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Exegetical Paper: Final Paper – Galatians 5: 1-12
NBST 610: Hermeneutics
October 26, 2024
Contents
Passage -Galatians 5:1-12........................................................................................................3
Introduction............................................................................................................................4
Context - Historical..................................................................................................................4
Context – Literary....................................................................................................................5
Overview (Exegesis)................................................................................................................6
Galatians 5 and the Overall Story of The Bible.......................................................................12
Galatians 5 and the Contemporary Christian Life...................................................................13
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................14
Bibliography..........................................................................................................................16
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Passage -Galatians 5:1-12
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be
entangled again with a yoke of bondage. 2 Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become
circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. 3 And I testify again to every man who becomes
circumcised that he is a debtor to keep the whole law. 4 You have become estranged from
Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we through the
Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. 7 You ran well.
Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion does not come from Him who
calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in you, in the Lord, that
you will have no other mind; but he who troubles you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.
11 And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the
offense of the cross has ceased. 12 I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut
themselves off!
Introduction
Are you a free person? Are you able to walk outside, drive wherever you want, and generally
enjoy the company of whoever you want? Are you not in handcuffs, prison, or any other type of
physical restraint? If none of these apply to you, society would certainly consider you a free
person indeed. The Apostle Paul viewed the topic of freedom much differently than the average
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person. This paper will examine the literary and cultural setting in which the letter to the
Galatians was written, provide an exegetical examination of Galatians 5:1-12, and seek to
understand what message Paul was attempting to convey to the church in Galatia, and by
extension, what modern day readers can learn from Paul’s letter. What did Paul mean when he
discussed “freedom” regarding the Galatian church and how in turn is that applicable to a
modern audience?
Context - Historical
The Apostle Paul’s letters went out to various churches within the surrounding regions of
the Roman Empire during the formative years of the early church. While there have been
occasional doubts about the authorship of Galatians (and several other Pauline epistles), it is
nearly universally recognized that the Apostle Paul wrote the book of Galatians.1 Galatians was
written at a point in time where the Gospel of Jesus Christ was spreading rapidly. Paul had
traveled to many different places within the Roman Empire during this time. Some have
speculated that Paul wrote Galatians while he was in Rome while others have speculated it was
from a provenance of Corinth or Ephesus.2 While the exact number of places and churches Paul
went to is not known, it can’t be denied that Paul’s missionary journeys had a seismic impact
during the church’s early years. There was a group of Jewish Christians who attempted to
convince the Galatians that Paul had misled them and did not properly instruct them on what it
meant to be a true Christian.3 Paul himself was the one who founded the early church in the
community of Galatia, and the Galatians gave Paul a warm reception (Gal 4:13-14).4 Some
1 Christopher M. Tuckett, Galatians: A Critical and Exegetical Commentary, First Edition. (London: T&T
Clark, 2024), 3.
2 Craig S Keener, Galatians, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2018), 3.
3 Nijay K. Gupta, Galatians, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2023), 4.
4 Ibid., 5.
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scholars view the letter as having been written as early as AD 48 while others say it was written
around AD 55.5 While it is almost impossible to know the exact date it was written, it was most
likely written around this point in time. Scholars have disagreed regarding who exactly the
recipients of the letter were. Gupta says that they were “gentiles with a pagan past of
polytheistic worship.”6 What is now Turkey, in the 3rd century, three tribes of Celts were settled
in Asia Minor, and that territory was known as Galatia.7 It is difficult to pinpoint exactly where
the Galatian community was that Paul was writing to.
Context – Literary
Many scholars believe that the letter to the Galatians is one of Paul’s earliest surviving
letters, if not the earliest.8 Paul’s encounter with the resurrected Christ on the road to Damascus
is very important in understanding how his thinking and attitude changed towards Christianity
at the time. Paul’s encounter radically changed his beliefs and understandings of salvation
considering the traditional apocalyptic expectations.9 Paul now had a deeper understanding of
what was preached by the Christians he had persecuted so relentlessly: that Jesus Christ was
indeed God’s chosen Messiah.10 This revelation clearly had a profound impact on how Paul
wrote his numerous epistles. Paul’s theology focused on two core aspects: the saving
significance of Jesus’s death and resurrection and the hope of his return in glory.11 Hence this is
5 Ibid., 6.
6 Ibid., 5.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid., 6.
9 Timothy George, Galatians, (Nashville, TN, Holman Reference, 2020), 10.
10 Ibid.
11 Ibid., 11.
12 Ibid., 12.
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one of the overall messages within the book of Galatians. As George says, “Paul’s major struggle
in Galatians was with certain Jewish-Christian missionaries who had failed to discern the radical
character of Christ’s salvific work.”12 Several scholars and commentators have said that Galatians
5 begins a new section in Paul’s letter. Paul writes autobiographically (Ch. 1-2), then
theologically (Ch. 3-4), and now ethically.12 This shows the reader the uniqueness of Paul’s style
of writing. He is not a “one trick pony” so to speak, but someone who can articulate a variety of
different topics in a multitude of ways.
