Galatians 5

• Paul clearly explains his message to the Galatians. He criticizes their unwise behavior and offers a better choice. That choice is freedom.

• Christ has set us free: Christians are free to live by faith in Christ alone (see Romans 8).

• do not be encumbered once more (literally do not take on a yoke): A yoke is a heavy wooden bar that joins two farm animals together, like oxen, so they can pull heavy loads. In the Jewish tradition, people used the word "yoke" to talk about following religious laws. It was a duty and honor to "take the yoke of the law." God's children in Jesus Christ are not meant to carry this heavy burden (see Luke 11:46; Acts 15:10). Instead, they follow the gentle guidance of Jesus, which brings freedom instead of heavy demands (Matthew 11:28–30).

Paul reminded the Galatians who it was that was speaking to them. He was the apostle of Jesus Christ who represented the Lord to non-Jewish people and first preached the good news to them.

The Judaizers were a group who believed in following the law of Moses. They taught that following the law would earn God's favor (compare Acts 15:1). However, this approach actually leads to separation from God. True righteousness comes to those who live in Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

People who try to be righteous by obeying the law must obey every one of its rules without exception (see 2:15–16; compare James 2:10).

People who believe circumcision is needed for salvation depend on the law and themselves, not on Jesus Christ. These people are separated from Jesus and are outside of his grace (see Romans 5:2). They are under the law's judgment. They have lost the benefits of God’s grace (see Galatians 1:6; 1 Peter 5:12).

• Instead of living by faith in the law, we can live by completely trusting in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us become more like what God wants us to be.

• eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness: We receive God’s righteousness at our salvation (see Romans 5:9–11; 10:10). We receive it in an ongoing way as God's Spirit helps us become more like Jesus (Romans 8:1–14). We receive it fully when Jesus returns and raises us to new life (see Romans 8:18–30). God’s power provides righteousness, and he fulfilles his promise (Galatians 3:14, 22).

Faith in Jesus Christ gives us all of God's favor and grace, so we cannot gain more through our own efforts. We show our faith by loving others (see Romans 13:10; 14:17–19; 2 Corinthians 8:8–13).

Living by faith is like running a race (see 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; Philippians 3:13–14; 2 Timothy 4:7–8). For the Galatians, the law became an obstacle instead of a support in this race (see Luke 11:52).

The Galatians believed following the law would make God happy, but God did not want them to be bound by it. God wanted them to be free.

This verse was a common saying (literally A little yeast [or leaven] makes the whole loaf rise; see Matthew 13:33; 16:6, 11–12; 1 Corinthians 5:6–7). Relying a little on the law for God's acceptance can lead to forgetting that Jesus Christ saves by his work alone.

whoever he may be: Paul might not have known who the false teachers' were, or he might have thought their qualifications did not matter (compare 2:6).

troubling you: The false teaching distorted the good news, so Paul wrote to clarify their understanding.

• If I am still preaching: This likely refers to Paul's preaching as an enthusiastic supporter of Judaism before he converted to Christianity (1:13–14; Acts 7:58–8:3). As a Christian, Paul never preached that non-Jews must be circumcised.

• Why am I still being persecuted? If Paul had been promoting a religion based on laws, the devoted Jews would not have been persecuting him everywhere he went. These leaders were angry because Paul taught that people did not need to follow the law of Moses to be saved. They thought this teaching was deeply offensive (compare Romans 9:33; 1 Corinthians 1:23).

emasculate themselves (literally cut themselves off; compare Philippians 3:2): Paul uses strong words to criticize people who demanded circumcision (cutting off the foreskin from the male sex organ).

1. Paul might refer to pagan priests in Galatia who castrated themselves (removed their testicles) for their gods. Insisting on circumcision for Christians is similar. It involved cutting the flesh to please God through physical actions instead of faith in Christ.

2. Relying on circumcision harmed the false teachers' relationship with God, so they might as well harm themselves physically.

3. In the old covenant, emasculated men could not join the congregation (Deuteronomy 23:1). Similarly, those who depend on circumcision have no place in the new covenant community. Paul likely wished the Judaizers would cut themselves off by leaving the community.

Paul explains that justification (being in right relationship with God) comes by faith alone. He then asks, "If we do not follow the law, what guides our behavior?" He answers that the Holy Spirit provides righteousness. The Judaizers (Jewish Christians who believed in following traditional Jewish laws) likely warned that Paul's message of freedom could lead believers to moral failure (5:1). Paul argues that freedom is not an excuse to sin because love guides Christians. We should use our freedom to serve each other with love (see also 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14–15).

The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: The followers of Jesus fulfill the law by showing love to every neighbor (Leviticus 19:18; see Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:27–36; 10:25–37; John 13:34–35; 15:9–17; Romans 13:8–10).

The opposite of love is when people hurt and attack each other (see Psalm 35:25; Proverbs 30:14; Jeremiah 8:17). People who lack love are often bitter and fight with one another. They will eventually harm each other. In contrast, love brings life to others (see John 3:16; 15:12–13).

A faith without laws will not cause moral ruin. The Holy Spirit guides people, changing their hearts to follow God's will and not sin (see Jeremiah 31:33; Hebrews 8:10).

We cannot just choose to follow the law and not sin. There is a struggle between God's Spirit and our sinful nature (see Romans 7:14–25; 1 Peter 2:11; compare Genesis 4:7). The solution is not trying harder to follow the law, but living by God's Spirit. When we are resurrected, we will finally be free from sin (see Romans 8:18–25).

People guided by the Holy Spirit follow the Spirit's authority, not the law. They answer to the Spirit of God, not the law. Paul did not intend to justify breaking civil laws (see Romans 13:1–7; Titus 3:1; compare 1 Peter 2:13–17). He was talking about how to achieve spiritual righteousness before God.

