SECTION IX. CHAPTER IV. 21.-V. 1. CONTENTS. He exhorts them to stand fast in the liberty, with which Christ hath made them free, showing those, who are so zealous for the law, that, if they mind what they read in the law, they will there find, that the children of the promise, or of the new Jerusalem, were to be free; but the children after the flesh, of the earthly Jerusalem, were to be in bondage, and to be cast out, and not to have the inheritance. TEXT. 21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? 22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman. 23 But he who was of the bond-woman was born after the flesh: but he of the free-woman was by promise. 24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. 25 For this Agar is Mount Sinai, in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem, which now is, and is in bondage with her children. PARAPHRASE. 21 Tell me, you that would so fain be under the law, do you not acquaint yourselves with what is in the law, either by 22 reading it, or having it read in your assemblies? For it is there written Abraham had two sons, one by a bond-maid, 23 the other by a free-woman. But he that was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, in the ordinary course of nature; but he that was of the free-woman Abraham had by virtue of the promise, after he and his wife were 24 past the hopes of another child. These things have an allegorical meaning: for the two women are the two covenants, the one of them delivered from Mount Sinai, and is represented 25 by Agar, who produces her issue into bondage. (For Agar is Mount Sinai, in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem, that now NOTES. a 21 * The vulgar has, after some Greek manuscripts, Read. 22 Written there, viz. Gen. xvi. 15, and xxi. 1. The term, Law, in the foregoing verse, comprehends the five books of Moses. TEXT. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as, then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless, what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bond-woman and her son: for the son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman. 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bond-woman, but of the free. V. 1. Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty where with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. PARAPHRASE. 26 is, and is in bondage with her children.) But the heavenly Jerusalem, which is above, and answers to Sarah, the mother of the promised seed, is free, the mother of us all, both Jews 27 and Gentiles who believe. For it was of her, that it is written, "Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not; break out into loud acclamations of joy, thou that hast not the travails of child-birth; for more are the children of the desolate than 28 of her that hath an husband." And it is we, my brethren, 29 who, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as, then, Ishmael, who was born in the ordinary course of nature, persecuted Isaac, who was born by an extraordinary power 30 from heaven, working miraculously; so is it now. But what saith the Scripture ? "Cast out the bond-woman and her son : for the son of the bond-woman shall not share the inherit31 ance with the son of the free-woman." So then, brethren, we, who believe in Christ, are not the children of the bondV. 1. woman, but of the free . Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty, wherewith Christ hath made you free, and do not put on again a yoke of bondage, by putting yourselves under the law, f. 29 4'Ο κατα σαρκα γεννηθείς, “born after the flesh ;” and τον κατα πνεύμα, “born after the Spirit." These expressions have, in their original brevity, with regard to the whole view, wherein St. Paul uses them, an admirable beauty and force, which cannot be retained in a paraphrase. 31 The apostle, by this allegorical history, shows the Galatians, that they who are sons of Agar, i. e. under the law given at Mount Sinai, are in bondage, and intended to be cast out, the inheritance being designed for those only, who are the free born sons of God, under the spiritual covenant of the Gospel. And thereupon he exhorts them, in the following words, to preserve themselves in that state of freedom. SECTION X. CHAPTER V. 2—13. CONTENTS. It is evident from verse 11, that, the better to prevail with the Galatians to be circumcised, it had been reported, that St. Paul himself preached up circumcision. St. Paul, without taking express notice of this calumny, chap. i. 6, and ii. 21, gives an account of his past life, in a large train of particulars, which all concur to make such a character of him, as renders it very incredible, that he should ever declare for the circumcision of the Gentile converts, or for their submission to the law. Having thus prepared the minds of the Galatians to give him a fair hearing, as a fair man, das iv xarw, he goes on to argue against their subjecting themselves to the law. And having established their freedom from the law, by many strong arguments, he comes here at last openly to take notice of the report had been raised of him, [that he preached circumcision] and directly confutes it. 1. By positively denouncing to them, himself, very solemnly, that they, who suffer themselves to be circumcised, put themselves into a perfect legal state, out of the covenant of grace, and could receive no benefit by Jesus Christ, ver. 2-4. 2. By assuring them, that he, and those that followed him, expected justification only by faith, ver. 5, 6. 3. By telling them, that he had put them in the right way, and that this new persuasion came not from him, that converted them to christianity, ver. 7, 8. 4. By insinuating to them, that they should agree to pass judgment on him, that troubled them with this doctrine, ver. 9, 10. 5. By his being persecuted, for opposing the circumcision of the Christians. For this was the great offence, which stuck with the Jews, even after their conversion, ver. 11. 