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Galatians Chapter 5
Free from Enslavement
Gal 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; (D F S w/d.a. h` evleuqeri,a eleutheria "for the freedom" + N M S Cristo.j "Christ" + A A I 3s evleuqero,w eleutheroo "set free" + Ac 1p pro evgw, "us") therefore keep standing firm (infer ptcl ou=n "therefore" + P A Ip 2p sth,kw steko "keep standing firm" (stand in one place, without moving)) and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (c.c. kai, "and" + neg ptcl mh, "not" (used with Present Imperative = "stop") + adv pa,lin palin "again; one more time" + P P Ip 2p evne,cw enecho "be subject to" (active voice = "be hostile to someone") + D M S zugo,j dzugos "a yoke" (as for oxen) + G F S doulei,a douleia "of slavery/ enslavement")
- By this emphatic declaration, Paul ends the allegorical interpretation of Sarah and Hagar.
- It is a summary of the main argument that preceded and an introduction to the exhortations that follow.
- Paul could have ended the book at any time previous, but his intention is to continue to disprove the legalists position with repetition.
- Principle: the communicator is obligated to repeat exhortations and reproofs as often as the text allows to do less is to deny their importance.
- In the first two chapters, he outlined the true gospel; in 3-4 he refuted the position of the legalists; in these last two he describes the Christian Way of Life a life of freedom apart from legalism, apart from licentiousness, a life of freedom to serve God.
- The Greek word order emphasizes the freedom itself: "For the freedom, us Christ set free; stand, therefore, and not again to a yoke of slavery be subjected."
- The logical conclusion of the claims of the Judaizers, and all legalists, is that God is an uncaring, demanding, merciless taskmaster, interested only in His servants doing His will without respect to their own freedom.
- The freedom referred to is from subservience to law (characteristic of the pre-salvation state), and (just as important), the freedom to serve God as He truly wishes not under compulsion, but as a freewill offering of worship.
- The word "stand firm" (sth,kw steko) means to stand in one place, without being moved, or moving oneself.
- Since it is by the work of Christ that we have been set free from all the requirements of law and sin, we should always seek to stand firm in that freedom, or else we deny the effectiveness of that work. 2:21
- The work of Christ was designed to free us from the condemnation of spiritual death, from the curse of law, and from slavery to the Sin Nature.
- The Present Imperative with the negative mh. means to stop doing something already being done Paul is telling them to stop allowing themselves to be subjected to slavery again.
- The time of their pre-salvation lives was sufficient for their enslavement now they should live their lives as true children of God, not the kosmos. cp 1 Pt 4:3 "For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries."
- The "yoke" was the spiritual load or burden placed on mankind, the burden of trying but never succeeding to please God, seeking peace but never finding it, living a life of restrictions and requirements. cp Ac 15:10 "Now therefore why do you put God to the test by placing upon the neck of the disciples a yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?"
- Hence the words of Jesus, in Mt 11:30 "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
- The fact is that Christ has given the gift of freedom to all who believe; it is up to the individual to learn the pertinent doctrine so as not to be enslaved to that which is totally unnecessary (a life of dead works).
- Application: as a believer who knows the truth, be resistant to any system of legalism, which places an unneeded, unwarranted, unauthorized burden of works on you to achieve justification, as if you needed more than what God has provided.
- Just as the Judaizers wished to subject the Galatians to their asceticism trend, today there are legalists who want to deprive us of legitimate freedom and enjoyment of those things God has graciously provided for us. Col 2:20-23
- Logically, if Gods yoke is one of freedom, and that of the legalists opposes Gods yoke, who is the ultimate author of that burden for man?
