The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 316

their behalf, that they might be none otherwise minded. He had confidence in brin~ing proper representations before their minds, llS he had endeavoured .to do. Ho had con- fidence especially in the great Read of the Church making use or the means in the interests of the Gala.tian Churches and of the whole Church, 6. The trouble, would bear Ms ;'udgment. "But he tbat troubleth you shall bear his judgment1 whosoever he be." Oue is separated here, not as ringleader, but for the sake of individualization. He is represented as a troubler. He acts over the part of ,Satan who, seeing the happiness of Eden, enYied our first parents its possession. So he, spying the' peace and prosperity of the Gala.tian communities, cannot let them alono; he must introduce his J udaistie lc.wen. But this troubler, whosoever he be (thus searched out and, held up before them), shall bear his judgment. God, indeed, makes use of him in making trial of them. And they shall be judged for the manner in which they hnve dealt with his representations-testing them or not testlng them.. But let him know that he shall ha1·e the sentence, and the burdensome sentence, of a troubler passed and carried out upon him. 6. It was evident tliat he was no preacher ef circumcision. ·" But I, bretl\ren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? then bath the stumblin"~.b1ock of the cross been done away." We are not under any danger of attaching a. materialistic meaning to the cross. Whilst the wood to which were nailed Christ's hands and feet has now long ago mouldered away, and has no existence unless in the imagin'ation of th~ superstitious, the spiritual associations of it remain. It is the greatest fact th.at was ever accomplished on earth or ever brought to the knowledge of earth's inhab\t;LDts, and which will not decay in time or in etemity-the.t the adorable Son of God, coming down to our human condition, once became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. It is this which is set forth in Scripture as the Divine and only instrument of salYation. It was this which Paul made the great burden of his preaching. Whatever remedies or methods were proposed or advocated by others, ".We," says lie, who was himself a wonderful tropby of the cross-" we preach Christ crucified," . But it was said in Galatia for a purpose that he preached circumcision, i_.e. in_ addition to the· cross. He could easily have given ail explanation of the circumstance on. which this charge was founJed, viz. his having circumcised '.I'i01otby; \)ut taking the representation .as it was-tbat he was actually a preacher of circumcision-he 'puts a question and draws a conclusion. (1) He puts a question. The very pertinent question he puts is--:-Why was he persecuted? Was it not the fact that it w;i,s the Judaizers who led to his being a prisoner for the gospel in Rome? Did th!\t *ot show. that they ~new very 'weU tli:it there was a real and deep antagonism betivetlJ?, •their preachhig and his? :(~) Ho draws a conclusion. lf this course, falsely attributed to him, were followed, to add cir-; cumcision to the cross to please the Judaists, and sorµe other point to please some'other party; if all parties were thus to be suited, then it strikes the' apostle that this result wou1d follow, the offence of the cross would cease, and that seem_s to him a· mo_st undesirable result, entirely to be deprecated. • If the cross gives such satisfaction all Tound, and does not offend, as well, he thillks, stamp it a failure and proclaim abroad its utter inefficiency as a means of conversion. Where.in lies the olfence,'the scanda-: lizing property, of tbe cross? It does not lie in its offending any true feeling or principle of our nature. In Christianity there is nothing that is wantonly harsh or rude; Its langnnge is, "Giving none offence." "Woe unto him by whom the offence cometh I" But the offence of the cross lies in its running counter to the inclinations of the unrenewed heart. It can be seen, then, how it• could not be true, but ·mtlst be a proved lie, if it did not offend; it would be giving in to the natural heart, which it i,s the purpose of God not to flatter, but to subdue. (a) The cross is an offence because it doe11 not merely plwse the imagination. Men are fond of ritualism in religion. Now, the cross is singularly simple and unadorned. In this respect it standsmarkedlyin contrast with what preceded it. This is not pleasing to many. They would put ornaments upon the cross to take away its offensive simplicity; But that is a wrong tendency, 'l'he most beautiful rites and gorgeous shows, instead of drawing to the cross, as the meaning sometimes is, are more -likely to usurp its place. '.I'he wo~shippllr, instead of having his heart reached, is likely to have only bis imagination pleased. • Let the cross be left to its own simple power, though the imagination should be offended. It can do without ornaments on it in our day as well as it did in Paul's day. (b) The cross i, an offence because it i8 humbling to yride of reason. It was to the Greeks foolishness. :mt. "· 1-26.J THE :EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS. 283