Chapter 6: Verses 17–18
Chapter 6: Verses 17–18 17 From henceforth let no man put me to business: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Here the apostle lays down his last admonition, preventing an objection that might be made by the false apostles or the Galatians.
For whereas it might be said that Paul sought himself and the world, shunned persecution, and therefore joined circumcision to Christ to please the Jews, and followed not his own rule (v. 16), he takes away this objection with great authority, when he says, "From henceforth let no man put me to business." And withal he adds a reason of it:
"For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus"—as if he should say, the bonds, the imprisonments, the stripes, wounds, and scars in my body, do sufficiently testify my fidelity in my ministry, for if I had preached circumcision, I should not have suffered persecution. The words may be and are taken in a double sense. First thus, the false apostles and you Galatians (by their instigation) have been troublesome unto me by false accusations and slanderous imputations, as that I taught circumcision and the observation of the ceremonial law as a thing necessary to salvation, and so you have made a revolt from my doctrine, and by that means have doubled and tripled my labor and pains among you. But from henceforth cease to be troublesome unto me, you may take experiment and proof from me, the marks that I bear in my body do sufficiently witness and seal the truth of my doctrine and my fidelity in mine apostleship, as also whose disciple I am, Moses or Christ's, and what rule I follow, Judaism or Christianism.
Secondly, they carry this sense, I have said that they which walk according to this rule, in glorying only in the cross of Christ, "peace
shall be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." And I say again and again, that we ought to strive and contend for it, to observe and keep it as a thing most necessary to salvation: τοῦ λοιποῦ, as for other things not necessary to salvation, as circumcision, etc., "let no man trouble me" in the execution of mine apostolical function, or hinder the course of the gospel, by urging any other doctrine or ceremony contrary or diverse from this as necessary to salvation. This one thing is necessary, other things are needless and fruitless in comparison, therefore neither I, nor the church of God ought to be troubled with them. This latter sense I take to be more agreeable to the text.
Some make the sense to be this, I have had many troubles and conflicts and have many marks and scars in my body inflicted by persecutors. Therefore be no more troublesome unto me. For it were too much to add wormwood to my gall, affliction to affliction. Here we see the condition of the apostle, and the estate of all faithful ministers; that it is full of trouble and molestations. For as they are accounted men of turbulent spirits, disquieters of the state, as Elijah was (1 Kings 21) and Jeremiah (Jer. 15:18), and Paul (Acts 16:20;
21:28), so they are most troubled with factious opposers and false teachers, who labor to bring into the church things partly needless and superfluous, partly hurtful and pernicious. Thus the false apostles troubled the pastors and church of Galatia (Gal. 5:10) and the churches of Antiochia, Syria, Cilicia (Acts 15:24).
Secondly, consider how that the most and greatest troubles of the church have been for matters, not of substance, but of circumstance, partly not necessary, partly contrary to the rule—which notwithstanding have been urged with fire and faggot, as things most necessary.
Lastly, he that stands forth for the defense of God's truth (as Paul did, and all ministers ought to do) must let go all circumstances, and look to the substance. Not with Martha, to trouble himself about many needless things, when as one thing only is necessary [Luke
10:41].
The reason follows in these words: "For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."
The word in the original translated "marks" does properly signify prints with a hot iron.314 But it is here used generally to signify any blemish, scar, or mark whatsoever, whether such as was wont to be set upon servants bought with money (which among the Jews was a hole in the ear pierced with an awl, Ex. 21:6; Deut. 15:17) or upon slaves taken in the wars, as the Samians set upon an Athenian captive the sign of an owl. And the Athenians upon a Samian the sign of a ship. Or upon malefactors, as a hole in the ear, an "F" in the forehead, a brand in the hand. Or such a mark, as some think was set upon Cain (Gen. 4:15), or the mark of God (Ezek. 9:4), or of the beast
(Rev. 16:2).
The marks of Christ are of two sorts: either inward and invisible, or outward and visible. The invisible marks are two. The first is God's eternal election, which is called God's seal or mark. "The foundation of God remaineth sure, and hath this seal, the Lord knoweth who are his" (2 Tim. 2:19). All the elect are marked with this mark (Rev. 7), and by it Christ knows and acknowledges them for His sheep (John
10). The second is regeneration or the imprinting of the defaced image of God in the soul. By this mark (which is the true indelible character, never to be blotted out) are all believers sealed (2 Cor.
