But by faith
Faith is central to the Christian life, as emphasized throughout the New Testament. In Galatians, Paul contrasts faith with the works of the law, underscoring that righteousness and salvation come through faith in Jesus Christ, not through adherence to the Mosaic Law. This echoes Ephesians 2:8-9, which states that salvation is a gift from God, not a result of works. Faith is the means by which believers are justified and live out their Christian walk, as seen in Habakkuk 2:4, "The righteous will live by his faith."

we eagerly await
The concept of eagerly awaiting reflects the Christian's anticipation of Christ's return and the fulfillment of God's promises. This anticipation is not passive but active, involving a hopeful and expectant attitude. Romans 8:23-25 speaks of believers waiting eagerly for adoption as sons and the redemption of their bodies, highlighting the future aspect of salvation. The early church lived with a strong sense of expectancy for the second coming of Christ, which influenced their daily lives and decisions.

through the Spirit
The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in the life of a believer, acting as a guide, comforter, and source of strength. In Galatians, Paul emphasizes the Spirit's work in producing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and leading believers in their walk with God. The Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14) and the one who empowers believers to live according to God's will. The presence of the Spirit is a mark of the new covenant, distinguishing believers from those under the old covenant of the law.

the hope of righteousness
The hope of righteousness refers to the future aspect of salvation when believers will be fully conformed to the image of Christ. This hope is both a present reality and a future expectation. While believers are declared righteous through faith in Christ, they await the full realization of this righteousness at the return of Christ. This hope is rooted in the promises of God and is a recurring theme in Paul's letters, as seen in Romans 5:1-5, where hope does not disappoint because of God's love poured out through the Holy Spirit.

1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the letter to the Galatians, Paul was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary journeys and theological teachings. He wrote to the Galatians to address issues of legalism and to affirm the doctrine of justification by faith.

2. Galatia
A region in modern-day Turkey where the recipients of this letter resided. The Galatian churches were struggling with the influence of Judaizers who insisted on adherence to the Mosaic Law for salvation.

3. Judaizers
A group of Jewish Christians who taught that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic Law, including circumcision, to be truly saved. They are a central concern in Paul's letter to the Galatians.Faith and Hope in Christ
Galatians 5:5 emphasizes the importance of faith as the means by which we eagerly await the hope of righteousness. This hope is not based on our works but on the finished work of Christ.

The Role of the Holy Spirit
The verse highlights that it is through the Spirit that we wait for this hope. The Holy Spirit is essential in guiding and sustaining our faith journey.

Righteousness by Faith, Not Law
Paul contrasts the righteousness that comes by faith with the legalistic approach of the Judaizers. Believers are called to trust in Christ alone for their righteousness.

Living in Anticipation
Christians are encouraged to live in anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promises, maintaining a posture of hope and expectation.

Freedom from Legalism
The message of Galatians 5:5 liberates believers from the bondage of legalism, encouraging them to embrace the freedom found in Christ.(5) Through the Spirit.--Through the operation of the Spirit. It is the Spirit which makes faith effectual and righteousness real. The righteousness which comes by the Law is entirely human or "carnal," the product of a man's own efforts. The righteousness which is by faith is the gift of God, and that gift is communicated through the Spirit.

Wait for.--The Greek word means "to wait earnestly or eagerly," as in Romans 8:19; Romans 8:23; Romans 8:25, et seq.

The hope of righteousness.--The righteousness which is the object of our hopes; the hoped-for, promised righteousness. More often the Apostle speaks of the state of righteousness as conferred upon the Christian at his baptism. This is, however, only a sort of ideal or potential righteousness; it is a state inherent in that kingdom of which the Christian then becomes a member, not a state inherent in the Christian himself. This ideal or potential righteousness becomes real and actual only at the end of the Christian's career, when it is finally confirmed to him. Looking forward to this point, it is an object of hope.

