Galatians 1

David Lipscomb Commentary On Galatians 1Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle—Those who taught that the Gentiles should be circumcised because Paul opposed it, called in question his apostleship, especially disparaged him as not equal to Peter, and on this relied upon his never having seen Jesus in the flesh, hence, could not be sent of him.(not from men, neither through man,—During his personal ministry Jesus selected and qualified certain ones to bear wit­ness of both what he did and taught to the world. Hence when he sent them out to do this work they were called apos­tles. Paul was not one of the original twelve, but he firmly asserts that he was an apostle.but through Jesus Christ,—Jesus appeared unto Saul when on his way to Damascus and said unto him: “ Arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things where­in thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gen­tiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an in­heritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16-18). This call was to do exactly the things that he had qualified and sent the twelve to do, and he had given him precisely the same commission. Hence, Paul said that he was an apostle, sent not of men, nor through men, but sent through Jesus Christ.[Christ was in this act the mediator, declaring the supreme will. In another place Paul styles himself “ an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God.” (Ephesians 1:1).

His ap­pointment took place by a divine intervention, in which the ordinary sequence of events was broken through. Long after the Savior in his bodily presence had ascended to heaven, when in the order of nature it was impossible that another apostle should be elected, and when the administration of his church had for several years been carried on by human hands, he appeared once more on earth for the purpose of making a minister and a witness.

This interposition gives to Paul’ s ministry an exceptional character. While the mode of his election was in one respect humiliating, and put him in the position of “ the child untimely born,” the least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:8-9), whose appearance in that capacity was un­looked for and necessarily open to suspicion; on the other hand, it was glorious and exalting, since it so richly displayed the divine mercy and the transforming power of grace.]and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),—[It was the risen Jesus that he saw, and that he was conscious of seeing in the moment of vision. The revelation that arrested him near Damascus in the same moment convinced him that Jesus was risen, and that he himself was called to be his ser­vant. These two convictions were inseparably linked in Paul’ s memory. As surely as God the Father had raised Jesus from the dead and given him glory, so surely had the glorified Jesus revealed himself to him, his persecutor, to make him his apostle. He was not less truly than Peter and John a witness of his resurrection.

The message of the resurrection was the burden of the apostleship.]Galatians 1:2and all the brethren that are with me,—The brethren who were with him joined in this letter so far as to approve its end and purpose. Those with him were doubtless his fellow la­borers who accompanied him in his work. [Not that Paul’ s authority rested upon its recognition even by these good men.

His reference to them merely suggests that they who reject it separate themselves from this band of noble workers.]unto the churches of Galatia:—Galatia was an extensive territory, with a number of cities in which Paul had preached and established churches.Galatians 1:3 Grace to you—This is a prayer that the favor of God may attend them, with which Paul introduces his letters generally. It is an expression of kindness to the Christians to whom he was writing, and that God would regard them with favor and compassion.and peace from God the Father,—Reconciliation and har­mony with God and with all that are in peace and harmony with him.and our Lord Jesus Christ,—The mission of Jesus Christ is to bring “ peace among men in whom he is well pleased.” (Luke 2:14). To the faithful Philippians it was promised. “ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7). The harmony, union, and peace with God brings a peace and quietness of mind in the midst of all the trials and disappointments of earth. Just before his violent death on the cross, Jesus said to his sorrowing disciples: “ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.” (John 14:27).

Jesus had a peace and quiet of soul arising from his union with God and his trust and confi­dence in him that nothing could disturb. The same he be­stowed upon his disciples that their hearts might not be trou­bled and filled with fear.

This peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ lifts the disciples above the trials and disappointments of this life and enables them to abide se­renely in all the promises of God. Every Christian may attain this soul-satisfying comfort by an earnest trust in and faithful walk with God.Galatians 1:4who gave himself for our sins,—Jesus gave himself up to a life of toil, tears, privation, sorrow, and death to obtain the forgiveness of sins, that he might deliver us from the evils of this world— a deliverance from the power and control of evil, raising us above the evils while we are yet in the world. Jesus said: “ I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one.” (John 17:15).that he might deliver us out of this present evil world,—[A world of bad passions, corrupt desires; a world full of ambi­tion, of the love of pleasure; and love of riches; a world where God is not loved and obeyed; a world where men are regard­less of right and truth and duty— where they live for them­selves, and not for God; in short, that great community which in the scriptures is called the world in contradistinction from the kingdom of God. It follows, therefore, that his followers constitute “ a people for his own possession” (Titus 2:14), not predominated by the feelings of the world. If there is not a separation, then the purpose of the Redeemer’ s death in re­gard to us has not been affected, and we are still a part of that great and ungodly community.] There is no deliverance from the evils of the world until we are delivered from our sins. Sin is the cause of the evil of the world.according to the will of our God and Father:—Christ came to deliver from sin that we might be delivered from evil in ac­cordance with the will of God the Father. “ God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