1:22; Eph. 1:13). These invisible marks of election and regeneration
are in the soul, and therefore not here meant. For he speaks of bodily marks, "I bear in my body the marks.…"
The outward visible marks are twofold: typical or real. Typical, as circumcision, which was a mark set in the foreskin of the flesh (Rom.
4:11). The blood of the paschal lamb, wherewith the houses of the Israelites were marked when the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain by the destroying angel. And baptism is of the same kind. For by baptism Christians are distinguished from Jews, Turks, infidels whatsoever. Real marks of Christ are whether in His natural or in His mystical body. In His natural body, the wounds which were given
Him in His hands, feet, and sides, which He showed to His disciples after His resurrection (John 20:27), which whether they be now to be seen in His glorified body (as some affirm) or abolished (as others) I leave to the reader, as a thing uncertain, and merely conjectural, seeing there is nothing in Scripture either for it, or against it, that does necessarily conclude it. But of these marks, the apostle speaks not in this place. The marks in His mystical body are those which are in His members, as wounds, scars, whippings, maimedness, etc., of which we read, "Everywhere we bear in our body the dying of our
Lord Jesus" (2 Cor. 4:10). And, "Five times received I forty stripes, save one; I was thrice beaten with rods, once stoned," etc. (2 Cor.
11:24–25). And these the apostle here calls "the marks of Christ" because they are inflicted for the profession of Christ and the gospel
—as the wounds and scars of a soldier may be called his prince's wounds and scars because they are had in his cause and quarrel.
Now those in His natural body differ from these in His mystical.
First, in that they are meritorious, for "by his stripes we are healed"
(1 Peter 2:24). These in His mystical body are glorious in the sight of God (as the death of His saints is), yet not meritorious. Secondly, those in His natural body were prophesied of before in particular.
"They pierced my hands and my feet" (Ps. 22:16). These in His
mystical body only in general, that we should be conformable unto Him.
In this place Paul speaks of the latter only, which were in his own person; and this he does, not to put any merit in them (as St. Francis did), but to testify himself to be a faithful servant of Christ. And he further meets with the false apostles, who would needs have had the Galatians circumcised, that so they might glory in the flesh as having set the mark of circumcision in the foreskin of their flesh. As if he should say, I set not marks in other men's flesh to glory of them, as the false apostles do, but I bear about in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. These are the signs of mine apostleship and arguments of fidelity in my ministry, which I set not in other men's flesh, but have in mine own.
Here we see what we are to think, and what use we are to make of the wounds, scars, and blemishes that are in any of the saints for the profession of the gospel and maintenance of the truth. First, that they are the sufferings, wounds, and marks of Christ Himself (as Paul terms them here, and Col. 1:24), seeing they are the wounds of the members of that body whereof He is the head. Secondly, they have this use, to convince the consciences of persecutors and wicked men that they are the servants of Christ, which suffer thus for righteousness' sake, for which cause they are here mentioned by Paul. Thus he proves himself to be a member of Christ by the afflictions which he suffered for His sake (2 Cor. 12). Thirdly, if men be constant in their profession, namely in faith and obedience, they are banners of victory. Therefore no man ought to be ashamed of them, no more than soldiers of their wounds and scars, but rather in a holy manner to glory of them as Paul did. For as it is a glory to a soldier to have received many wounds and to have many scars in a good cause, in his prince's quarrel and for the defense of his country
—so it is a glory for a Christian soldier to have the marks of the Lord Jesus in his body, as of wounds, scourges, bonds, imprisonment, for the profession of the truth. Therefore Constantine the Great (as the ecclesiastical history records) kissed the holes of the eyes of certain bishops (which had them put out by the Arians, for the constant profession of the faith of Christ), reverencing the virtue of the Holy
Ghost which shined in them.
This makes nothing for the fratres flagellantes, who glory in the marks which they make in their flesh by whipping of themselves. For first, it is not the punishment (as Cyprian says) but the cause that makes a martyr. Secondly, the marks which men set upon themselves contrary to the law (Lev. 19:28) are not the "marks of the Lord
Jesus"—but those only which are set upon them by others for the profession of the truth. Thirdly, this whipping and afflicting of themselves, being but will-worship, in not sparing of the body (Col.
