SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:12
Deseo que fuesen también cortados los que os inquietan.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Galatians 5:12
Verse 12. I would they were even cut off which trouble you.] This saying has puzzled many, and different interpretations of the place have been proposed by learned men. At first sight it seems as if the apostle was praying for the destruction of the false teachers who had perverted the Churches of Galatia. Mr. Wakefield thought ofelon apokoyontai might be translated, I wish that they were made to weep; and in his translation of the New Testament the passage stands thus: "I wish that they who are unsettling you may lament it." I believe the apostle never meant any such thing. As the persons who were breeding all this confusion in the Churches of Galatia were members of that Church, the apostle appears to me to be simply expressing his desire that they might be cut off or excommunicated from the Church.
Kypke has given an abundance of examples where the word is used to signify amputating; cutting off from society, office, &c.; excluding. In opposition to the notion of excommunication, it might be asked: "Why should the apostle wish these to be excommunicated when it was his own office to do it?" To this it may be answered: The apostle's authority was greatly weakened among that people by the influence of the false teachers, so that in all probability he could exercise no ecclesiastical function; he could therefore only express his wish. And the whole passage is so parallel to that, 1 Cor. v. 6, 7, that I think there can be no reasonable doubt of the apostle's meaning: Let those who are unsettling the Church of Christ in your district be excommunicated; this is my wish, that they should no longer have any place among you."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. I would they were even cut off which trouble you .] These words are a solemn wish of the apostle's with respect to the false teachers, or an imprecation of the judgment of God upon them; that they might be cut off out of the land of the living by the immediate hand of God, that they might do no more mischief to the churches of Christ: this he said not out of hatred to their persons, but from a concern for the glory of God, and the good of his people. The word here used answers to the Hebrew word jpq , and which is often made use of by the Jews in solemn imprecations; we read of a righteous man, wynb ta jpqm , “that cut off his children”: the gloss upon it is, “he used to say, when he made any imprecation, ynb ta jpqa , “may I cut off my children”;” that is, may they die, may they be cut off by the hand of God, and I bury them; “says R. Tarphon f111 , may my children be “cut off”, if these books of heretics come into my hands, that I will burn them;” and says the same Rabbi may I “cut off” my children, or may my children be cut off, if this sentence or constitution is cut off, or should perish. There is another use of this word, which may have a place here, for it sometimes signifies to confute a person, or refute his notion f113 . “It is a tradition of the Rabbius, that after the departure of R. Meir, R. Judah said to his disciples, let not the disciples of R. Meir come in hither, for they are contentious; and not to learn the law do they come, but twklhb ynjpql , “to cut me off”; (i.e. as the gloss says, to show how sharp they are that none can stand against them;) to confute and overcome me, by their sentences, or constitutions.”
So the apostle here might wish that the mouths of these false teachers were stopped, their notions refuted, that they might give them no more trouble; to which agrees the Arabic version; “they that trouble you I wish they were dumb”; or that their mouths were stopped, as such vain talkers should be; (see Titus 1:10,11) or the sense of the apostle is, that it was his will and desire that these men should be cut off from the communion of the church; with which views he mentions the proverbial expression in ( Galatians 5:9) with which compare ( 1 Corinthians 5:6,7) or that they would cut themselves off, by withdrawing from them, going out from among them, and leaving them as these men sometimes did.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-12 - The life of a Christian is a race, wherein he must run, and hold on, i he would obtain the prize. It is not enough that we profes Christianity, but we must run well, by living up to that profession Many who set out fairly in religion, are hindered in their progress, or turn out of the way. It concerns those who begin to turn out of the way, or to tire in it, seriously to inquire what hinders them. The opinion or persuasion, ver. #(8), was, no doubt, that of mixing the works of the law with faith in Christ in justification. The apostl leaves them to judge whence it must arise, but sufficiently shows tha it could be owing to none but Satan. It is dangerous for Christia churches to encourage those who follow, but especially who spread destructive errors. And in reproving sin and error, we should alway distinguish between the leaders and the led. The Jews were offended because Christ was preached as the only salvation for sinners. If Pau and others would have admitted that the observance of the law of Mose was to be joined with faith in Christ, as necessary to salvation, the believers might have avoided many of the sufferings they underwent. The first beginnings of such leaven should be opposed. And assuredly thos who persist in disturbing the church of Christ must bear their judgment.
Greek Textus Receptus
οφελον 3785 και 2532 αποκοψονται 609 5698 οι 3588 αναστατουντες 387 5723 υμας 5209
Vincent's NT Word Studies
12. They were cut off (apokoyontai). More correctly, would cut themselves off. Perhaps the severest expression in Paul's Epistles. It turns on the practice of circumcision. Paul says in effect: "These people are disturbing you by insisting on circumcision. I would that they would make thorough work of it in their own case, and, instead of merely amputating the foreskin, would castrate themselves, as heathen priests do. Perhaps that would be even a more powerful help to salvation." With this passage should be compared Philip. iii. 2, 3, also aimed at the Judaisers: "Beware of the concision" (thn katatomhn), the word directing attention to the fact that these persons had no right to claim circumcision in the true sense. Unaccompanied by faith, love, and obedience, circumcision was no more than physical mutilation. They belonged in the category of those referred to in Lev. xxi. 5. Comp. Paul's words on the true circumcision, Rom. ii. 28, 29; Philip. iii. 3; Col. ii. 11.
Which trouble (anastatountev). Only here in Paul, and twice elsewhere, Acts xvii. 6; xxi. 38. o LXX. Stronger than tarassein disturb. Rather to upset or overthrow. The usual phrase in Class. is ajnastaton poiein to make an upset. Used of driving out from home, ruining a city or country. See on madest an uproar, Acts xxi. 38. Rev. unsettle is too weak.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:12 {I would} (ofelon). Would that, used as conjunction in wishes. See on ¯1Co 4:2; 2Co 11:1. Here a wish about the future with future indicative. {They which unsettle you} (hoi anastatountes humas). Late verb from anastatos, driven from one's abode, and in papyri in this sense as well as in sense of upsetting or disturbing one's mind (boy's letter) as here. In #Ac 17:6; 21:38 we have it in sense of making a commotion. {Cut themselves off} (apokoyontai). Future middle of apokoptw, old word to cut off as in #Ac 27:32, here to mutilate.
