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John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
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MacArthur writes "The spiritual descendants of Sarah and Isaac should live as they lived, by faith. "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised" (Heb. 11:11+), and "by faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come" (Heb. 11:20+)." (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) DON'T BE ENTANGLED AGAIN IN A LEGALISTIC YOKE And do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery (cf Acts 15:10+) - Think of how ridiculous it would be to see a mule that had been unhitched from pulling a plow to attempt to get back up under that yoke! Christ had set the Galatians free from a yoke of slavery, the "yoke" of the Old Testament law they considered to be the means of justification. Notice the time phrase "again" (palin) indicating that this was in fact their and our condition before faith in Christ and His Gospel of Grace set us all free. "At one time we were under the yoke of the law, burdened by its demands which we could not meet and by its fearful condemnation because of our disobedience. But Christ met the demands of the law for us. He died for our disobedience and thus bore our condemnation in our place. He has ‘redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us’ (Gal 3:13). And now He has struck the yoke from our shoulder and set us free to stand upright. How" (Stott) Why would we ever want to go back under the cruel yoke of spiritual bondage by seeking to obey the Law? And so Paul gives a second command in the present imperative (see note above about how to keep this command) this time modified by the negative particle ("me") which can be paraphrased, "stop being subjected or being entangled." It can also mean don't let this entanglement begin. Hansen - The yoke of the law is a yoke of slavery, because it places us under the burden of commandments we cannot keep and under curses that we deserve for our disobedience. But God sent his Son to lift this heavy yoke from our shoulders and to take it upon himself: he was "born under law" (Galatians 4:4) and kept all its demands for us; he died under the curse of the law for us (Galatians 3:13). (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series – Galatians) Jack Arnold - Once a Christian gets into any legalistic system it is very hard to get out. Legalism is adding anything to salvation or spirituality, which scripturally is purely by grace through faith in Christ. Legalism brings pride, frustration and indifference to the Christian life. I do not believe Paul is saying it is wrong to use the moral law of the Old Testament as a guide for living or even a rule of conduct, as long as it is not used as a ground of acceptance with God, a means of salvation or a basis of spirituality. (Liberty Not Legalism) This is Paul's fourth and final metaphorical description of the Law - notice that #'s 1-2 are the positive effects the Law as it leads us to believe in Christ and experience spiritual freedom. #'s 3-4 are both negative effects and describe the enslaving effect of the Law. Tutor in Gal 3:24, Bondwoman in Gal 4:22ff Be subject (1758)(enecho from en = in + echo = to hold) means literally to hold in or hold upon and came to mean ensnare and then by implication to hold a grudge. In the passive voice as here in Gal 5:1 enecho means to be held in or by anything, and figuratively means to be entangled, in this context entangled by the "spiritual chains" from which they had been set free. BE SUBJECT TO THE BEST YOKE! Yoke (2218)(zugos or zygos) literally was a crossbeam or crossbar. In farming, the yoke referred to a wooden bar which went over the neck of two animals and had collars that enabled them to pull together. Figuratively zygos spoke of "slavery, service, and control by someone else over your life; it may also represent willing service and submission to someone else. When God delivered Israel from Egyptian servitude, it was the breaking of a yoke (Lev. 26:13+). The farmer uses the yoke to control and guide his oxen, because they would not willingly serve if they were free." (
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MacArthur writes that "Paul had gone to Galatia, planted churches in a number of cities, and churches were flourishing. They had heard the gospel, believed the gospel. They had been justified." So clearly Dr MacArthur sees some of these Galatians as genuine believers. Then along came the Judaizers who taught that faith alone in Christ alone was not sufficient for salvation, but that they also had to receive circumcision (and by implication keep the external aspects of Mosaic Law including rituals and ceremonies, etc). In other words the Judaizers were preaching salvation by faith plus works, and without the works (in context of Gal 5 specifically circumcision) the Gentiles could not be justified. MacArthur goes on to point out the pronoun "you" in Gal 5:2 and Gal 5:4 and he explains that "Paul is talking to someone, “you,” someone is a group that he’s not a part of, because in Gal 5:5, he begins, “For we.” It’s very important that you see that distinction....There are people in this Gentile congregation who on the surface have come to understand the gospel, have to some degree accepted the truthfulness of it, but they are in danger of coming to the brink of salvation and turning away, and heading in the direction of law. Some of them had already made some moves." So MacArthur feels that some of the Galatian readers were not yet born again and for them Paul's warnings are very crucial. MacArthur goes on "If you get yourselves circumcised” – and this indicates that they hadn’t yet gone this far – “if you do this, if you’ve come to the brink of salvation by faith and you turn and go the way of law, Christ is of no benefit. You’ve canceled Christ.” This is a severe danger. This is a shocking statement. Somebody might say, “Well, I believe in Christ, but I also think works are a part of it.” You’ve just canceled Christ. Christ is no benefit to you. There is no hybrid salvation. If you accept circumcision, thinking it necessary for your salvation, you just forfeited Christ....You say, “Well, can’t you believe in some in your baptism, in your works, and the things that you do, the rituals that you go to, and your morality, and also believe in Christ?” No, no. If you’re counting on any of that for your salvation you are severed from Christ. That is a violent word, a violent word. You are cut off from Him.....Gal 5:5, notice the change in pronouns: “For we....” Now he’s speaking to believers, including himself." (See full sermon) James Montgomery
