Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CHURCHES

CHAPTER FOUR (Lesson XXXVI)

Paul’s ultimate goal in all of this is that the characteristics and virtues of the Messiah may yet be formed in the Galatians. Perhaps he wrote too harshly at first. So, he halfway repents of his severity.^[1] He would gladly change his voice and tone if he could only be with them in person and see them face to face. Perhaps his tears, his pleas, would win them back. A rush of tender emotion wells up in Paul’s soul. He is no longer the master in union with the Anointed One rebuking unfaithful disciples; he is now the grieving father weeping over his misguided children.^[2]

Current Bible commentator Ronald Y. K. Fung addresses the phrase “Until you take the shape of the Anointed One,” and states that this is the time when Paul’s labor pangs will cease, and the purpose for which he is enduring them will end. In the original Greek, the thought is more strikingly expressed as “until the Anointed One is formed in you” (NASB, NIV). The Greek verb morphousthai refers to the process whereby the fetus develops into an infant; Paul’s desire is to see the Anointed One thus “formed” in his converts. Although the imagery suggested by the language is unusual, its intended meaning is not in doubt: to say that the image of the Anointed One should take shape in the believers is just a more effective way of saying that “the Anointed One should fashion them according to His own image.” In that way, their submission to Him will reflect His image and glory in their lives. It is worth noting that the noun implied by the verb denotes “essential form” morphē rather than outward “shape” schēma; it is here synonymous with “image” eikōn, which is the word used in Colossians 3:10, a verse concerned with the same process.^[3]

Jewish writer W. A. Liebenberg gives us a chart so that we can have an ocular view of what was trying to say here in his allegory about Hagar and Sarah:

Liebenberg goes on to say that once again, Paul appeals to Genesis to demonstrate an eternal truth. Remember that Yahweh promised Abraham he would have a son in his old age even though he was without any children up to this point. After this promise, both Abraham and Sarah thought that the promised son would not literally come through Sarah’s womb, but through her girl-slave Hagar on behalf of Sarah. The son born through Hagar was Ishmael. Ishmael is called one who was “born of human procreation” because he was brought about in a way that was contrary to Yahweh’s promise, being the son of a girl-slave. Yahweh was actually going to fulfill His promise by miraculously allowing Sarah to have a son, Isaac, well past childbearing years. Thus, the promise was going to be fulfilled by a miracle of Yahweh rather than by the work of humankind.^[4]

Don Garlington opens the door for us to get a wider and deeper view of what Paul meant here in verse nineteen by the image of the Messiah being formed in them; For the Anointed One to be “formed” within the Galatians, says Garlington, is not a simple case of them developing spiritually or morally. He then quotes from Beverly R. Gaventa’s work saying that “the formation of the Anointed One among the Galatians is simultaneously their crucifixion with the Anointed One.” It means that the old has passed away and the new has come to them. In his letter, Paul’s convictions that the Galatians were called, that they heard the Gospel and that they responded in faith, is clearly seen. But he also believes that they are in danger of turning around again, of converting back to their earlier views. For that reason, he speaks of his own labor with them and the need of the Anointed One to be formed in them.^[5] In other words, one does not get to know about the Messiah and then agrees to follow His teachings and even submitting to baptism and thereby have the Anointed One form in them unless they are crucified with the Messiah so they can be raised to a new life with and for the Messiah.

4:21-22 I’d like to ask those of you who want to go back and live your life under Mosaic Law, do you understand what Mosaic Law is really saying? Remember, the Scriptures point out that Abraham fathered two sons, one through his slave-mistress, and one through his legitimate wife. 

What Paul says here to the Galatians he already said to the Romans about sin. He told them that they must never allow their sinful tendencies to gain power over them. They no longer live according to the dictates of the Law; they now have a new life because of God’s loving-favor.^[6] To put this another way, the Law can only condemn those who break the rules but was given no provision or power to forgive. Breaking the Law results in making a person a sinner. And they became sinners because their tendency to do wrong was greater than their tendency to do right. So, if they reject God’s grace to forgive them of their sin in breaking the Law, they will never be free to live as God wants them to live in union with the Anointed One – to His honor, praise, and glory. They’d end up going around in a circle because there’s no exit from the prison yard of the Law.

Paul says as much when he told them that in the past their sinful-self ruled and reigned in their lives. The Law dared us to do sinful things. And since our sinful desires controlled our bodies, these desires took the Law’s dare to see if they could get away with it. But all it did was make them prisoners of sin with a spiritual death sentence hanging over our heads. But then they heard of God’s salvation through grace and no longer responded to their sinful tendencies as though they must do so. Therefore, the Law no longer finds anything within them to tempt. In fact, they were liberated from the Law’s power. So now they serve God in a new way, not in the old way, with the rules that are written on their hearts. This new way of serving God is with the spirit, not with physical intentions through good works and charity.^[7]

So, what are we to say about all this? The people who never were Jews were not made right with God by obeying the Law of Moses. They were made right with God because they put their trust in God and the Anointed One. The Jews tried to be right with God by obeying the Law, but they did not become right with God that way. Why? Because they did not put their trust in God, and the Law offered them no help. They tried to be right with God by working for it. In doing so, they tripped over God’s offer of salvation through the Anointed One like a person whose foot hits a rock they are trying to avoid and stumbles and falls.^[8]

So why did this happen? Because they refused to believe that the Anointed One fulfilled the Law’s purpose so that everyone who puts their trust in Him is made right with God because of His sacrifice to pay the ransom for their souls. Moses told them if anyone wants to live right before God, they must obey each and every law to the letter. But that’s not how it works with grace. When a person puts their trust in the Anointed One, they are made right with God because the Anointed One is right and He is now abiding in them.

You don’t need to ask, “Who will go up to heaven to bring the Anointed One down?” And you need not inquire, “Who will go below and bring the Anointed One up from the dead?” This is what God says, “The Good News is near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart.” This Good News tells about putting your trust in the Anointed One. This is what we preached to you, says Paul. If you say with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved from the punishment of sin. When we believe in our hearts, we are made right with God. We will be able to testify how we were saved by God through His Son from the death sentence pronounced on those who sin.^[9]

But there’s one more thing Paul want’s the Galatians to know, now that they are considering returning to life under the Law instead of remaining under Grace. Here is the message the Law brings for those who submit to its authority to control their lives: If they fail to live up the strict rules of obedience to its commands, they cannot use it as an excuse. No matter how much they claimed they did, they are still on the list of the condemned.[10] In that case, the whole world is subject to God’s final judgment. It’s impossible to be right with God using the Law as a guide. In fact, the more of the Law that a person tries to fulfill the more it will show just what kind of sinner they really are.^[11]

Socrates of Constantinople (380-450 AD), also known as “Socrates Scholasticus,” a legal consultant and well-known church historian for the Greek Orthodox Church was the first known layman to write church history covering the years from 305-439 AD. He is discussing the Church’s obligation to celebrate Jewish holidays, feasts, festivals, and ceremonial law. He was just dealing with how they view the observance of Easter and said that it seems to him that neither the early church scholars nor the scholars in the fourth century offered any rational foundation for insisting on observing such practices so stubbornly. Says Socrates, they did not take into consideration that when Judaism gave way to Christianity, the obligation to observe the Mosaic law and the ceremonial types ceased. And the proof of the matter is plain; for no law of the Anointed One requires Christians to imitate the Jews.

[1] Cf. 2 Corinthians 2:4; 7:8

[2] Expositor’s Bible Commentary: On Galatians by G. G. Findlay, op. cit., Ch. 18, pp. 273-274

[3] Ronald Y. K. Fung: Commentary on Galatians, op. cit., pp. 202-203

[4] W. A. Liebenberg: On Galatians: op. cit., loc. cit., pp. 81-82

[5] Beverly R. Gaventa: The Maternity of Paul: An Exegetical Study of Galatians 4:19 in The Conversation Continues: Studies in Paul and John in Honor of J. Louis Martyn, ed. R. T. Fortna and B. R. Gaventa (Nashville: Abingdon, 1990) pp. 189-201

[6] Romans 6:14

[7] Ibid. 7:5-6

[8] Ibid. 9:30-32

[9] Romans 3:10

[10] There are two Greek words translated as “condemn, condemned, condemnation,” One is katakrima which means removal for legal refractions or sentenced to death or death sentence. This is found in Romans 5:16, 18; 8:1; Galatians 5:10. Another is katakrisis which means remorse for moral failures. See 2 Corinthians 3:9; 7:3

[11] Ibid. 3:19-20

Due to scientific and clinical studies, researchers have found that doing good is very therapeutic to a person’s heart, soul, mind, and body. Mirele Mann, editor of Goodnet, asks, have you ever felt a rush after doing a good deed? Ever noticed you were more relaxed after a day of volunteering? Did you ever feel motivated to do good after thinking about the last time you helped someone? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, there’s a good explanation for why – it’s called science.

