4:11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain. (P P I 1s fobe,w phobeo "I fear/ am afraid" + Ac 2p pro su, "for you" + neg ptcl mh, "lest/ if not" + adv pw,j pos "in some way; perhaps" Pf A I 1s kopia,w kopiao "I have labored" + prep w/ Ac 2p pro eivj su, "unto you" + adv eivkh/| - eike "in vain; worthlessly"

1. At the time of writing, the Ph2 of the Galatians had been stopped in its tracks.
2. If they did not respond positively to the epistle, all would be lost.
3. This produced such soulish discomfort for Paul that he was worried and fearful (not STA fear, but as a response from BD).
4. While he was among them he accomplished two things:

1. he gave an accurate gospel presentation, law-free and complete.
2. he taught them BD, putting them on the road to Ph2 justification and maturity. Ac 14:21-22; Gal 5:7

1. The goal of the Christian life is not merely to accumulate some SG₃ or live a good life, it is to do so in connection with the Maturity Adjustment and receive the Victors Wreath.
2. Anything less than the ultimate in SG₃ is to have run in vain, or worthlessly.
3. Any adjusted Pastor wants his sheep to gain as much eternal reward as possible, but it is the responsibility of his listeners to follow the WoG; if they fail to do so, he has ministered in vain towards them.
4. This was a regular concern of Pauls, as seen in 2Cor 6:1. "And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain"
5. They had been delivered from the slavery of paganism, now they are entering into the slavery of legalism.
6. This verse expresses the mental attitude of the communicator of doctrine, apostle or PT, when he observes lack of grace orientation and lack of application due to legalism.
7. It is a part of the pastors function to point out error and make correction, through the proclamation and teaching of the Word of God. cp 2Ti 4:1-4

Pauls Request

4:12 I beg of you, brethren, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. (P D I 1s de,omai deomai "I beg"(make an impassioned request) + G 2p pro su, "of you" V M P avdelfo,j "brethren" + P D Ip 2p gi,nomai "become" + comp adv w`j "as/ like" + N 1s pro evgw, "I" + sub con o[ti "for; because" + c.c. & N 1s pro (contracted form) kavgw. kago "I also" + comp adv w`j "as/ like" + N 2p pro su, "you")

1. The English loses some of the force of the literal Greek, which has "I beg of you, brethren" at the end of the sentence.
2. Up to this point Paul has seemed almost impersonal and detached from his readers, more concerned with principle than their well-being.
3. Now he shows the personal love and devotion he felt for the Galatians, his spiritual children.
4. Application: if it is done within the bounds of Bible Doctrine, there is certainly nothing wrong with having a deep emotional attachment to friends and loved ones. cp Rom 9:3 "For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh"
5. Paul is not exaggerating in his heartfelt emotional turmoil he is making an impassioned plea for his readers restoration.
6. The paradox is that as an unbeliever, Saul had been enslaved to the Mosaic Law salvation had set him free from that enslavement; now the Gentile believers were placing themselves under the very system from which he had been liberated.
7. He had totally abandoned the traditions of the elders, which were at the heart of the legalism of the Pharisees.
8. The lack of verbs "am" and "are" is called an ellipsis, a Hebraism in which the verb is understood though not present.
9. He gives them the command to change from their present state of slavery to the freedom he enjoyed.
10. As an adjusted spiritual authority, he naturally wanted his converts to enjoy the true blessings of Position in Christ.
11. He had become like them when he had been born again, and freed from the legal restrictions of law now he wants them to become like him, i.e. back on the true path of BD.
12. The last part of the verse goes with vs 13.

Their First Encounter

4:13 You have done me no wrong; ( A A I 2p avdike,w adikeo "you wronged" + Ac 1s pro evgw, "me" + Ac N S adj ouvde,n ouden "in no way" ) but you know that it was because of a bodily illness (weak advers de, "but" + Pf A I 2p oi=da oida "you know" (from experience) + c.c. (content) o[ti "that" + prep w/ Ac F S dia, avsqe,neia astheneia "because of an illness/ weakness" + G F S w/d.a. h` sa,rx "of the flesh") that I preached the gospel to you the first time; (A M I 1s euvaggeli,zw euangelidzo "I proclaimed the gospel" + D 2p su, "to you" + Ac N S comp adj w/d.a. to. pro,teron proteron "the first time")

