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Submit your proposed paper passage (5-12 verses) from one of Paul's letters. See the Final Paper Instructions for detailed information on the expectations and requirements for this paper.

THE LETTER I CHOSE WAS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND IT IS BELOW.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

The expression “the fruit of the Spirit” is a metaphor used by Paul to describe virtues that manifest the realities of life in *Christ. In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul catalogs the components of the “fruit of the Spirit” (ho karpos tou pneumatos) as “*love, *joy, *peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (ESV).

1. The Context of Galatians

2. Similar and Contrasting Metaphors

3. Paul’s Sources

4. Spiritual Virtues

5. Conclusion

1. The Context of Galatians.

*Justification by *grace through *faith dominates Galatians 1–4. In Galatians 5–6, Paul expounds on what the Christian life looks like. Grounded in grace, the believer is empowered to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16). *Freedom, Paul explains, is the very reason Christ set believers free (Gal 5:1), but Christian freedom is not to be used to gratify the desires of the *flesh (Gal 5:13). Rather, Christians are called to serve one another in love (Gal 5:13), which can only be accomplished “through the Spirit, by faith” (Gal 5:5 ESV). The two verses outlining the “fruit of the Spirit” fit within this context of Paul’s emphasis on faith and the work of the *Holy Spirit—it is through a faith that is dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit that these virtues flow out of the believer (Gal 5:5-6).

2. Similar and Contrasting Metaphors.

2.1. Other Fruit Metaphors. The precise phrase “fruit of the Spirit” appears only once in Paul’s letters (Gal 5:22-23). However, similar imagery is widely used throughout the Pauline literature. The fruit metaphor specifically shows up in several places with a variety of meanings (e.g., good deeds—Phil 1:11, 22; Col 1:10; the fruit of the *gospel—Col 1:6; a gift—Rom 1:13; 15:28; or even a spiritual reward—Phil 4:17). Fruit is often used as a metaphor for Christian behavior and character. Typically, the focus is on the Spirit as the source of such Christian character growth, but the believer is also exhorted to work at growing in these virtues, especially love (Gal 5:6, 13; 6:9-10). Sometimes Paul contrasts good fruit that honors *God (Rom 6:22; 7:4) with bad fruit, representing evil deeds (Rom 6:21; 7:5). A life apart from Christ yields unfruitful (akarpos) works (Eph 5:11; Rom 6:1).

Closely related to “the fruit of the Spirit” is Paul’s depiction of the “fruit of *light,” which is found “in all that is good and right and true” (Eph 5:9-11 ESV). Also closely related are the metaphors of walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16) and being led by the Spirit (Gal 5:18).

2.2. Flesh and Spirit. The dominant contrast in Galatians 5:16-24 is two lists: “the works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19-21 ESV) and “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23 ESV). Neither list is exhaustive. Nor are the two lists arranged in a way that each wrong behavior symmetrically corresponds to each of the nine virtues. Galatians 5:17 explains that the things of the Spirit and the flesh are opposed to each other, but Paul’s exhortation to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16 ESV) is followed by an emphatic subjunctive clause, “and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (ESV), indicating a promise. Not gratifying the desires of the flesh is a promised result of following the imperative of walking by the Spirit, for such a victory can only be a supernatural work (Betz, 278; Schreiner, 343). The discourse concludes asserting that believers ultimately defeat the flesh because “in Christ” believers have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24 ESV; see Gal 2:20).

3. Paul’s Sources.

Virtue lists were common in antiquity, evident in sources such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and philosophers such as Philo, Seneca, Musonius Rufus, and Plutarch (Keener, 515). However, Paul does not use the qualities in a Greek way. For Paul, these virtues are always for the benefit of the *church and not merely for character formation, as was the case in Greek *ethics.

