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Selected Verse: Galatians 4:14 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ga 4:14 |
King James |
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. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
my temptation--The oldest manuscripts read, "your temptation." My infirmity, which was, or might have been, a "temptation," or trial, to you, ye despised not, that is, ye were not tempted by it to despise me and my message. Perhaps, however, it is better to punctuate and explain as LACHMANN, connecting it with Gal 4:13, "And (ye know) your temptation (that is, the temptation to which ye were exposed through the infirmity) which was in my flesh. Ye despised not (through natural pride), nor rejected (through spiritual pride), but received me," &c. "Temptation does not mean here, as we now use the word, tendency to an evil habit, but BODILY TRIAL."
as an angel of God--as a heaven-inspired and sent messenger from God: angel means "messenger" (Mal 2:7). Compare the phrase, Sa2 19:27, a Hebrew and Oriental one for a person to be received with the highest respect (Zac 12:8). An angel is free from the flesh, infirmity, and temptation.
as Christ--being Christ's representative (Mat 10:40). Christ is Lord of angels. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
And my temptation - "My trial," the thing which was to me a trial and calamity. The meaning is, that he was afflicted with various calamities and infirmities, but that this did not hinder their receiving him as an angel from heaven. There is, however, a considerable variety in the mss. on this verse. Many mss., instead of "my temptation," read "your temptation;" and Mill maintains that this is the true reading. Griesbach hesitates between the two. But it is not very important to determine which is the true reading. If it should be "your," then it means that they were tempted by his infirmities to reject him; and so it amounts to about the same thing. The general sense is, that he had some bodily infirmity, perhaps some periodically returning disease, that was a great trial to him, which they bore with, with great patience and affection. What that was, he has not informed us, and conjecture is vain.
But received me as an angel of God - With the utmost respect, as if I had been an angel sent from God.
Even as Christ Jesus - As you would have done the Redeemer himself. Learn hence:
(1) That the Lord Jesus is superior to an angel of God.
(2) that the highest proof of attachment to a minister, is to receive him as the Saviour would be received.
(3) it showed their attachment to the Lord Jesus, that they received his apostle as they would have received the Saviour himself; compare Mat 10:40. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
My temptation which was in my flesh (τὸν πειρασμὸν ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου)
The correct reading is πειρασμὸν ὑμῶν your temptation. The trial to which they were subjected by his bodily infirmity (Gal 4:13), and which might have tempted them to treat him with indifference.
Ye despised not nor rejected (οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε)
Commonly explained by making both verbs govern your temptation. Thus the meaning would be: "You were tempted to treat my preaching contemptuously because of my bodily infirmity; but you did not despise nor reject that which was a temptation to you." This is extremely far fetched, awkward, and quite without parallel in Paul's writings or elsewhere. It does not suit the following but received me, etc. It lays the stress on the Galatians' resistance of a temptation to despise Paul; whereas the idea of a temptation is incidental. On this construction we should rather expect Paul to say: "Ye did despise and repudiate this temptation." Better, make your temptation, etc., dependent on ye know (Gal 4:13); place a colon after flesh, and make both verbs govern me in the following clause. Rend. "Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel to you the first time, and (ye know) your temptation which was in my flesh: ye did not despise nor reject me, but received me." The last clause thus forms one of a series of short and detached clauses beginning with Gal 4:10. Ὁυκ ἐξουθενήσατε ye did not set at nought, from οὐδέν nothing. The form οὐθέν occurs Luk 22:35; Luk 23:14; Act 19:27; Act 26:26; Co1 13:2; Co2 11:8. For the compound here, comp. Luk 18:9; Luk 23:11; Act 4:11; Co2 10:10. oClass. Ἑξεπτύσατε spurned, N.T.o. Lit. spat out. A strong metaphor, adding the idea of contempt to that of setting at nought. Comp. Hom. Od. v. 322; Aristoph. Wasps, 792. The two verbs express contemptuous indifference. Ἑμέσαι to vomit, as a figure of contemptuous rejection, is found in Rev 3:16. The simple πτύειν to spit only in the literal sense in N.T. Mar 7:33; Mar 8:23; Joh 9:6, and no other compound occurs.
As an angel
Bengel says: "The flesh, infirmity, temptation, are known to angels; wherefore to receive as an angel is to receive with great veneration."
As Jesus Christ
With even higher honor than an angel. Comp. Mat 10:40; Joh 13:20. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| And ye did not slight my temptation - That is, ye did not slight or disdain me for my temptation, my "thorn in the flesh." |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
And my temptation which was in my flesh - On this verse there are a great many various readings, as there are various opinions.
Instead of μου, My temptation, ABC*D*FG, some others, with the Coptic, Vulgate, Itala, and several of the primitive fathers, have ὑμων, Your temptation.
The word πειρασμον, which we translate temptation, signifies trial of any kind. The verse therefore may be read, "Ye despised not the trial which was in my flesh;" or, "Ye despised not your trial, which was in my flesh:" i.e. what my flesh suffered on your account, the afflictions I passed through in consequence of my severe labors on your account. You did not consider me less an apostle of God on account of my sinking for a time under the weight of my work. Had they been disaffected towards him at that time, they would have used this to the prejudice of his apostolic mission. "What! do you pretend to be an extraordinary messenger from God, and yet are suffered to fall into sickness under the severity of your labor? If God sent you, would he not sustain you?" This would have been quite natural, had they not been well affected toward him. But, on the contrary, notwithstanding these afflictions, they received him as an angel of God - as a messenger from heaven, and as Jesus Christ himself. This appears to me to be the simple meaning of the apostle, and that he neither alludes to a bodily nor mental infirmity, which generally or periodically afflicted him, as some have imagined. Nor does he appear at all to speak of the same case as that mentioned Co2 12:7, where I wish the reader to consult the notes. That St. Paul had frequent and severe afflictions, in consequence of his constant and severe exertions in the Gospel ministry, we may readily believe, and of this his own words bear sufficient testimony.
See his affecting account, Co2 11:23-29, and the notes there. |
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them.
27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.
9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
27 So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth.
14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.