The controversy over legalism separated Paul from his close friends, the Galatians. The Judaizers’ motives are now exposed. They are proselytizing the Galatians to separate them from Paul and thereby strengthen their own cause. Paul commends their zeal but regrets that this passion is so erroneously misplaced.
Paul’s own career of persecuting Christians proved that zealous behavior can be tragically misguided (1:13-14). Paul was strongly implying that the false teachers in Galatia were making the same mistake he had made prior to his conversion. Their zeal for the law was blinding them to the freedom and truth to be found in Jesus Christ.
In a most tender way, Paul calls the Galatian Christians his little children because of their lack of spiritual growth and depth. The apostle also portrays himself as the Galatians “spiritual mother.” He was feeling the labor pains of their birth all over again because they had fallen into serious error. Now he is agonizing over their spiritual growth. Paul longs for Christ to be formed in them. His passion is for them to be conformed to the character of Christ. This transformation is God’s purpose for each believer as Christ lives in us and through us (Gal. 2:20). Paul is perplexed by their spiritual waywardness.
Paul concludes his highly personal appeal to the Galatians (4:8-20) by stating his desire to be present with them, and for things to be different. But in light of the erroneous teaching in their midst, he has good reason to have doubts about their spiritual status.
12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. (ESV)
Key Takeaways:
- A person with pure motives and real friendship does not always say things that are pleasant to hear. Sometimes the truth hurts; but a faithful friend would courageously confront another.
- Zealous opponents should not be able to woo you away from the truth of God’s salvation in Christ, but you should trust Jesus, read the Scriptures, and test their words against Scripture.
- As Paul’s passion for the Galatians believers to be conformed to the character of Christ, so is God’s purpose for each Christian to have Christ live in us and through us.
Closer Look:
An appeal to remember their relationship (4:12–16)
Verse 12: To get beyond the present dilemma, Paul appeals (“I entreat you”) to the Galatians to follow his example (1 Cor 11:1). He had abandoned the ceremonial rules and regulations connected with Judaism so that he could freely preach the gospel of Christ to Jew and Gentile alike in the cities of Galatia. They too should not hinder the gospel of Christ with laws and regulations. Intensifying his appeal, Paul challenged the Galatians, “become as I am, for I also have become as you are,” that is, he was essentially saying become free from the Law as I am, because after my conversion I became like the Gentiles, no longer living under the Law.” The irony, however, was that the Galatian Gentiles were putting themselves under the Law after their conversions.
Verses 13–14: The last clause of verse 12 (“You did me no wrong.”) belongs with these and the following verses in which Paul related how he was received by the Galatians on his first visit to them (cf. Acts 13–14). The Galatian believers received Paul very well during his first visit to them, doing him no wrong. Paul describes the closeness and understanding that had existed between him and the Galatians when he had preached the gospel to them initially. At that time, he labored under the difficulty of an ailment but remained until he had preached the gospel to them. Whatever his illness, the Galatians did not treat Paul with despise (contempt) or scorn as a weak messenger but rather received him as one would receive an angel or even Christ Jesus Himself. Paul recalls how the Galatians had cared for him in his illness, treating him as they would as an angel, or even Christ Himself. Paul’s physical ailment could have been an illness contracted en route to Galatia, a consequence of having been blinded on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3, 8) or a consequence of being stoned (Acts 14:19).
If, as noted in our Galatians overview, Paul wrote this letter to the churches of South Galatia, then he is referring to his first missionary journey, recorded in Acts 13–14. Some scholars say that apparently Paul had not intended to visit these cities, but was forced to do so because of some bodily ailment.[1] We can only speculate as to what this was. Some have suggested malaria; others, an affliction of the eyes. Whatever it was, it must have made Paul somewhat unattractive in appearance, because he commends the Galatians for the way they received him in spite of the way he looked.
Verses 15–16: They had received Paul with blessedness (joy), congratulating themselves that the apostle had preached in their midst. Their appreciation knew no limits; they would even have made the sacrifice of their eyes for Paul. Some have suggested that Paul was practically blind. This would explain the reference to gouging out their own eyes, as well as the size of Paul’s handwriting, referred to in 6:11. While some think this is an indication that Paul had a disease of the eyes (his “thorn” in his “flesh,” 2 Cor. 12:7), the evidence is not conclusive. This may simply be a bold figure of speech to convey the high esteem the Galatians had had for the apostle—they would have given him their most precious possession.[2]
But that had all changed. A person with pure motives and real friendship does not always say things that are pleasant to hear. Paul was telling the Galatians the truth, and as a result was being labeled as their enemy. Sometimes the truth hurts; but a faithful friend would courageously confront another. They no longer contemplated his presence among them with blessing or joy. Rather, they now acted as though he had become their enemy, for the simple reason that he had been telling them the truth. This speaks of the fickleness of these Galatians. However, many of us probably do the same thing or something similar today. They were turning against the Lord, the gospel of grace, and the messenger who brought them the news of justification by faith.
An appeal to consider Paul’s attitude toward them (4:17–20).
Verses 17–18: While Paul’s attitude toward the Galatians was open and honest, the legalists had improper motives. Paul the apostle spoke the truth (cf. v. 16); the Judaizers used flattery. They wanted to shut out (ekkleisai, literally, “to lock out”) the Galatians from Paul and his teaching so that they would be focused instead to the false teachers and their influence. In an interesting double use of the verb “make much of” (zēloō; be jealous or zealous)[3] Paul said that the Judaizers making much of the Galatians for no good purpose (or to win them over) so that the Galatians would be zealous for the Judaizers! Acknowledging that it was good for anyone to be sought after, Paul nonetheless insisted that the intention must be honorable, but in the case of the Judaizers it was not.
One of the marks of a false teacher is that they try to attract Christians to themselves, and not simply to the truth of the Word or to the person of Jesus Christ. A true servant of God does not “use people” to build themselves up or their work; they minister in love to help people know Christ better and glorify Him. The task of the spiritual leader is to get people to love and follow Christ, not to promote themselves and their ministry.
Verses 19–20: The apostle, on the other hand, had always had good motives regarding the Galatians. Addressing them tenderly as “my little children” (tekna mou, an expression found only here in Paul’s epistles), Paul compared himself to a mother in the anguish of birth pangs. He had experienced this once for their salvation; he was in struggle again for their deliverance from false teachers.
But a sudden change in metaphors occurred with the expression “until Christ is formed in you.” Paul longed for these believers to be transformed into (morphōthē, lit., “take on the form of”; cf. morphē in Phil. 2:6–7) the image of Christ. This is in fact God’s ideal and purpose—for Christ to live His life in and then through each believer (cf. Gal. 2:20). Yet the apostle was perplexed with the Galatians because he felt their spiritual development was being arrested. He had a deep desire to be with them so that he could speak gently, though firmly, concerning his grave concerns.
[1] Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1989), n.p.
[2] Donald K. Campbell, “Galatians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 602.
[3] BDAG – “be positively and intensely interested in something, strive, desire, exert oneself earnestly, be dedicated” and more specifically, “be deeply interested in someone, court someone’s favor, make much of, with implication of desiring the other to be on one’s own side.”