ABRAHAM AND THE GENTILE 61

Christ, we can see how the apostle would be referring to the dispensation of the Law under the term `this present

evil age'. The deliverance thus accomplished the apostle declares to be:

`ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD AND OUR FATHER'. - The will of God as the cause of mercy is referred to some

eight or nine times in the New Testament, but this is the only occasion where the words `and our Father' are added.

Why? Galatians 4 supplies the answer:

`... when we were children, we were in bondage under the elements of the world (this evil age): but when the

fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them

that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent

forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father' (verses 3-6).

The false teachers were endeavouring to bring God's free men back again to bondage, and God's sons back again

to the elements of babyhood. Verse 6 introduces us to the more aggressive section of the epistle.

c The defection-`moved away' (metatithemi).

d The grace of Christ.

e The `other' gospel.

c The perversion (metastrepho).

d The gospel of Christ.

e The `different' gospel.

The member `e', the `different' gospel, is expanded as follows:

We, or angel from heaven.

g Preached contrary (past).

h To what we preached (we).

i  Let him be accursed.

If anyone.

g Preaches contrary (present).

h To what ye have received (ye).

i  Let him be accursed.

Defection from the gospel on the one hand, and the stedfast continuance of the apostle in spite of all

misrepresentation on the other, is the leading theme of this section.

`WHICH IS NOT ANOTHER, BUT THERE BE SOME THAT TROUBLE YOU'.- This sentence has been rendered in a

variety of ways, but in the majority of cases the simple rendering of two little words is exchanged for questionable

and unscriptural meanings, ho ouk estin allo ei me. Ho, `which', must have an antecedent, must refer back to

something. Some take the expression `another gospel' as the antecedent; some, the word `gospel' only: and most

render the words ei me as though they were synonymous with allo, `but'. If, however, we take the whole sentence in

verse 6 as the antecedent, and read as follows, we have a grammatical rendering, a due recognition of heteros and

allos, and no violence to ei me.

`Which thing (viz., that ye are so quickly changing from Him that called you, etc., etc.) is nothing else, save that

there are some who trouble you'.

This was the cause of the defection of the Galatians. The words, `This persuasion cometh not of Him that calleth

you ... A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump ... he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be'

(Gal. 5:8-10), are a manifest allusion to Galatians 1:6,7. The apostle so realizes that he is just here at the very core

and centre of the defection, that he goes on to expand the question of the `other gospel', using a case, the most

extreme, in order to impress the seriousness of the position on the believers in Galatia.

`BUT THOUGH WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN ... '.- As the epistle proceeds, the wisdom of this strange allusion

becomes more apparent. If God would not make any difference in favour even of an angel from heaven, then those

who `seemed to be pillars' at Jerusalem must stand or fall with the truth of the gospel, for `God accepteth no man's

person' (Gal. 2:6). Peter himself must be withstood to the face if his walk and witness are contrary to truth (Gal.