Galatians 5:26Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

We must not argue about the meaning of Scripture and say: “Circumcision is better.” “No, uncircumcision is.” “The literal sense, historia, must be despised, and allegory followed.” “On the contrary, allegory is empty and obscure, and is not fastened to any foundations of truth.” From this arise mutual ill feelings. He says: They wish to separate you from us, so that you may zealously follow them. They desire not so much to teach the truth of the Law as to conquer. Yet, so as not to leave the word “glory” entirely without attention, and not to yield first place to the wise in their useless explanations, we shall show something from Holy Scripture. The word “glory” signifies public opinion and human praise acquired through favor, as it is said: “They do all their works to be glorified by men” (Mt 23:5). Elsewhere it is said: “How can you believe, seeking glory from one another?” (Jn 5:44). Then, in the same place, He indicates the good side of this concept: “But the glory that comes from the One alone you do not seek.” From this we can understand that one and the same word signifies at times virtue and at times vice. If I seek glory from men, it is vice. If I seek it from God, it is virtue, for He also calls us to true glory, saying: “Those who glorify Me I will glorify” (1 Kgs 2:30). In the divine Scriptures the word “glory” has yet another meaning. It is when something most exalted and divine appears to human sight. For example, there was the glory of the Lord which appeared in the tabernacle of the Lord and in the temple built by Solomon (1 Kgs 8:10). There was also the glory that shone on the face of Moses, though he himself did not know that his face had been so glorified (Ex 40). I think the Apostle also speaks of this glory: “We all, beholding face to face the unveiled glory of the Lord, shall be transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Holy Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). The Savior Himself is called “the radiance of glory and the image of the substance of God” (Heb 1:3). Stephen also saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at His right hand (Acts 7:56). But let us too receive freedom to devise new names. As someone has said, new names must be formed for new things. Here also the Apostle says: “Let us not become greedy seekers of empty,” or “hollow, glory.” We affirm that those are zealous seekers of full glory who desire the glory of God, praise worthy of virtue, and the contemplation of something more divine. For this reason, in very many places our Christian writers have translated “glory” as “majesty.” I have long desired that my speech should flow freely, but fear restrains me from words. Yet I shall speak, and I shall not be silent about my passion. It is an almost common passion. It is not for wealth, nor for power, nor for beauty and bodily charms, since all these are listed among the works of the flesh. If almsgiving is done for praise, this is vain glory. The same is true of long prayer and pallor from prolonged fasting. These are not my words, but the words of the Lord proclaiming in the Gospel (Mt 6:1-7). Often even purity in married life, widowhood, and virginity seeks human praise. And even martyrdom itself, which I have long feared to mention, becomes useless bloodshed if it is done so that we may be admired and praised by the brethren. But let the Apostle speak. Let the chosen vessel speak: “If I give my body so as to gain glory, but have not love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor 13:3). This was said by the man who said: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago, whether in the body I do not know, or outside the body I do not know, God knows, was caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2). A little later he says: “He was caught up into Paradise and heard secret words, arcana, which it is not lawful for a man to speak” (2 Cor 12:4). I speak of the man who labored more than all. To him, lest the greatness of the revelation destroy him, there was given a goad in his flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet him, lest he be exalted. It is certain that he asked the Lord three times that it might depart from him. Yet it was said to him: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:8-9). What work is so much the work of God as reading Scripture, preaching in the Church, seeking the priesthood, sacerdotium, and serving before the altar of God? Yet even this comes only from a desire for praise, unless a man guards his heart with all diligence. Look, Cicero also says this: many writers inscribed their books “On Contempt for Glory,” and yet, for glory’s sake, they placed their names in the title. We interpret the Scriptures. We often use the reed to correct our writing. We write what is worthy to be read. Yet if this were not the work of Christ, but the desire to attain remembrance among posterity and public renown, all our labor would be vain. We would be like sounding brass and a clanging cymbal (1 Cor 13:1). You see that many dispute among themselves about the Scriptures and turn the word of God into an arena for wrestlers. They provoke one another, and if they are defeated, they hate, because they are greedy seekers of glory. I know that in the Latin collections of the holy books, in the place we cited above, “If I give my body so as to be an object of glory. ” there stands “so as to burn” instead of “so as to be an object of glory.” This error crept in among our people because of the similarity of the words “to burn” and “to be glorified.” Among the Greeks they differ by only one letter, kauchsomai and kauqhsomai. However, among the Greeks themselves the manuscripts also differ.

