The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 153

understand the apostle es here asking, been acting under some binding spell? "Whose ill-natured jealousy was it that Surely such folly is well-nigh inconceivable did light upon you?" end o.s intending to with men in free possession of their own convey these two ideas : (1) the envy of souls." But (1) each of these two render- their once happy state which ec.tuated the ings of the passage is open to the objection agent referred to ; and, (2) by implication, that St. Paul, in writing' l/3J.cr,ca.v,v, either the baleful effect wrought by the envier might ho.ve intended to express by the word upon them. The aorist of the verb seems "envious grudging," o.ccording to its Sep- to point to e decisive result. He had, it is tuagintal use, or he might ho.ve meant hinted, succeeded in his wish; he had some kind of sorcery according to a common robbed them of the blessedness which had acceptatiou of the term, but could hardly excited his jealousy. In respect to the have meant to convey both senses together. former idea, elsewhere (eh. iv. 17, "They (2) The introduction of the supposition is would fain shut you out") the apostle inconvenient, not only because there could ascribes the action of their misleaders to not have really been any such ingredient sinister designs against their well-being. in the actual circumstances of the present It is, indeed, this thought that inspires the case, but also because its mention would extreme severity of his language above in serve to excuse the folly of the Galatians, eh. ii. 4; the /3ci.<TKa.vos, of whom he here as indeed Chrysostom observes that it does, speaks, belonged to, or derived from, them. rather than to enhance its censure, which In short. the pathetic question here before latter would have been more to the apostle's us breathes the like indignation and vexo.- purpose. (3) It seems especially improbable tion as that in eh. v. 7, "Ye were running that the apostle was thinking of the "evil on well: who did hinder you that ye should eye" when we consider the entire absence not obey the truth ?"-the last words of of its mention in the sacred writings. :Before which passage, though not admissible here whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently in the text, would, however, if there, form a aet forth, ornoi1led among you t (oTs 1<a.T' perfectly correct explanatory clause. The oq,8a.ll./J,OOS 'l71crovs Xp<<TTbr ,rpo•"'/pd.q,71, b, {,µ.,i, more distinctly to mark the effect actuo.lly i<TTa.vpw/J,lvos ;) ; to whom, before your fJery produced by the envier, very many com- eyes, Jesus Christ had been (literally, was) mentators have en woven into their interpre- aforetime (or, openly) set forth cnicified tation of i{3,fr,ca.vev, besides its Septnagintal (among you)? The genuineness of the sense, its other sense of blasting with some words, ,,, uµ"iv, "among you," is very doubt- kind of charm: "The malignity," Chrysostom ful. The Revised Greek text omits them. writes, "ofa demon whose spirit [or, 'breath'] The words, ,ca.T' oq,8a.J\µo6s, "before your very had blasted their prosperous estate." Great eyes," are very pointed; for the Greek ex- use has been made, in particular, by many, pression, comp. Ka.Ta ,rpo<Tw,ro11 ( eh. ii. 11 ), and as, e.g. Jerome IIIl.d, according to Estius, by Aristoph., ' Ran.,' 625, 1va. (TOI ICa.T' oq,6a>..µo/,s Tb.ome.s Aquinas, of the superstition of the 7I.E'f!1, •• that he may say it to your very "evil eye," which, in the countries border- face." The sense of ,rpoe-ypci.q,11 is much ing on the Mediterranean, has in all ages disputed. It is not clear whether the ...pb been so rife. Bishop Lightfoot, in his is the " before'' of time or of place. Of the int<'.resting note on the passage, offers the other passages in the New Testament in following paraphrase : "Christ's death in which this compound verb occurs,in Rom. vain? 0 ye senseless Ganis, what bewitch- xv. 4 twice, and Eph. iii. 3, ...po is certainly, ment is this? I placarded Christ crucified and in Jude 4- probably, not so certainly before your eyes. Ye suffered them to (comp. 1 Mace. x. 36, "enrolled")," before" wander from this gracious proclamation of of time. In the present passage a reference vour King. '!'hey rested on the withering to the prophecies of the Old Testo.ment eye of the sorcerer. They yielded to the seems out of place. It is far more suitable fascination and were riveted there. And to the connection to suppose that the apostle the life of your souls has been drained out is referring to his own preaching. Some of you by tLat envious gaze." It may, commentators, ret11ining the words, i11 6,,_,,,, however, be questioned whether the apostle connect them with ...po•-ypd.t/>71 in the sense would have recognized his own thought in of "in you," comparing " Christ in you" this thorougp-goiug application of the super- (Col. i. 27), and " written in your hearts " stition of the " evil eye." It is doubtful (2 Cor. iii. 2); and so render the words thus: whether he u.ed the verb if3u1<a.,,<11 with " written of, or deacribed, before in you." reference to any species of sorcery at all; But such an expression, sufficiently awkward but if he did, he may have intended no in itself, would further be very unsuitably more tLan this: "What envious ill-wisher introduced after the words, " before your bas by some strange, inexplicable sorcery very eyes." Supposing we take the ,rpb as of so wrought upon you? Or, lww can I ex- time, there is no satisfactor,r explanation Jilain your behaviour, except that you have of the li')'po.t/>71, if unde,l'Btood 1n the sense of ml, UI, l-29,] THE EPISTLE TO TBE GALATIANS. 11D