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MacArthur asks "What kind of freedom is it? Well, it’s freedom from the burden of sin, freedom from relentless guilt, freedom from an accusing conscience, freedom from the tyranny of our transgressions, freedom from the terrible pressure and frustration of trying to be something other than you can be, freedom from – in a word – “sin’s dominance.” “You’ve been set free, set free. And now don’t go back into some kind of bondage.”" (Sermon) The Greek word for freedom (eleutheria) was a technical phrase from a legal document in Paul's day for freeing a slave and thus Paul continues his illustration of being purchased from the slave market and then being given complete freedom in Roman society. When Christ purchased us from spiritual slavery, He did not do it in order to bring us into another form of bondage. It was for freedom that He purchased us and set us free! Freedom (liberty) (1657)(eleutheria from eleutheros = that which is capable of movement, freedom to go wherever one likes, unfettered; see verb eleutheroo) describes the state of being free and stands in opposition to slavery or bondage. Eleutheria is used 3x in Galatians - Gal 2:4, Gal 5:1, Gal 5:13. The adjective eleutheros was used literally of becoming a Roman citizen and figuratively of becoming free in Christ to live in the power of His Spirit regardless of the circumstances. THOUGHT - So Paul's great emphasis in this book is the believer's freedom from the Law. This does not mean to live a lawless life as some falsely propose. Genuine spiritual freedom in Christ is not the ability to do what we please, but the power to do what we ought and in so doing to please God! Eleutheria refers to personal liberty but not license. The deceiving (and deceived - see 2Ti 3:13+) false teacher promise their listeners the freedom to live as they please. To the contrary, true liberty is living as we should not living as we please. Eleutheria was used especially Paul's day to describe the freeing of literal slaves. Here are other uses of eleutheria that help shed some light on Galatians 5:1 (2 Co. 3:17) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (Gal 2:4) But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. (Gal. 5:13) For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Jas. 1:25) But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. (Jas. 2:12) So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. (1 Pet. 2:16) Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. (2 Pet. 2:19) promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. Chuck Swindoll has an excellent illustration of the meaning of the word eleutheria "Back in the nineteenth century our sixteenth president realized something radical must be done about slavery in our country. Unwilling to look the other way any longer, on September 22, 1862, he presented what came to be known as the Emancipation Proclamation, an official document condemning human slavery. Abraham Lincoln, realizing that slavery is completely against human dignity, officially abolished it from the United States on that day. Tragically, little changed in the daily life of our nation, even though the slaves were officially declared free. You know why; you’ve read the stories. The Civil War was still going on. The plantation owners never informed their slaves. The vast majority of the former slaves couldn’t read, so they had no idea what the news was carrying. There was no mass media then to announce those kinds of presidential pronouncements. And so for the longest time, slavery continued even though it had been officially brought to an end. The war ended in April 1865. Do you know when Lincoln’s declaration was officially enacted? When the people finally began to leave their enslaved lives and make their way toward freedom? December 18, 1865—more than three years after he first released his proclamation. Lincoln had been dead for months. The word traveled out of the streets of Washington and down into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, across the back roads of the Carolinas and into Georgia, then Alabama, then Mississippi, then Louisiana, then Texas, then Arkansas, announcing what had been true for more than a thousand days. Even then the word somehow either wasn’t believed or wasn’t acted upon. Those officially emancipated people, thinking slavery was the way they were condemned to exist, continued to live in bondage though they had been declared free men and women since the fall of 1862. (Embraced by the Spirit The Untold Blessings of Intimacy with God - 2011) Gromacki: “After the Civil War a great majority of the slaves became sharecroppers. Although they were free, they did not enjoy their freedom. In some cases they were worse off than before. Under the influence of the Judaizers, the Galatians were beginning to find themselves in a similar situation. Set free by the great emancipator of the soul, Jesus Christ, they soon were acquiescing to the demands of the legalists. The apostle wanted them to take a stand, to act like free men, not like slaves.” Set us free (1659)(eleutheroo = the ending " -oo" means not only will it be set free but it will be seen as set free) means to cause someone to be freed from domination. The picture is that of the emancipation of slaves. The idea is that the one set free is at liberty, capable of movement, exempt from obligation or liability, and unfettered. Although the act of setting free results in freedom and liberty we must understand that this new freedom is not a license to sin. In fact true liberty for the believer is now living as we should and not as we please. POSB - When a person believes in Jesus Christ, he is freed from the law and its enslaving power. He no longer has to worry if he is good enough or if he has done enough good works or kept enough laws to be acceptable to God. Why? Because Christ has fulfilled the law for him (Ro 8:3-4). (The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible – Galatians) PAUL ISSUES TWO COMMANDS Therefore - This is a crucial term of conclusion. Since Christ has set us free for freedom, Paul gives his desired conclusion in the form of two commands, first a positive command and then a negative command. Hansen points out that "That indicative ("It was for freedom that Christ set us free") is followed by an imperative, Stand firm, then. This may sound like a dull lesson in grammar, but it is actually central in Pauline ethics. What we must do (the imperative) is always based upon what God has already done (the indicative). Or to put it another way, what God has done gives us the opportunity and power to do what we must do. This indicative-imperative structure is seen here in verse Galatians 5:1 and also in verses Galatians 5:13 and Galatians 5:25." (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series – Galatians) John Stott on standing firm - We must not lapse into the idea that we have to win our acceptance with God by our own obedience. J B
