Galatians 4:11

“I am afraid of you, etc..] Which shows the danger he apprehended they were in, by taking such large steps from Christianity to Judaism, and expresses the godly jealousy of the apostle over them; intimates he had some hope of them, and in the whole declares his great love and affection for them; for love is a thing full of care and fear: lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain; in preaching the Gospel among them with so much diligence and constancy, though so many afflictions and pressures lay upon him. Faithful ministers of the word are laborious ones; and such an one was the apostle; and who indeed laboured more abundantly than the rest in all places wherever he came; and such will be…”

“lest--Greek, "lest haply." My fear is not for my own sake, but for yours.”

“I am afraid of you ... - I have fears respecting you. His fears were that they had no genuine Christian principle. They had been so easily perverted and turned back to the servitude of ceremonies and rites, that he was apprehensive that there could be no real Christian principle in the case. What pastor has not often had such fears of his people, when he sees them turn to the weak and beggarly elements of the world, or when, after having “run well,” he sees them become the slaves of fashion, or of some habit inconsistent with the simplicity of the gospel? return to 'Top of Page'”

“The apostle here, dropping the argument, applies to the affections, Gal 4:11-20, and humbles himself to the Galatians, with an inexpressible tenderness. Galatians 4:12”

“4:11 I fear for you: The Galatians were in danger of turning away from Christ by relying upon the law. If they did, Paul’s hard work would have been for nothing. The Good News would have done them no good (cp. Heb 6:4-6; 2 Pet 2:20-22). See Acts 13:44–14:24 for a description of Paul’s work for the sake of the Christians in that region.”

“am: Gal 4:20; Co2 11:2, Co2 11:3, Co2 12:20, Co2 12:21 lest: Gal 2:2, Gal 5:2-4; Isa 49:4; Act 16:6; Co1 15:58; Phi 2:16; Th1 3:5; Jo2 1:8 Galatians 4:12”