1. Paul reminds them of how they accepted him and his message at the time of their first encounter.
2. The Aorist of avdike,w adikeo should be translated "you did wrong", not as a Perfect "you have done wrong".
3. Certainly at the time of writing they had done him wrong, cp 3:1.
4. Their spiritual situation was really quite desperate, but like most legalists, they did not even realize the danger this was certainly troubling to Paul.
5. But the Aorist looks back to a time in the past when the action occurred the time Paul first evangelized them.
6. There was no mistreatment from those who believed the gospel under his ministry, although certainly the negative volition caused him great suffering.
7. They knew exactly what he meant, so there was no need to go into details, as brought out by oi=da oida "you know from experience".
8. The word "flesh" is here synonymous with "body", as in 2Cor 12:7 (dealing with Pauls "thorn in the flesh").
9. Evidently Paul had originally planned on bypassing the Galatian cities, but a bodily illness had forced a change in plans; the force of the construction is causal this illness was the cause of the change.
10. Principle: illness and disease is not always Divine Discipline, even chronic and severe physical maladies sometimes it is a means of Divine Guidance.
11. Jobs friends concluded there must be some hidden sin in his life that caused God to afflict him so terribly, and they were rebuked by God Himself for their judgmental attitude. Job 42:7
12. Many times illness is the result of D.D. (but it is not for us to judge unless we have all the facts at hand.). cp 1Cor 11:30 "For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep."
13. Although we do not have the details of the disease, it is probable that travelling in the lower elevations, the marshy and damp climates near the sea, had brought him in contact with either malaria or "Malta fever" (brucellosis), which causes pain, nocturnal delirium, weakness, loss of appetite, and sometimes unsightly skin eruptions.
14. The higher elevations would be necessary for recuperation, so they altered their original plans due to the circumstances rather than a revelation. cp Ac 16:6 "They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia"
15. The Apostle faithfully communicated Gods Word under circumstances that were personally difficult he was prepared "out of season". cp 2 Tim 4:2 "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction."
16. The effect was the same God directed his path to those who were ready to pass from childhood to full sonship.
17. The irony that Paul was physically repugnant to the Galatians and yet spiritually accepted should serve to remind them of their previous spiritual condition, and begs the question why they would change.

The Test of Acceptance

4:14 and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition (c.c. kai, "and" + Ac M S w/d.a. o` peirasmo,j peirasmos "the test/ trial/ ordeal" + G 2p pro su, "of you; your" + prep w/ L F S evn h` sa,rx sarx "in the flesh" + G 1s pro evgw, "of me; my") you did not despise or loathe, (neg ptcl ouvk + A A I 2p evxouqene,w exoutheneo "you did not despise" (lit to count as worth nothing) + neg conj ouvde, "nor" + A A I 2p evkptu,w ekptu "loathe" (lit to spit out)) but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. (strong advers avlla, "but" + A D I 2p de,comai dechomai "you received/ welcomed" (this verb emphasizes physical contact in receiving someone) + Ac 1s pro evgw, "me" + comp adv w`j "as" + Ac M S a;ggeloj "a messenger; an angel" + G M S qeo,j "of God" + comp adv w`j "as" + Ac M S Cristo,j VIhsou/j "Christ Jesus")

1. When Paul first arrived, his physical condition was such that the normal or expected reaction would have been one of disgust and repulsion.
2. Physical infirmity was regarded by Jews and Gentiles alike as a symbol of divine displeasure. cp Jn 9:1-2; Ac 28:4
3. His condition was such that it was a severe test for the Galatians, but their reaction demonstrated their positive volition.
4. It was in this sense they had done him no wrong to reject his message due to his appearance would have been the gravest of offenses.
5. The communicator of Bible Doctrine should not be evaluated based on personal appearance, personality, or human accomplishments; rather he should be evaluated on the basis of the Doctrine he communicates.
6. For an example of how difficult it was, humanly speaking, to welcome Paul, compare the use of peirasmo,j peirasmos in Lk 22:28 "You are those who have stood by Me in My trials"
7. Because of the positive volition in the Galatian cities, their reaction was the opposite of despising and loathing, it was one of warm welcome, due to the message.
8. This passage also refutes two false concepts:

1. Christians are not meant to suffer if they are adjusted and positive.
2. healing is for everyone (Charismatic position) Paul, who healed many others, could not heal himself.

