GALATIANS CHAPTER 5
(A Bible Study Commentary compiled by Don Krow)
GAL 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
"Stand fast" is an expression of the Greek word STEKO {stay-ko} which means "to persevere, stand firm and to hold one's ground." Just as we must persevere to maintain our freedom and protection of the United States, so also we must stand fast in protecting our spiritual freedom.
The word "entangled" in Greek carries the idea of those being "ensnared or held in a net." The bondage that had ensnared the Galatians was the law's demands in which they were trying to find God's favor or acceptance.
Freedom from self-justification through law was purchased by Christ upon the cross, so don't let yourselves be burdened again.
GAL 5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
"Apparently, the false teachers have put forth the claim that for the Galatians to be really Christians, they must first accept the rite of circumcision...Submission to circumcision would be to adopt the notion that one can win God's approval through some legalistic ritual or through doing what the law requires, and this would constitute a complete denial of the fact that freedom and sonship are God's gifts through Jesus Christ" (UBS Handbook, p. 121).
The phrase "Christ shall profit you nothing" is another way of saying, That if one turns to religious law for salvation then you cannot benefit in any way from what Christ has done for you.
GAL 5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
"Once more I warn any man who allows himself to be circumcised that he is obliged to obey the whole law" (Gal. 5:3 TEV). "The law is a unit, and if a person puts himself under any part of it for justification, he is a "debtor" to the entire code with its requirements and its curse (Gal. 3:10; Jas. 2:10)" (TBKC, p. 605). "Circumcision is only one part of the law, but to accept it is to obligate oneself to obey everything in the law" (UBS Handbook, p. 121).
GAL 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
The New American Standard Version states, "You have been SEVERED FROM CHRIST, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace" (Gal. 5:4). We all know how serious it is to have a part of our body severed such as an arm. How much more dangerous it is to be "severed from Christ." This has taken place because some have turned to the principle of law for salvation.
The expression "you have fallen from grace," "should be understood not in the sense that grace has been taken away from them, but in the sense that they have turned their backs on it... One may also say "you have put yourself in a place where God cannot be good to your, or show you His goodness" (UBS Handbook, p. 122). "Fallen from grace" is not speaking about the Arminian doctrine of losing salvation by one's sins, but rather is speaking of turning from the method of salvation {grace}, to seeking salvation by another way.
GAL 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
The hope of righteousness for which we eagerly await is the full consummation of our salvation. The Greek term for "wait" is also used several places in the New Testament for the return of Christ (Rom. 8:19, 23, 25; 1 Cor. 1:7; Gal. 5:5; Phil. 3:20; Heb. 9:28). The hope of righteousness begins now through imputed righteousness by faith and will conclude with outward glorification with the full manifestation of all that it means to have become a son of God (See Rom. 8:19, 21).
This is also speaking of God's final verdict at the end of time of "not guilty," received by faith and provided through the death of Christ.
GAL 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Whether a person is circumcised or uncircumcised makes no difference in their relationship to God.
No amount of legalism can produce the Christian life. The Christian life is expressed by faith in God that manifest in expressions of love. Love is what sums up all that the law demands (Rom. 13:8-10).
Justification through faith does not promote lawlessness but rather goes about to express the very righteousness that the law demanded by faith and dependence upon the Spirit of God (Rom. 8:4).
GAL 5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Paul describes the Christian experience as a race (1 Cor. 9:24-25; 2 Tim. 4:7). The Galatians had begun the race well then suddenly the Judaizers had cut in on them and caused them to be hindered. Now they are attempting to finish the race no longer by faith but by legalism and self-effort.
GAL 5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
It certainly wasn't God who stopped you from obeying the truth.
GAL 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Paul uses "yeast working through dough" twice in the New Testament (1 Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9). Usually "leaven" {yeast} symbolizes evil or sin in scripture (Mk. 8:15; 1 Cor. 5:8). Even the smallest influence of a false gospel will eventually corrupt all, causing the whole system of grace to fall.
GAL 5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
Paul is stating that he is confident in the Lord that the Galatians will come to believe the truth concerning the gospel of the grace of God. And that the false teachers will ultimately be judged (Jas. 3:1), whoever they be.
GAL 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
"The implication is clear that Paul at one time preached the necessity of circumcision as a means of acceptance with God" (WWS, Vol. 1, p. 145). It was as a Pharisee that Paul had preached this. So if Paul was still preaching circumcision as a means of God's acceptance {the same message as the Judaizers} then why was he being persecuted by them? 1 Cor. 1:23 clearly states that the preaching of Christ crucified was a stumbling block to the Jews, and an offense (v. 11). Why? Because the preaching of the gospel abolished the necessity of law keeping as a means of acceptance with God. "That was the very point at issue when the Sanhedrin was trying Stephen. The charge was not that he was worshipping the Crucified One. It was that he was speaking blasphemous words against the Jewish temple and the Law of Moses (Acts 6:13, 14)" (WWS, Vol. 1, pgs. 145-146). I'm sure that what Stephen was preaching was justification by faith apart from the law. All of this shows the erroneous view that the first century Jews had concerning the Law of Moses as a basis of acceptance before God.
