Galatians 5:12
12 I would [ophelon] they were [apokopto] even [kai] cut off [apokopto] which trouble [anastatoo]
you [humas].
KJV-Interlinear
12 Would that those who are
troubling you would even mutilate themselves. NASB
Here Paul inserts a little humor and sarcasm into
the circumcision concept and suggests that it would be even better if they would
go even further and cut it all off. The
phrase, ‘I would,’ means wouldn’t it be better.
The words for, were and cut off, ‘apokopto,’ mean to self-mutilate, to
amputate, to cut off. And so Paul
indicates that the whole idea is ridiculous because circumcision not only does
not provide salvation, does not apply to everyone, male and female, and
therefore it would be better to go even further for all that it is worth, which
is nothing.
The idea that circumcision is a mandatory component
of salvation, is absurd, but if you believe that it is necessary in order to be
saved, then why not be saved little
more, and cut it all off. That is the
idea being conveyed here by Paul.
When Abraham was commanded to circumcise himself,
that was to set him apart from all other heathen belief systems that existed
back in that day. For back then there
were innumerable idols and idol worshippers that had ideas that were beyond the
bizarre. So one more bizarre idea wouldn’t
hurt.
Circumcision came long after Abraham had believed
and was already saved, therefore it had nothing to do with salvation or his
original faith in the Savior.
Circumcision served as a reminder and teaching aid, to all generations
thereafter, of the principle of faith, and was practiced on the born infant
sons, again to remind that it would be an infant son who would come into the
world and be cut off as a sacrifice so
that we all might believe and be saved.
It was never used on girls. The sons of that day were revered as the
greatest achievement of a family to pass on the family name and so forth. Therefore it continued from generation to
generation in that regard so that people would not forget the principle of
salvation, even if they did ignore the teachings of the Bible.
Lots of people in this world ignore the Bible, and
they do not even read it, and yet the Bible is the best and widest known book even
by those who never turn its pages. So
even tradition has its value in promoting the gospel. In that regard, God is a genius at
communicating truth even where truth does not exist.
And so Paul points out that the ideas being
promoted by the false teachers in Galatia are so ridiculous, that if they
really believed them they should go even further to demonstrate their dedication
to their false ideas. Which of course,
false ideas go only so far and never an inch further. Pardon the humor.