This is all spoken to show that Paul was sent by Jesus, and Jesus was sent of the Father. So he was an apostle of Jesus Christ and God his Father.Galatians 1:5to whom be the glory for ever and ever.

Amen.—He as­cribes to Jesus, the Redeemer, glory for ever and ever, as the author of the whole plan of salvation of which Paul was an apostle. The self-sacrifice and self-denial of Jesus to save man will bring to him glory and honor forever.Galatians 1:6I marvel—The change which is taking place among the Galatian Christians is so utterly inconceivable to Paul that he marvels. [The whole truth concerning the gospel plan of sal­vation had been so clearly set before them, their reception of the truth had been so hearty, his own personal influence over them had been so strong, that the change seemed like some unaccountable fascination. (Galatians 3:1).]that ye are so quickly removing—Their defection from the truth was not yet complete and would continue, unless they were brought to a better state of mind by this epistle. Whether or not this was the case it is not known. The word quickly may mean either that their action had been hasty, taken without due consideration, or but little time had elapsed between the acceptance of the gospel and their defection. On the whole, it seems the more probable that the reference is to the time rather than the manner of their defection; then soon after the arrival of the false teachers is more likely than so soon after their conversion. Paul may have intended to hint that he had not found them so ready to accept the true gospel as the false teachers had found them ready to accept a perver­sion of it.from him that called you—From God to whom Paul attrib­utes the call to salvation. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).

In harmony with the words of the Lord Jesus (John 6:44; John 6:65) the calling of men out of darkness is always referred to God the Father (Romans 8:28-30). These words reveal the gravity of the situa­tion in which they were placing themselves.in the grace of Christ—The grace of Christ is the instru­ment of the divine calling inasmuch as it is through the preaching his love and the gift that the unbeliever is at first attracted and won over to the faith.

The grace of Christ is expressed in these words: “ For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9). His grace is his voluntary self-surrender to humiliation and death, from no other prompting than his own love for man.unto a different gospel;—It seems that the Judaizers ex­plained that theirs was a gospel with a difference.Galatians 1:7which is not another gospel:—Paul replied that what they preached differed so greatly from the true gospel that it was no gospel at all. He could not even allow them the name gos­pel. [Paul preached salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), they preached salvation by the law through works, saying, It is needful to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses or they cannot be saved (Acts 15:1; Acts 15:5); the two are incompatible, and are antagonistic to that end (Romans 11:6). Thus at the very beginning he closes the door against compromise, and throughout the epistle this attitude is main­tained. Obedience to their teaching puts in bondage (Galatians 2:4) and entanglement (Galatians 5:1), and could not result in justification (Galatians 2:16), or freedom (Galatians 5:1); it made Christ to be of no profit (Galatians 5:2), and the death of Christ, which is the essence of the gospel, a superfluous thing of no account (Galatians 2:21); and so far from bringing blessing it puts him under a curse (Galatians 3:10); and all who accepted it fell away from grace (Galatians 5:4).]only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.—Those who troubled them with false teach­ings perverted the gospel of Christ. Christ died to redeem all nations from sin.

It was a perversion of the gospel to claim that they could not be saved by Christ save through keeping the Jewish law. It was turning them from a sole reliance in Christ back to the Jewish law.Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.—Paul’ s claim was that the gospel as he had preached it was complete, absolute, and final, and if he himself, or even an angel from heaven, should preach an­other gospel than that he had preached, let him be anathema— accursed.Galatians 1:9 As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye re­ceived, let him be anathema.—He repeats it to emphasize its truth and importance.

