion is not from him who calls you.”
ἡ πεισμονὴ οὐκ ἐκ τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς, hē peismonē ouk ek tou kalountos hymas, “[This] persusion [is] not of the [One] calling you.” The God’s Word Translation, actually more of a paraphrase reads, “The arguments of the person who is influencing you do not come from the one who is calling you.” The noun πεισμονὴ, peismonē, “persuasion,” is a derived form of πείθω, peitho’, the verb translated “obey” in verse 7. In verse 7, obedience is in regard to God. The noun form in verse 8 is always used in regard to self-produced persuasion, based on the claims of another person, apart from the word of God. The is the very nature of false teaching. Anytime someone is lying to you (even when they are convinced they are correct), especially in matters of faith and religion, they are attempting to gain a foothold in and control over your life. Quite naturally, this is all about perspective. In verse 7, obey may sound like control to some. When, in fact, obedience to the truth of God and his word is based upon the freedom we receive in Christ when we accept him as Lord of our lives. We do not serve out of guilt or edict, we serve out of a strong desire to follow the love of God in Christ.
September 21
Chapter 5, Verse 8, “This persuasion is not from him who calls you.“
τοῦ καλοῦντος ὑμᾶς, tou kalountos hymas, “the [One] calling you.” The verb καλέω, kaleo’, generally means “to call,” as in reach out to, seek out, invite, etc. Here, it is a present active participle indicating an ongoing, continuous action. It is acting as a verbal adjective modifying “him,” who in the context is clearly God. In other words, God continuously calls his children to act in the interest of his kingdom, reaching and teaching. In Romans 8:28-30, two other forms of the ssame verb are used to describe how God called (past tense) those would come to faith and be conformed to the image of Christ. Romans 9:1-11, “I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—” This passage amplifies Paul’s Galatian argument. He was saddened in his heart because God had given Israel so much to point them to Jesus and so many had missed the mark of faith by insisting on works to be righteous. The is why verse 11 says, “not because of works, but because of him who call.” That is why in John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me.” Anyone who seems to be walking with Jesus and then turns their back never to return was not saved at all. Sadly, this happens all too often in religious circles where the gospel in watered down or some how changed to fit a certain false dogma. Salvation is by grace through faith alone in Christ.
September 22
Chapter 5, Verse 9, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
μικρὰ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ, mikra zymē holon to phyrama zymoi, “A little leaven whole the lump leavens.” Generally speaking, leaven is yeast, although it could be baking soda or one of a few other substances used for causing dough to rise when making bread. The key to understanding the process and how it is used figuratively is to know that it changes the texture and use of whatever it is incorporated into. The noun ζύμη, zume’ = fermenting agent or leaven, likely is from ζέω, zeo’, “to heat” as in the process of fermentation of dough (when yeast is mixed in). In ancient times, when a lump (batch) of dough had risen, a small piece would be taken to start another lump later. The fermenting yeast would continue to produce loaf and loaf of baked bread. Throughout the Bible, the term leaven is used to describe pervasive power, usually of evil. As it applied to legalism in Paul’s overall argument, the point was that it doesn’t take much to ruin a life or lives. And if the believers in Galatia accepted circumcision, they would accept more and more corrupt teaching and, before long, their corporate beliefs would change from grace alone to grace plus a myriad of unnecessary rules, thereby bringing ruin to the churches. In Matthew 16:11-12, Jesus said, “How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
September 23
Chapter 5, Verse 9, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
When I was a young teenager, I worked at a business across the street from a candy store. This store was not just a place with neatly wrapped confections for sale. They were candy makers. I marveled each time I walked across the street to watch as the hot, glistening, runny sugar was poured from a large copper bowl onto a cold, steel table. The color was always almost clear with a golden tint. Depending on the flavor they were making that day, a very small cup with the flavoring and color would be poured onto the super sweet mass of almost boiling sugar. After a few minutes of folding over and over, the color and flavor were completely incorporated. Then, after a few more minutes on a candy hook, hanging on the wall, the confection’s texture changed and it was ready to form into whatever the candy maker wanted it to be. And so it goes with bread making, as it were. Water and flour with a tiny bit of yeast and time for fermentation, followed by kneading, makes a delicious loaf of bread. When Paul used this kind of metaphor, he correctly stated that the whole lump was affected. He did not necessarily mean that everyone who heard the false teaching believed it or accepted it. But he did mean that it had a negative effect on everyone. At the very least, when unbiblical principles are introduced into a church, disagreement arises. The conflicting positions give rise to “choosing sides.” And when the cause is taken up, regardless of whether the truth is supported or the lies, words become loud and bitter. Churches are torn apart, family members are alienated, and the liars usually walk away scot-free to take their lies elsewhere only to inflict the same damage wherever they go. When Paul used the word ὅλος, holos = complete, as in the total package, he meant more than just the sum of parts. He meant all the parts working to an end. That is why every believer should not just know what they believe, but why they believe something based upon Scripture, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV). This approach requires more than listening to preaching and attending small groups. It demands careful, personal study, meditation and prayer, and a strong desire to know the truth. God will give clear understanding to his children if they seek him and his wisdom.
