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"You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the
truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the One Who calls you. A little yeast
works through the whole batch of dough" (5: 7-9, N.I.V.).
The figure of a race, with its possibilities of defeat as well as the glorious possibility
of a prize is a favourite one with Paul. Those who were being ensnared by law-keeping
as their hope, were certainly not pressing forward, rather the opposite, they were turning
backwards. Some in the Galatian churches may have replied by saying that this was only
being done by a few. But Paul reminds them that only a little yeast is required to
permeate a whole batch of dough, and yeast, in Scripture, is always used in a bad sense
figuratively. Those who talk about the "leaven of the gospel" are most certainly
confusing Bible metaphors. The Apostle is quoting a proverbial saying that was
evidently well-known. Once again he stresses his amazement that any of the Galatian
believers should fall out of the race by being ensnared in this way.
"The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may
be. Brethren, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In
that case the offence of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they
would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!" (5: 10-12, N.I.V.).
Two different types of person come before us in this section of the epistle, "the
troubler" and "the restorer" of 6: 1. The agitators, whatever their number, were being
led by someone who was possibly from the Jerusalem church. Paul warns them that such
would have to answer to the Lord. Those who teach have an increased responsibility as
James 3: 1 stresses and would have to bear the Lord's judgment when "every man's
work will be tested by the fire of God's holiness" (I Cor. 3: 13).
Did anyone seriously claim that Paul advocated circumcision? If they did, it could
only have been true of his pre-Christian days, when he would have advocated the law
with all his might. It was certainly never true since his conversion. If he had done so
there was certainly no reason to persecute him, rather the opposite! Some ancient
witnesses omit the word eti, `still' and that would make the sentence run "if I am a
circumcision preacher, then . . . . .". In any case the word may be taken in a weak sense
meaning "at the present moment", with no contrast with a past period.
Some have felt that verse 12 is vindictive but the A.V. does not recognize that the verb
"cut off" is in the middle voice in the Greek and means "cut themselves off". The
language is strong, but we must remember that their disruptive work amongst the
Galatian believers was serious and could not be regarded lightly by anyone who valued
the truth of God.
The Apostle now begins to contrast the two opposites in the believer, the old sinful
nature--flesh, the new nature--spirit:
"You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge
your sinful nature, rather serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a
single command, Love your neighbour as yourself. If you keep on biting and devouring
each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other" (5: 13-15, N.I.V.).