John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. Which is not another , etc..] It is no Gospel, no joyful sound, no good news, and glad tidings; the doctrine which attributes justification to the works of the law, or mixes grace and works in the business of salvation, which was the doctrine of these false teachers, is no Gospel; not truly so, however it may be called; nor does it bring any solid peace and joy to distressed minds. There is but one pure Gospel of the grace of God, and Christ, and his apostles; there is not one and another; there is but one faith, one doctrine and scheme of faith; the Gospel is single and uniform, all of a piece, has no yea and nay, or contradiction in it; this trumpet gives no uncertain sound, nor any dreadful, but a joyful one: but there be some that trouble you ; meaning the false apostles, whose names he does not think fit to mention, as being unworthy to be named, and to have their names transmitted to posterity. These troubled the churches with their doctrines and principles, by raising disputes and controversies among them, injecting doubts and scruples into their minds, which puzzled and confounded them, and made them uneasy, and which broke in upon that peace of soul which the Gospel brings and establishes; for no true solid peace is attained to, and enjoyed, but by the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ, pardon by his blood, and atonement by his sacrifice, which the doctrine of justification by works, etc.. tends to destroy. And would pervert the Gospel of Christ ; which has Christ for its author, subject, and preacher; and particularly the doctrine of justification by his righteousness, which they sought to change, to throw into a different shape and form, to adulterate by mixing it with the works of the law, and so, if possible, destroy it: to this they showed a good will, but were not able to effect, for the Gospel is an everlasting one; it is immovable, and so is that particular doctrine of it; it remains, and will remain in spite of opposition to it. Thus the apostle prudently lays the blame of the Galatians removing from the Gospel to another upon the false teachers, hoping he should be able to reclaim them by solid arguments, and gentle methods.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-9 - Those who would establish any other way to heaven than what the gospe of Christ reveals, will find themselves wretchedly mistaken. The apostle presses upon the Galatians a due sense of their guilt in forsaking the gospel way of justification; yet he reproves with tenderness, and represents them as drawn into it by the arts of some that troubled them. In reproving others, we should be faithful, and ye endeavour to restore them in the spirit of meekness. Some would set u the works of the law in the place of Christ's righteousness, and thu they corrupted Christianity. The apostle solemnly denounces, a accursed, every one who attempts to lay so false a foundation. All other gospels than that of the grace of Christ, whether more flatterin to self-righteous pride, or more favourable to worldly lusts, ar devices of Satan. And while we declare that to reject the moral law a a rule of life, tends to dishonour Christ, and destroy true religion we must also declare, that all dependence for justification on goo works, whether real or supposed, is as fatal to those who persist i it. While we are zealous for good works, let us be careful not to pu them in the place of Christ's righteousness, and not to advance an thing which may betray others into so dreadful a delusion.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3739 R-NSN ουκ 3756 PRT-N εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S αλλο 243 A-NSN ει 1487 COND μη 3361 PRT-N τινες 5100 X-NPM εισιν 1526 5748 V-PXI-3P οι 3588 T-NPM ταρασσοντες 5015 5723 V-PAP-NPM υμας 5209 P-2AP και 2532 CONJ θελοντες 2309 5723 V-PAP-NPM μεταστρεψαι 3344 5658 V-AAN το 3588 T-ASN ευαγγελιον 2098 N-ASN του 3588 T-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. Another (allo). A different gospel is not another gospel. There is but one gospel.But (ei mh). Rev. only. As if he had said, "there is no other gospel, but there are some who trouble you with a different kind of teaching which they offer as a gospel."
Some that trouble (oi tarassontev). The article with the participle marks these persons as characteristically troublesome - the troublers. Comp. Luke xviii. 9, of those who were characteristically self-righteous. For trouble in the sense of disturbing faith and unsettling principle, see Gal. v. 10; Acts xv. 24. Not necessarily, as Lightfoot, raising seditions.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:7 {Which is not another} (ho ouk estin allo). It is no "gospel" (good news) at all, but a yoke of bondage to the law and the abolition of grace. There is but one gospel and that is of grace, not works. The relative ho (which) refers to heteron euaggelion (a different gospel) "taken as a single term and designating the erroneous teachings of the Judaizers" (Burton). {Only} (ei me). Literally, "except," that is, "Except in this sense,"in that it is an attempt to pervert the one true gospel" (Lightfoot). {Who disturb you} (hoi tarassontes). The disturbers. this very verb tarassw is used in #Ac 17:8 of the Jews in Thessalonica who "disturbed" the politarchs and the people about Paul. {Would pervert} (qelontes metastreyai). "Wish to turn about," change completely as in #Ac 2:20; Jas 4:9. The very existence of the gospel of Christ was at stake.
