examples frequently occurs in types also, as when the prophet takes the girdle, (Jer. xiii: 1-9.) and goes down to the potter's house. (Jer. xviii: 1-6.) The meaning of the present example is, that Faith is more ancient than the Law, which is later and only temporary, and delivered in order to pave the way for Faith. Hence he says, "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; above he had called them "foolish," now he calls them "brethren," at once chiding and encouraging them. "Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed." If a man, says he, makes a covenant, does any one dare to come afterwards and overturn it, or subjoin aught to it? for this is the meaning of "or addeth thereto." Much less then when God makes a covenant; and with whom did God make a covenant?

Ver. 16, 17, 18. "Now to Abraham were the promises spoken and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds,1 as of many; but as of One, And to thy seed, which is Christ.2 Now this I say, A covenant, confirmed before hand by God the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance is of the Law, it is no more of promise but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise."

:

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serve too how he glances round at every thing,
as if he had an hundred eyes. Having exalted
Faith, and proved its elder claims, that the
Law may not be considered superfluous, he sets
right this side of the doctrine also, and proves
that the Law was not given without a view, but
altogether profitably.
"Because of transgres-
sions;" that is to say, that the Jews might not
be let live carelessly, and plunge into the depth of
wickedness, but that the Law might be placed
upon them as a bridle, guiding, regulating, and
checking them from transgressing, if not all, at
least some of the commandments. Not slight
then was the advantage of the Law; but for
how long?
"Till the seed should come to
whom the promise hath been made."
This is said of Christ; if then it was given
until His advent, why do you protract it beyond
its natural period?

Ver. 19.

Ver. 19. "And it was ordained through Angels by the hand of a Mediator."

He either calls the priests Angels, or he declares that the Angels themselves ministered to the delivery of the Law. By Mediator here he means Christ, and shows that He was before it, and Himself the Giver of it. Ver. 20.

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6

115

"Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one." Thus God made a covenant with Abraham, What can the heretics say to this? for as, promising that in his seed the blessing should according to them, the expression "the Only come upon the heathen; and this blessing the True God" excludes the Son from being true Law cannot turn aside. As this example was God, so here the phrase "God is One," exnot in all respects appropriate to the matter includes Him from being God in any sense. But hand, he introduces it thus, "I speak after the if, although the Father is called "One God," manner of men," that nothing might be deduced the Son is nevertheless God, it is very plain from it derogatory to the majesty of God. But that though the Father is called "Very God," let us go to the bottom of this illustration. It the Son is very God likewise. Now a mediator, was promised Abraham that by his seed the says he, is between two parties; of whom then heathen should be blessed; and his seed accord- is Christ the Mediator? plainly of God and of ing to the flesh is Christ; four hundred and men. Observe, he says, that Christ also gave thirty years after came the Law; now, if the the Law; what therefore it was His to give, it Law bestows the blessings even life and right- is His to annul. eousness, that promise is annulled. while no one annuls a man's covenant, the covenant of God after four hundred and thirty years is annulled; for if not that covenant but another instead of it bestows what is promised, then is it set aside, which is most unreasonable. "What then is the Law? it was

And so

Ver. 19. added because of transgressions.' This remark again is not superfluous; ob

["A difficulty arises here from the stress which Paul lays on the singular of the word 'seed,' which is a collective noun in Heb. and Greek, and includes the whole posterity. But it is not a question of grammar but of spiritual meaning. The promise refers to Christ par excellence, and to all those and only those who are truly members of His body, united to Him by a living faith. If all the single descendants of Abraham were meant the children of Hagar and Keturah and subsequently of Esau and his descendants, would have to be included "-Schaff.-G. A.]

"[Not as a single individual but as Head of the church which is His body, Eph. 1:23. The key to the passage is in ver. 28 and 29: 'Ye are all one in Christ Jesus.'"-Schaff.-G. A.J

["This interpretation of Chrysostom must be rejected on lexical

*་

grounds. The law was in order to bring sin to light and make it
appear in its true character and thus by a knowledge of the disease
prepare its cure."-Ellicott and Schaff.-G. A.]
expositors (Basil and Theodoret excepted) could have so generally
We may reasonably wonder," says Ellicott, "how the early
coincided in the perplexing view of Origen that the Mediator here
Moses, Deut. v: 5.-G. A.]
mentioned was Christ. On the contrary it is plain that it was

["This verse is counted the most difficult passage in the New Testament, and has given rise to about 300 interpretations."

