Peace and mercy
The phrase "Peace and mercy" is a common benediction in Paul's letters, reflecting a deep-seated desire for the well-being and divine favor upon the recipients. The Greek word for "peace" (εἰρήνη, eirēnē) conveys not just the absence of conflict but a holistic sense of harmony and completeness, reminiscent of the Hebrew "shalom." "Mercy" (ἔλεος, eleos) emphasizes God's compassionate kindness, a theme deeply rooted in the Old Testament, where God's mercy is a cornerstone of His covenant with Israel. Together, these terms encapsulate the blessings of the New Covenant, which Paul wishes upon those who adhere to the teachings of Christ.

to all who walk by this rule
The phrase "to all who walk by this rule" refers to those who live according to the principles Paul has outlined in his letter, particularly the principle of justification by faith and not by works of the law. The Greek word for "walk" (στοιχέω, stoicheō) implies a disciplined, orderly conduct, akin to marching in step. This suggests a life lived in alignment with the Spirit, as opposed to the flesh. The "rule" (κανών, kanōn) here is not a legalistic code but a standard of faith and practice centered on the cross of Christ, which Paul has been advocating throughout Galatians.

even to the Israel of God
The phrase "even to the Israel of God" has been the subject of much theological discussion. In a conservative Christian perspective, this phrase is often understood to refer to the true spiritual Israel, which includes both Jewish and Gentile believers who are united in Christ. This interpretation aligns with Paul's earlier teachings in Galatians that emphasize the unity of all believers in Christ (Galatians 3:28). The term "Israel" here is not limited to ethnic Israel but is expanded to include all who are part of the new covenant community, the church. This reflects the fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham, that through his seed, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3).

(16) According to this rule.--The word for "rule" is the same that afterwards received a special application in the phrase, "Canon of Scripture." It meant originally a carpenter's rule, or the line that a carpenter works by--hence, a rule or standard; and, from that, the list of books coming up to a certain standard--not (as might be thought) which themselves supplied a standard.

The Apostle confines his benediction to those who hold the fundamental truths of Christianity--i.e., here more especially, the doctrine of justification by faith and the spiritual view of Christianity connected with it, as opposed to the merely external and mechanical system of the Judaisers.

And upon the Israel of God.--The benediction is addressed, not to two distinct sets of persons ("those who walk by this rule" and "the Israel of God"), but to the same set of persons described in different ways. "And" is therefore equivalent to "namely:" Yea, upon the Israel of God. By the "Israel of God" is here meant the "spiritual Israel;" not converts from Judaism alone, but all who prove their real affinity to Abraham by a faith like Abraham's. (Comp. Galatians 3:7-9; Galatians 3:14; Galatians 3:29; Romans 4:11-12; Romans 9:6-8.) . . .

