The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 281

bolicvcrs nt, Jorusulcm appear to hnvo seen mother towards these two of its most impor- it, tho inference to which the finger of tant elements. By-and-bye, when circum- Divine providence pointed in the particular stances allowed, the same great apostle, who Corm of death which, in the counsels of God, in hie Epistle develops the doctrine of tho had been selected for the Christ to suffer cross in relation to Mosaism, could with (cf. John xviii. 32). He had seen that faith advantage address the Hebrew Church, in tl10 crucified Sa.viour, by just consequence either himself or through another whom he 11ncl in .the Divine purpose, disconnected inspirer! with his thoughts, that Epistle, in those, who .embraced it as the supreme which the Godhead of Jesus is proclaimerl element of spiritual life, from nil obligation with as much clearness and emphasis as the to the ceremonial law as viewed in rel11tion dissolution of the Mosaic institute in face ot to their acceptance with God (eh. ii. 19, and the new spiritual economy. The Epistle to note). And because he heh! forth this truth, the Hebrews, however, iu proving that the and insisted upon its vital importance in new co,-enant was superserling the old, doe8 determining the mutual relations of Jew not lay the chief stress of the argument upon and Gentile in the Christian Church, there- the Crucifixion, but upon the utter unavail- fore it was that he drew upon himself the ingness of the Mosaic priestly functions for peculiar unrelenting enmity with which the the clearing of the conscience as compared Jews pw-sued him. They could manage to with the efficacy of Christ'a one offering. live on terms of peace with their fellow-Jews Nevertheless, the other point is not al together e.t Jerusalem who held that. the Christ neglected ; nt least, a kindred argument is predicted in the Old 'festament was to be, suggested in Heb. xiii. 10-13, in which in the first instance, a suffering Christ, and passage contact with Christ as suffering trusted in Jesus e.s fulfilling those pre- without the camp is spoken of as inferring dictions; for they saw that they, while a pollution which was incompatible with believing in Jesus, continued, as St. James "serving the tabernacle." The "cross" ie told St. Paul all of them did, to observe and definitely named only once, and that with to be zealous for the Law (Acts xxi. 20); relation to extreme" shame" attaching to it they were able, therefore, in some degree to (Heh. xii. 2). In other Epistles which are tolerate their "heresy." But St. Paul was certainly of St. Paul's own composition, the led by the Saviour of all the world to adopt " cross " 1s mentioned in connection with a different line. The truth, which lay' the abrogation of the ceremonial law, in wrapped up in the manner of Christ's death, Eph. ii. 16; Col. i. 20; ii. 14 ; but the and which at Jerusalem was left, so to manner in which it brought about this result speak, in its latency, it became necessary is nowhere so plainly indicated as in this for tho welfare of mankind that Paul should Epistle to the G11latians, in which "the bring forth into view, and e.pply for the cross" is the very key-note of the whole doing of the work which it was designed to discussion. The flashing out of resentful accomplish. The cross annihilated the feeling which we read in the next verse was obligatoriness upon God's people of the Law probably in part evoked by the clear glimpso of Moses. And, by teaching this, this apostle which tho apostle this moment caught ot' revived against himself the animosity which the conscious ilisincerity of those seducer11, had flamed for.th so fiercely upon St. Stephen, shown in their m11king or adopting such an who was charged with saying tha.t "Jesus the W!sertioa respecting himself as he here re- Nazarene was to change the customs which buts, which facts proved to be so glaringly Moses had delivered unto them." It illus- false. trates the economy which marks the Holy Ver. 12.-1 would they were even cut off Spirit's development of revealed truth in which trouble you (i'ic/)<>-.ov ,cal l.1ro,c6yovTa, the consciousness of the Church, that this ol l.va<TTaTovvT.s vµ.as); would to God they consequence of the crucifb:ion of our Lord would make themselves even as the apocopi of was for a while left so much in abeyance in Cybele (Greek, would even mutilate them- the mother Church in J udroa. 'l'he fact selves), who are casting you out of country stands on the same footing as the develop- and home I The word iic/),>-.ov, originally a. ment of the doctrine of the es~entiBl Godhee.d verb, had got, thus stripped of its uugrnent, of the Lord Jesus ; for this too would seem to be a mere pnrtirle of wishing. Its sense to have been not at once and by an abrupt with an indicative aorist is seen 1 Cor. iv. 8, illumin11tion brought distinctly home to the "Oc/),>-.6v -ye /f3a<T,>-.<v<Ta.u, "Would to God ye oonsciouenese of the Hebrew Church, but to hud come to your kingship [which is far have been deposited like a seed in its bosom from being really the case yet!];" Exod. xvi. to unfold itself gradually. It seemed meet 8; Numb. xiv. 2; xx. 3(Septim0int),"Oc/)e>-.ov to the Divine Wisdom to cradle the infant a.1re8d.voµ.ev, "Would to God we had died I" faith tenderly, that it should not be ex- with an indicative imperfect, 2 Cor. xi. I, posed to too p;re11t risks through want of 'Oc/)e>-.ov a.v•lx,.,.o/ wv µ.11,pov a.c/)po1161111s, eympathy on the p11rt of its first nursing "Would to God yowtre [I.e. could be]toleranl  THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. [on. v. 1-26.