The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 300

HOMILETICS. "Ver. 1.-77ie importance cf standing by Clirutian Uberty. "Stand firm, therefore, in the liberty for which Christ bath made us free, and be not entangled again with. the yoke of bondage." The apostle hopefully assumes that the Galatians had not ·yet surrendered their liberty. , •, I. JUDAISM WAS .A YOKE OF BONDAGE. It tnight well be described in s1,1ch terms by the Apostle Peter at an earlier period (Acts xv.10). 'l'he bondage consisted in the number, complexity, and variety of its rites and ceremonies, associated with days, and weeks, and months, and years; in the burdensome repetition of sacrifices; •'in the expensiveness of the old ritual; in the time and labour consumed in purifications and washings; an<! in the place which every trivial or important transaction of' life, such as marr!age, burial, plough in$, s~wing, r~aping, held in ~he. religious econo1;0y of a theocratic people. The Gentiles m Galatla had had experience of the degradmg yoke of heathen bondage. Were they to be•.• entangled .again" with a' yoke, even. that.,of Judaism? • • ' , II. THE LillERTY WON BY CHRIST. The liberty here referred to is exemption from the rites and requirements of the ceremonial Law,, including circumcision itself. But thn.t liberty implies a great enlargement in Christian blessing. 1. It sets the believer free from tlie terr<1rs of the old economy. "We have· received, not the spirit of bondage ~gain to fear, but the spirit of adoption." Christ has freed us from many fears 1,that must have marred the peace of Old Testament saints. 2. •He destroys the physical drudgery of religion. His yoke is easy as his burden is light. 3. His liberty lifts us out of the state of spiritual childhood in which the Jews dwelt, that we may have a larger comprehension of the mysteries of tbe kingdom (Heb. vi. 2). • UL THE IMPORTANCE OF STANDING BY OUR NEWLY ACQUIBED LIBERTY. 1. It WO'l!,ld be an insult to Clirut, who bO'l.l,!}ht it, if hu followers weie :to, S'UR"render it. 2. .A man may bear an unfust burden, but not a burden upon cons~. 3. It is. pwr interest ta stand in the full liberty ef the gospel. " As free, yet not using our liberty as a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God" (1 Pet. ii 16). 4. Our firmness will encourage others to a resolute assertion of Christian liberty against all sorts of ritualistic priesthoods. Ver. 2.-.A solemn MUI emp!iati,c warning. The apostle assumes a severer and a more authoritative tone-" I Paul "-and shows that there is something worse than folly in turning aside to the Law, for it is to take an absolutely destructive course. It is absolutRly impossible to reconcile circumcision with Christ. ".If _ye b~ circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." ,; , , . , L Tms DOES NOT WAB.BANT THE CO?IDEMN'ATION, OF CIRCt[MCIBION IN ITSELF. For it was a Divine appointment, not only a national rite to distinguish Jew~ from.Gentile~, but" a. seal of the righteousness of faith" (Rom. iv. 11). Nor does it condemn circum- cision as a past act on the part of a Jew born under tbe ancient economy, nor,as a mere prudential act as giving a more ri;a.dy access to the Jews, for the apostle himself circumcised Timothy (Acts xvi. 3). Il. liE CONDEMNS CIRCUMCISION REGARDED AS A BITE NECEBBABY TO SALVATION. ] This position involves the rejection of Uhrist, ·as if he had not wrought out a complete ~alvation. Those who support it imply that they have·entered, upon .another mode of justification. 2. .As circumcision was ()'Tl,6 of the types or shadows that was to pass away with the death of Cb,rist, its continuance seemd a constructive denial that he had, cmr"' at all. 3. Oircwmcisi'.on was utterly =ingless to Gentiles, who were Mt _of .Abraham's race. If, therefore, they were circumcised, it meant that they found the rite 11ecessary to their 11&lvation. 4. The declaration of tlie apostle, " Ghrist shall profit OJI;- V. l~26,], THE r EPISTLE: T<i> THE ,GALATIANS. 267