Chapter V.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1.) Therefore, stand firm and do not be held again by the yoke of servitude. It is advised to remain in the received grace, so that by not returning to the old, they may not lose the gift of liberty which they had achieved.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) Behold, I, Paul, tell you that if you are circumcised, Christ will be of no advantage to you. Now the power of open truth and authority does not remain silent, saying: Behold, I, Paul, tell you, that is, I am the teacher of the Gentiles, whose work you are in Christ, openly I say to you: Christ will be of no advantage to you if you are circumcised; For the Lord himself says: The law and the prophets were until John; since then the kingdom of heaven is preached (Luke 16:16). Therefore, before the new preaching began, circumcision was necessary; but now, with the law of faith succeeding, those things must be followed which simple truth commands; for the old and the new should not be mixed, by the authority of the preaching Lord; for he says: No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear is made (Matthew 9:16). And by this, not only will circumcision added to the faithful be of no benefit, but it will also obstruct; for it is a greater evil to become a slave while free, than to be born as a slave.
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3.) However, I testify to every man who circumcises himself, that he is a debtor to the whole Law of doing. Some can keep the Law to some extent and not be circumcised, for many Romans in Judea kept the Law while uncircumcised. Hence, Paul the apostle said to King Agrippa of Judea: I know, King Agrippa; you believe in the prophets, I know that you believe (Acts 26:27). And a centurion, whose servant was about to die, sent for Jesus and asked Him to come and heal his servant; and some Jews who bore witness said to Jesus: He is worthy for you to grant him this, for he loves our nation and himself built us a synagogue (Luke 7:4, 5). Nevertheless, no one who is circumcised fails to keep the whole law; they are a debtor, for the law was given to those who are circumcised. He said this because they showed themselves to be so dull that they were worthy of bearing all the burdens of the law.
(Vers. 4.)
(Verse 4.) You have been severed from Christ. You who are trying to be justified by the law have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
(Vers. 5, 6.)
(Verse 5, 6.) But we, by the Spirit, from faith, await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through charity. It is clear what he says, that the hope of justification is in faith, through the Spirit, not through the works of the Law. For in faith, spiritual service is rendered to God with the devotion of the mind and the purity of the heart. Hence the Lord says to the Samaritan woman: God is a spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24). And thus neither the foreskin nor circumcision is of any value, but only faith working through love for justification; for faith must be strengthened by brotherly love, so that the believer may attain perfection. Finally, when asked about the greatest commandment, the Savior responded to the questioning scribe: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and your neighbor as yourself.' In these two commandments, He says, the whole Law and the Prophets depend (Matthew 22:37-40). The rest are imperfect, therefore, when perfection is contained in these two commands.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7.) You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? The exercise of those believers in the work of faith was commendable, but the wickedness of evil people prevented them from completing their course with persistent effectiveness. Therefore, in order for them to repent, no longer allow those who advocated for the observance of the Law to prevent them from obeying the truth of the Gospel.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) Your persuasion is not from God, who calls you. It is true, because the Jews were acting by human counsel to bring them under the yoke of the Law, not by God's judgment, who called them through his Apostle to grace.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9.) A little yeast leavens the whole lump. This means that even if those who mix the Law with faith violate faith, it will not bear fruit or be acceptable. He added this so that they would not mistakenly think that they have the grace of faith if they observe a few things of the Law.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) I trust in you, O Lord, that you will feel nothing else. He says he trusts in this hope concerning them, because they had entered the path of error not willingly, but being deceived. Therefore, having shown them the true way, he believes that they can easily return. But whoever troubles you will bear judgment, whoever he may be. Just as the one who turns a wandering person back is to be rewarded, as James the Apostle says in his letter: Whoever turns a sinner back will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins (James 5:20); so too the one who forces the one walking in the right path to turn aside onto a way of error will obtain condemnation, whoever he may be. For this reason, he subjects these; so that they would not defend themselves based on their merit, because they were descendants of Abraham according to the flesh. Finally, exalting themselves, they say to Jesus: We are children of Abraham (John 8:33).
(Vers. 11.)
(Ver. 11.) But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the offense of the cross has been abolished. For it is evident what he says; for he was considered as an enemy to the Jews, and they did not cease from their persecution of him, because he no longer taught circumcision. Finally, being compelled by the Jews and often being falsely accused by them, seeing that the judge was unjust, he appealed to Caesar. Therefore, the scandal of the cross has been eliminated (Acts 25:11). The preaching of the cross was a scandal to the Jews, because it invalidated the Sabbath and circumcision. However, if it had accepted circumcision, there would be no scandal, and the Jews would be peaceful with us. For they said of the Savior: This man is not from God, because he does not observe the Sabbath (John 9:16).
(Vers. 12.)
