SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:4
Y eso a pesar de los falsos hermanos, que se entraban secretamente para espiar nuestra libertad que tenemos en el Cristo Jess, para ponernos en servidumbre;
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. And that because of false brethren , etc..] This is the reason why the elders did not insist upon the circumcision of Titus, why he did not submit to it, and why the apostle would not admit of it: had it been left as a thing indifferent, or had it been moved for in order to satisfy some weak minds, it might have been complied with, as in the case of Timothy; but these men insisted upon it as necessary to salvation; they were sly, artful, designing men; could they have gained their point in such an instance; could they have got such a precedent at such a time, when this matter was canvassing, they would have made great use of it in the Gentile churches, for which reason it was by no means judged proper and expedient. These men are described as false brethren: they had the name, but not the grace, which entitles to the character of brethren; they called themselves Christians, but were in reality Jews: at the head of these, Cerinthus, that arch-heretic, is said to be. They are further described as such, who were unawares brought in, who came in privily ; into the churches, and into the ministry, into private houses, where the apostles were; or rather into the public synod, where they were convened together about this article of the necessity of circumcision to salvation. Their views, aims, and ends were, to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus ; by which is meant, not a liberty to sin, which is no Christian liberty, is contrary to Christ, to the Spirit of Christ, to the principle of grace in believers, and to the doctrines of the Gospel; but a liberty from sin; not the being of it, but the dominion and damning power of it: that branch of Christian liberty the apostle here chiefly designs is a freedom from the law, both the moral law, as in the hands of Moses, and as a covenant of works, though not from obedience to it as in the hands of Christ, and as a rule of walk and conversation; but from obeying it, in order to obtain life, righteousness, and salvation by it, and from the curse and condemnation of it; and chiefly the ceremonial law, circumcision, and all the other rituals of it, and the free use of all things indifferent, provided the glory of God, and the peace of weak believers, are secured. This liberty is said to be had in Christ, because Christ is the author of it; it is that with which Christ makes his people free; and such as are made free by him, are free indeed; and is what they come to enjoy by being in him; for by having union to him, they come to partake of all the blessings of grace which come by him, and this among the rest. Now the design of these false teachers getting in privily among the apostles, elders, and brethren, was to make their remarks upon this liberty, to object to it, and, if possible, to break in upon it, and destroy it, and so gain another point, which follows: that they might bring us into bondage ; to the moral law, by directing souls to seek for justification and salvation by the works of it, which necessarily induces a spirit of bondage, genders to a state of bondage and involves in it; and to the ceremonial law, by engaging to an observance of circumcision, that yoke of bondage, and of day, months, times, and years, and other beggarly elements, which naturally lead on to such a state.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-10 - Observe the apostle's faithfulness in giving a full account of the doctrine he had preached among the Gentiles, and was still resolved to preach, that of Christianity, free from all mixture of Judaism. Thi doctrine would be ungrateful to many, yet he was not afraid to own it His care was, lest the success of his past labours should be lessened or his future usefulness be hindered. While we simply depend upon God for success to our labours, we should use every proper caution to remove mistakes, and against opposers. There are things which ma lawfully be complied with, yet, when they cannot be done withou betraying the truth, they ought to be refused. We must not give plac to any conduct, whereby the truth of the gospel would be reflecte upon. Though Paul conversed with the other apostles, yet he did no receive any addition to his knowledge, or authority, from them Perceiving the grace given to him, they gave unto him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, whereby they acknowledged that he wa designed to the honour and office of an apostle as well as themselves They agreed that these two should go to the heathen, while the continued to preach to the Jews; judging it agreeable to the mind of Christ, so to divide their work. Here we learn that the gospel is no ours, but God's; and that men are but the keepers of it; for this we are to praise God. The apostle showed his charitable disposition, an how ready he was to own the Jewish converts as brethren, though man would scarcely allow the like favour to the converted Gentiles; but mere difference of opinion was no reason to him why he should not hel them. Herein is a pattern of Christian charity, which we should exten to all the disciples of Christ.
Greek Textus Receptus
δια 1223 δε 1161 τους 3588 παρεισακτους 3920 ψευδαδελφους 5569 οιτινες 3748 παρεισηλθον 3922 5627 κατασκοπησαι 2684 5658 την 3588 ελευθεριαν 1657 ημων 2257 ην 3739 εχομεν 2192 5719 εν 1722 χριστω 5547 ιησου 2424 ινα 2443 ημας 2248 καταδουλωσωνται 2615 5672
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. The false brethren (touv yeudadelfouv). Only here and 2 Corinthians xi. 26. Christians in name only; Judaisers; anti-Paulinists. The article marks them as a well known class.
Unawares brought in (pareisaktouv). N.T.o . Lit. brought in by the side, and so insidiously, illegally. Vulg. subintroductos. o LXX. Strabo (xvii. 1) uses it as an epithet of Ptolemy, "the sneak." Comp. pareisaxousin shall privily bring in, 2 Pet. ii. 1; and pareiseduhsan crept in privily, Jude 4. Brought in, not from Jerusalem into the church at Antioch, nor into the Pauline churches generally, but into the Christian brotherhood to which they did not rightfully belong.
Who (oitinev). The double relative introduces the explanation of the two preceding epithets: false brethren, privily brought in, since they came in privily to spy out our liberty.
Came in privily (pareishlqon). Lit. came in beside. Only here and Rom. v. 20, where it implies nothing evil or secret, but merely something subsidiary. The aorist has a pluperfect sense, indication the earlier intrusion of these persons into the Christian community.
To spy out (kataskophsai). N.T.o . In LXX, of spying out a territory, 2 Samuel x. 3; 1 Chron. xix. 3.
Liberty (eleuqerian). Freedom from Mosaism through justification by faith.
Bring us into bondage (katadoulwsousin). Only here and 2 Corinthians xi. 20. Bring us into subjection to Jewish ordinances. The compound verb indicates abject subjection.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:4 {But because of the false brethren privately brought in} (dia de tous pareisaktous yeudadelfous). Late verbal adjective pareisaktos from the double compound verb pareisagw, found in papyri in the sense of brought in by the side or on the sly as here. Evidently some of the Judaizers or sympathizers whom Paul had not invited had come in as often happens. Paul terms them "false brethren" like "the false apostles" in #2Co 11:13 of the Judaizers in Corinth. {Who came in privily} (hoitines pareiselqon). Repetition of the charge of their slipping in unwanted (pareisercomai, late double compound, in Plutarch, in N.T. only here and #Ro 5:20). {To spy out} (kataskopesai). First aorist active infinitive of kataskopew, old Greek verb from kataskopos, a spy, to reconnoitre, to make a treacherous investigation. {That they might bring us into bondage} (hina hemas katadoulwsousin). Future active indicative of this old compound, to enslave completely (kata-) as in #2Co 11:20. Nowhere else in N.T. this was their purpose (hina and future active indicative of this causative verb). It was as serious a conflict as this . Spiritual liberty or spiritual bondage, which?
