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Text -- Galatians 5:2 (NET)

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Context
5:2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all!
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Works | Minister | Judaism | GALATIANS, THE EPISTLE TO THE | GALATIANS, EPISTLE TO THE | Circumcision | BAPTISM (LUTHERAN DOCTRINE) | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
, Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , Combined Bible , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey , Lapide

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Gal 5:2 - -- I Paul ( egō Paulos ). Asserts all his personal and apostolic authority. For both words see also 1Th 2:16; 2Co 10:1; Col 1:23; Eph 3:1.

I Paul ( egō Paulos ).

Asserts all his personal and apostolic authority. For both words see also 1Th 2:16; 2Co 10:1; Col 1:23; Eph 3:1.

Robertson: Gal 5:2 - -- If ye receive circumcision ( ean peritemnēsthe ). Condition of third class and present passive subjunctive, a supposable case, but with terrible co...

If ye receive circumcision ( ean peritemnēsthe ).

Condition of third class and present passive subjunctive, a supposable case, but with terrible consequences, for they will make circumcision a condition of salvation. In that case Christ will help them not at all.

Vincent: Gal 5:2 - -- Behold ( ἴδε ) Imperative singular , appealing to each individual reader.

Behold ( ἴδε )

Imperative singular , appealing to each individual reader.

Vincent: Gal 5:2 - -- I Paul Comp. 2Co 10:1; Eph 3:1; Col 1:23. Asserting his personal authority.

I Paul

Comp. 2Co 10:1; Eph 3:1; Col 1:23. Asserting his personal authority.

Vincent: Gal 5:2 - -- If ye be circumcised ( ἐὰν περιτέμνησθε ) Better, receive circumcision . The verb does not mean that they have already be...

If ye be circumcised ( ἐὰν περιτέμνησθε )

Better, receive circumcision . The verb does not mean that they have already been circumcised. It states the case as supposable, implying that they were in danger of allowing themselves to be circumcised.

Vincent: Gal 5:2 - -- Christ will profit you nothing Circumcision is the sign of subjection to the Jewish " yoke" - the economy of the law. The question with the Gala...

Christ will profit you nothing

Circumcision is the sign of subjection to the Jewish " yoke" - the economy of the law. The question with the Galatians was circumcision as a condition of salvation . See Gal 2:3, Gal 2:5; Act 15:1. It was a choice between salvation by law and salvation by Christ. The choice of the law involved the relinquishment of Christ. Comp. Gal 2:21. Chrysostom says: " He who is circumcised is circumcised as fearing the law: but he who fears the law distrusts the power of grace: and he who distrusts gains nothing from that which he distrusts."

Wesley: Gal 5:2 - -- And seek to be justified thereby.

And seek to be justified thereby.

Wesley: Gal 5:2 - -- The Christian institution.

The Christian institution.

Wesley: Gal 5:2 - -- For you hereby disclaim Christ, and all the blessings which are through faith in him.

For you hereby disclaim Christ, and all the blessings which are through faith in him.

JFB: Gal 5:2 - -- That is, Mark what I say.

That is, Mark what I say.

JFB: Gal 5:2 - -- Though you now think less of my authority, I nevertheless give my name and personal authority as enough by itself to refute all opposition of adversar...

Though you now think less of my authority, I nevertheless give my name and personal authority as enough by itself to refute all opposition of adversaries.

JFB: Gal 5:2 - -- Not as ALFORD, "If you will go on being circumcised." Rather, "If ye suffer yourselves to be circumcised," namely, under the notion of its being neces...

Not as ALFORD, "If you will go on being circumcised." Rather, "If ye suffer yourselves to be circumcised," namely, under the notion of its being necessary to justification (Gal 5:4; Act 15:1). Circumcision here is not regarded simply by itself (for, viewed as a mere national rite, it was practiced for conciliation's sake by Paul himself, Act 16:3), but as the symbol of Judaism and legalism in general. If this be necessary, then the Gospel of grace is at an end. If the latter be the way of justification, then Judaism is in no way so.

JFB: Gal 5:2 - -- (Gal 2:21). For righteousness of works and justification by faith cannot co-exist. "He who is circumcised [for justification] is so as fearing the la...

(Gal 2:21). For righteousness of works and justification by faith cannot co-exist. "He who is circumcised [for justification] is so as fearing the law, and he who fears, disbelieves the power of grace, and he who disbelieves can profit nothing by that grace which he disbelieves [CHRYSOSTOM].

Clarke: Gal 5:2 - -- If ye be circumcised - By circumcision you take on you the whole obligation of the Jewish law, and consequently profess to seek salvation by means o...