Mirele then goes on to share with us a number of things that Goodness offers as beneficial outcomes to those who practice it. One of those is this: According to a 2013 study at the University of Buffalo examining the relationship between volunteering and hypertension, giving back can have a significant impact on blood pressure.   Researchers found that adults over 50 who volunteered about four hours a week were 40 percent less likely than non-volunteers to have developed hypertension four years later. In other words, Goodness decreases stress.

Another thing researchers found is that there is a link between giving, unselfishness and a lower risk of early death. The findings show that subjects who provided tangible assistance to friends or family members (running errands, helping with child care, etc.), reported less stressful events and, consequently, had reduced mortality. In other words, “helping others reduced mortality specifically by buffering the association between stress and mortality.” Yes, it’s true. Goodness increases life-expectancy.

Not only that, but they also discovered that after performing a good deed, a person experiences a sensation known as “helper’s high” and is produced when your brain releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals of the brain. When you do something good for someone else, your brain’s pleasure centers light up, releasing endorphins and producing this high. Not to mention, doing good has also been known to generate feelings of satisfaction and gratitude. So, there’s no doubt that Goodness makes us feel better.

Furthermore, According to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, altruists in the office are more likely to be committed to their work and less likely to quit their jobs. The researchers also found that individuals in their mid-30s who rated helping others in their work as important reported they were happier with their life when surveyed 30 years later. Thus, it was shown that Goodness makes us happier at work.

But there’s more, the results are in! After an extensive review of 40 studies on the effect of volunteering on general health and happiness, the BioMed Central Public Health journal has concluded that volunteering is also good for mental health.   The review found that – along with improved well-being and life satisfaction – volunteering is also linked to decreased depression. Therefore, Goodness is good for the brain.

Added to this, it has been found that people who engage in acts of goodness become happier over time.  It’s that simple, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Lyubomirsky, who has studied happiness for over 20 years, found that performing positive acts once a week led to the most happiness. The conclusion is simple, Goodness leads to being happier in life.

And finally, a 2012 study published in Psychological Science found that thinking about times you’ve helped others will make you want to help others again.  The research found that reflecting on your past good deeds makes you feel selfless and want to help more, as compared to reflecting on the times others have helped you. In other words, thinking about what you’ve given others – and not only what you’ve received – will motivate you to do good again and again. So, the more Goodness you show the more you want to be good.

But the Bible is not silent on this subject. The Psalmist exclaims: Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who revere you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind![1] Then the Apostle James announces that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.[2] And the Apostle Paul tells us that as we are given the opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.[3] Also, says Paul, be good to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.[4] No doubt that’s why King David testified that surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.[5] – Dr. Robert R Seyda

[1] Psalm 31:19

[2] James 1:17

[3] Galatians 6:10

[4] Ephesians 4:32

[5] Psalm 23:6

Sleep Soundly When the Wind Blows

Years ago a farmer-owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful hurricanes that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.  Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer.

“Are you a good farm hand?” the farmer asked him.

“Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him.

The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work.  Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore.

Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a flashlight and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters.

He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up!  A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!”

The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot.

Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins.  The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred.  The shutters were tightly secured.

Everything was tied down.  Nothing could blow away.

The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

ngNEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CHURCHES

CHAPTER FOUR (Lesson XXXV)

Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas also comments on how the Anointed One is formed in the believer. As he sees it, the Spirit of God’s Son grows in a person according to their progress in the faith. At the same time, when faith weakens, His image in them diminishes. Therefore, when the faith of an individual becomes deformed by sin, the Messiah’s clear form is not maintained in them. As such, because faith did not fully form in them, they must be re-birthed until the Anointed One is formed again in them through faith. This is called “formed faith,” which works through love.^[1] Aquinas was a very brilliant thinker and theologian, but his view of how the image of the Anointed One is formed in us does not stand up the Scriptural examination. No matter how much we may try, we can never form the Lord in us, He forms Himself through the Holy Spirit. What God has given us that we can strive for is to “conform” to the image of the Anointed One.[2]

 Needless to say, the Reformers also found this explanation to be inverted. To them, as the Anointed One grows in you, you grow in Him. It is impossible for any believer to make the Anointed One grow in themselves. Only the Son of God possesses that power, and the source of that power comes from God’s Word. Furthermore, both Bruno the Carthusian and Aquinas erred when they suggest that a person can be re-born again. That required the Anointed One to die all over again. Paul says that since the Anointed One has risen from the grave, He will never die again.^[3] So if we are in union with the Anointed One and He is in us as a result of our new birth, then we too will never die spiritually again. What happens to a Christian is what happened to the Children of Israel. They never ceased being God’s children, part of God’s chosen people, but they strayed and became disobedient. And in God’s economy, unrepented disobedience will be punished by being excluded from the glory promised to those who preserve to the end.^[4]

Martin Luther notes that when Paul indicts the false apostles, he tells the Galatians that they were birthed through the Gospel, giving them the form of the Anointed One. But these false apostles are giving you a new form, the form of Moses. Note, says Luther, the Apostle Paul does not say, “I am again experiencing the pains of childbirth until I am formed in you,” but “until the Anointed One is formed in you.” The false apostles tore the form of the Anointed One out of the hearts of the Galatians and substituted their own form. Paul endeavors to reform them, or rather, have them conform to the Anointed One in them.^[5]

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) picks up the theme here in verse nineteen, where Paul admits that it felt to him like he was going through the pangs of childbirth again after such a long time. The Galatians should be adults by now, not still infants in the womb needing to be birthed anew. Was it a matter of them merely converting to Christianity but not to Christ? Could it be that although Paul’s message convicted them of their sin and misery, while they asked the Anointed One for forgiveness, they did not accept Him as their Lord and Savior? Were they only trying to avoid the curse of condemnation but yet not willing to concentrate unconditionally to His service? And now that the Judaizers came and tested their commitment to the Gospel, they failed miserably to stand firm in their faith by grace and decided to go back to stewardship under the Law. It was like starting all over again, and Paul was hardly able to stand the grief and the pain.^[6]

Edwards adds that this should make all of us more aware of our prayers and endeavors for the salvation of others. Is it only a matter of casual outreach, or do they as Paul did, agonizing for them, and plead earnestly with God for their salvation? The way Paul felt about the Galatians should be the same way we feel about those God lays on our hearts to pray for them and seek to be used by Him through the help of the Holy Spirit as an instrument in leading them to His Son.^[7] I wonder what scene might we witness if every true believer who left us to await the resurrection only fifty years ago, were to come back to life for just one week and attend the church they were in before laying down to rest. Would they love what they see so much they’d be tempted to ask God to let them stay longer? Or would they plead with Him to cut short their visit because what they saw broke their hearts?

If they entered the sanctuary and heard people singing praises to God with passion and fervor, and listened to an anointed Gospel message from the Word ignited by the power of the Holy Spirit, and saw people being saved and filled with the Spirit, then maybe they would want to hang around. But if they witnessed unemotional singing meant only to fill up time, and sermons that deal with the pastor’s personal philosophy on positive thinking and a prosperous world view, and prayers for those who responded to the invitation to be part of the church that neither included the words: confess, sin, forgiveness, cleansing, born again, nor acceptance of salvation, then yes, they’d probably slip out the back door and be gone.

