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Gal_6:12.[265] All those whose wish and will are directed to making a fair show in the flesh, that is, to the having a specious appearance, while they are involved in fleshly habits,—this class of men force circumcision upon you, and they do so solely for the reason that they may not bring on themselves persecution on account of the cross of Christ. This persecution they would incur on the part of the Jews, if they preached the cross of Christ and at the same time rejected circumcision; whereas, by insisting on circumcision, they disarmed the zeal of the Jews for the law (comp. on Gal_5:11), and removed from the cross of Christ all occasion of their experiencing persecution for it (note the critically correct position of the μή ). In order to understand the passage rightly, we must note that the emphasis is on ΕὐΠΡΟΣΩΠΉΣΑΙ (not on ἘΝ ΣΑΡΚΊ ): they desire to combine a pleasing exterior with an unspiritual, carnal state of life, in which they really are. Thus is characterized the hypocritical conduct of these people, whose jesuitry makes them resemble the τάφοις κεκονιαμένοις (Mat_23:27; comp. Act_23:3). Comp. 2Co_5:12. So many as belong to this dissembling class, they constrain you to be circumcised!
εὐπρόσωπος ] speciosus facie, sometimes applied to actual beauty of person (as Xen. Mem. i. 3. 10), and sometimes to a mere specious appearance (as Herod. vii. 168; commonly used among Greek authors (comp. Gen_12:11); but εὐπροσωπεῖν is not preserved elsewhere in the literary language. In Dion. Hal. Gal_3:11 we find ΕὐΠΡΟΣΩΠΊΑ ; in Symmachus, Psa_141:6, ΕὐΠΡΟΣΩΠΊΣΘΗΣΑΝ . Comp. ΦΑΙΝΟΠΡΟΣΩΠΕῖΝ , Cic. Att. vii. 21, xiv. 21; σεμνοπροσωπεῖν , Arist. Nub. 363.
ἐν σαρκί ] is the element of the sinful nature of man (Gal_6:8; Gal_3:3; Gal_5:17), in which, instead of being renewed and refined by the Holy Spirit, those hypocrites are found living, and at the same time endeavour to give to themselves a good colouring which would prepossess the opinion of others in their favour. The juxtaposition of the words, “to look fair in the flesh” reveals the moral contradiction in their nature, and delineates their whole portraiture, as if with one sharp touch, indignantly, vigorously, and appropriately. The words are usually explained: “those who desire to be well-pleasing by means of outward carnal things, such as circumcision and the observance of the ceremonial law generally,” Rückert; comp. Beza, Gomarus, Koppe, Rosenmüller, Winer, Usteri, Matthies, Schott, Olshausen, and others. Of course ἐν σαρκί might, ex adjuncto, obtain the sense, by means of circumcision and observance of the law (comp. Rom_2:28); but in this passage the context suggests no ground for thinking of anything else than that which was just shortly before meant by σάρξ , in the contrast drawn between ΣΆΡΞ and ΠΝΕῦΜΑ . Comp. Wieseler. And how feeble and inexpressive, when placed at the commencement of so energetic a passage, would be the description of the misleaders which this interpretation would yield! Holsten interprets in a similar way, but developes the sense more accurately, and takes ἘΝ ΣΑΡΚΊ as the sphere in which the ΕὐΠΡ . manifests itself, “all who desire a fair show in the fleshly domain;” this applies in the concrete to circumcision, which could have true significance only as a sign of inward righteousness (Rom_3:25 f.), but to which these persons adhered “for its fair show of righteousness.” But it is not until Gal_6:13 that σάρξ obtains its reference in harmony with the text to circumcision; in respect to which, moreover, the idea, that circumcision is the seal of righteousness, is not at all intimated in the connection of our passage. Lastly, Chrysostom and his successors, Erasmus, Calvin, Estius, Grotius, and others, have assigned to ἑν σαρκί the unmeaning sense ΠΑΡʼ ἈΝΘΡΏΠΟΙς ; and Hofmann has arrived at the trifling interpretation, that the idea meant was “a pleasing cheerfulness of outward appearance, springing from and testifying to a natural amiability, to which the opponents of the apostle aspired: they would fain appear with the expression of natural amiability.” Thus the description of the opponents placed at the head of this final outburst, so full of holy severity and indignation, would simply amount to the assertion of an amiable bonhommie by which they were impelled. Holsten justly designates this view as inconceivable.
ἀναγκάζουσιν ] they are occupied with, busy themselves in, forcing circumcision upon you. See Bernhardy, p. 370. As to the idea of ἈΝΑΓΚΆΖ . see on Mat_14:22. Comp. Gal_2:3; Gal_2:14.
ΜΌΝΟΝ ἽΝΑ ] merely from the (self-interested) motive, that they, etc.
τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ] that is, on account of the cross of Christ, because they preach Christ as crucified. The instrumental dative denotes the cause of the persecution. See Rom_11:20; 2Co_2:12; Bernhardy, p. 101 f.; “Winer, p. 202 f. [E. T. 270]. So most expositors, including Rückert, Matthies, Usteri, Schott, Olshausen, Baumgarten-Crusius, Hilgenfeld, Wieseler, Hofmann. But others explain the words according to the idea of the παθήματα Χριστοῦ (see on 2Co_1:5; Col_1:24): “ne participes fiant suppliciorum Christi,” Winer; comp. Jerome, Luther, Grotius, Semler, Michaelis, Koppe, Morus, de Wette, Ewald. The evident reference to Gal_5:11[266] is decidedly opposed to this interpretation, even apart from the singular nature of the idea τῷ σταυρῷ διώκεσθαι (Paul would have written ταῖς θλίψεσι or the like).
[265] As to vv. 12–16, see the excursus of Holsten, z. Evang. d. Paul u. Petr. 343 ff.
[266] Holsten holds the peculiar view, that what is in Gal_5:11 expressed objectively, receives here a subjective turn: “in order that they (those who are offended) should no more be persecuted through (the offence at) the cross.” The σταυρὸς τ . Χ . had, in his view, been to the Jewish Christians an obscure point, and in presence of the Pauline churches a painful wound, by the recollection of which they were, in a metaphorical sense, persecuted. But what plain reader would have been able to unriddle a sense so enigmatically wrapped up—a sense which Paul might easily have expressed in clear words?