Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Galatians 1:6

θαυμάζω ὅτι. Here only in the Pauline Epistles; Luke 11:38; John 3:7; John 4:27[44]. Cf. Mark 15:44; 1 John 3:13.

[44] Is affixed to a word it means that all the passages are mentioned where that word occurs in the New Testament.

οὕτως ταχέως. Hardly “so soon” (A.V.) referring to the brevity of time (Philippians 2:19; Philippians 2:24) since his first or his second visit, but “so quickly” (R.V.) referring to the rapidity with which they are yielding to the temptation (cf. 1 Timothy 5:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; Wis 14:28 ἢ ἐπιορκοῦσιν ταχέως). Cf. Exodus 32:8 παρέβησαν ταχύ, where the Hebrew leaves no room for doubt. See Introduction, p. xxxiii.

μετατίθεσθε. Here only in the Pauline Epistles. Not passive as in Acts 7:16; Hebrews 7:12; Hebrews 11:5 but middle as in 2Ma 7:24, where Antiochus promised to enrich the youngest son of the seven brethren, if he would turn from the customs of his fathers, μεταθέμενον�. The present shows that St Paul still hoped that the change would not be completed. Cf. his frequent use of the present in this epistle, e.g. Galatians 3:3; Galatians 4:9; Sir 6:9 καὶ ἔστιν φίλος μετατιθέμενος εἰς ἔχθραν, often quoted, illustrates the moral use of the verb (cf. ὁ μεταθέμενος of Dionysius who left Stoicism for Epicureanism), and its construction with εἰς, but not the use of the present, for there it is timeless, as the Hebrew shows.

ἀπὸ τοῦ καλέσαντος ὑμᾶς. Almost certainly God the Father (Galatians 1:5). The words also probably suggest, as Chrysostom says, that the Galatians thought they were pleasing the Father by observing the Law, as the Jews thought when they persecuted Jesus. The call (Galatians 5:8; Galatians 5:13) is so often attributed to the Father (Galatians 1:15) that the clause can hardly mean “from Christ who called you” (Peshito).

ἐν χάριτι Χριστοῦ, “in Christ’s grace.” The external evidence for Χριστοῦ is overwhelming, ἐν hardly merely instrumental (cf. διά, Galatians 1:15), nor = εἰς. It suggests the permanence of the divine favour in which God calls (cf. Galatians 2:21, also 2 Thessalonians 2:16; Hebrews 12:15), and through which and in which the blessing of Christ is given (Acts 15:11; Romans 5:15). For the absence of the article cf. 2 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Corinthians 15:10.

εἰς ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον. On the words εὐαγγέλιον, εὐαγγελίζω, see Milligan, Thess. pp. 141 sqq. ὃ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλο. The relation between ἔτερος and ἄλλος is doubtful:

(1) Possibly ἕτερος = difference in kind, and ἄλλος difference in number, “to a second, a different gospel, which is not another,” i.e. as it is not the same, it is no gospel at all (Lightfoot). So apparently in 2 Corinthians 11:4 ἄλλον Ἰησοῦν, “a second Jesus,” but πνεῦμα ἕτερον and εὐαγγέλιον ἕτερον “a different spirit,” and “a different gospel.” In this case the colon after ἄλλο stands.

(2) But probably ἕτερος = a second in a series, indicating the slighter specific difference between members of the same class (Galatians 1:19; Galatians 6:4); ἄλλος the broader generic difference between two distinct classes, a second regarded as belonging to another series (Galatians 5:10). Thus in Thuc. II. 40. 1–3 “ἑτέροις indicates another class of the Athenians (viz. the industrial as distinguished from the military or the statesman class), while ἄλλοις denotes other nations as distinguished from the Athenians” (Ramsay, Gal. p. 263, whom consult for other passages, and the opinions of other scholars). In this case the colon after ἄλλο must be omitted.

Continues after advertising

BibliaPlus

Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

Galatians 1:6

Old Testament

New Testament