WhatTheWordSays | Bible Study South Africa | Prayer | Christian Devotional

Your cart

Shingi’s Bible Commentary Galatians Chapter 5 part 2

Shingi's Bible Commentary
Shingi's Bible Commentary
Shingi's Bible Commentary Galatians Chapter 5 part 2
Loading
/

Study Guide
Galatians 5 part 2: The works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit 

Hermeneutical Framework: Contextual and Cross-Scriptural Interpretation.
Accurately discerning Paul’s intended meaning for pneuma requires a deliberate interpretive method that moves beyond a surface-level reading. English translations, particularly older versions like the King James Version, often apply a capitalized “Spirit” broadly, which can obscure the specific agent Paul intended in a given context. To penetrate this translational veil, a more rigorous hermeneutic is required, one grounded in contextual analysis and the principle of allowing Scripture to illuminate itself.

 The foundational method that Shingi employs for this analysis, is the principle of “letting Scripture interpret Scripture”. This approach assumes a coherence within the biblical canon, wherein passages from different books can clarify and define terms used elsewhere. By comparing Paul’s use of pneuma in Galatians with his usage in texts like 1 Corinthians and Romans, a more precise theological vocabulary emerges. This prevents imposing a monolithic meaning on a term that Paul himself uses with fluid, context-dependent intention.

Spiritual understanding: Shingi’s interpretive process is aided by what he reveals to be an ability given by the Spirit of God as defined in the scriptures as “spiritual understanding”. This is the faculty, given by the Holy Spirit, that enables a child of God to perceive nuances in the text that translation alone may miss. According to Shingi’s exegesis, it is this spiritual insight that allows the reader to recognize when Paul uses pneuma interchangeably to refer to different subjects and to follow the logic of his argument from verse to verse.
To navigate Paul’s usage, it is helpful to recognize the different Greek phrases involving pneuma and their typical referents as outlined in the source:
Greek Phrase
Common Reference
pneuma theos (πνεῦμα θεός)
The “Spirit of God,” a clear reference to the divine Holy Spirit.
hagios pneuma (ἅγιος πνεῦμα)
The “Holy Spirit,” also a direct and unambiguous reference to God.
pneuma (πνεῦμα)
The standalone term for “spirit.” Its meaning must be determined by its immediate context. It can refer to the Spirit of God, the regenerated human spirit, or wind.

Case Study in Hermeneutics: The Searching “Spirit” of 1 Corinthians 2
Teacher Shingi’s case for this hermeneutical necessity is powerfully illustrated by a parallel exegesis of 1 Corinthians 2:9-12, which highlights a pattern of potential translation errors rooted in a failure to apply contextual analysis. The critique focuses on the King James Version’s rendering of 1 Corinthians 2:10, “for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God,” where “Spirit” is capitalized.
Shingi dismantles this translation with the following logic:
Premise: The Holy Spirit is God. As God, He already knows the “deep things of God” and has no need to “search” for them. Shingi posits that the act of searching implies a lack of knowledge that is incompatible with divinity.
 Contextual Clue: Verse 11 provides the necessary distinction: “what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” Paul clearly separates the human spirit’s sphere of knowledge from the divine Spirit’s.
Conclusion: The argument hinges on the premise that the entity that needs to “search” the deep things of God is the small letter ‘s’ “spirit of a man,” who has been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The regenerated human spirit is the searcher, and the Holy Spirit is the revealer.
This passage serves as the prime exhibit demonstrating that a uniform capitalization of pneuma can create theological inconsistencies. It validates the entire methodological approach of Shingi’s commentary before the analysis of Galatians even begins, proving that a contextual, cross-scriptural hermeneutic is not merely optional but essential for accurate Pauline exegesis.