Presbyterian Evangelist Charles G. Finney (1792-1875), when speaking of Paul’s wanting to bring the Galatians back into the fold of believers by faith while reeling with birth pangs all over again, says that this travailing in birth for souls creates a remarkable bond of union between warm-hearted Christians and young converts. Such newborn babes in the Anointed One appear very dear to the hearts that carry this spirit of prayer for their spiritual welfare. The feeling is like that of a mother for her first-born. Paul expresses it beautifully when he says: “My little children!” His heart was warm and tender to them. “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again” – they were backslidden, and Paul laments here in verse nineteen that he feels all the agony of a parent over a runaway child – “I travail in birth again until The Anointed One be formed in you.” As he told the Colossians, “the Anointed One is the hope of glory.”^[8]

Finney goes on to say that while conducting revival services, he often noticed how those who were filled with the spirit of prayer, loved seeing young converts at the altar. He explains that for those who’ve never felt anything like this, probably have the same attitude as a first-grader does about algebra. But to those who experienced the agony of spiritual wrestling as they prevail in prayer for the conversion of a lost soul, can expect that soul, after it is converted, to appear to them as dear as a child does to its mother. Paul agonized for it, received it in answer to prayer, and willingly presented them before the Lord Jesus the Anointed One, saying: “Hear, O Lord, are the children you gave me.”^{[9] [10]}

American Methodist minister and evangelist in the holiness movement, Mr. Beverly Carradine (1848-1931), is speaking about a person’s experience with the Messiah as a Savior being a “Deeper Salvation.” Some appear to be saved on the outside, but we must be saved deep-down on the inside. Carradine notes that back in chapter one, verse sixteen, Paul says that it pleased God to reveal His Son in him. This came after his first revelation on the road to Damascus. While he became blind on the outside, Paul was able to see on the inside. That’s when he saw Jesus. This is what is promised to the believer where the Savior says He will come in and take up His abode in our hearts.^[11] And this is what Paul wrote about of the mystery hidden for ages but now manifested to His saints, which is the Messiah dwelling in them.^[12]

Now here in verse nineteen, Paul writes and calls the little children instead of adults, and tells them that he is in pain again over them, it feels the same as a mother giving birth. And he will feel this pain until people can look at them and see the Anointed One. For having Him revealed to us as our Savior is one thing, but having the Messiah revealed in us as the Indweller and Sanctifier is something totally different. This is the mystery that is now being declared to the saints called God’s people, that the Savior will, upon compliance with conditions, cease to make visits and will enter our hearts and take up His residence in us.

Carradine reminds people that after Solomon’s Temple was completed, during the dedication, the priests, Levites, and all others withdrew, and then suddenly, the glory of the Lord filled it, and after that, God’s Shekinah glory was always present. We are the temple of the Lord and His Spirit.^[13] After our sins were emptied, stains erased, spirit empowered, and soulfully expecting Jesus to knock,[14] suddenly He will come into us as a glorious abiding presence.^[15]

Charles G. Findlay (1849-1919) sees Paul as a heartbroken patriot wishing and praying for his fellow Jews to repent and turn to the Messiah for salvation. In Latin, John Calvin called him “Hoc prudentis est pastoris – “A wise shepherd.” But that only increases Paul’s grief because he is wise enough to know that if these sheep do not turn around, they will soon go over the cliff into eternity without God. So, we must see here in verse nineteen that there is more to Paul’s plea than some sort of calculated wisdom in trying to get them to turn around and come back to Messiah.

For Findlay, it is a cry of the heart. Paul’s soul is experiencing the pain of remorse that he might not have done or said the right thing to keep this from happening. The sternness in his face from the opening chapter is more relaxed while he pursues his mighty rescue effort. As he surveys the working of God’s counsel in past ages, the promise given to Abraham for all nations, the intervening legal discipline of the Law, the coming of the Messiah in the fullness of time, the breaking of ancient chains to heathenism, and sending out the Spirit of Adoption – and all this for the sake of these Galatian Gentiles, and then thinks how they are after all this are now on the verge of rejecting God’s grace for the shackles of the Law and renouncing their Divine inheritance. Sad, so sad.

So, we can see why the Apostle’s heart aches with such grief. These Galatians have proven just as foolish and fickled as their reputation claimed they were. Yet, they are God’s adopted children, the ones that Paul was given the privilege of bringing into the fold as God’s own. That’s why he is not grieving over them as a stranger or friend, but as the one who helped make it possible for them to be born again. So just as he went through this when they first were converted, he now is going through it again. There is just as much joy in seeing a backslider return to the Lord as there was when they came to Him the first time.

[1] Thomas Aquinas: Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, loc. cit.

[2] See Romans 8:29-30; 1 Corinthians 15:48-49; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:13

[3] Romans 6:9

[4] Matthew 24:13

[5] Martin Luther, op. cit., loc. cit

[6] Edwards, Jonathan. The Complete Works of Jonathan Edwards: op. cit., (Kindle Location 11763-11795)

[7] Ibid. (Kindle Location 79012-79021).

[8] Colossians 1:27

[9] Isaiah 8:18; (See also Hebrews 2:13)

[10] Charles G. Finney: Revivals of Religion or Lectures on Revival, Lecture 4, Prevailing Prayer, p. 61

[11] John 14:23

[12] Colossians 4:19

[13] 1 Corinthians 3:16

[14] Revelation 3:20

[15] Beverly Carradine: op. cit., The Better Way, Ch. 11, p. 38

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CHURCHES

CHAPTER FOUR (Lesson XXXIV)

Paul, no doubt, thought back to when he first went to Galatia; how he struggled with several physical handicaps after many reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions; hoping that through his preaching of the Gospel they might be born again, turning them from heathenism to Christianity, and from serving dead idols to serve the Living God, and believing in His Son Jesus the Anointed One. Now he was faced with doing it all over again by writing to them, using arguments that sometimes sounded loving and kind, but at other times harsh and full of tough love. More than anything, he wanted them to reject the heresy of these Judaizers and return to the pure Gospel of the Anointed One. What Paul desperately longed for was that they are recast into a mold having the form of the Person and Spirit of the Anointed One. Instead, these believers seemed to have taken on the form of Moses and the Letter of the Law.

Just as Paul told the Corinthians, he also told the Galatians that he never thought of trying to make them feel ashamed of themselves, but was writing to counsel them as his spiritual children.^[1] In fact, Paul was there when they were born again. This was not some pretend relationship. God knew what he was saying, and God knew how much Paul loved them with the kind of love that only comes from Jesus the Anointed One.^[2] So Paul was not hesitant to tell them how much it pleased him when they turned their lives over to the Anointed One as a living sacrifice.[3] In fact, Paul offered to give his own life, just like Jesus did, in order to share the joy with them that comes when you give your all for the Anointed One.^[4]

None of this that Paul said in order to the Galatians to understand his love and commitment to do everything possible to fight for their survival as believers saved by grace was not to bring him any applause or fame, but for God’s glory and honor. Maybe they still didn’t realize that Jesus was the firstborn, and they were his many brothers and sisters in God’s eyes.^[5] That’s why he was encouraging them, in fact, pleading with them to let every part of their lives belong to the Lord Jesus the Anointed One to the point where even their thoughts were kept from entertaining going back into their old sinful way of living.^[6]

After all, they were not made a new creature in union with the Anointed One to continue being like the world but to be like God, who is the essence of being good and true and living a holy, sanctified life.^[7] Jesus did not die on the cross for salvation to be a take-it-or-leave-it proposition. It was either all the Anointed One had to give or nothing at all. He was not a supplemental plan to their spiritual health as followers of the Torah, still trying to earn salvation and everlasting life through efforts of their own.^[8] The secret is this: the Anointed One in you brings the hope of all the great things yet to come.^[9] That’s why they became a new person so that every day is a new day to live for God. This is the way they were to grow in their understanding of the One who made them what they are with God. It must be a daily effort to become more and more like Jesus.^[10]

Paul could not see any other way to make it plainer to the Galatians. Like he told the Corinthians, there’s nothing he wished for more than that he might come to visit them very soon, the Lord willing. Then he would see if these proud talkers enjoyed the power to do more than just talk. God’s kingdom is not seen in one’s talk, but in one’s walk. Which did they want most if he did get to come? That he be like an irate father out to whip his disobedient children, or a caring, loving, forgiving gentle father?^[11] No doubt, Paul felt this way with believers in every church. There’s no way for them to imagine how much he missed them that Paul was willing to attempt everything possible to get back to see them one more time, but things kept getting in his way. Who else will Paul be more proud of when he stands one day before the Master to receive his crown than the ones he was able to lead to the Anointed One for salvation and everlasting life?^[12] In what way was it possible to give God enough thanks for them and all the joy they brought to him.^[13]

Chrysostom continues his thoughts on the previous verses concerning Paul’s lamenting the deteriorating situation among the Galatian congregations. Here he points to Paul’s parental compassion. He notes the anguish befitting an Apostle is so apparent. So, he asks if we see how Paul lamented more intensely than women giving birth? Chrysostom hears Paul saying: You have ruined the image of God; You’ve lost your kinship with God because you’ve marred His likeness in you; You need a rebirth and a reformation. Nevertheless, I still call those who resulted from miscarriages and abortions my children.^[14]

Augustine shares this with his readers on the subject of the emotional attachment Paul felt for the believers in Galatia. In Augustine’s mind, the Anointed One is formed in the inner self of the believer through faith. Such people are called into the liberty of grace because of their gentle and humble heart that does not boast about the merits of works (which are nothing) but by means of God’s grace. For the Anointed One is formed in the one who receives His form, but the one who receives His form is the one who stays close to the Anointed One through spiritual love. And that’s why by imitation of the Anointed One, they become what He was, to the extent that it is granted to them in their present stage.