To insist that a man must be circum­cised and keep the law of Moses was such a perversion of the gospel as to destroy its nature, and to call down upon him doing it the condemnation of God.Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men?—It seems that he had been ac­cused of being a time-server who sought to ingratiate himself by becoming “ all things to all men” (1 Corinthians 9:22); in proof of this accusation they could point to the circumcision of Timo­thy as an effort to gain Jewish favor, and to his repudiation of the law as an attempt to conciliate the Gentiles, in admitting them to salvation in Christ without circumcision.if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.—In this he reaffirms a truth set forth by Jesus: “ How can ye believe, who receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the 6nly God ye seek not?” (John 5:44). This clearly teaches that they who seek honor from men cannot believe in Jesus. Men seeking to be popular with the world cannot be true faithful believers in, and servants of, Jesus Christ. [That popularity with men and the service of Christ are incompatible Paul knew from actual experience im­mediately after he entered the service of Christ, for his former friends took counsel to kill him (Acts 9:23), and even at the time of writing persecution had not ceased (Galatians 5:11).]Galatians 1:11 For I make known to you, brethren, as touching the gos­pel which was preached by me,—[This was the turning point in Paul’ s life. If the Galatians were to understand his teach­ing, they must know why he became a Christian, how he had received the message of the gospel which he brought to them. He felt sure that they would enter more sympathetically into the gospel he preached if they were better acquainted with how he received it. They would see how well-justified was the authority, how needful the severity with which he wrote.

Accordingly he begins with a brief relation of the circum­stances of his call to the service of Christ, and his career from the days of his Judaistic zeal, when he made havoc of the faith, till the well-known occasion on which he withstood Peter, the chief of the twelve, to the face because he separated himself from the Gentile Christians, “ fearing them that were of the circumcision.” (Galatians 2:11-14). His object in this recital seems to be threefold: to refute the misrepresentations of the Judaizers, to vindicate his independent authority as an apostle of Christ, and to unfold the nature and terms of the gospel, so as to pave the way for the argument which follows, and which forms the body of this epistle.]that it is not after man.—[Not according to man, but it was revealed to him by Jesus Christ.

This initial revelation made to him was of inestimable importance to him. It made him an apostle in the august sense in which he claimed the title (Galatians 1:1). This accounts for the vehemence with which he defends his teaching and for the awful sentence which he has passed upon his impugners. The divine authorship of the gospel he preached made it impossible for him to temporize with perverters, or to be influenced by human favor or disfavor in its administration. Had his teaching been “ according to man,” he might have consented to compromise; he mighty reasona­bly have tried to humor and accommodate Jewish prejudices. But the case is far otherwise.]Galatians 1:12 For neither did I receive it from man,—[The pronoun I is emphatic, suggesting a contrast with the Judaizers, who most likely claimed to come from the apostles who had “ companied” with the Lord and had been directly commissioned by him before his ascension.

But while Paul thus glorifies his ministry (Romans 11:13), when speaking of himself personally he uses very different language: “ I am the least of the apos­tles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I perse­cuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:9). ]nor was I taught it,—He continues to clear the ground of all possible alternatives before declaring the means whereby he learned the facts and truths of the gospel and their mean­ing as applied to the needs of man.but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.—He received and was taught by a direct communication of the mind of God through Jesus Christ. When on his way to Da­mascus Jesus Christ appeared unto him, and arrested him by the brightness above the brightness of the noonday sun, and said unto him: “ I am Jesus whom thou persecutest;" and that he had appeared unto him to make him a minister and a wit­ness of the things which he saw, and the things in which he would appear unto him.

Showing that he yet intended to ap­pear unto him in fitting him for the work in which he had called him. From Christ and by that revelation, and others in which he appeared unto him, he received the gospel which he preached. The enemies of Paul, because he had not seen Christ in the flesh, denied that he was a true apostle, and that he received his knowledge secondhand, in a corrupted and perverted state, therefore he was not to be trusted as an apos­tle.Galatians 1:13 For ye have heard of my manner of life in time past—They had most likely heard from Paul when he first preached the gospel to them. The reason why he now refers to his past life is to show that he had not obtained his knowledge of the gospel from any instruction which he had received in his early life, or any acquaintance he had formed with the apostles.in the Jews’ religion—[This refers not to the religious beliefs, but to religious practices and to those not as they were instituted by God, but to the system of Jewish faith and wor­ship in its perverted form as one of blind attachment to rites and traditions, bigotry, and self-righteousness. To what ex­tent the religion of the Jews partook of this character in the time of Christ appears not only from his constant exposure of their formalism and assumption, but especially in the fact that it occurs more frequently than otherwise as synonymous with opposers of Christ and of his teachings. Of the spirit of Juda­ism, Paul, before his conversion, was a signal example.

