15. Where, &c.--Of what value was your
congratulation (so the Greek for "blessedness" expresses)
of yourselves, on account of your having among you me, the messenger of
the Gospel, considering how entirely you have veered about since? Once
you counted yourselves blessed in being favored with my
ministry.
ye would have plucked out your own eyes--one of the dearest members
of the body--so highly did you value me: a proverbial phrase for the
greatest self-sacrifice
(Mt 5:29).
CONYBEARE and HOWSON think
that this particular form of proverb was used with reference to a
weakness in Paul's eyes, connected with a nervous frame, perhaps
affected by the brightness of the vision described,
Ac 22:11;
2Co 12:1-7.
"You would have torn out your own eyes to supply the lack of mine." The
divine power of Paul's words and works, contrasting with the feebleness
of his person
(2Co 10:10),
powerfully at first impressed the Galatians, who had all the
impulsiveness of the Celtic race from which they sprang. Subsequently
they soon changed with the fickleness which is equally characteristic
of Celts.
JFB.
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