Thomas Aquinas Commentary Galatians 6:14-15

"But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." — Galatians 6:14-15 (ASV)

After unmasking the sinister intention of the seducers, the Apostle here indicates his own intention.

1. He states his intention.
2. He gives a sign of this intention (verse 14).
3. He gives the reason for this intention (verse 15).

He says, therefore: The intention of the seducers is obvious, for they glory in the flesh, but I seek my glory elsewhere—namely, in the cross. This is what he says: But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice that where the worldly philosopher felt shame, the Apostle found his treasure. What the former regarded as foolish became wisdom and glory for the Apostle, as Augustine says.

For each person glories in that through which he is considered great. Thus, a person who considers himself great in his riches glories in them, and so on for other things. A person who considers himself great in nothing but Christ glories in Christ alone. The Apostle was such a person; therefore, he says, I live now not I; but Christ liveth in me (Galatians 2:20).

Accordingly, he glories in nothing but Christ and particularly in the cross of Christ, because in it are found all the things about which people usually glory. For some glory in the friendship of the great, such as that of kings and princes; and this friendship the Apostle found most of all in the cross, because an obvious sign of divine friendship is shown there: But God commendeth his charity towards us; because when as yet we were sinners according to the time, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). For nothing shows His mercy to us as much as the death of Christ. Therefore, Gregory says, “O inestimable love of charity! To redeem the servant, He delivered His Son.”

Again, some glory in knowledge, and the Apostle found a more excellent knowledge in the cross: For I judged not myself to know anything among you but Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2). For in the cross is the perfection of all law and the whole art of living well. Again, some glory in power, and the Apostle found the highest form of power through the cross: The word of the cross to them, indeed, that perish is foolishness; but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18). Again, some glory in newly-found freedom, and this the Apostle obtained through the cross: Our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin may be destroyed, to the end that we may serve sin no longer (Romans 6:6).

Again, some glory in being accepted into a famous fellowship, but by the cross of Christ, we are accepted into the heavenly ranks: Making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things that are on earth and the things that are in heaven (Colossians 1:20). Again, some glory in the triumphal banners of conquest, but the cross is the triumphal ensign of Christ’s conquest over the demons: And despoiling the principalities and powers, he has exposed them confidently in open show, triumphing over them in himself (Colossians 2:15). As it is written, Blessed is the wood by which justice comes .

He shows the sign of his own intention when he says, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. Since his statement, But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, is an exceptive proposition that includes one affirmative and one negative statement, he is really giving two signs that prove both. First, he proves the negative one: that he does not glory in anything except the cross.

He does this when he says, by whom the world is crucified to me. For what a person glories in is not dead in his heart; rather, what he scorns is dead to him: I am forgotten as one dead, from the heart (Psalms 30:13). It is clear that the world and all things in it were dead in Paul’s heart: I count all things as dung, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8). Therefore, he does not glory in the world or in the things that are in the world. This is what he means: Truly, I glory in nothing except in the cross of Christ, by whom—that is, by Christ crucified—the world is crucified to me. This means it is dead in my heart, so that I covet nothing in it.

Secondly, he proves the affirmative—that he glories in the cross of Christ—by saying that he is crucified to the world. For a person who glories in something treasures it and desires to make it known. But the Apostle treasures nothing and desires to make nothing known except what pertains to the cross of Christ; therefore, he glories in it alone. This is what he says: and I to the world—that is, I am crucified to it. It is as if to say: I carry the marks of the cross and I am considered as dead. Therefore, as the world abhors the cross of Christ, so it abhors me: For you are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

The reason he glories in nothing else is given when he says, For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. He glories mainly in that which is of value and helps in joining him to Christ, for this is what the Apostle desires: to be with Christ. Because the Jewish rite and the observances of the Gentiles are of no value in this regard, while the cross of Christ is, he glories in it alone.

This is what he says: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision (that is, the Jewish rite) nor uncircumcision (that is, Gentile observances) availeth any thing to justify us and join us to Christ, but a new creature is what avails for us. This is clear from what was said earlier in almost the same words: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision; but faith that worketh by charity (Galatians 5:6). Therefore, faith informed by charity is the new creature.

We were created and made to exist in our nature through Adam, but that creation is already old. Therefore, the Lord, in bringing us forth and establishing us in the existence of grace, has made a new creation: That we might be some beginning of his creature (James 1:18). It is called “new” because by it we are reborn into a new life by the Holy Spirit—You shall send forth your spirit, and they shall be created; and you shall renew the face of the earth (Psalms 103:30)—and by the cross of Christ: If then any be in Christ a new creature, the old things are passed away, behold all things are made new (2 Corinthians 5:17).

In this way, then, by a new creation—that is, by the faith of Christ and the charity of God poured out in our hearts—we are made new and are joined to Christ.