Augustine continues by saying that since people must be conceived by their mothers to be formed and then, having been formed, must be involved in the process of labor in order to be born, the Apostle’s words, for whom I am again in labor pains until the Anointed One is formed in you, might be troubling unless we understand birth pains to refer to the distress which caused him to feel distraught in order that the Galatians might be born in the Anointed One. And he is in agony again on account of the dangers of seduction that he sees provoking them. Now the anxiety arising from such cares for them, on account of which Paul says he is in a sense in labor pains, will last until they grow up in the Anointed One and mature, so they are no longer moved by every wind of doctrine. Therefore, when he says: I am again in pain until the Anointed One is formed in you, he is not referring to the beginnings of faith, because they were born already, but rather to its strengthening and perfection.^[15]

Contemporary scholar of Augustine’s, Marius Victorinus, gives his observation on the subject of the Anointed One being formed in the believer. As he saw it, every person is capable of receiving the Savior. A person’s soul, if they use any sense of reason, will realize that the world is not its own, and recognizes its Creator, will be capable of receiving the Master. More precisely, says Victorinus, the Anointed One – that is, the Spirit – is formed in that person’s soul. Also, by growing in the Spirit, the soul is liberated through its willingness to believe. The person will then be able to reach the heavenly realms, obtaining the salvation of the eternal light. For Victorinus, the force and the power of what Paul says – until the Anointed One is formed in you – is excellent.^[16] With all due respect to this great scholar, Jesus made it so clear that it was hard to miss seeing. You cannot get to God unless you go through Jesus, and you cannot get to Jesus unless the Holy Spirit draws you.^[17]

Another contemporary of Augustine’s, Ambrosiaster, gives us his insight. In his mind, Paul was responsible for being there when the Holy Spirit gave them their new birth, and Ambrosiaster was the one who led them to verify their faith in baptism. However, Ambrosiaster believes they born weak and deformed, so now Paul tries to reform them with his fatherly counsel. By exercising faith but paying no attention to its meaning, the Galatians effectively denied that the Anointed One was formed in their minds. If they understood the grace of God in the Anointed One, there was little chance in their being led astray into Judaism after believing. Ambrosiaster goes on to say Paul desired to do this in person rather than by mail. That way, they can hear the passion and care in his voice even as he chastises them for their behavior. That might embarrass them for two reasons – partly because of their own error, and partly because of the Apostle’s shame,^[18] Today, some Christian psychologists call this “tough love.”[19]

But again, I must kindly disagree with my brother Ambrosiaster. The Holy Spirit is not culpable for deformed believers being born again. If that is true, then it leaves the door open that His involvement in Mary conceiving and giving birth to Jesus made it possible for Him to come into this world spiritually deformed. That being the case, He might be persuaded by the devil to forsake His Father’s will and go off to use His fame as the Messiah in establishing His own earthly kingdom. It is much more logical to accept that even a healthy born child might, through their own inattention or the carelessness of others, contract a disease that ends up deforming them.

Bruno the Carthusian, the medieval scholar we mentioned earlier, gives us his take on Paul’s pains like childbirth.  He hears Paul saying to the Galatians, I worked hard for you. Now I am hurting like a woman in childbirth and working even harder for you to be reformed and return to the Messiah, the one in whom you put your faith before you were deformed. I will continue to suffer like this, says Paul, for as long as you listen to and follow those false teachers. But Bruno says we should take note, however, that Paul does not actually say “until you are reformed” but rather until the Anointed One is reformed again in you. That means, the image of the Lord people saw in you was actually deformed. Or perhaps Paul means that the likeness of Master is deformed in you in the sense that you do not look anything like Him. Now that others hear how you withdrew from your faith of the Savior, they are following your example as they claim that the faith of the Redeemer is insufficient for salvation. That’s why, says Bruno, in order for Paul to discourage the Galatians from continuing to follow this path they are on to destruction, all the more will his remarks get harsher and harsher until he tells them he won’t quit until the Son of God might be formed in those who are deformed, so to speak, because of sin.^[20]

[1] 1 Corinthians 4:14

[2] Philippians 1:8

[3] Romans 12:1

[4] Ibid. 2:17

[5] Romans 8:29

[6] Ibid. 13:14

[7] Ephesians 4:24

[8] Philippians 2:5

[9] Colossians 1:27

[10] Ibid. 3:10

[11] 1 Corinthians 4:19-21

[12] 1 Thessalonians 2:17

[13] Ibid. 3:9

[14] Edwards, M. J. (Ed.). On Galatians, op. cit., loc. cit., p. 65

[15] Augustine of Hippo: Commentary on Galatians, loc. cit.

[16] Marius Victorinus, op. cit., loc. cit.

[17] John 6:44, 65; 3:5; 16:13-14; See Matthew 22:14

[18] Ambrosiaster, op. cit., p. 25

[19] The phrase was evidently coined by Bill Milliken when he wrote the book Tough Love in 1968 and has been used by numerous authors since then.

[20] Bruno the Carthusian, op. cit., verse 19

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CHURCHES

CHAPTER FOUR (Lesson XXXIII)

The zeal expressed by the Judaizers was meant to alienate, to divide, and to cause dissension. The Judaizers seemed to be doing what was right in their eyes, when, in fact, what they did was wrong in Paul’s eyes. So, Paul tells the Galatians, I know what they are up to, and it is not suitable for you; how can it be what’s best when in order for them to accomplish their will for you, they insist on excluding me; your best friend?  Sometimes, parents need to point out to their children that what their friends insist on them doing does not make their relationship with Mom and Dad any better. So, they must decide who they are going to please first.

Paul does not condemn people being zealous for what they believe as long as it serves to promote a good cause for God’s love and the kingdom of the Anointed One; for the Gospel and the ordinances it offers, and promoting discipline in God’s house; against immorality and profaneness, exposing errors and heresies: and not changing with the times or adopting new fads and fashions to excuse misconduct or behavior as believers. There is nothing wrong with devotion and commitment to the Gospel of Jesus the Anointed One; to His calling; to His divine will and His purpose for our lives. One thing about true zeal for God the Father, the Anointed One His Son, the Holy Spirit, the Gospel, and doing God’s will, is that it will be practiced even though no one is looking.

As early church writer Ambrosiaster says, “The better gifts are spiritual ones, and those who seek to imitate them will make an impression on God.”[1] Paul wants the Galatians to imitate these good and spiritual things all the time, and not just on occasion or when he is with them. After his departure, they turned away to other things, but he wanted them to go on persevering in what is good.

Chrysostom sees Paul hinting here in verse eighteen that his absence and lack of continued correspondence may be a factor in causing these troubles. But he seems to be covering over his mistake by telling them that it is a good thing when people try to help others without an interior motive on seeing how they can benefit from it. But why wasn’t that done constantly, not just when he was with them in person? In other words, Paul started them out on the right path but didn’t stick around, or leave behind a member of his team, to make sure they continued on that path.^[2] At least it seems that Paul took some responsibility for his part in this fiasco.

Jerome speaks to conditions in his time (347-420 AD) that we can certainly relate to our day. He notes that as soon as the Apostle Paul left, the Galatians changed their attitude and mindset. He says that he witnessed the same occurrence in the early Church. As long as there is a teacher in the Church who is very distinguished in speech and a living example, the people remain busy with urgency and fervor about collecting donations, prayer, fasting, sexual abstinence, relief of the poor, taking care of graves, etc. But when such a mentor departs, they seem to grow lazy and waste away from the lack of food due to excessive fasting, they grow thin, pale, and lethargic. Then everything they tried to do with their dedication ends up coming to an end, and everything they were striving for is lost.^[3]

John Wesley (1703-1791), was struck by what Paul said to the Galatians here in verse eighteen that it was right to be zealous as long as the purpose is useful. Wesley says there are few subjects affecting all the world’s religions that are of greater importance than being zealous for a cause. For without zeal, it is impossible, either to make any considerable progress in religion ourselves or to do any considerable service to our neighbor, whether in temporal or spiritual things. And yet nothing does more disservice to religion, or more mischief to mankind, than a sort of zeal which for several ages prevailed, both in Pagan, Muslim, and the Christian nations. It wreaked havoc in both undeveloped countries as well as highly industrialized nations.

