Galatians 5:11

Preach circumcision. The Judaizers had apparently accused Paul of doing so, probably because he had had Timothy, and possibly others, circumcised (Acts 16:1-3). They no doubt intended to make Paul appear inconsistent. See on Gal. 5:2-4.

Yet suffer persecution. Paul answers the baseless charge by posing a question that proves it invalid. If it be true, he asks, why do the Judaizers still persecute him? (see 2 Cor. 11:26; Gal. 2:4). Most of the persecution Paul suffered was at the hands of the Jews (see on ch. 4:29). Everywhere he went persecution arose, almost invariably because there was no room for Jewish legalism in his gospel. This, of course, was a false accusation, for Paul continually appealed to Moses for support of his gospel. Circumcision being the peculiar badge of Judaism, it would be strange indeed for the Jews to persecute Paul if they actually believed he was advocating circumcision.

Offence. Gr. skandalon, the trigger stick that springs a trap (see on 1 Cor. 1:23). Metaphorically, a skandalon might be anything that trips a person and causes him to stumble. To the Jews the cross was a skandalon, a “stumblingblock” (1 Cor. 1:23). This was because they thought that the Messiah would come as a great political and military leader to liberate them from the tyranny of the Romans (see on Luke 4:19). When Jesus submitted to cruelty they inflicted upon Him the Jews concluded that He could not be the Promised One. His humility they interpreted as weakness. Had they accepted the prophecy of Isa. 53 they would not have made this mistake. There was no room in their minds or hearts for a suffering Messiah.

Ceased. “Circumcision” is incompatible with the “cross” (see on vs. 1, 2). If Paul indeed is preaching “circumcision,” it can only be because he is no longer preaching the “cross.” The one cannot exist beside the other.