Furious Chapter 13 Devotional

Who Has Bewitched You?

When Paul asks, “Who has bewitched you?” (or “Who has cast an evil spell on you?” in the NLT), the Greek word he uses is ebaskanen—a term closely tied to the ancient superstition of the evil eye.

In Greco-Roman culture, the evil eye was believed to be a powerful curse—one that could bring sickness, misfortune, or loss simply through someone’s envious gaze or disturbing physical presence. People feared those who appeared strange, especially if they had anything unusual or disfigured about their eyes.

And there’s good reason to believe Paul himself may have had a physical affliction involving his eyes. At the end of Galatians, when he takes the pen from his scribe to write the closing words himself, he says, “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!” (Gal. 6:11). Some scholars believe this hints at poor eyesight. But the case grows stronger earlier in the letter.

In Galatians 4:14, Paul recalls how the Galatians first received him. He was physically weak—possibly disfigured or unpleasant to look at—yet they didn’t “despise” or “reject” him. The Greek word he uses is exeptysate, literally “to spit out,” which refers to the ancient ritual of spitting to ward off the evil eye. In the very next verse, he says, “If you could have done so, you would have torn out your own eyes and given them to me.”

What was wrong with Paul’s eyes? We can’t say for sure. But something about their appearance might have been unsettling. And the Judaizers likely used that against him: “Look at him—he’s cursed. If you follow him, you’ll come under the same curse.”

But Paul reminds the Galatians: That’s not how you treated me before. When grace was fresh and the gospel was clear, you didn’t recoil. You received me with open arms—like an angel of God, even like Christ Himself.

But now… something’s changed.

They’re suspicious. Superstitious. Confused. And most tragically, they’ve lost sight of Christ. That’s why, after asking “Who has bewitched you?” Paul immediately says, “Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.” In other words: You used to see Jesus so clearly. What happened to you?

It’s as if Paul is turning the accusation back on the Judaizers: “They claimed I would bring you under a curse—but they’re the ones who have bewitched you.”

This is what legalism does. It doesn’t just distort theology. It distorts vision. It replaces grace with suspicion. Freedom with fear. It takes your eyes off the cross and leaves you trapped in spiritual confusion.

🔥 Reflection

Have you been “bewitched” in some way—subtly pulled back into striving, performing, or earning God’s approval? Has your vision of the cross grown dim beneath the weight of fear or religious pressure?

🙏 Prayer

Lord, open my eyes again to the beauty of the cross. Clear away the fog of striving, fear, and self-effort. Let me remember what it was like when I first believed—when grace was enough and Jesus was everything. Amen.

📣 Call-to-Action

Take time today to remember when you first received the Gospel. Who brought it to you? What did God stir in your heart back then? Write it down. Let it remind you that the grace that saved you is still the grace that sustains you. Don’t let anyone cast a spell over your heart—keep your eyes on Christ crucified.