That of Lightfoot seems to satisfy the context, and is thus forcibly put by him: "The law is of the nature of a contract between two parties, God on the one hand and the Jewish people on the other. It is valid only so long as both parties fulfil the terms of contract. It is therefore contingent and not absolute. Unlike the law the promise is absolute and unconditional. It depends on the sole decree of God. There are not two contracting parties. There is nothing of the nature of a stipulation. The giver is everything and the recipient nothing."-Com. in loco.-G. A.]

The heretics refered to are the Anomoans, who held Arianism in its most developed form, against whom S. Chrysostom has written Homilies. For the particular objection answered in the text, vid. also Basil, in Eunom, iv. p. 294. Athan. Or in Arian, iii. 9. Greg. Naz. Orat. 36, p. 586.

great and wonderful thing, he names also the mode of their adoption,

Ver. 27. "For as many of you as were baptized into Christ, did put on Christ."

Why does he not say, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have been born of God?" for this was what directly went to prove that they were sons ;-because he states it in a much more awful point of view; If Christ be the Son of God, and thou hast put on Him, thou who hast the Son within thee, and art fashioned after His pattern, hast been brought into one kindred and nature with Him.

Ver. 28. "There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female: for ye all are one in Christ Jesus."

See what an insatiable soul! for having said, "We are all made children of God

through Faith," he does not stop there,
but tries to find something more exact, which
may serve to convey a still closer oneness with
Christ. Having said, “ 'ye have put on Christ,"
even this does not suffice Him, but by way of
penetrating more deeply into this union, he
comments on it thus: "Ye are all One in
Christ Jesus," that is, ye have all one form and
one mould, even Christ's. What can be more
awful than these words! He that was a Greek,
or Jew, or bond-man yesterday, carries about
with him the form, not of an Angel or Archan-
gel, but of the Lord of all, yea displays in his
own person the Christ.
Ver. 29.
"And if ye are Christ's, then are
ye Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise."
Here, you observe, he proves what he had
before stated concerning the seed of Abraham,-
that to him and to his seed the promises were
given.3

CHAPTER IV.

VERSE 1-3.

adoption of sons."

"But I say, that so long as the heir is a child, he differ- | were under the Law, that we might receive the eth nothing from a bond-servant, though he is lord of all; but is under guardians and stewards, until the term appointed of the father. So we also when we were children, were held in bondage under

the rudiments of the world."

Here he states two objects and effects of the Incarnation, deliverance from evil and supply of good, things which none could compass but Christ. They are these; deliverance from THE word "child" in this place denotes not the curse of the Law, and promotion to sonage but understanding; meaning that God had ship. Fitly does he say, that we might "receive," from the beginning designed for us these gifts, "[be paid,]" implying that it was due; for but, as we yet continued childish, He let us be the promise was of old time made for these under the elements of the world, that is, objects to Abraham, as the Apostle has himself new moons and sabbaths, for these days are shown at great length. And how does it appear regulated by the course of sun and moon.2 If that we have become sons? he has told us one then also now they bring you under law they mode, in that we have put on Christ who is the do nothing else but lead you backward now in Son; and now he mentions another, in that we the time of your perfect age and maturity. And have received the Spirit of adoption. see what is the consequence of observing days; Ver. 6, 7. "And because ye are sons, God the Lord, the Master of the house, the Sover-sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, eign Ruler, is thereby reduced to the rank of a crying, Abba, Father. So that thou art no longer a bond-servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God."

servant.

Ver. 4, 5. "But when the fulness of the time came God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, under the Law that he might redeem them which

1

["This reference of výnos to mental immaturity is quite in opposition to the context.-Meyer. "The heir in his nonage represents the Jewish people and the state of the world before Christ."-Schaff. So Meyer: "The Kanpovóμos výnos represents the Christians as a body regarded in their earlier pre-Christian | condition."-G. A.]

[This interpretation is rejected by Schaff, Meyer, Ellicott, Lightfoot et al. Schaff says: "Elements' here represents the religion before Christ as an elementary religion full of external rites and ceremonies. * Comp. v: 10, for a specimen."—G. A.]

*

Had not we been first made sons, we could not have called Him Father. If then grace hath made us freemen instead of slaves, men

[So Schaff: "Verse 16 must here be kept in view where Christ is declared to be the seed of Abraham. Union with Christ constitutes the true spiritual descent from Abraham and secures the inheritance of all the Messianic blessings by promise as against inheri tance by law." Pop. Com, in loc.-G. A.]

