20, 21<\/strong>. The second class of sins are those which concern religion idolatry and sorcery, or witchcraft. The word ‘idolatry’ is probably to be understood here in its literal sense, the worship of false deities, and not in the metaphorical and wider sense in which it is employed by St Paul, e.g. Eph 5:5<\/span>, a passage which is, however, strikingly parallel to this. Comp. Col 3:5<\/span>; 1Co 5:11<\/span>. The connexion with ‘sorceries’, as in Rev 21:8<\/span>, seems to limit the meaning to the superstitious worship of the heathen.<\/p>\n The word rendered ‘witchcraft’ originally meant ‘the use of drugs’, then, in a bad sense, ‘poisoning’. Those who ‘used curious arts’ (Act 19:19<\/span>) combined demonology or witchcraft with the use of drugs as philtres, &c. For an illustration of this compare the well-known 5th Epode of Horace.<\/p>\n The next eight ‘works of the flesh’ are those which are directly<\/em> opposed to love of our neighbour or Christian charity. Translate, ‘enmities, strife, rivalry, angers, factions, divisions, sects, envyings’. The first four of these are enumerated in the same order, 2Co 12:20<\/span>.<\/p>\n heresies<\/em> ] Rendered rightly ‘sects’ by Wiclif, Tyndale, and Cranmer, and also in the Rhemish N. T. The Vulgate has ‘sect’. It means the formation of ‘distinct and organized parties’ a further development of ‘divisions’; see 1Co 11:18<\/span>. It is applied to the Sadducees, Act 5:17<\/span>; to the Pharisees, Act 15:5<\/span>; to the Nazarenes, Act 24:5<\/span>.<\/p>\n murders<\/em> ] Possibly this should be omitted with R.V. There is an alliteration between the Greek words rendered ‘envyings, murders’, which is lost in a translation. They occur together Rom 1:29<\/span>. See the reference to Jerome in note on Gal 5:19-21<\/span>.<\/p>\n drunkenness, revellings<\/em> ] Probably no better rendering can be found for the latter of these words. In Classical Greek it is used of those nightly revellings in which the wealthier young men indulged, when after an evening spent in debauchery they disturbed the quiet of the streets by ribald songs and noisy violence. Readers of the Spectator<\/em> will remember that such ‘revellings’ were common enough in London at the beginning of the last century to provoke the rebuke of the moralist: Spectator<\/em>, No. 324; Macaulay, Hist<\/em>. c. 111. p. 360. Drunkenness may be secret, or it may result in orgies or riot. Eph 5:18<\/span>.<\/p>\n and such like<\/em> ] = ‘such things’ in the following clause. The catalogue, terribly large as it is, does not specify every form of working under which the flesh manifests itself. ‘Man is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, so that the flesh lusteth always contrary to the Spirit’. Art. ix.<\/p>\n I tell you before in time past<\/em> ] In respect of which I forewarn you, even as I forewarned you<\/strong>, when I was present with you.<\/p>\n they which do<\/em> ] R.V. who practise<\/strong>. Exclusion from the Kingdom of Heaven is denounced not against all who have at any time committed any of these sins (for who then can be saved?) but against all who remain impenitent, and who do not ‘through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body’. In two other Epistles (1Co 6:9-10<\/span>; Eph 5:5<\/span>), St Paul uses nearly the same terms as to the sins which disinherit<\/em> a man from ‘the Kingdom of God’. The Kingdom is not the visible Church, in which the tares and the wheat grow together: neither is it the Gospel dispensation a sense in which it is sometimes used, e.g. Mat 3:2<\/span>; Luk 7:28<\/span> but that Kingdom for whose Advent we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, which has been the hope of loyal hearts from early days, the theme of Psalmist and Prophet, the vision of the beloved disciple in Patmos not heaven, though ‘ of<\/em> heaven’, not earth, though ‘on the earth’ the Kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world for the beloved of the Father, the adopted ‘sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty’.