He declares that his persecution of the church was a fruit of this spirit, and that in the violence of his zeal he outstripped all his associates as a zealot for the traditions of the fathers.]how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and have havoc of it:—He refers to his fierce and bitter per­secution of the church of God, of which Luke says: “ Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1), followed them to strange cities and de­stroyed them so far as lay in his power. Before the mob in Jerusalem who were seeking his life he said: “ I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and woman.” (Acts 22:4).Galatians 1:14and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen,—He was diligent and faithful in the service, and was promoted in its positions of honor more readily than his equals in ability and family rela­tions.

He is said to have been a member of the Sanhedrin when yet young. If so he was advanced for ability and zeal to the work that pertained to those of advanced years.being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fa­thers.—He was entrusted with important labors because he was diligent, faithful, and zealous in the traditions of his fa­thers.Galatians 1:15 But when it was the good pleasure of God,—God had respect for Paul on account of his sincerity, earnestness, and his conscientious zeal in doing what he thought was the ser­vice of God. He persecuted the church, but he did it believ­ing he was doing God’ s service.who separated me, even from my mother’ s womb,—Even from his birth Paul was set apart by God for the work to which he was appointed. The same is said of Isa 49:1 : “ Jehovah hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name;” of Jeremiah 1:5; and of John the Baptist (Luke 1:15). Paul uses simi­lar language regarding himself. (Romans 1:1). It is an essential part of his argument here that from his birth it was God’ s choice that made him an apostle.and called me through his grace,—God did not save him while persecuting his people, but revealed to him the divine truth that he might deliver him from his sin.

Jesus appeared to him and convinced him of his wrong course and put him in the right way. Paul with a grateful heart accepted it as a kindness from the Lord.

He recognized that he was a sinner, the chief of sinners, in bitterly persecuting the church of Christ, and thus he obtained pardon because he did it igno­rantly in unbelief.Galatians 1:16to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles;—God calls his servants to reveal in their lives the life of his Son. Paul especially became a self-denying fol­lower of Jesus, and like his Master did suffer all things to make known Christ Jesus to the world. Christ thus was re­vealed in him, and he was imbued with this spirit, by which he could preach Christ to the world. This is the construction placed on this passage by some expositors, but Macknight translates it: “ To reveal his Son to me, that I might preach him to the Gentiles.” This was the purpose for which Jesus told Paul that he appeared to him: “ For to this end have I ap­peared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:16-18). To Ananias he said: “ Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’ s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16).straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood:—He nei­ther consulted his own fleshly feelings or ties, nor with kin­dred or others, but at once without reference to any earthly interest or feeling began the work to which he was called.Galatians 1:17neither went I up to Jerusalem—The usual term, as Jeru­salem was not only the religious capital of the Jews, but situ­ated on high hills so that travelers from every direction, ex­cept from Bethlehem, had to ascend.to them that were apostles before me:—He asserts his direct call from God, and he had no need to go to those who were apostles before him. He went about his work under the direction given by God. “ And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20).but I went away into Arabia;—This was a country of the Gentiles contiguous to the east of Damascus; here, doubtless, he preached as before and after (Acts 9:20-22) at Damascus.

Thus he shows the independence of his apostolic commission.[Some expositors claim that the purpose of Paul’ s sojourn in Arabia was not for the purpose of preaching, but that he might have time for meditation on his new relation to Christ, which appears to be so utterly at variance with his restless activity and zeal as to be wholly incredible. The addition to this conjecture, that he went as far as Mount Sinai, more than four hundred miles away, whither Elijah had retired before him, instead of confirming this conjecture, weakens it; for Paul knew that Jehovah had said to him, “ What doest thou here, Elijah?” and that he had ordered him back to his work. (1 Kings 19:9-18).