"["The proposition here (anó) simply means to receive from or at the hands of anyone."-Meyer-But Lightfoot holds that ano λάβωμεν cannot be the same as λάβωμεν, the simple verb.-G. Α.]

instead of children, heirs and sons instead of aliens, is it not utter absurdity and stupidity to desert this grace, and to turn away backwards? Ver. 8, 9. "Howbeit at that time not knowing God, ye were in bondage to them which by nature are no gods. But now, that ye have come to know God, or rather to be known of God, how turn ye back again to the weak and beggarly rudiments whereunto ye desire to be in bondage over again."

Here turning to the Gentile believers he says
that it is an idolatry, this rigid observance of
days, and now incurs a severe punishment. To
enforce this, and inspire them with a deeper
anxiety, he calls the elements "not by nature
Gods."
And his meaning is,-Then indeed,
as being benighted and bewildered, ye lay grov-
elling upon the earth, but now that ye have
known God or rather are known of Him, how
great and bitter will be the chastisement ye draw
upon you, if, after such a treatment, ye relapse
into the same disease. It was not by your own
pains that ye found out God, but while ye con-
tinued in error, He drew you to Himself. He
says "weak and beggarly rudiments," in that
they avail nothing towards the good things held

out to us.
Ver. 10.
"Ye observe days, and months, and
seasons, and years."

Hence is plain that their teachers were preaching to them not only circumscision, but also the feast-days and new-moons.

Ver. 12. "I beseech you, brethren, be as I am; for I am as you are."

This is addressed to his Jewish disciples, and he brings his own example forward, to induce them thereby to abandon their old customs. Though you had none other for a pattern, he says, to look at me only would have sufficed for such a change, and for your taking courage. Therefore gaze on me; I too was 3 once in your state of mind, especially so; I had a burning zeal for the Law; yet afterwards I feared not to abandon the Law, to withdraw from that rule of life. And this ye know full well how obstinately I clung hold of Judiaism, and how with yet greater force I let it go. He does well to place this last in order for most men, though they are given a thousand reasons, and those just ones, are more readily influenced by that which is like their own case, and more firmly hold to that which they see done by others. Ver. 12. "Ye did me no wrong."

Observe how he again addresses them by a title of honor, which was a reminder moreover of the doctrine of grace. Having chid them seriously, and brought things together from all quarters, and shown their violations of the Law, and hit them on many sides, he gives in and conciliates them speaking more tenderly. For as to do nothing but conciliate causes negligence, so to be constantly talked at with sharpness sours a man; so that it is proper to observe due proportion everywhere. See then how he excuses to them what he has said, and shows that it pro"ceeded not simply because he did not like them, but from anxiety. After giving them a deep cut, he pours in this encouragement like oil; and, showing that his words were not words of hate or enmity, he reminds them of the love which they had evinced toward him, mixing his self-vindication with praises. Therefore he says, "ye did me no wrong."

Ver. 11. "I am afraid of you, lest by any means I have bestowed labor upon you in vain." Observe the tender compassion of the Apostle; they were shaken and he trembles and fears. And hence he has put it so as thoroughly to shame them, "I have bestowed labor upon you," saying, as it were, make not vain the labors which have cost me sweat and pain. By saying "I fear," and subjoining the word "lest," he both inspires alarm, and encourages good hope. He says not "I have labored in vain," but "lest," which is as much as to say, the wreck has not happened, but I see the storm big with it; so I am in fear, yet not in despair; ye have the power to set all right, and to return Not to have injured one is indeed no great into your former calm. Then, as it were stretch-thing, for no man whatever would choose to ing out a hand to them thus tempest-tost,2 he brings himself into the midst, saying,

["It is clear from the context that here the apostle is not speak

ing of the Jewish race alone but of the heathen world also before Christ. He distinctly refers to their previous idolatrous worship (v. 8) and describes their adoption of Jewish ritualism as a return to the weak and beggarly discipline of childhood. * * Heathenism had been in respect to the ritualistic' element, which is the meeting-point of Judaism and heathenism, a disciplinary training like Judaism. They were made up of precepts and ordi

nances, as opposed to 'grace' and 'promise,' and in an imperfect way they might do the same work. They might by multiplying transgression and begetting a conviction of it prepare the way for liberty in Christ."-Lightfoot.-G. A.]

["Paul in the following paragraph (ver. 12-20) interrupts his argument for a moment by an affectionate appeal to the feelings of the Galatians."-Schaff.-G. A.]