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MacArthur - The basic doctrinal error of the Judaizers was works-righteousness, the same error that is the heart of every other man-made religious system. Jews were often referred to simply as the circumcised (Acts 10:45; 11:2; Gal. 2:7), because that was their most distinctive outward mark and the one in which they had the greatest pride and confidence. Rather than looking on circumcision as God had given it—as a symbol of His covenant of promise (Gen. 17:9-10)—most Jews looked on it as having spiritual value in itself. To them it was not a reminder of God's gracious and sovereign blessing but a means of humanly guaranteeing His favor. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Swindoll - Paul now turns his attention to those who have begun to embrace legalism. (Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Behold (Listen! Mark my words! Take note! Underline this. Pay very careful attention to what I'm about to say!) - Paul uses this interjection which is in fact a command to grab their attention and in Gal 5:2-4 (and probably through verse 12) he emphasizes the negative consequences of submitting to circumcision which he describes as a yoke of slavery, obviously with the view of strengthening his readers to resist any temptation to jettison their freedom in Christ. I, Paul, say to you (cf "I, Paul" - 2 Cor 10:1, Eph 3:1, 1 Th 2:18) - I (ego) is very emphatic and stands in contrast to the false teachers. Paul is probably alluding again to his apostolic authority (cf "Paul, an apostle" = Gal 1:1+) Rapka on if you receive circumcision - The passive voice “if you let yourselves be circumcised” is a third-class condition in the Greek text (ean used with the verb in the subjunctive mood), suggesting that the circumcision of the Galatians has in fact not yet occurred but is being seriously considered by them as a means of adhering to the Judaizers’ teaching. (Expositor's Bible Commentary - Revised Edition)
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MacArthur comments on how this statement Christ will be of no benefit to you applies to non-believers and to believers (keeping in mind that most commentators feels that Paul is addressing the Galatians as believers) - The atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, perfect and complete though it was, cannot benefit a person who trusts in anything else, because that something else, whether circumcision or any other human act or effort, then stands between him and Christ.....To those who were not saved, (ED: SEE NOTE ON WHO IS IN PAUL'S AUDIENCE) he was saying that they could not be saved, they could not gain any eternal, saving benefit from Christ if they trusted in circumcision. To those who were saved he was saying that such behavior was inconsistent with their salvation and that certainly they could experience no benefit of growth in their spiritual lives if they began trusting in circumcision in addition to God's grace. (Ibid) THOUGHT - Notice MacArthur's last statement above. It is possible for genuine believers to fall into legalism to such a point that they blunt the effect of God's grace and their progressive growth in Christ-likeness. If Christ is of no benefit to them as believers, then neither is the Spirit of Christ, Who is the primary Agent responsible for our growth in Christ-likeness (cf 2 Cor 3:18+, see also the believer's necessity of having access to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit to live the Christ life in Gal 5:16-18, 22-25). Can you see the practical implications of allowing yourself to fall into any practice, habit, discipline, etc, that smacks of legalism? Legalism will always blunt grace. Legalism will quench/grieve the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29b). Legalism will abort the growth of the Spirit's fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. Thus it is imperative if you are a believer to do inventory to make absolutely certain you have not fallen into the very subtle trap of legalism or "legalistic tendencies!" This is exactly what Paul had warned about in chapter 3 asking... You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected (BEING PROGRESSIVELY SANCTIFIED) by the flesh? (Gal 3:1-3+) Don Anderson - This is the problem with many Christians. They LIMIT CHRIST to the saving of their souls and they think that it is their responsibility to keep themselves saved by doing certain things which are prescribed by the society in which they live. It was Ian Thomas who said: Godliness is nothing more than God’s activity in our lives. It is God Himself behaving in and through you. (source unknown) Performance is often an excuse for not yielding. Many believers quench the Spirit by performing. If you have not yet entered into this rest, then you submit yourself to these outward regulations which you have chosen and you hope they will make you acceptable. Oliver Greene on the practical application of how legalism is a grace killer so that Christ is of no benefit - I have been traveling for more than twenty-eight years in evangelistic work. I have been in churches that are supposed to be fundamental Bible churches, but beloved, the poor members there are under Law. They are bound to a little group of selfish, self-centered people who shout long and loud about the grace of GOD, and then submit to the commands and the demands of the denomination or the fellowship to which they belong! Some Christians shout, "Independent! Unaffiliated!" But when you dig below the surface you find they are not independent; they have a machine of their own, and the minister dictates to and commands the members. According to the New Testament, born again believers are led by the HOLY GHOST, not by the preacher in the pulpit. The preacher is the overseer, the leader - but he is not to command. He is to lead, and not to be "[lord] over God's heritage." He is to be an "[ensample] to the flock." Every true minister is the under-shepherd of the Lord. (Stand Fast Therefore in the Liberty) Galatians 5:3 And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. Phillips Paraphrase - I will say it again: every man who consents to be circumcised is bound to obey all the rest of the Law!
