The Exegesis of the Letter.
The Exegesis of the Letter . Excerpt The words “did run” are in the imperfect tense, referring to a continuous action going on in past time. Here, as in 4:12 , Paul breaks off his argument to make an appeal to his readers on the basis of their past experience. He uses the figure of a Greek runner. “You were running well.” The word well is from kalos ( καλος ), suggesting the translation, “You were conducting yourselves bravely, honorably, becomingly.” The word hinder is from enkopto ( ἐνκοπτο ) which means “to cut in, to make an incision, to hinder.” Inasmuch as Paul is using the figure of a race, this word suggests a breaking into the race course, a cutting in on a runner by another runner, thus slowing up his progress. The Galatian Christ ians were running the Christ ian race well, but the Judaizers cut in on them and now were slowing up their progress in their growth in the Christ ian life. They had deprived the Galatians of the ministry...