WHO DID BEWITCH YOU? (τις υμας εβασκανεν?). Somebody "fascinated" you. Some aggressive Judaizer (Galatians 5:7), some one man (or woman). First aorist active indicative of βασκαινω, old word kin to φασκω (βασκω), to speak, then to bring evil on one by feigned praise or the evil eye (hoodoo), to l... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS ONLY (τουτο μονον). Paul strikes at the heart of the problem. He will show their error by the point that the gifts of the Spirit came by the hearing of faith, not by works of the law.... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE YE NOW PERFECTED IN THE FLESH? (νυν σαρκ επιτελεισθε?). Rather middle voice as in 1 Peter 5:9, finishing of yourselves. There is a double contrast, between εναρξαμενο (having begun) and επιτελεισθε (finishing) as in 2 Corinthians 8:6; Philippians 1:6, and also between "Spirit" (πνευματ) and f... [ Continue Reading ]
DID YE SUFFER? (επαθετε?). Second aorist active indicative of πασχω, to experience good or ill. But alone, as here, it often means to suffer ill (τοσαυτα, so many things). In North Galatia we have no record of persecutions, but we do have records for South Galatia (Acts 14:2; Acts 14:5; Acts 14:1... [ Continue Reading ]
SUPPLIETH (επιχορηγων). It is God. See on 2 Corinthians 9:10 for this present active participle. Cf. Philippians 1:19; 2 Peter 1:5.WORKETH MIRACLES (ενεργων δυναμεις). On the word ενεργεω see 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 12:6. It is a great word for God's activities (Philippians 2:13). "I... [ Continue Reading ]
IT WAS RECKONED UNTO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS (ελογισθη εις δικαιοσυνην). First aorist passive indicative of λογιζομα. See on 1 Corinthians 13:5 for this old word. He quotes Genesis 15:6 and uses it at length in Romans 4:3 to prove that the faith of Abraham was reckoned "for" (εις, good _Koine_ idio... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME ARE SONS OF ABRAHAM (ουτο υιο εισιν Αβρααμ). "These are." This is Paul's astounding doctrine to Jews that the real sons of Abraham are those who believe as he did, "they which be of faith" (ο εκ πιστεως), a common idiom with Paul for this idea (verse Galatians 3:9; Romans 3:26; Romans 4:1... [ Continue Reading ]
FORESEEING (προιδουσα). Second aorist active participle of προοραω. The Scripture is here personified. Alone in this sense of "sight," but common with λεγε or ειπεν (says, said) and really in verse Galatians 3:22 "hath shut up" (συνεκλεισεν).WOULD JUSTIFY (δικαιο). Present active indicative, "d... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH (συν). Along with, in fellowship with.THE FAITHFUL (τω πιστω). Rather, "the believing" (cf. verse Galatians 3:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
UNDER A CURSE (υπο καταραν). Picture of the curse hanging over them like a Damocles' blade. Cf. Romans 3:9 "under sin" (υφ' αμαρτιαν). The word for "curse" (καταρα) is an old one (κατα, down, αρα, imprecation), often in LXX, in N.T. only here and Galatians 3:13; James 3:10; 2 Peter 2:14. Paul quot... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE SIGHT OF GOD (παρα τω θεω). By the side of (παρα) God, as God looks at it, for the simple reason that no one except Jesus has ever kept _all_ the law, God's perfect law.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH (ο νομος ουκ εστιν εκ πιστεως). Law demands complete obedience and rests not on mercy, faith, grace.... [ Continue Reading ]
REDEEMED US (ημας εξηγορασεν). First aorist active of the compound verb εξαγοραζω (Polybius, Plutarch, Diodorus), to buy from, to buy back, to ransom. The simple verb αγοραζω (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23) is used in an inscription for the purchase of slaves in a will (Deissmann, _Light... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT UPON THE GENTILES (ινα εις τα εθνη). Final clause (ινα and γενητα, aorist middle subjunctive).THAT WE MIGHT RECEIVE (ινα λαβωμεν). Second final clause coordinate with the first as in 2 Corinthians 9:3. So in Christ we all (Gentile and Jew) obtain the promise of blessing made to Abraham, th... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THE MANNER OF MEN (κατα ανθρωπον). After the custom and practice of men, an illustration from life.THOUGH IT BE BUT A MAN'S COVENANT, YET WHEN IT HATH BEEN CONFIRMED (ομως ανθρωπου κεκυρωμενην διαθηκην). Literally, "Yet a man's covenant ratified." On Διαθηκη as both covenant and will see o... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT AS OF ONE (αλλ' ως εφ' ενος). But as in the case of one.WHICH IS CHRIST (ος εστιν Χριστος). Masculine relative agreeing with Χριστος though σπερμα is neuter. But the promise to Abraham uses σπερμα as a collective substantive and applies to all believers (both Jews and Gentiles) as Paul has... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THIS I SAY (τουτο δε λεγω). Now I mean this. He comes back to his main point and is not carried afield by the special application of σπερμα to Christ.CONFIRMED BEFOREHAND BY GOD (προκεκυρωμενην υπο του θεου). Perfect passive participle of προκυροω, in Byzantine writers and earliest use here... [ Continue Reading ]
THE INHERITANCE (η κληρονομια). Old word from κληρονομος, heir (κλερος, lot, νεμομα, to distribute). See on Matthew 21:38; Acts 7:5. This came to Israel by the promise to Abraham, not by the Mosaic law. So with us, Paul argues.HATH GRANTED (κεχαριστα). Perfect middle indicative of χαριζομα. It... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THEN IS THE LAW? (τ ουν ο νομοσ?). Or, why then the law? A pertinent question if the Abrahamic promise antedates it and holds on afterwards.IT WAS ADDED BECAUSE OF TRANSGRESSIONS (των παραβασεων χαριν προσετεθη). First aorist passive of προστιθημ, old verb to add to. It is only in apparent... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT A MEDIATOR OF ONE (ενος ουκ εστιν). That is, a middleman comes in between two. The law is in the nature of a contract between God and the Jewish people with Moses as the mediator or middleman.BUT GOD IS ONE (ο δε θεος εις εστιν). There was no middleman between God and Abraham. He made th... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAINST THE PROMISES (κατα των επαγγελιων). A pertinent question again. Far from it (μη γενοιτο).WHICH COULD MAKE ALIVE (ο δυναμενος ζωοποιησα). First aorist active infinitive of ζωοποιεω, late compound (ζωος, alive, ποιεω, to make) verb for which see 1 Corinthians 15:22. Spiritual life, he mea... [ Continue Reading ]
HATH SHUT UP (συνεκλεισεν). Did shut together. First aorist active indicative of συνκλειω, old verb to shut together, on all sides, completely as a shoal of fish in a net (Luke 5:6). So verse Galatians 3:23; Romans 11:32.UNDER SIN (υπο αμαρτιαν). See υπο καταραν in verse Galatians 3:10. As if th... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE FAITH CAME (προ του ελθειν την πιστιν). "Before the coming (second aorist active infinitive of ερχομα, definite event) as to the Faith" (note article, meaning the faith in verse Galatians 3:22 made possible by the historic coming of Christ the Redeemer), the faith in Christ as Saviour (ver... [ Continue Reading ]
OUR TUTOR UNTO CHRIST (παιδαγωγος υμων εις Χριστον). See 1 Corinthians 4:15 for the only other N.T. example of this old and common word for the slave employed in Greek and Roman families of the better class in charge of the boy from about six to sixteen. The paedagogue watched his behaviour at ho... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR YE ARE ALL SONS OF GOD (παντες γαρ υιο θεου εστε). Both Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 3:14) and in the same way "through faith in Christ Jesus" (δια της πιστεως εν Χριστω Ιησου). There is no other way to become "sons of God" in the full ethical and spiritual sense that Paul means, not mere phys... [ Continue Reading ]
WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST (εις Χριστον εβαπτισθητε). First aorist passive indicative of βαπτιζω. Better, "were baptized unto Christ" in reference to Christ.DID PUT ON CHRIST (Χριστον ενεδυσασθε). First aorist middle indicative of ενδυω (-νω). As a badge or uniform of service like that of the sol... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE CAN BE NEITHER (ουκ εν). Not a shortened form of ενεστ, but the old lengthened form of εν with recessive accent. So ουκ εν means "there is not" rather than "there cannot be," a statement of a fact rather than a possibility, as Burton rightly shows against Lightfoot.ONE MAN (εις). No word... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE ARE CHRIST'S (ε δε υμεις Χριστου). This is the test, not the accident of blood, pride of race or nation, habiliments or environment of dress or family, whether man or woman. Thus one comes to belong to the seed of Abraham and to be an heir according to promise.... [ Continue Reading ]