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MacArthur writes that "The question was not about the identity of the false teachers but about their having been able so easily and quickly to deceive and mislead the Galatian believers. “How could you have allowed those men to overturn what I carefully taught and you eagerly accepted as God’s Word?” (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) If you have ever raced, you can appreciate the picture of another runner stepping in front of you and causing you to break stride and even to stumble and fall. So the implication is the readers were not running well at the time Paul wrote this letter. And notice that Paul does not ask "what" hindered you but "who" hindered you? The Greek pronoun (tis) is actually masculine singular and suggests there may have been some specific man who was the ringleader in Galatia trying to get those running the grace race off track or tripped up. Watch out! They're still around. The idea is that someone has hindered the Galatians' spiritual race. A Jew (or Jews) where was a Judaizer was leading the readers away from the way of grace and faith and enticing them back into the way of law and works (Gal 1:6,7+). The result was that they were not running well spiritually. THOUGHT - I have been a follower of Christ for 34 years and have sadly seen others who seemingly were running well, only to have some false teacher begin to lead them astray from obeying the truth of God's Word. One young man had all the trappings of a great evangelist in Mexico for he was filled with passion and zeal for Jesus and even shared Christ with the border guards as we crossed from Texas into Mexico! It was not long after we returned from one evangelistic trip to Mexico that he became involved (primarily through his wife's influence) with a cult and other than a brief interaction in which I attempted unsuccessfully to speak the Truth to them, I have never seen nor heard from Miguel and Sylvia again. And they had seemed to be running so well! Save them Lord if they are lost! Amen. Hindered (thwarted) (1465)(egkopto/enkopto from en = in + kópto = cut down, strike) strictly means to knock or cut into, to impede one's course by cutting off his way; and hence to hinder, impede, thwart or interrupt. All 5 uses are in a spiritual context (Acts 24:4; Rom. 15:22; Gal. 5:7; 1 Thess. 2:18; 1 Pet. 3:7) - Paul's course hindered (1 Th 2:18, Ro 15:22), the progress of the Gospel hindered (1 Cor 9:22), the prayers by a husband who mistreats his wife (1 Peter 3:7). In sum, egkopto means to interfere with the activity or progress of something, the word hindered stressing harmful and/or annoying delay or interference. Most of you reading probably cannot identify with this illustration but this word reminds me of cutting in old days when telephone lines had to be shared, and someone cut in on you while you were talking on the telephone. MacArthur explains that egkopto "is a military term referring to digging a trench or breaking up a road. One of the countermeasures an ancient army would take against the opposition was to dig a massive trench that would prevent enemy troops from reaching its men. Another way to frustrate the enemy’s progress would be to tear up a brick or stone road so that he could not traverse it. Thus Paul depicted the powerful devil as supernaturally obstructing the apostle’s strong desire to revisit Thessalonica. (1 & 2 Thessalonians Commentary) From obeying the truth? - While this phrase can refer to the initial "obedience" to the Gospel (1 Pe 1:22, Acts 6:7 compare the antithesis Ro 2:8, 2 Th 6:7), in context it would seem to be better interpreted as continuing to live in conformity with the truth of the Gospel, living by grace through faith (the same way we were initially saved is the same way we should continue to live the Christian life). Peter uses a similar phrase in 1 Pe 1:22 "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart." In Ro 2:8 Paul writes that "those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation." MacArthur explains that "Obeying the truth could refer to the true Gospel, that is, the way by which men are saved (cf. Acts 6:7; Ro 2:8; Ro 6:17; 2 Th 1:8). Or the phrase (obeying the truth) could refer to the true way in which the saved live out their redeemed lives in obedience to God’s Word and Spirit (cf. Ro 6:17; 1 Pe 1:22). Paul seems to be using the phrase in both senses, because the legalism of the Judaizers was preventing the unsaved from coming to Christ in faith and the saved from following Him in faith. The church has always faced the danger of legalism, because the inclination of the flesh is always to live for its own purposes and in its own power. But “though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,” Paul warns, “for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses” (2 Co 10:4). The false teachers who were leading the Galatians astray were far from well-intentioned. Their purpose was to gain a following for themselves (Ga 4:17) and “to make a good showing in the flesh” (Gal 6:12). They were forerunners of all the self-promoting false teachers who have plagued the church throughout its history and will continue to do so until the Lord returns. “There will also be false teachers among you,” Peter warns, “who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves” (2Pe 2:1). Paul warns that “the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron” (1Ti 4:1-2). They are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ... These men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected as regards the faith” (2Ti 3:7-8)." Obeying (3982)(peitho) means literally to persuade or induce by words to believe. Notice it is in the present tense, which necessitates continual dependence on the Spirit to continually obey the truth rather than trying to obey legalistically. Swindoll writes "The Judaizers had placed an obstacle in their path, tripped them up, and waylaid their progress. Bruised and battered, they were leaving the track and strapping heavy weights of the Law around their ankles and chests. Paul wanted them to realize the egregious error they were making. Instead of running free toward the crown of life, they were panting laboriously on the treadmill of fruitless endeavor." (Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Spiritual Declension - When visiting a gentleman in England, I observed a fine canary. Admiring his beauty, the gentleman replied, "Yes, he is beautiful, but he has lost; his voice. He used to be a fine singer, but I was in the habit of hanging his cage out of the window, the sparrows came around him with their incessant chirping, gradually he ceased to sing and learned their twitter, and now all that he can do is to twitter, twitter." Oh! how truly does this represent the case of many Christians; they used to delight to sing the songs of Zion, but they came into close association with those whose notes never rise so high, until at last, like the canary, they can do nothing but twitter, twitter. (D L Moody) Various Hindrances - Never censure indiscriminately; admit and praise that which is good, that you may the more effectually rebuke the evil. Paul did not hesitate to praise the Galatians, and say, "Ye did run well." It is a source of much pleasure to see saints running well. To do this they must run in the right road, straight forward, perseveringly, at the top of their pace, with their eye on Christ, etc. It is a great grief when such are hindered or put off the road. The way is the truth, and the running is obedience; men are hindered when they cease to obey the truth. It may be helpful to try and find out who has hindered us in our race. (See Spurgeon's Notes on evidence of hindrance, on who has hindered you, your need to mend your pace, etc). Signs of Backsliding - Among the evidences of backsliding are these —1. Indifference to prayer and self-examination. 