If ye be circumcised - By circumcision you take on you the whole obligation of the Jewish law, and consequently profess to seek salvation by means of its observances; and therefore Christ can profit you nothing; for, by seeking justification by the works of the law, you renounce justification by faith in Christ.

Calvin: Gal 5:2 - -- 2.Behold, I Paul. He could not have pronounced a severer threatening than that it would exclude them entirely from the grace of Christ. But what is t...

2.Behold, I Paul. He could not have pronounced a severer threatening than that it would exclude them entirely from the grace of Christ. But what is the meaning of this, that Christ will profit nothing to all who are circumcised? Did Christ profit nothing to Abraham? Nay, it was in order that Christ might profit him that he received circumcision. If we say that it was in force till the coming of Christ, what reply shall we make to the case of Timothy? We must observe, that Paul’s reasoning is directed not so properly against the outward rite or ceremony, as against the wicked doctrine of the false apostles, who pretended that it was a necessary part of the worship of God, and at the same time made it a ground of confidence as a meritorious work. These diabolical contrivances made Christ to profit nothing; not that the false apostles denied Christ, or wished him to be entirely set aside, but that they made such a division between his grace and the works of the law as to leave not more than the half of salvation due to Christ. The apostle contends that Christ cannot be divided in this way, and that he “profiteth nothing,” unless he is wholly embraced.

And what else do our modern Papists but thrust upon us, in place of circumcision, trifles of their own invention? The tendency of their whole doctrine is to blend the grace of Christ with the merit of works, which is impossible. Whoever wishes to have the half of Christ, loses the whole. And yet the Papists think themselves exceedingly acute when they tell us that they ascribe nothing to works, except through the influence of the grace of Christ, as if this were a different error from what was charged on the Galatians. They did not believe that they had departed from Christ, or relinquished his grace; and yet they lost Christ entirely, when that important part of evangelical doctrine was corrupted.

The expression Behold, I Paul, is very emphatic; for he places himself before them, and gives his name, to remove all appearance of hesitation. And though his authority had begun to be less regarded among the Galatians, he asserts that it is sufficient to put down every adversary.

TSK: Gal 5:2 - -- I Paul : 1Co 16:21; 2Co 10:1; 1Th 2:18; Phm 1:9 that : Gal 5:4, Gal 5:6, Gal 2:3-5; Act 15:1, Act 15:24, Act 16:3, Act 16:4; Rom 9:31, Rom 9:32, Rom 1...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Gal 5:2 - -- Behold, I Paul say unto you - I, who at first preached the gospel to you; I, too, who have been circumcised, and who was formerly a strenuous a...

Behold, I Paul say unto you - I, who at first preached the gospel to you; I, too, who have been circumcised, and who was formerly a strenuous assertor of the necessity of observing the laws of Moses; and I, too, who am charged (see Gal 5:11) with still preaching the necessity of circumcision, now solemnly say to you, that if you are circumcised with a view to being justified by that in whole or in part, it amounts to a rejection of the doctrine of justification by Christ, and an entire apostacy from him. He is to be "a whole Saviour."No one is to share with him in the honor of saving people; and no rite, no custom, no observance of law, is to divide the honor with his death. The design of Paul is to give them the most solemn assurance on this point; and by his own authority and experience to guard them from the danger, and to put the matter to rest.

That if ye be circumcised - This must be understood with reference to the subject under consideration. If you are circumcised with such a view as is maintained by the false teachers that have come among you; that is, with an idea that it is necessary in order to your justification. He evidently did not mean that if any of them had been circumcised before their conversion to Christianity; nor could he mean to say, that circumcision in all cases amounted to a rejection of Christianity, for he had himself procured the circumcision of Timothy, Act 16:3. If it was done, as it was then, for prudential considerations, and with a wish not necessarily to irritate the Jews, and to give one a more ready access to them, it was not to be regarded as wrong. But if, as the false teachers in Galatia claimed, as a thing essential to salvation, as indispensable to justification and acceptance with God, then the matter assumed a different aspect; and then it became in fact a renouncing of Christ as himself sufficient to save us. So with anything else. Rites and ceremonies in religion may be in themselves well enough, if they are held to be matters not essential; but the moment they are regarded as vital and essential, that moment they begin to infringe on the doctrine of justification by faith alone, and that moment they are to be rejected; and it is because of the danger that this will be the case, that they are to be used sparingly in the Christian church. Who does not know the danger of depending upon prayers, and alms, and the sacraments, and extreme unction, and penance, and empty forms for salvation? And who does not know how much in the papal communion the great doctrine of justification has been obscured by numberless such rites and forms?

