The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 81

1 Cor. xv. 3; 1 Pet. iii. 18. Besides, it would be tautology for the apostle to refer here to mere human improvement, since the design of the sacrifice is to accomplish this very improvement, e.s we see by the terminating clause. It would be absurd to confound the means e.nd the end, the ea.use with the effect. III. THE ETHIOAL RESULT OF THE SACRIFICE. "That he might deliver us from thL; present evil world." This shows the truly sanctifying result of Christ's death. This marks out the gospel as e.n instrument of emancipation from a state of bondage. It strikes the key-note of the Epistle. As the oblation is perfect, so the deliverance secured by it is perfect; there is, therefore, no compatibility between obedience to the Mosaic Law and faith in Jesus Christ. The deliverance is from "this present evil world;" not from the Jewish dispensation, which is nowhere called evil in itself, though it became so through a grave misapplication of its principles-besides, the Gentiles had not by Christianity been delivered from it; nor is it deliverance in the sense of an abandonment of our place and duty in the world; but it is the world as it is, without religion, under curse, transitory, corrupt, and doomed. It was deliverance from the corrupt course of this world which was under bondage to gods (2 Cor. iv. 4), from that world which was crucified to Paul and he to it (eh. vi. 14). It is deliverance from the power of that world which has its threefold seductiveness" in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." Thus provision is made in the atonement for the sanctification as well as the justification of sinners. Christ is become to us "Sanctification " as well as " Righteousness." IV. THE ORIGIN OF THE WHOLE WORK OF CHRIST. "By the will of God the Father." It was the Father's appointed work. It was an act of obedience on Christ's part to his Father's will. "For this cause came I into the world, that I might do the will of my Father." Christ's sacrifice was thus in no sense a human plan, nor dependent upon man's obedience; it was the effect of the commanded will of our Father wishing to win back his lost children. Therefore let us not attempt to overturn or neutralize the system of grace by our legal obedience. Y. THE DOXOLOGY. "To whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen." 1. The glory of salvation being due, not to man, but God, for its initiation, for its execution, for its bestowal, it becomes our duty to give him glory in all our worship and in all our duties (1 Cor. x. 31). 2. The doxology is an implied reproof of the Galatians for attempting to divide the work of salvation between God and man. 3. The praises of the redeemed, though begun on earth, will continue through all eternity. Ver. 6.-The sad defection of the Galatians. The apostle enters at once upon the business in hand, and calls them to account for their incipient apostasy. I. MABK THE .APOSTLE'S SORROWFUL BUBPRISF,, "I marvel that ye are so quickly turning a.way from him who called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel." The Celtic heartiness with which they received him at the first, "as an angel or God, even as Christ," might well excite his wonder at their rapid defection. He understoo,l human nature, but there was something in their conduct which baffled ordinary cal- culations. His surprise is tinged with sorrow, disappointment, perhaps the least touch of anger, and has, unhappily, to occupy tbo place usually assigned in his Epistles to thanksgivings for the gifts and graces of his converts. Yet there is a tender and cau- tious tone in the rebuke, as if to imply that his indignation was directed rather againH their seducers than against themselves. It does not exclnde the idea that they might yet be recovered from their error. II. Tm: RAPIDITY OF THE DEFEtTIOI!f. "Ye are so quickly turning away." So sor,n after their conversion, or so soon after their hearty reception of him (eh. iv. 14, 15). How fickle and changeable the Celtic temper! Cresar says, "The Ganis for the m0st part affect new things." " Giddy-headed hearers have religiimem ephemeram, ar,, whirled about by every wind of doctrine, being "con.stant only in their inconstancy " (Trappe). "They had itching ears; they had heaped to themselves teachers accor,i- ing to their own lusts" (2 Tim. iv. 3); that. is, they liked to taste the hum0•~r of teachers who would not disturb them in their sinful ways, and ~ " foiznd words (rAAaTou J.sry<iu)," rather, words fashioned so as to s~t the humour 0! ti:.',:~ disciples. There are men who "by good words and fair ~ e s d_..,..eive t!le bean.., d the simple" (Rom. xvi. 18). And the devil is always at b.a~d to romzr,t fro:,c:: :~-';  46 THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS, [cu. L 1-24.