We come now to the close of this most wonderful letter. Even as the whole of the Gospel is contained in the greeting, so we find it in the end. The apostle literally knew nothing else save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. He could not greet his friends without mentioning it. In every chapter of this Epistle, but especially in the last two, do we see how directly it is addressed to us. Everybody uses verses 1, 7-10 as applicable now, without any thought of the Galatians; but just as surely as these verses mean us, just the same as though the Galatians had never lived, so does the entire Epistle. The consuming zeal of the apostle Paul in writing it is seen in the fact that, contrary to his usual custom, he seized the pen and wrote the Epistle with his own hand. Verse 11. As intimated in chapter 4, the apostle suffered from weak eyes, which hindered him much in his work, or would have hindered him but for the power of God resting on him; so that it was necessary for him always to have some one with him, to minister unto him, and to serve as amanuensis. From the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians (chapter 2:2) we learn that some took advantage of this fact to write letters to the churches in Paul’s name, which troubled the brethren; but in the close of that Epistle (chapter 3:16-18) Paul indicated to them how they might know an epistle that came from him. No matter by whom the body of it was written, he wrote the salutation and the signature with his own hand. So great was the urgency in this case, however, that he wrote the entire Epistle himself. [Sidenote: Only a Show.] We can not deceive God, and it is useless to deceive ourselves or others. “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7. The circumcision in which the “false brethren” were seeking to induce the Galatians to trust, meant self-righteousness, instead of righteousness by faith. They had the law only as “the form of righteousness and of truth.” With their works they could make “a fair show in the flesh,” but it was only an empty show; there was no reality in it. They could seem righteous without suffering persecution for the cross of Christ. They did not indeed keep the law; not by any means; for the flesh is opposed to the law of the Spirit, and “they that are in the flesh can not please God.” But they desired converts to “our faith,” as so many call the particular theories which they hold. Christ said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him two-fold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Matt. 23:15. Such teachers glory in the flesh of their “converts.” If they can count so many as belonging to “our denomination,” so much “gain” in the past year, they feel virtuously happy. Numbers and appearances count for much with men, but for nothing with God. [Sidenote: Real and Lasting Glory.]