Verse 16. - And as many as walk according to this rule (καὶ ὅσοι τῷ κανόνι τούτῳ στοιχήσουσιν); and as many as shall be walking by this rule. The word κανών, properly a workman's rule, according to Liddell and Scott, but according to Bishop Lightfoot, who, refers to Dr. Westcott, 'On the Canon,' App. A, the carpenter's or surveyor's line by which a direction is taken, is used in 2 Corinthians 10:13, 15, 16 of the measurements and delimitation of districts; here, with reference apparently to a surveyor's measuring-line, as marking out a path or road. So that τῷ κανόνι τούτῳ στοιχεῖν means "walking on orderly" (see note on στοιχεῖν, Galatians 5:25) in the line marked out by what has now been said. The future tense appears to point forward to what should be the case among the Galatians when the letter now going to them should have had time to do its work. But what in the preceding context does the apostle refer to as supplying "this rule"? Many think that he points to the aphorism in ver. 15, affirming the utter indifferency of circumcision or uncircumcision, and the all-importance of a "new creature;" in which case the stress would lie mainly upon the latter point, the "new all-importance of a creature," which was of perpetual interest, rather than on the indiffereney of circumcision which in itself was a matter of but passing concern. It may be fairly questioned, however, whether the apostle does not rather point to the description which in ver. 14 he has given of the manner in which he himself regarded the cross of Christ, as a pattern to the Galatian Churchmen of the manner in which they also should be affected by it. It was customary with the apostle to present himself to his converts as the model to which they should conform themselves. Thus he commends the Thessalonians for that on their conversion they proved themselves imitators of him (1 Thessalonians 1:6). When discoursing to the Corinthians of his manifold afflictions and of his self-humbling, men-loving demeanour under them all, he besought them to be imitators of him (1 Corinthians 4:9-16), which entreaty he renews with a similar reference in 1 Corinthians 9:1. So he exhorts the Philippians to unite with one another in imitating him, and to fix their regards upon such as walked as they had him and those with him for a pattern (Philippians 3:17), and again repeats to them (Philippians 4:9), "Those things which ye, moreover, learned, and received, and heard, and saw in me, do," - all which clauses refer to his own character and doings as seen by themselves or as reported to them by others (see Alford, in loc.). This purpose, of propounding his sentiments and course of action as a model for the guidance of his converts, no doubt underlies very many of those passages in which he so frankly and (we might but for this be tempted to think) so sell:approvingly dilates upon them. In those days we must remember there was no "Canon "of New Testament Scripture which might serve for the guidance of the newly gained converts from heathenism; for practical guidance in the Christian life, besides the Old Testament Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:15-17), they had, perforce, to be referred partly to their own moral sense, partly to the inward teachings of the Holy Spirit, and partly, and this to a very important extent, to the living examples of eminently Spirit-taught men. This purpose, of propounding himself as an example, evidently underlay the writing of ver. 14; and it is the consciousness that it was so that now leads him to use the phrase, "by this rule," in reference, as seems most probable, to that very description of his own life. It is noticeable that, after having exhorted the Philippians to do all the things which they had seen and known him to do, he adds (Philippians 4:9). "And the God of peace shall be with you;" just as he here says, "As many as shall be walking orderly by this rule, peace upon them, and mercy!" We are now brought into a position to see clearly the force of the conjunction "and," with which he introduces this verse. It connects it closely with ver. 14. "I myself glory in the cross of Christ, and to that cross have sacrificed all I held dear; and for all that shall be found walking in that same path - upon them shall rest my hearty sympathy and my pastoral benediction." It is further deserving of notice that in Philippians 3, when presenting himself to the Philippians as their examplar, the apostle speaks of "many" - no doubt with inclusive reference to those Judaizing advocates of circumcision whose circumcision he scornfully styles a concision - as being "the enemies of the cross of Christ." This was written some years after the Epistle to the Galatians; but it shows that it was a common experience with the apostle to find among the Gentile Churches two classes in particular of Christians: one, consisting of his own adherents and followers in the spirit and life of the gospel; another, of those who (either because as born Jews or Gentile Judaizers, they eschewed the pollution of the cross and its aspect towards the ceremonial Law, or because they were Gentiles, ashamed before their countrymen of trusting in a Jew who had been crucified), were fain to the utmost of their power to thrust the crucifixion of Christ out of sight - "the enemies of the cross of Christ?" Peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God (εἰρήνη ἐπ αὐτούς καὶ ἔλεος καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ Θεοῦ). The suppletion of "be" in the Authorized Version, in preference to "shall be" or "is," is borne out by the fact that the language of benediction, both in the greeting at the beginning of the Epistles and in their close, ordinarily omits the copula verb, which in such cases must be what is here supplied. We may compare in particular Ephesians 6:24, "Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in uncorruptness," not only as similar in construction, requiring the like suppletion of "be," but also as another instance in which the apostle pronounces his pastoral benediction with a certain limitation, specifying those only who sincerely love Jesus Christ. The limitation in these two cases only implied is in 1 Corinthians 16:22 converted into a distinctly expressed anathema upon those who do not love Christ. The present passage makes the implied limitation without even that measure of stern precision which would have been marked by his writing ἐπὶ τούτους ("upon these") instead of ἐπ αὐτούς ("upon them"). It seems as if he would fain allure back to the gospel blessing those of his readers who might feel themselves as not now coming within its range. Perhaps in the addition of the words, "and mercy," we may detect a sympathizing sense in the mind of the apostle of the mental suffering, which those in Galatia sincerely devoted to the crucified Christ had and would still have to encounter, in contending for the truth of the gospel against fellow Churchmen of their own. They would probably be no mere hard-minded controversialists, but humble, loving believers, to whom the mercy of God would be very dear. The apostle adds it to his greeting only in writing to Timothy (1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2), distinguished apparently for the affectionateness and feminine-heartedness of his character. In Titus 1:4 the addition is not genuine. The words, "and upon the Israel of God," seem to be an echo of the "peace upon Israel (εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ)," which, in the Septuagint, closes the hundred and twenty-fifth and hundred and twenty-eighth psalms. The addition of the words, "of God," seems intended pointedly to distinguish the "Israel" which the apostle has m view from that which boasted itself as being Israel while it was not, and also from the false brethren (ψευδαδελφοί, Galatians 2:4) in the Christian Church, who were for linking themselves with the false Israel. The addition is not merely honorific, as in the expression, "the Church of God" (1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 10:32; 11:22; 15:9), but distinctive as well - that which alone God views and loves as "Israel" - to wit, the entire body of real believers in Christ, who, as portrayed in this Epistle, are "children of promise after the fashion of Isaac" (Galatians 4:28), Abraham's seed and heirs of the promise" (Galatians 3:29), and the children of "the upper Jerusalem, which is our mother" (Galatians 4:26). Of that portion of the true Israel which dwelt in Galatia (see 1 Peter 1:1; 1 Peter 2:10), those who, like the apostle, consecrated themselves to Christ as crucified, were the guiding and characterizing element; and therefore his blessing shed upon these spreads itself also upon those connected with them. That the apostle is even here still regardful of others among the Galatians, who were themselves" shifting away from the gospel" and were drawing others away too (Galatians 1:6, 7), is shown by the next verse.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Peace
εἰρήνη (eirēnē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1515: Probably from a primary verb eiro; peace; by implication, prosperity.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

mercy
ἔλεος (eleos)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1656: Pity, mercy, compassion. Of uncertain affinity; compassion.

to
ἐπ’ (ep’)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

all
ὅσοι (hosoi)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3745: How much, how great, how many, as great as, as much. By reduplication from hos; as As.

who
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

walk
στοιχήσουσιν (stoichēsousin)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4748: To walk in, walk by. From a derivative of steicho; to march in rank, i.e. to conform to virtue and piety.

by this
τούτῳ (toutō)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

rule,
κανόνι (kanoni)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2583: From kane; a rule, i.e. a standard; by implication, a boundary, i.e. a sphere.

even
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

to
ἐπὶ (epi)
Preposition
Strong's 1909: On, to, against, on the basis of, at.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Israel
Ἰσραὴλ (Israēl)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2474: Of Hebrew origin; Israel, the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants.

of God.
Θεοῦ (Theou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.


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NT Letters: Galatians 6:16 As many as walk by this rule (Gal. Ga)