2. Trifling or unprofitable conversation. 3. Neglect of public ordinances. 4. Shunning the people of God. 5. Associating with the world. 6. Neglect of the Bible. 7. Gross immorality. (C Buck) A Sailor Remarks - "Sailing from Cuba, we thought we had gained sixty miles one day in our course; but at the next observation we found we had lost more than thirty. It was an under-current. The ship had been going forward by the wind, but going back by the current." So a man's course in religion may often seem to be right and progressive, but the under-current of his besetting sins is driving him the very contrary way to what he thinks. (Cheever.) Galatians 5:8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. Phillips Paraphrase - That sort of "persuasion" does not come from the the one who is calling you.
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MacArthur says "Because God's standard was so obviously impossible to attain, that truth quoted from Deuteronomy 27:26 should have driven every Jew to seek His mercy." (Ibid) Swindoll - Just as wedding vows place a person into a covenant relationship as a husband or wife, circumcision obligates people to follow the lifestyle it initiates. The Galatians couldn't choose just one small part of the Law. Once they chose any of it, they had really chosen all of it. (Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary – Galatians) James affirms this same principle writing For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. (James 2:10) Obligation (3781)(opheiletes from opheilo = owe, conveying the basic meaning of owing a debt) means one who owes another (of one who owes another money) having a strong moral obligation and personal duty and so means a debtor, one who is bound by some duty, one who owes anything to another. Jack Arnold - If the Christian submits to circumcision, then he must also keep the Sabbath on Saturday with all its prohibitions as set forth in the law. All the social, moral, ceremonial and religious aspects of the law must be kept also. All the Mosaic Law is binding or none of it is.... The law is like a window pane—if one section of the pane is broken the whole window is broken. So to break one point of the law is to break all, and to keep one point of the law one must keep all the law. (Liberty not Legalism) Wayne
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MacArthur - Nothing that is either done or not done in the flesh, not even religious ceremony, makes any difference in one's relationship to God. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Duncan explains that "We might think as we read through this, "Well, it's really bad to be circumcised, and that means it's good to be uncircumcised." No, Paul's not saying that either. Uncircumcision doesn't matter. That's Paul's point in verse 6. You're not better off without circumcision. The issue doesn't matter. What is important, what is essential, is faith. And not just faith, but Paul says faith working through love – faith that is alive, faith that bears fruit, bears the fruit of love.
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MacArthur - Life in the Spirit is not static and inactive, but it is faith working through love, not the flesh working through self-effort. Believers are "created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10). But their working is the product of their faith, not a substitute for it. They do not work for righteousness but out of righteousness, through the motivating power of love....The person who lives by faith works under the internal compulsion of love and does not need the outward compulsion of law. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Notice that in Gal 5:5, 6 the great triumphurate - “faith...hope...and love” appear together (cf. 1 Cor 13:13, 1 Cor 1:4, 5; 1 Th 1:3). But faith (pistis) working through love - Working is present tense indicating this is the continual activity of a vibrant faith. Saving faith proves its genuine character by works of love. Salvation is by faith apart from works, but genuine faith has works such as supernatural love. The one who lives by faith is internally motivated by love for God and Christ (Mt 22:37-40), which supernaturally issues forth (enabled by the indwelling Spirit) in reverent worship, genuine obedience, and self-sacrificing love for others. Paul clearly shows the relationship between faith and works emphasizing that good works are a result (not cause) of salvation (which is by grace through faith)... For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Eph 2:8-10+). As
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MacArthur comments that "The destiny of believers is secure. "They shall never perish," Jesus said; "and no one shall 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). They will not reject their true salvation for a false one (John 10:4-5,14). They will both persevere and be preserved.But that is not the destiny of ungodly teachers who lead the Lord's people astray. "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble," Jesus said, "it is better for him that a heavy millstone be hung around his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6). (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Will bear his judgment, whoever he is - Paul is leaving the just judgment of the false teacher in the hands of God. The Judaizers will not get by with placing leaven in the assemblies in Galatia. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote "Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (ED: JUST AS THE JUDAIZERS DID AMONG THE GALATIANS!), whose end will be according to their deeds." (2 Cor 11:15). Bear (941)(bastazo from basis = foot) generally means to take up and hold or to bear (Mt 3:11, Mk 14:13, Lk 22:10). Metaphorically bastazo means to bear, endure the punishment incurred by being foolish (Gal. 5:10). Peter similarly described the fate of false teachers declaring... Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep....9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, (2 Pe 2:2-3+,2 Pe 2:9+) Galatians 5:11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished. Phillips Paraphrase - And as for me, my brothers, if I were still advocating circumcision (as some apparently allege!), why am I still suffering persecution? I suppose if only I would recommend this little rite all the hostility which the preaching of the cross provokes would disappear!