Legalism Negates Ph2 Production
5:2 Behold I, Paul, say to you (sent ptcl i;de ide "Behold!; Look!" + N 1s pro evgw, "I myself" + N M S prop noun Pau/loj "Paul" + P A I 1s le,gw "I say" + D 2p pro su, "to you") that if you receive circumcision, (c.c. (content) o[ti "that" + conting ptcl (3rd class maybe yes, maybe no) eva.n "if" + P P S 2p perite,mnw peritemno "you are circumcised; you receive circumcision") Christ will be of no benefit to you. (N M S Cristo,j "Christ" + adj ouvde.n "in no way" + F A I 3s wvfele,w opheleo "will profit/ benefit" + Ac 2p pro su, "you")
5:3 And I testify again (c.c. de, "and" + P D I 1s martu,romai marturomai "I testify; I bear witness" + adv pa,lin "again") to every man who receives circumcision, (D M S adj pa/j "to every" + D M S a;nqrwpoj anthropos "man" + P P P D M S perite,mnw "receiving circumcision; being circumcised") that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. (c.c. (content) o[ti "that" + P I 3s eivmi, "he is" + N M S ovfeile,thj opheilets "one under obligation; one bound by duty; a debtor" + A A If poie,w poieo "to do/ perform" + Ac M S adj o[loj holos "all" + Ac M S w/d.a. o` no,moj "the Law")
- Despite whatever claims they may have heard from others, and despite what may have been said about Pauls teaching regarding circumcision, he now makes clear what his position on ceremonial circumcision is.
- He does this as their spiritual authority, their Apostle, and teacher.
- The opening interjection "Behold" is akin to our expression, "mark my words", projecting his position as strongly as he can.
- This is the first reference to the Galatians temptation to involve themselves in circumcision Paul has first defeated the arguments of the Judaizers, now he applies that lesson to those considering it themselves.
- The Third Class condition (maybe you have, maybe you havent) suggests that none of the Galatian men had as yet submitted to the rite, although they had involved themselves in legal observances of some kind. 4:10
- Paul is not saying that the act of ritual circumcision would negate their potential Ph2; even if they did submit to the ritual, they could recover.
- He is saying that if they submit to the spiritual mentality accompanying circumcision, they will be unable to exercise the grace of God in their lives.
- Two false conclusions must be avoided from verse 2:
- they would lose their salvation if they continued with this position the subject in context is not salvation, but slavery
- continuance with this error suggests they were never saved in the first place Paul has repeatedly called them "brothers"
- Clearly they had been justified/ saved when Paul first proclaimed the gospel to them. cp Ac 13:48 "When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."
- Christ is of benefit to them since they have come under the blessings of justification, but He will be of no more benefit/ profit if they do not recover from the legalism they had embraced.
- Ritual reversionism puts the believer under a curse and removes the potential for reward, Ph2 and Ph3; hence Christ will not be a source of profit in the future.
- Vs three repeats and reinforces the warning of vs 2, hence the words "I testify again". cp 3:10
- Because circumcision was, in the mind of the religious Jews, more associated with Moses/ Sinai/ obligation than with Abraham/ promise, it is only natural that this sign of obedience should be followed by obedience to all the Law.
- Anyone who received circumcision was obligated to accept the whole way of life to which it was the initiatory ritual.
- We, as believers, are obligated to live as unto God, but not for purposes of salvation; rather because of the benefits we have received, we owe Him our loyalty. cp Rom 8:12 "So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh"
- Paul is not saying that circumcision, per se, negates salvation or Ph2 justification after all, he was a circumcised Jewish believer, and he had circumcised Timothy in order to provide a better witness to the Jews.
- He who submits to circumcision as a requirement for salvation accepts the principle of salvation by works, and must therefore keep all Gods commands.
- The Laws demand for +R/ Justification cannot be satisfied by a token compliance with this or that requirement.
- Application: modern legalists ("you cant work on Sunday") place themselves under all other demands of the Law ( including Sabbath years, and Jubilee years all purchased property is returned to the original owner! Lev 25:10f)
- Those demands can be satisfied only by total performance justification by works demands absolute perfection (which was already achieved by Jesus).
- Any acknowledgement on the part of a believer that any work is included in salvation must conclude that Christ died in vain. 2:21
Legal Works Separate us from Grace
5:4 You have been severed from Christ, (A P I 2p katarge,w katargeo "you have been separated; you have been released" + prep w/ G M S avpo, Cristo,j "from Christ") you who are seeking to be justified by law; ( N M 2p rel pro o[stij hostis "whoever; those who" + P P I 2p dikaio,w dikaioo "are being justified" (not actually, but their mindset is that they are) + prep w/ I M S evn no,moj en nomos "by (means of) law") you have fallen from grace. (A A I 2p evkpi,ptw ekpipto "you fell out from/ strayed off course from" + G F S w/ d.a. h` ca,rij he charis "the grace")
5:5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, (sub con ga,r "for" + N 1p pro evgw, "we" + I N S pneu/ma pneuma "by (means of) spirit" (Filling of Holy Spirit) + prep w/ Ab F S evk pi,stij pistis "out from (means) faith") are waiting for the hope of righteousness. (P D I 1p avpekde,comai apekdechomai "we are eagerly/ expectantly awaiting" + Ac F S evlpi,j elpis "a hope/ confident expectation"(we know it is coming, not that we just wish it would) + G F S dikaiosu,nh dikaiosune "of righteousness")
- It is ironic that those who subscribe to salvation by works appeal to this verse as an example of losing ones salvation.
- The rest of the book must be ignored in order to claim that "severed from Christ" is a reference to Ph1 the Bible never speaks of becoming "un-justified".
- It would follow that this loss would come as a result of trying "to be justified by law/ legal works".
- This is the error into which the Galatians fell, as opposed to the gross immorality of the Corinthians.
- This is an example of eisegesis finding a verse that supports a preconceived idea held by the interpreter. (cp "work out your salvation in fear and trembling" of Phi 2:12)
- The nuance of the verb "severed" (katarge,w katargeo) is one of estrangement, as in a marriage, or nullification.
- Compare the use of the same verb in Rom 7:2-6, which context is that of the discharge of marital obligation due to the death of the spouse.
- There the discharge is honorable, here it is dishonorable.
- Another example is the crucifixion of the Sin Nature; it is still present with us, but its absolute power has been broken. Rom 6:6 "knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin"
- Theologically, we know there is nothing that can separate us positionally/ salvationally from Christ. cp Rom 8:38-39
- This restricts the present context to the Ph2 implication for any believer who considers themselves to be justified by legal works.
- When believers fall into Ph1 or Ph2 legalism, they nullify the grace of God necessary for the Rebound and Maturity Adjustments a believer cannot continue to try to earn or keep what they already have and complete a finished course.
- If one is "severed from Christ", i.e. the grace benefits and blessings of occupation with Him, logically such a person has "fallen out from" the realm of "grace".
- The word translated "fallen out from" is evkpi,ptw ekpipto , which is also used of a ship straying off course (Ac 27:17), a fitting description of believers who have strayed from the Truth.
- A further consideration is that if the negative, legalistic believer has chosen to separate himself from Christ, what should our attitude be with respect to that believer? 1Cor 5:9f; 2Th 3:6,14
- Any believer operating under legalistic thinking with respect to salvation or the Christian Way of Life is experientially, not positionally, separated from Christ and His grace.
- The ideal situation for the positive believer to be in, with regard to his Ph1 justification, is that of Ph3 blessing.
- Those who are into salvation/ justification by works have no confident expectation of eternal reward they may fail due to their own weakness.
- How can they objectively know they have done enough to earn it, or that they are still in possession of it?
- We who understand Ph1 and Ph2 justification by faith are those who are Filled with God the Holy Spirit, and that is the result of faith itself.
- The Instrumental of "by Spirit" stands in opposition to the concept of "justified by law" they seek justification one way, we seek it another.
- So "by spirit" and "from faith" refers to the correct approach to justification in the Christian Way of Life apply the principles of BD and thereby produce Divine Good.
- By applying the Divine Viewpoint, we can look forward confidently to receiving our inheritance. Heb 6:9-11
- The verb "we are waiting" suggests both confidence and eager anticipation.
- It is a compound word, meaning "to welcome (something or someone) out from a source".
- It occurs eight times in the NT, always referring to prophetic anticipation.
- All but one are a reference to the Rapture, and the events contained within its occurrence.