Wesley says that as believers, we must examine closely whether Christian zeal is good for the Church. If so, then what is its true nature. Just taking a cue from the original word it implies the intensity of heat, such as in boiling water. When taken figuratively and applied to the mind, it stands for intense emotion and fervent affection. However, so often, “love” is not attached to zeal. The Christian’s zeal is love at a high degree. Therefore, Christian zeal is none other than the burning flame of love. But, says Wesley, one of the chief properties of love is “humility.” That’s why some of Christendom’s most fearless and tireless warriors were people of great dignity and humility.

Not only humility, but another property of love is “meekness.” What else can demonstrate this more than the mighty Son of God washing the disciples’ feet?^[4] Added to humility and meekness is “patience.” How else is love able to endure all things if it lacks patience.^[5] Then Wesley points to verse eighteen here in this chapter that zeal must be aimed at doing good in order to be appropriate. Otherwise, God is not pleased with what we do in His name. As Wesley puts it: “In a Christian believer love sits upon the throne which is erected in the inmost soul; namely, love of God and man, which fills the whole heart, and reigns without a rival.”^[6]

In light of the zeal with which the Jews pursued the works of the Law in order to please those around them – pleasing God was only a part of their self-righteousness, Charles Simeon (1759-1836) had a sermon for the ministers and workers of his day which is relevant for us today. He points out that the nature of the Christian’s zeal is a strong affection of the mind; and is good or evil, according to the object towards which it is directed, and the manner in which it is exercised.^[7]

But there is also a Christian zeal, says Simeon, which is distinguished by two things: First, it is the right thing for its object. Some spend their zeal on things that are in themselves sinful,^[8] and others on things indifferent,^[9] and those who raise fierce disputes about human ordinances. But Christian’s zeal must be directed to what is good; maintained with the steadfastness of faith in the Gospel,^[10] and engages energetically in the practice of its teachings.^[11]

Second, it is uniform in its operation. The zeal of many is only occasional and partial, but the Christian’s is uniform and universal; it shows respect to every duty; stimulating to both personal and communal, as well as public and official duties. It does not, however, lay the same stress on trivialities, as much as on the weightier matters of the law, but proportions its exercise to the importance of the things about which it is engaged.^[12] In other words, our zeal for the Anointed One and the Gospel can either be constructive or destructive. It all depends on whether we are in it for God, or in it for ourselves.

English theologian J. B. Lightfoot (1828-1889) examines the complaint by the Apostle Paul in verses seventeen and eighteen against the Judaizers who were trying to woo the Galatians away from him. Paul tells them that he knows those false teachers are working hard to persuade you to make this critical decision, which is not good for you or for me. They want to persuade you to turn against our team so you can work hard for them. It is good for you to work hard, of course, if it is for something good. That’s something you should do, whether I am there or not.

Lightfoot also notes that with these limitations, only two interpretations present themselves, which deserve our consideration. First, Lightfoot hears Paul saying: I’m not begrudging the courting and attention being paid to you by these distracters. I’m not interested in monopolizing all of your attention or time. I’m all for someone looking after your interests while I’m gone. I ask only that they do it for an honorable cause. Secondly, Lightfoot hears Paul telling them: I’m not complaining that they desire your attention, or that you give attention to them. These things are good in themselves. I myself am not insensible to such relationships. I remember how warm your feelings were towards me when I was with you. I only wish that hadn’t grown so cold during my absence.

Then Lightfoot explains that the difference between the two consists mainly in the emphasis given to how it would affect him. This seems to put too much importance to his feelings, not theirs. But this abrupt and fragmentary mode of expression is characteristic of the Apostle Paul when he is deeply moved, and this interpretation suits the general context so much better – especially the tender appeal which follows immediately, “my little children.”^[13] So Paul is not ranting and raving here about being jilted for a less important and proven suitor with a corrupt message designed to misguide them into a doomed relationship. Yes, he is scolding them, but out of love, not out of hate or jealousy.

4:19-20 I love you like children, and I feel like a woman going through labor pains again.  I’m sure this will continue until I see you looking more like the Anointed One. Oh, how I long to be with you in order to feel different about this. I’m so worried about you.

 Paul’s pleading and admonishment of the Galatians now reaches a point of desperation. He likens his heartache and sorry too that of the pain experienced by women in childbirth. And like any parent who finds their child in dire need of encouragement and comfort, wanted to be there with them at this critical hour. But perhaps the most troubling emotion that Paul feels is the head-shaking, eye-brow lifting, rolling of the eyes, deep breath sigh of complete and utter disbelief that this is happening to those he calls, “My dear children.” Paul struggled to make sense of the situation; it just didn’t add up. Maybe if he saw them and put his arms around them and they prayed together, then his tone of voice might change to that of a loving spiritual father instead of a chastising religious parent. However, that seemed like a remote, if not impossible, hope. So, he tried to put as much loving tender care in his letter as possible, like a parent attending to a little child who has fallen even though they were told not to run.

[1] Ambrosiaster, op. cit., p. 24

[2] Edwards, M. J. (Ed.). On Galatians, op. cit., p. 64

[3] Ibid.

[4] John 13:5

[5] 1 Corinthians 13:7

[6] The Works of John Wesley, op. cit., Vol. 7, Sermon 92, On Zeal, p. 68-78

[7] Simeon says make a note of: Acts of the Apostles 5:17-18; 13:45; 17:5

[8] Ibid: Philippians 3:6. John 16:2

[9] Ibid: Mark 7:3-4

[10] Ibid: He follows the injunctions and examples of the Apostles, in opposition to what is improperly called candor. Jude, ver. 3. Galatians 1:8-9. 2 John, ver. 10

[11] Ibid: Titus 2:11-12; Titus 2:14)

[12] The Works of Charles Simeon, op. cit., On Galatians, Discourse (#2073), Text: Galatians 4:18, “The Nature and Importance of Christian Zeal,” pp. 172-173

[13] J. B. Lightfoot: On Galatians, op. cit., loc. cit., pp. 275-276

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CHURCHES

CHAPTER FOUR (Lesson XXXII)

Don Garlington gives us a different view of what Paul meant here in verse fifteen when he asked the Galatians, “Where, then, is your blessing of me now?”^[1] As the New Living Translation puts it, “Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then?” The New Century Version renders it, “You were very happy then, but where is that joy now?” And the New American Standard Bible puts it this way, “Where then is that sense of blessing you had?” Garlington accepts the NASB‘s version paraphrases it as follows: “Where, then, is your blessedness?” In other words, they blessed Paul for coming and giving them the Good News about the Messiah, and he received a blessing by their accepting what he said by faith.^[2] The reason for Paul’s question seems to be that they no longer honored him for his service because they did not feel that blessed by what they experienced upon embracing the Gospel that he delivered to them.

Duncan Heaster writes about the circumstances under which Paul feels that his once good friends in Galatia now saw him as an adversary. He notes that in society and human existence, it is all about what others think of us, more than what we think of ourselves. We may envision ourselves as looking good, confident, and successful, but if those we work with and live around do not share that view of us, it can be very debilitative to our egos. When that happened in Paul’s day, and even today, it causes loss of face before the community and friends, a fate some considered worse than death itself.

For some people, having the honor of one’s family and the community is crucial. That means always being polite, say what was right in the ears of one’s hearers rather than what was true, never shame those in one’s group by telling inconvenient truths; just say what the others wanted to hear. Today we call this “being politically correct.” So, it was against this background that the Apostle Paul decided to be truthful, even if it meant becoming the enemy of some because he stuck with the truth. This would also give us a new challenge every day.^[3] But Paul was, just as we must be, more interested in his standing with God, knowing he told the truth rather than fearing he was laying the groundwork for martyrdom because he would not lie to those he cherished with the love of God.

4:17-18 I understand that these teachers are excited about winning you over to their side, but I can tell you their motives are disgraceful. All they want to do is come between us so that you will turn to them instead of to me. It’s a good thing when people care about you and love you, but why did they wait until I was gone to do this?

