as (much · correlative pronoun — nominative plural masculine
walk
στοιχήσουσιν,stoichēsousin
G4748
to march in (military) rank (keep step) · verb — future active indicative, 3rd person plural
this
τούτῳtoútōi
G5129
to (in
rule
κανόνιkanoni
G2583
a rule ("canon") · noun — dative singular masculine
peace
εἰρήνηeirēnē
G1515
peace (literally or figuratively) · noun — nominative singular feminine
on
ἐπ᾽ep᾽
G1909
properly · preposition
them
αὐτοὺςautous
G846
the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — accusative plural masculine
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
mercy
ἔλεοςeleos
G1656
compassion (human or divine · noun — nominative singular neuter
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
upon
ἐπὶepi
G1909
properly · preposition
Israel
ἸσραὴλIsraēl
G2474
Israel (i.e. Jisrael) · noun — accusative singular masculine, a place
God
θεοῦ.¶theou
G2316
figuratively · 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
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Romans 9:6-8 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Galatians 3:7-9 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
1 Peter 2:5-9 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus…
Romans 4:12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abra…
Hosea 1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass,…
Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
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…
as many--contrasting with the "as many," Gal 6:12.
rule--literally, a straight rule, to detect crookedness; so a rule of life.
peace--from God (Eph 2:14-17; Eph 6:23).
mercy-- (Rom 15:9).
Israel of God--not the Israel after the flesh, among whom those teachers wish to enrol you; but the spiritual seed of Abraham by faith (Gal 3:9, Gal 3:29; Rom 2:28-29; Phi 3:3).
Adam Clarke on Galatians 6:16
As many as walk according to this rule - Τῳ κανονι τουτῳ· This canon; viz. what is laid down in the preceding verses, that redemption is through the sacrifice of Christ; that circumcision and uncircumcision are equally unavailable; and that none can be saved without being created anew. This is the grand canon or rule in Christianity.
Peace be on them - Those who act from this conviction will have the peace and mercy of God; for it is in this way that mercy is communicated and peace obtained.
The Israel of God - The true Christians, called here the Israel of God, to distinguish them from Israel according to the flesh. See the notes on Rom 2:29; Rom 4:12 (note).
John Gill on Galatians 6:16
And as many as walk according to this rule,.... Or canon; meaning not the canon of the Scriptures in general, which is the perfect rule, and only standard of faith and practice; according to which we are to walk, believe, and act; but either the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ, the subject of this epistle, the truth the apostle had been explaining, vindicating, and confirming; and which to depart from, is going out of the way of truth; and an abiding by it, is walking in it; and is a good rule and standard, by which to distinguish between truth and error; for whatever is contrary to that article of faith cannot be true: or else the rule delivered in the preceding ver…
The Church Fathers
Paul means those who are truly prepared for the vision of God. These are distinguished from those who are called by this name [Israel] and in their carnal blindness refuse to see the Lord, spurning his grace, still desiring to be enslaved by temporal things.
"And those who will walk by this rule." He says, "May those who are satisfied with this rule and this teaching regard everything as a new creation, and not subject themselves to the law." "and upon the Israel of God." Israel is a faithful people, as if devoted to God. And whoever has been unfaithful, even if he descends from Jacob, is cast out from the kinship that is toward him.
(Verse 16.) And whoever follows this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. All things are directed according to the standard; and whether they be right or wrong, when the rule is applied, they are judged. So too the teaching of God is like a standard of speech, which judges between what is just and unjust: whoever follows it will have peace within themselves that surpasses all understanding; and after peace, mercy, which is foremost in the Israel of God. But the true Israel is called, in distinction from those who ceased to be God's Israel. For they say they are Jews, and they are not; but they lie, being of the synagogue of Satan. And do not be surprised, if, in imitation of spiritual Israel, carnal Israel neither has peace nor mercy, of whom it is also written to the Corinthians: See Israel according to the flesh (I Cor. X, 18); since also in imitation of God and the Lord, there are many gods and many lords, whether in heaven or on earth. Beautifully, however, in one discourse, in order to conclude the letter according to the proposed argument, he called Israel the people of God; so that all the things that have been said above, not apart from the cause, but from the cause debated, may be taught.
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
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).…
Mercy Of God, The · Should be: Sought for others — Should be: Sought for others
Peace, Spiritual · Saints: Wish, to each other — Saints: Wish, to each other
Titles And Names Of The Church · Israel of God — Israel of God
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 6:14-18
14. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
14. Mihi antem absit gloriari, nisi in truce Domini nostri Iesu Christi, per quam mundus mihi crucifixus est, et ego mundo.
15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
15. Nam in Christo neque circumcisio quicquam valet, neque praeputium; sed nova creatura.
16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
16. Et quicunque hac regula ambulabunt, pax super eos et misericordia, et super Israelem Dei.
17. From he…
This principle is putting trust in Christ for salvation (6:14-15) • they are the new people of God (literally and [or even] upon the Israel of God): The Greek conjunction kai, usually translated “and,” often means “even.” If it means and, then the Israel of God is a separate group from all who live by this principle; if it means even, then they are the same group. The Jewish people still have an identity before God (Rom 9:1-5; 10:1-4; 11:1-32). Gentiles who believe have been grafted in, and Jews who disbelieve have been pruned out of the spiritual Israel (Rom 11:17-24; cp. Phil 3:2-3; Col 2:11-12). Paul thus considers all Christians to be the true Israel (see Rom 2:28-29; 9:6-8; cp. Gal 4:21…
