I · personal pronoun — 1st person nominative singular
brethren
ἀδελφοί,adelphoi
G80
a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (m… · noun — vocative plural masculine
if
εἰei
G1487
if · conditional particle
I
κηρύσσω,kērussō
G2784
to herald (as a public crier) · verb — present active indicative, 1st person singular
yet
ἔτιeti
G2089
"yet · adverb
preach
κηρύσσωkērýssō
G2784
to herald (as a public crier)
circumcision
περιτομὴνperitomēn
G4061
circumcision (the rite · noun — accusative singular feminine
why
τίti
G5101
an interrogative pronoun · interrogative pronoun — accusative singular neuter
I
διώκομαι;diōkomai
G1377
compare the base of G1169 (δειλός) and G1249 (διάκονος)) · verb — present passive indicative, 1st person singular
yet
ἔτιeti
G2089
"yet · adverb
persecution
διώκωdiṓkō
G1377
compare the base of G1169 (δειλός) and G1249 (διάκονος))
then
ἄραara
G686
a particle denoting an inference more or less decisive… · conjunction
is
κατήργηταιkatērgētai
G2673
to be (render) entirely idle (useless) · verb — perfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular
offence
σκάνδαλονskandalon
G4625
a trap-stick (bent sapling) · noun — nominative singular neuter
cross
σταυροῦ.staurou
G4716
a stake or post (as set upright) · noun — genitive singular masculine
ceased
καταργέωkatargéō
G2673
to be (render) entirely idle (useless)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
1 Corinthians 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Galatians 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the c…
Galatians 4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Acts 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to…
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Galatians 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
1 Peter 2:8-9 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appoint…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Galatians 5:1-12
In the former part of this chapter the apostle cautions the Galatians to take heed of the judaizing teachers, who endeavoured to bring them back under the bondage of the law. He had been arguing against them before, and had largely shown how contrary the principles and spirit of those teachers were to the spirit of the gospel; and now this is as it were the general inference or application of all that discourse. Since it appeared by what had been said that we can be justified only by faith in Jesus Christ, and not by the righteousness of the law, and that the law of Moses was no longer in force, nor Christians under any obligation to submit to it, therefore he would have them to stand fast i…
Translate, "If I am still preaching (as I did before conversion) circumcision, why am I still persecuted?" The Judaizing troubler of the Galatians had said, "Paul himself preaches circumcision," as is shown by his having circumcised Timothy (Act 16:3; compare also Act 20:6; Act 21:24). Paul replies by anticipation of their objection, As regards myself, the fact that I am still persecuted by the Jews shows plainly that I do not preach circumcision; for it is just because I preach Christ crucified, and not the Mosaic law, as the sole ground of justification, that they persecute me. If for conciliation he lived as a Jew among the Jews, it was in accordance with his principle enunciated (Co1 7:1…
If I yet preach circumcision - it is very likely that some of the false apostles, hearing of Paul's having circumcised Timothy, Act 16:3, which must have been done about this time, reported him as being an advocate for circumcision, and by this means endeavored to sanction their own doctrine. To this the apostle replies: Were it so, that I am a friend to this measure, is it likely that I should suffer persecution from the Jews? But I am every where persecuted by them, and I am persecuted because I am known to be an enemy to circumcision; were I a friend to this doctrine, the offense of the cross - preaching salvation only through the sacrifice of Christ, would soon cease; because, to be cons…
The Church Fathers
And, of course, it had been meet that the mystery of the passion itself should be figuratively set forth in predictions; and the more incredible (that mystery), the more likely to be "a stumbling-stone," if it had been nakedly predicted; and the more magnificent, the more to be adumbrated, that the difficulty of its intelligence might seek (help from) the grace of God.
Since he speaks of a stumbling block here, he is reminding them that the principal reason for the Jews' taking offense at Christ was that they often saw him ignoring and disdaining those ceremonial observances which they believed themselves to have for their very salvation. What he says here, then, is as much as to say: "It was therefore in vain that the Jews in their indignation crucified Christ when he disdained these commandments. Now they still try to enjoin such things on those for whom he was crucified."
"Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision." Since they were insulting him they said, "He is a hypocrite," but elsewhere he does not say that he is persecuted by the Jews, and you yourselves know it. Therefore if I preach circumcision, it is unnecessary for me to be persecuted. What then? Did he not circumcise Timothy? But this we say was done according to a practical convenience, in order that he might be well received by the Jews. See, however, he did not say, If I wrought circumcision, but, if I am still preaching. For do not, Paul says, treat what was done for practical convenience as a doctrinal rule. "Then the offense of the cross has been abolished." Indeed, he says, if one must be circumcised, and I proclaim this as well, the Jews' combative opposition to the cross and their fight against it is ended, and they no longer struggle with it. For now they detest the cross because circumcision and the law are being undone by it.
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Cross — In the New Testament the instrument of crucifixion, and hence used for the crucifixion of Christ itself (Eph. 2:16; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 1:17, 18; Gal. 5:11; 6:12, 14; Phil. 3:18). The word is also used…
Galatians, The Epistle To The — was written by the apostle St. Paul not long after his journey through Galatia and Phrygia, (Acts 18:23) and probably in the early portion of his two-and-a-half-years stay at Ephesus, which…
Offence — (1.) An injury or wrong done to one (1 Sam. 25:31; Rom. 5:15). (2.) A stumbling-block or cause of temptation (Isa. 8:14; Matt. 16:23; 18:7). Greek skandalon, properly that at which one stumbles or…
Circumcision · Abrogated — Abrogated
Cross · FIGURATIVE — FIGURATIVE
Crucifixion · The reproach of — The reproach of
Offence · The wicked take, at: Christ crucified — The wicked take, at: Christ crucified
Persecution · Preacher of the gospel subject to — Preacher of the gospel subject to
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision,.... The apostle was traduced by the false teachers, as a preacher of circumcision himself in some places; and this they did partly to show him to be a variable and inconsistent man, who preached one doctrine in one place, and another in another place, and so not to be attended to; and partly with others, to draw them into their scheme upon his authority: what might give them the handle, or at least what they improved to this purpose, might be his circumcising of Timothy; but though he did this as a thing indifferent, and for the sake of the Jews, to make them easy; yet he never preached it after his conversion, and much less as necessary to just…
Galatians 5:7-12
7. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
7. Currebatis bene. Quis vos impedivit, ne obediretis veritati?
8. This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.
8. Persuasio non est ex eo qui vocavit vos.
9. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
9. Modicum fermentum totam massam fermentat.
10. I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
10. Ego persuasus sum Deuteronomy vobis in Domino, quod non aliud sitis sensuri: qui autem turbat vos, portabit judicium, quisquis sit.
11. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do…
if I were still preaching: This statement probably refers to Paul’s preaching as an ardent zealot of Judaism before his conversion to Christ (1:13-14; Acts 7:58–8:3). As a Christian, Paul had never preached that Gentiles must be circumcised. • why am I still being persecuted? If Paul had been preaching a law-based religion, the zealous Jews would not have been persecuting him wherever he went. They found the rejection of the necessity of their laws to be scandalous (cp. Rom 9:33; 1 Cor 1:23).
