Galatians 4:8-20

Paul’s Concern for the Galatians

⁸ Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? ¹⁰ You observe days and months and seasons and years! ¹¹ I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

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.

This letter to the Galatians churches must have been very difficult for the Apostle Paul to write. He is addressing personal attacks on his apostolic authority and the gospel message he received from revelation with Christ. So understandably, the tone is straightforward and direct. He has presented well-thought-out and prescripted theological arguments regarding justification by faith, living by faith, and the Doctrine of Adoption. His intent was purposeful. Timothy George in his commentary on Galatians (The New American Commentary), says, “Paul was frustrated and exasperated with the Galatians, and the tone of rebuke comes through loud and clear, At the same time, his love and affection for them was as strong as ever … His whole purpose was to win them back from the brink of apostasy. To this end, he wrote not as an armchair theologian discussing abstruse points of philosophy but rather as an evangelist with a pastor’s heart whose overriding concern is to protect his sheep from imminent danger.”

In verses 4:8-11, Paul tries to present his appeal to the churches by constructing elements from the theological arguments he presented earlier. Before they were adopted as children of God, they were by nature slaves to sin. In Ephesians 2:1-3, Paul elaborates more on this fleshly nature, stating that we were dead in their sins, following the devil and not Christ, having the spirit of disobedience, living out passions, carrying out ungodly desires with their bodies, and were by nature children of wrath. And in Romans 5:10, Paul said we were enemies of God. By jostling their minds to reflect on what they were before Christ, it seems Paul hoped to challenge the Galatians to reconsider and not go back and be enslaved to the law like they were before. Everything Paul mentions in his arguments thus far has made reference to man’s enslavement to the law. The tensions are building up as Paul equates the life lived according to the law as enslavement to the law. The Gentile Christians, because of the teachings of the Jewish-Christian missionaries, were even going so far as to celebrate the Jewish calendar festivals (e.g., days and months and seasons and years). These celebrations were traditions of mankind and had nothing to do with the revelations of God, for which the Bible was written. This was bondage. Then, on another note, Paul hoped the Galatians would sympathize with him as he mentioned to them that he has an ailment that Scripture does not reveal to us. Verse 4:15 gives us a little glimpse, but we will never know for sure on this side of heaven. Paul’s ailment could be due to poor eyesight since Paul says the believers would have been so generous to him that they would even gouge out their own eyes so Paul could take theirs.

Additionally, Paul reveals to us, in verses 4:12-20, his myriad of convoluted emotions as they reflected his love, concern, and his frustration for the Galatians. On first inspection, he once again expresses his love for them as he calls them brothers and shows them empathy in verse 4:12. He says that he was just like they were and wishes they would imitate him. Paul became all things to all people so he may win some (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). However, in the next statement, Paul becomes more poignant and direct in his inquiry. He asks them in verse 4:16, “Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?” The churches are reminded of how much Paul made over them for their faith in Christ. Yet, now, the Apostle is exhausted. Probably not so much with the Galatians, as with the Jewish-Christian missionaries. Many believe these troublemakers would follow Paul on this trip so they can hinder the gospel, yet they called themselves, Jewish-Christians. And once again, Paul shows his love and this time, he affectionately calls them his little children. Nevertheless, he is in emotional pain suffering like a mother giving birth until the time designated for her delivery. As I mentioned just recently above, the Apostle’s tone is building up with tension that reflects the pains of being tied and chained in slavery because of obedience to the law. Paul knows this is not the Christian life. He hopes the Galatians would not fall into apostasy, but be dutiful in his admonishment. We see at this time, Paul hoped to be with them in person. It is important to note that Paul also had to defend his authority and message to the Corinthian church. To them, Paul wrote that he knows he is bold when he writes, but he is more reserved in person. First Corinthians 10:1 says, “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!” In the same way, Paul writes to the Galatians boldly and hopes to be with them in person so his tone would change.

In application, we do better speaking face-to-face than in writing, especially when we are dealing with conflict and forms of admonishment and rebuke. There is a way for us to defend the gospel, especially to our brothers and sisters in Christ. And there is another way to not speak to one for sake of argument. We are warned in the book of Proverbs to not answer a fool according to his folly. But to answer a fool to his folly so he may be reproved (Proverbs 26:4-5). These verses are not conflicting, there are occasions to rebuke and there are times we need to guard ourselves against attacks from a fool. It depends on the situation and the leadership of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Either way, controversy can eat us up with emotions and there is a Biblical way to resolve conflict. Like Paul, we need to always speak the truth according to Scripture and seek to speak face to face. But most of all, we must deal with controversy with love, for they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. And seek to resolve conflict to maintain unity for the glory of Christ.

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Dear Glorious and Miraculous Savior and Lord God, I praise You for Your faithfulness and love to me. I thank You for Your salvation, Your church, Your Work, and the free gift of life we have in Christ Jesus. Bless You, and in You only, do I trust. Precious Lord, help me to read and understand Scripture by the teaching of Your Holy Spirit that dwells within me. May I never doubt or grieve Your Spirit, but daily grow to become more and more like You in faith. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen!

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I AM RESOLVED by Palmer Hartsough in 1896