2:23), is no better accepted of God than the superstitious practice of Baal's priests, lancing themselves with knives till the blood gushed out (1 Kings 18:28).
Again, if this be the glory of a servant of Christ, and a note of constant profession, what shall we say of them who have not only their consciences seared with a hot iron, but by drinking, whoring, rioting, etc., get the marks of Bacchus and Venus in their bodies? For if these be the marks of Christ, those must needs be the marks of Satan.
Lastly, hence we are taught a special duty, and that is to suffer bodily affliction in the profession of the truth. And though bonds and imprisonment abide us in all places, not to pass for them, so that we may fulfill our course with joy, according to Paul's example, both here, and Acts 20:24, as also in his commandment to Timothy,
"Suffer affliction as a good soldier of Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 2:3). The reasons are these. First, by suffering bodily affliction, we are made conformable unto Christ and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in our flesh (Col. 1:24). Secondly, they teach us to have a sympathy and fellow feeling of the miseries of our brethren, to remember those that are in bonds as though we were bound with them, and those that are in affliction as though we also were afflicted in the body (Heb.
13:3). Thirdly, our patient enduring of affliction does not only serve as a precedent and example to others to suffer patiently, but also is a notable means to confirm them in the truth (2 Cor. 1:6; Phil. 1:14).
Lastly, they serve to scour us that are earthy vessels from the rust and filth of sin that cleaves so fast unto our nature.
18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with your spirit, Amen.
Here, the apostle concludes his epistle with his usual farewell, commending the Galatians to the grace of God and wishing unto them "all things appertaining to spiritual life and godliness" (2 Peter
1:3), which he signifies here by "grace." There is a two-fold grace mentioned in Scripture: grace which makes a man gracious or acceptable to God, gratia gratum faciens: and grace which is freely given, gratia gratis data. Gratia gratum faciens is the favor and love of God, whereby He is well pleased with His elect in Christ, and this grace is in God Himself, and no quality infused or inherent in us.
And it is truly called the first grace, as being the cause of all other subsequent graces. Gratia gratis data is the free gift of God bestowed upon men, whether natural or supernatural—natural either in the state of apostasy since the fall, as the gift of illumination (John 1:9) and such like; supernatural, either common gifts as the gift of miracles, prophesying, tongues, etc., or saving graces, as the grace of election, effectual vocation, justification, adoption, glorification, etc.,
all which are called the second grace, because they flow from the first, as the stream from the fountain. Thus Paul distinguishes them, calling the former "the grace of God," the latter "the gift by grace"
(Rom. 5:15). Now grace in this place is not to be restrained only to the benefit of our redemption, as it is where the grace of Christ is distinguished from the love of God and communion of the Holy
Ghost (2 Cor. 13:14)—but to be understood of the favor and love of God, which is the first grace, and of the saving grace of regeneration, which is the second grace or the gift of grace. And it is called "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ," first, because He is the fountain of it.
"Of his fullness all we have received and grace for grace" (John 1:16).
Secondly, because He is the conduit or pipe by which it is conveyed unto us. "Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). For He is our propitiator by whom alone we receive grace, that is, the favor of God and reconciliation. For grace, that is, for the favor and love which God the Father bare unto His Son, we being accepted of God, and beloved in His Beloved (Eph. 1:6).
Christ is further called "our Lord" in five respects. First, by right of creation. "All things were made by him" (John 1:3). Secondly, by right of inheritance. "He is made heir of all things" (Heb. 1:2). "I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession" (Ps. 2:8). Thirdly, by right of redemption. "Ye are bought with a price" (1 Cor. 6:20), which is neither silver, nor gold, but the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18–19). And this He performed by a double right, namely, by right of property, as a king redeems his subjects, the master his servants; or by right of affinity, as the father may redeem the son, one brother another, and one kinsman another. Fourthly, by right of conquest. "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace," etc., "but when a stronger than he cometh upon him, and overcometh him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted and divideth the spoil" (Luke 11:21–22).
Lastly, by right of contract and marriage. "Thou shalt call me Ishi, and shalt not call me Baali.… And I will marry thee unto me forever in righteousness, judgment, mercy, and compassion, I will marry thee unto me in faithfulness, and thou shalt know the Lord" (Hos.
