Ver. 3. πνεύματι . . . σαρκὶ. These two datives denote the two internal spheres susceptible of moral influence. Conversion had brought about a spiritual change as its immediate result: it was folly to look for a consummation of this change from an ordinance of the flesh like circumcision. This was to exalt flesh above spirit instead of rising from flesh to spirit.—évdpyeo@ar and ἐπιτελεῖν are coupled together in 2 Cor. viii. 6 and Phil. i. 6 to express the beginning and consummation of works of mercy and sanctification. Greek authors use ἐνάρ- χεσθαι with reference to the initial cere- mony of a sacrifice (Eur., Ιβᾳ., A. 147, 435, 955), ἐπιτελεῖν in Heb. ix. 6 refers to the performance ofritual. The middle voice ἐπιτελεῖσθε is used here because the spiritual process is to be wrought by them upon themselves.
Ver. 4. The persecutions endured by the Galatian converts had all been due to the jealous animosity of the Jews: if they were now to accept the Law after all, they would proclaim their former resistance to have been wanton caprice on their part, which had led them to provoke persecution to no purpose (εἰκῆ) without any sufficient object.
Ver. 5. ἐπιχορηγῶν. The verb χορη- γεῖν acquired its meaning from the function of the χορηγός whose duty it was to supply the members of his chorus with all necessary equipment in the course of their training and performance. As men took pride in the liberal fulfilment of this duty, the word came to denote aliberal supply. The compound émyopn- yetv denotes apparently an enhancement of this bounty (2 Cor. ix. 10).---δυνάμεις. This word is sometimes applied in the Gospels to visible miracles, but in the language of Paul, as elsewhere, it denotes
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