They are zealous of you, but not for good; yea, they would exclude you, that you might be zealous of them.
All Commentaries on Galatians 4:17 Go To Galatians 4
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
They zealously affect you. The Judaisers do all they can to woo you to espouse their cause, and to bring you into subjection to their law, but their object is not good.
They would exclude you. Some texts read include here, which gives a very good meaning. These Judaisers are like crafty wooers, who, when they are seeking to win a wealthy wife, show her every kind of honour and service, and humour her whims in everything; but when they have attained their object, they shut her up, appoint custodians of her person, and treat her as a slave. They are now promising you, Galatians , great things; but they want to shut you up under the law, and shut you out from the liberty that is in Christ.
That ye might affect them. It is not friendship that animates them. They want to gain your confidence, that you may surrender to them, and become their disciples, and give, them ground for public boasting.
