Below are a few examples taken from some Christian commentators.
Kenneth Wuest
“And as many as by this rule are ordering their conduct, peace be upon them, and mercy, even upon the Israel of God.”
Those therefore, who order their lives by the Holy Spirit’s control, constitute the true Israel of God, not the Jews who have the name of Israel but are only children of Abraham after the flesh. The Greek word for “and” also has the meaning of “even” in some contexts. We translate here “even the Israel of God” as identifying those who “walk according to this rule.”
W. J. Conybeare
“And whosoever shall walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon all the Israel of God.”
Whether they be Jews or Gentiles.
Robert Young
“And as many as by this rule do walk - peace upon them, and kindness, and on the Israel of God.”
16. WALK,] or “step on by this cannon (reed or rule), peace (is) on them, and kindness …Israel of God,” i.e. the spiritual seed of Abraham.
John Wesley
“And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace and mercy (be) upon them, and upon the Israel of God”
‘Peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel’, that is, the church, ‘of God’ – Which constitutes all those, and those only, of every nation and kindred, who walk by this rule.
W. E. Vine
“And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.”
“and”- kai, which among many uses, is frequently =”even,” should be so understood here. Those who ‘walk by this rule’ are themselves ‘the Israel of God.’ upon the Israel of God.’
“upon the Israel of God.” – the words suggest a contrast between a true and a false Israel. Circumcision could not transform a Gentile into a Jew; faith makes of any man, Jew or Gentile, an Israelite indeed, one of the true people of God, see 1 Peter 2:10, and cp. Romans 2:28, 29; Philippians 3:3. The circumcision party would have had the Galatians become Jews by submitting to a Jewish rite; let them rather by faith in Christ become of the Israel of God. But the apostle does not apologize for the Gentile converts. His challenge to the Judaizers rings out in this exultant climax—they are the very Israel of God!
The descendants of Jacob were known as Hebrews, Jews, and Israelites. These names are not always interchangeable. Speaking generally, “Hebrew” suggests their speech, see Acts 6:1, “Jew” their nationality, see 3:28, above, “Israelite” their calling to be the people of God, Matthew 2:6. The last is, therefore, the highest title of the three, connoting the dignity and the privileges wherewith God had endowed them. But the ideal to which the title pointed had been realized only by the few among their successive generations, for all that are of Israel in the course of nature are not Israelites in heart, Romans 9:6—8. The true Israelite is he who, of whatever nation born, puts his faith in God. See 3:7, 9, above, and Romans 4:12.
Marvin R. Vincent
“and upon the Israel of God.” The ‘kai’ – “and” may be simply connective, in which case ‘the Israel of God’ may be different from ‘as many as walk’ etc., and may mean truly converted Jews. Or the ‘kai’ may be explicative, in which case ‘the Israel of God’ will define and emphasise ‘as many as,’ etc., and will mean the whole body of Christians, Jewish and Gentile. In other words, they who walk according to this rule form the true Israel of God. The explicative ‘kai’ is at best doubtful here, and is rather forced, although clear instances of it may be found in 1 Cor. iii. 5; xv. 38. It seems better to regard it as simply connective. Then őσοι (as many) will refer to the individual Christians, Jewish and Gentile, and Israel of God to the same Christians, regarded collectively, and forming the true messianic community.
From the above comments we see that the word 'kai' used by the Apostle Paul in Gal 6:16 and translated 'and' in the Authorized Version, should be understood to mean "EVEN" to the English translator and reader. Thus the verse should be read " And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, even upon the Israel of God."
Spiros Zodhiates in his comprehensive 'Greek Dictionary of the New Testament', gives the following meaning for the word "kai."
KAI ‘kahee’; appar. a prim. particle, having a ‘copulative’ and sometimes also a ‘cumulative’ force: — ‘and’, ‘also’, ‘even’, ‘so’, ‘then’, ‘too’, etc; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words: —‘and’, ‘also’, ‘both’, ‘but’, ‘even’, ‘for’, ‘if’, ‘indeed’, ‘likewise’, ‘moreover’, ‘or’, ‘so’, ‘that’, ‘then’, ‘therefore’, ‘when’, ‘yea’, ‘yet’.
We may safely conclude, therefore, that the Apostle of Christ is here referring NOT to an ethnic race of people, but to God’s “chosen” people – the true Israel of God. “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
“For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them, IF ANY MAN COME TO ME, AND HATE NOT HIS FATHER, AND MOTHER, AND WIFE, AND CHILDREN, AND BRETHREN, AND SISTERS, YEA, AND HIS OWN LIFE ALSO, HE CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE. AND WHOSOEVER DOTH NOT BEAR HIS CROSS, AND COME AFTER ME, CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE.” Luke 14:24-27
This is the “rule” by which God’s Israel is distinguished - only such as walk by the rule of the Cross are the “Israel of God.”
God will not, indeed cannot, allow those who will not “die” to self and sin to be part of the Israel of God, the Church and body of Christ. This is one of the main reasons why the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified - "FOR THE GRACE OF GOD THAT BRINGETH SALVATION HATH APPEARED TO ALL MEN, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST; WHO GAVE HIMSELF FOR US, THAT HE MIGHT REDEEM US FROM ALL INIQUITY, AND PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, ZEALOUS OF GOOD WORKS." Titus 2:11-14
God’s Israel glory only in the Cross.
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." I Corinthians 1:18-31
“For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:18-21
“…God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, even upon the Israel of God.” Galatians 6:14-16
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