Paul’s employment of “fruit” most likely stems from the variety of fruit metaphors in the Gospels: Matthew 3:7-10; 7:15-20; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:1-6. These draw from the OT imagery comparing *Israel to a vine (e.g., Ps 80:8-18), vineyard (e.g., Is 27:2-6), or an olive tree (Jer 11:6). Israel is also called out for failing to bear fruit (Is 5). Isaiah 32:15-16 and Joel 2:18-32 are often cited as background with their promise of the Spirit and the intended fruitfulness of the recipients (Barclay 1991, 121; Beale, 1-38; Dunn, 308; Hansen, 178; Silva, 810). Others find background in the *covenant blessings of Leviticus and Deuteronomy (Keesmaat, 207-8; Pate, 229-30).

4. Spiritual Virtues.

The godly qualities Paul lists here are prompted by the Spirit and demonstrate the work of the Spirit in believers in contrast to the “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19-21). They are not the result of human effort. In fact, these virtues go beyond the natural bounds of virtue. For example, believers demonstrate love profoundly by not only loving the lovable but their enemies too (Rom 12:14; see Mt 5:44).

4.1. Love (Agapē). It is not surprising that love is first in the list—it is the foundational virtue (1 Cor 13). Love for God is the greatest command, and love for neighbor the second greatest (Mt 22:36-40). The active faith described in this letter is manifested through love (1 Cor 5:6), indeed loving service to others (1 Cor 5:13). Love fulfills the whole *law (Gal 5:14; Rom 13:8-10).

Love is fundamental to God’s character. It is best understood as a self-giving action for the benefit of others, rather than an emotion. Christ’s giving of himself on the *cross is the supreme example of such love (Gal 2:20; Eph 5:25). It is God’s Spirit who pours out his love to believers (Rom 5:5). Love is associated with God’s Spirit also in Romans 15:30; Colossians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 6:6; 2 Timothy 1:7.

4.2. Joy (Chara). Joy is a prevalent theme in Paul’s letter to the Philippians (see Phil 1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 17-18, 28-29; 3:1; 4:1, 4, 10). In Galatians, the word joy occurs only here (Gal 5:22). Joy is connected to God’s character and is a work of the Spirit (Rom 14:17) that cannot be attributed to human effort. Believers are exhorted to “rejoice in the *Lord” in all circumstances and all times (Phil 4:4 ESV; see 1 Thess 5:16), and are able to experience joy even in the midst of *suffering and trials because they are rooted in God’s love and grace, while filled with *hope that he works all things together for good (Rom 5:1-4; 8:28; 2 Cor 6:10).

4.3. Peace (Eirēnē). Paul uses peace in a few different ways. First, it can refer to the objective state in which believers find themselves following their justification (Rom 5:1). Believers have “peace with God” in contrast to the prior state of hostility humans have as a result of their *sin. Jesus himself is identified as “our peace” (Eph 2:14), reconciling humans to himself (Eph 2:16) and to each other (Eph 2:14-15). This relational peace is the second way Paul employs this word—it denotes the harmony and love that is possible between believers who have first found peace with God (Rom 14:19). Third, Paul at times refers to peace as an internal state of well-being. The peace of God guards believers’ hearts and minds in *Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).

4.4. Patience (Makrothymia). Patience is another work of the Holy Spirit that enables a believer to endure hardship. In the LXX, this word occurs as an adjective, describing God’s character (Ex 34:6; Ps 103:8 [102:8 LXX]). In the NT, it is used to describe God and Christ’s attitude toward sinful people (Rom 2:4; 9:22; 1 Tim 1:16; 1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 3:15). More commonly, it indicates the patience people should manifest toward one another, especially despite difficulties (L&N 25.169; Bruce 1982, 253; see 2 Cor 6:6; Eph 4:2; Col 1:11; 3:12; 2 Tim 3:10; 4:2; Heb 6:12; Jas 5:10). More simply, it can be defined as “long-tempered” (Dunn, 311).

4.5. Kindness (Chrēstotēs). Only Paul employs this word in the NT. It is often used to express God’s gracious offering of *salvation through Jesus Christ (Rom 2:4; 11:22; Eph 2:7; Titus 3:4). Believers are called to emulate this kindness toward others (Rom 3:12; 2 Cor 6:6; Col 3:12).

