Galati 5:15

15 Che se voi vi mordete, e divorate gli uni gli altri, guardate che non siate consumati gli uni dagli altri.

Galati 5:15 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 5:15

But if ye bite and devour one another
Another reason inducing to love is taken from the pernicious consequences of a contrary spirit and conduct. The allusion is to beasts of prey falling upon and devouring one another: for wolves or dogs to worry sheep is not strange; but for sheep to distress one another is unnatural. The apostle does not say, if grievous wolves should enter in among you and not spare the flock; but suggests if they themselves should act the part of wolves to one another; having reference to their controversies about the law and circumcision, and the necessity thereof to justification and salvation; which were managed with great heat and bitterness, occasioned great contentions, and threatened them with divisions, parties, and factions; and were attended with envy and malice, with reproachful words, biting sarcasms, scandalous invectives, and injurious actions, which must be of bad consequence: hence he adds,

take heed that ye be not consumed one of another;
that is, either beware lest each other's particular peace and comfort be destroyed, which is oftentimes done this way, though a person's state and condition God-ward may be safe; or lest their church state should be destroyed and come to nothing, since love is the cement of it, which being loosened, threatens a dissolution; for as no civil community, either public or private, divided against itself, can stand long, so no religious one; and for want of love the Lord threatens to remove, and sometimes does remove, the candlestick out of its place.

Galati 5:15 In-Context

13 Poichè voi siete stati chiamati a libertà, fratelli; sol non prendete questa libertà per un’occasione alla carne; ma servite gli uni agli altri per la carità.

14 Perciocchè tutta la legge si adempie in questa unica parola: Ama il tuo prossimo, come te stesso.

15 Che se voi vi mordete, e divorate gli uni gli altri, guardate che non siate consumati gli uni dagli altri.

16 OR io dico: Camminate secondo lo Spirito, e non adempiete la concupiscenza della carne.

17 Poichè la carne appetisce contro allo Spirito, e lo Spirito contro alla carne; e queste cose son ripugnanti l’una all’altra; acciocchè non facciate qualunque cosa volete.