Galatians 4:20
20 [de]
I desire [thelo] to be present [pareimi] with [pros] you [humas] now [arti], and [kai] to change [allasso] my [mou] voice [phone]; for [hoti] I stand in doubt [aporeo]
of [en] you [humin]. KJV-Interlinear
20 but I could wish to be present
with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. NASB
Given the nature of what has been revealed about
the Galatians to Paul, with respect to their changing from true biblical
principles, to the false principles that have been taught regarding the works
of the law, then Paul indicates here his doubt as to the genuineness of their
adhering to true biblical principles.
In this transitional verse, Paul indicates that he
would like to be with the Galatians so he could continue their instruction. But
as with everyone, the students have to be able to grow up and maintain and
sustain their own growth without the presence of their instructor.
Bible students still need instruction all of their
lives, but they don’t need the face-to-face presence of an instructor. That is
something that the child needs. The child needs face-to-face and one-on-one
assistance from his parents. Eventually the child grows up, and with some
semblance of parental success, the child reaches the age of adulthood and
should be able to leave the home and survive in life on his own two feet.
The very fact that the Galatians fell away from
truth so easily, and adopted false teaching, demonstrates their weakness in
faith, and their weakness in their spiritual growth.
The child takes eighteen or twenty or more years to
grow up, and even then may need more time to be able to survive out of the
world on his own. And so it is with the spiritual life.
Because most people are fickle and inconsistent
with regard to their daily study and spiritual status, then most people need
spiritual instruction for decades, just to keep them on track.
And so it is better to remain under instruction
throughout ones entire life, than to risk getting away from instruction, and
falling flat on your face.