1. There will be times that adjusted believers suffer, sometimes greatly, under Undeserved Suffering it may be a simple test, or God may be using them for some higher purpose accomplished through the infirmity.
2. The Corinthians were also attacked by those who held Paul in contempt; their response was inappropriate because they continued to listen to the attackers. 2 Cor 10:10 "For they say, His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible."
3. The word "loathe" (evkptu,w ekptuo) is literally "spit out"; it may contain a reference to the ancient practice of spitting to ward off an evil spirit. (cp "bewitched" of 3:1)
4. Certainly, it would be a test to listen objectively to a man in such a sorry condition talk about the great blessings of worshipping the true God.
5. This the Galatians did, to their eternal glory.
6. But their former reception of and rapport with the Apostle is in sharp contrast to their present condition of antagonism to Paul and the truth which he proclaimed. cp v 16
7. To be accepted warmly, and that as a messenger or angel of God Himself, is to be accorded a great honor.
8. Compare the treatment Paul and Barnabas received from the Lycaonians in Ac 14:11f, and there is no evidence they changed their attitude of respect afterwards.
9. The manner in which a Local Church treats their Pastor-Teacher (and his family) is indicative of the degree of their reception of the Truth and its Author.
10. To be accepted as if one was Jesus Christ Himself is the highest of honors. cp Jn 13:20 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."
11. How is it that they had turned 180° from such a welcome, to the repudiation and rejection of the message and messenger?
12. Answer: they failed to scrutinize the legalists claims against the WoG.

The Degree of Their Acceptance

4:15 Where then is that sense of blessing you had? (inter adv pou/ - pou "where" + inferen con ou=n "then/ therefore" + N M S w/d.a. o` makarismo,j makarismos "the declaration of blessing" + G 2p pro su, "of you; your" (subj Gen)) For I bear you witness that, if possible, (sub con ga,r "for" + P A I 1s marture,w martureo "I bear witness/ testify" + D 2p pro su, "to you" + c.c. o[ti "that" + cond ptcl eiv "if" + N N S adj dunato,j dunatos "possible/ able") you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me. (A A P N M P evxoru,ssw exorusso "having plucked/ gouged out" + Ac M P w/d.a. o` ovfqalmo,j ophthalmos "the eyes" + G 2p pro su, "of you; your" + A A I 2p di,dwmi didomi "you gave" + D 1s pro evgw, "to me" )

1. A marked contrast between the Galatians former and present attitude is introduced by a rhetorical question.
2. This noun (makarismo,j makarismos) is only used 3x, here and in Rom 4:6, 9, and basically means the act of declaring or counting (someone) divinely favored.
3. Its cognate (related but different) adjective is common (Beatitudes of Mt 5), and is used of the state of divine favor similar to "congratulations! cp Jn 13:17 "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them."
4. When Paul was in their midst, they were in a state of euphoria; they rejoiced they had finally been set free; they considered themselves and Paul "blessed".
5. This is often the state of the new believer, or the newly positive believer after time and the attacks of the Angelic Conflict, many lose their ardor. cp Mk 4:16-17 note it is not because of the teaching, but their own volition collapses
6. In that state, Paul testifies, they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them to him, had that been possible.
7. Application: the Holy Spirit inspires not only a tremendous affection of the communicator for his listeners (cp vs 19), but a like response directed from those listeners to the teacher.
8. "I bearwitness" is a forensic term, i.e. one used in connection with courts of law and formal debate it amounts to a solemn declaration and oath.
9. It is not as emphatic as the expression of 1:20 no one is disputing the current narrative; he is not trying to disprove his accusers false position, he is reminding his readers of the reality they knew from experience. ("you know" of vs 13)
10. Jesus used the eye as an example of lifes most precious possessions in Mt 18:9 "And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out, and throw it from you. It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into the fiery hell."
11. The language may be a graphic description of their willingness to give any of their most valuable possessions if needed. (cp "pupil/ apple of Gods eye" in Dt 32:10; Ps 17:8)
12. It may also be due to the chronic eye trouble Paul also experienced, as inferred from 6:11 (malaria sometimes attacks the optic nerve).
13. In any case, they were willing to do anything to assist their right Apostle so as to carry out his ministry.
14. Now Paul wants to know what happened; he wants to know why they no longer think of him with a sense of blessing, and where is the sense of personal blessing they had received. cp Acts 13:48 "And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord"
15. The word "pluck/ gouge" refers not to a sanitary, painless procedure, but to violent and gruesome removal. cp Mk 2:4 "And being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying."
16. Attitude towards and treatment of the messenger is directly proportional to the zeal for the message.

