And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offense of the cross ceased.
All Commentaries on Galatians 5:11 Go To Galatians 5
John Chrysostom
AD 407
Since they were slandering him as one who constantly Judaized and was a hypocrite in his preaching, see how blamelessly he meets the challenge, calling them to admit the truth. “For you know that this is the pretext for persecuting me, that I ask you to avoid the law. But if I preach circumcision, why am I persecuted? For the Jews have nothing to charge me with but this one thing.” … What then? Did he not preach circumcision? Did he not circumcise Timothy? He did indeed circumcise him. How then can he say “I do not preach”? Now learn here his precise meaning. He did not say “I do not perform circumcision” “I do not preach it,” that is, “I do not tell you to believe in this way.”
