Allegory and the Law
He named the works an allegory of prophecy. Regarding Galatians 4:25, he did not mention Mount Sinai simply, but because the Hagarenes, who have the desert extending to Mount Sinai, are from Ishmael. And at Sinai the law was given for the slavery of offspring, and the tablets given from Mount Sinai were brought among Israel, and often having been carried from place to place, they were finally established in Jerusalem. For this reason he drew the comparison; it corresponds to the present Jerusalem, and it slaves along with its children. Where there is the promise of land, and possession, and marriage, and human things, slavery follows; but where there is deliverance from earthly cares and from bonds, and in the heavens is the citizenship, from that citizenship comes freedom.
Regarding Galatians 5:17, why is it sought that he who pulls away through the law remembers sin? Because the law commanded luxury, and because of this desire is divided and, being uncontainable toward sin, it leads on. For this reason, when there was a memory of the law, he remembers also sin. For indeed, in the one addressing the Romans, he brought up both the law and the correction through the Lord, for those living according to the flesh cannot please God. And why was luxury and eating permitted? Because the abstention from the acknowledged evils would not have progressed, unless eating and drinking were given to them. For the lawgiver knew that it is impossible to restrain those enjoying luxury from pleasures. Finally, he wished to discipline the mind, so that one might know what is good and what is bad and what is pious; for he foresaw that he who adds to what is lacking in the law—I mean to say, not walking according to the flesh, as Paul says—was to come.
Regarding Galatians 6:7–8, he showed from this that many were consuming unseasonably, providing for those who keep the law and who are exhorting, but providing nothing for those who preach the teaching of Paul. Therefore he says: he who sows into his flesh; for he who is subject to the law lives in fleshly things. He who therefore provides for the flesh while teaching these things sows only into the flesh.
Regarding Galatians 6:14–15, so that it might not be thought that he is making a substitute for circumcision, and that he gives a pretext of not circumcision but of reproach to the opponents, he most beautifully drew the conclusion: that neither circumcision avails nor uncircumcision, but he spoke of a new creation. Concerning which he says elsewhere: if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. If it is new, he says, a creation, let him not become under the law; for he who lives according to the law lives in the world, but he who lives in Christ lives as a citizen in the heavens. Therefore the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Greek
ἔργων προφητείαν ἀλληγορίαν ὠνόμασεν. Gal 4,25 Οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐμνημόνευσε τοῦ Σινᾶ ὄρους, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οἱ Ἀγαρηνοὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰσμαὴλ τὴν ἔρημον ἔχουσι τὴν παρατείνουσαν ἕως τοῦ Σινᾶ ὄρους. ἐν δὲ τῷ Σινᾷ ὁ νόμος ἐδόθη εἰς δουλείαν γεννῶν, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Σινᾶ ὄρους αἱ πλάκες δοθεῖσαι ἐκομίσθησαν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ πολλάκις μετενεχθεῖσαι ἀπὸ τόπου εἰς τόπον τελευταῖον ἱδρύθησαν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. διὰ τοῦτο ἐπήγαγεν· συστοιχεῖ δὲ τῇ νῦν Ἱερουσαλήμ, δουλεύει δὲ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῆς. ὅπου γῆς ἐπαγγελία, καὶ κτῆσις καὶ γάμος καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, καὶ δουλεία ἀκολουθεῖ· ὅπου δὲ ἀπαλλαγὴ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς φροντίδων καὶ τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἡ πολιτεία, ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς πολιτείας ἡ ἐλευθερία. Gal 5,17 Ζητεῖται διὰ τί νόμου ἀποσπῶν μέμνηται τῆς ἁμαρτίας. ἐπειδὴ τρυφᾶν ἐκέλευεν ὁ νόμος, διὰ δὲ τούτου διερεθίζεται ἡ ἐπιθυμία καὶ ἀκατάσχετος οὖσα πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν ἄγει. τούτου ἕνεκεν ὅτε νόμου ἦν μνήμη, μέμνηται καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας. καὶ γὰρ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους τοῦ νόμου μνημονεύων καὶ τῆς διὰ τοῦ κυρίου διορθώσεως εἰσήγαγεν, τὸ οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα ζῶντες θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται. διὰ τί δὲ συνεχωρήθη τὸ τρυφᾶν καὶ ἐσθίειν; ὅτι ἡ τῶν ὡμολογημένων κακῶν ἀποχὴ οὐκ ἂν προεχώρησεν, εἰ μὴ ἐνεδόθη αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐσθίειν 304 καὶ πίνειν· ᾔδει μὲν γὰρ ὁ νομοθέτης ὅτι ἀδύνατον τρυφῶντας κρατεῖν ἡδονῶν. τέως δὲ ἠθέλησε τὸν νοῦν παιδεῦσαι, ἵνα γνῷ τί καλὸν καὶ τί κακὸν καὶ τί τὸ εὐσεβές· προεώρα γὰρ ὅτι ἔμελλεν ἔρχεσθαι ὁ τὸ λεῖπον τῷ νόμῳ προστιθείς, λέγω δὴ τὸ μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατεῖν, ὡς λέγει ὁ Παῦλος. Gal 6,7–8 Ἐδήλωσεν ἐκ τούτου ὅτι πολλοὶ ἀκαίρως μὲν ἀνήλισκον, παρέχοντες τοῖς τηρεῖν νόμον παρακελευομένοις, τοῖς δὲ τὴν Παύλου διδασκαλίαν κηρύττουσιν οὐδὲν παρεῖχον. διό φησιν· ὁ σπείρων εἰς τὴν σάρκα αὐτοῦ· ὁ γὰρ νόμῳ ὑποκείμενος ἐν τοῖς σαρκικοῖς ζῇ. ὁ τοίνυν τῷ ταῦτα διδάσκοντι παρέχων εἰς τὴν σάρκα σπείρει μόνον. Gal 6,14–15 Ἵνα μὴ νομισθῇ ἀκροβυστίας ἀντιποιεῖσθαι, καὶ οὐχὶ περιτομῆς καὶ διαβολῆς πρόφασιν δῷ τοῖς ἀντιλέγουσιν, κάλλιστα ἐπήγαγε τὸ τελευταῖον, ὅτι οὔτε περιτομή τι ἰσχύει οὔτε ἀκροβυστία, καινὴν δὲ κτίσιν εἶπεν. περὶ ἧς ἀλλαχοῦ· εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ, καινὴ κτίσις. εἰ καινή, φησί, κτίσις, μὴ γίνου ὑπὸ νόμον· ὁ γὰρ ζῶν κατὰ νόμον ἐν κόσμῳ ζῇ, ὁ δὲ ζῶν ἐν Χριστῷ, ἐν οὐρανοῖς πολιτεύεται. ἐσταύρωται οὖν ἐμοὶ κόσμος κἀγὼ κόσμῳ.
About this text
Eusebius of Emesa on Galatians (catena fragments).
Original English Translation — new OET from PG Greek.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.