In this area of Galatians Paul witches his attention from the Jews to reveal the short comings of the systems of humanities vain imagination of God, as practiced in humanity's many shadowy religions. In fact Paul does not even capitalize the word god at all, to reveal his great disdain for this practice. Let us drop in to see what we shall learn shall we. To keep things somewhat consistent I will allow the capitalizing of the first letter of GOD's covering title to remain.
Galatians 4:8-11, 12-20 "Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, 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? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. Ye know how 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. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you." (KJV)
Galatians 4:8-11, 12-20 "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.
Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you." (ESV)
Galatians 4:8-11, 12-20 "What really amazes me is how gullible you Gentiles believers are to get yourselves all tangled up again in oppressive Jewish rites! I mean you know all about your BC (before Christ) days of slavery to imaginary gods under your pagan beliefs. In the meantime, you have come to know the real and true GOD; (quite unlike the god of your vain imagination) what is most significant however, is to discover that he knew you all along! After all, how could you possibly feel attracted again to the pathetic principles of religious deception? It does not matter in what disguise legalism comes in, whether pagan or Jewish, it brings the same results, bondage! All of a sudden there are special days, months, seasonal, and annual festivities that are scrupulously celebrated; this is nothing more than superstitious religious sentiment. I am alarmed that all my passion seems wasted on you!
I urge you to imitate me (in my conviction about the fact that Jewish customs and their shadow-sentiments are out-dated! Ended on the cross with the death of their shadowy figure in the Messiah.). We are exactly in the same boat, it is really not about me; it is about you! (Our Jewish or Gentile background makes absolutely no difference! I'm not into winning or losing votes for my ministry or me! It's this Gospel that is my concern and urgency!) I have never compromised this Gospel, from the first day I met you, even though I was physically challenged at the time it did not distract from the message. Remember how hospitable and sensitive you were towards me in spite of my frail condition! Instead of feeling embarrassed or repelled you treated me like a Shepherd-Messenger with the same courtesy you would have shown Christ Jesus. At that time you were so overwhelmed with gratitude towards me that you would have gladly given me what is most precious to you, even your own eyes, to give me relief for my discomfort. What tenderness of affection you showed! Alas! How is it possible that the same truth that then bonded you to me now turns me into your enemy? The people who make me out to be your enemy do that to your disadvantage: they are very eager to isolate you from me, so that your zeal for their Jewish sentiments will boost their religious egos! (Can you not see it; the Law and its followers do not like you for you; their only desire is for themselves!) If you want to be zealous for the best possible cause, be zealous for grace. You are fooling yourselves to be nice to me when I'm with you but zealous for them behind my back! It is not about me, I am jealous for you! It is the message that matters most, not someone's private agenda! My darling little children, my jealousy for you compares to a mother over her newly born! I gave birth to you once through my gospel; now I feel those same labor pains all over again. I travail for the full realization of Christ to be [1]formed within you! (The word, [1,G3445] morphoo, means to mold, and it is from (G3313) meros, form or portion; note the word translated, sin (G265 from G264 from the base of G3313), hameros, to be without form or without your allotted portion; metamorpho, together with form.) I long to be with you right now; I want you to hear the urgency in my voice! I wish I could convince you that the Law is a cul-de-sac! (Any effort of your own to add to what GOD has already perfected in you in Christ is a waste of time! It is like trying to re-invent the wheel. It takes us no where!)" (The Mirror)
Now that settled lets see what else Paul has to say, in our next visit. Until then may the LORD of Peace bless you and yours with his peace.
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