Galatians 4:12-20
12: I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You have done me no wrong;
13: but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; 14: and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
15: Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
16: So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17: They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18: But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you.
19: My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—
20: but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
Paul urged the brethren to become as he was—to cast off Jewish observances—for he had become as they were—not regarding Jewish ordinances as contributing to justification at all. Any Jewish traditions that Paul might still have kept was not done to try to earn salvation or righteousness. He wanted to make this clear, for there was no reason for the Gentiles to adopt Jewish Law or ordinances.
Paul said when he first preached to them, he lived among them as one of them---not keeping Jewish Law—and they didn’t wrong him in any way. In fact, they received him as an angel of God, even as Christ Himself. Though he was ill when he was with them, they didn’t shun him, rather they would have given him their own eyes if possible. Some think this reference to giving their own eyes is a phrase used to describe the highest level of self-sacrifice. Others think this refers to some sickness in Paul’s eyes which caused great compassion so they would have given him their own. Either way, the point is that they once highly valued him and his message, in spite of physical infirmity, yet had they turned against him because he spoke the truth?
Paul revealed the true motives of the people who were influencing the Galatians to try to get them to follow Jewish Law. They were zealots who were trying to exclude them from the Christian faith--telling them they had no place in the Kingdom of God—so that they would seek their approval and ultimately do what they said—get circumcised and follow Jewish Law. In the process they were creating their own religious sect, and not one that was based on faith in Christ alone for salvation.
Paul said he was not against anyone who would zealously pursue the Galatians if it was for their good--if it was to bring them closer to Christ, even if Paul wasn’t with them. He had no problem with others preaching or ministering to them. Yet, he said he was perplexed about how to deal with them, because it appeared they were turning against him and listening to these ones who were trying to bring them into bondage under the Law. As a father in the faith, he was travailing in birth again until Christ would be formed in them. There is a travail which brings one to Christ and a travail to bring one into maturity in Christ. True fathers (or mothers) in the faith often experience these two travails in prayer for others.
13: but you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; 14: and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
15: Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.
16: So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
17: They eagerly seek you, not commendably, but they wish to shut you out so that you will seek them. 18: But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, and not only when I am present with you.
19: My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—
20: but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.
***
Paul urged the brethren to become as he was—to cast off Jewish observances—for he had become as they were—not regarding Jewish ordinances as contributing to justification at all. Any Jewish traditions that Paul might still have kept was not done to try to earn salvation or righteousness. He wanted to make this clear, for there was no reason for the Gentiles to adopt Jewish Law or ordinances.
Paul said when he first preached to them, he lived among them as one of them---not keeping Jewish Law—and they didn’t wrong him in any way. In fact, they received him as an angel of God, even as Christ Himself. Though he was ill when he was with them, they didn’t shun him, rather they would have given him their own eyes if possible. Some think this reference to giving their own eyes is a phrase used to describe the highest level of self-sacrifice. Others think this refers to some sickness in Paul’s eyes which caused great compassion so they would have given him their own. Either way, the point is that they once highly valued him and his message, in spite of physical infirmity, yet had they turned against him because he spoke the truth?
Paul revealed the true motives of the people who were influencing the Galatians to try to get them to follow Jewish Law. They were zealots who were trying to exclude them from the Christian faith--telling them they had no place in the Kingdom of God—so that they would seek their approval and ultimately do what they said—get circumcised and follow Jewish Law. In the process they were creating their own religious sect, and not one that was based on faith in Christ alone for salvation.
Paul said he was not against anyone who would zealously pursue the Galatians if it was for their good--if it was to bring them closer to Christ, even if Paul wasn’t with them. He had no problem with others preaching or ministering to them. Yet, he said he was perplexed about how to deal with them, because it appeared they were turning against him and listening to these ones who were trying to bring them into bondage under the Law. As a father in the faith, he was travailing in birth again until Christ would be formed in them. There is a travail which brings one to Christ and a travail to bring one into maturity in Christ. True fathers (or mothers) in the faith often experience these two travails in prayer for others.
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