GAL 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.
Many scholars believe that Paul is referring here to the act of castration. This was a practice of priest of certain false cults that the Galatians would be familiar with at that time.
"A possible alternative interpretation is that Paul may have had in mind the Old Testament understanding of castration which involved exclusion from God's people (Dt. 23:1)" (UBS Handbook, pgs. 129-130). This interpretation is followed by the J.B. Phillips translation which states, "I wish those who are so eager to cut your bodies would cut themselves off from you altogether!"
GAL 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Paul now "introduces a wholly new aspect of the matter of Christian liberty, the danger of abusing it. To those who have been accustomed to regard law as the only controlling factor that stands in the way of self-indulgence and a free reign in sin, and to those who have not been accustomed to a high standard of ethics, the teaching of Christian liberty might easily mean that there is nothing to stand in the way of the unrestrained indulgence of one's own impulses. Paul often during his ministry, had his hearers react in this way to his teaching of grace. The questions in Romans 6:1 and 6:15, SHALL WE CONTINUE IN SIN, THAT GRACE MAY ABOUND? and, SHALL WE SIN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT UNDER LAW BUT UNDER GRACE? were asked by someone who did not understand grace.
There is a recognition of the fact that the flesh is still with the Christian even though its power over him is broken, and consequently a feeling that even the child of God still needs a restraint put upon him. And this is as it should be. But the mistake that is made so often is that the Mosaic law is substituted for the restraint of the Holy Spirit...
The antidote against using their liberty from the law as a pretext for sinning, is found in the exhortation, "By love serve one another." The Greek word for LOVE here is AGAPE, which refers, not to human affection but to divine love... This love is a love whose chief essence is self-sacrifice for the benefit of the one who is loved... The word SERVE {in Greek} means "to render service to, to do that which is for the advantage of someone else" (WWS, Vol. 1, pgs. 148-150).
The antidote for the misuse of Christian liberty is the divine principle of love for God and love for our fellowman. As Christians we are free to do anything as long as we can do it with perfect love for God and love for our fellowman. We are not free to do anything that we can't do with love for God and love for our fellowman.
GAL 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Paul states in Romans 8:4 that the righteousness of the law is to be fulfilled in the Christian by the Holy Spirit. The term "all the law" used here is not referring to the law as a legalistic system of earning justification as Paul has been using it, but rather as the spirit of the law as "the expression of God's will" (Rom. 7:12).
Christian love fulfills, fully performs, fully obeys all that the Mosaic law would require of him. Jesus teaches the same truth under the law of Christ (See Mt. 7:12; Lk. 6:31-37).
The quotation that Paul is using is from Lev. 19:18 and is applied as "love" being an eternal principle of both covenants.
The Wuest's translation states, "For the whole law in one utterance stands fully obeyed: namely in this, Love your neighbor as you do yourself." Paul also speaks of this in Romans 13:8-10.
GAL 5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
Paul is warning in verse 15 of what happens when the opposite of love is practiced.
A person bites with their mouth. So Paul is probably talking about the sins of malicious talk. In Classical Greek "bite, devour and consumed" all speak of the activity of wild animals destroying one another. If a person bites an apple enough times it will be consumed.
Paul's answer to these sins of the flesh are given in the proceeding verse.
GAL 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Just as a person who is walking takes one step at a time, places one foot in front of the other, So the Christian is to take each step in his Christian life depending and trusting the Holy Spirit to deliver him from the lust of the flesh. Notice that Paul does not say that if you become strong enough as a Christian that you will not have desires of the flesh. But he says, through dependence upon the Holy Spirit you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. Paul states that within our natural bodies there is a law of sin dwelling in our members (Rom. 7:20, 23). That will never change until we are glorified (1 Cor. 15:44), so we must exchange our weakness for His strength by depending upon the Holy Spirit to deliver us from sins evil grip. This is done through faith in Christ's Spirit (Rom. 8:2, 11-13; 1 Cor. 15:57) and by yielding ourselves unto Him (Rom. 6:13).
The Holy Spirit's deliverance does not work automatically in the believer's life. He must be depended upon.
