“Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”
My Notes
What Does Galatians 5:7 Mean?
Paul uses an athletic metaphor to describe the Galatians' spiritual regression: "Ye did run well." Past tense. They were running well. Their faith was progressing. Their freedom in Christ was genuine and growing. And then someone—or something—"hindered" them. The word "hinder" (enekopsen) means to cut in, to block the path, to break up the road—like someone digging a trench across a runner's lane.
The question "who did hinder you?" implies a specific, identifiable agent. The interference wasn't random or accidental. Someone deliberately cut into their path—the false teachers who were introducing the requirement of circumcision and law-observance. The hindrance was a person with an agenda, not an impersonal circumstance.
The phrase "that ye should not obey the truth" identifies what was interrupted: obedience to the truth of the gospel—salvation by grace through faith alone. The Galatians didn't stop believing. They stopped obeying the truth they believed. The hindrance didn't eliminate their faith. It corrupted their obedience by adding conditions that the gospel never required.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Were you once running well spiritually? What happened—who or what hindered you?
- 2.What spiritual 'addition' has actually been subtracting from your freedom in Christ?
- 3.Can you identify the specific voice or influence that disrupted your progress? What did they add that became an obstacle?
- 4.If the hindrance looks like extra religion rather than obvious opposition, how do you recognize it for what it is?
Devotional
"Ye did run well." Past tense. You were on track. Your faith was progressing. Your freedom was real. And then someone cut into your lane. Dug a trench across your path. Interrupted your progress. And now you're not running anymore.
Paul's question—"who did hinder you?"—demands an answer. The interference was personal. Someone specific introduced the obstacle that stopped your progress. Not circumstances. Not God. A person—with a message that sounded spiritual but was actually a roadblock disguised as an upgrade. The false teachers didn't say "stop running." They said "add this to your running." And the addition was the hindrance.
The cruelest form of spiritual hindrance isn't the obvious stumbling block. It's the spiritual-sounding addition that actually subtracts from the gospel. "Faith is great, just add this ritual." "Grace is wonderful, just add this requirement." "Freedom is good, just add this obligation." Each addition sounds like an enhancement. It's actually a trench dug across the track.
If you were running well and you're not anymore—if your spiritual momentum has stalled and you're not sure why—Paul's question applies: who hindered you? What voice introduced the addition that became the obstruction? What requirement was added to your faith that actually subtracted from your freedom? The hindrance might not look like opposition. It might look like extra religion. But if it stopped your running, it was a trench, not an upgrade.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Ye did run well,.... In the Christian race; when they first set out in a profession of religion, they embraced and held…
Ye did run well - The Christian life is often represented as a race; see the notes at 1Co 9:24-26. Paul means here, that…
Ye did run well - Ye once had the faith that worked by love - ye were genuine, active, useful Christians.
Who doth…
In the former part of this chapter the apostle cautions the Galatians to take heed of the judaizing teachers, who…
The abruptness of thought and style is a marked feature of these two Chapter s. It is not always possible to trace the…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture