Galatians 4:14

Syriac Peshitta (NT Only)

ܘܢܶܣܝܽܘܢܳܐ ܕ݁ܒ݂ܶܣܪܝ ܠܳܐ ܫܳܛܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܘܠܳܐ ܢܰܕ݁ܬ݁ܽܘܢ ܐܶܠܳܐ ܐܰܝܟ݂ ܕ݁ܰܠܡܰܠܰܐܟ݂ܳܐ ܕ݁ܰܐܠܳܗܳܐ ܩܰܒ݁ܶܠܬ݁ܽܘܢܳܢܝ ܘܰܐܝܟ݂ ܕ݁ܰܠܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܀

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ye: Galatians 4:13, Job 12:5, Psalms 119:141, Ecclesiastes 9:16, Isaiah 53:2, Isaiah 53:3, 1 Corinthians 1:28, 1 Corinthians 4:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:8

an angel: 2 Samuel 14:17, 2 Samuel 19:27, Zechariah 12:8, Malachi 2:7, Hebrews 13:2

as Christ: Matthew 10:40, Matthew 18:5, Matthew 25:40, Luke 10:16, John 13:20, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 2:13

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 29:9 - as an angel Matthew 13:20 - anon Matthew 18:10 - heed Acts 2:41 - gladly Acts 10:33 - are we Acts 18:23 - the country Acts 20:19 - with all Acts 28:15 - when 1 Corinthians 2:3 - General 2 Corinthians 4:7 - in 2 Corinthians 10:10 - but 1 Thessalonians 5:13 - esteem

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And my temptation which was in my flesh,.... The same with the infirmity of his flesh, and which was a trial of his faith and patience, and every other grace, as the afflictions of the saints be. The Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version read, "your temptation in my flesh"; that which was a trial of them, whether they would receive him or not. This

ye despised not; nor the apostle on the account of it, nor his ministry; they thought never the worse of him, nor of the Gospel he preached, because of this:

nor rejected; him, nor the counsel of God declared by him,

but received me; as they did, into their cities and places of worship, into their houses, and into their hearts and affections: and that

as an angel of God; with all that reverence and respect, that high esteem, veneration, and affection, as if one of the celestial inhabitants had been sent down from heaven to bring them the good tidings of the Gospel: or "as a messenger of God", as the phrase may be rendered: as one that had his mission and commission from God, which was not at all disputed by them: but they looked upon him under that character, and regarded him as such,

even as Christ Jesus; as his ambassador, as representing him, as being in his stead; yea, if he had been personally present as man among them, they could not have shown greater respect to him as such, than they did to the apostle; for as for any religious worship and adoration, that they did not offer to him; and had they, he would have addressed them in like manner he did the inhabitants of Lystra, Acts 14:14. Now since they showed him so much respect, notwithstanding all his infirmities, temptations, and afflictions, when he first preached the Gospel; what should hinder that they should not pay the same regard to him now, by abiding in his doctrine and following his example, since he was the same man in his principles and practices now as then?

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 Matthew 10:40.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. 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 υμων, 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 labours 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 labour? 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 2 Corinthians 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, 2 Corinthians 11:23-29, and the notes there.