<\/p>\n Witchcraft – <\/B>Pretending to witchcraft. The apostle does not vouch for the actual existence of witchcraft; but he says that what was known as such was a proof of the corrupt nature of man, and was one of the fruits of it. No one can doubt it. It was a system of imposture and falsehood throughout; and nothing is a better demonstration of the depravity of the human heart than an extended and systematized attempt to impose on mankind. The word which is used here (<\/SPAN><\/span> pharmakeia, whence our word pharmacy, from <\/SPAN><\/span> pharmakon, a medicine, poison, magic potion) means, properly, the preparing and giving of medicine. Then it means also poisoning, and also magic art, or enchantment; because in savage nations pharmacy or medicine consisted much in magical incantations. Thence it means sorcery or enchantment, and it is so used uniformly in the New Testament. It is used only in Gal 5:20<\/span>; Rev 9:21<\/span>; Rev 18:23<\/span>; Rev 21:8<\/span>. Some have supposed that it means poisoning here, a crime often practiced; but the more correct interpretation is, to refer it to the black art, or to pretensions to witchcraft, and the numerous delusions which have grown out of it, as a striking illustration of the corrupt and depraved nature of man.<\/P> Hatred – <\/B>Greek: hatreds, in the plural. Antipathies, and lack of love, producing contentions and strifes.<\/P> Variance – <\/B>Contentions; see the note at Rom 1:29<\/span>.<\/P> Emulations – <\/B>(<\/SPAN><\/span> zeloi). In a bad sense, meaning heart-burning, or jealousy, or perhaps inordinate ambition. The sense is ardor or zeal in a bad cause, leading to strife, etc.<\/P> Wrath – <\/B>This also is plural in the Greek (<\/SPAN><\/span> thumoi), meaning passions, bursts of anger; see the note at 2Co 12:20<\/span>.<\/P> Strife – <\/B>Also plural in the Greek; see the note at 2Co 12:20<\/span><\/P> Seditions – <\/B>See the note at Rom 16:17<\/span>.<\/P> Heresies – <\/B>See the note at Act 5:17<\/span>; 1Co 11:19<\/span>.<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 20. Idolatry<\/B><\/I>] Worshipping of idols; frequenting idol festivals; all the rites of Bacchus, Venus, Priapus, c., which were common among the Gentiles.<\/P> <\/P> Witchcraft<\/B><\/I>] , from , a drug<\/I> or poison<\/I> because in all spells and enchantments, whether true or false, drugs<\/I> were employed. As a drug<\/I>, , might either be the means of removing<\/I> an evil, or inflicting<\/I> one, etymologists have derived it from , bringing ease<\/I>, or , bringing pain<\/I>. So spells and incantations were used sometimes for the restoration<\/I> of the health; at others, for the destruction<\/I> of an enemy. Sometimes, these were used to procure love<\/I>; at other times, to produce hatred<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> Hatred<\/B><\/I>] . Aversions<\/I> and antipathies<\/I>, when opposed to brotherly love<\/I> and kindness<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> Variance<\/B><\/I>] . Contentions<\/I>, where the principle of hatred<\/I> proceeds to open acts<\/I>; hence contests, altercations, lawsuits, and disputes in general.<\/P> <\/P> Emulations<\/B><\/I>] . Envies<\/I> or emulations<\/I>; that is strife to excel at the expense of another; lowering others to set up one’s self; unholy zeal, fervently adopting a bad cause, or supporting a good one by cruel means. Inquisitions<\/I>, pretending to support true religion by torturing and burning alive those who both profess and practise it.<\/P> <\/P> Wrath<\/B><\/I>] . Turbulent passions, disturbing the harmony of the mind, and producing domestic<\/I> and civil<\/I> broils and disquietudes.<\/P> <\/P> Strife<\/B><\/I>] . Disputations, janglings, logomachics, or strife<\/I> about words<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> Seditions<\/B><\/I>] . Divisions into separate factions; parties, whether in the Church<\/I> or state<\/I>.<\/P> <\/P> Heresies<\/B><\/I>] . Factions<\/I>; parties in the Church<\/I> separating from communion with each other, and setting up altar<\/I> against altar<\/I>. The word, which is harmless in itself, is here used in a bad sense. In stead of the Slavonic<\/I> has , scandals<\/I>, offences or stumbling-blocks.