The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 264

The thorn in the flesh, as following upon Paul being in the third heavens, and ae pointi_ng to something acute, agrees with the supposition of his being a sufferer from an affection of the eyes. Whether we interpret the words here as deriving point from a weakness of Paul's eyes or not, they are manifestly expressive of a 'Very warm feeling toward him, which now seems to him to have fled. IV. HE CONTRASTS HIS CONDUCT AND THAT OF THE FALSE TEACHERS TOWARD THEM. 1. Bi,s fid,elity. " So then am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" He .had told them the truth on the occasion of his second visit. He had also been telling them the truth, with a certain sharpness, in this letter. That showed that he was no flatterer of them to gain his own ends. He did not believe in friendly relations being maintained unless on a basis of reality. Was it, then, a reasonable thing that he should be regarded by them as their enemy, as standing between them and their good, because he expressed himself according to the demands and under the restraints of truth? Was there any ground which could be stated for their change of feeling? 2. The dishonour- ableness of the Judaizing teachers. "They zealously seek you in no good way ; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them." He refers to the false teachers, whom, with a certain feeling of dignity, he does not name. They made the Galatians the objects of their zealous attentions. But they did not do this in a disinterested manner. 'fheir object was to shut the Galatians out, i.e. to isolate them from Paul and the Christian circle, so as to become themselves the exclusive objects of the zealous attentions of the Galatians. They were thus mere flatterers, to gain their own ends. lnstead of placing themselves under the restraints of truth, they gave themselves the licence of error. While condemning them on this ground, the apostle makes a twofold 'l'eservation. (1) He is not to be condemned who makes others the o"bj'ects of his zealous attentio'fl,il, in a good matter. "But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter'." We condemn those who would compass sea and land to make one proselyte. But it is to be borne in mind that the zeal is a good thing in itself. What is to be condemned is misdirected zeal. And what is to be commended is, not the want of zeal, but zeal intelligently directed t-Oward the good, especially the highest good, of others. Let the soul be on fire with a desire to do good. Let there be a compassing sea and land, not to make proselytes, but to bring souls to Christ. And we are not certainly to resent, but to welcome, the zealous attentions of others in the matter of our salvation. We ought to be thankful that we are not let alone, but that there are those who care for our souls. (2) He did not lay any claim to exclude others from seeking the good of the Galatians. •• At all times, and not only when I am present with you." If others sought the real good of the Galatians in his absence, he had no feeling of jealousy toward them. On the contrarv, he would bid them God-speed. V. HE EXPRESSES A. DESIRE TO BE PRESENT WITH THEM, 1. Affectionate address. " My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you." He addresses them, not as children, but, more tenderly, as little children, after the manner of John. He was not as a father to them (accordinc to the conception here), but, more tenderly, as a mother. He had endured much in prayer and thought and service on their accotmt. And he bad thought that his motherly endurance had been rewarded in their spiritual birth. But it was as if be bad been disappointed in tbe.m. And there was the recurrence of the same motherly endurance on their account. The object f.9r which he endured was their spiritual birth. This is not thought of as the development of .self, even of their true self. Nor is it thought of as a Pauline development~ t~e accepting of a Pauline doctrine, the being recipient of Pauline influences. But 1t 1s thouo-ht of as the development of the Christ within them. Christians are those who have"Christ as the Germ and Norm of their development. 2. Reason for his presence. "Yea, I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I am per- plexed about you." He wished to be present with them, in the hope that he would be able to bring back the old relations between them. In that case he would be able to change his voice, to adopt a gentler tone, which was more congenial to him. a°:d would be more pleasant to them. Meantime, he could not be all gentleness, for bis mformn- tion led him to be perplexed about them. lie bad not given up all hope of them, but the fears he ha<l sometimes made his voice to grate on them, as it was not pleasant to Lirnself.-R F. Oil. IV. 1-31.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIA:N'S. 231