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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Galatians 5:1-12

In the former part of this chapter the apostle cautions the Galatians to take heed of the judaizing teachers, who endeavoured to bring them back under the bondage of the law. He had been arguing against them before, and had largely shown how contrary the principles and spirit of those teachers were to the spirit of the gospel; and now this is as it were the general inference or application of all that discourse. Since it appeared by what had been said that we can be justified only by faith in... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Galatians 5:1-12

5:1-12 Look now it is I, Paul, who am speaking to you I tell you that if you get yourself circumcised Christ is no good to you. Again I give my word to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is under obligation to keep the whole law. You who seek to get yourselves right with God by means of legalism have got yourself into a position in which you have rendered ineffective all that Christ did for you. You have fallen from grace. For it is by the Spirit and by faith that we eagerly... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 5:3

For I testify again to every man ,.... This is the form of an oath, a calling God to witness, swearing by the living God, and declaring as in his presence to every man, whether Jew or Gentile, whoever he be: that is circumcised ; in order to obtain salvation, and as necessary to it: that he is a debtor to do the whole law ; and this it is that made circumcision an insupportable yoke, for that itself might be bore, and was bore by children of eight days old; but the fulfilling of the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 5:3

He is a debtor to do the whole law - Lays himself, by receiving circumcision, under the obligation to fulfill all its precepts, ordinances, etc. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 5:3

Verse 3 3.For I testify again. What he now advances is proved by the contradiction involved in the opposite statement. He who is a debtor to do the whole law (82) will never escape death, but will always continue to be held as guilty; for no man will ever be found who satisfies the law. (83) Such being the obligation, the man must unavoidably be condemned, and Christ can render him no service. We see then the contradictory nature of the two propositions, that we are partakers of the grace of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 5:2-12

Falling from grace. Paul in the present section exposes the legal and ceremonial spirit as a tall from the moral magnificence of grace. It has been well said that "it is harder to abolish forms than to change opinions. Ceremonies stand long after the thought which they express has fled, as a dead king may sit on his throne stiff and stark in his golden mantle, and no one come near enough to see that the light is gone out of his eyes and the will departed from the hand that still clutches... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 5:2-12

Circumcision. I. PAUL SOLEMNLY PUTS BEFORE THE GALATIANS THE TRUE STATE OF THE CASE . "Behold, I Paul say unto you, that, if ye receive circumcision, Christ will profit you nothing." Commencing with an arresting word, he introduces his own name with all the solemnity of oath-taking, witness-bearing. "Behold, I Paul say unto you." What the weight of his testimony is directed against, is their submitting to circumcision. This was what the Judaizing teachers were... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 5:3

For I testify again ( μαρτύρομαι δὲ πάλιν ); I protest again. In using the word μαρτύρομαι , pro teste loquor , "I speak in the presence of a witness," the apostle intimates that he is making his affirmation with a definite sense of the Lord being his Witness (cf. Ephesians 4:17 , "This I say and testify in the Lord"). The original construction and force of the verb are shown in Judith 7:28, ΄αρτύρομαι ὑμῖν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν . The apostle is wont to use it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 5:3

The obligations involved in circumcision. The Judaizing teachers did not, perhaps, allow their converts to realize the full extent of the obligation involved in circumcision. I. THE APOSTLE REITERATES THE EXTENT OF THIS OBLIGATION IN THE CASE OF THE CIRCUMCISED . They are "debtors to do the whole Law." Circumcision was not a mere badge of Judaism, as baptism is of Christianity, but it involved a profession of obedience to the whole Jewish Law. It was not... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 5:3

For I testify again - Probably he had stated this when he had preached the gospel to them first, and he now solemnly bears witness to the same thing again. Bloomfield, however, supposes that the word “again” here (πάλιν palin) means, on the other hand, or, “furthermore,” or, as we would say, “and again.”That he is a debtor to do the whole law - He binds himself to obey all the Law of Moses. Circumcision was the distinguishing badge of the Jews, as baptism is of Christians. A man, therefore,... read more

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