Gal. 5:21. Hatred, murders, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I forewarn you, as I also forewarned, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Let those who slander the flesh tell us. Granted that shamelessness and adultery are sins of the body, but how do enmity, heresies, and the like depend on the flesh? Therefore it is clear that all these are the work of a corrupted will. If they were works of the flesh, like our natural properties, how would they deprive us of the Kingdom of God? For punishments and rewards belong not to nature, but to the will. Moreover, if the passions were properties of nature, he would not have said "those who do such things," but "those who suffer them," because action presupposes will. By "enmity" he means unjust enmity. For there is also a righteous hostility, which arises in the name of faith and is directed against all who deviate from the straight path. By jealousy he means another manifestation of it (zelotypia). Because jealousy can also be good, when someone imitates one who does good (is zealous for good). But he excellently placed heresies alongside strife and dissensions, because every heresy arises from envy, and revelries from drunkenness. For revelries are the insolent songs of drunkards. Therefore he first pointed out the causes that produce these things, then what results from them.
Gal. 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
Evil deeds come only from us. That is why he called them works of the flesh, which are at the same time performed with effort and strain. But good deeds require not only our diligence, but also assistance from above. That is why he called them the fruit of the Spirit, since from us is given the seed, that is, the will, but for it to become fruit — this depends on God. The root of all good things he places, first, in love, and then in joy. For the one who loves always rejoices, even when enduring evil, because he regards the one causing evil as a benefactor. But he rejoices in God, since he does and endures all things for Him, and as a result is gladdened with a good conscience. And from love and joy he also enjoys peace of soul, because he is not disturbed by thoughts and is at peace with all those around him. And if he would seem to show enmity toward someone, he is hostile not against the people themselves, but against their vices; he loves them as brothers, and this enmity he shows for their benefit, so that they might be corrected.
Gal. 5:22. Long-suffering, goodness, kindness, faith,
Gal. 5:23. Meekness, temperance.
Long-suffering, according to Scripture, apparently differs from meekness in that the long-suffering man, after lengthy deliberation, not hastily but slowly, imposes a fitting punishment upon the sinner; whereas the meek man forgives entirely. For example, Moses, who forgave Miriam and Aaron, was called meek above all men who were upon the face of the earth (Num. 12). Goodness is something more general compared to mercy (ἀγαθοδύνη). The Lord is good to all in general, but mercy benefits only the worthy, according to the expression: "Do good, O Lord, unto those that be good" (Ps. 125:4). And he speaks not of simple faith, but of that which moves mountains, which believes without doubt that what is impossible with men is possible for God. But above all is self-control — not from foods only, but from everything evil.
Gal. 5:23. Upon such there is no law.
For the soul that performs such deeds by the Spirit has no need of the instruction of the law, being itself above it, just as naturally swift horses have no need of the whip. And in this case he sets aside the law not because it is bad, but because it is inferior to the wisdom bestowed by the Spirit.
Gal. 5:24. But those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
As if in answer to the secret question: who is so virtuous as you say? — he replies: "those who are Christ's," that is, those who constitute the lot of Christ, "have crucified the flesh," that is, have put to death the carnal thoughts. For they did not kill themselves: by flesh you should understand not the substance of the flesh, but earthly thoughts, so that neither the passions of anger nor desires live in them, but both the one and the other have been crucified and put to death. Or by passions he means passionate actions in general, whether they proceed from anger or from desire. Thus, he speaks not only of the putting to death of such actions, but also of their very causes, that is, the desires.
Gal. 5:25. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.
If, he says, such is the power of the Spirit, then by it let us also live, and by it let us be content. For the expression: "let us also walk in the Spirit" is used instead of: let us be content with the power of the Spirit and not seek the help of the law.
Gal. 5:26. Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another.
He shows by this that the deceivers took up this matter out of vainglory (for this is the cause of all evils), provoking one another to argument and strife; just as if someone were to say to his opponent: if you are strong, let us measure our strength against each other. And since envy arises from vainglory, he forbids it as well.