 Reading Paul’s assessment of the Judaizers here sounds eerily familiar to what he said to the Romans when he told them of his desire for the Jews to recognize Yeshua as the Messiah and convert to Christianity so that the Family of God is finally united. Paul said, “I know about them. They have a strong desire for God, but they do not know what they should know about Him.”^[4] Paul then goes on to say that people like that are not serving our Lord the Anointed One. They are only interested in pleasing themselves. They use fancy talk and say nice things to fool those who don’t know that much about what they are saying.^[5]

That’s also why Paul worried about the Corinthians. He was afraid that their minds might be led away from the truth concerning what it means to really follow the Anointed One. This could happen to them just as Eve was tricked by the serpent with his clever lies.^[6] He told them that these are dishonest missionaries with a false gospel. They don’t let anyone know what’s really going on with their efforts. But they make themselves look like true ministers of the Anointed One. And that’s no surprise because the devil can make himself look like an angel of enlightenment,[7] and a ravenous wolf disguised as a harmless sheep.[8] So, no one should be amazed when those who do his bidding try to make themselves look like preachers of the Gospel. They and their pretensions will end up getting them what they deserve.^[9]

 Both the Corinthians and the Galatians will find out what the Philippians learned. These people all put their own interests ahead of Yeshua, the Messiah. They couldn’t care less what He gets out of their work, they’re only concerned about what they benefit from it. In like manner, the Apostle Peter was telling it like it is when he wrote that these false teachers only want other people’s money. They’ll use every scheme they can to try and convince you that what they are telling you about salvation and the future is true, when in fact it’s an outright lie. But the judgment against these imposters was included in God’s schedule a long time ago. And they will not escape God’s plan for them.^[10]

 Paul is very clear about the underlying motive of these Judaizers. They want to get the Galatians to stop looking at the Anointed One and looking at Paul for instructions and guidance, and get their eyes on these false prophets from hell. But Paul bears some bad news if the Galatians are fooled into doing so. He tells them that they are being fooled into thinking they’ve got everything they need. To make them think they are rich. Convince them that without any help from Paul, they might become kings. He told them he wished they really were kings. Then they could join forces to combat evil and promote the Gospel. Unfortunately, some of them were so full of pride; they did not think Paul would dare to come and visit them.^[11]

Paul is not opposed to someone helping his ministry team out and supporting them in every way. It’s just that he is upset that the Judaizers are in it for fame and fortune. That way, they would be able to go back to Jerusalem and brag how they wrestled away this special project from this traitor to Judaism and got the Galatians on the right path again. What Paul is going through here sounds a lot like what Phinehas, Aaron’s grandson, was going through trying to get the children of Israel to remain faithful to Yahweh on their way to the promised land. God told Moses; I was so angry with the Israelites I wanted to get rid of them. But Phinehas stepped in and saved them from my anger. He did this by showing that he feels strongly, just as I do, that my people must worship only me.^[12]

This is not the first time Paul needed to write a church he became an intimate part of to be careful about losing their place in God’s plan for winning the world to the Anointed One. He also wrote the Corinthians and told them to stand strong. Not to let anything change them. Keep busy doing God’s work because no one who works hard for the Lord is wasting their time.^[13] After all, the Anointed One willingly gave Himself up to die for us. He died to ransom us from our slavery in sin. The pure Lamb of God died to make us pure, a people who belong only to Him and who always want to be doing His will.^[14] Paul wants them to conduct their lives the right way by doing what the Gospel tells them to do. So, if Paul gets to visit Galatia once more or not, he wants to hear that they are standing steadfast in the truth. He desires to be told that they are working together as one, preaching the Gospel everywhere they go.^[15]

Several psychologists infer that after Paul became a Christian, despite his critical attitude of those who relied on their own abilities and talents to outdo others, he continued to strive to be the best of the best. They say he did this so unconsciously that he became inconsistent in his instructions. In their opinion, without knowing it, Paul turned out to be the very sort of person he preached against by relying on his own abilities and talents to outdo everyone else. They say that Paul excused this by identifying it as God and the Anointed One working through him with their truth and power.  Furthermore, they believe this created tension between his spiritual philosophy of not wanting to rely on his own abilities and talents to be better than others, and his carnal ego’s desire to succeed.  However, these psychologists agree that it was just such inner tension and inconsistency that gave him the competitive element he needed to carry on despite his critics.[16]

I tried to simplify the wording of some psychological assessments I read, but they still make things hard to understand sometimes.  So, let me put it in layman’s language.  Before Paul was converted, he was a Jewish zealot of the highest degree.  He looked to no one for approval and saw no challenge too great for him.  He was determined to be the best anti-Christian Pharisee who ever lived.  After he was born again, he looked only to God and the Anointed One for approval and was willing to accept whatever circumstances he found himself in as part of God’s will and plan for his life. But, say the psychologists, Paul didn’t realize he was doing the same thing for Christianity that he once did for Judaism. Except that now he’s passing it off by claiming that God the Father and the Anointed One the Messiah put him up to it; so, he’s doing it for them! In reality, Paul was contrasting the love he showed to the Galatians with the zeal of the Judaizers, whose goal it was to win them away from him. Paul loved the Galatians in order to win them over to the Anointed One, but the Judaizers’ enthusiasm was to turn them away from the Anointed One back to ceremonial laws.

As a personal example, while growing up, I only attended the church of one specific denomination where my father was the pastor. But I learned a lot about other denominations through the sermons I heard other ministers preach. Unfortunately, I only perceived what was wrong with them, why their belief system was incorrect; why their theology was mistaken; why their teachings on holiness and sanctification were in error; and why they were bound to miss going to the same heaven we were. So, I began to believe that only people who belonged to my denomination would go in the rapture and gather around the throne of God. Can you imagine my shock when later on, I found out that many preachers in my church used commentaries written by theologians from all these other denominations they questioned!  I will politely say it was a case of mistaken identity. This is the approach the Judaizers took in trying to persuade the Galatians to enhance and guarantee their salvation by adding the requirements of Jewish ceremonial laws. In other words, they could not trust this missionary Paul to tell them the whole truth.

[1] New International Version

[2] Don Garlington: On Galatians, op. cit., pp. 125-126

[3] Heaster, Duncan. On Galatians, op. cit., Location 1187-1192, Kindle Edition.

[4] Romans 10:2

[5] Ibid. 16:18

[6] Genesis 3:1-4

[7] 2 Corinthians 11:3

[8] See Matthew 7:15

[9] Ibid. 11:13-15

[10] 2 Peter 2:3

[11] 1 Corinthians 4:8, 18

[12] Numbers 25:11

[13] 1 Corinthians 15:58

[14] Titus 2:14

[15] Philippians 1:27

[16] Wayne G. Rollins; D. Andrew Kille. Psychological Insight into the Bible, op. cit., (Kindle Location 1668-1704)

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CHURCHES

CHAPTER FOUR (Lesson XXXI)

So, says Paul to the Galatians, when we tell you something, we are only trying to do what God wants us to do, not what others want us to do. He is the One who can see what is in our hearts. You know that we never tried to influence you by saying nice things about you. We were not trying to get your money. There was no reason to hide anything from you. God knows that this is true. We were not seeking applause from anyone – not from you or anyone else. When we were with you as Apostles of the Anointed One, we could have used our authority to force you to help us. But we were very gentle with you. We were like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you very much, so we were happy to share God’s Good News with you. But not only that – you were ready to give your eyes to me if that is what it took.^[1] This helps us see the depth of Paul’s love for those God sent him to reach with the Gospel, and that certainly included the Galatians.

So why was such a good friend now being thought of as the enemy? I’m sure Paul did not want what happened to the prophet Zechariah when God gave him a message for the people of Israel. He told them; I’m going to tell you what God told me. He doesn’t understand why you people refuse to obey His commands? It will not work. You left the Lord, now He’s leaving you! But the people responded by asking the king to kill Zechariah, so they threw rocks at him until he fell dead. The people did this in the courtyard of the Lord’s Temple.^[2]

Early medieval commentator, Haimo of Auxerre (820-885), gives his explanation of what he feels Paul is saying about Galatians’ willingness to give him their eyes. He says, that if it were possible for Paul to know the glorious things of God with his blurred bodily eyes and to penetrate still further into the secrets of His mysteries by the body’s sense of vision, they vowed to pluck out their eyes and give them to him so he could see even better. That’s because they rejoiced over Paul’s visit, and they were so anxious to know more about God and the Messiah, they were ready to pay any price to help make it happen.^[3]

Dutch theologian James Arminius (1560-1609) talks about why such hatred is often exhibited against those who preach the true Gospel who must withstand the strong winds of dissent by those who do not desire fellowshipping with them. He says that such causes of dissension generally divided into those they earned it through some fault of their own and those who earn it through the fault of others. If a person is caught not practicing what they preach; of not telling the whole truth about sin and God’s punishment; or passing on their personal opinion as if it were Scriptural, they deserved to be called out as hypocrites because they did not live up to the principles of the very Scriptures they preach.