Teacher Shingi synthesizes his core arguments and theological interpretations in his presentation. The central thesis is radical revelations of key passages based on a distinction between “Spirit” (capital letter ‘S’) referring to the Holy Spirit, and “spirit” (small letter ‘s’) referring to the recreated human spirit of a child of God. This distinction leads to several critical interpretations:

  1. The “Fruit of the Spirit” is Produced by the child of God: Shingi argues forcefully that the fruit listed in Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, etc.) is the product of the Christians own recreated human spirit, not the Holy Spirit. Citing John 15, it posits that God is the “vine” and believers are the “branches”—the fruit-bearing part. God does not need to bear fruit; believers do.
  2. Spiritual Conflict is Internal to the child of God: The conflict described in Galatians 5:17 (“the flesh lusts against the spirit”) is not a struggle between human flesh and the Spirit of God. Rather, it is an internal tug-of-war between the Christian’s physical senses (“the voice of your flesh”) and their own recreated human spirit.
  3. “Works of the Flesh” Describe the Unsaved: By cross-referencing with Romans 8, Shingi asserts that born-again believers are “not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.” Consequently, the list of “works of the flesh” in Galatians 5:19-21 describes the nature and actions of those who are not in Christ, rather than a list of temptations for Christians.
  4. A Christian’s Identity is Rooted in a Crucified Flesh: The analysis emphasizes that for a believer in Christ, the flesh with its “affections and lusts” has already been crucified (Galatians 5:24). “Walking in the Spirit” is therefore an act of living in accordance with this established spiritual reality, which is revealed in the Word of God.
  5. Context and Spiritual Understanding are Key: The entire argument rests on a hermeneutic of “letting scripture interpret scripture” and relying on “spiritual understanding” to discern the correct contextual meaning of the Greek word pneuma (spirit), which, it is argued, has been incorrectly capitalized in key passages by translators of the King James Version.

1. Central Thesis: Distinguishing ‘Spirit’ (Capital letter ‘S’) from ‘spirit’ (Small letter ‘s’)

The foundational argument that Shingi presents is that the understanding of Galatians 5 hinges on correctly identifying which “spirit” is being discussed in each verse. This requires moving beyond the translators’ capitalization choices in versions like the KJV and using scriptural context to understand the author’s intent for the Greek word pneuma.

Spirit (Capital letter ‘S’): The Spirit of God

This refers to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, or the Spirit of Christ (Hagios Pneuma or Pneuma Theos).

Phrases like “walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5:16) and “if you be led of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:18) Shingi teaches to be referring to the Spirit of God.

“Walking in the Spirit” is defined as walking in accordance with the Word of God, as the scriptures are the “words of the Spirit.”
Praying “in the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:18) is similarly defined as praying in accordance with the Word, not just speaking in tongues.

spirit (Small letter ‘s’): The Recreated Human Spirit

This refers to the born-again spirit of a human being.
The commentary argues that this is the correct interpretation for passages describing an action or state internal to the believer, such as the struggle against the flesh and the bearing of fruit.

Scriptural support is drawn from 1 Corinthians 14:14-15, where Paul distinguishes his own praying spirit: “If I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays… I will pray with the spirit.”

2. The Source of Fruit: Understanding ‘The Fruit of the Spirit’ (Galatians 5:22)

A major conclusion of this analysis is that the phrase “the fruit of the Spirit” is a mistranslation and should be understood as “the fruit of the (recreated human) spirit.”


Theological Rationale: Teacher Shingi states, “God doesn’t need to bear fruit. We are the ones that need to bear fruit. Our recreated human spirit is the one that needs to bear fruit.” The Spirit of God, being God, is the source and essence, not a producer of fruit in this context.

Scriptural Evidence (John 15): The primary evidence is Jesus’s vine and branches analogy.
Jesus as the Vine: “I am the vine…” (John 15:1, 5). The Spirit of Christ is the vine, the source of life.
Believers as the Branches: “ye are the branches” (John 15:5). The branches are explicitly identified as the fruit-bearing part of the plant. “Every branch in me that beareth… fruit…” (John 15:2).

Since believers are the branches, they are the ones who produce the fruit. Therefore, the “fruit” described in Galatians 5 is the product of the believer’s own recreated spirit, which is connected to the vine (Christ).

3. The Nature of Spiritual Conflict (Galatians 5:17)

The commentary re-frames the classic interpretation of the spiritual war in Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.”


The Flawed Comparison: It is argued that comparing the “flesh” (human senses) to the omnipotent “Spirit of God” is an invalid comparison. The Spirit of God is not in competition with human flesh; Genesis 6:3 is cited, where God states, “My spirit shall not always strive with man.”

The Correct Comparison: The true conflict is between two competing voices or desires within the believer:
The Flesh: The cravings and desires of the body; “the voice of your senses.”
The spirit (small letter ‘s’): The desires of the recreated human spirit, which craves the things of God.

The passage should be read as “the flesh lusts against the [recreated human] spirit, and the [recreated human] spirit against the flesh.” It is the believer’s human spirit, empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, that battles to dominate the senses.

4. Defining Believer Identity: ‘In the Flesh’ vs. ‘In the Spirit’

The commentary posits that the phrases “in the flesh” and “in the Spirit” do not describe fluctuating states for a Christian but rather two distinct categories of people: the unsaved and the saved.

The Works of the Flesh (Gal. 5:19-21): This list (adultery, idolatry, hatred, etc.) is presented as the manifest works of those who are “after the flesh”—the un-regenerated who are led by their senses.

The Christian’s Position (Romans 8:9): The foundational text for this argument is Romans 8:9: “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.”

A Crucified Reality (Gal. 5:24): The commentary highlights that this is a past-tense reality for the believer: “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” It is not something the believer is trying to do, but something that has been done in Christ.

Implication: A born-again Christian’s identity is “in the Spirit.” Therefore, the works of the flesh are not their works. Walking in the Spirit means living out this new identity and producing the corresponding fruit of their recreated spirit.

5. Hermeneutics and Critique of Translation

Shingi’s methodology is central to the commentary’s conclusions. It relies on deep textual analysis and a specific, objective approach to scriptural interpretation.

Principle of Interpretation: The guiding principle is to “let scripture interpret scripture,” using clearer passages to illuminate more ambiguous ones.

Critique of KJV Translation (1 Corinthians 2:10): A key piece of evidence for the thesis is an analysis of 1 Corinthians 2:10, which reads in the KJV: “For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”

The Argument: It makes no “spiritual sense” for the Spirit of God (capital S) to need to “search” the deep things of God, because the Spirit is God and already knows them.

The Proposed Correction: The verse refers to the recreated human spirit (small s), which, now indwelt by the Holy Spirit, is empowered to search out the deep things of God. This is reinforced by the following verse: “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?”

The Role of Spiritual Understanding: The speaker asserts that this level of discernment is a “spiritual intelligence” that comes from decades of dedicated study, fellowship, and revelation from the Holy Spirit.

Analysis of Key Terms (Galatians 5:19-23)

The commentary provides definitions for the Greek terms used in the lists of the works of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit.

Works of the Flesh

 Greek Term

Definition from Source

Adultery

 Moicheia Adultery

Fornication

Porneia

Illicit sexual intercourse; sexual immorality; all sexual activity outside marriage.

Uncleanness

Akatharsia

Impurity, unclean/perverted thoughts, moral impurity.

Lasciviousness

Aselgeia

Outrageous conduct, shameless excess, untamed desire, lack of self-control.

Idolatry

Eidololatria

Worship of false gods; can be ingrained in cultural/traditional practices.

Witchcraft

Pharmakeia

Use or administering of drugs, potions, sorcery, magical arts.

Hatred

Echthrai

Hostilities, feuds, personal vendettas.

Variance

Eris

Contention, quarreling, strife, excessive competition.

Emulations

Zelos

Fervent jealousy.
Wrath

Thumos

 Rage, passionate outbursts of anger.

Strife

Eritheia

Selfish ambition, self-seeking.

