Gar, which is translated `for' is a logical conjunction, being a contraction of ge

`verily' and ara `therefore', and expresses reason, cause, motive, etc., of what has been

previously said. Sometimes it introduces a reason that is unexpressed, but which is

evidently in the writer's mind, as in  Rom. 4: 2.  Occasionally it is used in the

adversative sense of `but' as in Rom. 15: 4 and Phil. 3: 20 as Macknight has declared,

and if this be the case in Gal. 5: 5, we must read the passage, with Bloomfield:

Paul, therefore, is about to institute a most pointed contrast with those who by their

defection and legalism were falling from grace.

Pneumati is without the article, it is moreover preceded by en `in', and is put into the

dative case. The dative case is that case which is used when we say `give me the book'

where of course, the fuller statement must be `give to me the book'.

The Dative implies juxtaposition, and in four ways:

Under the heading `accessory' is placed `sphere' in which some quality inheres. So

Matt. 5: 3 and 8, `poor in spirit' and `pure in heart', and Eph. 2: 3 `by nature' are

examples of this usage.

This is the meaning of `through the spirit' pneumati in Gal. 5: 5, it cannot refer to the

Holy Spirit, or to His gifts, neither can it be construed to mean `spiritually'; it is the

sphere in which justification by faith is attained, and `spirit' pneumati is contrasted with

`flesh', `works' and `law', in this epistle (Gal. 3: 3; 5: 16, etc.) and aligned with `grace'

and `faith'. In this sphere the Apostle said `we wait'.

Apekdexomai occurs 7 times in the N.T., every occurrence being in Paul's epistles.

No other writer of the N.T. uses the word. The passages are Rom. 8: 19, 23 and 25;

I Cor. 1: 7; Gal. 5: 5; Phil. 3: 20 and Heb. 9: 28. In every case apart from Gal. 5:,

the expectation is of something future, and is associated in the context either with the

word `hope' or its substance. It does not follow that Gal. 5: must therefore be put into

future; it is sufficient that there is a `hope' to be `eagerly expected'. In Gal. 5: it is not

the future manifestation of the sons of God, or the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; it is

`the hope of righteousness' that is expected. It is entirely foreign to the purpose of the

Apostle in Galatians to distract attention from the main issue, namely `justification is by

faith alone', to some future manifestation or conferring of righteousness. He cannot

mean `the hope, namely eternal life, which the righteous have'. The argument surely is