In the absence of all evidence for this con­jecture, we should be governed in judging of the purpose of the pilgrimage by what we know of Paul’ s habits during the remainder of his life; and by that standard we should con­clude that he was the last man to waste any precious mo­ments, not to speak of a year or two in meditation in the des­ert, while the cause to which he had been called was now struggling for its very existence.]and again I returned unto Damascus.—[He did not go to Jerusalem to consult the apostles after his visit to Arabia, but returned to the place where he first saw the light, and preached there, showing that he had not received his commis­sion from the other apostles.]Galatians 1:18 Then after three years—The date is probably to be reck­oned from the great turning point in his life— his conver­sion. If the visit to Arabia was short, most of this time would be spent at Damascus, probably after his return there. Luke says: “ When many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him: but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.” (Acts 9:23-25). “ After many days” corresponds to “ after three years,” which evidently means three years after his conver­sion.I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas,—It was quite natu­ral that he should wish to form the personal acquaintance of Peter, to whom the Lord had given “ the keys of the king­dom.” Paul’ s object was to show that he was independent of human instruction and direction and fully equal to the older apostles. It was in this, his first visit to Jerusalem after his conversion, that “ he assayed to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damas­cus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 9:26-27).

It is probable that Barnabas was acquainted with him prior to his conversion.and tarried with him fifteen days.—He was hurried away by a message from the Lord, who said to him: “ Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not re­ceive of thee testimony concerning me.” (Acts 22:18). The mention of the brief duration of the stay is intended, espe­cially in contrast with the three years of absence from Jerusa­lem, to show how impossible it was to regard him a disciple of the twelve, learning all that he knew of the gospel from them.Galatians 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none,—On this visit to Jerusalem, he saw none of the apostles besides Peter.save James the Lord’ s brother.—[This James is called “ the Lord’ s brother” to distinguish him from the two apostles of the same name. “ Brother” is not “ cousin,” but a younger son of Mary and Joseph.

Compare the words, “ and knew her not till she had brought forth a son” (Matthew 1:25); “ and she brought forth her firstborn son.” (Luke 2:7). The cousin theory of the Roman Catholic Church is exegetically untena­ble, and was suggested chiefly by the doctrinal ascetic bias in favor of the perpetual virginity of Mary and Joseph.]Galatians 1:20 Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.—He avers with earnestness that the things in these matters are true. Sometimes we wonder at the earnestness of Paul in these seemingly unimportant de­tails as to his movements. But the point made against him was that he was not an apostle, but had received what he knew and taught from the twelve. He is showing that he had no opportunity to learn from them, that he had only a few days’ interview with Peter during the eighteen or twenty years of his early labors, but was entirely under the immedi­ate direction of the Lord who sent him.Galatians 1:21 Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.—We learn from the parallel narrative that he was first conveyed se­cretly by the disciples to Caesarea; there he took ship ana sailed for Tarsus. (Acts 9:30). He here was found somewhat later by Barnabas and taken to Antioch, where he remained a year. (Acts 11:25-26).

Antioch was the chief city of Syria, which became the center of his operations among the Gentiles. (Acts 13:1-3; Acts 14:26; Acts 15:35-41; Acts 18:22).Galatians 1:22 And I was still unknown by face—In Jerusalem itself Paul had not time to receive instruction from anyone, still less was this the case with the other Christian communities in Judea. At the same time, so far were they from manifesting any opposition to his teaching that their one thought was joy to hear of his conversion.unto the churches of Judaea—Judea is here distinguished from Jerusalem.