Seditions

Dichostasia

Divisions; a desire to cause division rather than unity.

Heresies

Hairesis

Not false doctrine, but creating sects or factions.

Envyings

Phthonos

Jealousy, ill will towards others’ success, resentment of others’ advantages.

Murders

 phonos

Taking another person’s life, killings.

Drunkenness

Methe

Intoxication to the point of losing rationality and control.

Revellings

Komos

Wild, drunken parties; festive processions.

Fruit of the spirit

Greek Term

Definition from Source

Love

 Agape The love of God.

Joy

 Chara Gladness.
Peace Eirene

Divine tranquility.

Longsuffering

 Makrothumia Patience, endurance.
Gentleness Chrestotes

Moral goodness, integrity, kindness.

Goodness

 Agathosune Uprightness of heart, pure intentions.
Faith Pistis

Faith.

Meekness

 Prautes Humility.
Temperance Enkrateia

Self-control.

Shingi’s Bible Commentary: Galatians Chapter 5 part 1

Shingi's Bible Commentary
Shingi's Bible Commentary
Shingi’s Bible Commentary: Galatians Chapter 5 part 1
Loading
/

Study Guide:
Galatians Chapter 5: “The war between the flesh and the spirit”

Welcome to this explanatory guide, designed to illuminate the core ideas presented in Shingi’s Bible Commentary on Galatians Chapter 5. These notes serve as a clear and accessible resource for those new to biblical studies, simplifying complex theological concepts and providing a structured understanding of the text. Shingi’s primary teaching method in this commentary is to unpack the allegory of Abraham’s two sons from Galatians 4, using it as a lens through which to interpret the entire chapter. This guide will walk you through the central theme of the commentary: the profound difference between living under the burden of religious law and living in the freedom offered through Christ.

1. The Core Conflict: Liberty vs. The “Yoke of Bondage”

The study frames Galatians 5 around a central conflict between two opposing ways of living: one defined by Christ-given liberty and the other by a legalistic “yoke of bondage.”

1.1. What is the “Liberty” We Are Called To?

According to Teacher Shingi, the liberty discussed is the freedom that Christ has bestowed upon all believers. This freedom is not something that must be earned but is a direct result of one’s spiritual birth. This is allegorically explained as being “born of the free woman,” which signifies being born into Christ and becoming part of the “Jerusalem which is above, which is free”. The key benefit of this liberty is that it is an inheritance of freedom, a foundational aspect of the believer’s new identity, not a reward for good works.

1.2. What is the “Yoke of Bondage”?

Teacher Shingi defines the “yoke of bondage” as the act of becoming entangled with the Law of Moses and attempting to be justified by it. This “yoke” represents several interconnected ideas:

  • The Law from Mount Sinai: Teacher Shingi explicitly links this bondage to the law that Moses received at Mount Sinai.
  • The Pursuit of Circumcision: The act of circumcision is used as the primary example of trying to adhere to the law for justification before God.
  • The “Flesh”: The source of this bondage is the “flesh,” which Shingi directly links to the attempt to live by the Law of Moses received at Mount Sinai.

Apostle Paul issues a stark warning: anyone who attempts to be justified by the law becomes a “debtor to do the whole law,” and for that person, Christ becomes of “no effect”.  Shingi highlights the severe consequence of this path, noting that if you fail to keep even one point of the law, you have violated the whole law and are therefore “worthy of death”.

This fundamental conflict between liberty and bondage is illustrated by Teacher Shingi through two distinct spiritual origins, or “births.”

2. Understanding the Two Births: Flesh vs. Spirit

The commentary draws upon the allegory from Galatians 4—the story of Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael and Isaac—to illustrate the difference between a life lived under the law (“born after the flesh”) and a life lived in Christ (“born after the Spirit”).

