GALATIANS 4:17-20 They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them. 18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you. 19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you, 20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
*NSB - Paul's own career of persecuting Christians proved that zealous behavior can be tragically misguided (1:13, 14). Paul was strongly implying the false teachers in Galatia were making the same mistake he had made prior to his conversion. Their zeal for the law was blinding them to the freedom and truth to be found in Jesus Christ.
Zealously: Strong's defines it as - to have warmth of feeling for or against. Thayer expands - 1) to burn with zeal 1a) to be heated or to boil with envy, hatred, anger 1a1) in a good sense, to be zealous in the pursuit of good 1b) to desire earnestly, pursue 1b1) to desire one earnestly, to strive after, busy one's self about him 1b2) to exert one's self for one (that he may not be torn from me) 1b3) to be the object of the zeal of others, to be zealously sought after 1c) to envy. Vine's - Passive Voice, "to be zealously sought" (AV, "to be zealously affected"), i.e., to be the object of warm interest on the part of others. The Greek word used here and in vs. 18 is ζηλόω zēloō. Vine's (def B-1), Strong's (G2206)
Court: The King James uses "affect" which has the idea of "to desire earnestly,", in this case, "zealously affect," "to be zealously affected." The Greek word for affect is κακόω kakoō. Vine's (def 1b), Strong's G2559.
My Notes: I find it interesting that the KJV used the "affect" because that word in Greek has the idea of "to injure; figuratively, to exasperate". So getting back to the NSB notes, Paul definitely would have understood the severity of being zealously courted.
Exclude; to shut out (literally or figuratively). Thayer expands - 1) to shut out, to turn out of doors 2) to prevent the approach of one. The Greek word for exclude is ἐκκλείω ekkleiō. Strong's G1576.
Moving to Verse 18.
Galatians 4:18 But it is good to be zealous in a good thing always, and not only when I am present with you.
Good; beautiful, good, worthy beautiful, as an outward sign of the inward good, noble, honorable character; good, worthy, honorable, noble, and seen to be so. The Greek word for good here is καλός kalos. It actually differs from ἀγαθός agathos which is which is properly intrinsic (the basic characteristic of a person or thing). Strong's G2570.
Present; to be near, i.e. at hand; neuter present participle (singular) time being, or (plural) property. The Greek word is πάρειμι pareimi. Strong's G3918.
Moving to Verse 19.
Galatians 4:19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,
*NSB - In a most tender way, Paul calls the Galatian Christians his little children because of their lack of spiritual growth and depth. The apostle also portrays himself as the Galatian's "spiritual mother". He was feeling the labor pains of their birth all over again because they had fallen into serious error.
My Notes - The NSB isn't making a woke statement here, the notes elude to the fact that Paul was in some serious anguish about what had happened to the Galatians to the point that the Holy Spirit moved him to relate it to childbirth, not that he was saying he was in any way a woman. When he mentions "Christ formed in you" he is talking about spiritual growth and maturity.
Children; an infant, i.e. (plural figuratively) darlings (Christian converts). Thayer expands - 1) a little child 2) in the NT used as a term of kindly address by teachers to their disciples. The Greek word here is τεκνίον teknion. Strong's G5040.
Labor; The King James version uses the word travail. Travail means to feel the pains of childbirth, to travail. The Greek word for travail is ὠδίνω ōdinō. Strong's G5605.
Vine's Notes - In Galatians 4:19 the Apostle uses it metaphorically of a second travailing on his part regarding the churches of Galatia; his first was for their deliverance from idolatry (Galatians 4:8), now it was for their deliverance from bondage to Judaism. There is no suggestion here of a second regeneration necessitated by defection. There is a hint of reproach, as if he was enquiring whether they had ever heard of a mother experiencing second birth pangs for her children.
Moving to Verse 20.
Galatians 4:20 I would like to be present with you now and to change my tone; for I have doubts about you.
Tone; The King James uses the word "voice" here. Voice here means a tone (articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication, an address (for any purpose), saying or language. The Greek word for voice in this instance is φωνή phōnē. Yep, phone. Strong's G5456.
Doubts; always used in the Middle Voice, lit. means to be without a way" (a, negative, poros, "a way, transit"), "to be without resources, embarrassed, in doubt, perplexity, at a loss," as was Herod regarding John the Baptist. In this case - "perplexed," and, as to the attitude of the believers of the churches in Galatia towards Judaistic errors. The Greek word is ἀπορέω aporeō. Vine's (def A-1), Strong's G639.
Takeaway: We do not want to fall back into the spot where we were as spiritual children in Christ. We must grow and also be aware that we are basically surrounded by zealots who wish to distract us. They either have the intent to purposely harm us or just with the intent of drawing us away from our walks with God. This isn't about paranoia, it's about growing in your walk with God so that you are able to discern these things and defend against them.
*NSB = Nelson Study Bible.
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