Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them.

“Neither the cause of their zealous courting of you, nor the manner, is what it ought to be. they would exclude you--"They wish to shut you out" from the kingdom of God (that is, they wish to persuade you that as uncircumcised Gentiles, you are…”

Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.

“My reason for saying the "not well" (Ga 4:17; the Greek is the same as that for "good," and "in a good cause," in Ga 4:28), is that their zealous courting of you is not in a good cause.”

Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.

“Translate, "For this word, Hagar, is (imports) Mount Sinai in Arabia (that is, among the Arabians--in the Arabian tongue)." So CHRYSOSTOM explains. Haraut, the traveller, says that to this day the Arabians call Sinai, "Hadschar," that is, Hagar, meaning a rock or stone.”

But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

“Here "the Messianic theocracy, which before Christ's second appearing is the Church, and after it, Christ's kingdom of glory" [MEYER]. free--as Sarah was; opposed to "she is in bondage" (Ga 4:25). all--omitted in many of the oldest manuscripts, though supported by some.”

But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.”

“Ge 21:10, 12, where Sarah's words are, "shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." But what was there said literally, is here by inspiration expressed in its allegorical spiritual import, applying to the New Testament believer, who is antitypically "the son of…”

Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

“"Moreover." I testify . . . to every man--as well as "unto you" (Ga 5:2). that is circumcised--that submits to be circumcised. Such a one became a "proselyte of righteousness."”

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

“Ro 7:2, "Loosed from the law," where the same Greek occurs as here. whosoever of you are justified--"are being justified," that is, are endeavoring to be justified. by the law--Greek, "IN the law," as the element in which justification is to take place.”

But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness.

“"We" is emphatical, and contrasted with "whosoever of you would be justified by the law" (Ga 5:4). the hope of righteousness--"We wait for the (realization of the) hope (which is the fruit) of the righteousness (that is, justification which comes) by (literally, 'from--out of') faith,"…”

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.

“Thus in Ga 5:5, 6, we have the three, "faith," "hope," and "love." The Greek expresses, "Which effectually worketh"; which exhibits its energy by love (so 1Th 2:13).”

You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?

“Translate, "Ye were running well" in the Gospel race (1Co 9:24-26; Php 3:13, 14). who, &c.--none whom you ought to have listened to [BENGEL]: alluding to the Judaizers (compare Ga 3:1). hinder--The Greek means, literally, "hinder by breaking up a road."”

Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you.

“This persuasion--Greek, "The persuasion," namely, to which you are yielding. There is a play on words in the original, the Greek for persuasion being akin to "obey" (Ga 5:7).”

A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough.

“A little leaven--the false teaching of the Judaizers. A small portion of legalism, if it be mixed with the Gospel, corrupts its purity. To add legal ordinances and works in the least degree to justification by faith, is to undermine "the whole."”

Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.

“But if justification in any degree depended on legal ordinances, Christ's crucifixion in that degree was unnecessary, and could profit nothing (Ga 5:2, 4).”

For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.

“The "ye" is emphatical, from its position in the Greek, "Ye brethren"; as opposed to those legalists "who trouble you." unto liberty--The Greek expresses, "on a footing of liberty." The state or condition in which ye have been called to salvation, is one of liberty.”

The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

“Love is "the law of Christ" (Ga 6:2; Ro 13:9, 10). is fulfilled--Not as received text "is being fulfilled," but as the oldest manuscripts read, "has been fulfilled"; and so "receives its full perfection," as rudimentary teachings are fulfilled by the more perfect doctrine.”

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

“The spirit and the flesh mutually exclude one another. It is promised, not that we should have no evil lusts, but that we should "not fulfil" them.”

For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.

“The Greek is, "that ye may not do the things that ye would." "The flesh and Spirit are contrary one to the other," so that you must distinguish what proceeds from the Spirit, and what from the flesh; and you must not fulfil what you…”

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

“"If ye are led (give yourselves up to be led) by (Greek) the Spirit, ye are not under the law." For ye are not working the works of the flesh (Ga 5:16, 19-21) which bring one "under the law" (Ro 8:2, 14).”

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

“The identification of "the natural (Greek, 'animal-souled') man," with the "carnal" or fleshly man (1Co 2:14), shows that "the flesh" expresses human nature as estranged from God.”

Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.

“Greek, "Let us not BECOME." While not asserting that the Galatians are "vainglorious" now, he says they are liable to become so. provoking one another--an effect of "vaingloriousness" on the stronger: as "envying" is its effect on the weaker.”

Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

“BENGEL explains the "before" in the Greek compound verb, "If a man be overtaken in a fault before ourselves": If another has really been overtaken in a fault the first; for often he who is first to find fault, is the very one who has…”

Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.

“But he refers to the idea those whom he censures had of themselves: they thought they had cause for "glorying" in themselves, but it all arose from unjust self-conceited comparison of themselves with others, instead of looking at home.”

For each one should carry his own load.

“For (by this way, Ga 6:4, of proving himself, not depreciating his neighbor by comparison) each man shall bear his own "burden," or rather, "load" (namely, of sin and infirmity), the Greek being different from that in Ga 6:2.”

Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.

“From the mention of bearing one another's burdens, he passes to one way in which those burdens may be borne--by ministering out of their earthly goods to their spiritual teachers.”

Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.

“God is not mocked--The Greek verb is, literally, to sneer with the nostrils drawn up in contempt. God does not suffer Himself to be imposed on by empty words: He will judge according to works, which are seeds sown for eternity of either joy or…”