Galatians 4:16-20

TEXT 4:16-20

(16) So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth?
(17) They zealously seek you in no good way; nay, they desire to shut you out, that ye may seek them. (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. (19) My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you(20) but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.

PARAPHRASE 4:16-20

16 So that, after all these expressions of affection and gratitude to me your spiritual father, ye think I am become your enemy now, when I inculcate the true doctrine of the gospel on you, and exhort you to adhere to it!
17 The teachers who have seduced you, pretend that they love you ardently; but they do not love you honourably; for they wish to exclude me, your spiritual father, from your affection, that ye may love them ardently, as the only faithful teachers of the gospel.
18 But ye should consider, that it is comely and commendable for you to be ardently in love with me, a good man, at all times, and not merely when I am present with you.
19 My beloved children in Christ, for whom I a second time travail in birth, till the knowledge, and temper, and virtues of Christ, be formed in you.
20 I could wish, indeed, to be present with you now, that I might suit my speech to your case; for I am altogether uncertain concerning you, how ye stand affected towards me; and feel the greatest anxiety on that account.

COMMENT 4:16

So then am I become your enemy, by telling you the truth

1.

Truth should make people friends, not enemies.

a.

Truth made you love me at the first.

b.

Will truth now do otherwise?

2.

False teachers always cause breaks in fellowship, yet denominationalism is honored in our religious society today.

COMMENT 4:17

They zealously seek you in no good way

(translatedthey zealously affect you, but not well)

1.

They had been soft-soaped.

a.

Satan's methods are clever: by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.

Romans 16:18

b.

Zeal is not always backed with highest motives.

c.

Some of the cruelest acts in history were done by sincere, zealous people, so zeal is not a criterion of truth.

2.

It was a very selfish zeal.

they desire to shut you out that ye may seek them

1.

They would exclude you, that ye might affect them.

2.

They count youfor no good motive, but they would estrange you, that you may court them. Dovay

they

1.

Enemies of Paul and the Gospel are referred to.

2.

False teachers were at work and Paul wanted them designated.

shut you out

1.

They would estrange you, or separate you from the gospel and from Paul.

2.

When separated from Paul, the Galatians would then turn to the Judaizers for guidance.

3.

At Antioch the Jews shut the Gentiles out of their fellowship. Galatians 2:13

COMMENT 4:18

it is good to be zealously sought in a good matter

1.

Paul of course in his absence is seeking them in a good matter.

2.

The Catholic version differs here Court the good from a good motive.

COMMENT 4:19

My little Children of whom I am again in travail

1.

Paul expressed himself kindly here. Cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:11

a.

His childrenrefers to converts of his preaching.

b.

In Christ Jesus I begat you through the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 4:15

2.

Travail seems to mean great anxiety.

till Christ be formed

1.

They had lost Christ, their spiritual standing, freedom, and inheritance.

a.

This sounds like fallen from grace not once in grace always in grace.

b.

Formedwrought into the image of Christ.

2.

Paul does not want to make merchandise of them; he is only concerned with their spiritual welfare.

COMMENT 4:20

but I could wish to be present with you now

1.

This would help to counteract the presence of the false teachers.

a.

He could travail in person.

b.

He could speak in a new way. Cf. 1 Corinthians 14:10 and Hebrews 12:26

2.

Would he speak in pleading tones, rebuking tones or would he speak with the tongue of an angel (1 Corinthians 13:1) to persuade them of the truth?

and to change my tone

1.

Something is lacking in a written word.

a.

He could change his voice according to their attitude.

b.

He could speak more earnestly or tenderly, whatever the need might be.

2.

He would change if it would help to challenge their thinking.

for I am perplexed about you

1.

It is a marvel that they could be removed.

2.

Paul's faith in human nature was disturbed.

3.

Perplexed as a parent who knows not what to do with a wayward child.

STUDY QUESTIONS 4:16-20

505.

Do we make enemies by telling the truth?

506.

What had truth done for them at first?

507.

Is Paul reminding them that they ought not to be his enemies if he points out error in their life?

508.

Can you be true and yet condemn error?

509.

Had the false teaching been given casually?

510.

Is zeal always the highest motive?

511.

Can we trust zeal as a criterion of truth?

512.

Explain shut you out.

513.

Of what would they be out?

514.

Who is referred to by the word they?

515.

Were they estranged from Paul? and therefore felt the need to turn to false teachers?

516.

Is Paul zealously seeking them?

517.

Does he mean that in his absence he is as zealous as when present?

518.

Could he mean that they should zealously seek the truth of his letter?

519.

How does Paul feel toward them in this verse?

520.

In what way was he justified in calling them his children?

521.

If Christ needed to be formed in them, were they in an extremely evil condition?

522.

What did Paul mean by changing his tone, has he outdone it already?

523.

Are there advantages in face to face discussions?

524.

Is he confessing that their awful condition is one that requires great wisdom to handle?

525.

Do we find human nature perplexing too?