Thomas Aquinas Commentary Galatians 5:23-26

"meekness, self-control; against such there is no law. And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof. If we live by the Spirit, by the Spirit let us also walk. Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another, envying one another." — Galatians 5:23-26 (ASV)

Having listed the works of the flesh and of the Spirit, the Apostle then concludes from both that those who follow the Spirit are not under the Law. The proof he uses is this: a person is under the Law who is liable to the Law—that is, who does things contrary to the Law. But those who are led by the Spirit do not do the works contrary to the Law. Therefore, they are not under the Law.

He proves this proposition first from the works of the Spirit, and second from how believers handle the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:24).

He says, therefore, that those who are led by the Spirit do not do the works that are contrary to the Law. This is because they do the works of the Spirit, and against such there is no law; the Spirit Himself teaches such works. For just as the Law outwardly teaches works of virtue, the Spirit inwardly moves a person to them. As the Apostle says, For I am delighted with the law of God according to the inward man (Romans 7:22).

As for the works of the flesh, in those who are led by the Spirit, even these do not subject them to the Law. For this reason, the Apostle says that those who are Christ’s—that is, who have the Spirit of God, for if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His (Romans 8:9)—have crucified their flesh. Therefore, those who are led by the Spirit of God are the ones who belong to Christ.

These people, I say, have crucified their flesh with its vices and sinful desires. He does not say that they merely shun vices and sinful desires, because a good physician provides a true cure when he applies remedies to the cause of the disease. The flesh is the root of these vices. Therefore, if we would avoid vices, the flesh must be tamed: I chastise my body and bring it under subjection (1 Corinthians 9:27).

The flesh is tamed by vigils, fasts, and labors—Torture and fetters are for a malicious slave; send him to work that he be not idle ()—and a person is led to such works out of devotion to the crucified Christ. Therefore, he specifically says they have crucified it, meaning they have conformed themselves to the crucified Christ by afflicting their flesh: Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin may be destroyed (Romans 6:6), so that, as Paul says elsewhere, with Christ I am nailed to the cross (Galatians 2:19) and may live to God.

However, they do not crucify the flesh by destroying their physical nature, for No one hates his own flesh (Ephesians 5:29). Instead, they crucify it with respect to matters that are contrary to the Law. For that reason, he adds the phrase with the vices and concupiscences. "Vices" refers to sins, and "concupiscences" refers to the passions by which the soul is inclined to sin. For a person does not crucify his flesh properly if he leaves room for these passions. Otherwise, since reason is not always as alert as it ought to be to avoid sin, he might fall at some point. Scripture warns, Go not after thy lusts, but turn away from thy own will , and, Make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscence (Romans 13:14).

Then, when he says, If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit, he mentions the third benefit of the Holy Spirit: the conferring of life.

1. He mentions this benefit of the Spirit of God.
2. He rejects the vices associated with the spirit of the world (Galatians 5:26).

Therefore, including himself with those to whom he writes, he says that we ought to walk by the Spirit because we live by Him and not by the flesh: We are debtors not to the flesh to live according to the flesh (Romans 8:12). Therefore, if we live in the Spirit, we ought to be led by Him in all things. For just as in bodily life the body is moved only by the soul (by which it has life), so in the spiritual life, all of our movements should be through the Holy Spirit. As Scripture says, It is the spirit that giveth life (John 6:64), and, In him we live and move and are (Acts 17:28).

But so that these things said of the Spirit are not misunderstood as referring to the spirit of the world—about which it is said in 1 Corinthians 2:12, We have received not the spirit of this world—the Apostle prevents this misunderstanding when he says, Let us not be made desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another. Here he excludes things that belong to the spirit of the world—namely, vainglory, anger, and envy—all three of which are aptly described by the word "spirit."

For "spirit" can denote a swelling. According to this meaning, those who are swollen with vainglory are called "vain spirits": The blast of the mighty is like a whirlwind beating against a wall (Isaiah 25:4). Concerning this, he says, Let us not be made desirous of vainglory, that is, of worldly glory. For since something is "vain" which is not solidly established, supported by truth, or loved for any real use, the glory of this world is therefore vain because it is frail and not solid: All flesh is grass (Isaiah 40:6). Furthermore, it is false—The glory of a sinful man is dung and worms ()—whereas true glory concerns goods appropriate to a person, that is, the goods of the spirit, such as holy people have: Our glory is this, the testimony of our conscience (2 Corinthians 1:12). This worldly glory is also useless and fruitless. For no matter how much glory a person acquires from the testimony of others, he cannot on that account achieve his ultimate end, which is achieved only by the testimony of God: He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).

He does not say, "Do not have vainglory," but rather, be not made desirous of vainglory. This is because glory sometimes follows those who seek to avoid it, and if they are obliged to receive it, they should not love it. Furthermore, the word "spirit" can connote vehemence: Who can bear the violence of one provoked? (Proverbs 27:4). It also connotes wrath. In this regard, he says, provoking one another, which refers to provoking quarrels, fights, or other unlawful things: Not in contention and envy (Romans 13:13). Finally, "spirit" can refer to a spirit of sadness, of which it is said in Proverbs 17:22: A sorrowful spirit drieth up the bones. Concerning this, he says, envying one another. As Proverbs 14:30 says, Envy is the rottenness of the bones, because it feeds on the good of others.