Galatians 4:17

Zealously affect you. Or, “avidly pursue you.” The Judaizers were feigning a great interest in the welfare of the Galatians and were apparently making much over them, in order to win them to their views concerning Judaism and circumcision. They wanted the Galatians as their followers. Apparently considerable pressure had been brought to bear by these leaders. We cannot avoid condemning their motives, but we can commend their zeal (see on Luke 16:8).

Lack of enthusiasm on the part of Christians is often responsible for the lack of interest shown by non-Christians in the teachings of the church. If we were genuinely in earnest, our zeal would be spontaneous. Spasmodic, forced, or artificial attempts to represent our religion, from a sense of duty, make little impression. Superficial enthusiasm betrays itself in time. The best testimony in behalf of religious beliefs is their demonstration in a life wholly consecrated to the principles they reflect. It is the life that counts.

Not well. Their motives were suspect (see below under “affect them”).

Exclude you. Probably from Paul’s solicitous attentions and from his gospel. The statement may also refer to the wishes of the Judaizers to exclude the Galatians from church membership until they had been circumcised. Possibly, also, these wily men intended to shut them off from contact with other churches that were loyal to Paul, in the hope of making Galatia the center of their activities among the Gentiles.

Affect them. The true motive of the Judaizers in centering so much attention on the Galatians was that they themselves might become the center of attention among the Galatians. This they expected in return for their pretended interest in the welfare of the church.