The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 275

'l'itns ii. 13, "looking for the blissful hope." is us~d. with reference to objects or events Tho genitive, "of righteousness," may be per.,a1010g to the close of the present dis- (I) the "genitive of apposition," the hope pensation : Rom. viii. 19, 23 25; 1 Cor. i. which ie, or which consists of, righteousness, 7; Phil. iii. 20; Heb. ix. '2s. The pre- eimilor to the genitives iu tho phrases, "the position a.1rb in this compound verb is earnest of the Spirit," "the sign of circum- probably intensive, expreosin" 0 thorongh- cision," "the leaven of malice," '' the goingness; an entirely assure d, steadfast recompense of the inheritance," "the peace- expectation, persistent to the end. oble fruit of righteousness " (2 Cor. v. 5; Ver. 6.-For in Jesus Christ {Iv -y/,;p Xp,- Hom. iv. 11; l Cor. v. 8; Col. iii. 24; Heh. ""'P 'h117ov) ; for in Christ Jt',8us. "For;" xii. 11); or (2) "the hope of righteousness" to prove that it is from the groun<l of faitL may mean the hope that appertains unto that we look for the final awards due to righteousness, which would be the "in- righteousness, and not from obedience to heritance" spoken of in eh. iii. 18, 22, ae any ceremonial law. "In Christ Jesus" accruing, not "from the Law," but to those means more than in Christ's religion. W c who are justified by faith. The apostle is had the phrase above, eh. iii. 28, " All ye not wont to speak of justification ae a are one man in Christ Jesus." It occurs blessing to be received at the day of final frequently in St. Paul's writings; remark- decision, to which he evidently here refers, able instances are eupplie<l in Rom. xvi. 17, but as a blessing received at once by those "who were in Christ before me; " ibid., 11, who believe in Christ as the fruit even here "which are in the Lord;" 1 Cor. i. 30, of their faith. Thus Rom. v. I, "Being "of him [i.e. of God] are ye in Christ justified (li11ta«»Bl11TEs) by faith, we have Jesus." It is, perhaps, best illnstratecl by peace with God;" ibid., ver. 11, "We have our Lord's own parable of the vine in John now received the reconciliation." Thus xv. 1-4. The spiritual uniun with Christ also in this Epistle (eh. iii. 24-27) it is therein portrayed is maintained and opera- declared that, in consequence of being jus- tive through the action of the soul habi- tified by faith, we are clothed with Obrist tually cleaving to and depending upon him, and God's adopted sons (see also eh. iv. 6, 7). and constantly recei,ing from hiru respon- 'l'here can surely be no question of the ·sive gifts of spiritual vitality and power. already received justification of thode in Neither oircu.moision availeth anything, whom the Spirit testi6es that they are sons. nor uncircu.mcision; but faith which worketh Nor does Phil. iii. 9 (" That I may be found by love (oUTe 7rEprroµ.1J ,., lo-xOe,, O~TE lucpo- in him, having ... the righteousness which /3vO'Tla., alv\/,; ,r(,rns Ii,' a.-yd11"l}s ,vep-yovµ.ev11); is through faith in Christ") speak a different neither circumcision availeth anything, nor language: he aspires (he there says) to be uncircumeision; but faith operative through in that final judgment found in possession love. In two other passages the apostle of u righteousness which he had received in makes a very similar statement. One is this life through tho faith which he had in below, eh. vi. 15, "For neither is circum- this life exercised. Ae Bengel here observes, cision anything, nor nncircumcision, but a "Paul, in meutioning things beyond, includes new creature." The other is l Cor. vii. 19, and confirms things present." Of Judaical which with its context runs thus: "Was legalism it was true that it did not think any one co.lied being circumcised ? let him itself already possessed of righteousness, not become uncircumcised 0-<¼ bri,r,rr/.,,.80,). but with an ever-uoappea.sed conscienoe Hath any been called in uncircumcision? was always still striving o.fter it; whereas let him not be circumcised. Circumcision it is the privilege and glory of faith that it is nothing, and uocircumcision is nothing; can enjoy the assurance of being even now but the keeping of the _commandments of justified and at peace with, "at one" with, God." The comparison of those three pas- God. Most ccrt::dnly, what the apostle here sages suggests: (1) That the "availeth not calla "hope" is not the sentiment whicu we anything" now before us is tantamount to so often thus name when we intend thereby the "neither is anything" and to the "is an imperfectly assured expectation of some nothing" of the other two passages; and prohltbly coming good. Iu the ap~stle's that the meaning in each case is that vocabulary it denotes a confident nntlc1pa- neither circumcision nor uncircumcision tion uncloudocl by doubt (comp. Rom. viii. has any effect for good; for since the anti- 23-25; Heh. xi. 1). In fine, this is what thetic affirrootion in all three cases states the apostle means: We Christians, as led what is etfootual for good, it is obvious to by the Spirit of adoption, d? !eat in the infer that it was of a beneficial effect only confident anticipation of rece1v10g the in- that the apostle was think.iug in the fore- heritance which is the future aw,nd of the goiug statement. (2) This lea<ls to the righteouH, on the ground of our faith in the question why "uuoircumcision" should be Lord Josue. The verb a.1re1t6exoµ.a.1, in all tlrns rnpeatedly affirmed, twice to the Gala- the six other puei,ages in which it is found, tians, to be of no bcnoficit\l effect. 1\lore <l.l.LA'l'IA?\'B, .I>  THE EPISTLE TO '!'HE GALATIANS. [en. v. 1-26.