Overview (Exegesis)
A. 5:1 – Christ delivers Freedom and Liberty
In this first verse, Paul immediately sets out his agenda by reminding the Galatians that
Christ has indeed set them free, and that they should not be entangled again in a “yoke
of bondage.” This single verse carries both an assertion, “For freedom, Christ set us
free,” and a command from it, “Do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”
George notes that “The juxtaposition of an indicative followed by an imperative is a
common grammatical feature in Paul’s writings.”13 “Stand fast” is the imperative, but it
does not contradict the indicative which is “Christ set us free,” it instead results from it.
Paul is saying that because of who God is and what he has done by sending His only Son
to die on the cross, Christians are to “become what they are,” which is to live lives that
show in the physical human realm what God had already done in the divine and spiritual
realm.14 Paul is saying that because of the Lord’s divine intervention, humans no longer
12 Jon Nielson, Galatians: the gospel of free grace: a 13-lesson study, (Phillipsburg: P & R Pub., 2019), 57.
13 Ibid., 5.
14 Timothy George, Galatians, (Nashville, TN, Holman Reference, 2020), 5.
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have to suffer under the bondage of slavery, which can be interpreted as either old
archaic laws or the power of sin itself.
B. 5:2-3: Salvation through Circumcision?
Paul warns the Galatians in a very dramatic fashion within these two verses. Notice how
he says “I, Paul,” and not the other believers who are with him such as Barnabas within
this verse. Paul was speaking with intent and telling the Galatians that what he was
about to say was of great importance. Verse two is the first time that circumcision is
mentioned in reference to the Galatians. It is shown in Acts 15:1-2 that these specific
agitators/outsiders held the belief that the ancient Jewish practice of circumcision was
necessary for salvation and inclusion into the family of God.15 While Paul was
vehemently against this notion of thinking, he was not opposed to the custom of
circumcision itself. Paul himself had Timothy (whose mother was Jewish) circumcised
which helped to facilitate his missionary work among the Jews.16 Paul’s denouncement of
circumcision wasn’t directly aimed at the custom itself, but instead it was aimed at the
belief that it was needed to achieve salvation and entry into the family of God. That is
why Paul says “Christ will profit you nothing” in verse two. The Galatians putting all their
faith in Jewish customs and not the Messiah, would cause them to stumble terribly. In
verse three, Paul chooses to amplify his previous message about the consequences of
accepting circumcision. If the Galatians followed through with circumcision, they would
lose Christ and the benefits that came with Him, and they would gain a huge burden
that they could not bear.17 There was another all-encompassing obligation that came
15 Ibid, 6b.
16 Ibid.
17 Timothy George, Galatians, (Nashville, TN, Holman Reference, 2020), 6c.
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with receiving the Jewish ritual: the necessity of observing the law in its every aspect.
Paul made this exact point earlier in Gal. 3:10 when he interpreted Deut. 27:26 to mean
that the curse of the law had burdened everyone because no one had been able to “do
everything written in the book of the law.”18 Paul is telling them that it is virtually
impossible for a person to keep the entirety of the law and that it is a futile effort.
C. 5:4 - Estrangement from Christ
The goal of this passage was to issue a wake-up call to those in the Galatian church who
were leaning towards forsaking the Christ-centered message that Paul preached to them
earlier in favor of the gospel being taught to them regarding circumcision. This verse
sees Paul repeating and intensifying his warning to the Galatians by pointing out that
those who seek to be justified by the law are (1) estranged from Christ and (2) fallen
from grace.19 Paul wants the Galatians to know that their actions will have consequences
and that they will be dire for them. Paul’s main point in this verse is that abandoning the
sound doctrines of grace for this new incorrect doctrine will lead to spiritual ruin.
D. 5:5-6: Righteousness by Faith
In these two verses, Paul gives the reader some explanation regarding the warnings from
the previous verses. Verse 5 gives some detail to verse 4 (and verses 2 and 3 also). Verse
6 then gives the reader the entire sequence of thought which provides a better
foundation or summary of the letter itself.20 Paul refers to the “hope of righteousness”
which is a saying meant to illustrate the classic Jesus-shaped and Spirit-driven hope that
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid., 6d.
