Now, the afflictions of the believers always offend people. Paul knew it and therefore has high praise for the Galatians because they overlooked his afflictions and received him like an angel. Christ forewarned the faithful against the offense of the Cross, saying: “Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Matt. 11:6.) Surely it is no easy thing to confess Him Lord of all and Savior of the world who was a reproach of men, and despised of the people, and the laughing stock of the world. (Ps. 22:7.) I say, to value this poor Christ, so spitefully scorned, spit upon, scourged, and crucified, more than the riches of the richest, the strength of the strongest, the wisdom of the wisest, is something. It is worth being called blessed. Paul not only had outward afflictions but also inner, spiritual afflictions. He refers to these in II Corinthians 7:6, “Without were fightings, within were fears.” In his letter to the Philippians Paul makes mention of the restoration of Epaphroditus as a special act of mercy on the part of God, “lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Considering the many afflictions of Paul, we are not surprised to hear him loudly praising the Galatians for not being offended at him as others were. The world thinks us mad because we go about to comfort, to help, to save others while we ourselves are in distress. People tell us: “Physician, heal thyself.” (Luke 4:23.) The Apostle tells the Galatians that he will keep their kindness in perpetual remembrance. Indirectly, he also reminds them how much they had loved him before the invasion of the false apostles, and gives them a hint that they should return to their first love for him. VERSE 15. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? “How much happier you used to be. And how you Galatians used to tell me that you were blessed. And how much did I not praise and commend you formerly.” Paul reminds them of former and better times in an effort to mitigate his sharp reproaches, lest the false apostles should slander him and misconstrue his letter to his disadvantage and to their own advantage. Such snakes in the grass are equal to anything. They will pervert words spoken from a sincere heart and twist them to mean just the opposite of what they were intended to convey. They are like spiders that suck venom out of sweet and fragrant flowers. The poison is not in the flowers, but it is the nature of the spider to turn what is good and wholesome into poison. VERSE 15. For I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. The Apostle continues his praise of the Galatians. “You did not only treat me very courteously. If it had been necessary you would have plucked out your eyes and sacrificed your lives for me.” And in very fact the Galatians sacrificed their lives for Paul. By receiving and maintaining Paul they called upon their own heads the hatred and malice of all the Jews and Gentiles.