- Rom 8:19-25 (3x) the Rapture and our redemption and glorification
- 1Cor 1:7 the fulfillment of the Christian life, at the Bema Seat of Christ "awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ"
- Gal 5:5 Ph3 justification/ glorification/ inheritance
- Phil 3:20 we who are adjusted eagerly await the return of the Lord. "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ"
- Heb 9:28 Christs appearance without reference to sin, on behalf of the Church Age believers. "so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."
- 1Pe 3:20 the seeming delay in the destruction of the Noahic Flood. "when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah"
- Our hope of a future resurrection is not vague or uncertain; it is fostered by, and kept alive by, our continued faith in and application of the WoG.
- For those who continue to be taught sound Doctrine, there is confidence and +H as they eagerly await the promise of "the hope of righteousness". cp Rom 5:1-2 "Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God."
The Essential Element of the Christian Life
5:6 For in Christ Jesus (sub con ga,r "for" + prep w/ L M S evn Cristo,j VIhsou/j "in Christ Jesus (positional truth)) neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, (neg ptcl ou;te oute (with second oute) "neither" + N F S peritomh. peritome "circumcision" + net ptcl ou;te "nor" + N F S avkrobusti,a akrobustia "uncircumcision" + indef pro Ac N S ti.j w/ P A I 3s ivscu,w ischuo "has/ exerts any power; avails anything") but faith working through love. (str advers avlla, "but" + N F S pi,stij pistis "faith" + P M P N F S evnerge,w energeo "working effectually" (cp Js 5:16) + prep w/ G F S dia, avga,ph agape "through love")
- In the previous dispensation, circumcision was indeed of importance to ones relationship to God, from the standpoint of physical obedience to the covenants. cp Gen 17:14 "But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."
- From the standpoint of Positional Truth, physical circumcision is unimportant, whether it is present or not.
- For the male, it is of no more importance than any other physical attribute; for the female, its impossibility is no hindrance to spiritual growth.
- The literal Greek is more forceful "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision"
- Paul will not allow those who are uncircumcised to develop the attitude they have a spiritual advantage over the circumcised, either.
- In two other places, Paul echoes this concept: 1Cor 7:19 "Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God." and Gal 6:15
- "Faith" here refers to the application of what is believed, Bible Doctrine this is what counts in the Christian Way of Life, not physical characteristics.
- It is incorrect to say that our faith is produced by love, rather faith and its applications produces love for fellow believers and God. cp 1Cor 13:2b "and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."
- "Love" is the mental attitude that characterizes a Spirit Filled believer it is only by that filling we can serve and glorify God. cp Eph 5:1-2a "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love"
- Love, the primary fruit of the Spirit (5:22) is poured out through the Spirit into the hearts of those who are justified by faith. Rom 5:5 "and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
- Love exists where there is isolation of the Sin Nature the mental attitude must be free from all sinful and unworthy inclinations and motivations. cp 1Jn 4:20a "If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar"
- The emphasis is that only faith working through love (application + FHS) is effectively working in the life of the believer without either aspect the effectiveness of the believer is limited. cp 1Cor 13:2b
The Influence of the Legalists
5:7 You were running well; (I A I 2p tre,cw trecho "you were running" + adv kalw/j kalos "well; correctly") who hindered you from obeying the truth? (inter pro ti,j "who?" + A A I 2p evgko,ptw enkopto "hindered; detained; thwarted" + Ac 2p pro su, "you" + neg ptcl w/ P P If mh, pei,qw peitho "to be persuaded; obey" + D F S avlh,qeia altheia "to the truth")
5:8 This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. (N F S w/ d.a. h` peismonh, - peismone (1x) "the persuasion; the confidence" + neg ptcl ouvk "not" + prep w/ P A P Ab M S w/ d.a. evk o` kale,w kaleo "from the one/ him who is calling" + Ac 2p pro su, "you")
5:9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. (N F S adj mikro,j mikros " a little" + N F S zu,mh dzume "leaven/ yeast" + P A I 3s zumo,w "leavens; causes to rise" + Ac N S adj o[loj holos "all; the whole" + Ac N S w/ d.a. to. fu,rama phurama "the lump/ batch" (of bread))
- Paul, as we have seen, is quite fond of athletic metaphors to describe the Christian Way of Life. cp 2:2
- Compare his use of running in a race in 1Cor 9:24-27.