6. By wishing those cut off, that trouble them with this doctrine, ver. 12. This will, I doubt not, by whoever weighs it, be found a very skilful management of the argumentative part of this epistle, which ends here. For, though he begins with sapping the foundation, on which the Judaizing seducers seemed to have laid their main stress, viz. the report of his preaching circumcision; yet he reserves the direct and open confutation of it to the end, and so leaves it with them, that it may have the more forcible and lasting impression on their minds. TEXT. 2 Behold, I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify, again, to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you; whosoever of you are justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Jesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith, which worketh by love. 7 Ye did run well: who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth? PARAPHRASE. 2 Take notice that I, Paul a, who am falsely reported to preach up circumcision in other places, say unto you, that if you are cir3 cumcised, Christ shall be of no advantage to you. For I repeat, here again, what I have always preached, and solemnly testify to every one, who yields to be circumcised, in compliance with those who say, That now, under the Gospel, he cannot be saved b without it, that he is under an obligation to the whole law, and 4 bound to observe and perform every tittle of it. Christ is of no use to you, who seek justification by the law: whosoever do so, be ye what ye will, ye are fallen from the covenant of grace. 5 But I, and those, who with me are true Christians, we, who follow the truth of the Gospel, and the doctrine of the Spirit & of God, have no other hope of justification, but by faith in 6 Christ. For in the state of the Gospel, under Jesus, the Messiah, it is neither circumcision nor uncircumcision that is of any moment; all that is available is faith alone, working by 7 love. When you first entered into the profession of the Gospel, you were in a good way, and went on well: who has NOTES. 2 a Ide, 17 Пauros, "Behold, I Paul," I the same Paul, who am reported to preach circumcision, uaplupoμas de mani wali avspæπ, v. 3, witness again, continue my testimony to every man, to you and all men. This so emphatical way of speaking may very well be understood to have regard to what he takes notice, ver. 11, to be cast upon him, viz. his preaching circumcision, and is a very significant vindication of himself. 3 "Cannot be saved." This was the ground, upon which the Jews and Judaizing Christians urged circumcision. See Acts xv. 1. 5 "We." It is evident, from the context, that St. Paul here means himself. But We is a more graceful way of speaking than I; though he be vindicating himself alone from the imputation of setting up circumcision. d"Spirit." The law and the Gospel opposed, under the titles of Flesh and Spirit, we may see, chap. iii. 3, of this epistle. The same opposition it stands in here to the law, in the foregoing verse, points out the same signification. 6" Which worketh by love." This is added to express the animosities which were amongst them, probably raised by this question about circumcision. See ver. 11-15. TEXT. 8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, through the Lord, that you will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you, shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11 And I, brethren, if I yet preached circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. PARAPHRASE. put a stop to you, and hindered you, that you keep no longer 8 to the truth of the Christian doctrine? This persuasion, that it is necessary for you to be circumcised, cometh not from him, by whose preaching you were called to the profession of 9 the Gospel. Remember that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump; the influence of one man entertained among 10 you may mislead you all. I have confidence in you, that by the help of the Lord, you will be all of this same mind with me; and consequently he, that troubles you, shall fall under the 11 censure he deserves for it, whoever he be. But as for me, brethren, if I, at last, am become a preacher of circumcision, why am I yet persecuted? If it be so, that the Gentile con ver. 13. NOTES. 8 This expression of "him that calleth, or calleth you," he used before, chap. i. 6, and, in both places, means himself, and here declares, that this uμorn (whether taken for persuasion, or for subjection, as it may be in St. Paul's style, considering us, in the end of the foregoing verse) came not from him, for he called them to liberty from the law, and not subjection to it; see "You were going on well, in the liberty of the Gospel; who stopped you? I, you may be sure, had no hand in it; I, you know, called you to liberty, and not to subjection to the law, and therefore you can, by no means, suppose that I should preach up circumcision." Thus St. Paul argues here. 9 By this and the next verse, it looks as if all this disorder arose from one man. 10 h "Will not be otherwise minded," will beware of this leaven, so as not to be put into a ferment, nor shaken in your liberty, which you ought to stand fast in; and to secure it, I doubt not, (such confidence I have in you) will with one accord cast out him that troubles you. For, as for me, you may be sure I am not for circumcision, in that the Jews continue to persecute me. This is evidently his meaning, though not spoken out, but managed warily, with a very skilful and moving insinuation. For, as he says of himself, chap. iv. 20, he knew not, at that distance, what temper they were in. 1 Kpua, Judgment, seems here to mean expulsion by a church censure; see ver. 12. We shall be the more inclined to this, if we consider, that the apostle uses the same argument of "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump," 1 Cor. v. 6, where he would persuade the Corinthians to purge out the forni cator. 11 Persecution. The persecution St. Paul was still under was a convincing argument, that he was not for circumcision, and subjection to the law; for it was from the Jews, upon that account, that, at this time, rose all the persecution which the Christians suffered; as may be seen through all the history of the Acts. Nor are there wanting clear footsteps of it, in several places of this epistle, besides this here, as chap. iii. 4, and vi. 12. |