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 cross of Christ.
as (much · correlative pronoun — nominative plural masculine
desire
θέλουσινthelousin
G2309
to determine (as an active option from subjective impul… · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person plural
shew
εὐπροσωπῆσαιeuprosōpēsai
G2146
to be of good countenance · verb — aorist active infinitive
in
ἐνen
G1722
"in · preposition
flesh
σαρκί,sarki
G4561
flesh (as stripped of the skin) · noun — dative singular feminine
they
οὗτοιhoutoi
G3778
the he (she or it) · demonstrative pronoun — nominative plural masculine
constrain
ἀναγκάζουσινanagkazousin
G315
to necessitate · verb — present active indicative, 3rd person plural
you
ὑμᾶςhymâs
G5209
you (as the objective of a verb or preposition)
circumcised
περιτέμνεσθαι,peritemnesthai
G4059
to cut around · verb — present passive infinitive
only
μόνονmónon
G3440
merely
lest
μὴmē
G3361
(adverb) not · particle — negative
persecution
διώκωνται·diōkōntai
G1377
compare the base of G1169 (δειλός) and G1249 (διάκονος)) · verb — present passive subjunctive, 3rd person plural
cross
σταυρῷstaurō
G4716
a stake or post (as set upright) · noun — dative singular masculine
Christ
ΧριστοῦChristou
G5547
anointed · noun — genitive singular masculine, a title
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
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judæa taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be s…
Galatians 5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
2 Corinthians 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
Colossians 2:23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of…
Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among…
Galatians 2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that th…
Matthew 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fas…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Galatians 6:11–end
The apostle, having at large established the doctrine of the gospel, and endeavoured to persuade these Christians to a behaviour agreeable to it, seems as if he intended here to have put an end to the epistle, especially when he had acquainted them that, as a particular mark of his respect for them, he had written this large letter with his own hand, and had not made use of another as his amanuensis, and only subscribed his name to it, as he was wont to do in his other epistles: but such is his affection to them such his concern to recover them from the bad impressions made upon them by their false teachers, that he cannot break off till he has once again given them the true character of tho…
Contrast between his zeal in their behalf, implied in Gal 6:11, and the zeal for self on the part of the Judaizers.
make a fair show-- (Co2 5:12).
in the flesh--in outward things.
they--it is "these" who
constrain you--by example (Gal 6:13) and importuning.
only lest--"only that they may not," &c. (compare Gal 5:11).
suffer persecution--They escaped in a great degree the Jews' bitterness against Christianity and the offense of the cross of Christ, by making the Mosaic law a necessary preliminary; in fact, making Christian converts into Jewish proselytes.
Adam Clarke on Galatians 6:12
A fair show in the flesh - The Jewish religion was general in the region of Galatia, and it was respectable, as it appears that the principal inhabitants were either Jews or proselytes. As it was then professed and practiced among the Jews, this religion had nothing very grievous to the old man; an unrenewed nature might go through all its observances with little pain or cross-bearing. On the other hand, Christianity could not be very popular; it was too strict. A Jew made a fair show there, according to his carnal system, and it was a temptation to a weak Christian to swerve into Judaism, that he might be exempted from persecution, and be creditable among his countrymen. This is what the ap…
The Jews were inflicting great persecution on those who seemed to be deserting their traditional observances such as circumcision. Paul's lack of fear has been demonstrated through his composing such a letter in his own handwriting. In this way he shows that those who force the Gentiles into circumcision are operating under fear's control, as though they were subject to the law.
To please "in the flesh" means to please human beings. For those he calls false apostles, in order that they gain the approval of the Jews or at least not elicit their hostility, were preaching Christ in such a way that they also taught the necessity of observing the law. Paul was never intimidated by his opponents. He consistently refused to keep silent about the truth. He constantly was attentive to what he was teaching and how he was living.
"Those who desire to make a good showing." He says: those who wish to be approved by men, these compel you to be circumcised. By what kind of men? Either by Jews as keepers of the ancestral law, or by outsiders as though you were their disciples. For "in the flesh," that is, in men. "be circumcised." They wish to have others circumcised, so that they not be harassed on account of the cross and the faith, and so that they may endure persecution. But if it is "they are persecuted" [διοικῶνται], then understand it therefore: they do everything and want to please men, only that they may not be ruled and persecuted through faith.
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
Circumcision — Cutting around. This rite, practised before, as some think, by divers races, was appointed by God to be the special badge of his chosen people, an abiding sign of their consecration to him. It was…
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…
Cutting — The flesh in various ways was an idolatrous practice, a part of idol-worship (Deut. 14:1; 1 Kings 18:28). The Israelites were commanded not to imitate this practice (Lev. 19:28; 21:5; Deut. 14:1).…
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…
Circumcision · Abrogated — Abrogated
Cowardice · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Opinion, Public · .Disciples, who urged circumcision — .Disciples, who urged circumcision
Persecution · OF THE RIGHTEOUS — OF THE RIGHTEOUS
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).
Galatians 6:12 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
John Gill on Galatians 6:12
As many as desire to make a fair show in the flesh,.... By whom are meant the false apostles, who are here described, and their views, aims, and ends, opened and exposed. These were very desirous to carry a good face of things outwardly, of appearing outwardly righteous before men, and to be accounted so by them; and therefore did all they to be seen of them, and gain applause from them. They were such, as the Syriac version renders the words, as desired "to glory in the flesh"; their carnal descent and privileges, in their being Hebrews, the seed of Abraham, of the stock of Israel; and in the circumcision of their flesh; or in their external gifts, their natural parts, acquired abilities,…
Galatians 6:11-13
11. Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
11. Videtis, qualibus literis vobis scripserim mea manu.
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 cross of Christ.
12. Quicunque volunt placere juxta faciem in carne, hi cogunt vos circumcidi; tantum ut ne persequutionem sustineant cruce Christi.
13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
13. Neque enim qui circumciduntur, ipsi Legera servant; sed volunt vos circumcidi, ut in carne vestra glorientur.
1…
For all of their theological reasoning, the false teachers’ motivation was self-serving: They felt pressure from non-Christian Jews and were more concerned with their own reputation than with honoring God.
