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Gal_1:7. The expression just used, εἰς ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον , was a paradoxical one, for in the true sense there is only one gospel: it seems to presuppose the existence of several εὐαγγέλια , but only serves to bring into clearer light the misleading efforts of the Judaists, and in this sense the apostle now explains it.
ὅ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλο , εἰ μή κ . τ . λ .] which ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον , to which ye have fallen away, is not another, not a second gospel, alongside of that by means of which ye were called ( ἄλλο , not ἕτερον again), except there are certain persons who perplex you, etc. That is, this ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον is not another by the side of the former, only there are certain persons who perplex you; so that in this respect only can we speak of ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον as if it were an ἄλλο . So in substance Wieseler and Hofmann; comp. Matthias. It must be observed that the emphasis is laid first on οὐκ and then on ἄλλο ; so that, although Paul has previously said εἰς ἕτερον εὐαγγέλιον , he yet guards the oneness of the gospel, and represents that to which he applied the words ἕτερον εὐαγγ . as only the corruption and perversion of the one (of the εὐαγγ . τοῦ καλέσαντος ὑμᾶς ἐν χάριτι Χριστοῦ ). Thus εἰ μή retains its general meaning nisi, without any need to assume (with Matthies) an abbreviation for εἰ μὴ ἄλλο ἐστὶ διὰ τοῦτο , ὅτι τινές εἰσιν οἱ ταράσσοντες κ . τ . λ .[18] The two emphatic words ἕτερον and ἌΛΛΟ preserve, however, their difference in sense: ἌΛΛΟ meaning absolutely another, that is, a second likewise existing (besides the one gospel); and ἕτερον one of another kind, different ( ἕτερον καὶ ἀνόμοιον Plat. Conv. p. 186 B). Dem. 911. 7; Soph. Phil. 501, O. C. 1446; Xen. Anab. vi. 4. 8 (and Krüger in loc.); Wis_7:5; Jdt_8:20. In the N.T., comp. especially 1Co_12:8-10; 1Co_15:40; 2Co_11:4; Act_4:12; also 1Co_14:21; Rom_7:23; Mar_16:12; Luk_9:29. Comp. also the expression ἕτερον παρά τι , Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaed. p. 71 A., Rep. p. 337 E. The interpretation most generally received (Peschito, Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Theodoret, Erasmus, Luther, Castalio, Beza, Wolf, Bengel, and many others; also Morus, Koppe, Borger, Flatt, Usteri, de Wette, Hilgenfeld) connects ὅ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλο merely with ΕὐΑΓΓΈΛΙΟΝ ,[19] and for the most part understands εἰ μή adversatively, “Neque tamen est ulla alia doctrina de Jesu Christo vera; sunt vero homines,” etc., Koppe. Against this interpretation may be urged, first, the fact that ἝΤΕΡΟΝ previously had the chief emphasis laid on it, and is therefore quite unwarrantably excluded from the reference of the relative which follows; secondly, that Paul must have logically used some such expression as ΜῊ ὌΝΤΟς ἈΛΛΟῦ ; and lastly, that ΕἸ ΜΉ never means anything else than nisi, not even in passages such as Gal_2:16; Mat_12:4 (see on this passage); Luk_4:26; 1Co_7:17; and Rev_9:4; Rev_21:27. Comp. Hom. Od. xii. 325 f., οὐδέ τις ἄλλος γίγνετʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀνέμων , εἰ μὴ Εὐρός τε Νότος τε , and the passages in Poppo, ad Thuc. III. 1, p. 216. Others, as Calvin, Grotius (not Calovius), Homberg, Winer, Rückert, Olshausen, refer ὅ to the whole contents of ὍΤΙ ΟὝΤΩ ΤΑΧΈΩς … ΕὐΑΓΓΈΛΙΟΝ , “quod quidem (sc. vos deficere a Christo) non est aliud, nisi, etc., the case is not otherwise than” (Winer). But by this interpretation the whole point of the relation, so Pauline in its character, which ὅ οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλο bears to ἝΤΕΡΟΝ , is lost; and why should the more special explanation of the deficere a Christo be annexed in so emphatic a form, and not by a simple γάρ or the like? Lastly, Schott (so also Cornelius a Lapide) looks upon Ὅ ΟὐΚ ἜΣΤΙΝ ἌΛΛΟ as a parenthesis, and makes ΕἸ ΜΉ ΤΙΝΕς Κ . Τ . Λ . depend on ΘΑΥΜΆΖΩ Κ . Τ . Λ .; so that that, which is expressed in the words ΘΑΥΜΆΖΩ Κ . Τ . Λ ., by ΕἸ ΜΉ ΤΙΝΕς Κ . Τ . Λ . “limitibus circumscribatur proferenda defectionis causa, qua perpendenda illud θαυμάζειν vel minuatur vel tollatur.” This is incorrect, for logically Paul must have written ἐθαύμαζον ἄν … εἰ μή τινες ἦσαν ; and with what arbitrary artifice Ὅ ΟὐΚ ἜΣΤΙΝ ἌΛΛΟ is thus set aside and, as it were, abandoned, and yet the reference of the Ὅ to the emphatic ἝΤΕΡΟΝ is assumed!
ΟἹ ΤΑΡΆΣΣΟΝΤΕς ὙΜᾶς ] The participle with the article designates the ΤΙΝΈς as those whose characteristic was the ΤΑΡΆΣΣΕΙΝ of the Galatians, as persons who dealt in this, who were occupied with it. Comp. the very usual ΕἸΣῚΝ ΟἹ ΛΈΓΟΝΤΕς ; also Luk_18:9; Col_2:8. See generally Winer, p. 104 [E. T. 136]; Krüger, § 50. 4. 3; Fritzsche, Quaest. Luk. p. 18; Dissen, ad Dem. de Cor. p. 238. On ταράσσειν , in the sense of perplexing the faith and principles, comp. here and Gal_5:10, especially Act_15:24; Sir_28:9.
ΚΑῚ ΘΈΛΟΝΤΕς ΜΕΤΑΣΤΡΈΨΑΙ ] “re ipsa non poterant, volebant tamen obnixe,” Bengel; “volunt … sed non valent,” Jerome. On the other hand, the ταράσσειν of the Galatians actually took place.
The article before ταρ . refers to ΘΈΛΟΝΤΕς as well. See Seidler, ad Eur. El. 429; Fritzsche, ad Matth. p. 52; Kühner, ad Xen. Mem. i. 1. 19.
μεταστρέψαι , to pervert, that is, to alter so that it acquires an entirely opposite nature. Comp. LXX. 1Sa_10:9; Sir_11:31; Hom. Il. xv. 203; Dem. 1032. 1.
τὸ εὐαγγ . τοῦ Χ .] see generally on Mar_1:1. The genitive is here not auctoris, but, as expressing the specific characteristic of the one only gospel in contradistinction to those who were perplexing the Galatians, objecti (concerning Christ). This is evident from Gal_1:6, where ἐν χάριτι Χριστοῦ indicates the contents of the gospel.
[18] Fritzsche, ad Marc. vi. 5, takes εἰ μή ironically, and τινές in the well-known sense, people of importance (see on Act_5:36, and Hermann, ad Viger. p. 731): “nisi forte magni est facienda eorum auctoritas, qui,” etc. But the article which follows renders this interpretation not at all necessary (see below). Besides, in this sense Paul uses only the neuter (see Gal_2:6, Gal_6:3; 1Co_3:7). Lastly, he is fond of designating false teachers, adversaries, etc., as τινές , that is, quidam, quos nominare nolo (Hermann, ad Viger. l.c.). See 1Co_4:18; 2Co_3:1; Gal_2:12; 1Co_15:12; 1Ti_1:3.
[19] So already the Marcionites, who proved from our passage that there was no other gospel than theirs! See Chrysostom in loc.