September 24
Chapter 5, Verse 10, “I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.”
ἐγὼ πέποιθα εἰς ὑμᾶς ἐν Κυρίῳ, egō pepoitha eis hymas en Kyriō, “I am confident as to you in [the] Lord.” Notice, first of all, Paul did not say he had confidence in the Galatians. His confidence, as it should have been, was in God. πείθω, peitho’, means persuaded, convinced, or confident, pointing to hope. Here, it is present tense indicating Paul was completely confident in God’s will for the believers in Galatia. Confidence in God is something the world desperately needs. To have confidence in God means you personally possess a deep and steadfast trust in God’s character, ability, and promises, recognizing him as the ultimate source of control, power, and faithfulness in life. It involves placing reliance on God rather than on your own strengths, abilities, or worldly successes. This sort of confidence leads to peace, boldness, and the ability to remain hopeful and stable amidst challenges, as you are assured that God’s plan will prevail and he is always with you. It is an inward conviction that God is good, life is good, and your ultimate destiny is secure in God–leading to a more purposeful life.
September 25
Chapter 5, Verse 10, con’t, “I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.”
ὅτι οὐδὲν ἄλλο φρονήσετε, hoti ouden allo phronēsete, “that no other mind you will have.” When Paul declared his confidence in God to lead the Galatian believers to a clear understanding, he used the verb φρονέω, phroneo’, which means to exercise the mind, to be mentally disposed in a certain direction. He was certainly thinking of allowing God’s wisdom to direct them toward truth. In 1 Kings 3, after Solomon became king in Israel upon the death of his father, David, he could see the hand of God working in everything he did. He was very young and still unsure of his ability to lead. So, in a dream, he prayed, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” (1 Kings 3:9). God responded, “It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” Only the ESV and ISV read Solomon asking God to give him a wise and understanding mind. All the other English translations render it “heart.” Why? It is because heart is the word used in the text both in Solomon’s request and God’s answer. But we know that the heart muscle does not think; that is reserved for the mind. Almost everywhere in the Bible when heart is used metaphorically, it means the human “seat of emotion,” or the intellect. Solomon did not seek power or prestige; he sought the mind of God. Paul told the Philippians, “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:1-5). To the Gentile Christians suffering persecution in Asia Minor, Peter wrote, “Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8-9). The point of all this is if we allow God to nurture of minds (Romans 12:1-2), we will be able to discern the difference between the truth and lies. Some of the Galatian believers were faltering and Paul was seeking to bring them back to clarity. Always remember this: the truth never confuses. It is not always clear to us, but it is always right and never, ever compromises the gospel. Salvation is by grace, through faith, the gift of God without regard to works.
September 26
Chapter 5, Verse 10, con’t, “I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.”
ὁ δὲ ταράσσων ὑμᾶς, ho de tarassōn hymas, “the [one] however troubling you.” The context indicates Paul was not speaking about a single person, but collectively those who were responsible for the confusion of legalism and the resulting turmoil among the believers. The verb ταράσσω, tarasso’, “troubling,” or disturbing, as in to stir you up, properly means to put in motion; that is, to agitate or shake back and forth. Here, it was the false teaching that was causing inner perplexity and emotional stress that was wrecking the lives of some of the Galatians. Almost every New Testament use of this verb are figurative and describe mental confusion. The passive voice (used here) always conveys a negative meaning so that we are talking about deeply disturbed minds. This verb conveys the same idea as the noun θλῖψις, thilipsis, which means affliction, persecution, or tribulation. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation [thlipsis]. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Jesus said we who believe and have to face the evil of the world, should “take heart.” That is the verb θαρσέω, tharseo’, “to be of good cheer” or “to have courage.” when the world piles on the lies and even when it happens in a church setting, we must remember we are secure in Christ. Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). And the liars will stand before God to receive their due for the damage they have done to people of faith.
September 27
Chapter 5, Verse 10, con’t, “I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.”
βαστάσει τὸ κρίμα ὅστις ἐὰν ᾖ, bastasei to krima hostis ean ē, “will bear the judgment whoever if he might be.” Once again, Paul used a singular term to represent a group. By this time in the letter, ti can be no secret that he was calling out the “circumcision party” (2:12), the legalists, agents provocateur. They instigated confusion by introducing the deception that elements of the law were necessary for true salvation. The Law of God was and is good, but it is completely unable to transform the heart of man. Only the grace of God in Christ can do that. The result of their deliberate fraud was some of the Galatians abandoned their faith. Were they ever saved? A similar situation arose and was addressed by John in 1 John. He was likely writing concerning gnosticism (another false teaching) that had arisen among Gentile believers in and around Ephesus in Asia Minor. 1 John 2:18-25, “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life.” The times have changed, but the issues remain largely unchanged. Many antichrists, those who oppose the work and teaching of Jesus and discount what he did at Calvary, are still doing their best to sow discord and bring doubt into Christ’s churches. The claim to be scholars and many of them proudly display their credentials while they disparage the Scriptures and present claims that sound good but are hellish in the end. Anyone who adds to or takes away from the gospel message must be anathema in the churches.
