Gal 6:12-13 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 12. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh . To be distinguished for their conformity to external rites and customs. To be known for their zeal in this cause. They sought to show their zeal by making converts, and by inducing others also to conform to those customs. Paul here refers doubtless to the Jewish teachers, and he says that their main object was to evince their ,zeal in the observance of rites and ceremonies. They constrain you . You who are Gentiles. They insist on circumcision as indispensable to salvation. Only lest they should suffer persecution . It is not from any true love for the cause of religion. It is that they may avoid persecution from the Jews. If they should renounce the doctrine which taught that circumcision was indispensable, they would be exposed to the rage of the Jews, and would suffer persecution. Rather than do this, they make a show of great zeal in inducing others to be circumcised. For the cross of Christ . From attachment to the cause of a crucified Saviour. If they insisted on entire dependence on the merits of his blood, and renounced all dependence on rites and ceremonies, they would suffer persecution. This verse shows the true cause of the zeal which the Judaizing teachers evinced. It was the fear of persecution. It was the want of independence and boldness in maintaining the doctrine that men.were to be saved only by the merits of the Lord Jesus. By attempting to blend together the doctrines of Judaism and Christianity; by maintaining that the observance of the Jewish rites was necessary, and yet that Jesus was the Messiah, they endeavoured to keep in with both parties, and thus to escape the opposition of the Jews. It was an unhallowed compromise. It was an attempt to blend things together which could not be united. One must really displace the other. If men depended on the rites of Moses, they had no need of dependence on the Messiah; if they professed to depend on him, then to rely on anything else was, in fact, to disown and reject him. Embracing the one system was, in fact, renouncing the other. Such is the argument of Paul; and such his solemn remonstrance against embracing any doctrine which would obscure the glory of simple dependence on the cross of Christ.

Galatians 6:12-13

Verse 12. As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh. To be distinguished for their conformity to external rites and customs. To be known for their zeal in this cause. They sought to show their zeal by making converts, and by inducing others also to conform to those customs. Paul here refers doubtless to the Jewish teachers, and he says that their main object was to evince their ,zeal in the observance of rites and ceremonies.

They constrain you. You who are Gentiles. They insist on circumcision as indispensable to salvation.

Only lest they should suffer persecution. It is not from any true love for the cause of religion. It is that they may avoid persecution from the Jews. If they should renounce the doctrine which taught that circumcision was indispensable, they would be exposed to the rage of the Jews, and would suffer persecution. Rather than do this, they make a show of great zeal in inducing others to be circumcised.

For the cross of Christ. From attachment to the cause of a crucified Saviour. If they insisted on entire dependence on the merits of his blood, and renounced all dependence on rites and ceremonies, they would suffer persecution. This verse shows the true cause of the zeal which the Judaizing teachers evinced. It was the fear of persecution. It was the want of independence and boldness in maintaining the doctrine that men.were to be saved only by the merits of the Lord Jesus. By attempting to blend together the doctrines of Judaism and Christianity; by maintaining that the observance of the Jewish rites was necessary, and yet that Jesus was the Messiah, they endeavoured to keep in with both parties, and thus to escape the opposition of the Jews. It was an unhallowed compromise. It was an attempt to blend things together which could not be united. One must really displace the other. If men depended on the rites of Moses, they had no need of dependence on the Messiah; if they professed to depend on him, then to rely on anything else was, in fact, to disown and reject him. Embracing the one system was, in fact, renouncing the other. Such is the argument of Paul; and such his solemn remonstrance against embracing any doctrine which would obscure the glory of simple dependence on the cross of Christ. Verse 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised. The Jewish teachers, or perhaps all Jews. It was true in general that the Jews did not wholly and entirely obey the law of Moses; but it is probable that the apostle refers particularly here to the Judaizing teachers in Galatia.

Keep the law. The law of Moses, or the law of God. Paul's idea is, that if they were circumcised, they brought themselves under obligation to keep the whole law of God. Gal 5:3. But they did not do it.

(1.) No man perfectly observes the whole law of God.

(2.) The Jewish nation, as such, were very far from doing it.

(3.) It is probable that these persons did not pretend even to keep the whole law of Moses. Paul insists on it, that if they were circumcised, and depended on that for salvation, they were under obligation to keep the whole law. But they did not. Probably they did not offer sacrifice, or join in any of the numerous observances of the Jewish nation, except some of the more prominent, such as circumcision. This, says Paul, is inconsistent in the highest degree; and they thus show their insincerity and hypocrisy.

That they may glory in your flesh. In having you as converts, and in persuading you, to be circumcised, that they may show their zeal for the law, and thus escape persecution. The phrase "in your flesh," here is equivalent to "in your circumcision;" making use of your circumcision to promote their own importance, and to save themselves from persecution.