Verse 5. - For we through the Spirit (ἡμεῖς γὰρ πνεύματι); for we for our parts by the Spirit. "We" who abide in Christ, and continue steadfast in the grace into which Christ has brought us; that is, we believers in Christ, as such. Not, "I and those who go along with me," as e.g. in Philippians 3:17. "By the Spirit." Πνεῦμα can hardly here mean, as in Galatians 3:3, the element of spiritual life; but much more probably the personal Spirit of God, referred to as inspiring and prompting the action of the believer's mind. The presence of this Spirit has been a]ready described as the distinguishing blessing of believers in Christ (Galatians 3:2-5, 14; Galatians 4:6); while presently after (ver. 18, πνεύματι: 22-25) the apostle dwells on the work of the same Divine Agent in regulating the Christian's habits of feeling and action (the dative as in vers. 16, 18; Romans 8:13). It is here referred to as evincing the Divine sanction which attaches to the particular action of faith and hope now to be described (comp. Romans 8:15-17; Ephesians 1:13). Wait for the hope of righteousness by faith (ἐκ πίστεως ἐλπίδα δικαιοσύνης ἐπεκδεχόμεθα); from the ground of faith do wait for the hope of righteousness. The term which has the principal accent in this clause is ἐκ πίστεως, "from the ground of faith." This appears, both from the preceding context, in which the opposed idea of "justification by the Law" holds the foremost place, requiring here the confronting mention of "faith," and also from the next verse, which substantiates the statement before us by affirming the all-importance of "faith." In point of construction, ἐκ πίστεως does not appear to qualify "righteousness," although, from the classical text Habakkuk 2:4 (Septuagint), it is so often connected with δίκαιος and δικαιοῦσθαι: but rather the whole clause, "wait for the hope of righteousness." What the apostle is now concerned to say is that it is by virtue of our faith that we look forward to hereafter receiving the hope of righteousness. This, of course, includes our being by faith justified. The word "hope" here designates the object hoped for, and not the sentiment itself. So Romans 8:24, "hope that is seen;" Colossians 1:5, "the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens;" Titus 2:13, "looking for the blissful hope." The genitive, "of righteousness," may be

(1) the "genitive of apposition," the hope which is, or which consists of, righteousness, similar to the genitives in the phrases, "the earnest of the Spirit," "the sign of circumcision,' ' "the leaven of malice," "the recompense of the inheritance," "the peaceable fruit of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 5:5; Romans 4:11; 1 Corinthians 5:8; Colossians 3:24; Hebrews 12:11); or

(2) "the hope of righteousness" may mean the hope that appertains unto righteousness, which would be the "inheritance" spoken of in Galatians 3:18, 22, as accruing, not "from the Law," but to those who are justified by faith. The apostle is not wont to speak of justification as a blessing to be received at the day of final decision, to which he evidently here refers, but as a blessing received at once by those who believe in Christ as the fruit even here of their faith. Thus Romans 5:1, "Being justified (δικαιωθέντες) by faith, we have peace with God;" ibid., ver. 11, "We have now received the reconciliation." Thus also in this Epistle (Galatians 3:24-27) it is declared that, in consequence of being justified by faith, we are clothed with Christ and God's adopted sons (see also Galatians 4:6, 7). There can surely be no question of the already received justification of those in whom the Spirit testifies that they are sons. Nor does Philippians 3:9 ("That I may be found in him, having... the righteousness which is through faith in Christ" ) speak a different language: he aspires (he there says) to be in that final judgment found in possession of a righteousness which he had received in this life through the faith which he had in this life exercised. As Bengel here observes, "Paul, in mentioning things beyond, includes and confirms things present." Of Judaical legalism it was true that it did not think itself already possessed of righteousness, but with an ever-unappeased conscience was always still striving after it; whereas it is the privilege and glory of faith that it can enjoy the assurance of being even now justified and at peace with, "at one" with, God. Most certainly, what the apostle here calls "hope" is not the sentiment which we so often thus name when we intend thereby an imperfectly assured expectation of some probably coming good. In the apostle's vocabulary it denotes a confident anticipation unclouded by doubt (comp. Romans 8:23-25; Hebrews 11:1). In fine, this is what the apostle means: We Christians, as led by the Spirit of adoption, do rest in the confident anticipation of receiving the inheritance which is the future award of the righteous, on the ground of our faith in the Lord Jesus. The verb ἀπεκδέχομαι, in all the six other passages in which it is found, is used with reference to objects or events pertaining to the close of the present dispensation: Romans 8:19, 23, 25; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 9:28. The proposition ἀπὸ in this compound verb is probably intensive, expressing thorough-goingness; an entirely assured, steadfast expectation, persistent to the end.

Parallel Commentaries ...

[But]
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

by
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

faith
πίστεως (pisteōs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4102: Faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.

we
Ἡμεῖς (Hēmeis)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

eagerly await
ἀπεκδεχόμεθα (apekdechometha)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 553: To expect eagerly, wait for eagerly, look for. From apo and ekdechomai; to expect fully.

through [the] Spirit
Πνεύματι (Pneumati)
Noun - Dative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

[the] hope
ἐλπίδα (elpida)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1680: Hope, expectation, trust, confidence. From a primary elpo; expectation or confidence.

of righteousness.
δικαιοσύνης (dikaiosynēs)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1343: From dikaios; equity; specially justification.


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NT Letters: Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit by faith (Gal. Ga)