Galatians 4:17

“They zealously affect you, etc..] Or “are jealous of you”; meaning the false apostles, whose names, in contempt, he mentions not, being unworthy to be taken notice of, and their names to be transmitted to posterity. These were jealous of them, not with a godly jealousy, as the apostle was, lest their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity of the Gospel; but they were jealous, lest they should love the apostle more than they, and therefore represented him in a very bad light, and expressed great love and kindness for them themselves: but not well; their zeal and affection were not hearty, and sincere, and without dissimulation, but were all feigned, were only in word and in tongue, not…”

“They--your flatterers: in contrast to Paul himself, who tells them the truth. zealously--zeal in proselytism was characteristic especially of the Jews, and so of Judaizers (Gal 1:14; Mat 23:15; Rom 10:2). affect you--that is, court you (Co2 11:2). not well--not in a good way, or for a good end. Neither the cause of their zealous courting of you, nor the manner, is what it ought to be. they would exclude you--"They wish to shut you out" from the kingdom of God (that is, they wish to persuade you that as uncircumcised Gentiles, you are shut out from it), "that ye may zealously court them," that is, become circumcised, as zealous followers of themselves. ALFORD explains it, that their wish was…”

“They zealously affect you - See 1 Corinthians 12:31 (Greek); 1 Corinthians 14:39. The word used here (Ζηλόω Zēloō), means to be “zealous” toward, that is, for or against any person or thing; usually, in a good sense, to be eager for. Here it means, that the false teachers made a show of zeal toward the Galatians, or professed affection for them in order to gain them as their followers. They were full of ardor, and professed an extraordinary concern for their welfare - as people always do who are demagogues, or who seek to gain proselytes. The object of the apostle in this is, probably, to say, that it was not wholly owing to themselves that they had become alienated from the doctrines…”

“They - The judaizing teachers who are come among you. Zealously affect you - Express an extraordinary regard for you. But not well - Their zeal is not according to knowledge; neither have they a single eye to your spiritual advantage. Yea, they would exclude you - From me and from the blessings of the gospel. That ye might affect - Love and esteem them. Galatians 4:18”

“4:17 are so eager: The Greek word can have the positive meaning of zeal and eagerness or the negative meaning of jealousy and envy. The same word is also translated will pay attention and “is eager” (4:18). • They are trying to shut you off from me: Perhaps the Judaizers were so eager because they envied the Galatians’ devotion to Paul and wanted it for themselves (cp. 2 Corinthians; see also Luke 11:46-52). Another possibility is that the Judaizers wanted the Galatians to become dependent on them as interpreters of the law.”

“zealously: Gal 6:12, Gal 6:13; Mat 23:15; Rom 10:2, Rom 16:18; Co1 11:2; Co2 11:3, Co2 11:13-15; Phi 2:21; Pe2 2:3, Pe2 2:18 exclude you: or, exclude us, Co1 4:8, Co1 4:18 Galatians 4:18”