Christ shall profit you nothing - Will be of no advantage to you. Your dependence on circumcision, in these circumstances, will in fact amount to a rejection of the Saviour, and of the doctrine of justification by him.

Poole: Gal 5:2 - -- It is manifest that the apostle is speaking here concerning circumcision, looked upon as necessary to justification, now under the gospel state. For...

It is manifest that the apostle is speaking here concerning circumcision, looked upon as necessary to justification, now under the gospel state. For under the Old Testament undoubtedly Christ profited the fathers, though circumcised; yea, Christ undoubtedly profiled Timothy, even under the gospel, though he was circumcised, Act 16:3 , that being done to prevent a scandal, and during a time whilst, for the gaining of the Jews to the Christian faith, the Jewish ceremonies, though dead, were (as it were) kept above ground, unburied for a time. But for men, after a sufficient time indulged them for their satisfaction concerning the abolition of the ceremonial law, still to adhere to it, and religiously to observe the rites of it, as in obedience to a Divine precept, and as necessary, over and above faith in Christ for justification, was indeed to deny Christ, and disclaim his sufficiency to save, who

is able to save to the utmost them that come to God by him Heb 7:25 ; and besides whom there is no name given under heaven, by which men can be saved, neither is there salvation in any other, Act 4:10,12 ; and who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth, Rom 10:4 . So that to join any thing with Christ, and faith in him, for the justification of the soul before God, is plainly to deny and disclaim him, and to make him insignificant to us. This Paul affirms with an apostolical authority and gravity:

I Paul say unto you

Haydock: Gal 5:2 - -- If you converted from heathenism be circumcised, it must be by believing and professing it necessary, which is false doctrine, and the Christ will...

If you converted from heathenism be circumcised, it must be by believing and professing it necessary, which is false doctrine, and the Christ will profit you nothing: not that the practice of those ceremonies was at the time sinful, especially for those that had been Jews, but it was an error to judge them necessary for converted Gentiles. Besides, he that judges circumcision necessary, must also judge himself bound to keep all the other ceremonies and precepts of the law. (Witham)

Gill: Gal 5:2 - -- Behold, I Paul say unto you,.... The apostle proceeds to give some reasons and arguments to enforce the above exhortation and dissuasion: the first of...

Behold, I Paul say unto you,.... The apostle proceeds to give some reasons and arguments to enforce the above exhortation and dissuasion: the first of which is introduced with a note of attention, "behold"; what he was about to say being matter of great moment and importance; and also mentions himself by name, as the assertor of it; and that, either because his name was well known to them, and the rather because of his apostolical authority; and to show his full assurance of this matter, and his intrepidity, and that he was no ways ashamed of it, they might, if they pleased, say it to whomsoever they would, that Paul the apostle affirmed,

that if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing: he speaks of circumcision, not as when it was an ordinance of God, but as it was now abolished by Christ; and that got as singly performed on some certain accounts for he himself circumcised Timothy for the sake of the Jews; but as done in order to salvation, or as necessary unto it; which was the doctrine the false apostles taught and these Galatians were ready to give into: now circumcision submitted to on this consideration, and with this view rendered Christ unprofitable, made his death to be in vain, his sacrifice of no effect, and his righteousness useless: besides, Christ is a whole Saviour, or none at all; to join anything with him and his righteousness, in the business of justification and salvation, is interpreted by him as a contempt and neglect of him, as laying him aside, and to such persons he is of no profit; and if he is not, what they have, and whatsoever they do, will be of no advantage; wealth and riches, yea, the whole world could it be gained, their works and righteousness, whatever show they make before men, God has declared shall not profit them; and trusting to these renders Christ unprofitable to them. This is directly contrary to the notions of the Jews, who think they shall be saved for their circumcision, and that that will secure them from hell; they say m no circumcised person goes down to hell, and that whoever is circumcised shall inherit the land; but there is none shall inherit the land, save a righteous person; but everyone that is circumcised is called a righteous man n; so that circumcision is their righteousness, on account of which they expect heaven and happiness.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

Geneva Bible: Gal 5:2 ( 1 ) Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be ( a ) circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. ( 1 ) Another entreaty in which he plainly witne...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Gal 5:1-26 - --1 He wills them to stand in their liberty,3 and not to observe circumcision;13 but rather love, which is the sum of the law.19 He reckons up the works...

Combined Bible: Gal 5:2 - --color="#000000"> 2. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.      Paul ...

MHCC: Gal 5:1-6 - --Christ will not be the Saviour of any who will not own and rely upon him as their only Saviour. Let us take heed to the warnings and persuasions of th...

Matthew Henry: Gal 5:1-12 - -- In the former part of this chapter the apostle cautions the Galatians to take heed of the judaizing teachers, who endeavoured to bring them back und...

