The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 284

suppMe such evils were now especially pnss11gc renppears in the 1r,1r1'tJpo,1e• of the rife amongst the Gnlntin)1s, whose natural other. The sentence in Romans, 11 He that chnrncter, commonly described as qnarrel- loveth his neighbour (-rov li-r,pov) hnth ful- sonw, w~s nppA.re.ntly evincing itself in filled the Law," that is, as the context connection with the disputes which the shows, "the whole L11w," make~ it olear teaching nn<l yet more the outward action that, by the words before us, " tho whole of the J u<luizers were giving rise to. In Law hath been fulfilled in one word," is fact, a loYing temper of mind, along with meant that the whole Law hath been ful- other benefits, is recommended also by this, filled in the fulfilling of the one word, '"l'hou that it guards Churches from coITnpting shnlt love thy noighbour as thyself." The innovations in doctrine and Church practice; whole Law is regarded as couched in that cher.king our self-will and our obtrusive "one word." In the larger passage the vanity, it leads us to avoid giving uneasi- Law, so far as it is explained, is represented ness to others by thrusting upon them new o.s regulating our bebo.viour to our neigh- notions or new modes of conduct, and makes bours, for the apostle cites exclusively com- it our ambition to keep the unity of the mandments of the" second table;" in addition Spirit in the bond of peace. The pattern to which, we observe that the immediately set by our Lord (John xiii. 15), both in preceding context (vers. 1-7) is to.ken up washing his disciples' feet and indeed in with the discussion of duties to our fellow- his whole incarnate life (Phil. ii. 7), was men, sliding into what follows through the grandly imitated by the apostle himself words, " Owe no man anything, save to love (1 Cor. ix. 19-22), who in outward things one another." This snggests the inference habitually sacrificed the pride of inde- that when the apostle s11ys, "He that loveth pendence and self-assertion, and the pride hath fulfilled the Law ; " and at the close of apparent self-consistency, in his devotion of the paragraph, " Loya is the fulfilment of to the spiritual welfare of men. He here the Law," he has in view that part only of preaches just what he himself practised. the Law which enforces the duties apper- Ver. 14.-For all the Law is fulfil.led in taining to human relationships, aud not the one word, even in this; Thou sh.a.J.t love thy whole Law as enforcing, together with these, neighbour as thyself ( b -yap wiis .,1,,,_,,, b, ovl the duties we owe to God.: for " love," he ;>..o;,'1' wew;>..11pwra, [Receptus, w>..71povra,], iv says, '\is the fulfilment of the Law, because 'Tip, ,A-ya.1"/treLS .,-()., 1rJ\.11ulov crov Ws O'Ea.11-r&v it worketh no evil to his neighbour." And [Receptns, oa.v-rov]); for the whole Law hath this might seem further to justify the like in one word been fulfilled, even in this, Thou inference with reference to the passage shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Thns is before us; and here also the immediate con- very briefly enunciated what in the Epistle text (ver. 13) points only to relations be- to the Romans (xiii. 8-10), written a tween man and man, making no reference short while after, the apostle more fully to our relations towards God. And this develops thus: "Owe no man anything, inference we seem warranted in accepting. save to love one another : for he that loveth Only, we have to bear in mind that the his neighbour hatb fudfilled (7re7rMJpw,c,) the apostle has already taken account of our Law. For thiB, Thou shalt not commit spiritual relations to God, in stating (ver. 6) adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt that in Christ Jesus the' all-important and not steaL Thou shalt not covet, and if there only thing is faith working through love. be any other co=andment, it is summed For the faith which he means is plainly the up (iwa1e,cpa.>..a,ovra,) in this word, namely, principle whieh unites the soul to Christ Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, Jesus, and in him to God lls our reconciled Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: love Father, through the vitalizing and actuating therefore '.is the fulfilment (1rlvf,pwµ.a) of the power of the Spirit of adoption. And pre- Law." This passage of the Romans may be cisely the same consideration presents itself regarded as a lengthened paraphrase of with resp~ct to the parallel passage in the the one now before us. From the com- Romans ; for there, too, the apostle has been parison of t!Je two, several things are made previously engaged in building up the gos- clear. We see from it what is meant by the pel doctrine of Christ's redeeming· us from 1rer.>.-lipw-ra.1, "bath been fulfilled." Some the control of a condemning Law, which'is have been disposed to regard it as equivalent also mere "Jetter," and _eo.u give no s•piritual to ava1<•,Pa>.a.,ou-ra,, "it is summed up." Not life; and of bis handing us over to the law to urge that it is very doubtfud whether the of the Spirit of life, whereby the require- verb admits of this sense, it ie enough to ment of the Law is fullilled in them who obat:rve that in the parallel passage the walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit verb -rrll.11povv, both in 1r,-rr>.11p1111e,, hath ful- (Rom. viii. 1-¼). '!'he apostle takes it for filled, and 1he verbal 1r>.,!pwµ.a, fulfilment, granted that it is with these views in their means to fulfil in actual obedience; and that minds that his renders will receive what ho I.he pE:rfect tense of the r<1rA1Jpw-r«1 of thiB here w1·ites. Further, uccount ill to be err. v. 1-26.J TIIE EPISTLE TO 'l'lll!: GALATIANS. 251