4.6. Goodness (Agathōsynē). This word is related to the term agathos, which in the LXX translates the Hebrew tôb (Grundmann, TDNT 1:13). In Jewish tradition, it served in the frequent confession of the Lord’s perfect goodness: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (1 Chron 16:34 NIV; cf. 2 Chron 5:13; Ps 118). Goodness serves as a kind of master moral category in the Jewish tradition. It refers to what is ethically good, especially as concerns the welfare of others (Keener, 521). In the NT, God alone is good (Mt 19:17). The natural person is unable to pursue good (Rom 7:18-25), but the grace of God transforms and equips believers for that purpose (Eph 2:8-10).

Among NT writers, only Paul uses agathōsynē (Rom 15:14; Eph 5:9; 2 Thess 1:11). It is “roughly synonymous” with chrēstotēs (Longenecker, 262).

4.7. Faithfulness (Pistis). Pistis may mean either “faith” or “faithfulness.” The noun pistis occurs 132 times in Paul’s letters, and 20 times in Galatians alone. It is mostly translated as “faith,” but in this list of ethical qualities, it makes sense that pistis also should express an ethical quality. Faith is first an act of trust in the gospel, but it is continually exercised through active dependence on Christ and the Spirit. Thus, faith, in Paul’s usage, usually entails faithfulness—it stimulates activity that produces good works (Pifer, 209). The word denotes reliability or trustworthiness.

4.8. Gentleness (Prautēs). This word shows up in other Pauline virtue lists (Eph 4:2; Col 3:12; Titus 3:2) and generally means “gentleness, “meekness,” or “humility.” Jesus is the model of such gentleness. In Matthew 11:29 he states that he is “gentle [praus] and humble in heart” (NASB; see Mt 21:5; 2 Cor 10:1). Believers who sin should be corrected with gentleness (Gal 6:1), and nonbelievers should also be instructed with gentleness in hope that they will repent (2 Tim 2:25).

4.9. Self-Control (Enkrateia). The word was widely used by Greek classical writers to convey a restraint of passion or base emotion. During Paul’s lifetime, the concept was central to Hellenistic ethics (Longenecker, 264), but it is a rare word in the NT (Acts 24:25; 2 Pet 1:6; the verbal form is employed in 1 Cor 7:9; 9:25). Craig Keener identifies this last term as the “climax of the Spirit’s fruit” because it combats most of the vices listed in Galatians 5:19-21 (Keener, 522-23).

5. Conclusion.

While debate remains as to whether the word fruit in the singular indicates a unitary concept (Betz, 286; Matera, 202) or whether fruit is simply a collective noun (Fee, 217), the significance of this list lies in their “cumulative effect” (Moo, 366). The specific virtues Paul has chosen here are those he deemed most appropriate for the situation in Galatia. The “fruit of the Spirit” builds up the church and reflects Christ’s presence. For those in Galatia who fear that abandoning law for Spirit will lead to libertinism, Paul assures that “against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:23 ESV). It is the Spirit who produces fruit in the lives of Christians and provides what the law requires.

See also ETHICS; FLESH; GALATIANS, LETTER TO THE; GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT; HOLINESS, SANCTIFICATION; HOLY SPIRIT; JOY, REJOICING; LOVE; PEACE, RECONCILIATION; SPIRITUALITY.