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MacArthur points out "False religion has always been and will continue to be the most aggressive and dominant persecutor of the church (cf. John 16:1-3; Rev. 17:5-6). Satan fights God, and satanic religion fights the true faith." (Ibid) (Ed: Indeed this has been my personal experience that the most painful persecutions I have experienced in 34 years have come from some of the most "religious" men in the church! I will mention no names, but leave the judgment to God!) Cereghin - Paul is responding to the charge that he was preaching what he was (salvation without works) in order to simply please men. He was charged with preaching an easy gospel that would appeal to everyone. But if that was true, then Paul asks why he was being persecuted. Men-pleasing preachers who preach cheap and easy gospels don’t suffer any persecution, since everyone would like that message. But Paul suffered great persecutions because his gospel did not appeal to the religious nature of man (and especially the Jews), thus disproving the charge that Paul was nothing more than a man pleaser. Duncan - He responds to the false charges made by the Judaizers, because they accused Paul, and this is one way they tried to undermine or subvert his authority as an apostle. They said that Paul preached circumcision when it suited him. Well, he'd go when he was preaching in the synagogue or to a Jewish group. He'd say, "Yeah, you've got to be circumcised." But when it came to the Gentiles, he changed his message and cut out the part about circumcision in order to make the gospel easier to accept. Preach (proclaim) (2784)(kerusso from kerux/keryx = a herald - one who acts as the medium of the authority of one who proclamation he makes) means to proclaim (publicly) or to herald or act as a public crier - the town official who would make a proclamation in a public gathering. Paul used this same verb earlier in Gal 2:2+ to describe "the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles." Persecuted (present tense - continually being) (1377)(dioko means to chase, harass, vex and pressure and was used for chasing down criminals. It conveys the picture the hounds on the hunt and pursuing after the fox and implying a continuing effort to overtake them (and destroy them).
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MacArthur on mutilate - The word was often used of castration, and that is clearly Paul's meaning here. He is probably referring to the cult of Cybele, a popular pagan nature goddess in Asia Minor during Paul's day. Many devout male worshipers in the cult castrated themselves, and all its priests were self-made eunuchs. Paul was not expressing a crude and cruel desire for the Judaizers" punishment. God would take care of that (v. 10). He spoke rather of their mutilating themselves. His point was, "If the Judaizers are so insistent on circumcision as a means of pleasing God, why don't they go all the way and castrate themselves as the supreme act of religious devotion? If, like the pagans, they believe human achievement can earn divine favor, why don't they go to the pagan extremes of self-mutilation, like the Cybelene priests?" (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Mutilate (609)(apokopto from apo = from, dissociation + kopto = cut) means refers to bodily parts cut off (literally of Peter cutting off an ear in John 18:10, 26; used figuratively by Jesus to warn of the sobering seriousness of sin not repented of - Mk 9.43, 45), of ropes "cut away" (Acts 27.32). In Galatians 5:12 Paul is speaking sarcastically and figuratively of castration or emasculating oneself, the "effect" of carrying an error in doctrine to its logical extreme. Apokopto - 6x - Mk. 9:43; Mk. 9:45; Jn. 18:10; Jn. 18:26; Acts 27:32; Gal. 5:12 Duncan - Paul probably had in mind the Law's penalty for self-mutilation, which was excommunication. A person who was in that condition could not be a part of the congregation of Israel, couldn't come into the tabernacle area or the temple. So he was wishing that these false teachers would be shut out from the Galatians. They'd lose their influence. It's rough language, but it puts circumcision in the right place. Now that the Law is ended and the old covenant is finished, circumcision is no more valuable than castration – rituals, ceremonies, works of any kind, add nothing to salvation. They cut people off from it. The only way to be saved, and the only way to advance in salvation, in holiness and obedience and love, is through grace, in Christ and through the Spirit. And so we must avoid legalism and look to Christ. Salvation is only through Him. Sanctification is only through Him. Have you believed in Him? If not, look to Christ who died for sinners. Believe in Him and be saved. May God help you to do that and help all of us to understand the grace of God and appreciate that work in our lives and stand firm in the freedom that it gives us and to rejoice in it. Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
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MacArthur adds that agapao "expresses the purest, noblest form of love, which is volitionally driven, not motivated by superficial appearance, emotional attraction, or sentimental relationship. (ref)
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MacArthur on walking - Among other things, walking implies progress, going from where one is to where he ought to be. As a believer submits to the Spirit’s control, he moves forward in his spiritual life. Step by step the Spirit moves him from where he is toward where God wants him to be. So while it is the Spirit who is the source of all holy living, it is the believer who is commanded to walk. This is the apparent paradox of the divine and human that is seen in salvation." See related discussion of "Paradoxical Principle of 100% Dependent and 100% Responsible" (100/100) Walk (like take care in the Gal 5:15) is in the present imperative, a command to make this one's lifestyle, and clearly a command that can only be obeyed in the power of the Holy Spirit. Isn't that fascinating (and somewhat paradoxical) that the only way to obey the command to walk by the Spirit is to first be filled with the Spirit (see Eph 5:18+). See discussion of the Need for the Holy Spirit to obey NT commands (or "How to Keep All 1642 Commandments in the New Testament!") Matthew