The Wounds of a Friend

4:16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth? (infer ptcl w[ste hoste "so; accordingly" + Pf A I 1s gi,nomai "I have become" (and continue to be) + N M S evcqro.j echthros "an enemy" + G 2p pro su, "of you; your" + P A P N M S avlhqeu,w aletheuo "speaking/ teaching/ professing the truth" (participle = continue to teach) + D 2p pro su, "to you")

1. The language does not indicate animosity directed towards Paul, as much as their attitude that he was hostile towards them.
2. According to the theory of the Judaizers, Paul had given them an incomplete gospel message (to their eternal detriment), and was now chastising them for accepting the (false) gospel of the legalists.
3. The Judaizers would have suggested impure motives, based on lack of integrity, and duplicity on the part of Paul, so he asks if that is really their attitude.
4. The Galatians would have known that Paul would be displeased with them if they began to accept suggestions tending to discredit him, or diminish his standing before them.
5. They also knew he could be trusted to correct the false accusations, and in language bound to be unpalatable. cp 3:1
6. The Galatians had come to view the Judaizers as friends and Paul as an enemy all because he had given them the truth, which they subsequently rejected.
7. And yet, it was the very Truth he had communicated then and the (unpleasant) Truth he communicated now that proved he was their friend indeed.
8. Certainly at the first presentation Paul had been warmly accepted; it was due to the acceptance of false doctrine they had become suspicious of his gospel.
9. The irony is evident: as a result of his presenting them with the Truth of the Gospel (Ph1 and Ph2) he had earned their suspicion of him as a dangerous impostor and enemy of which to beware.
10. It is a fact that many people appreciate a P-T only as long as he says what they want to hear. cp 2 Tim 4:3 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires"
11. Too often they want him to (falsely) congratulate them, tone it down, to be nicer, more loving, or not teach difficult applications.
12. But true friendship must be based on Truth not lies, compromise, distortion, game playing, or half truth. cp Pro 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."
13. The adjusted P-T is required, however, to proclaim the Word of God, to refute Hvpt and to issue sharp correction (rebuke) to those who are not lining up with sound BD. 2Tim 4:1-2
14. This is just what we have seen from Paul he has not backed away from the Truth in order to win back the affection of the Galatians; instead he has pounded away with the Truth, to force them to realize what they are doing and where it is heading, in terms of their Ph2.
15. In his devotion and dedication to the Truth, the Apostle has demonstrated true love for both his congregation and the Lord. cp Jn 21:15-17
16. A P-T cannot demonstrate love for his sheep by feeding them lies, soft pedaling the truth, or adding to the message his own Hvpt/ legalistic ideas.
17. A parallel situation occurred later in the Corinthian churches they were visited by interlopers who brought a "different gospel" and tried to disparage Paul in his converts eyes.
18. The Apostle also protested his unchanging love for them, even while remonstrating them vigorously. 2Cor 12:11f

Pseudo Zeal and Approbation Lust

4:17 They eagerly seek you, (P A I 3p zhlo,w zeloo "they eagerly seek/ zealously desire/ strive to attain" + Ac 2p pro su, "you") not commendably, (neg ptcl ouv "not" + adv kalw/j kalos "well; honorably") but they wish to shut you out, (str advers avlla, "but/ rather" + P A I 3p qe,lw thelo "they wish" + A A If evkklei,w ekkleio "to shut out; to exclude" + Ac 2p su, "you" ) in order that you may seek them. (sub con (purp) i[na "so that; for the purpose that" + P A S 2p zhlo,w "you may seek/ strive to attain" + Ac M 3p pro auvto,j "them")