On the other hand, being falsely accused by others because, as Arminius puts it, they can’t stand having their sensitive and lustful hearts and their sinful ulcers sprinkled and purified by the sharp salt of truth, and because it forces them to admit that their lifestyle and manners are in bad shape. With Paul knowing this trait of the human heart, he inquires of the Galatians here in verse sixteen, “Am I now, therefore, your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” Furthermore, since the honest truth almost always invites hatred, and since, what some call an “unashamed flatterer,” with unconditional agreeableness wins friends as its reward, no wonder so many decided to avoid conflict by preaching and teaching an “unoffensive Gospel” – heaven without hell; salvation without repentance; unlimited grace for unlimited sinning, etc.^[4]

John Bunyan (1628-1688) is writing on the tendency of forgetfulness, and how it makes past victories look like nothing happened, as though they never existed, and takes away from the soul an important source of support and encouragement. Certainly, the fact is that King David never forgot his epic battle with the giant Goliath,^[5] and hiding in caves from Saul’s assassins.^[6] In Bunyan’s mind, when King David became dejected, by remembering what he wrote about Mount Hermon, it kept him going;^[7] when he decided to go out against Goliath, he remembered his battle with the lion and the bear that gave him courage.^[8] In the same way, when things try to overpower us, we can think of our victories. And even when they finally leave us alone, just thinking about them will strengthen our soul.

Bunyan continues by saying that when we go out to try and recover a backslider, it usually begins at the remembrance of things that happened in the past. This was the Anointed One’s message to the Church in Ephesus.^[9] It is marvelous to see how some people were greatly inspired by not forgetting. Especially those that prayed, cried, groaned, and longed for eternal life – those considered no pain too much, no distance far, no hazards too risky to run through for eternal life; those who were captivated with the Word, and with the comfort and joy it brought. In fact, Bunyan points to what Paul says here in verses fourteen and fifteen about the Galatians vowed to pull out their eyes and give them to the Apostle. That’s how sweet were the good tidings Paul brought to them.

So, says Bunyan, it is devastating to see how many people in his day were so beguiled and taken off course that they forgot such things in their own lives. It’s as though they never experienced such passion of dedication to the Lord; that they don’t remember ever thinking of God in such a way, as if never crossed their minds. In fact, they act as though it’s strange to see anyone who still takes the Bible as the Word of God and is persuaded by its message, and that mighty hand, by which they were sometimes guided in their life.^[10] So it’s obvious why Bunyan is puzzled as to why the Galatians were going down this same rocky path of choosing to forget the joys and blessings they received with God’s free gift of salvation by grace.

Puritan preacher Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is writing a treatise on the believer’s affections for all things religious. He mentions that we humans cannot achieve the same level of affection that the angels in heaven show for God’s perfection and handiwork. That’s because they see things as they are according to their true reality. And even though believers possess a similar nature and affection for God, the closer they get to the level at which angels praise God with a pure heavenly flame of fire in their love and in the greatness and strength of their joy and gratitude that their praises represent, the more their affection will be of the heavenly kind.

He’s thinking about what Paul asked the Galatians here in verse fifteen concerning how they felt about the blessings they received from his ministry. What happened to them? When he came, he can testify that he heard them say that they would willingly pluck out their eyes and given them to him if it would help. Where did all that affection go? From this, Edwards is persuaded that religious affections are at a higher degree than normal human affections. In fact, he admonishes anyone who might condemn people as overly enthusiastic because their affections are so high. But at the same time, there is no evidence that religious affections are of a spiritual nature just because they are so fervent.

Edwards says that Scripture gives us evidence of such an enthusiastic fondness for all things Godly and holy. But we must determine whether or not they are spiritually oriented and part of God’s saving grace. That’s why what Paul says here to the Galatians indicates that the affections he speaks of are exceedingly elevated beyond what one might expect. And no doubt that’s why he feels so despondent that it all may end up being a failure and actually resulting in nothing to rejoice over. This is certainly applicable to every believer who knows the joy they felt at their conversion and being born again. But when you see them a year later, like Paul, you might be motivated to ask, as Paul did, where did the thrill of being born again go?

This is what frustrated Moses once he led the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage into the wilderness of Sinai. How soon they forgot the blood that saved them from the Death Angel, the Rod that opened a path for them through the Red Sea where they sang God’s praise, the Manna from heaven, and fresh meat from the sky. Yet while Moses was up on Mt. Horeb to receive the commandments that would guide them until the Messiah came, they were worshiping and dancing before the idol of Golden Calf in the camp below.^[11] The enthusiastic Hosannas that greeted Jesus when He rode into Jerusalem are like the hallelujahs today once the worship service is over. People can get out to the lake for their Sunday afternoon picnic. But if you think we might be upset at such behavior, how much more upset does the Son of God possess the right to be who paid the consummate price for their salvation?

Adam Clarke (1760-1832) gives this paraphrase of the opening in verse fifteen as follows: “Where then is your blessedness? Having renounced the Gospel, you have lost your happiness. What have your false teachers given you to compensate the loss of communion with God, or the Spirit of adoption, that Spirit of the Anointed One, by which you cried Abba, Father!”^[12] But Clarke does go on to say that if we understand these questions about their happiness was another way of asking: When did you lose your first love for me? That is why what Paul says at the conclusion of this verse fits such a premise. Early church writer Victorinus expresses Paul’s words to the Galatians in a very abrupt manner. He hears Paul saying, Hey! You were all excited the first time when you heard the Gospel preached because of your eagerness to hear the truth. But where is your excitement now?^[13]

Paul wraps it up by asking a painful question: “Do you hate me now that I’ve told you the truth?”  A friend will go along with you because they fear losing you, but a true friend will tell you the facts because if they do not, they will lose you anyhow. Paul proves himself to be a true friend of the Galatians because he is telling them like it is.  Oft times, a rebuke from a critic and that of a true friend may sound similar, but the difference is that the rebuke from a critic comes from their mind while the rebuke from a true friend comes from their heart. Did not Jesus say you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free? If you hate it when someone tells you a lie, how can you then hate it when they tell you the truth? Solomon said it well, “Don’t bother correcting the arrogant; they will only hate you. But correct the wise, and they will love you for it.”^[14]

[1] Also see 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8

[2] 2 Chronicles 24:20-21

[3] Haimo of Auxerre: Commentary on Galatians, loc. cit.

[4] James Arminius: op. cit., Oration 5, p. 146

[5] 1 Samuel 17:1-11

[6] Ibid. 22:1

[7] Psalm 133:3

[8] 1 Samuel 17:34-36

[9] Revelation 2:2-6

[10] John Bunyan Practical Works, Vol. 4: A Holy Life, The Beauty of Christianity, The Author to the Reader, Ch, 3, p. 99

[11] The Works of Jonathan Edwards: Vol. 2,  A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, Part 2, pp.765-756

[12] Ibid., loc. cit.

[13] Edwards, M. J. (Ed.). On Galatians, op. cit., loc. cit., p. 63

[14] Proverbs 9:8

Often peace is seen in contrast, such as, “Peace is a treaty between two warring parties,” or “Peace is a condition of serenity beyond the reach of discord.” There is also “internal” peace and “external” peace. But what is not often discussed is how to attain peace to the satisfaction of all involved. Psychologists tell us that peace also includes one’s mental strength, especially the confidence in being able to handle whatever life throws against you. The main component is not wasting time and energy wishing things were different or trying to change the mind of the opposition.

Certified Social Worker Amy Morin lists a number of important things that mentally strong people don’t do in order to maintain inner peace. For instance, they do not surround themselves with toxic people that can forcefully affect the way they think, feel, and behave. Engaging with people who lie, gossip, bully, or cheat takes a toll on one’s well-being. Mentally strong people don’t waste their energy trying to change toxic people. They establish healthy emotional and physical boundaries. Once those lines are crossed, they disengage.