Born After the Flesh Born After the Spirit
Linked to Ishmael, the son of Hagar, the “bond maid.” Linked to Isaac, the son of Sarah, the “free woman.”
Represents a life lived “under the law” and in a state of spiritual “bondage.” Represents being “born of the promise,” free from the law, and possessing an “inheritance of freedom.”
The commentary notes that those born this way historically persecute those born of the Spirit. These are the “children of promise,” just as Isaac was, who receive God’s favor by faith, not works.

Having established these two distinct spiritual lineages, Shingi proceeds to explain how a person who is “born after the Spirit” is meant to live out their newfound freedom.

3. The Christian’s New Way of Life

For the believer born of the Spirit, the old system of law is replaced by a new, internal operating principle.

3.1. What Replaces the Law? “Faith Which Works by Love”

Shingi states that in the new life in Christ, external markers like circumcision or uncircumcision are irrelevant. The only thing that now matters is “faith which works by love”.

To define this principle, Shingi makes a critical cross-reference to Galatians 6:15, where the same formula (“neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision”) is followed by the phrase “but a new creature.” By connecting these two verses, he argues that “faith which works by love” is synonymous with being a “new creature.” It is the very “living composition” and “spiritual genetic makeup” of a believer’s born-again spirit.

Shingi explains that this faith operates in two distinct but connected ways:

  1. Awakened by God’s Love for Us: Faith is first activated by the transformative realization of God’s unconditional love. Shingi emphasizes that this love was proactively demonstrated when Christ died for us while we were still sinners, before we even knew we needed saving. Understanding this profound, unmerited love makes faith in God’s promises both logical and easy.
  2. Expressed Through God’s Love in Us: Once a person is born again, God places His own love inside them through the Holy Spirit. This enables the believer to naturally and unconditionally love others, regardless of how they are treated, because it flows from an internal, divine source.

3.2. What Does it Mean to “Walk in the Spirit”?

Teacher Shingi offers a distinctively practical definition for this often-misunderstood phrase. He asserts that the Bible is the only definitive source of information about the spirit realm. Based on this foundational premise, he concludes that to “walk in the Spirit” is simply to “walk in the Word”.

The reasoning behind this definition is as follows:

  • The Bible is described as “the spirit world in writing” and “the realm of the Spirit in written form”.
  • Therefore, walking in the Spirit is not a mystical or an “airy fairy” experience. It is the practical act of aligning one’s life, decisions, and beliefs with the written Word of God.

He grounds this interpretation by drawing a sharp terminological distinction between praying “in the Spirit” (praying in accordance with the Word of God) and praying “with the Spirit” (praying in tongues by the power of the Holy Spirit).

This explanation of how a believer should live leads directly to the tangible outcomes produced by the two opposing lifestyles—one led by the flesh and the other led by the Spirit.

4. The Two Lifestyles and Their Outcomes

Shingi links the two opposing lists in Galatians 5 back to the allegory of the two births, showing that each lifestyle produces a distinct type of evidence or “fruit.”

4.1. The “Works of the Flesh”

These behaviors are presented as the manifest results of a life not led by the Spirit. Shingi further connects the “works of the flesh” directly to the spiritual lineage of the “bondwoman” (Hagar and Ishmael).

The list of these works includes:

Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Heresies, Envyings, Murders, Drunkenness, Revellings.

4.2. The “Fruit of the Spirit”

In stark contrast, the “fruit of the Spirit” is the natural outcome of a life born of and led by the Spirit. This fruit is connected to the spiritual lineage of the “free woman” (Sarah and Isaac).

The list includes:

Love, Joy, Peace, Long suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.

5. Conclusion: A Call to Live in Freedom

The central insight of Shingirai Mudyirwa’s commentary on Galatians 5 is a call for believers to fully embrace their identity in Christ. The Christian life presented is not one of striving to adhere to an external list of religious rules (the law) but one of confidently living in the liberty that Christ has already secured. This freedom is realized by walking in the truth of God’s Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to naturally produce His fruit, which is the ultimate expression of a faith that works by love.

Copyright WhatTheWordSays 2025.