Galatians 3:4

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Galatians 3:1-5

The apostle is here dealing with those who, having embraced the faith of Christ, still continued to seek for justification by the works of the law; that is, who depended upon their own obedience to the moral precepts as their righteousness before God, and, wherein that was defective, had recourse to the legal sacrifices and purifications to make it up. These he first sharply reproves, and then endeavours, by the evidence of truth, to convince them. This is the right method, when we reprove any... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Galatians 3:1-9

3:1-9 O senseless Galatians, who has put the evil eye on you--you before whose very eyes Jesus Christ was placarded upon his Cross? Tell me this one thing--did you receive the Spirit by doing the works the law lays down, or because you listened and believed? Are you so senseless? After beginning your experience of God in the Spirit, are you now going to try to complete it by making it dependent upon what human nature can do? Is the tremendous experience you had all for nothing--if indeed you... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 3:4

Have ye suffered so many things in vain ?.... These Galatians had suffered great reproach, many afflictions and persecutions for the sake of the Gospel, as all that embrace it must expect to do; and which to them that persevere in the faith of the Gospel will not be in vain, they will be followed with eternal life and glory; not that these things are meritorious of such happiness, or deserve such a reward; the reward of them is not of debt, but of grace. But, if such who have made a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 3:4

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? - Have ye received and lost so much good? The verb πασχων , as compounded with ευ , well, or κακως , ill, and often without either, signifies to suffer pain or loss, or to possess and enjoy. In such a case the man is considered as the patient, and the good or ill acts upon him. Though it is possible that the Galatians had suffered some persecution for the truth of Christ, yet it is as likely that the apostle refers to the benefits which they had... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 3:4

Verse 4 4.Have ye suffered so many things? This is another argument. Having suffered so many things in behalf of the gospel, would they now, in an instant, lose it all? Nay, he puts it in the way of reproach, if they were willing to lose the advantage of so many illustrious struggles which they had made for the faith. If the true faith had not been delivered to them by Paul, it was rash to suffer anything in defense of a bad cause; but they had experienced the presence of God amidst their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:1-14

The bewitchery of Law. Paul, having stated his position as dead to the Law and inspired by Christ, goes on in the present paragraph to appeal to the Galatians to free themselves from the bewitching power of Law, and to yield themselves to the faith in a crucified and now risen Christ, which alone secures justification and its cognate blessings. And here we notice— I. HOW LAW CAN COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY WITH A CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR FOR THE HOMAGE OF THOUGHTLESS ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:1-14

Appeal to experience and Scripture. I. FOOLISHNESS OF THE GALATIANS SHOWN FROM THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE . 1 . Expression of astonishment in view o f their first impressions of the cross. "O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified?" Paul's address to Peter concluded with his presenting the dreadful supposition of Christ having died for nought. He with that turns to the Galatians, and calls to their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:2-5

The apostle's first argument in this controversy. I. APPLICATION OF THE TEST OF EXPERIENCE . "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?" He begins by a practical test, which can be easily settled by experience and history. He refers to the time of awakening grace and first love. They had "received the Spirit." 1 . He concedes that they were Christians , though they were neither faithful, nor stable, nor sound. "The Holy Spirit is the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 3:4

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain ( τοσαῦτα ἐπάθετε εἰκῆ εἴγε καὶ εἰκῆ ); did ye suffer all those troubles for nought ? if indeed really for nought. The ambiguity of τοσαῦτα , which means either "so many" or "so great," is preserved by the rendering all those. The Revisers put so many in the text, and "or so great " in the margin. In respect to ἐπάθετε , the leading of the context in which the verse is embedded might incline us... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 3:4

Have ye suffered so many things in vain? - Paul reminds them of what they had endured on account of their attachment to Christianity. He assures them, that if the opinions on account of which they had suffered were false, then their sufferings had been in vain. They were of no use to them - for what advantage was it to suffer for a false opinion? The opinions for which they had suffered had not been these which they now embraced. They were not those connected with the observance of the Jewish... read more

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