| Geneva Study Bible {5} For do I now persuade {h} men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (5) A confirmation taken both from the nature of the doctrine itself, and also from the manner which he used in teachings. For neither, he says, did I teach those things which pleased men, as these men do who put part of salvation in external things, and works of the Law, neither went I about to procure any man's favour. And therefore the matter itself shows that that doctrine which I delivered to you is heavenly. (h) He refers to the false apostles, who had nothing but flattery in their mouths for men, and he, though he would not detract from the apostles, preaches God, and not to please men. People's New Testament 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? Is this his motive, or to please God? If he sought to please men, he would never have become the servant of Christ. By so doing he had displeased all his own nation and brought on himself the hatred of men. See 2Co 11:23. Wesley's Notes 1:10 For - He adds the reason why he speaks so confidently. Do I now satisfy men - Is this what I aim at in preaching or writing? If I still - Since I was an apostle. Pleased men - Studied to please them; if this were my motive of action; nay, if I did in fact please the men who know not God. I should not be the servant of Christ - Hear this, all ye who vainly hope to keep in favour both with God and with the world! Scofield Reference Notes [2] For now do The demonstration is as follows: (1) The Galatians know Paul, that he is no seeker after popularity Gal 1:10. (2) He puts his known character back of the assertion that his Gospel of grace was a revelation from God (Gal 1:11,12). (3) As for the Judaizers, Paul had been a foremost Jew, and had forsaken Judaism for something better (1Ga 1:13,14). (4) He had preached grace years before he saw any of the other apostles (Gal 1:15-24). (5) When he did meet the other apostles they had nothing to add to his revelations Gal 2:1-6. (6) The other apostles fully recognized Paul's apostleship. Gal 2:7-10. (7) If the legalizers pleaded Peter's authority, the answer was that he himself had claimed none when rebuked (Gal 2.11-14). Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 10. For-accounting for the strong language he has just used. do I now-resuming the "now" of Ga 1:9. "Am I now persuading men?" [Alford], that is, conciliating. Is what I have just now said a sample of men-pleasing, of which I am accused? His adversaries accused him of being an interested flatterer of men, "becoming all things to all men," to make a party for himself, and so observing the law among the Jews (for instance, circumcising Timothy), yet persuading the Gentiles to renounce it (Ga 5:11) (in order to flatter those, really keeping them in a subordinate state, not admitted to the full privileges which the circumcised alone enjoyed). Neander explains the "now" thus: Once, when a Pharisee, I was actuated only by a regard to human authority and to please men (Lu 16:15; Joh 5:44), but NOW I teach as responsible to God alone (1Co 4:3). or God?-Regard is to be had to God alone. for if I yet pleased men-The oldest manuscripts omit "for." "If I were still pleasing men," &c. (Lu 6:26; Joh 15:19; 1Th 2:4; Jas 4:4; 1Jo 4:5). On "yet," compare Ga 5:11. servant of Christ-and so pleasing Him in all things (Tit 2:9; Col 3:22). Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 1:10-14 In preaching the gospel, the apostle sought to bring persons to the obedience, not of men, but of God. But Paul would not attempt to alter the doctrine of Christ, either to gain their favour, or to avoid their fury. In so important a matter we must not fear the frowns of men, nor seek their favour, by using words of men's wisdom. Concerning the manner wherein he received the gospel, he had it by revelation from Heaven. He was not led to Christianity, as many are, merely by education. | 
