Galatians 4:13

13 You remember why I preached the gospel to you the first time; it was because I was sick.

Galatians 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 4:13

Ye know how, through infirmity of the flesh
Meaning either their infirmity, to which the apostle accommodated himself in preaching the Gospel to them, delivering it in such a manner as suited with their capacities, feeding them with milk, and not with strong meat; or his own infirmity, respecting either some particular bodily infirmity and disorder, as the headache, with which he is said to be greatly troubled; or the weakness of his bodily presence, the mean outward appearance he made, the contemptibleness of his voice, and the great humility with which he behaved; or rather the many reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions which attended him, when, says he,

I preached the Gospel unto you at the first;
not the law, but the Gospel; and this he did at his first entrance among them, and was the first that preached it to them, and was the means of their conversion; and therefore, being their spiritual Father, they ought to be as he was, and follow him as they had him for an example.

Galatians 4:13 In-Context

11 I am worried about you! Can it be that all my work for you has been for nothing?

12 I beg you, my friends, be like me. After all, I am like you. You have not done me any wrong.

13 You remember why I preached the gospel to you the first time; it was because I was sick.

14 But even though my physical condition was a great trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you received me as you would an angel from heaven; you received me as you would Christ Jesus.

15 You were so happy! What has happened? I myself can say that you would have taken out your own eyes, if you could, and given them to me.