BIBLIOGRAPHY. J. M. G. Barclay, Obeying the Truth: Paul’s Ethics in Galatians (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991); idem, Paul and the Gift (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015); W. Barclay, Flesh and Spirit: An Examination of Galatians 5:19-23 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1962); J. Barr, “Words for Love in Biblical Greek,” in The Glory of Christ in the New Testament: Studies in Christology in Memory of George Bradford Caird, ed. L. D. Hurst and N. T. Wright (Oxford: Clarendon, 1987), 3-18; G. K. Beale, “The Spirit as the Transforming Agent of the Inaugurated Eschatological New Creation,” in A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2011), 559-91; K. Berding, Walking in the Spirit (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011). H. D. Betz, Galatians, Hermeneia (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979); F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1977); idem, Commentary on Galatians, NIGTC (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1982); W. D. Davies, Paul and Rabbinic Judaism, rev. ed. (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980); J. D. G. Dunn, The Epistle to the Galatians, BNTC (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1993); G. D. Fee , The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987); V. P. Furnish, Theology and Ethics in Paul (Nashville: Abingdon, 1968); W. Grundmann, “άγαθός, άγαθοεργέω, άγαθοποιέω, -ός, -ία, άγαθωσύνη, φιλάγαθος, άφιλάγαθος,” TDNT; G. W. Hansen, Galatians, IVPNTC (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1994); C. S. Keener, Galatians: A Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2019); S. C. Keesmaat, Paul and His Story, JSNTSup 181 (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999); R. N. Longenecker, Galatians, WBC 41 (Dallas: Word, 1991); W. Longsworth, “Ethics in Paul: The Shape of Christian Life,” The Annual of the Society of Christian Ethics (1981): 29-56; D. J. Lull, The Spirit in Galatia, SBLDS 49 (Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1980); F. Matera, Galatians, SP (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1992); D. J. Moo, Galatians, BECNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013); C. M. Pate, The Reverse of the Curse, WUNT 2/114 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000); J. H. Pifer, Faith as Participation (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2019); T. R. Schreiner, Galatians, ZECNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010); E. Schweizer, “Traditional Ethical Patterns in the Pauline and Post-Pauline Letters and Their Development,” in Text and Interpretation, ed. E. Best and R. McLean Wilson (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979), 195-209; M. Silva, “Galatians,” in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, ed. G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 785-812; O. Wischmeyer, Der höchste Weg. Das 13. Kapitel des 1 Korintherbriefes (Gütersloh: Mohn, 1981).

J. H. Pifer

Submit your proposed paper passage (5-12 verses) from one of Paul's letters. See the Final Paper Instructions for detailed information on the expectations and requirements for this paper.

THE LETTER I CHOSE WAS THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND IT IS BELOW.

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

The expression “the fruit of the Spirit” is a metaphor used by Paul to describe virtues that manifest the realities of life in *Christ. In Galatians 5:22-23 Paul catalogs the components of the “fruit of the Spirit” (ho karpos tou pneumatos) as “*love, *joy, *peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (ESV).

1. The Context of Galatians

2. Similar and Contrasting Metaphors

3. Paul’s Sources

4. Spiritual Virtues

5. Conclusion

1. The Context of Galatians.

*Justification by *grace through *faith dominates Galatians 1–4. In Galatians 5–6, Paul expounds on what the Christian life looks like. Grounded in grace, the believer is empowered to walk by the Spirit (Gal 5:16). *Freedom, Paul explains, is the very reason Christ set believers free (Gal 5:1), but Christian freedom is not to be used to gratify the desires of the *flesh (Gal 5:13). Rather, Christians are called to serve one another in love (Gal 5:13), which can only be accomplished “through the Spirit, by faith” (Gal 5:5 ESV). The two verses outlining the “fruit of the Spirit” fit within this context of Paul’s emphasis on faith and the work of the *Holy Spirit—it is through a faith that is dependent on the work of the Holy Spirit that these virtues flow out of the believer (Gal 5:5-6).

2. Similar and Contrasting Metaphors.

2.1. Other Fruit Metaphors. The precise phrase “fruit of the Spirit” appears only once in Paul’s letters (Gal 5:22-23). However, similar imagery is widely used throughout the Pauline literature. The fruit metaphor specifically shows up in several places with a variety of meanings (e.g., good deeds—Phil 1:11, 22; Col 1:10; the fruit of the *gospel—Col 1:6; a gift—Rom 1:13; 15:28; or even a spiritual reward—Phil 4:17). Fruit is often used as a metaphor for Christian behavior and character. Typically, the focus is on the Spirit as the source of such Christian character growth, but the believer is also exhorted to work at growing in these virtues, especially love (Gal 5:6, 13; 6:9-10). Sometimes Paul contrasts good fruit that honors *God (Rom 6:22; 7:4) with bad fruit, representing evil deeds (Rom 6:21; 7:5). A life apart from Christ yields unfruitful (akarpos) works (Eph 5:11; Rom 6:1).