Ver. 13, 14. "But ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you the first time. And that which, was a temptation in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected.'

hurt wantonly and without object to annoy another who had never injured him. But for you, not only have ye not injured me, but ye have shown me great and inexpressible kindness, and it is impossible that one who has been treated with such attention should speak thus from any malevolent motive. My language then cannot be caused by ill-will; it follows, that it proceeds

1

from affection and solicitude. "Ye did me no wrong; ye know that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you." What can be gentler than this holy soul, what sweeter, or more affectionate! And the words he had already used, arose not from an unreasoning anger, nor from a passionate emotion, but from much solicitude. And why do I say, ye have not injured me? Rather have ye evinced a great and sincere regard for me. For "ye know," he says, "that because of an infirmity of the flesh I preached the Gospel unto you; and that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected." What does he mean? While I preached to you, I was driven about, I was scourged, I suffered a thousand deaths, yet ye thought no scorn of me; for this is meant by that which was a temptation to you in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected."" Observe his spiritual skill; in the midst of his self-vindication, he again appeals to their feelings by showing what he had suffered for their sakes. This however, says he, did not at all offend you, nor did ye reject me on account of my sufferings and persecutions; or, as he now calls them, his infirmity and temptation.

Ver. 14. of God." Was it not then absurd in them to receive him as an Angel of God, when he was persecuted and driven about, and then not to receive him when pressing on them what was fitting?

"But ye received me as an Angel

Ver. 15, 16. "Where then is that gratulation of yourselves? for I bear you witness, that, if possible, ye would have plucked out your eyes, and given them to me. So then am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth ?"

that his language could not possibly have proceeded from unkind feeling. For he says not; How is it supposable that one, who has been scourged and driven about, and ill-treated a thousand things for your sakes, should now have schemes against you? But he argues from what they had reason to boast of, saying, How can one who has been honored by you, and received as an Angel, repay you by conduct the very opposite?

Ver. 17. "They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out that ye may seek them."

4

It is a wholesome emulation3 which leads to an imitation of virtue, but an evil one, which seduces from virtue him who is in the right path. And this is the object of those persons, who would deprive you of perfect knowledge, and impart to you that which is mutilated and spurious, and this for no other purpose than that they may occupy the rank of teachers, and degrade you, who now stand higher than themselves, to the position of disciples. For this is the meaning of the words "that ye may seek them." But I, says he, desire the reverse, that ye may become a model for them, and a pattern of a higher perfection: a thing which actually happened when I was present with you. Wherefore he adds,

Ver. 18. "But it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you."

Here he hints that his absence had been the cause of this, and that the true blessing was for disciples to hold right opinions not only in the presence but also in the absence of their master. But as they had not arrived at this point of perfection, he makes every effort to place them there.

Ver. 19. "My little children," of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you.'

99 66

Here he shows perplexity and amazement, and desires to learn of themselves the reason of their change. Who, says he, hath deceived you, and caused a difference in your disposition towards me? Are ye not the same who attended Observe his perplexity and perturbation, and ministered to me, counting me more pre- "Brethren, I beseech you : "My little childcious than your own eyes? what then has hap-ren, of whom I am again in travail : " He resempened? whence this dislike? whence this sus- bles a mother trembling for her children. picion? Is it because I have told you the truth?" Until Christ be formed in you." Behold his You ought on this very account to pay me in- paternal tenderness, behold this despondency creased honor and attention; instead of which worthy of an Apostle. Observe what a wail he "I am become your enemy, because I tell you utters, far more piercing than of a woman in travail; the truth," for I can find no other reason but-Ye have defaced the likeness, ye have destroyed this. Observe too what humbleness of mind the kinship, ye have changed the form, ye need appears in his defence of himself; he proves not by his conduct to them, but by theirs to him

1 [Ye did me no wrong' probably means: I have no personal ground of complaint."-Schaff and Lightfoot.-G. A.]

[On account of some weakness of the flesh,' means he was compelled by reason of bodily weakness to make a stay there which did not form part of his plan, and during that forced sojourn he preached there."-Meyer.-G. A.]

"He was detained there by some bodily infirmitiy or sickness and was thus induced to preach the Gospel.”—Schaff.-G. A.]

3

[This word does not here mean "they vie with you," as Chrysostom interprets it, but "they zealously seek you or pay court to you," (1 Cor. xii: 31).-G. A.J

["They desire to shut you out" (not from a state of true knowledge, as Chrysostom interprets) but "from other teachers," anti-judaizing teachers, (according to Meyer) or from me (Paul) and so virtually from Christ Himself (according to Schaff) or from Christ (Lightfoot).-G. A.]

["A mode of address common in St. John but nowhere else found in St. Paul."-Light foot. "It expresses Paul's tenderness and their feebleness."-Schaff.-G. A.]