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He prevents the reasoning of those, who did not neglect regeneration, and place religion in more externals, showing that in the new man, or true sanctification, and real Christianity, there was sufficient to save us, in communion with Christ, without those external observances false teachers did stickle for as necessary.
If there there is neither Greek nor Jew; God, in effectually calling persons into a state of regeneration, had no regard to those known distinctions then in the world, of those who were born of the Gentiles or the seed of Abraham, Mat_3:9 Joh_8:39 Rom_2:11 10:12 Rom_11:7,11,12: See Poole on "Gal_3:28".
Circumcision nor uncircumcision; he works upon those who are not circumcised, as well as on those who are circumcised, now Christ is come, Gal_5:6 6:15, since which the posterity of Japheth, constituting the greater part of the Gentile church, do dwell in the tents of Shem, according to Noah’s prophecy, Gen_9:27, compared with Balaam’s, Num_24:24. Shem and Ham are not excluded, yet (a learned man observes) the faith of Christ from the ages of the apostles hath flourished most hitherto in Europe, and the parts of Asia where Japheth’s lot lay; and as of old some of the latter might, so we know of the former many of late have passed into America. Upon the apostle’s adding
Barbarian, Scythian, without conjunction either compulative or disjunctive, some have inquired whether these two should be balanced in the like opposition with the former? And it may be said, there is no more necessity for such exactness here, than elsewhere in the like form of speech, Rom_8:39 1Co_3:22: and the most think here is an increase of the oration, understanding by
Scythian (which is now more strictly the Tartarian) the most barbarous of the Barbarians. Yet, because the Grecians sometime accounted the world, besides themselves, (who were polished with human learning and philosophy), Barbarians, if any think there ought to be an opposition between the Barbarian and Scythian, then by Barbarian (i.e. in the philosophers’ reckoning) may be understood the Jews; by Scythian, the Gentiles. So Jew, circumcision, Barbarian, as in a parallel, are opposed to Gentile, uncircumcision, Scythian. For Scythians being numerous, thereby some used to express the nations, ( as Symmachus translates Gen_14:9, Tidal king of the Scythians), and so reckon the whole world might be divided into the Jews and Scythians, no otherwise than into circumcised and uncircumcised.
Bond nor free; as to acceptance with God in Christ, the distinctions of people were abolished with their observances and polities, because, some where they were more free, having milder laws; some where they were more servile, having more severe laws, which was an indifferent thing now as to their being in Christ, concerned to submit to certain honest laws, ordinances of magistrates, 1Pe_2:13, though not Judaic or judicial ones. In every condition, high or low, whether of service or freedom, Act_10:34,35 1Co_7:20-22, whosoever hath put on the new man in Christ is accepted. Neither the eloquence of the philosopher nor the rudeness of him who is uncultivated, neither the liberty of the freeman nor the bondage of the slave, doth further or obstruct the work of the new creation.
But Christ is all, and in all; but they that are truly interested in Christ, have really put him on, they are certainly privileged with that which answers all, they are indeed the blessed with faithful Abraham, whether they be of his seed according to the flesh, yea or no, Psa_32:2 Gal_3:7-9; having put on Christ, Rom_13:14, they are all complete in him, Col_2:10. He is all things to and in all those who are renewed, both meritoriously and efficaciously, 1Co_1:30 15:10 Gal_2:20: being by fiath one with him who hath all, they have all, Eph_3:17, either for their present support or their eternal happiness, Act_4:12.