<\/P> <\/p>\n Idolatry; <\/B>either the worshipping of the creature for God, or the worshipping of God in and by the creature, as by images, &c. <\/P> Witchcraft; <\/B>the product of compacts with the devil; by virtue of which, the persons so contracting are assisted by the power of evil spirits to produce effects beside the ordinary course and order of nature, and for the most part mischievous to others. And not these gross crimes only are the fruits of the flesh, but also abiding <\/P> hatred<\/B> of our brethren in our hearts, enmities to others, as the word signifieth. The result of which are, <\/P> variance; <\/B>mens quarrellings and contendings one with another for little or no cause: <\/P> emulations; <\/B>peoples endeavouring to hinder others of such good things as they see them desirous of: <\/P> wrath; <\/B>heats and immoderate passions of men one against another: <\/P> strife; <\/B>a continual readiness and proneness to quarrelling: <\/P> seditions; <\/B>dividing into parties, which in the state is called sedition, in the church, schism: <\/P> heresies; <\/B>that is, differing and false opinions in the grand doctrine of religion. <\/P> <\/p>\n 20. witchcraft<\/B>sorcery;prevalent in Asia (Ac 19:19<\/span>;compare Re 21<\/span>). <\/P> hatred<\/B>Greek,<\/I>“hatreds.” <\/P> variance<\/B>Greek,<\/I>“strife”; singular in the oldest manuscripts. <\/P> emulations<\/B>in theoldest manuscripts, singular”emulation,” or rather,”jealousy”; for the sake of one’s own advantage. “Envyings”(Ga 5:21<\/span>) are even withoutadvantage to the person himself [BENGEL].<\/P> wrath<\/B>Greek,<\/I>plural, “passionate outbreaks” [ALFORD].<\/P> strife<\/B>rather as Greek,<\/I>“factions,” “cabals”; derived from a Greek<\/I>root, meaning “a worker for hire”: hence, unworthy meansfor compassing ends, factious practices.<\/I> <\/P> seditions<\/B>“dissensions,”as to secular matters. <\/P> heresies<\/B>as to sacredthings (see on 1Co 11:19<\/span>).Self-constituted parties;<\/I> from a Greek<\/I> root, to choose.<\/I>A schism<\/I> is a more recent split in a congregation from adifference of opinion. Heresy<\/I> is a schism become inveterate[AUGUSTINE, Con.Crescon. Don.,<\/I> 2,7].<\/P><\/p>\n Idolatry<\/strong>,…. Which some understand of covetousness, which is so called; but rather it means the worshipping of other gods, or of graven images:<\/p>\n witchcraft<\/strong>; any real or pretended league and association with the devil, seeking to converse with familiar spirits, to gain unlawful knowledge, or to do hurt to fellow creatures; which, as it is doing honour to Satan, detracts from the glory of God, and rightly follows idolatry; conjuration, soothsaying, necromancy, and all kind of magic are included and condemned hereby:<\/p>\n hatred<\/strong>: internal hatred of any man’s person, even of our very enemies, is forbidden; in the original text it is “enmities”: as the carnal mind is nothing else but enmity against God and Christ, against law and Gospel, and all good men, and everything that is good:<\/p>\n variance<\/strong>, or “contentions”; fighting and quarrelling, by words scandalous and reproachful, what we commonly call scolding:<\/p>\n emulations<\/strong> or “zeals”; not good, but bad: a boiling and rising up of the spirits and passions, at the honour and happiness of another:<\/p>\n wrath<\/strong> or “wraths” violent emotions of the mind, moving to revenge, and seeking the hurt and mischief of others:<\/p>\n strife<\/strong> or “strifes”; perpetual contradictions and cavilings, either expressed by words, or working in the mind; for this strife may be in a man’s heart, according to Jas 3:14<\/span><\/p>\n seditions<\/strong> or “divisions”: schisms and factions, dissensions in things domestic, civil, and religious:<\/p>\n heresies<\/strong>; bad principles and tenets, relating to doctrine, which are subversive of the fundamentals of the Gospel and the Christian religion; and are the produce of a man’s own invention, and the matter of his choice, without any foundation in the word of God; and these are works of the flesh, for they spring from a corrupt and carnal mind, and are propagated with carnal views, as popular applause, worldly advantage, and indulging the lusts of the flesh.