Galatians 5:2 - Homiletics

A solemn and emphatic 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 absolutely impossible to reconcile circumcision with Christ. "If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing."

I THIS DOES NOT WARRANT THE CONDEMNATION OF CIRCUMCISION IN ITSELF . For it was a Divine appointment, not only a national rite to distinguish Jews from Gentiles, but "a seal of the righteousness of faith" ( Romans 4:11 ). Nor does it condemn circumcision as a past act on the part of a Jew born under the ancient economy, nor as a mere prudential act as giving a more ready access to the Jews, for the apostle himself circumcised Timothy ( Acts 16:3 ).

II. HE CONDEMNS CIRCUMCISION REGARDED AS A RITE NECESSARY TO SALVATION .

1 . This position involves the rejection of Christ , as if he had not wrought out a complete salvation. Those who support it imply that they have entered upon another mode of justification.

2 . As circumcision was one of the types or shadows that was to pass away with the death of Christ , its continuance seemed a constructive denial that he had come at all.

3 . Circumcision was utterly meaningless to Gentiles , who were not of Abraham 's race. If, therefore, they were circumcised, it meant that they found the rite necessary to their salvation.

4 . The declaration of the apostle , "Christ shall profit you nothing ," emphatically applies to the rites and ceremonies of the Romish Church , which are not even of Divine appointment like circumcision. Trapp says, "Pharisaical and popish justiciaries are entangled in the fond conceits of their own righteousness." But Christ will profit none but those who, "not having their own righteousness," desire to be found in Christ, having the righteousness of God by faith.