Although the holy Apostle does not speak directly, the form of his speech suggests that he is addressing the leaders of the churches. For he says: “you who are spiritual, correct those who sin, bear one another’s burdens.”

In the last verse (Gal 6:6), he defines the relation of the one taught to the teacher.

It is not fitting for everyone to correct, teach, and bear the burdens of others. There must be special persons for this, otherwise disorders in society are inevitable. In the Church this is the duty of the leaders.

Wherever the Apostle Paul founded churches, he everywhere appointed pastors and teachers. Of course, they had been appointed by him in the Galatian churches as well. He is now directing his speech to them.

Why did he not name them directly? Evidently they were guilty of the very thing against which the Apostle speaks. Therefore, to soften the rebuke, he speaks generally.

Or perhaps, along with the leaders, other prominent persons were found faulty in the same matter. St. Paul brings all of them under the same general view. Meanwhile, the instructions are of such a kind that in some respects they could apply to all Christians in general (Bishop Theophan).

Why did he not name them directly? Surely they were guilty of what the Apostle speaks against. Therefore, to soften the rebuke, he speaks generally. Perhaps others also, besides those who presided, had become faulty in the same matter. These were persons who stood out from the rest. Saint Paul brings them all under one general view. At the same time, the instructions themselves are of such a kind that, in some aspects, they could apply to all Christians in general.

The Apostle says to the more perfect and guiding ones: do not be vainglorious (cf. Gal 5:26). Be attentive to the needs of the fallen and the weak (cf. Gal 6:1-2). Do not trumpet before yourselves, thinking yourselves to be something (cf. Gal 6:3-5).

People seek vain glory when they think to glory in what cannot give true glory. They also do so when they try to catch glory and praise from those whose praise and glorification are worthless. Such are all men in general. Those who suffer from this weakness are usually man-pleasers. They are unwilling to provoke anyone intentionally.

Yet their very striving to make people trumpet about them, especially when they succeed, provokes envy in others against their will. It also irritates others against them. Likewise they themselves envy anyone who gets ahead of them in this empty business, and they redouble their efforts.

This rivalry, in word and deed, creates lack of peace among those contending. From them it passes to those connected with them. The brotherly bond is broken, and the community is threatened with dissolution. Saint Chrysostom says: "In vainglory lies hidden the cause of many evils. From it envy is born, and from envy come countless kinds of evil."

Such is the general thought of the text. But if we take into account the circumstances in which the Epistle was written, it receives a special shade of meaning. Some of our interpreters give it this shade. Blessed Theodoret writes: "Perhaps those who were firm in the faith, continually condemning those who had wavered, stirred up disputes. The Apostle exhorts them to extend a hand to those who were inclining toward the Law."

Blessed Augustine understands this passage in a similar way. "After he taught them how to resist those who deceitfully wished to subject them to the bondage of the Law, he warns them. Having become more knowledgeable, and already having strength to answer the reproaches of fleshly men as they ought, they must not fall into useless contentiousness from vainglory alone. Having been freed from the yoke of the Law, they must not become slaves of vainglorious desires."

One dwells on these thoughts all the more willingly because the word "provoking" in Greek is προκαλουμενοι, meaning "challenging." Blessed Theophylact explains it thus: "challenging one another to disputes and contests. This happens, for example, when someone says to his opponent, Come now, let us measure ourselves, if you have that much strength."

Perhaps such an error had already been made when division of mind entered the Christian community. Those on whom lay the duty of guarding the faith of the believers looked down on those being carried away. In defending the truth, they were guided not by love for it and for the brethren being scandalized. Rather, they were guided by envy toward the false teachers, who supposedly seized their glory and dignity.

For this reason, perhaps, they labored in the struggle but had no fruit. On the contrary, they only inflamed irritation and increased the discord. Something of this sort occurred. The holy Apostle had to mention it, and he does mention it. Yet, fearing that touching this wound might be too painful, he places even himself among those being instructed. He speaks as though he himself needed such a lesson: "Let us not become vainglorious," and so on.