<\/p>\n Witchcraft [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Or sorcery. Elsewhere only Revelation 18 23<\/span>. From farmakon a drug. In LXX, see Exo 7:11<\/span>; Wisd. 12 4; Isa 47:9<\/span>. Comp. Act 19:19<\/span>, perierga curious arts, note. <\/P> Wrath [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Lit. wraths. See on Joh 3:36<\/span>. <\/P> Strife [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. More correctly, factions. From eriqov a hired servant. Eriqia is, primarily, labor for hire (see Tob. 2 11), and is applied to those who serve in official positions for hire or for other selfish purposes,; and, in order to gain their ends, promote party spirit or faction. Seditions [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. Better, divisions. Only here and Rom 16:17<\/span>. Once in LXX, 1 Macc. 3 29. <\/P> Heresies [] <\/SPAN><\/span>. In Paul only here and 1Co 11:19<\/span>. See on 2Pe 2:1<\/span>. Parties, into which divisions crystallize.<\/P> <\/p>\n e) “Idolatry,”<\/strong> (eideoloatria), doing or coveting to do obeisance to any person, principle, or thing other than God, forbidden in the second commandment, Exo 20:3-5<\/span>; 1Sa 15:23<\/span>; 1Co 10:14<\/span>; Col 3:5<\/span>.<\/p>\n f) “Witchcraft,”<\/strong> (pharmakeia) “Sorcery,” trickery, soothsaying, legerdemain, etc. by means of demon Spirits or demon influence, condemned alike by the Old and New Testaments, Exo 22:18<\/span>; Deu 18:10<\/span>; 1Sa 15:23<\/span>; 2Ki 9:12<\/span>; Mic 5:12<\/span>; Nah 3:4<\/span>.<\/p>\n g) “Hatred,” <\/strong>(echthrai) “enmity, hostility” Rom 8:7<\/span>; Eph 2:16<\/span>; Jas 4:4<\/span><\/p>\n h) “Variance,”<\/strong> (eris) “Strife”, to set in conflict, harmful opposition to another person, an emotion of instability, Mat 10:35<\/span>.<\/p>\n i) “Emulations,”<\/strong> (zelos) “jealousy”, associated closely with envy, covetousness, vainglory and a desire for mercenary personal gain, without regards for who it hurts.<\/p>\n j) “Wrath,”<\/strong> (thumoi) “angers”, fits of anger, rage, fury, vexation, indignation, uncontrolled resentment, etc., in a fleshly sense. Fury against moral wrong, in a Divine usage, Job 5:2<\/span>; Psa 37:8<\/span>; Eph 4:26<\/span>; Eph 4:31<\/span>; Col 3:8<\/span>; Joh 3:36<\/span>; Rom 1:18<\/span>.<\/p>\n k) “Strife,”<\/strong> (eritheiai) “rivalries, found between Abraham and Lot’s herdsmen, Gen 13:7-8<\/span>; Psa 31:20<\/span>; Pro 26:17<\/span>; Pro 26:20-21<\/span>; Luk 22:24<\/span>; Rom 13:13<\/span>; Php_2:3; 2Ti 2:23<\/span>; Jas 3:14<\/span>; Jas 3:16<\/span>.<\/p>\n l) “Seditions,”<\/strong> (dichostasiai) “divisions”, caused by underhanded deception, covert efforts to divert or influence one from one moral position to another, Pro 12:26<\/span>; Mar 13:22<\/span>; 1Ti 4:1<\/span>; 2Ti 3:13<\/span>; 1Jn 2:26<\/span>.<\/p>\n m) “Heresies,”<\/strong> (haireseis) “Sects”, factions, groups in moral doctrinal strife or conflict, 1Co 11:19<\/span>; 2Pe 2:1<\/span>; to be dealt with severely by the church, Tit 3:10<\/span>.<\/p>\n (20) Idolatry.<\/strong>When the Christian is warned against idolatry, it is not, of course, systematic<\/em> idolatry that is meant, but that occasional compliance with idolatrous customstaking part in the idol feasts, or eating of things offered to idolswhich he might easily be led into by his intercourse with his heathen neighbours.<\/p>\n Witchcraft.<\/strong>Sorcery,<\/em> or magic.<\/em> It would seem that practices of this kind were especially common in Asia Minor. In Act. 19:19<\/span> we read that at Ephesus, many of them which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men; and there is other evidence to the same effect.<\/p>\n Variance.<\/strong>Strife,<\/em> or contention.<\/em><\/p>\n Emulations.