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<...Go back

Can you explain Galatians 3: 1?


Introduction. The verse reads thus: "O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?"

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you...?" The Galatians were not naturally stupid, but they were failing to use their spiritual senses to discern false doctrine. They were actually in the process of departing from the truth as Paul wrote these words of warning to them (cp. 1: 6-9). "Bewitched" is from the Greek baskaino which means to charm or fascinate. They were under the power of false teachers and were deceived (4: 16-18, 5: 7-9, 12). Some receive a strong delusion because they have no love of the truth (2 Thes. 2: 10-12).

"...that ye should not obey the truth...?" Much of the organized religious world has little or no concept relative to "obeying the truth." They resent any who teach and insist book, chapter, and verse (see 1 Pet. 4: 11, 1 Thes. 5: 21). However, Jesus said the truth makes us free and we must worship God in spirit and in truth (John 8: 32; 4: 24).

"before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you...?" Jesus' crucifixion is central and basic (1 Cor. 1-4). Paul himself had, no doubt, vividly proclaimed Jesus' death and resurrection among them (1 Cor. 2: 1,2).

Conclusion. In review and by way of application, when we allow others to adversely spiritually influence us, we can actually come under the charm of false teachers and fallacious doctrine. Furthermore, the truth must always be obeyed. Jesus' crucifixion is real and motivational to the Christian. Some want to emphasize Jesus' resurrection, but play down the truth. We must avoid such.

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