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Gal_6:14. By way of contrast, not to the national vanity of the Jews (Hofmann, in accordance with his interpretation of Gal_6:13), but to the καυχάσθαι which the pseudo-apostles had in view, Paul now presents his own principle: “from me, on the other hand, far be it to glory, except only in the cross of Christ.”
ἐμοὶ μὴ γένοιτο καυχ .] mihi ne accidat, ut glorier. On this deprecating expression with the infinitive, comp. LXX. Gen_44:7; Gen_44:17; Jos_22:29; Jos_24:16; 1Ma_13:5; 1Ma_13:9-10; Ignat. Eph. 12; Xen. Cyr. vi. 3. 11: ὦ Ζεῦ μέγιστε , λαβεῖν μοι γένοιτο αὐτόν , Anab. i. 9. 18; Dem. 33:25; Ellendt, Lex. Soph. I. p. 366.
In the words εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ down to κόσμῳ , observe the defiant enthusiasm, which manifests itself even in the fulness of the expression. How very different the conduct of the opponents, according to Gal_6:12! Nothing but the cross of Christ is to be the subject of his καυχᾶσθαι ; nothing, namely, but the redemption accomplished on the cross by Christ constituted the basis, the sum, and the divine certainty of his faith, life, hope, action, etc. Comp. Php_3:7 ff.; 2Co_5:15 ff.; 1Co_1:23; 1Co_2:2, et al. Thus it is a truly apostolic oxymoron: καυχᾶσθαι ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ . The cross is “ τὸ καύχημα τῶν καυχημάτων ,” Cyril.
διʼ οὗ ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρ . κἀγὼ τῷ κόσμῳ reveals the cause why he may not glory in anything else: “through whom the world is crucified to me, and I (sc. ἐσταύρωμαι ) unto the world,” that is, “by whose crucifixion is produced the result, that no internal fellowship of life longer exists between me and the world: it is dead for me, and I for it.” By Calvin, Bengel, Winer, Usteri, Hofmann, Holsten, Matthias, Reithmayr, and others, διʼ οὗ is referred to the cross. But it is more pertinent to refer it to the fully and triumphantly expressed subject immediately preceding, τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Vulgate, Erasmus, Beza, Luther, and many others, including de Wette, Ewald, Wieseler): through whom, that is, according to the context, by means of whose crucifixion. This effect is dependent on the inward fellowship with the death of Christ (Gal_2:19 f.; Romans 6) commenced by faith, and maintained by the Holy Spirit. By this fellowship Paul is transplanted into an entirely new relation of life, and feels that all the previous interests of his life are now stripped of their influence over him, and that he is now completely independent of them. Comp. Php_3:7 ff.
ἐμοί ] for me, denotes the ethical reference of the relation. See Bernhardy, p. 84.
κόσμος (without the article; see Winer, p. 117 [E. T. 153]) finds its explanation from Gal_6:15 ( οὔτε περιτομὴ , αὔτε ἀκροβυστία ), namely, the organic totality of all relations aloof from Christianity, looked upon, indeed, as a living power, which exercises authority and sway over the unconverted, but in the case of the converted has become dead through his admission into the fellowship of faith and life with the crucified Lord; that is, has ceased to influence and determine his thoughts, feelings, and actions. Thus the world is crucified to him by means of the crucifixion of Christ. Comp. Col_2:20; Eph_2:2 f.; 1Co_7:31; 1Co_7:33-34; Jam_4:4; 1Jn_2:15 f.
κἀγῶ τῶ κόσμῳ ] for the cessation of the mutual fellowship of life is meant to be expressed, and the matter to be thus wholly exhausted. Comp. 1Co_6:13; 2Th_1:12; “nec malis illius territor, nec commodis titillor, nec odium metuo, nec plausum moror, nec ignominiam formido, nec gloriam affecto,” Erasmus, Paraphr.