Gálatas 5
A.T. Robertson · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gálatas 5
Robertson says it refers to "the art of persuasion," implying that these smooth talking Jews had honed their skills and thus presented a very convincing argument for the necessity of circumcision in order to be saved.
Gálatas 5
Robertson writes that aphorme describes "a starting place from which to rush into acts of sin, excuses for doing what they want to do (ED: THE SELFISH DESIRES OF THEIR/OUR FLESH)." The flesh (NIV translates it "sinful nature")(sarx) refers to the fallen flesh, the Adamic nature which is godless and intractably opposed to God and godliness. It is the old self (inherited from Adam), whose supreme desire is to do its own will and to satisfy its sinful appetites. Unfortunately this evil nature still inhabits our mortal bodies and continually seeks to seduce us to sin by many and varied godless lusts! Paul use sarx 8x in Galatians 5-6 to refer to our fallen flesh - Gal. 5:13; Gal. 5:16; Gal. 5:17; Gal. 5:19; Gal. 5:24; Gal. 6:8; Gal. 6:12; Gal. 6:13; Hansen has an interesting interpretation - Human nature apart from God's intervening grace is both a captive of sin and the source of "passions and desires" (Galatians 5:24) that lead to sin. No doubt one reason the Galatian Christians were attracted to the law is that they viewed the law as the only way to restrain and control the passions and desires of the flesh. They saw the law as a needed disciplinarian to keep them from being destroyed by their own sinful desires. The law's restraining power over sinful desires is a common subject in Jewish literature and must certainly have been a theme in the campaign of the false teachers who were trying to bring the Gentile Christians under the law. We can imagine them saying, "How can you ever hope to win the battle against your evil desires? There is only one way. Come under the yoke of the law. The law was given to guard, protect and keep you from evil. Live under it as your master and guide." But now in contrast to this message of the false teachers, Paul says that he has "died to the law" (Galatians 2:19), that "we are no longer under the supervision of the law" (Galatians 3:25) and that we should not let ourselves "be burdened again by a yoke of slavery," by which he means the law (Galatians 5:1). "Does this mean that we are free to follow the desires of our sinful nature?" the Galatians may have wondered. Paul, who was always sensitive to the questions in the minds of his readers, counters their misunderstanding with a strong prohibition: Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature (v. Galatians 5:13). (The IVP New Testament Commentary Series – Galatians) But - Term of contrast. Paul has just described the potential danger of a believer using his or her freedom in Christ as a base of operations for committing sins. Now he contrasts that negative use of freedom with the positive use of freedom calling for them to use their freedom to serve one another in love.
Gálatas 5
Robertson - There is a famous story of two snakes that grabbed each other by the tail and each swallowed the other. Oliver Greene writes "I sometimes use this verse when preaching to believers on the subject of "Cannibal Christians." Churches devour themselves by fussing and back-biting because of jealousy, envy and strife. Instead of being childlike in faith and practice, they are childish, acting like children fussing in the sandbox in the back yard! Churches often devour themselves - they devour each other - as a result of disturbances within the church over petty doctrines. Whichever side wins keeps the building, the other crowd moves out and starts a new building program - and in reality both sides lose . . . no one gains, reproach is brought on the church. I believe we should come out from liberals and modernists, but Paul is speaking here to born again believers who are being confused and frustrated by legalistic preachers. If these believers begin to bite and devour one another, they will be consumed of each other . . . which is what the devil wanted. That is the reason Paul gives warning against such living. (Stand Fast Therefore in the Liberty) Cannibalism If you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! —Galatians 5:15 A number of years ago, I had a night out with my 4-year-old son. Halfway through our hamburgers, I detected rumblings in the booth behind me. The muffled anger in a man’s voice soon erupted in a snarl, “What did you say?” A woman shot back, “I said I’d never come crawling to you. I couldn’t get that low.” I cringed as he cursed at her and said, “I don’t know why I ever brought you to this restaurant tonight.” “I do,” she said. “You’ve got a guilty conscience!” Ben was staring over my shoulder, so I asked him what he was thinking about. “Oh, I’m thinking about Jesus,” he said, “and how He died for our sins.” Ben’s response left quite an impression on me. As the angry man and woman finished their meal by chewing up one another, I had to admit that I too knew about anger and a bad conscience. Then my own child reminded me that Christ came into this world to rescue us from our sin. If you’d be truly happy And keep your peace of mind, Then guard yourself from hatred And words that are unkind. —Anon. It’s better to swallow your pride than to eat your words. Galatians 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Phillips Paraphrase - Here is my advice. Live your whole life in the Spirit and you will not satisfy the desires of your lower nature.