2:16, 19).
The apostle proceeds and says the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ "be with your spirit." For the better understanding of which phrase, we are to know that man consists of two essential parts, of soul and body. "Dust" (that is, the body) "returns to the earth, whence it was taken. And the spirit returns to God that gave it" (Eccl. 12:7). Albeit the apostle elsewhere divides man into three parts, spirit, soul, and body, when he prays for the Thessalonians that "their whole spirit, and soul, and body, may be kept blameless, unto the coming of Christ" (1 Thess. 5:23). Where he subdivides the soul into two parts, reason or understanding, which he calls the spirit; will or affection, which he terms (by the common name agreeing to both), the soul.
God having given reason to see and will to seek after that which is good—that reason having eyes might guide the will that is blind, and go before that it might follow. So that the spirit and soul are not two several substances, but one and the same (even as the body and the flesh are one body) and yet are they distinguished for doctrine's sake.
The word of God is said to "enter through, even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit" (Heb. 4:12). And the apostle distinguishes the soul into three faculties: the mind, cogitation, heart
—when he says the Gentiles walked in the vanity of their minds, and had their cogitations darkened, because of the hardness of their hearts (Eph. 4:17–18). By mind, meaning the hegemonical part or understanding; by cogitation, the inward senses as memory, fantasy, etc.; and by heart, the affection.
Now by "spirit" in this place is not meant the understanding alone, or the soul alone, but by a synecdoche the whole man is understood, albeit the soul principally be meant, because it is the proper subject of grace. For grace being a spiritual thing is placed immediately and properly in the spirit or mind of man, and in the body accidentally, where it does bewray itself by outward actions. Secondly, for that, as the seat of grace is in the mind, so the sense and apprehension of it is there likewise, and not in the body. Thirdly, as Theophylact says,
Non ait vobiscum, quid ita? Abigens eos a rebus bisce, arguensque non a lege hos spiritum, sed a gratia accepisse. So that it is all one as if he should have said, "The grace of our Jesus Christ be with you all"—as it is in Philippians 4:23 and 2 Thessalonians 3:18, as it may appear by the like. For that farewell which Paul gives Timothy in his latter epistle, "The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit" (2 Tim. 4:22) is all one with that in his former, "Grace be with thee" (1 Tim. 6:21).
And that salutation, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit" (Philemon 25), is all one with that, "Grace be with you" (Col.
4:18).
Hence that phrase and form of speech in our English liturgy, or Common Prayer Book (though misliked by some, and caviled at by others) has his warrant and ground, when the minister says, "The Lord be with you"; and the people answer, "And with thy spirit," wishing the same to him, that he to them, that God would be with his spirit, that is, with him.
Again, mark how the apostle as he did begin with grace (1:3), so he does end with grace, to teach us first of all, that our salvation is placed in it alone, for the beginning, the progress, and the accomplishment thereof. For election is of grace (Rom. 11:5), and vocation is of grace (2 Tim. 1:9), and justification (Rom. 3:24), and glorification (Rom. 6:23). Secondly, that Christ is to have all the
glory of this grace, whereby we are so highly advanced into the favor of God, both for the beginning, continuance, and ending, without ascribing any part thereof to ourselves or any other creature. Thirdly, that all our salutations and greetings, our adieus and farewells, ought to be grounded in the grace of Christ, otherwise they are but carnal.
And therefore the apostle bids the Christians to salute one another "in a holy kiss" [Rom. 16:16], or (as Peter speaks), with "the kiss of love" (1 Peter 5:14).
This confutes the popish doctors, who do not only ascribe the beginning of their salvation to themselves, in co-working with God in their first conversion, but also the end and accomplishment of it, by works of condignity, which (as they say) are meritorious of eternal life.
Further, observe with what emphasis the apostle concludes his epistle—first opposing Christ the Lord of the house to Moses who was but a servant in the house (Heb. 3:5–6). Secondly, the grace of Christ to inherent justice and merits of works. Thirdly, the spirit in which he would have grace to be seated, to the flesh in which the false apostles gloried so much. Lastly, brotherly unity one with another, implied in the word "brethren," to the proud and lordly carriage of the false apostles over them.