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MacArthur says: Just as Jesus Christ is the primary Person behind justification, the Holy Spirit is the primary Person behind sanctification. A believer can no more sanctify himself than he could have saved himself in the first place. He cannot live the Christian life by his own resources any more than he could have saved himself by his own resources. In its most profound yet simple definition, the faithful Christian life is a life lived under the direction and by the power of the Spirit. That is the theme of Galatians 5:16-26, in which Paul tells believers to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16, 25) and to be “led by the Spirit” (Gal 5:18). The opening paragraph (Gal 5:16-18) of this section introduces the passage by setting forth the command and the conflict of the Spirit-led life. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Galatians) Lucado says: The Galatian letter argues that there are only two approaches to God. One is man-centered—calling on people to do certain things to merit God’s approval. This way, Paul insists, is an exercise in futility. The other way is the good news that acceptance with God is possible because of what Jesus has already done for sinners. What’s more, those who embrace this gospel receive God’s Spirit to enable them to live a new kind of life.
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MacArthur - So here we are, and we have a new life, a new nature, new longings, new loves, new desires. We have the Holy Spirit empowering us and restraining the flesh that is in us, but the flesh is still clinging to us. Sin is present, but it is no longer dominant. For if (SINCE) we have become united with Him (CHRIST) in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection (WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A RESURRECTION), knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to Sin (SIN IS NO LONGER OUR MASTER) (Ro 6:5-6+) But Sin is still present in our mortal bodies and its desire is always to rule us and urge us to carry out the deeds of the flesh... Therefore (bc of Ro 6:11+) do not let Sin reign (present imperative with a negative - stop this or don't begin) in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting (present imperative with a negative - stop this or don't begin) the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves (aorist imperative - "Just do it!") to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.(Ro 6:12-13+) Paul goes on to command believers to present (aorist imperative - "Just do it!") your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. (Ro 6:19) MacArthur- So therein lies the issue. We have died with Christ, we have risen with Christ. We are like Lazarus, but have a dead body still tied to us (A MURDERER WOULD HAVE THE CORPSE TIED TO HIM UNTIL IT DECAYED AND KILLED HIM), and we can’t shake it in this life. We don’t get rid of it (flesh) until the redemption of our body when we leave this world and enter the Lord’s presence. (Read MacArthur's full sermon for a very interesting discussion of Christian perfectionism and the rotten fruit of Charles Finney's ministry - The Believer's Lifelong Battle for Holiness). Related Resources: See discussion of the Need for the Holy Spirit to obey NT commands (or "How to Keep All 1642 Commandments in the New Testament!") Filled with His Spirit/Richly Indwelt with His Word - Chart Comparing Flesh (4561) see discussion of sarx - The "flesh" is our mind, will and emotions acting independently of God and in defiance against Him! Someone has called it that "anti-God" energy within each of us. And remember that even as we grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pe 3:18), the flesh is not dissipated, destroyed, or rendered inactive! In short the flesh is not remediable in any way. The upshot is that we will never become so Christ-like in this short life that we outgrow our desperate, daily need for the Holy Spirit! Sadly, I have discovered that many of God's saints have a very "fuzzy" understanding of the Spirit and their need to rely on Him daily to live this Christian life. Russian writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn alludes to our fallen flesh in this quote: “If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
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MacArthur says "The Holy Spirit is in every believer (Ro 8:9+) as the Restrainer. The Holy Spirit’s role, yes, to empower you in the direction of righteousness, but also to restrain you from just doing the things that you please. That’s how you lived your life before you were a believer. You did whatever you pleased, and you were going down a path of damnation, because the things that pleased you were sinful things, because they had no recognition of the glory and honor of God. So the Holy Spirit is given to you to restrain those natural desires. God understands that there is fallen flesh, and it has its desires for what it pleases. And God has given us His Holy Spirit to restrain that, so that our lives are changed. It doesn’t mean that we never sin. What it does mean is we don’t always sin. And as you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ, sin decreases and righteousness increases. The Spirit of God trains you with the Word of God, so that you sin less and you obey more; and that’s spiritual growth. That is the basic diagnosis of the heart and soul of a Christian. There is a war going on there between your fallen sinful flesh that wants what it wants, and the restraining power of the Holy Spirit stopping you from going in that direction. (The Believers Lifelong Battle of Holiness)
