Galatians 5:7

Hinder - Latter; rear; behind.

Ye did run well - Ye once had the faith that worked by love - ye were genuine, active, useful Christians.

Who doth hinder - Who prevented you from continuing to obey the truth? Ye could only be turned aside by your own consent. St. Paul here, as in 1 Corinthians 9:24 (note), compares Christianity to a race. See the notes on the above text.

Ye did run well - The Christian life is often represented as a race; see the notes at 1 Corinthians 9:24-26. Paul means here, that they began the Christian life with ardour and zeal; compare Galatians 4:15.

Who did hinder you - Margin, "Drive you back." The word used here (ἀνακόπτω anakoptō) means properly to beat or drive back. Hence, it means to hinder, check, or retard. Dr. Doddridge remarks that this is "an Olympic expression, and properly signifies "coming across the course" while a person is running in it, in such a manner as to jostle, and throw him out of the way." Paul asks, with emphasis, who it could have been that retarded them in their Christian course, implying that it could have been done only by their own consent, or that there was really no cause why they should not have continued as they began.

That ye should not obey the truth - The true system of justification by faith in the Redeemer. That you should have turned aside, and embraced the dangerous errors in regard to the necessity of obeying the laws of Moses.

5:7 Ye did run well - In the race of faith. Who hath hindered you in your course, that ye should not still obey the truth?