(Verse 12.) I wish that those who subvert you may also be cut off! This is similar to what was said to the Corinthians in the first letter: Whoever does not love the Lord Jesus, let him be accursed (1 Cor. XVI, 22). They are from the same corrupt flock, those whom their beliefs associate with; may they be cut off from the mercy of the Lord, those who have abandoned the grace of God for the Galatians: and not only spiritually, but also physically, He curses them; just as they were forcing the Galatians to be circumcised, they themselves should be cut off, so that their physical pain would be increased.
(Vers. 13.)
(Verse 13.) For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. But through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. But serve one another in love. Not in a romantic or physical way, but through the love of the spirit. Encourage each other to be subject to one another.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). This is written in Leviticus, as mentioned above, because the perfection of salvation works through love; for whoever does not love their brother, does not love God, says the apostle John (1 John 4:20).
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15) But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another. It is evident that discord among brothers is hostile to love; therefore, it is advised that they be peaceful and strive for what is good. For contentions give rise to quarrels, the result of which is the wasting of life.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) For the flesh desires against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, so that you may not do the things that you wish. He presents two laws, as he does also in the epistle to the Romans (VII, 23), which are opposed to each other: one of God, the other of sin. The one represented in the flesh, because it is delighted with visible things, eager for sins; so that with these opposing each other, the middle man does not do the things that he wishes. For the divine law restrains and drives away the law of sin, advising man to guard the strength of his nature, lest he be captivated by allurements. The latter, on the other hand, while acting in ambush, provokes man with flatteries, so that he may reject the commandment of the divine law. Therefore, when man agrees with the law of God, he contradicts the law of sin, persuading man not to do what the divine law commands. On the contrary, the law of God calls man back, so that he may not do what the law of sin suggests. Indeed, this man does not see it to be absurd; for he knows that it is in accordance with his own nature if he does what the law of God commands. In fact, he rejoices when he does these things; but when he carries out what the law of sin suggests, he sees himself as shameful and is horrified afterwards. Therefore, the commandments of the law must be kept by the spirit, and carnal things must be avoided; for conscience itself accuses, if it agrees with it, knowing that what the law of sin suggests is horrifying.
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18) If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. It is not obscure, because one who has the Holy Spirit as their guide does not err; for the law governs those who err, as it says elsewhere: the law is not made for the righteous (1 Timothy 1:9).
(Vers. 19, 20, 21.)
(Verse 19, 20, 21.) The works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, impurity, obscenity, idolatry, witchcraft, enmities, contentions, rivalries, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and things similar to these, which I foretell to you, as I have also foretold, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. All of these and things similar to them are the members of the law of sin, which the Apostle calls the works of the flesh; because these errors are from the world, from which also the flesh comes. For all sins arise from the fleshly part, not from the spiritual part; therefore, it is not absurd to call them works of the flesh.
(Vers. 22, 23, 24.)
(Vers. 22, 23, 24.) But the fruit of the Spirit is charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, chastity, goodness. Against such there is no law. But those who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with vices and desires. He did not say, 'The work of the Spirit is charity,' but 'the fruit of the Spirit'; for the law of the Spirit, which he mentioned above, bears fruit, so that the inheritance of the kingdom of heaven may be sought from these; for those who are devoted to Christ, he calls them christs, that is, anointed ones. Hi carnem, id est, mundum crucifigunt, quando haec ex quibus errores oriuntur, condemnant. Hunc sensum et Joannes apostolus secutus, ait: Nolite diligere hunc mundum, neque ea quae in hoc mundo sunt. Si quis diligit mundum, non est charitas Patris in illo; quia omne quod in hoc mundo est, concupiscentia carnis est, et concupiscentia oculorum (I Joan. II, 15) . Qui ergo mundum, et quod in mundo est, non concupiscit, hic carnem crucifigit. For these vices, namely idolatry, sorcery, heresies, envy, hostilities, anger, and such, should not be attributed to the human body. Rather, they are called carnal because they pertain to the world, as I mentioned above. Meanwhile, he listed no more than ten things, which signify the fruits of the spirit; so that in them, everything seems to be encompassed according to the tables of God's Testament, in which no more than ten words of commandments have been given.
(Vers. 25, 26.)
(Vers. 25, 26.) If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. This means that if we live virtuously and honorably, we must have good manners and morals; for this is to live by the Spirit, to have an unblemished life. And so we walk by the Spirit if we strive for peace; for this produces charity. But empty glory is wanting to conquer where there is no reward; so that one may have the desire for contention and rivalry, knowing that these bring about discord and quarrels: But, he says, it is not fitting for a servant of the Lord to quarrel (II Tim. II, 24). For a good life produces arid fruits, losing the promised hope of chaste conversation: for a good and chaste life must be adorned with good habits and enriched with kindness.