- If one is to win the race and receive the prize, they must compete according to the rules of the game. 2 Tim 2:5 "Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules."
- "Were running" is one word in the Greek, the Imperfect Active Indicative of tre,cw trech , to run not as a sprint, but long-distance. cp Heb 12:1
- The Imperfect Tense specifies that they were consistently running in the past they were making great strides in their intake and application, but at some point they stopped running according to the rules.
- The Greek word translated "well" (kalw/j kalos) means honorably, becomingly, according to the Divine Viewpoint.
- Their thinking had become polluted with the legalism of the Judaizers, and so Paul asks a rhetorical question (one not expecting an answer, designed for effect), in an attempt to focus them on the reality of the situation.
- In 3:5 he pointed out that the Holy Spirit was still operative, to some degree, among the believers this is evidence they had not completely fallen under the sway of the legalists (they still applied some BD, but not enough to complete their course).
- The word "hinder" suggests someone cutting into, or placing an obstruction in the path of their spiritual development.
- The Galatians are like a runner who has allowed himself to be cut off in a race; who is no longer running well, or else running in the wrong lane.
- Following the metaphor, one of the dangers of the CWL is being fouled because we fail to maintain our concentration on the Word of God, just as the Galatians had been fouled by the interloper Judaizers.
- Satans ministers/ agents often appear as ministers of light, claiming to be sent by God, when their ultimate goal is to stop the believers progress in the CWL. 2Cor 11:13-15
- However, we must remember that it is the volition of the individual that is ultimately responsible the Galatians had willingly placed themselves under the slavery/ legal requirements of the Judaizers. cp 4:9
- The Present Passive Infinitive of pei,qw peitho is used of the obedience the Galatians had formerly had to the Word of God.
- In the Active, the word means "to persuade/ convince", in the Passive it has the nuance of following a set of rules one has been convinced of.
- "Truth" refers to the truth of Dvpt, in contrast to the lie of the legalists which the Galatians had begun to buy into.
- Negative volition to the Truth means that the believer will drift off course and run the wrong race:
- no hearing the believer is not in Bible class, doesnt hear the doctrine, and therefore does not know what to do
- no application the believer comes to Bible class but refuses to apply
- with either type of failure, the believer is off the course, not running well, and will not win the prize
- If this persuasion did not come from "Him who calls you" (i.e. God), it could only have come from Human viewpoint, and ultimately Satan.
- The Judaizers (and all false teachers) had been very persuasive, zealously courting the Galatians, persuading them to abandon grace for legalism and self-righteousness. 4:17
- God the Father is the one who called us (Rom 8:28-29), the legalists are in direct opposition to Him God calls to freedom, they called to slavery.
- The Present Tense of "calling" means that God is still calling to His children, the question is whether they will heed that call.
- In vs 9 Paul uses a well known principle in life to illustrate the Biblical attitude towards legalism (a proverb).
- A small amount of yeast mixed in with bread dough will soon spread throughout the whole batch of dough in the same way, just a "little" legalism will soon spread and infect the believers entire soul and outlook.
- Leaven is often used in this manner, to represent and picture evil, cosmic, human viewpoint in contradiction to Gods Plan. cp Mt 16:5-12
- So "leaven" refers to whatever distortion of the Truth is being introduced, "the lump" is both the individual believer and the local body of believers, who are threatened with being permeated by that evil.
- Principle: compromising with a little false doctrine will lead to the spread of reversionism throughout the entire local church it is the job of the PT to keep it out.
- The Galatians had already allowed at least some of the Judaizers legalism into the church, they were following their religious calendar as if it were a command of God. 4:10
- Paul has repeatedly and mercilessly attacked the legalists, for this very reason: if even a little legalism remains within the corporate soul of the Galatian churches, it will spread and corrupt all aspects of their Christian life, negating their Ph2 and removing the possibility of Ph3 inheritance.