• The acts of the flesh are obvious (literally The works of the flesh are): Emphasizing law-keeping and sinful actions comes from trying to live without God's Spirit.

• obvious: All people have a basic sense of right and wrong (see Romans 1:32; 2:14–15; 1 Corinthians 5:1). But some people still choose to do wrong anyway (Romans 1:18–21).

• The list of acts of the flesh starts with sexual immorality. In contrast, the list of Christian virtues starts with love (Galatians 5:22). Various kinds of sexual misconduct were common (see Romans 1:24–27; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:15–18; 2 Corinthians 12:21; 2 Peter 3:10, 18). In ancient pagan religions, people engaged in sexual activities as part of their worship of fertility gods and goddesses (see Revelation 2:14, 20).

• When people sin, they become spiritually unclean and cannot have fellowship with God, who is perfectly pure and holy (see Matthew 23:27; Romans 6:19; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:7).

These two lists compare life controlled by sinful desires (5:19–21) with life guided by the Holy Spirit (5:22–26). Living by the Spirit means following a higher moral standard than the law can provide.

• Idolatry (the worship of false gods) was common in Galatia and often included sorcery ("magic arts," see Acts 19:19; compare 1 Samuel 15:23; Revelation 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15). It also often included sexual immorality (compare 1 Corinthians 6:9, 15–20).

• Hatred causes people to fight with others, which is the opposite of the Holy Spirit's way of humility and love (Galatians 5:22–23).

• Discord means causing arguments and looking for fights, not peacefully defending what is right (1 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20; 1 Timothy 6:4; Titus 3:9). Those who are guided by the Holy Spirit speak what is true with love and try to make peace with others (Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 2:23–26).

• Jealousy (in Greek zēlos, meaning "zeal") can mean a positive "passionate commitment" or a negative "intense desire for others' things" (compare James 3:14–16).

• Rage (violent and uncontrolled anger) is the opposite of self-control (Galatians 5:23; see, for example, Acts 19:28; 2 Corinthians 12:20; 1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7).

• Rivalries (or selfishness) oppose Christian love (compare Romans 2:8; Philippians 2:3; James 3:14, 16).

• Factions (in Greek haireseis, meaning "heresies, factions, sects") refers to using different beliefs or practices to divide the community (compare 1 Corinthians 11:17–19; 2 Peter 2:1–3).

• Drunkenness does not belong in a Christian's life (see Luke 21:34; 1 Corinthians 11:20–22; Ephesians 5:18).

• orgies: Religious celebrations for false gods often included wild parties with lots of drinking and sexual sin (compare 1 Peter 4:3).

• and the like: This list shows examples of sinful behaviors (compare Mark 7:20–23; Romans 1:29–31; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10; Ephesians 5:3–5; Colossians 3:5–8; 1 Timothy 1:9–10; 2 Tim 3:2–5; James 3:13–18; Revelation 21:8). People living this way do not follow the Holy Spirit and so they do not show a relationship with God by faith. Such people will not inherit the kingdom of God. They remain slaves to their sinful nature (Galatians 4:8–9, 22–25; compare Romans 6:16–22; 1 Corinthians 6:9–10). They are not under God’s rule.

• Choosing to follow the Holy Spirit leads to a life that pleases God, unlike following sinful desires (5:16; 5:19–21). Human effort and laws cannot achieve this (compare John 15:1–8).

• This list of virtues addresses issues in the Galatian church.

• Love is the greatest Christian virtue and includes all others (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). Only God's Spirit can help us love those who hate us (see Matthew 5:43–48; Luke 6:35–36).

• Joy from the Holy Spirit does not depend on circumstances (see Romans 15:13; 2 Corinthians 6:10; 8:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:6).

• Peace with God brings inner well-being (Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:15; Philippians 4:6–7; Colossians 1:20). It helps us become peacemakers with others (see Matthew 5:9; Romans 8:6; 12:18; 14:17–19; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:3; 6:15).

• Patience (or tolerance or long-suffering) helps us endure difficult situations and be patient with others (Ephesians 4:2; 2 Timothy 4:2; James 5:10–11). God is patient with us (Exodus 34:6; Psalms 103:8; Romans 2:4; 9:22; 1 Timothy 1:16; 2 Peter 3:15). God promises to be with those who are patient with others (Isaiah 57:15).

• Kindness means being generous and helping others, showing the same spirit of giving that God shows to us (Romans 2:4; 11:22; Titus 3:4–6).

• Goodness: Compare Romans 15:14; Ephesians 5:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11.

• Faithfulness (or faith) means being reliable and trustworthy in our relationships, just as God is with us (1 Corinthians 1:9; 10:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3).

• Gentleness is the opposite of the bad behaviors in 5:20 and requires strength (see Proverbs 15:1, 4; Matthew 11:28–29; Ephesians 4:2).

• Self-control: The Holy Spirit does not allow immoral behavior but helps people avoid sin (compare Galatians 5:13; Romans 6:14–18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7; 1 Peter 2:16; see also Acts 24:25; Titus 1:8).

• Against such things there is no law: Paul explains what is already obvious, that those led by the Holy Spirit do not need laws to guide them.

• People who trust in Jesus share in his death on the cross through faith (compare 2:19–20; Romans 6). They become new people (Romans 6:1–2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 3:5–15). They have left behind their sinful nature and the law (see Galatians 2:19; Romans 7:4–6; 2 Corinthians 5:14; Colossians 3:1–4).

• passions and desires: Refer to 5:19–21.

Christians do not live by the law but instead let the Holy Spirit guide their lives.

The Galatian church seemed to struggle with divisions instead of following the guidance of the Holy Spirit (see also study note on 5:20; compare 1 Corinthians 3).