The phrase is noticeable as pointing to the spread and early establishment of the church at a date not more than ten years from the ascension of Jesus. Until this time the churches in Judea did not know Paul by sight.which were in Christ:—The churches in different sections had a common faith, and were called by a common name, and stood in the same direct and personal relation to Christ as their head. It was his presence diffused among them which gave them unity.Galatians 1:23but they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc;—He who had so violently persecuted them was now preaching the faith in Christ, which he once sought to destroy.Galatians 1:24and they glorified God in me.—Praised and honored God because he had changed the bitter persecutor into an earnest, self-denying apostle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They claimed no part in the conversion, but glorified God for it. Verse 1 PAUL’S LETTER TO THE Galatians 1 This chapter contains Paul’s salutation (Galatians 1:1-5), the dramatic introduction of his reason for writing the epistle, which was the developing apostasy of the Galatians (Galatians 6-10), a bold defense of his apostleship (Galatians 1:11-17), and the additional evidence of his independence and authority as an apostle (Galatians 1:18-24). Paul an apostle (not from men, neither through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead).(Galatians 1:1) Paul, an apostle… The great apostle to the Gentiles did not always stress his apostleship in the same manner as here; but he did so in letters to churches where he was unknown or where his authority was being questioned, as in the first verse of each of his letters to the Romans, Corinthians, Ephesians and Colossians. “In cases where the churches were thoroughly devoted to him, he dropped it altogether, as in the salutations in Philippians, 1Thessalonians and 2Thessalonians.[1] Of course, false teachers who were stealing the Galatians away from the truth were challenging Paul’s apostleship, making it most appropriate that he should have so vigorously stressed it here. “An apostle is a minister plenipotentiary."[2]Regarding the identity of those who were denying Paul’s apostolic authority among the Galatians, it is clear enough that they were Judaizers, “who were saying that Paul was not an original apostle, and that he derived his teaching from the Twelve."[3]Not from men, neither through man… This does not deny that human agency was involved in Paul’s conversion, for he was baptized by Ananias (Acts 22:12 ff). Sanday observed that: The part of Ananias was too subordinate to introduce a human element into it; and the subsequent “separation” of Paul and Barnabas for their mission to the Gentiles, through the act of the church at Antioch, was dictated by the Holy Spirit, and did not confer a new office or new powers.[4]Furthermore, “The commission itself had first of all been uttered by Christ, not by Ananias."[5]It should be noted that Paul was not here making a distinction between himself and the other true apostles in Jerusalem. “For they did not owe their commission to man any more than he did."[6] The truth affirmed here was two-fold: (a) Paul’s apostleship was on a full equality with that of the Twelve, and (b) it was genuine, as contrasted with that of the false teachers who were operating among the Galatians. Macknight believed that there is also in view here a denial that Paul had been appointed to the apostleship by the Twelve, as had been the case with Matthias. “He seems to have Peter and James in his eye, whom alone he saw at his first coming to Jerusalem after his conversion, and denies that he was appointed an apostle by them."[7]Who raised him from the dead… McGarvey was surely correct in pointing out that by this reference to the resurrection of Christ, “Paul paved the way[8] for the principal theme of the epistle, which is justification through the faith of Jesus Christ, rather than by the Law of Moses. One very hurtful interpretation of this verse is the following: Paul’s commission came neither from a human source nor through man, but directly from and through God… Paul’s gospel rested on his personal relationship with God through Christ, and he was working it out in his own creative way.[9]Such a view would make Paul, not Christ, the author of Christianity, a proposition that Paul vehemently denied. Paul “received” a body of truth from the Lord Jesus Christ; and the gospel he preached is not anything that Paul “worked out” for himself. Not going beyond the things which were written (1 Corinthians 4:6) was a caution which Paul faithfully honored. Paul did not “evolve” his gospel, despite the insinuations to that effect. His gospel was revealed to him from on high.

