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"another gospel", that he scarcely stops to say, Amen (verse 5) before plunging into the
heart of the controversy.
"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ unto another gospel" (Gal. 1: 6).
For so doing, even an angel from heaven would merit his anathema. In his impatience
with the exclusive formalism that would impose its empty ritual upon the Lord's freemen
Peter is withstood to the face and apostles are called "somewhats".
"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you" (Gal. 3: 1) he cries.
"Are ye so foolish? having begun in the spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"
(Gal. 3: 3).
"After that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the
weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?" (Gal. 4: 9).
"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you
nothing" (Gal. 5: 2).
"I would they were even cut off which trouble you" (Gal. 5: 12).
Here is impatience that is to be envied.
"Such", says Farrar, "was the epistle to the Galatians; nor can we without some
knowledge of what Judaism then was, and what it was daily becoming, form any
adequate conception of the daring courage, the splendid originality--let us rather say the
inspired and inspiring faith--which enabled the apostle thus to throw off the yoke of
immemorial traditions, and to defy the hatred of those among whom he had been trained
as a Hebrew and a Pharisee."
Side by side with this burning impatience is seen that gentles forbearance with which
it is joined, and which saves it from harshness and selfishness.
"Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am, for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
Ye know that through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me
as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus . . . . . Am I therefore become your enemy,
because I tell you the truth?" (Gal. 4: 12-16).
The Apostle calls the Galatians his "little children", and speaks of travailing in birth
again until Christ be formed in them (Gal. 4: 19).
After another attack upon legalism (Gal. 4: 21 - 5: 26) he again addresses them as
brethren, and again reveals the other side of his character.
"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one
in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one
another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (Gal. 6: 1, 2).
This alternation of the severe with the tender continues to the end of the epistle. The
Apostle takes the pen from the amanuensis and with his own hand restates his charge