1. Paul specifies what it is that makes the legalists so threatening.
2. It would be one thing if they approached the new converts with the attitude of following the Mosaic Law as a guide to +R living, in connection with FHS.
3. They instead attacked by saying it was only by keeping their commandments (notice the distinction) that they could become +R, with or without FHS.
4. Their approach was one of zeal, ardor, and dedication. cp Mt 23:15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."
5. How could anyone doubt the motives of someone so "sincere"?
6. Certainly Paul and company had the same, or greater, level of devotion to the well-being of his listeners; what made these men so evil and malignant?
7. Their true motivation was not one of compassion, but the burning desire to win converts to their brand of religious reversionism.
8. Their STA grid was one of Approbation Lust, the sinful desire to have the attention and approval of people.
9. This is brought out by the negative particle with kalw/j kalos which refers to something done well or expertly, and here it means with correct motivation (i.e. Spirit led), of which the legalists were devoid.
10. Their intent was to "exclude" or "shut out" the Galatians from the true source of their spiritual information so they would have no choice but to become dependant upon them as their spiritual leaders.
11. The same Greek verb (zhlo,w zeloo ) begins and ends the verse in the Greek.
12. Certainly zeal, in and of itself, is not evil; it depends on the motivation. cp Jn 2:17 "His disciples remembered that it was written, ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."
13. It is used not only of the quest for new adherents but also of the followers attachment to their new leaders.
14. Their motivation to add new converts was in their own selfish interest and self glorification.
15. The Judaizers were currently courting the Galatians, offering them the "complete" guide to the CWOL, begging for the favor of enlightening them.
16. As soon as the Galatians had been separated from Paul (and the Truth), however, the circumstances would be completely opposite.
17. The legalists would force the Galatians to come crawling to them for the sake of their own spiritual survival (which the Judaizers would never have been able to provide, either).
18. Most religious organizations, cults and fundamentalist churches alike, promise affection, fulfillment, and a deeper sense of God in order to lure in prospective victims "Now that youre here, how about some money?"
19. This is the pattern of false teachers :

1. first pursue believers in a dishonorable way, employing STA techniques flattery, bullying, deception, and charisma
2. separate their victims from the "right pastor" and his teaching
3. cause believers to become dependant on them

1. The adjusted communicator zealously seeks not his own glory, but that of his listeners, and ultimately that of the Lord.
2. Certainly the Judaizers, and all other legalists, make the same claim; the determining factor is where they get their information the Word of God or traditions of men coupled with their own "spiritual insight". cp Col 2:18 "Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind"

The Proper Approach and Attitude

4:18 But it is good always to be eagerly sought in a commendable manner, (weak advers de, "but" + N N S adj kalo,j "it is good" + adv pa,ntote pantote "always" P P If zhlo,w "to be eagerly sought" + prep w/ L N S adj evn kalo,j "in a good way" ) and not only when I am present with you. (c.c. kai, "and" + neg ptcl mh, "not" + adv mo,noj "only" + prep w/ P A If w/ d.a. & Ac 1s pro evn o` pa,reimi evgw, "when I am present" + prep w/ Ac 2p pro pro,j su, "with you")

4:19 My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you (V N P te,knon teknon "children" + G 1s pro evgw, "of me; my" + Ac M 2p rel pro o[j "with whom" + adv pa,lin palin "again" + P A I 1s wvdi,nw odino "I suffer birth-pains; I am in labor" + prep w/ G M S rel pro me,cri o[j mechri hos "until Who" (rel pro not translated) + N M S Cristo.j "Christ" + P A S 3s morfo,w morphoo "might be formed" + prep w/ D 2p evn su, "in you")

Gal 4:20 but I could wish to be present with you now (c.c. de, "but" + I A I 1s qe,lw thelo "I was wishing/ desiring/ wanting" + P A If pa,reimi pareimi "to be present" + prep w/ Ac2p pro pro,j su, "with you" + adv a;rti arti "now; at present") and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. (c.c. kai, "and" + A A If avlla,ssw allasso "to change; to exchange one thing for another; to transform" + Ac F S w/d.a. h` fwnh, - phone "the voice/ sound/ tone" + G 1s pro evgw, "of me; my" + sub con o[ti "because" + P M I 1s avpore,w aporeo "I am perplexed" (nuance of not knowing how to decide about something) + prep w/ I 2p pro evn su, "by you")