20 N.T Wright, Galatians, (Grand Rapids: MI, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2021), 250.
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is referred to again in Romans 821. Paul is saying that neither circumcision nor
uncircumcision has any real power when the Messiah Jesus Christ is involved. While
some would argue Paul is arguing solely against circumcision, this verse proves
otherwise. When he says, “neither circumcision nor uncircumcision,” he is saying that
whether they choose to partake in the ritual is irrelevant. Partaking in the ritual thinking
that it will guarantee them salvation is what Paul is rejecting here. The “love” that Paul
refers to in this verse means that love for one another must replace the factional fighting
that has begun among the believers and the corrosions of social and/or cultural envy
and jealousy that has taken place also.22 Paul highlighted well in this verse the
importance of love for one another as a core aspect of being a believer in Christ Jesus
and he also makes this point again several times throughout more of his letters.
E. 5:7-12: A Hinderance and Judgement for those who bring trouble
After Paul urges his readers to love each other, he immediately begins to discuss his
opposition in a way with almost no restraint. This is most likely because Paul sees the
urgency of the hour and does not wish to waste any time making his main points crystal
clear.23 Verses 7-12 shows the reader a side of Paul that is very matter of fact and straight
to the point when it comes to the “others” who have infiltrated the church. Paul uses a
“rhetorical force” in this paragraph that is not seen much elsewhere. Within verse 7 he
says that the Galatians haven’t been “hindered (or persuaded)” by truth; in verse 8 he
says that this “persuasion” is not from the one who called them; and in verse 10 Paul
says that he himself is “confident” in the Lord that they will come to realize and follow
21 Ibid., 251.
22 N.T Wright, Galatians, (Grand Rapids: MI, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2021), 251.
23 Ibid., 252.
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the truth and that the ones teaching this false gospel will be punished.24 Paul also uses
metaphors in his writings and we see that in verse 7. Paul tells the Galatians that they
are running a race and that these outside influencers are essentially telling them to run
in the wrong direction. He uses an example of bread to make it known that a little leaven
(false gospels) will spread through the whole lump if not dealt with accordingly.25
Because of this, Paul writes that the he wishes the outsiders would “cut themselves off.”
Of course, Paul is not telling them to do this, he is teasing them according to some
scholars and not lashing out in anger or frustration.26 Paul says something perplexing
when he mentions “preaching circumcision” in verse 11, but what exactly did he mean
by this? A few scholars have argued that Paul’s earliest missionary journeys were more
Torah observant which meant preaching Christ but also telling gentiles that they had to
be circumcised to join the covenant of people. This theory also requires that at some
point, Paul stopped believing in this and went in a different direction.27 While it is
possible, it doesn’t have that much support within the biblical community. According to
Wright “the point is that the rival teachers have accused Paul of inconsistency, and he, in
reply, will point to his scars and wounds.”28 Paul’s mention of suffering in verse 11 also
hints at something greater to understand. This is a very important part in Galatians as
Paul stresses that suffering for the sake of the gospel is a very important mark of
authenticity.29 For Paul, following Jesus should not be a new way to be religious, but
24 Ibid.
25 Ibid.
26 N.T Wright, Galatians, (Grand Rapids: MI, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2021), 252.
27 Ibid., 253.
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid.
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should instead transform a person into an entirely different way of living. For Paul, the
cross is worth persecution, and he is fine with being persecuted and lets the Galatians
know that they should also be willing to accept persecution just as Pual himself did.
Galatians 5 and the Overall Story of The Bible
The themes seen in Galatians 5 are heavily featured within the overall narrative of the Bible
itself. Bondage (slavery) is seen all throughout the Bible in several different forms. It is first seen
within the book of Genesis. After Adam and Eve sinned against God within the Garden of Eden
(Gen. 3), humanity succumbed to the effects of sin and became separated from God. This sin
became so great that in Gen. 6, God decided to nearly end humanity (except Noah and his
family). Sin is a central concept on the Bible that just about every single person within its
narrative struggles against. We see legendary biblical heroes such as David, Sampson, Saul,
Abraham, Moses and so many others fall to sin at one point or another. The Bible points out
very well that without the grace and salvation of God, everyone is a slave to sin.
Freedom and salvation are two important themes in Galatians 5 and these themes are some
of the most important in the Bible. One of the best examples is shown within the New
Testament when Jesus is born and becomes flesh. It’s clear that humanity needed freedom from
sin all throughout the Old Testament. Time after time, God’s people (Israel) were continuously
sinning and falling into bondage (slavery) by other nations. No matter how God delivered them,
they always ended up right back in bondage. Because of this, God sent his Son Jesus to free the
world from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus preached many things while He was on earth.
