THE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY 1-12. The futility of seeking justification by attempting to comply with the demands of the Mosaic Law; the inconsistency of works and faith as methods of salvation. PARAPHRASE. '(1) Since Christ has freed us from the necessity of obeying these legal demands and cust... [ Continue Reading ]
Connected closely with preceding section. BONDAGE] to legal observances. CHRIST HATH MADE US FREE] by fulfilling the Law, and so teaching us to obey it, not in the letter but in the spirit, which we shall do best by living by faith in Him, and having the same mind in us as was also in Him cp. Matth... [ Continue Reading ]
BE CIRCUMCISED] RV 'Receive circumcision' as essential to salvation. CHRIST.. PROFIT.. NOTHING] because you thereby reject Him as sole and sufficient Saviour.... [ Continue Reading ]
Circumcision is the sign of the system of which it is a part, and its practice indicates that a complete observance of all the Law's requirements is obligatory.... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRIST IS BECOME, etc.] RV 'Ye are severed from Christ, ye who would be justified,' etc. By resorting to the Law for salvation, as if Christ were not sufficient, you are no longer Christ's people. FALLEN, etc.] fallen down from the higher plane of grace upon the lower plane of Law. To us now the bon... [ Continue Reading ]
The true mode of salvation, viz. by the agency of the Spirit, on condition of faith alone.... [ Continue Reading ]
AVAILETH] for salvation. FAITH WHICH WORKETH] an active, energetic faith: cp. James 2:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
RUN WELL] before the Judaisers misled you. WHO DID HINDER] a rhetorical question.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cometh_] RV '_came_' This dissuasion from loyalty to Christ to which you have yielded does not emanate from God, but is contrary to His will.... [ Continue Reading ]
A LITTLE LEAVEN] It would seem that only a few of the Galatian converts were affected by the false teaching; but their influence would soon prove farreaching and pernicious: cp. 1 Corinthians 15:33; Leaven is always used in NT. as a symbol of influence. Our Lord uses it to illustrate the influence o... [ Continue Reading ]
The Apostle now adopts a more hopeful tone, and turns from reproof to encouragement. NONE OTHERWISE MINDED] than as I have taught you.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN IS THE OFFENCE OF THE CROSS CEASED] RV 'then has the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.' The Judaisers who had 'troubled' the Galatians had evidently brought against the Apostle the charge that he still preached circumcision himself, although he had dispensed with it in the case of th... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE EVEN CUT OFF] RV 'would even cut themselves off,' RM 'would even mutilate themselves'; i.e. would even go beyond circumcision, like the priests of Cybele, whom the Galatians had formerly worshipped. A bitterly satirical wish. The Apostle was evidently carried away by his righteous wrath at the... [ Continue Reading ]
A caution against an easy and common misunderstanding of Christian freedom: cp. Romans 6:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
The real moral substance of the Mosaic Law was the gospel principle of love: cp. Matthew 22:40; Romans 13:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
BITE AND DEVOUR] in party strife. CONSUMED] as respects your personal and collective Christian life. 16-26. The spiritual and the carnal life contrasted. PARAPHRASE. '(16) In the life which is fostered by the Spirit you will find your true safety against the evils of which I am warning you. (17) Fo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT] the sanctifying Spirit of God. SHALL NOT FULFIL] because the Spirit and the flesh are contrary principles. THE FLESH] a general name for the sinful impulses.... [ Continue Reading ]
The carnal desires are opposed to the Spirit, and the impulses from the Spirit are contrary to these desires.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT UNDER THE LAW] Those who live under the guidance of the Spirit of God are in no need of the Law. They do what is right not because the Law commands it, or because the Law penalises wrong-doing, but because they live under the influence of Christ and have His Spirit in them; e.g. they refrain fro... [ Continue Reading ]
WORKS OF THE FLESH include not merely carnal sins, such as the first three in the list, but evil passions like strife and jealousy and their social effects, such as factions and divisions. 22, 23. AGAINST SUCH (virtues) THERE IS NO LAW] hence there can be no condemnation for those who possess them.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE CRUCIFIED] in the act of uniting themselves to Christ by faith: cp. Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
The inner life should rule the outer life.... [ Continue Reading ]
VAINGLORY] indulging in rivalry and jealousy. PROVOKING] to strifes of opinion. ENVYING] cherishing grudges.... [ Continue Reading ]