Closely related to “the fruit of the Spirit” is Paul’s depiction of the “fruit of *light,” which is found “in all that is good and right and true” (Eph 5:9-11 ESV). Also closely related are the metaphors of walking in the Spirit (Gal 5:16) and being led by the Spirit (Gal 5:18).

2.2. Flesh and Spirit. The dominant contrast in Galatians 5:16-24 is two lists: “the works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19-21 ESV) and “the fruit of the Spirit” (Gal 5:22-23 ESV). Neither list is exhaustive. Nor are the two lists arranged in a way that each wrong behavior symmetrically corresponds to each of the nine virtues. Galatians 5:17 explains that the things of the Spirit and the flesh are opposed to each other, but Paul’s exhortation to “walk by the Spirit” (Gal 5:16 ESV) is followed by an emphatic subjunctive clause, “and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (ESV), indicating a promise. Not gratifying the desires of the flesh is a promised result of following the imperative of walking by the Spirit, for such a victory can only be a supernatural work (Betz, 278; Schreiner, 343). The discourse concludes asserting that believers ultimately defeat the flesh because “in Christ” believers have “crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24 ESV; see Gal 2:20).

3. Paul’s Sources.

Virtue lists were common in antiquity, evident in sources such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and philosophers such as Philo, Seneca, Musonius Rufus, and Plutarch (Keener, 515). However, Paul does not use the qualities in a Greek way. For Paul, these virtues are always for the benefit of the *church and not merely for character formation, as was the case in Greek *ethics.

Paul’s employment of “fruit” most likely stems from the variety of fruit metaphors in the Gospels: Matthew 3:7-10; 7:15-20; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:1-6. These draw from the OT imagery comparing *Israel to a vine (e.g., Ps 80:8-18), vineyard (e.g., Is 27:2-6), or an olive tree (Jer 11:6). Israel is also called out for failing to bear fruit (Is 5). Isaiah 32:15-16 and Joel 2:18-32 are often cited as background with their promise of the Spirit and the intended fruitfulness of the recipients (Barclay 1991, 121; Beale, 1-38; Dunn, 308; Hansen, 178; Silva, 810). Others find background in the *covenant blessings of Leviticus and Deuteronomy (Keesmaat, 207-8; Pate, 229-30).

4. Spiritual Virtues.

The godly qualities Paul lists here are prompted by the Spirit and demonstrate the work of the Spirit in believers in contrast to the “works of the flesh” (Gal 5:19-21). They are not the result of human effort. In fact, these virtues go beyond the natural bounds of virtue. For example, believers demonstrate love profoundly by not only loving the lovable but their enemies too (Rom 12:14; see Mt 5:44).

4.1. Love (Agapē). It is not surprising that love is first in the list—it is the foundational virtue (1 Cor 13). Love for God is the greatest command, and love for neighbor the second greatest (Mt 22:36-40). The active faith described in this letter is manifested through love (1 Cor 5:6), indeed loving service to others (1 Cor 5:13). Love fulfills the whole *law (Gal 5:14; Rom 13:8-10).

Love is fundamental to God’s character. It is best understood as a self-giving action for the benefit of others, rather than an emotion. Christ’s giving of himself on the *cross is the supreme example of such love (Gal 2:20; Eph 5:25). It is God’s Spirit who pours out his love to believers (Rom 5:5). Love is associated with God’s Spirit also in Romans 15:30; Colossians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 6:6; 2 Timothy 1:7.

4.2. Joy (Chara). Joy is a prevalent theme in Paul’s letter to the Philippians (see Phil 1:4, 18, 25; 2:2, 17-18, 28-29; 3:1; 4:1, 4, 10). In Galatians, the word joy occurs only here (Gal 5:22). Joy is connected to God’s character and is a work of the Spirit (Rom 14:17) that cannot be attributed to human effort. Believers are exhorted to “rejoice in the *Lord” in all circumstances and all times (Phil 4:4 ESV; see 1 Thess 5:16), and are able to experience joy even in the midst of *suffering and trials because they are rooted in God’s love and grace, while filled with *hope that he works all things together for good (Rom 5:1-4; 8:28; 2 Cor 6:10).

4.3. Peace (Eirēnē). Paul uses peace in a few different ways. First, it can refer to the objective state in which believers find themselves following their justification (Rom 5:1). Believers have “peace with God” in contrast to the prior state of hostility humans have as a result of their *sin. Jesus himself is identified as “our peace” (Eph 2:14), reconciling humans to himself (Eph 2:16) and to each other (Eph 2:14-15). This relational peace is the second way Paul employs this word—it denotes the harmony and love that is possible between believers who have first found peace with God (Rom 14:19). Third, Paul at times refers to peace as an internal state of well-being. The peace of God guards believers’ hearts and minds in *Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7).

4.4. Patience (Makrothymia). Patience is another work of the Holy Spirit that enables a believer to endure hardship. In the LXX, this word occurs as an adjective, describing God’s character (Ex 34:6; Ps 103:8 [102:8 LXX]). In the NT, it is used to describe God and Christ’s attitude toward sinful people (Rom 2:4; 9:22; 1 Tim 1:16; 1 Pet 3:20; 2 Pet 3:15). More commonly, it indicates the patience people should manifest toward one another, especially despite difficulties (L&N 25.169; Bruce 1982, 253; see 2 Cor 6:6; Eph 4:2; Col 1:11; 3:12; 2 Tim 3:10; 4:2; Heb 6:12; Jas 5:10). More simply, it can be defined as “long-tempered” (Dunn, 311).

4.5. Kindness (Chrēstotēs). Only Paul employs this word in the NT. It is often used to express God’s gracious offering of *salvation through Jesus Christ (Rom 2:4; 11:22; Eph 2:7; Titus 3:4). Believers are called to emulate this kindness toward others (Rom 3:12; 2 Cor 6:6; Col 3:12).

4.6. Goodness (Agathōsynē). This word is related to the term agathos, which in the LXX translates the Hebrew tôb (Grundmann, TDNT 1:13). In Jewish tradition, it served in the frequent confession of the Lord’s perfect goodness: “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (1 Chron 16:34 NIV; cf. 2 Chron 5:13; Ps 118). Goodness serves as a kind of master moral category in the Jewish tradition. It refers to what is ethically good, especially as concerns the welfare of others (Keener, 521). In the NT, God alone is good (Mt 19:17). The natural person is unable to pursue good (Rom 7:18-25), but the grace of God transforms and equips believers for that purpose (Eph 2:8-10).

Among NT writers, only Paul uses agathōsynē (Rom 15:14; Eph 5:9; 2 Thess 1:11). It is “roughly synonymous” with chrēstotēs (Longenecker, 262).

4.7. Faithfulness (Pistis). Pistis may mean either “faith” or “faithfulness.” The noun pistis occurs 132 times in Paul’s letters, and 20 times in Galatians alone. It is mostly translated as “faith,” but in this list of ethical qualities, it makes sense that pistis also should express an ethical quality. Faith is first an act of trust in the gospel, but it is continually exercised through active dependence on Christ and the Spirit. Thus, faith, in Paul’s usage, usually entails faithfulness—it stimulates activity that produces good works (Pifer, 209). The word denotes reliability or trustworthiness.

4.8. Gentleness (Prautēs). This word shows up in other Pauline virtue lists (Eph 4:2; Col 3:12; Titus 3:2) and generally means “gentleness, “meekness,” or “humility.” Jesus is the model of such gentleness. In Matthew 11:29 he states that he is “gentle [praus] and humble in heart” (NASB; see Mt 21:5; 2 Cor 10:1). Believers who sin should be corrected with gentleness (Gal 6:1), and nonbelievers should also be instructed with gentleness in hope that they will repent (2 Tim 2:25).

