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 5:4

Eastern Fathers

John Chrysostom

Having established his point, he at length declares their danger of the severest punishment. When a man recurs to the Law, which cannot save him, and falls from grace, what remains but an inexorable retribution, the Law being powerless, and grace rejecting him? Thus having aggravated their alarm, and disquieted their mind, and shown them all the shipwreck they were about to suffer, he opens to them the haven of grace which was near at hand. This is ever his wont, and he shows that in this quarter salvation is easy and secure.

Homily on Galatians 5 ↗

Theophylact of Ohrid

That is, you have no communion with Christ: you who think to obtain justification in the law have fallen from grace, which truly justifies. It is a great misfortune when you will not receive what the law promises, and you lose what grace gives.

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Oecumenius

"You are cut off from Christ." You have been severed, you have fallen away from him; all things pertaining to Christ and his grace are now useless to you. "you who would be justified by the law." Instead of saying, "you are eager to be justified," he said something like this. You who are zealous to be justified by the law have fallen away from grace, and from the law you will not be justified.

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

He is refuting those who believed that they were justified in the law, not those who observed its legitimate provisions in honor of him by whom they were commanded, understanding both that they were commanded as a foreshadowing of the truth and that they belonged to a particular time.

Letters 82.19.3 ↗

Jerome

You have fallen away from Christ: you who are justified by the Law have fallen from grace. Just as no one can serve two masters (Matt. 6), so it is difficult to fulfill both the shadow and the truth of the Law. The shadow is in the old Law, until the day dawns and the shadows are removed; the truth is in the Gospel of Christ. For grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Therefore, anyone who thinks they can be justified by observing the Law loses the grace of Christ and loses the Gospel they held. …

Commentary on Galatians ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Then when he says, "You are made void of Christ," he proves what he said, namely, that they must not embrace the observances of the Law, because it involves a double injury: first, the loss of Christ; secondly, the loss of grace. Moreover, the first is the cause of the second, because "you who are justified in the law are fallen from grace." He says therefore, "You are made void of Christ." As if to say: Verily Christ will profit you nothing, because you are made void of Christ, i.e., of living in Christ. …

Commentary on Galatians ↗