The persons spoken of here were Christian Jews. οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς (without τῆς, see crit. note) has this meaning in reff. (in Acts 10:45 it is qualified by the addition of πιστοί). Romans 4:12, is not really an instance of the phrase. That they were at least nominally Christians is also implied by the epithet ἀνυπότακτοι. We cannot call those persons unruly on whose obedience we have no claim.

ματαιολόγοι : ματαιολογία occurs in 1 Timothy 1:6.

φρεναπάται : seductores. The verb occurs in Galatians 6:3.

μάλιστα : it is probable that there were very few false teachers who were not “of the circumcision”.

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Old Testament