The Pulpit Commentary — Galatians — Section 279

uns11tisHed with wlrnt they 11s yet possess, their rase from that of any who were 11nd nevertheless only toying with spiritual "troubling them;" kindly implying that, in things, 11ro rc11dy to 11clopt 11lmost nny novelty the main, they were still unperverted. That of religious behnviour offering itself for ye will be none otherwise minded (S-r, """'" their acceptance. The pnrticular form in Ii.Mo ,Ppov1/rre-r,); that ia, that your senti- which the external religionism of seekers ments will continue, or will be found to be, nfter another gospel clothes itself v11,ries snob as I have been setting forth as those nccording to varying to.ates or circumst11,nces. inspired by the gospel, and such as you Among the Galatian Christians such persons once manifestly enlertained. The future were now beginning to feel o.ttro.cted by tense of the verb seems to point forward to tho.t venerable kind of outward piety ex- the time when hie appeal should ktve liibited by devout or professedly devout reached them, and have led them to bethink Jews; but in their own practice committing themselves as to what, in spite of perhaps the fo.t11l blunder of mistaking the external some momentary superficial wavering, their shows of saintliness for the reality of saint- sentiments at bottom really were. (For the liness, and but too willing to make the sense of the verb <f>poviiv, comp. Acts xxviii. former serve in lieu of the latter. The danger 22; Phil. iii. 15.) But he that troubleth yon of the leaven spreading was, in the present (cl Be -ra.pttUD'WV uµas); but he that is troubling case, increased by the instability of character you. "But:" indicating that, even if such and the quick impulsiveness belonging to a person's machinations proved abortive, the Celtic temperament. The true antidote through their steady adlierence to the to this "lea.van " is in every age the same ; gospel, that man should receive his deserts no.mely, that which the apostle in this none the less. In eh. i. 7 we had "There Epistle strives to administer-the gospel of are some that trouble you." Comparing the the righteousness and Spirit of Christ two expressions, the one in the singular crucified. number, the other in the plural, we may Ver. 10.-1 have oonfldence in you through conclude, either that the phrase t, -ra.p&rrrrwv the Lord ( eycl, w&ro,9a. ,ls ~µas iv Kupiq,); I designates any one who shall be found for my own part have confidence with respect falling under the description of a -rczptt<Trrwv, to you in the Lord. The pronoun e-yw pre- i.e. any one of those referred to in the fixed to the verb, perhaps, distinguishes the plural number; or that it points to one par- writer from some about him, particularly ticular individual on whom the apostle had those who ho.d just before brought that un- hie eye as the prime ringleader of the rest. favourable report of the state of affairs in If we adopt the first view, the clause," who- Galatia which ho.d prompted the writing of soever he be," appears to mark the absolute- this letter. The apostle has himself a vivid ness of the resolve expressed by the apostle, remembrance .of their wo.rm-hearted accept- while leaving in indefiniteness the individual ance of his message (eh. iv. 13-15), and of to whom it would apply. With the second their sufferings in the good cause (eh. iii. 4). view, the same clause would affirm that no "Have confidence with respect to you." The circumstances attachin~ to the offender, preposition .ls is used as in 2 Cor. viii. 22, such as (suppose) a mission from leading equivalently with .?,.-1 in 2 Oor. ii. 3 and 2 Churchmen in Jernsalem,or official eminence These. iii. 4; in which last passage ("We in e. Go.latian Church, or any other, shouhl have confidence in the Lord touching you"), shield him, as he or others might euppo~e as well as in Phil. ii. 24 (" I have confidence that it would, from the effect of the sentence in the Lord that I myself sho.ll come to be pronounced upon him. The seconel shortly "), the phrase, " in the Lord," ex- seems tbo more probable view; and, in presses, : not the object of trust, but the unison with it, it appeo.rs supposable thar sphere of consciousness in which he is able the hypothetical case stnted in eh. i. 7 ('· if to feel this confidence. So also here, iu the we or an angel from he11ven ") had an eye realized presence of the Lord J esue, the to the eminent position held by the person apostle feels that his care for his people, here alluded to. This individunlization of and his faithfulness towards those in whom the threatening would m11ke it the more "he has begun a good work" so conspicu- telling when the letter should arrive-a, ously as in their case, warrant him in thunder-clap bursting forth upon the hee.d entertaining a strong assurance that, after of that arch-troubler. Shell bear his jndg- all, they ·would not disappoint his hopes ment, whosoever he be (/3a<TTa<T« ,-1, «p£µa, (comp. Phil. i. 6; 1 These, v. 24). This ex- 30'-ris &v ji). With the phrase, /3a.D'-ra(etv pression of confidence implies, of course, a «plµa:, compo.re >..czµ/3&.vetv «plµa. iu Luke xx. meo.eure of underlying apprehension; while 47; Rom. xiii. 2; Jas. iii. I. "Shall beo.r," it is also in effect 11n admonition, couched as a heavy burden (comp. eh. vi. 2, 5). The in an affectionate form, designed to rally «pCµa: shall be loid upon him, and carry it them back to their true allegianoe. The he ehnll, whether he will or no. The 1<p£µa., phro.se, " with respect to you," separates judgment, is the " sentence;" the deci-  THE EPlSTLE 'l'O 'l'RE GALA'l'IANS, [en. v.1-20