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Hi,
Virtually all modern scholars say that in Galatia, Paul had some sort of problem, an illness or injury. I see it differently. Another way to read the story of Gal 4:12-20 is that he modeled divine compassion in becoming weak with the weak. "I also have become as you are" he says. In this reading, the "weakness of the flesh" is the Galatian's weakness. Paul saw their weakness, and their temptation to do wrong, and he had empathy in his "flesh." And so he spoke of "your temptation in my flesh." Paul was like Jesus, tempted in every way, and he bore the burdens of the people he served. When the people saw his compassion, that is why they received him as an angel of God, as Jesus Christ. He gave them a great gift! Only later did they begin to despise and reject him, having been influenced by people with a law and circumcision based teaching.
Your response is welcome and appreciated.
Brothers, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. [1]
Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν.
You have done me no wrong; on the other hand, you know that it was
οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε· οἴδατε δὲ ὅτι
because of the weakness of [your][2] flesh that I announced the gospel to you originally.
ὅτι διʼ ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν τὸ πρότερον
And [with respect to] your temptation in my flesh,
καὶ τὸν πειρασμὸν ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου
you did not despise or reject [me]; but,
μου οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε ἀλλὰ
as an angel of God, you welcomed me, as Christ Jesus.
ὡς ἄγγελον θεοῦ ἐδέξασθέ με, ὡς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν.
…My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth, until Christ is formed in you,
…τέκνα μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω μέχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν·
I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, because I am in want for you.
ἤθελον δὲ παρεῖναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἄρτι, καὶ ἀλλάξαι τὴν φωνήν μου, ὅτι ἀποροῦμαι ἐν ὑμῖν.
[HR][/HR][1] For Apostolic adaptation theme, see: 1 Cor 9:19-22, … though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. Also 2 Cor 11 Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is stumbles, and I do not burn.
[2] See parallel at Rom 6:19, ἀνθρώπινον λέγω διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν· I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.
Virtually all modern scholars say that in Galatia, Paul had some sort of problem, an illness or injury. I see it differently. Another way to read the story of Gal 4:12-20 is that he modeled divine compassion in becoming weak with the weak. "I also have become as you are" he says. In this reading, the "weakness of the flesh" is the Galatian's weakness. Paul saw their weakness, and their temptation to do wrong, and he had empathy in his "flesh." And so he spoke of "your temptation in my flesh." Paul was like Jesus, tempted in every way, and he bore the burdens of the people he served. When the people saw his compassion, that is why they received him as an angel of God, as Jesus Christ. He gave them a great gift! Only later did they begin to despise and reject him, having been influenced by people with a law and circumcision based teaching.
Your response is welcome and appreciated.
Brothers, I beg you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. [1]
Γίνεσθε ὡς ἐγώ, ὅτι κἀγὼ ὡς ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοί, δέομαι ὑμῶν.
You have done me no wrong; on the other hand, you know that it was
οὐδέν με ἠδικήσατε· οἴδατε δὲ ὅτι
because of the weakness of [your][2] flesh that I announced the gospel to you originally.
ὅτι διʼ ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν τὸ πρότερον
And [with respect to] your temptation in my flesh,
καὶ τὸν πειρασμὸν ὑμῶν ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου
you did not despise or reject [me]; but,
μου οὐκ ἐξουθενήσατε οὐδὲ ἐξεπτύσατε ἀλλὰ
as an angel of God, you welcomed me, as Christ Jesus.
ὡς ἄγγελον θεοῦ ἐδέξασθέ με, ὡς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν.
…My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth, until Christ is formed in you,
…τέκνα μου, οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω μέχρις οὗ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς ἐν ὑμῖν·
I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, because I am in want for you.
ἤθελον δὲ παρεῖναι πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἄρτι, καὶ ἀλλάξαι τὴν φωνήν μου, ὅτι ἀποροῦμαι ἐν ὑμῖν.
[HR][/HR][1] For Apostolic adaptation theme, see: 1 Cor 9:19-22, … though I was free from all men, I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. Also 2 Cor 11 Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is stumbles, and I do not burn.
[2] See parallel at Rom 6:19, ἀνθρώπινον λέγω διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς σαρκὸς ὑμῶν· I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.