Gal 6:14-16 | TNotes | STEP | 6:14 In contrast with the false teachers (6:12-13 ), Paul’s motivation was to increase, not his own reputation, but God’s glory. Boasting about law-keeping would detract from recognition of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . • In the Greco-Roman world, the cross was a senseless scandal to those who did not believe (5:11 ; 1 Cor 1:23 ; cp. John 6:53-61 ), but it is the basis for a Christian’s faith and hope (1 Cor 1:17-18 ; 15:3 ; Phil 2:8-11 ; Col 1:20-22 ; 2:14-15 ).

6:14 ^a In contrast with the false teachers (6:12-13 ^b), Paul’s motivation was to increase, not his own reputation, but God’s glory. Boasting about law-keeping would detract from recognition of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• In the Greco-Roman world, the cross was a senseless scandal to those who did not believe (5:11 ^c; 1 Cor 1:23 ^d; cp. John 6:53-61 ^e), but it is the basis for a Christian’s faith and hope (1 Cor 1:17-18 ^f; 15:3 ^g; Phil 2:8-11 ^h; Col 1:20-22 ⁱ; 2:14-15 ^j).
6:15 ^k The Galatians had missed the point of the Good News, that a new creation has come in Christ by the Spirit, not by human effort (cp. 2 Cor 5:16-17 ^l).
6:16 ^m This principle is putting trust in Christ for salvation (6:14-15 ⁿ)

• they are the new people of God (literally and [or even] upon the Israel of God): The Greek conjunction kai, usually translated “and,” often means “even.” If it means and, then the Israel of God is a separate group from all who live by this principle; if it means even, then they are the same group. The Jewish people still have an identity before God (Rom 9:1-5 ^o; 10:1-4 ^p; 11:1-32 ^q). Gentiles who believe have been grafted in, and Jews who disbelieve have been pruned out of the spiritual Israel (Rom 11:17-24 ^r; cp. Phil 3:2-3 ^s; Col 2:11-12 ^t). Paul thus considers all Christians to be the true Israel (see Rom 2:28-29 ^u; 9:6-8 ^v; cp. Gal 4:21-31 ^w). The phrase the Israel of God does not appear elsewhere in the New Testament or in other literature; perhaps the false teachers promised this identification to Gentiles who would accept circumcision. If so, then Paul turned their argument on its head: The believing Gentiles in Galatia didn’t need circumcision, for they were already God’s Israel—his true people—through faith in Christ.