Translation
Listen! I, Paul, say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ will benefit you nothing. And I testify again, to every circumcised man, that you are obligated to do the whole law. You are cut off from Christ, being made righteous by law, you have fallen away from grace. For we in the spirit, by faith await the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision or uncircumcision achieves, but faith working through love.
You ran well; who has slowed you down from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from the one who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole ball of dough. I am persuaded in the Lord that you will hear no other. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgement, whoever it may be. And I, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still persecuted?then, the scandal of the cross would be taken away! I wish that the ones agitating you would castrate themselves!
For you have been called to freedom, brothers; only do not let your freedom be an opportunity for the flesh, but because of love serve each other. For the whole law has been fulfilled in word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour each other, watch out, or you’ll destroy each other.
Reflections
This section is so packed! I can’t help but be amazed again with Paul’s fury as he writes the letter. He wishes his opponents would castrate themselves? Are you kidding? That definately falls in the category of “Can’t believe this is in the Bible.”
I also love the way Paul treats the love mandate here, but I want to comment elsewhere.
Paul can’t speak much more clearly here. Circumcision, an important symbol of God’s covenant with his people, becomes the opposite of it’s normal meaning. For Paul, it’s a line in the sand, a definitive test of their faith in Christ. If the Galatians want to trust in circumcision, they are no longer trusting in Christ, the gospel might. As well be nothing for them. The gospel is all about the freedom of life lived in Jesus, lived with deep trust in the power and will of Christ for our redemption. Stepping out of that trust, depending on something even as holy as circumcision, is stepping out of the gospel for Paul!
The point for us probably about circumcision, but how radically Paul believed in the gospel. Nothing, not even something holy, not even something from God, can get between us and the gospel of Jesus. Trust nothing more than Jesus!
The greatest threat to the church isn’t politicians changing marriage laws, media executives airing immoral entertainment, or merchants saying “happy holidays!”. It’s Christians who place their trust in anything but Jesus. Got a problem with that? Take it up with Paul.
