have dared to do so, had they felt affection towards them. He wishes too by these words to correct their course of life. Ver. 7. “Ye were running well; who did hinder you?”127 This is not an interrogation, but an expression of doubt and sorrow. How hath such a course been cut short? who hath been able to do this? ye who were superior to all and in the rank of teachers, have not even continued in the position of disciples. What has happened? who could do this? these are rather the words of one who is exclaiming and lamenting, as he said before, “Who did bewitch you?” (Gal. iii. 1.) Ver. 8. “This persuasion came not of him that calleth you.” He who called you, called you not to such fluctuations, he did not lay down a Law, that you should judaize. Then, that no one might object, “Why do you thus magnify and aggravate the matter by your words; one commandment only of the Law have we kept, and yet you make this great outcry?” hear how he terrifies them, not by things present but future in these words: Ver. 9. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” 38 And thus this slight error, he says, if not corrected, will have power (as the leaven has with the lump) to lead you into complete Judaism. Ver. 10. “I have confidence to you-ward in the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded.” He does not say, “ye are not minded,” but, “ye will not be minded;” that is, you will be set right. And how does he know this? he says not “I know,” but “I trust in God, and invoking His aid in order to your correction, I am in hopes;” and he says, not merely, “I have confid- ence in the Lord,” but, “I have confidence towards you in the Lord.” Every where he connects complaint with his praises; here it is as if he had said, I know my disciples, I know your readiness to be set right. I have good hopes, partly because of the Lord who suffers nothing, however trivial, to perish, partly because of you who are quickly to recover yourselves. At the same time he exhorts them to use diligence on their own parts, it not being possible to obtain aid from God, if our own efforts are not contributed. Ver. 10. “But he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.” Not only by words of encouragement, but by uttering a curse or a prophecy against their teachers, he applies to them an incentive. And observe that he never mentions the name of these plotters, that they might not become more shameless. His meaning is as follows. Not because “ye will be none otherwise minded,” are the authors of your seduction relieved from punishment. They shall be punished; for it is not proper that the good conduct of the one should become an encouragement to the evil disposition of the other. This is said that 127 [The words ἀληθεία μὴ πείθεσθάι are wanting in Chrysostom’s text.—G.A.] 75 Galatians 5:1