Galatians 5:12
I could wish that those who trouble you would even cut themselves off!
Truth to Learn
False teachers and their teaching cause trouble in the church.
Behind the Words
The word translated “I could wish” is ophelon. At one point in time this word was used as the past tense of “I owe.” By the time of the first century, however, it had come to be used as an exclamatory interjection meaning “Oh that!” or “Would that!” or “I wish that!”
“Trouble” is translated from the verb anastatoō, which literally means “to rise up and depart.” This word is used of someone driving a person out of his own home. It is a more intense expression than the simple word “trouble” conveys.
The words “cut … off” are translated from the verb apokoptō, which is a compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “away from” and koptō, which means “to chop down” or “to cut off.” This is the word that is used of cutting a person’s arm off; hence it also could be translated “amputate.” It is used here in the middle voice indicating action that they are doing to themselves.
Meaning Explained
There is a sharp difference of opinion as to what Paul is wishing for in this verse. This difference of opinion revolves around what Paul meant by the use of the word apokoptō. Some believe that Paul is saying that he wishes that the ones troubling the Galatian church with their false teaching would be excommunicated (cut-off) from the church. This is unlikely, however, since he expresses this word in the middle voice, which would mean that Paul wished that these people would excommunicate themselves. Since excommunication is an action that the leaders of a church take against others, it doesn’t make sense that they would excommunicate themselves.
The other viewpoint is that Paul is wishing that these who are teaching circumcision as a requirement for salvation would make thorough work of it in their own case and amputate (cut-off) themselves. This interpretation fits the grammatical construction of Paul’s writing; however, if this is the proper interpretation of this verse, it is one of the harshest declarations that the Apostle Paul makes in any of his writings. The primary reason for resisting this interpretation is that, supposedly, Paul would never use such a harsh and seemingly crude epithet regarding anyone.
But there is some basis for Paul’s making such a comment. During the first century, there were pagan religions where the priests and other devout followers would mutilate themselves by self-castration as a form of religious sacrifice. Possibly, this is what Paul was thinking of when he made this statement.
He used a similar word in Philippians when he warned the believers there to be on the lookout for false teachers, those teaching circumcision, which he referred to as mutilation:
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! (Phlippians 3:2)
Application
Those who spread false teaching in the church do real damage to the faith and walk of our fellow Christians. We need to be vigilant in detecting these false teachers. And, when they are identified, we need to take firm action under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
In God’s service, for His glory,
Copyright © 2008 Will Krause. All rights reserved.
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