GAL 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
The flesh and the Spirit have opposite desires manifesting opposite results (Gal. 5:19-23). Paul states that this struggle causes us to not do the things that we really intend to do. A parallel passage to this would be Romans 7:19 in which Paul states, "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not that I do." Paul's answer for deliverance is not in self-effort but rather total dependence upon the Spirit of God to break the bonds of sins by dependence upon Him (See Rom. 7 and my booklet USDA Choice Flesh).
GAL 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
The Galatians were still trying to live the Christian life, but were going about it by self-effort, self-dependence, and by the principle of the law. The Spirit and the law are contrasted and shown to be opposed to one another. The Spirit's ability to deliver from sin is quiet different from the law's ability of self-effort. Verse 18 states, "If ye be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law," i.e. We are not under the law's precepts in order to earn God's approval.
GAL 5:19-21 [19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, [20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, [21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
Paul is now giving a clearly defined standard to show whether a person is being led by the Holy Spirit or the flesh. If a person is walking after the flesh he will manifest to some degree the works of the flesh.
Paul categorizes these actions in four areas: "(1) Sensual results: fornication or prostitution; uncleanness, meaning moral impurity; and, lasciviousness which deals with promiscuity such as pre-marital, extramarital, sexual relationships and things of that nature. (2) Category of the results of the works of the flesh is false worship and he mentions two: idolatry and sorcery or witchcraft. (3) Category of the results of the works of the flesh are personal and social relations and he mentions eight: enmities, meaning personal animosities; strife, meaning rivalry and discord; jealousies of an unnatural kind; wrath, people will be vengeful toward one another; factions, division within the body; divisions among individuals and within married couples; parties, envyings, meaning feelings of ill will. These are personal and social results of working on the basis of the flesh. (4) Category of results is intemperance, categorized by drunkenness and by revellings or orgies.
Having listed all these things, he points out that people who practice these things will not enter the Kingdom of God because these are works that are evidence of people who are unsaved... Paul is dealing with that which is habitual practice as over against that which a believer simply falls into on an occasional basis" (Manuscript #126, p. 27, by Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum).
The phrase "shall not inherit the Kingdom of God" may be rendered in some languages as "will not enjoy having God rule over them," or "will never have the joy of God ruling them" (UBS Handbook, p. 139).
GAL 5:22-23 [22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Jesus speaks of bearing fruit in John 15 and declares "that without Him we can do nothing" (Jn. 15:5). Notice that this "fruit" is not produced by the believer, but by the Spirit as we live in union with Him.
The Today's English Version states, "But THE SPIRIT PRODUCES, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control." Our part is to yield and trust, God's part is to produce the fruit.
The phrase "against such there is no law" is another way of saying, "The law was never meant for people who demonstrate these qualities or There are no laws which speak against people who live in this way" (UBS Handbook, p. 141).
GAL 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Christians crucified the flesh with its affections and lust, in the sense that when they put their faith in the Lord Jesus...they received the actual benefits of their identification with Christ in His death on the cross"(WWS, Vol.1, p. 161). "Have crucified the flesh" is in the aorist tense suggesting and action that took place in the past. This does not refer to self-crucifixion or self-mortification but rather to Christians identifying with Christ death. A parallel passage may be found in Romans 6:6, 11 which states, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin... Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Victory over the flesh with its passions and lusts "has been provided by Christ in His death. Faith must continually lay hold of this truth or the believer will be tempted to try to secure victory by self-effort" (TBKC, p. 609).
GAL 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
To "live in the Spirit" has the connotation of the Spirit being the source of our life. "Thus, the exhortation is to the Galatians who have divine life resident in their beings, to conduct themselves under the guidance, impulses, and energy of that life" (WWS, Vol. 1, p. 162). This is twice now that Paul has admonished the Christians to walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25).
GAL 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Paul may be expressing in a negative way the danger of failing to walk in the Spirit. What he characterizes is the manifestation of the flesh. "Vain glory" may be rendered as "always saying how great we are or always saying, Look at me" (UBS Handbook, p. 143). "Provoking one another" would be to trouble or irritate one another. "Envy" has the idea of being jealous of one another.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Sources cited and consulted)
(UBS Handbook) A Handbook on Paul's Letter to the Galatians. By Daniel C. Arichea & Eugene A. Nida. United Bible Societies, New York.
(TEV) Today's English Version. By American Bible Society, New York.
(TBKC) The Bible Knowledge Commentary, by John F. Walvoord & Ray B. Zuck. Victor Books.
(WWS or Wuest) Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament. Volume One. By Kenneth S. Wuest. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49502.
(USDA Choice Flesh) by Don Krow. Andrew Wommack Ministries, P.O. Box 3333, Colorado Springs, CO 80934.
Galatians, Manuscript # 126, by Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum. Ariel Ministries, P.O. Box 3723, Tustin, CA 92681.
(KJV) The King James Version of 1611.
E-mail us at: WJoKrow@aol.com
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