1. Paul now gives the correct approach, and the honorable one, when it comes to "zealous seeking" after converts.
2. Paul showed as much, indeed more, zeal as did the Judaizers, but his was a zeal based on the Holy Spirit and Bible Doctrine. cp 2Cor 11:23 "Are they servants of Christ?-- I speak as if insane-- I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death."
3. Paul sought nothing except that his converts be built up in doctrine, the legalists wanted to bask in the glory of their converts. cp 1Th 2:5-6 "For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed-- God is witness-- nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority."
4. Paul had sought the Galatians with the Truth, and he would not compromise it in order to gain them back.
5. The first part of verse 18 has to do with his pastoral zeal toward those who are positive; the last part is a gentle rebuke for their failure to reciprocate in his absence.
6. Paul now drops any antagonistic or hostile address: he instead indicates just how much godly love and affection is in his heart for them, calling them his own "children".
7. His longing for the spiritual advancement of his children did not cease just because he was not physically present with them.
8. He wanted and prayed that they would be safe in the devils world, and advance to maturity using the information he had deposited with them.
9. Just as parents must warn their children about the dangers of the kosmos, children must be obedient to their parents when separated.
10. Otherwise eventual disaster is inevitable. cp 4:11
11. This affectionate address shows that he still considers them as his spiritual charge in Christ. cp 1Cor 4:15 "For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel."
12. His love, nurturing, and spiritual care for them is seen in this verse where he appears in the role of a mother with small children. cp 1Th 2:7 "But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children."
13. The affection felt by the adjusted communicator for those believers placed in his charge is nothing short of the love felt by a normal mother for her own child. cp Mt 23:37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling."
14. In 2Cor 11:28-29, Paul indicates this was the greatest of pressures he felt in him ministry, more intense than beatings, imprisonment, or even shipwreck! "Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?"
15. In bringing Ph1 and Ph2 gospel news to them, he had endured great personal suffering, the "pains of childbirth" this included the mistreatment he endured at the hands of negative volition, as well as the soulish pressure he felt, hoping to bring them to salvation and beyond.
16. Now he was enduring painful efforts to win them back to the Truth.
17. The adjusted PT must oppose false doctrine and misapplication, speak out against them whenever and wherever they may exist and in whatever form, in order to protect his congregation he will seek to please God rather than man, using means as forceful as are called for. cp 1:9-10
18. But, because of negative volition, there are still individuals who remain completely out of reach, who may even turn against him after he has taught and exhorted in every way he knows, after much difficult labor and testing.
19. The phrase "until Christ is formed in you" indicates at what time Pauls birth pains will cease.
20. The Greek word morfo,w morphoo refers not to an instantaneous occurrence, but a gradual process.
21. The birth is not, strictly speaking, their salvation it is a reference to the entire process of the Galatians reaching maturity.
22. The Subjunctive of "may be formed" indicates it is a potential for every believer, although few will attain it.
23. "Christ" refers to the mind and thinking of Christ, Bible Doctrine in the soul, implanted there by the Holy Spirit and the positive volition of the individual.
24. The object of Bible Doctrine in the soul is to "give birth" to a true representation of Jesus Christ through the witness of the life.
25. The goal is for the believer to imitate Jesus and God the Father. cp 1Cor 11:1 "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ."
26. The only way this is possible is to align ones thinking with that of God legalists do not imitate God because legalism is the opposite of grace.
27. We must all realize that any attitude or action which does not come from Divine Viewpoint (Gods thinking) has another, inherently evil, source.
28. Since they have placed themselves under legal works for salvation, it is necessary to reaffirm the things they have rejected grace and justification by faith.
29. Whatever is currently forming in them is not the true form/ image of Christ, and only sound doctrine in its entirety can remedy that.
30. There is no place for the communicator to compromise the Word of God to make it more palatable or less stringent if a difficult application needs to be made or communicated, he is as responsible to teach that as he is to teach "fun" applications.
31. Paul has, up to this point, been unsympathetic and harsh, gradually softened to call them "brothers", and now refers to them in the most affectionate term, "my little children".
32. He re-emphasizes his affection by affirming that he wishes not to be absent, but to be in their presence so he could be even kinder.
33. No adjusted PT wants to hammer his congregation at all, much less consistently just as no normal parent wants to constantly discipline and punish without reward and affection.
34. The Imperfect Tense of "I wish" indicates on-going action this is not something Paul did once, it was frequent and continued.
35. In the wisdom of God, Paul was not able to be present with them when the legalists attacked, and so we have the Epistle to the Galatians as our guide, also.
36. He admits that he is uncertain/ perplexed as to how they will take his words in this letter.
37. They might focus on the uncompromising severity and overlook the underlying love and affection; they might reject the arguments he gives in favor of the Judaizers overt piety; they might even consider him an enemy and refuse his authority as their Apostle.
38. These are the pressures the Apostle faced, and all communicators will also.
39. These verses express perfectly his normal, human concerns and emotions for those he loves.