Galatians 1:4

4. Gave himself He was full owner of his own life: his death was a gift from him to us. So in Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; he gave his life as a ransom for many. Note, John 10:18.

For The better reading περι instead of υπερ is, on account of concerning our sins. As Paul’s titling of himself asserts his apostleship, so this clause asserts the atonement for which his apostleship existed, and both which circumcision was crowding out.

Present evil world This aeon, or time-world of sin, error, apostasy, and strife; to the misery of which the Galatic fickleness was adding its element. Where were once faith and peace, now were distrust and quarrel. Present is the same Greek word as at hand, in 2 Thessalonians 2:2, where see note. It blends the idea of present and setting in, or approach, as of a state already commencing, and as good as here. This inserting and initially present era is the same as the latter times of 1 Timothy 4:1, where see note, and the last days of 2 Timothy 3:1. Meyer says, the present world is the last part of the this world mentioned in Romans 12:2, and 1 Corinthians 1:20. But it by no means follows, as Meyer infers, that this insetting era was a brief space intervening before the then approaching second advent.

Previous to Christ the Jews used the phrases this aeon, the aeon to come, to designate the ages antecedent to, and subsequent to, the Messiah. In the New Testament the terms slid into the meanings of the periods before and after the second advent.

According to the will of God Spoken of Christ’s self-giving, and the resultant redemption through him. This, and not perpetual circumcision, is God’s will.