Gálatas 4
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gálatas 4
Henry - As if he had said, "Time was when you expressed the greatest joy and satisfaction in the glad tidings of the gospel, and were very forward in pouring out your blessings upon me as the publisher of them; whence is it that you are now so much altered, that you have so little relish of them or respect for me? You once thought yourselves happy in receiving the gospel; have you now any reason to think otherwise?'' THOUGHT - Those who have left their first love would do well to consider (cf Rev 2:4-5) Where is now the blessedness they once spoke of? What has become of that pleasure they used to take in communion with God, and in the company of his servants? (M. Henry) Blessing (3108)(makarismos from makarizo = to bless from makarios) means blessedness or extolling as blessed. In Gal 4:15 the idea is a frame of mind produced by favorable circumstances and implies a feeling of joy, fulfillment, and contentedness. For - Paul explains the Galatians’ former sense of blessing. I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me - As discussed above (see Thought) what Paul says here would certainly at least imply that he had something wrong with his vision. Perhaps he needed spectacles (or bifocals like yours truly), but this comment raises the very real possibility that he had contracted a disease such as trachoma, the leading preventable cause of blindness worldwide. The fact is that trachoma was (1) common (endemic) in the Middle East, (2) is communicated to others (which would be a cause for "revulsion" for fear of contracting this dread disease which could end in scarring of the cornea and marked loss of vision), (3) Chlamydia eye infection (caused by Intracellular Bacterium = Chlamydia trachomatis) untreated tends to be chronic (cf Paul's time phrase in 2 Cor 12:2 with the "thorn in his flesh" - 2 Cor 12:7) Obviously, this is conjecture but based on my background as an infectious disease expert and lecturing and writing on trachoma it is least a consideration. It will be interesting to ask Paul in Heaven! Pucked out your eyes - This would be a figurative way of describing what the Galatians were willing to sacrifice for their beloved Paul, in other words being willing to make a "priceless" sacrifice (which giving up one's eyes would certainly be). And since in ancient times the eyes were considered to be the most precious of the body’s parts, to pluck them out for another would be a graphic way of depicting one's willingness to go to the extreme for another’s welfare.
Gálatas 4
Henry - That the apostle might the better dispose these Christians to bear with him in the reproofs which he was obliged to give them, he here expresses his great affection to them, and the very tender concern he had for their welfare: he was not like them-one thing when among them and another when absent from them. Their disaffection to him had not removed his affection from them; but he still bore the same respect to them which he had formerly done, nor was he like their false teachers, who pretended a great deal of affection to them, when at the same time they were only consulting their own interest; but he had a sincere concern for their truest advantage; he sought not theirs, but them. They were too ready to account him their enemy (Gal 4:16+), but he assures them that he was their friend; nay, not only so, but that he had the bowels of a parent towards them. He calls them his children, as he justly might, since he had been the instrument of their conversion to the Christian faith; yea, he styles them his little children, which, as it denotes a greater degree of tenderness and affection to them, so it may possibly have a respect to their present behaviour, whereby they showed themselves too much like little children, who are easily wrought upon by the arts and insinuations of others. John Stott has an interesting comment - “He likens his pain to the pangs of childbirth. He had been in labour over them previously at the time of their conversion, when they were brought to birth; now their backsliding has caused him another confinement. He is in labour again. The first time there had been a "miscarriage;" this time he longs that Christ will be truly formed in them.” (Message of Galatians) (ED: "Miscarriage" implies they had "professed" Christ, but not truly "possessed" Christ. That is always a concern when one is used by God in someone's apparent conversion -- is it the real thing? Most of us have experienced evangelizing someone who apparently received Christ and then at some later time denied Him with their life and lips. Whether that is what Paul is concerned about is difficult to discern but it is something to consider.) (See context The Message of Galatians) Children (5043) (teknon from tikto = bring forth, bear children, be born) is strictly a child produced, male or female, son or daughter. Teknon is thus a child as viewed in relation to his or her parents or family. In the plural, teknon is used generically of descendants, posterity or children. As noted above the KJV uses teknion (not teknon) which means "little children" a term of affection used by a teacher to his disciples under circumstances calling for tender appeal: