John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. For in Christ Jesus , etc..] The Arabic version reads, in the religion of Christ; in the religion of Moses, or of the Jews under the former dispensation, the things after mentioned were of some moment and consideration; but are of no account in the Christian religion, and under the Gospel dispensation: circumcision and uncircumcision make no difference in the church of Christ, or are any bar to communion with it; nor do they make any alteration in the love and favour of Christ, who is all in all to his people, whether Jews or Gentiles; nor have they any influence at all on salvation, Christ being a common Saviour to the circumcised and uncircumcised; nor are they any evidence for or against a person's being in Christ, or having an interest in him: neither circumcision availeth anything ; not now as a command and ordinance of God, being abolished by Christ; nor as a type, having its accomplishment in him, and his people; nor as a privilege, giving any preference in any respect to the Jew above the Gentile; nor is it of any weight or consequence, or has any concern in the business of salvation: nor uncircumcision ; it is no hinderance to the enjoyment of the Gospel, to entrance into a Gospel church state, or to admission to the ordinances of it; nor to the participation of the blessings of grace, as justification, pardon, adoption, and eternal life: but faith which works by love ; faith has a concern in justification and salvation, not by way of causal influence, but as it is that grace which receives the righteousness of Christ, through which we are saved, and kept by the power of God unto salvation; yet not any sort of faith, but that which is operative, is attended with good works; and which works itself by love to God, to Christ, to his people, ways, worship, truths, and ordinances. The Syriac version renders it, zrmgtmd which is perfected by love; that is, is showed to be right, true, and genuine thereby; (see James 2:22).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - Christ will not be the Saviour of any who will not own and rely upo him as their only Saviour. Let us take heed to the warnings an persuasions of the apostle to stedfastness in the doctrine and libert of the gospel. All true Christians, being taught by the Holy Spirit wait for eternal life, the reward of righteousness, and the object of their hope, as the gift of God by faith in Christ; and not for the sak of their own works. The Jewish convert might observe the ceremonies of assert his liberty, the Gentile might disregard them or might attend to them, provided he did not depend upon them. No outward privileges of profession will avail to acceptance with God, without sincere faith in our Lord Jesus. True faith is a working grace; it works by love to God and to our brethren. May we be of the number of those who, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. The danger of ol was not in things of no consequence in themselves, as many forms an observances now are. But without faith working by love, all else is worthless, and compared with it other things are of small value.
Greek Textus Receptus
εν 1722 PREP γαρ 1063 CONJ χριστω 5547 N-DSM ιησου 2424 N-DSM ουτε 3777 CONJ περιτομη 4061 N-NSF τι 5100 X-ASN ισχυει 2480 5719 V-PAI-3S ουτε 3777 CONJ ακροβυστια 203 N-NSF αλλα 235 CONJ πιστις 4102 N-NSF δι 1223 PREP αγαπης 26 N-GSF ενεργουμενη 1754 5734 V-PMP-NSF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
6. In Christ Jesus. In the economy of life which he inaugurates and inspires.Availeth (iscuei). Has any significance or practical power. The verb in Paul only here and Philip. iv. 13. See on 2 Thess. i. 9. Which worketh (energoumenh). See on 1 Thess. ii. 13. Middle voice, comp. Rom. vii. 5; 2 Cor. i. 6; iv. 12; 2 Thess. ii. 7; Eph. iii. 20. Not passive, as by many Roman Catholic expositors, faith which is wrought by love.
By love (di agaphv). Not that justification is through love; but the faith of the justified, which is their subjective principle of life, exhibits its living energy through love in which the whole law is fulfilled (verse 14). See 1 Timothy i. 5; 1 Thess. i. 3; 1 Corinthians 13.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:6 {Availeth anything} (iscuei ti). Old word to have strength (isc-s). See on Mt 5:13. Neither Jew nor Greek has any recommendation in his state. See #3:28. All stand on a level in Christ. {Faith working through love} (pistis di' agapes energoumene). Middle voice of energew and "through love,"the moral dynamic" (Burton) of Paul's conception of freedom from law.
