Galatians 5:11
But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Paul's assertion that he would no longer be persecuted if he preached circumcision highlights that "the offense of the cross" wasn't just Jesus' death, but the radical idea that salvation comes only through Him, cutting away human effort like ritual observance. This means the core offense isn't the idea of sacrifice itself, but the exclusive reliance on Christ's sacrifice, which the Galatians were tempted to dilute.
Paul is responding to accusations that he himself preaches or condones circumcision, possibly twisting his past actions like circumcising Timothy. He argues that if he truly promoted this, the Jewish authorities wouldn't be persecuting him so fiercely, and the radical message of salvation through the cross alone would have lost its offensive power to them.
Ever feel like you're being attacked for standing up for what's right? Paul faced this head-on. He used suffering as evidence for his message.
Paul confronts a potential accusation: that he secretly preaches circumcision, the very thing he condemns. He points to the brutal persecution he endures from Jewish authorities and believers as undeniable proof that this isn't the case.
The Logic of Suffering
If Paul were teaching that circumcision was necessary for salvation, the Jewish leaders and their sympathizers wouldn't be attacking him. In fact, they would likely be pleased! His relentless persecution by them is powerful, albeit painful, evidence that he isn't compromising the gospel by requiring Jewish rites.
A Costly Message
This shows us that genuine adherence to the truth often comes with a price. When we stand firm on the gospel's core message – salvation through Christ alone – we may face opposition. Paul's suffering wasn't a sign of failure, but a testament to the radical nature of his message.
Why would Jesus' death on a cross be such a stumbling block? Paul explains that it clashes fundamentally with human attempts to earn salvation through rituals.
Paul argues that if he were also preaching the necessity of circumcision, the 'offense of the cross' would be removed. This means the core message of salvation through Christ's sacrifice alone would no longer be a problem.
Why the Cross Offends
The cross offends because it declares that human effort, rituals, and law-keeping are insufficient for salvation. It points to Christ's finished work as the only way to be made right with God. For those who relied on their religious practices (like circumcision and the Law) for righteousness, this was a radical and unacceptable idea.
Circumcision vs. the Cross
Understand the original words
adelphos · Greek Noun
An address used among believers in the New Testament to denote the spiritual bond shared by those who have been adopted into God’s family through faith in Christ.
peritomē · Greek Noun
The practice of removing the foreskin of the male, which served as the sign of the covenant between God and Abraham. In the Galatian context, it refers to the legalistic demand that Gentile converts must follow Mosaic law to be saved.
diōkō · Greek Verb
The act of suffering or experiencing hostility, harassment, or violence due to one's commitment to Christ and the gospel. It is promised to those who live righteously in a fallen world.
skandalon · Greek Noun
Paul's defense in this verse hinges on the reality of his persecution. If he were truly preaching circumcision as necessary for salvation, he would not be opposed by the Jewish authorities and zealous Jews; instead, he would be accepted. His suffering demonstrates that his message of salvation through the cross alone, apart from the Law, is the genuine 'offense' that provokes opposition.
c. AD 34-36
Paul's Conversion and Early Ministry
After his dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul began his ministry, preaching Christ. His early message, though focused on Christ, was still within a Jewish context.
c. AD 48-49
Council of Jerusalem
A pivotal Jerusalem council addressed the issue of Gentile believers and the requirement of circumcision. The apostles and elders decided that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised to follow Christ, affirming salvation by grace through faith.
c. AD 50-52
Paul Circumcises Timothy
During his second missionary journey, Paul circumcised Timothy, a young disciple with a Jewish mother and Greek father. This was a strategic decision to facilitate ministry within Jewish communities, not a theological requirement for salvation.
c. AD 53-55— this verse
Paul Writes to the Galatians
This passage directly calls the message of a crucified Christ a 'stumbling block' to Jews, directly echoing Paul's point in Galatians 5:11 that preaching Christ's cross alone is offensive to those who rely on works of the law.
Romans 9:32Paul explains here that Israel sought righteousness 'by works' and stumbled over Christ, the 'stone of stumbling.' This connects to Galatians 5:11 by highlighting the deep offense caused when justification by faith in Christ is set against seeking righteousness through adherence to the law.
Acts 15:1This verse describes the very issue that likely prompted Paul's words in Galatians 5:11: some men coming down from Judea insisted that Gentile believers must be circumcised to be saved. Paul's defense in Galatians is a direct refutation of this dangerous teaching.
Philippians 3:18-19Paul contrasts those who 'walk, as you have us for a model' with those who are 'enemies of the cross of Christ.' This aligns with Galatians 5:11, where Paul argues that preaching circumcision, rather than the offense of the cross, would eliminate persecution because it would align with the enemies' desire for salvation by works.
cambridgeGalatians 5:11: "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased."
11 . Another abrupt transition of thought, rendering the connexion obscure and uncertain. It is however evident either that a charge of inconsistency had been brought against St Paul, or that the possibility of such a charge flashed across his mind. He could find no language too strong to condemn those who submitted to circumcision, and yet it was an admitte…
wesleyGalatians 5:11: "And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased."
5:11 But if I still preach circumcision - As that troubler seems to have affirmed, probably taking occasion from his having circumcised Timothy. Why do I still suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased - The grand reason why the Jews were so offended at his preaching Christ crucified, and so bitterly persecuted him for it, was, that it impl…
Paul's assertion that he would no longer be persecuted if he preached circumcision highlights that "the offense of the cross" wasn't just Jesus' death, but the radical idea that salvation comes only through Him, cutting away human effort like ritual observance. This means the core offense isn't the idea of sacrifice itself, but the exclusive reliance on Christ's sacrifice, which the Galatians were tempted to dilute.
Paul is responding to accusations that he himself preaches or condones circumcision, possibly twisting his past actions like circumcising Timothy. He argues that if he truly promoted this, the Jewish authorities wouldn't be persecuting him so fiercely, and the radical message of salvation through the cross alone would have lost its offensive power to them.
Paul is responding to accusations that he himself preaches or condones circumcision, possibly twisting his past actions like circumcising Timothy. He argues that if he truly promoted this, the Jewish authorities wouldn't be persecuting him so fiercely, and the radical message of salvation through the cross alone would have lost its offensive power to them.
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By requiring circumcision, the Judaizers were essentially trying to blend human works with God's grace. Paul insists these are incompatible. Preaching circumcision alongside the cross would have appeased the Jewish desire for their traditions to remain central, thereby removing the sting of the cross's message of complete reliance on Christ.
The 'stumbling block' or 'scandal' caused by the gospel's assertion that salvation is by grace alone through faith, which offends human pride and religious legalism.
stauros · Greek Noun
The wooden structure upon which Jesus Christ died to bear the penalty for human sin; it is the central symbol of the Christian faith, representing both God's judgment on sin and His sacrificial love.
Paul writes this letter to the churches in Galatia. He is responding to 'Judaizers' who are teaching Gentile believers that they must be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law to be truly saved, undermining the gospel of grace.
"But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed." — Paul's assertion that he would no longer be persecuted if he preached circumcision highlights that "the offense of the cross" wasn't just Jesus' death, but the radical idea that salvation comes *only…
