Galatians 5:26

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 'Let us not BECOME' [ ginometha (G1096)]. While not asserting that the Galatians are "vain-glorious" now, he says they are liable to become so. PROVOKING, [ prokaloumenoi (G4292 ): CHALLENGING] ONE ANOTHER - an effect of 'vain-gloriousness' on the stronger, as "envying" on the weaker. A danger common both to the orthodox and Judaizing Galatians....

26._Let us not be desirous of vain-glory_, The special exhortations which were addressed to the Galatians were not more necessary for them than they are adapted to our own time. Of many evils existing in society at large, and particularly in the church, ambition is the mother. Paul therefore directs us to guard against it, for the _vain-glory _( κενοδοξία) of which he speaks is nothing else than _ambition_, (filimia,) or the desire of honor, by which every one desires to excel all others. The heathen philosophers do not condemn every desire of glory; but among Christians, whoever is desirous of glory departs from true glory, and therefore is justly charged with idle and foolish ambition. It is not lawful for us to glow but in God alone. Every other kind of glorying is pure vanity. Mutual _provocations _and _envyings _are the daughters of ambition. He who as

16-26 If it be our care to act under the guidance and power of the blessed Spirit, though we may not be freed from the stirrings and oppositions of the corrupt nature which remains in us, it shall not have dominion over us. Believers are engaged in a conflict, in which they earnestly desire that grace may obtain full and speedy victory. And those who desire thus to give themselves up to be led by the Holy Spirit, are not under the law as a covenant of works, nor exposed to its awful curse. Their hatred of sin, and desires after holiness, show that they have a part in the salvation of the gospel. The works of the flesh are many and manifest. And these sins will shut men out of heaven. Yet what numbers, calling themselves Christians, live in these, and say they hope for heaven! The fruits of the Spirit, or of the renewed nature, which we are to do, are named. And as the apostle had chiefl...

Verse Galatians 5:26. _LET US NOT BE DESIROUS OF VAIN GLORY_] κενοδοξοι. _Let us not be vain glorious_-boasting of our attainments; vaunting ourselves to be superior to others; or seeking honour from those things which do not possess moral good; in birth, riches, eloquence, c., c. _PROVOKING ONE ANOTHER_] What this may refer to we cannot tell whether to the Judaizing teachers, endeavouring to set themselves up beyond the apostle, and their attempts to lessen _him_ in the people's eyes, that they might secure to themselves the public confidence, and thus destroy St. Paul's influence in the Galatian Churches or whether to some other matter in the internal economy of the Church, we know not. But the exhortation is necessary for every Christian, and for every Christian Church. He who professes to seek the honour that comes from God, should not

LET US NOT BE DESIROUS OF VAINGLORY - The word used here (κενόδοξοι kenodoxoi) means “proud” or “vain” of empty advantages, as of birth, property, eloquence, or learning. The reference here is probably to the paltry competitions which arose on account of these supposed advantages. It is possible that this might have been one cause of the difficulties existing in the churches of Galatia, and the apostle is anxious wholly to check and remove it. The Jews prided themselves on their birth, and people are everywhere prone to overvalue the supposed advantages of birth and blood. The doctrines of Paul are, that on great and most vital respects people are on a level; that these things contribute nothing to salvation (notes, Galatians 3:28); and that Christians should esteem them of little importance, and that th

EXPOSITION GALATIANS 5:1 GALATIANS 5:2 BEHOLD, I PAUL SAY UNTO YOU (ἴδε, ἐγὼ Παῦλος λώγω ὑμῖν); _lo_,_ I Paul say unto you. _The adverbial exclamation ἴδε, found in St. Paul's writings only here (in Romans 2:17 it should be εἰ δὲ), seems to be more abrupt than ἰδού, pointing to the immense importance and yet possibly unexpected character of what follows. The Galatians might be surprised to hear it; but that which they seemed disposed to take in hand was fraught with utter ruin. "I, Paul:" he thus puts forward his personality, as solemnly gaging his whole credit and responsibility upon the truth of that which he is about

LET US NOT BE DESIROUS OF VAIN GLORY,.... Ambitious of being thought wiser, and richer, and more valuable than others; of having the preeminence in the management of all affairs, and of having honour, esteem, and popular applause from men: this may well be called vain glory, since it is only in outward things, as wisdom, riches, strength, and honour, and not in God the giver of them, and who can easily take them away; and therefore is but for a time, and is quickly gone, and lies only in the opinion and breath of men. PROVOKING ONE ANOTHER; not to good works, which would be right, but to anger and wrath, which is contrary to Christian charity, or true love; which, as it is not easily provoked, so neither will it provoke others to evil things. The Syriac version renders it by מקלין, "slighting", or "despising one another"; and the Arabic version, "insulting one another"; vices to which...

Galatians 5:1. _Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ had made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace._ If you mean to have anything to with salvation by works, get you gone; you are the children of the bond-woman. Galatians 5:19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunke

III. THE WALK OF THE JUSTIFIED BELIEVER, AS NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE CHAPTER 5 _ 1. Stand fast! Be not entangled! (Galatians 5:1)_ 2. Exhortations and the law of love. (Galatians 5:7) 3. Flesh and Spirit. (Galatians 5:16) 4. The Fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) The first exhortation is to maintain, by faith, the liberty which is found in Christ, to stand fast in that liberty where with Christ has made the believer free and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage. The believer has perfect liberty in Christ; he is absolutely dead to the law and the law

GALATIANS 5:13 TO GALATIANS 6:10. Practical appendix to the epistle; in the form of guarding the doctrine of free grace against antinomian abuse....