He taught about the forgiveness of sins, how to treat one others, how to pray properly, how to
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live peacefully with others and even how to treat your enemies. Jesus taught these things
because the people simply were not doing these things and were living lives contrary to what
God had wanted. Following the teachings of Jesus would mean you were living according to how
God wanted you to live. Living how God intended for you to live, while also accepting the
sacrifice of His Son Jesus on the cross, meant that a person had freedom not only from sin, but
freedom from old archaic laws as well. This is at the heart of what Paul was attempting to teach
to the church in Galatia. As N.T Wright describes, “God’s Messiah, Jesus, has fulfilled the divine
purpose for Israel in his death and resurrection, and has thereby accomplished the new Exodus,
the great rescue operation from the ultimate slave masters, sin and death themselves.”30 It is
through salvation from Jesus Christ, that we receive the ultimate and true spiritual freedom
from God. While the Old Testament focused heavily on sin and bondage, the New Testament
focused exclusively on Jesus and his death and resurrection which provided humanity with the
freedom that God had promised his people and ultimately the world.
Galatians 5 and the Contemporary Christian Life
The themes within Galatians 5:1-12 can be easily applicable in a contemporary setting for
modern Christians. Nielson calls Galatians “the epistle of free grace.”31 This summary is true not
only for the original audience in Galatia, but it is also true for a modern audience today. In
today’s world, everyone has struggled with sin at one point or another. As mentioned earlier, no
one is immune to the stranglehold that sin has on humanity. God understood this, which is one
of the primary reasons why He sent His son Jesus down to earth. The book of Galatians was
30 N.T Wright, Galatians, (Grand Rapids: MI, William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2021), 39.
31 Jon Nielson, Galatians: the gospel of free grace: a 13-lesson study, (Phillipsburg: P & R Pub., 2019), 8.
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written for your spiritual benefit.32 This is why it is so applicable to the modern world we are in
today. Let’s say a person is addicted to drugs and alcohol. They are slaves to this cruel addiction
whether they realize it or not. In this example, they are in spiritual bondage. This means while
they are not locked up in prison physically, they are still in bondage because of their addictive
habits related to drugs and alcohol. This person is one day invited to church and after a very
powerful message given by the preacher, this person decides to give his life to Christ and begin
a new life. This person just received salvation by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior.
While this person may not curb his addiction immediately, he has begun the process to receive
true spiritual freedom that comes from nowhere else. Replace drugs and alcohol with any other
sinful habit a person may be committing in their life. These themes show modern-day readers
that freedom through salvation is achievable for anyone struggling with any type of sin you can
imagine. When discussing Galatians and its impact, Nielson says “True freedom means
liberation from sin, death and the devil. And by the grace of God, this is exactly the kind of
liberation Christ has come to provide.”33
Conclusion
The book of Galatians is a unique blend of theology, ethics and personal insight from the
Apostle Paul. Galatians is a reminder to modern audiences that sin is something that affects the
world today just as much as it did thousands of years ago. The Israelites found themselves in sin,
bondage and death for many years and God did not forget about them and their struggles.
Paul’s epistle to the Galatians reminds the world that the salvation given to humanity from
Jesus’ death on the cross is something that no one else can add or take away from. Paul’s plea to
the Galatians was not about being put into physical bondage, but was instead meant to tell the
32 Ibid., 9.
33 Jon Nielson, Galatians: the gospel of free grace: a 13-lesson study, (Phillipsburg: P & R Pub., 2019), 58.
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Galatians about the spiritual bondage they could fall into if they put their faith into Jewish
customs and not Jesus Christ as he had originally taught them. Sin has been the downfall of
mankind ever since Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Christ’s death and
resurrection on the cross provided freedom and liberation from sin and death for all of
humanity. Paul makes it clear that Jesus Christ is the only clear pathway to salvation and that
there is no alternative. Humanity has been in hiding from God ever since the fall of Adam and
Eve.34 After they chose to sin in the Garden, they attempted to hide themselves, and even today,
humanity continues to do the same thing. These principles are very present all throughout the
Bible and provide us with God’s unique plan for humanity: that everyone repents of their sin
and is saved through Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. Paul’s message was clear: following
the law is not a bad thing, but relying on it for salvation is wrong and cannot replace the cross
on which Jesus died. It is through his death on the cross and resurrection that humanity has a
pathway to being a part of God’s divine family.
34 Todd A. Wilson, Galatians: gospel-rooted living, (Wheaton, Ill, Crossway, 2013), 7.
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Bibliography
George, Timothy. Galatians. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2020.
Gupta, Nijay K. Galatians. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2023.
Keener, Craig S. Galatians. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2018.
Nielson, Jon, and Philip Graham Ryken. Galatians : The Gospel of Free Grace : A 13-Lesson
Study. Phillipsburg: P & R Pub., 2019.
Tuckett, Christopher M. Galatians : A Critical and Exegetical Commentary. 1st ed. London:
T&T Clark, 2024.
Wilson, Todd A. Galatians : Gospel-Rooted Living. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2013.
Wright, N. T. (Nicholas Thomas). Galatians. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, 2021.