September 28
Chapter 5, Verse 11, “But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.”
The New Living Translation renders this verse, “Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised– as some say I do– why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended.” It brings clarity to the accusation and the reasonable answer. The first phrase is Ἐγὼ δέ, ἀδελφοί, εἰ περιτομὴν ἔτι κηρύσσω, Egō de, adelphoi, ei peritomēn eti kēryssō, “I now, brothers, if circumcision still proclaim.” “Brothers” is an affectionate term aimed at believers, so he was not addressing the false teachers (who he would have called brothers before his conversion). “Proclaim,” preach, herald, with “still” begs the question, did Paul ever insist on circumcision as a path to righteousness? Again, before his conversion, as a Pharisee, he would have demanded circumcision for all Jewish males as a rite of passage. But nowhere in his letters after he was saved did he ever makes such a claim. The religious liars were apparently claiming Paul agreed with them. The apostle was not a “man pleaser,” but the opposition insisted he was because his message of salvation decried works. Paul declared grace alone and his adversaries, who were at least confused, and likely lost, could not separate themselves from a religion of works in favor or God’s free gift of grace.
September 29
Chapter 5, Verse 11, con’t, “But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.”
τί ἔτι διώκομαι, ti eti diōkomai, “why still am I persecuted?” In this highly rhetorical question, Paul knew exactly what was going on. It is reflected in his use of διώκω, dioko’, which means to chase down or harass and was used in the apprehension of criminals. It was also used sometimes as a metaphor in hunting, as in catch and kill the prey. Here, it is present tense indicating it was ongoing and Paul was continually being persecuted. The persecution came, not so much because Paul exposed their lies but, because he stood firmly for the truth. In today’s parlance, it might be called the weaponization of words resulting in the destruction of an adversary. Persecution is not something most people who read this commentary have ever suffered. Explaining the difference between criticism and persecution may add clarity. Criticism is the analysis and judgment of someone or something, often offering negative feedback. Many times, those who are critical, especially in matters of theology and faith, criticize out of ignorance with baseless, uninformed accusations. The words may hurt, but do not usually cause lasting damage. Persecution, on the other hand, is the systematic, often well-planned harassment, oppression, or harm of an individual or group, typically due to their identity or beliefs. The key difference lies in intent and severity. Criticism aims to evaluate and provide feedback, while persecution involves a deliberate, often intense, infliction of harm to punish someone for what they believe. This begs the question: how should believers respond to either or both? In Christ, guided by the Spirit with the love of God, we should “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Stand up for what you believe, do not back down, do not be harsh, and never act as if you are better than anyone else or as if you would enjoy seeing them suffer harm. Those who do not know the truth will not receive it from a position of hatred. And if they are a wicked person, turn and walk away.
September 30
Chapter 5, Verse 11, con’t, “But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.”
ἄρα κατήργηται τὸ σκάνδαλον τοῦ σταυροῦ, ara katērgētai to skandalon tou staurou, “So then has been abolished the stumbling block of the cross.” The first of three key words in this phrase is skandalon, offense or stumbling block. It comes from a word meaning to jump up or snap shut. It was originally the piece of wood that kept an animal trap open. Only in the Bible is it used metaphorically. The English scandal comes from Latin skandalum, used in those versions of Scripture. Skandalon eventually meant any entanglement, especially of the foot, and figuratively in Scripture, refers to any person who used deceit to draw someone into sin. The verb katargeo, combines kata = to be rendered, and argeo = completely useless or totally without effect. Abolished, then, in the context, means to reduce to inactivity or render powerless. The third word, staurou, clearly refers to the Cross of Christ, and more precisely, pertains to the cross beam to which the person crucified was attached at the wrists/hands. Paul addressed this issue with the church at Corinth with these words, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age. Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:17-24). The Jews, in their eloquent wisdom, could not accept the idea of a suffering, much less crucified, Messiah. Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone robbed them of their national/religious identity, namely, Mosaic Law and circumcision. So the Cross of Christ was a stumbling block to the Jews because it failed to require works of the law carefully followed by the generations before Paul and the gospel. Paul wrote to the Romans, “For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void” (Romans 4:13-14). Peter, in his first letter, wrote, “So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:7-8). For every Jew and every Gentile, there is only one way to be saved. And that is to approach God in repentance and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Everything else is just tradition and religion.
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