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MacArthur says: sorcery. The Greek word pharmakeia, from which the English word pharmacy comes, originally referred to medicines in general, but eventually only to mood-altering and mind-altering drugs, as well as the occult, witchcraft, and magic. Many pagan religious practices required the use of these drugs to aid in communication with deities. ENMITIES—this is the attitude that puts up the barriers and draws the sword. It is the opposite of love that holds out the hand of friendship and the arm of love. Enmities (note it is PLURAL!)(2189)(echthra from echthros = speaks of an enemy in an active sense, of one who is hostile to another) means antagonistic, expressing enmity (this word suggests positive hatred which may be open or concealed, expressing deep-rooted hatred or irreconcilable hostility (this word suggests an enmity showing itself in attacks or aggression) or expressing antagonism (actively expressed opposition or hostility). In its essence echthra is the opposite of love. It describes being the enemy of another. STRIFE—“ENMITIES” is the state and attitude of mind toward other people and “STRIFE” is the actual outcome of such an attitude in daily life—broken and interrupted personal relationships strewn along the pathway of those who are out of fellowship with the Lord. Strife (quarrels) (2054)(eris) means contention, wrangling, quarrels. It refers to engagement in rivalry, especially with reference to positions taken in a matter. Strife is a general term that carries the ideas of all kinds of self-centered rivalry and contentiousness about the truth. Strife is an expression of enmity with bitter sometimes violent conflict or dissension. “JEALOUSIES”—this is the envy that casts grudging looks because someone has something that we want or feel that we should have. Never before has a culture been so committed to the buy now, pay later philosophy. Bumper stickers used to read, “It may not be much, but at least it’s paid for.” Now flashy imports sport this message, “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go!” I recently saw a bumper sticker in San Diego that said, “I want it all, and I want it now.” For too many people, the key to having it all now is easy credit. Jealousy (2205)(zelos from zeo = to be hot, to boil [from the sound of bubbling water], figuratively to be fervent or show great enthusiasm; see related studies zeloo; zelotes) was originally a good word which described fervour in advancing a cause or in rendering service but with a negative connotation it describes a reaction which borders on extreme or fanatical. “Outbursts of anger”—it is like fire in straw, quickly blazing up and then, just as quickly, dying out. It is explosive and can blow things to ruin. Someone has said: Men are like steel—when they have lost their temper they are of no good. Outbursts of anger (2372)(thumos from thúo = move impetuously, particularly as the air or wind, a violent motion or passion of the mind; move violently, rush along) describes passion(as if breathing hard) and so speaks of an agitated or "heated" anger that rushes along (impulse toward a thing). Thumos describes a tumultuous welling up of the whole spirit; a mighty emotion which seizes and moves the whole inner man. Thumos (especially when accompanied by breathing violently or hard) pictures a "panting rage". We've all seen individuals in whom there was a sudden outburst of this type of passionate anger. You can even see their nasal passages widening to take in more air in the heat of their passion. As Paul taught in verse 16, walking in the Spirit provides an excellent preventative against this type of sudden, explosive rage. Disputes (selfish ambition) (2052)(eritheia means self seeking, strife, contentiousness, extreme selfishness, rivalry and those who seek only their own. In a word, eritheia is the desire to be number one no matter the cost! Eritheia describes personal gratification and self-fulfillment at any cost, which are the ultimate goals of all fleshly endeavors. Eritheia has no room for others, much less genuine humility. It is that ultimate self-elevation rampant in the world today which is the antithesis of what the humble, selfless, giving, loving, and obedient child of God is called to be in Christ and only possible in the power of His Spirit. Dissensions (1370)(dichostasia from dicha = asunder, apart + stasis = a standing) means literally a standing apart which is a picture of dissension, discord, disunity, contention, division into opposing groups. The idea of dissension is disagreement which leads to discord. Dissension is strife that arises from a difference of opinion and stresses a division into factions (especially factions in the early church). DIVISIONS —it is a state of things in which men are divided, in which feuds flourish and in which unity is destroyed. A state in which all fellowship and togetherness is gone. When the tide in the ocean goes out, every crab has his own little puddle. But when the great tide of the love of the Spirit flows in, everyone is together in one big puddle. “United we stand, and divided we fall.” FACTIONS or “outbreaks of selfishness”—this has to do with self-ambition. This is a person who is only in any type of thing for what they can get out of it. It is a political word for a man who has as his motive party or personal ambitions. It is the self devotion to one’s own interests. Factions (sects, heresies) (139)(hairesis from haireo = to choose, elect, prefer; only in the middle voice = to take for oneself; see word study of hairetikos) denotes a choosing or a choice. It came to mean an opinion chosen or a tenet (a principle, belief, or doctrine generally held to be true) and then came to refer to a sect, party or faction that held tenets distinctive to it.