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Gal_1:9. Again the same curse (“deliberate loquitur,” Bengel); but now the addition of an allusion to an earlier utterance of it increases still more its solemn earnestness.
ὡς προειρήκαμεν ] is referred by Chrysostom, Theophylact, Theodoret, Oecumenius, Luther, Erasmus, Estius, Grotius, Bengel, and most of the earlier expositors, also Flatt, Winer, Matthies, Neander, to Gal_1:8. But in this case Paul would have written merely ὡς εἰρήκαμεν , πάλιν λέγω , or simply πάλιν ἐρῶ , as in Php_4:4. The compound verb προειρήκαμεν (Gal_5:21; 2Co_7:3; 2Co_13:2; 1Th_4:6) and καὶ ἄρτι point necessarily to an earlier time, in contrast to the present. Hence the Peschito, Jerome (comp. Augustine, who leaves a choice between the two views), Semler, Koppe, Borger, Rückert, Usteri, Schott, Olshausen, Baumgarten-Crusius, de Wette, Hilgenfeld, Ewald, Wieseler, Hofmann, Reithmayr, and others, rightly take it as indicating the presence of the apostle among the Galatians at the time when he uttered this curse; comp. Gal_5:3. We must, however, look upon this presence as the second and not the first visit (Hofmann); for the expression in the form of curse betrays an advanced stage of the danger, and not a merely prophylactic measure.
καὶ ἄρτι πάλιν λέγω ] apodosis, “so say I also now (at the present moment) again;” so that πάλιν thus glances back to the time to which the προ applied. Rückert regards ὡς … λέγω together as the protasis (comp. Ewald), in which case the proper apodosis, so it is in fact, before εἴ τις would be wanting. Or rather, if ὡς … λέγω were the protasis, εἴ τις ὑμᾶς … ἀνάθεμα ἔστω would be the real apodosis. But why introduce at all such a forced departure from the separation, which presents itself so naturally, and is so full of emphasis, of ὡς … λέγω into protasis and apodosis? The reference of προειρήκ . to an earlier time is certain enough; and ἄρτι , now, in the sense of the point of time then present, is very usual in Greek authors (Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 18 ff.) and in the N.T.
εἴ τις ὑμᾶς κ . τ . λ .] Paul does not here, as in Gal_1:8, again use ἐάν with the subjunctive, but on account of the actual occurrence puts the positive εἰ ,—thus giving to his utterance a climactic character, as in Act_5:38 f. (see on the passage); Luk_13:9; Winer, p. 277 [E. T. 369]; Buttmann, neut. Gr. p. 190; Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaed. p. 93 B. Comp. 2Co_12:20-21, μήπως
μήπως -g0-
μή -g0-.
As to εὐαγγελίζεσθαι with the accusative,[21] which does not occur elsewhere in Paul’s writings, see Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 268.
παρελάβετε ] often used of that which one gets through instruction. See Kypke, II. p. 222. It may, however, denote either to take (actively), as in 1Co_15:1; 1Jn_1:10; Php_4:9; or to receive (passively), as in Gal_1:12; 1Th_2:13; 1Co_15:3, et al. The latter is preferable here, as a parallel to εὐηγγελισάμεθα ὑμῖν in Gal_1:8.
[21] The studied design which Bengel discovers in the alternation between ὑμῖν (ver. 8) and ὑμᾶς (ver. 9), “evangelio aliquem instruere convenit insultationi falsorum doctorum,” is groundless. For they might say just as boastingly, “evangelium praedicavimus vobis!” The change in the words is accidental.