- The two extremes of leaven are legalism, as here, and license, as in 1Cor 5:6 legalism has no more place in the local church than does its opposite.
The Outcome
5:10 I have confidence in you in the Lord, (N 1s pro evgw, "I myself" + Pf A I 1s pei,qw peith "I have trusted (and continue to do so) ; I have confidence" + prep w/ Ac 2p pro eivj su, "towards you" + prep w/ L M S evn ku,rioj kurios "in the sphere of the lord" (d.a. understood = LJC)) that you will adopt no other view; (c.c. o[ti "that" (content of Pauls confidence) + Ac N S adj ouvde.n ouden "in no way" + Ac N S adj a;lloj allos "another; different" + F A I 2p frone,w phroneo "will you regard; will you have a high opinion" (cp Rom 14:6)) but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, (weak advers de, "but; and yet" P A P N M S w/ d.a. o` tara,ssw tarasso "the one/ he who is troubling/ disturbing/ shaking" (cp 1:7) + Ac 2p pro su, "you" + F A I 3s basta,zw bastadzo "will bear a burden" + Ac N S w/ d.a. to. kri,ma to krima "the judgement") whoever he is. (N M S rel pro o[stij hostis "whoever" + indef cond ptcl eva,n w/ P S 3s eivmi, "he may be")
- Because of the Positive Volition they have manifested thus far, Paul is confident (while understanding the possibility of Negative Volition) the Galatians will listen to his message and agree with its undeniable conclusion.
- This confidence is not based on emotionalism, but the prior acceptance of the information he had presented, even in the face of adversity. 4:13-15
- He had observed their adherence to the Truth to the degree that he knew he could trust them to objectively evaluate his message, as opposed to that of his opponents.
- The fact they had, to some degree, been persuaded by the legalists does not lead him to conclude the worst a lesson we would do well to follow in our assessment of others.
- This was not due to any merit of their own, or even his effectiveness as a communicator, but it was in the sphere of the Lord, the sphere of BD, the sphere of their positive volition to the Truth.
- As long as they focused on the Truth, seeking the "wisdom from above", they would realize that the Gospel of Grace was the true path to God.
- The word "other" is the same as used in 1:7 (a;lloj allos), for another view with certain similarities (i.e. both mentioned Jesus, Scripture, etc.)
- The singular of "the one disturbing you" specifies the leader of the Judaizers, the main protagonist introducing his leaven.
- Although there were a group of Judaizers involved (at least one per local church), Paul singles out the leader, or one false teacher heading up that group. cp 5:12
- The word "disturbing" (tara,ssw tarasso) also hearkens back to 1:7, linking those "unsettlers" with that one currently under consideration.
- In the same vein as vs 1:7, that individual was promoting a life-style of non-peace, non-stability, turmoil, and lack of confidence the exact opposite of what we have available through grace.
- Application: teaching a principle of BD one time is not sufficient; the communicator must repeat the warnings of Scripture at every opportunity.
- Anyone who brings another message is both accursed (anathema), and will bear the punishment for his disturbing/ unsettling message of works. 2Cor 11:12-15
- The word "will bear" (basta,zw bastadzo) is of note; it is the same word used for Jesus "bearing" the cross (Jn 19:17), and the same word used by Peter in Ac 15:10, of the yoke of the Law no one had been able to "bear".
- It is not just some load, some light burden given someone, it is a heavy load that will wear one down to the point of exhaustion their D.D. would be equal to the trouble and stumbling they had caused.
- Compare the warning of Js 3:1 for the teachers greater responsibility and culpability. "Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment."
- "Whoever he may be" (P S 3s eivmi, ) parallels the warning upon anyone, no matter their overt claims of knowledge or "truth", who disturbs the growth of positive believers. 1:9, 10
- Although Paul may or may not know the exact identity of the main perpetrator, he pronounces their D.D. regardless of their rank, position, or personal status it makes no difference who or what they are, they will suffer their appropriate discipline. cp Mk 9:42 "And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea."
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