Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Galatians 5:22

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," — Galatians 5:22 (ASV)

It is appropriate that “love” (agape; GK 26) should head the list of the Spirit’s fruit, for “God is love” , and the greatest of Christian qualities is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). In biblical texts it is the association of agape with God that gives the word its distinctive character. Divine love is unmerited (Romans 5:8), great (Ephesians 2:4), transforming (Romans 5:5), and unchangeable (Romans 8:35–39). It is this love that sent Christ to die for sinners and that perseveres with them in spite of their willfulness and desire to sin. Now because the Spirit of Christ is living within them, believers must show love both to other Christians and to the world. By this, people will know that Christians are indeed Christ’s disciples .

“Joy” (GK 5915) is the virtue in the Christian life corresponding to happiness in the secular world. On the surface they seem related. But happiness depends on circumstances, whereas joy does not. In the NT a form of the word “joy” becomes a typical Christian greeting (Matthew 28:9; Acts 15:23; 2 Corinthians 13: 11; James 1:1). Joy is particularly full when what was lost spiritually is found (Lk 15:6-7, 9-10, 32).

The second of the two most popular Christian greetings is “peace” (GK 1645). Above all, peace is God’s gift to us, achieved by him at the cross of Christ. It is peace with God (Romans 5:1) and expresses itself both in peace of mind and in a practical peace between all those who know God. This latter peace should be seen in the home (1 Corinthians 7:12–16), between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14–17), within the church (Ephesians 4:3; Colossians 3:15), and indeed in all relationships of believers with other people (Romans 12:18; Hebrews 12:14). Moreover, Christians are to strive for it (1Pe 3: 11). The importance of this word is evident in that it occurs in every NT book and eighty times altogether.

“Patience” (GK 3429) is the quality of putting up with others, even when one is severely tried. The importance of patience is evidenced by its frequently being used to describe the character of God, as in the great text from Joel: “Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity” (Joel 2:13).

“Kindness” (GK 5983) is the divine kindness out of which God acts toward humankind. It is what the OT means when it declares that “God is good,” as it so frequently does. Christians should show kindness by behaving toward others as God has behaved toward them.

“Goodness” (GK 20) is hard to define. Though it is related to “kindness,” it differs from it in being a more active term. The primary idea seems to be generosity that springs from kindness.

The last three virtues are concerned with Christians primarily as they are to be in themselves. They are to be characterized by “faithfulness” (GK 4411), a word that also means “faith,” but undoubtedly here means that which makes a person one on whom others can rely—i.e., trustworthiness or reliability. This word describes a faithful servant , including servants of the Gospel and of Christ (1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:2). It describes the character of those who will die for their confession of Christ (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:14). It goes without saying that it is also descriptive of the character of Christ, the faithful witness (Revelation 1:5), and of God the Father, who always acts faithfully toward his people (1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 2 Thessalonians 3:3).