Barclay: Gal 5:1-12 - --It was Paul's position that the way of grace and the way of law were mutually exclusive. The way of law makes salvation dependent on human achievemen...

Constable: Gal 5:1--6:11 - --IV. PRACTICAL APPLICATION TO CHRISTIAN LIVING 5:1--6:10 Paul moved next from theology (chs. 3-4) to ethics, from...

Constable: Gal 5:1-26 - --A. Balance in the Christian life ch. 5 Having ruled out the Mosaic Law as a regulatory standard for Chri...

Constable: Gal 5:1-12 - --1. Living without the Law 5:1-12 The apostle warned his readers not to think that they could satisfy the demands of the Mosaic Law by obeying only a f...

College: Gal 5:1-26 - --GALATIANS 5 III. APPLICATION: LIVING FOR FREEDOM (5:1-6:18) A. FREEDOM OR A YOKE? (5:1-6) 1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand f...

McGarvey: Gal 5:2 - --Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing. [By the use of an exclamation followed by his name, Pau...

Lapide: Gal 5:1-26 - --CHAPTER 5 SYNOPSIS OF THE CHAPTER i. S. Paul proceeds to urge the Galatians not to submit to the yoke of the Old Law, lest they be deprived of the ...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Galatians (Book Introduction) The Epistle To The Galatians Probable Date a.d. 56 Or 57 By Way of Introduction It is a pity that we are not able to visualize more clearly the ...

JFB: Galatians (Book Introduction) THE internal and external evidence for Paul's authorship is conclusive. The style is characteristically Pauline. The superscription, and allusions to ...

JFB: Galatians (Outline) SUPERSCRIPTION. GREETINGS. THE CAUSE OF HIS WRITING IS THEIR SPEEDY FALLING AWAY FROM THE GOSPEL HE TAUGHT. DEFENSE OF HIS TEACHING: HIS APOSTOLIC CA...

TSK: Galatians (Book Introduction) The Galatians, or Gallograecians, were the descendants of Gauls, who migrated from their own country, and after a series of disasters, got possession ...

TSK: Galatians 5 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Gal 5:1, He wills them to stand in their liberty, Gal 5:3, and not to observe circumcision; Gal 5:13, but rather love, which is the sum o...

Poole: Galatians 5 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 5

MHCC: Galatians (Book Introduction) The churches in Galatia were formed partly of converted Jews, and partly of Gentile converts, as was generally the case. St. Paul asserts his apostoli...

MHCC: Galatians 5 (Chapter Introduction) (Gal 5:1-12) An earnest exhortation to stand fast in the liberty of the gospel. (Gal 5:13-15) To take heed of indulging a sinful temper. (Gal 5:16-2...

Matthew Henry: Galatians (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians This epistle of Paul is directed not to the church or churches...

Matthew Henry: Galatians 5 (Chapter Introduction) In this chapter the apostle comes to make application of his foregoing discourse. He begins it with a general caution, or exhortation (Gal 5:1), wh...

Barclay: Galatians (Book Introduction) A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE LETTERS OF PAUL The Letters Of Paul There is no more interesting body of documents in the New Testament than the letter...

Barclay: Galatians 5 (Chapter Introduction) The Personal Relationship (Gal_5:1-12) Christian Freedom (Gal_5:13-15) The Evil Things (Gal_5:16-21) The Lovely Things (Gal_5:22-26)

Constable: Galatians (Book Introduction) Introduction Historical Background "The most uncontroverted matter in the study of Gal...

Constable: Galatians (Outline)

Constable: Galatians Galatians Bibliography Allen, Kenneth W. "Justification by Faith." Bibliotheca Sacra 135:538 (April-June 1978):...

Haydock: Galatians (Book Introduction) THE EPISTLE OF ST. PAUL, THE APOSTLE, TO THE GALATIANS. INTRODUCTION. The Galatians, soon after St. Paul had preached the gospel to them, were...

Gill: Galatians (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO GALATIANS The persons to whom this epistle is written were not such who made up a single church only, in some certain town or city,...

Gill: Galatians 5 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO GALATIANS 5 In this chapter the apostle exhorts to stand fast in Christian liberty, and warns against the abuse of it; and directs ...

College: Galatians (Book Introduction) FOREWORD Since the earliest days of the concept of a commentary series jointly authored by church of Christ and Christian church scholars, I have eag...

College: Galatians (Outline) OUTLINE I. AUTHORITY: The Apostolic Gospel - 1:1-2:21 A. Greeting - 1:1-5 B. Paul's Astonishment - 1:6-10 C. Paul's Call by God - 1:11-17 ...

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