Fathers

Galatians 5

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Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 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. And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even cut off which trouble you. For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

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What the Fathers say

Galatians 5:24

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

That they might not object, "And who is such a man as this?" he points out by their works those who have attained to this perfection, here again giving the name of the "flesh" to evil actions. He does not mean that they had destroyed their flesh, otherwise how were they going to live? for that which is crucified is dead and inoperative, but he indicates the perfect rule of life. For the desires, although they are troublesome, rage in vain. Since then such is the power of the Spirit, let us live therein and be content therewith.

Homily on Galatians 5 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

As if in answer to the secret question: who is so virtuous as you say? — he replies: "those who are Christ's," that is, those who constitute the lot of Christ, "have crucified the flesh," that is, have put to death the carnal thoughts. For they did not kill themselves: by flesh you should understand not the substance of the flesh, but earthly thoughts, so that neither the passions of anger nor desires live in them, but both the one and the other have been crucified and put to death. …

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Oecumenius

"Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh." Then, for fear that they say, "And who does these things?" he says: These are they who do these things, who have crucified the flesh of Christ, that is, their own body (for the flesh of Christ is our body), and as it were have mortified it from fleshly affections. …

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Western Saints

Jerome

But those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its vices and desires. Origen, connecting this passage with the previous ones, reads it as follows: There is no law against those who have crucified the flesh of Christ with its vices and desires, so that it does not mean, as it sounds in Latin, that they who belong to Christ say that they have crucified their own flesh with vices and desires; but Christ's flesh crucified by them with vices and desires. …

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Or they do the works of the flesh; and in those who are led by the spirit, such works are not contrary to the Law. Hence he says, "they that are Christ's", i.e., who have the spirit of God; for "if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Rom 8:9). Accordingly, those are led by the spirit of God who are Christ's. "They", I say, "have crucified their flesh with the vices and concupiscences". …

Commentary on Galatians ↗