Galatians 1:10

ἄρτι γὰρ. The ἄρτι is not in contrast to the time before his conversion (see ἔτι infra), nor to the occasion when he circumcised Timothy, but only takes up the ἄρτι of Galatians 1:9, emphasizing that sentence. The γάρ presents a proof that his strong asseveration there shows that he is not the smooth-tongued hypocrite that his adversaries would make him out to be. The conjectural emendation τί γάρ; (Romans 3:3) is quite unnecessary.

ἀνθρώπους πείθω, “Am I now winning over men” (Acts 12:20; 2Ma 4:45)? i.e. am I softening down unwelcome truths to men, that I may by some means win them over to my way of thinking?

ἢ τὸν θεόν; possibly πείθω retains its full force: “or am I trying to persuade God, as though I would get Him to tone His message down?” But this attitude towards God seems to have no parallel in St Paul’s writings. Doubtless the clause is appended by zeugma, and means “Or am I not in reality concerned with God only?” For Galatians 1:10-12 imply St Paul’s absolute dependence on God in contrast to men.

ἤ ζητῶ�; cf. ἀνθρωπάρεσκος in Colossians 3:22, and perhaps 1 Thessalonians 2:4, where however see Milligan. Probably both this and the preceding sentence refer to accusations, brought against St Paul by the Judaizers, that he accommodated the gospel to the heathen, allowing them not to observe the Jewish Law, although its observance was necessary, in order that he might persuade them to a kind of belief in Christ.

εἰ ἔτι�, cf. Galatians 5:11. He refers to the time before his conversion when he showed complaisance to Jews in persecuting Christians.

Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἄν ἤμην. “I should not be Christ’s slave.” The emphatic position of Χριστοῦ suggests that he would be the slave of another (Romans 6:22). Probably St Paul already has in his mind the liberty he has obtained by being the slave of a Divine master; see Galatians 4:5; Galatians 5:1 notes.