4.9. Self-Control (Enkrateia). The word was widely used by Greek classical writers to convey a restraint of passion or base emotion. During Paul’s lifetime, the concept was central to Hellenistic ethics (Longenecker, 264), but it is a rare word in the NT (Acts 24:25; 2 Pet 1:6; the verbal form is employed in 1 Cor 7:9; 9:25). Craig Keener identifies this last term as the “climax of the Spirit’s fruit” because it combats most of the vices listed in Galatians 5:19-21 (Keener, 522-23).

5. Conclusion.

While debate remains as to whether the word fruit in the singular indicates a unitary concept (Betz, 286; Matera, 202) or whether fruit is simply a collective noun (Fee, 217), the significance of this list lies in their “cumulative effect” (Moo, 366). The specific virtues Paul has chosen here are those he deemed most appropriate for the situation in Galatia. The “fruit of the Spirit” builds up the church and reflects Christ’s presence. For those in Galatia who fear that abandoning law for Spirit will lead to libertinism, Paul assures that “against such things there is no law” (Gal 5:23 ESV). It is the Spirit who produces fruit in the lives of Christians and provides what the law requires.

See also ETHICS; FLESH; GALATIANS, LETTER TO THE; GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT; HOLINESS, SANCTIFICATION; HOLY SPIRIT; JOY, REJOICING; LOVE; PEACE, RECONCILIATION; SPIRITUALITY.

BIBLIOGRAPHY. J. M. G. Barclay, Obeying the Truth: Paul’s Ethics in Galatians (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1991); idem, Paul and the Gift (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2015); W. Barclay, Flesh and Spirit: An Examination of Galatians 5:19-23 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1962); J. Barr, “Words for Love in Biblical Greek,” in The Glory of Christ in the New Testament: Studies in Christology in Memory of George Bradford Caird, ed. L. D. Hurst and N. T. Wright (Oxford: Clarendon, 1987), 3-18; G. K. Beale, “The Spirit as the Transforming Agent of the Inaugurated Eschatological New Creation,” in A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2011), 559-91; K. Berding, Walking in the Spirit (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011). H. D. Betz, Galatians, Hermeneia (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979); F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1977); idem, Commentary on Galatians, NIGTC (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1982); W. D. Davies, Paul and Rabbinic Judaism, rev. ed. (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1980); J. D. G. Dunn, The Epistle to the Galatians, BNTC (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1993); G. D. Fee , The First Epistle to the Corinthians, NICNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1987); V. P. Furnish, Theology and Ethics in Paul (Nashville: Abingdon, 1968); W. Grundmann, “άγαθός, άγαθοεργέω, άγαθοποιέω, -ός, -ία, άγαθωσύνη, φιλάγαθος, άφιλάγαθος,” TDNT; G. W. Hansen, Galatians, IVPNTC (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1994); C. S. Keener, Galatians: A Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2019); S. C. Keesmaat, Paul and His Story, JSNTSup 181 (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999); R. N. Longenecker, Galatians, WBC 41 (Dallas: Word, 1991); W. Longsworth, “Ethics in Paul: The Shape of Christian Life,” The Annual of the Society of Christian Ethics (1981): 29-56; D. J. Lull, The Spirit in Galatia, SBLDS 49 (Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1980); F. Matera, Galatians, SP (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1992); D. J. Moo, Galatians, BECNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013); C. M. Pate, The Reverse of the Curse, WUNT 2/114 (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2000); J. H. Pifer, Faith as Participation (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2019); T. R. Schreiner, Galatians, ZECNT (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010); E. Schweizer, “Traditional Ethical Patterns in the Pauline and Post-Pauline Letters and Their Development,” in Text and Interpretation, ed. E. Best and R. McLean Wilson (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979), 195-209; M. Silva, “Galatians,” in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, ed. G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2007), 785-812; O. Wischmeyer, Der höchste Weg. Das 13. Kapitel des 1 Korintherbriefes (Gütersloh: Mohn, 1981).

J. H. Pifer