The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 283

trou!Jlers wore driving his readers; that cenaries for me I (µf, µo, µup,&ur ... !lvou,);" Jmppy sto.to (the apostle s11ys) was the very Sophocles,' Ant.,' 573, "No more loitr,ringa ! glory and essence of their "co.Hing." 'fhis, but . . . (µ11 Tp,Eds fr' lr.M& ...); "Aristo- of oourse, wns that condition of free men phanes, 'Ach.,' 326, "No false pretences for described at the end of the foregoing me, but ... (µf, µ.oi 1rp6cpacriv, till./1.d. ... )." In cho.ptcr, and summarized in the first verse such cases it simply weakens the vivacity of of this chapter. This is again, even more tLe style, if we supply any verb. The alter- briefly, recapitulated in the first clause of native rendering supplies ooon, which is in the present verse. As the summary in the fact found in two uncial manuscripts, F, G, first verse supplied e. starting-point for the or d1roxpficr11cr8,, proposed by CEcumenius. warnings a.go.inst the Judaizers which have In the former way of construing we have taken up the foregoing twelve verses, ao in thought to supply a second r¾v after this new summary furuiahea the starting- /1'.,u8,pla.v, as in 1 Cor. x. 18, B11.,... ,.,, -rov point for exhortations designed to guard 'Icrpa.1)1'. 1ta.Tct. crri.p1ta. : 2 Cor. vii. 7 ; Col. i. 8; the evangelical doctrine against antinomian Eph. ii. 15. The preposition ,i, is used as perversion, by insisting upon the moral Rom. xi. 9 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 22, etc. The behaviour required of those who enjoy the sense of the noun dcpopµf,, starting-point, is freedom which Christ gives. These ex- well illustrated by its we, in the military hortations occupy the remainder of this language of Greece, for a '' basis of opera- chapter e.nd a part of the next. "Ye," tions" (cf. Rom. vii. 8, 11; 2 Cor. v. 12: being what ye e.re, believers baptized into 1 Tim. v. 14). Reflection at once shows us Christ. The verb " were co.lied " expresses that e. "freedom" which allows a man to a complete idea, meaning of itself without obey tbe behests of his lower natt.re is only any adjunct, "called by God to be people by a false use of the term capable of being of his own" (cf. "ea.Beth," ver. 8, and the grouped with that freedom wherewith Christ pe.ssages there cited). The words, "unto," makes us free. It adopts out of the latter or "for, freedom," supply an e.djunct notion; the single element of emancipation from as in Eph. iv. 4, the clause, "in one hope ceremonial law and letter-Law, e.nd lets of your calling," does to the same verb. go altogether the concomitant notions of So again 1 These. iv. 7," For God called us, spiritual emancipation which are of its not unto [or, 'for'] uncleanness, but in sancti- very essence. Such an emancipation hands fication." The preposition ,.,..c, both in the its victim clean over to the thraldom of sin passage last cited and in the present verse, (John viii. 34; 2 Pet. ii. 18, 19). St. denotes the condition or understo.nding Peter, in hie First EpisUe, addressed to a upon which God Lad called them : they large group of Churches founded by St. were " called" upon the understanding Pe.ul, including those of Galatia, has a that they should be in e. state of liberty. number of passages which e.pparently take So Eph. ii. 10, "Created in Christ Jesus up sentiments and even expressions founcl unto [Greek, 'for'] good works." God calls in St. Paul's writings (see 1 Pet. v. 12), as us in Christ to be free in these three it were, ratifying them ; e.nd possibly he has respects : (1) free from condemne.tion and an eye to the present verse when he writes conscience of guiltiness; (2) free from pupil- (1 Pet. ii. 16), "as free, and not using yonr e.ge to e. ceremonial institute of positive, freedom for a cloak of wickednes~, bnt as came.I ordinances, e.nd from bonuage to a bond-servo.nts of God." " The flesh" is not letter-Law; (3) free, as consciou8ly his to have its own we.y, hut is to own the children, knit to him by his adopting Spirit, mastery of the Spirit. But by love serve which makes us partakers of his nature. one e.nother (ir.Md li,d -r;js a.7cl7r7Js liou/1.evne Only uee not liberty for e.n occasion to the a.1'./1.f,1'.o,s); but through love be in bondage to 11.esh (µovov p.1J T1Jv h .. ,u8,p[av ,ls a.cpopµ¾v one another; i.e. let love make you boud- .,-~s cra.p1t&,); only, no freedom which shall be serve.nts to one 11nother. The verb liov1'.,vo, an occasion to the flesh! or, only, make not also meC1ns "do nets of bond-service," as your freedom into an occasion for the flesh. Eph. vi. 7 and 1 Tim. vi. 2. This sense The noun l1'.,u8,plav, being in the accusative, is included iu the "being in bondage" here cannot be taken as simply e. resumption of spoken of. In the present posture of affairs the •1'.•v8,p(a. immediately before. In his in these Churches, the 1\postle sees occasion eagemese to' at once bar the antinomian's for selecting just here one po.rticula.r brnnch abuse of the go,pel, the e.postle omits the of Christian goodness to enforce upon their verb whioh should account for this accusa- observC1noe. Presently after (vers. 16-2-i) tive; e.nd the result is e. sentence which he enlo.rges the field of view; though even may be to.ken as grouping with various there still giving much prominence to the passages in olassice.l Greek authors, being vices of malignity and to the benignant in fact quite a nature.I we.y of speaking in virtues. Just uow he has his eye espeoi&ll y e.ny le.nguage ; suoh e.s in Demosthenes, on the evils of contentiousness (ver. 15), 'Phil.,' i. p. 45, •' No ten thousand ... mer- [Ind upon love us their corrective. We rue.y  250 TITE EPISTLE 'l'O TIIE GALATIANS. [orr. v. l-26.