Another thing is not to become guilty of excessive self-blame. Thinking everything is 100 percent your fault – whether it’s a failed relationship or an accident – will affect the way you see yourself and the world around you. You can’t always prevent bad things from happening. Mentally strong people take appropriate accountability. They recognize they’re responsible for their choices, but they also acknowledge factors beyond their control – like the state of the economy, the weather, and other people’s choices.

There is also the delusion of constantly chasing happiness. Thinking you need to be happy all the time will backfire. Momentary pleasure is much different than long-term satisfaction. Mentally strong people are willing to put in the hard work it takes to gain contentment. They refuse to give in to instant gratification or temporary indulgences. They look for ways to build a brighter future by creating long-term goals.

Beware always staying in one’s comfort zone. It may seem like staying inside your comfort zone is the key to feeling good in life. But avoiding discomfort always backfires in the end. Mentally strong people face their fears, venture into unknown areas, and test their limits. They know that being uncomfortable is tolerable, and allowing themselves to experience discomfort is the key to living a better life.

Another essential component is to resist developing a victim mentality. Thinking the world and the people in it are out to get you will prevent you from being your best. In fact, if you blame all of your problems on external circumstances, you’ll never take responsibility for your life. Mentally strong people acknowledge their choices, even in the face of tragic circumstances. They focus on the things they can control, and they refuse to waste their time hosting pity parties.

It is also a waste of time to always try to impress people. You could waste a lot of your life trying to make people like you. Depending on admiration from others, however, gives others power over you.

Mentally strong people are comfortable in their own skin. They don’t waste their time worrying about whether other people approve of their choices. Instead, they focus on living according to their values.

The pursuit of perfection is another battle that must be won.  Striving for excellence is healthy. But insisting on perfection is an uphill battle. You’ll never feel good enough if you set the bar impossibly high. Mentally strong people accept that they’re going to fail and make mistakes. They are able to acknowledge their flaws and weaknesses.

Then there is the habit of holding grudges. You may think holding onto a grudge somehow punishes someone else. But, in reality, clinging to anger and hatred only reduces your life. Mentally strong people let go of grudges so they can focus their energy on more worthwhile causes. That doesn’t mean they allow themselves to be abused by people, however. It just means they don’t allow pent-up resentment to overtake their lives.

Not wanting to be left out leads to an endless quest for material things. No matter how much money you make, a bigger house, a nicer car, or more expensive clothing won’t give you peace of mind. Expecting material possessions to satisfy your needs will leave you sorely disappointed. Mentally strong people aren’t necessarily minimalists, however. They can enjoy nice things. But they don’t expect their material possessions to give them joy and contentment.

Also, be careful about complete self-reliance. Thinking you can do everything on your own is about acting tough–not being strong. There will be times when asking for help is important. Mentally strong people aren’t afraid to admit when they need help. Whether they rely on a higher power, ask for professional help, or lean on a friend during a time in need, they gain strength from others. Knowing they don’t have to have all the answers gives them a renewed sense of inner peace.

But the Bible is not silent on this subject. There are too many to list here, but there are two that are important to remember.  The prophet Isaiah said that God will keep in perfect peace all who trust in Him, all whose thoughts are fixed on Him![1] The Apostle Paul wrote: Now that we are right with God by putting our trust in Him, we have peace with Him. It is all because of what our Lord Jesus the Anointed One did for us.[2] And in the courageous lyrics of a grand old hymn of the church, we too can sing: “When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, even so, it is well, with my soul.”[3] So, such peace is not the work of human hands, but a gracious gift from God the Messiah, the Prince of Peace.[4] – Dr. Robert R Seyda

[1] Isaiah 26:3

[2] Romans 5:1

[3] Written by Horatio Spafford (1973) after he lost his son and business in the great Chicago fire (1871), and then his wife and two daughters in a collision and sinking of their ship at sea (1873).

[4] Isaiah 9:6

George Washington Prays for Divine Intervention

With President’s Day coming up, I thought I’d write today about George Washington, the first President of the United States of America.  He was a remarkable man.  He was a man of God, which helped him be successful in his endeavors.  Some say that God protected him through a number of miracles.  It’s fitting that we honor him on President’s Day. So I want to share with you an account I recently read.

Young George was taught to believe in God and to rely on Him.  He was often seen praying for help when he needed it, even as a young boy.  When he was General George Washington leading the Continental Army and helping the American colonies to become free of British rule, he prayed often.  He would retreat to his tent to pray for guidance, and sometimes he would go into the woods to pray.

Several miracles show that the Heavenly Father heard his prayers and answered them with help from above.  I want to share a couple of them with you. The first happened when the British had cornered and trapped the army in New York. They were stuck on Long Island, and all ways to retreat were blocked except for the East River. Going that way was risky because they’d be out in the open and easily shot one by one in the boats. The first miracle is that the British didn’t come in and kill them all while they were trapped for 2 days. The British had 32,000 soldiers; Washington had only 8,000.

No one knows why the British delayed. The delay allowed Washington to gather up all of the boats in the area and plan an escape. At 8 pm on August 29, 1776, Washington started sending boats out onto the East river with soldiers aboard.  It was raining heavily, and the winds were strong.  The bad weather kept the British from attacking and rendered all boat travel impossible, except for rowboats. Slowly but surely, boat after boat rowed away into the darkness filled with our soldiers. To speed things up, at 11 pm, the wind died down, and the waters calmed, allowing more boats to fill up and row away. They rowed back and forth all night long, but the evacuation wasn’t finished when the sun began to rise the next morning.  Many soldiers remained. Would they get away? Slowly a fog arose, so thick that one could barely see anything a few feet away. The soldiers kept rowing away until all had been evacuated under cover of darkness, then blinding fog.

A nosy British sympathizer saw the evacuation and wrote a note to the British army.  Miraculously the note was held up by German soldiers fighting for Britain who couldn’t read English.  When the British finally got the message, they checked to see if it was true, they found Long Island empty and the last rowboats in the distance, out of harm’s way.  It was the most amazing retreat in American history!  Eight thousand men slipped past all blockades.

Another miracle was when Washington crossed the Delaware River and conquered the British in a surprise attack on Christmas day 1776.  Washington was again completely outnumbered.  He knew he didn’t have a chance against the Germans fighting for Britain in normal circumstances but thought that a surprise might do it.  After praying for success, the army of 2400 soldiers began crossing the Delaware River.  It was dangerously icy with chunks of ice threatening to break the overloaded boats.

The weather was awful; it was raining, then sleeting. One soldier described it like a hurricane.  The other groups had called it off, but Washington’s army pressed on.  At 4 am, the whole army was ashore, and they had yet to march nine miles to get to the British soldiers.  The storm hadn’t let up, yet Washington’s army nearly ran the distance, racing to their foe.

When they arrived around 8 am, they found the exhausted Germans asleep and easily overwhelmed them.  One thousand British soldiers were captured, 83 wounded, and 22 killed. Of Washington’s army, only 3 deaths and 6 injuries were reported.  “It may be doubted whether so small a number of men ever covered so short a space of time with greater and more lasting effects upon the history of the world,” British historian George Trevelyan wrote. This and another victory at Princeton a few weeks later became the turning points of the Revolutionary war.

At one point over the next winter, his army was hungry.  They had run out of food and were facing starvation.  George prayed for help, and suddenly the nearby Schuylkill river began to seemingly boil.  The soldiers found that large amounts of fish were migrating upstream surprisingly early in the year.  So many fish were in the river that they were clogging it!  Soldiers simply reached in and plucked fish from the water.  The army was saved, starvation averted.

Earlier in his life, George was shot at many times and never wounded.  He wrote to his brother, who had heard incorrectly that George was dead, the following:  “As I have heard since my arrival at this place, a circumstantial account of my death and dying speech, I take this early opportunity of contradicting the first and of assuring you that I have not as yet composed the latter. But by the all-powerful dispensations of Providence I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses were shot out from under me yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!”

This event occurred in 1755, many years prior to Washington’s pivotal involvement in the Revolutionary War.  His Heavenly Father protected him because he had important things to do.  In fact, Washington was never wounded in all of the battles in which he fought. George Washington was successful as a General because he relied on the Heavenly Father for help.

We would be wise to ask for help from our loving Heavenly Father when we are outnumbered and fighting for a good cause. As the Apostle James encourages us if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him (James 1:5). But simply asking may not be enough, so the Lord Jesus told us to keep asking, and it will be given to us; keep seeking, and will find; keep knocking, and it will be opened to us. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened (Matthew 7:7-11). – Dr. Robert R Seyda