<\/strong>Singular and plural are somewhat strangely mixed throughout the list. There is a division of authorities as to the reading in the case of<\/em> this word. It seems probable, upon the whole, that the singular is rightemulation,<\/em> or jealousy.<\/em> Wrath, on the other hand, should be wraths<\/em>i.e.,<\/em> ebullitions or outbreaks of wrath. (See the Note on Rom. 2:8<\/span>.)<\/p>\n Strife.<\/strong>This appears to be a mistake in the Authorised version. The word was supposed to be connected with that translated variance above, and the two words received the same translation indifferently. The word ereis,<\/em> which is here translated variance, is rendered by strife in Rom. 13:13<\/span>, 1Co. 3:3<\/span>, Php. 1:15<\/span>, 1Ti. 6:4<\/span>; on the other hand, the word eritheia<\/em> is rendered by strife here and in 2Co. 12:20<\/span>, Php. 2:3<\/span>, Jas. 3:14-16<\/span>. It is rendered by contention in Rom. 2:8<\/span> (them that are contentious) and Php. 1:16<\/span>. The true derivation of this latter word is, however, something quite different: it is to be sought in a word meaning a day-labourer. Hence we get the senses(1) labour for hire; (2) interested canvassing for office; (3) a spirit of factious partisanship; factiousness. (This word, too, is really in the plural.)<\/p>\n Seditions, heresies.<\/strong>Rather, divisions, parties.<\/em> The Authorised version has too special and technical a sound, as if the first related to factions in the State, and the second in the Church. This is not really so. The two words are distinguished from each other, as the lighter and more aggravated forms of division: the first. divisions; the second, divisions organised into parties.<\/p>\n 20<\/strong>. <\/strong> Wicked supernaturalisms are two. <\/p>\n Idolatry<\/strong> Worship of fictitious deities. <\/p>\n Witchcraft<\/strong> Or sorcery, <\/em> the use of spells, charms, herbs, and manipulations, to produce preternatural effects. These were based partly in falsehood, partly in preternatural power over the nervous system, and partly in demoniac agency. Their whole was adverse to God and religion. Modern spiritualism is unquestionably a development of the same thing. Where experiments are made for scientific purposes, to bring out and publish to the world the truth in the case, a proper thing is done; but the truly devilish indulgence in these secret workings results in all the base consequences for which both the Old Testament and the New condemns them.<\/p>\n “It is a striking coincidence, if nothing more, that sorceries <\/em> were condemned by a very stringent canon of the Council of Ancyra, the capital of Galatia, about A.D. 314.” Lightfoot.<\/p>\n <\/em><\/p>\n Now follow nine vices of the malign nature. <\/p>\n Hatred<\/strong> The general opposite of love<\/strong>, and so generally including all the rest of the nine. These follow in a degree of climax ending in murder<\/strong>. <\/p>\n Variance<\/strong> Predisposition to dissent, even without self-interest. <\/p>\n Emulations<\/strong> Strife for selfish ascendency. <\/p>\n Wrath<\/strong> Selfish strife carried to an angry pitch. <\/p>\n Strife<\/strong> Cliques and cabals angrily maintained. <\/p>\n Seditions<\/strong> Rather, strife developed into distinct and hostile parties, becoming permanent in heresies<\/strong>, which are not doctrinal errors, but separations into hostile organizations.<\/p>\n Gal 5:20<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>Witchcraft,<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> Some would render the word by poisoning; <\/em>but surely this is comprehended under the word murders; nor is there any reason to believe the flesh so particularly inclined to this one kind of murder, as that it <\/em>should be specified rather than any other. It is certain that, on account of the drugs <\/em>made use of in some supposed magical compositions, <\/em>this word is often used to express practices of that kind; to which the Gentiles, even in the most learned nations, were very much addicted. We render the word , Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n