Furthermore, it was in no manner whatever any different from the gospel already being preached by the Twelve, except in the single particular of extending it to Gentiles. See under Galatians 1:23, below. [1] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1937), p. 946. [2] Sherman N. Ridderbos, The Epistle of Paul to the Churches of Galatia (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1953), p. 40. [3] Henry H. Halley, Halley’s Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1927), p. 559. [4] William Sanday, Ellicott’s Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 426. [5] William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary on Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1968), p. 31. [6] R. A. Cole, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1965), p. 32. [7] James Macknight, Apostolical Epistles with Commentary and Notes (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), p. 107. [8] J. W. McGarvey, The Standard Bible Commentary, Galatians (Cincinnati, Ohio: The Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 249. [9] Raymond T. Stamm, The Interpreter’s Bible (New York: Abingdon Press, 1953), Vol. X, p. 243. Verse 2 And all the brethren that are with me, unto the churches of Galatia, Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.All the brethren… does not imply that Paul had discussed the situation in Galatia with his associates and that they concurred in his admonitions; on the contrary, as Wesley put it, “This phrase must be regarded as belonging exclusively to the greeting, and not to the exhortations which follow it.[10] It is pointless to speculate on the identity of these “brethren.” We simply do not know. Churches of Galatia… It is remarkable that Paul did not address them as churches “of God” or “of Christ,” possibly “because they did not deserve such honorable appellations because of their great defection."[11]However, Paul’s omission of this usual designation does not deny it in their case but merely avoids emphasis of it. For the identity of these congregations, see the introduction. The view being followed in these studies is that they were the churches of southern Galatia, the ones founded on Paul’s first missionary tour. Of deep significance are the tit]es of God and Christ in the third verse. Paul spoke of “the Father” when he had in mind the unique relationship between God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone in the New Testament referred to God as “my” Father, but who also taught his followers to pray “our” Father. Paul often used “our Father” in his epistles (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:3; Philemon 1:3). “Jesus” is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Joshua, meaning Jehovah is salvation, or Jehovah is Saviour; and “Christ” is the Greek rendition of the Hebrew word Messiah, meaning anointed.[12]“Lord” is the translation of a Greek term [@Kurios], and it had at first a number of secondary meanings; but the Christians, from the very first, applied the term to Christ in the sense of absolute Deity. Thus, Thomas said of Christ, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28); Peter on Pentecost preached of Jesus that God had made him “Lord” (Acts 2:36); and again, in the home of Cornelius, said, “He is Lord of all” (Acts 10:36). Paul’s use of “Lord” in the exalted sense in this epistle a bare twenty years after the resurrection of Christ shows that from the very first and reaching far back into the Lord’s personal ministry, the exalted meaning prevailed. Jesus, from the very first, used the title of himself in the sense of the All-Powerful One. Thus, “Many shall say to me in that day (that is, the judgment day), Lord, Lord, etc.” (Matthew 7:22). For more extensive commentary on this title, see the introduction to my Commentary on Luke. [10] John Wesley, One Volume New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1972), in loco. [11] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 108. [12] W. E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1940), 2p. 274, 1p. 190. Verse 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father.Who gave himself… The essential Christian doctrine of Christ’s vicarious sacrifice of himself to save people from sin is here emphasized in order to contrast the true source of salvation in Christ with the false premise of the Judaizers which made redemption to depend upon observing forms and ceremonies of the Law of Moses. In the last clause of this verse, Paul noted that Christ’s giving himself was according to the will of God. For seven centers of initiative in the crucifixion of Christ see my Commentary on Romans 3:25-26. The word “ransom” is used of this sacrifice of Christ in Matthew 28:28; Mark 10:45, and in 1 Timothy 2:6. As Sanday observed, “It was a sacrifice for sinners, wrought in their behalf for their benefit, a sacrifice wrought in their stead.

He suffered in order that they might not suffer."[13] Paul’s stressing this here was for the purpose of “convincing the Galatians that the pardon of sin was not to be obtained by the Levitical atonements, nor by any service prescribed in the Law."[14]Deliver… suggests rescue from a state of utter helplessness. However, the deliverance made possible in Christ is not universally applicable to sinners apart from their response to the gospel. As Howard put it, “Such a rescue is not the universal and automatic consequence of the cross, but is a provided possibility."[15]This present evil world… The world is evil in the sense of its populations being largely dominated by the influence of Satan. As an apostle said, “The whole world lieth in the evil one” (1 John 5:19). This has always been true, but there was a special sense in which the world of Paul’s day was “evil.” The pagan culture of the ancient Roman empire represented the culmination of long centuries of mankind’s turning away from God and walking in darkness. [13] William Sanday, op. cit., p. 427. [14] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 109. [15] R. E. Howard, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1965), Vol. IX, p 40 Verse 5 To whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.The paramount function of all created things is to glorify God. It is true of the material universe. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalms 19:1). It is true of the angels; for when they appeared at the birth of Christ, their song was “Glory to God in the highest” (Luke 2:14). It is even true of all the lower forms of life. And every creature which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing and honor and glory and power be to him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever (Revelation 5:13). Where myriad waterfowl with thunderous wings Ascend to climb dawn’s flaming stair, The oratorio of all created things Is heard upon the morning air. Where velvet footsteps march beneath the shade Of mammoth trees and move along The resinous forest’s colonnade, God hears the thrilling Glory Song. Where countless life-forms teem the ocean floor, Is sung God’s glory in the sea, A mighty chorus shore to shore To justify their right to be. Where Pleiades and Morning Star adorn The arch of heaven, even there, From Creation’s birthday morn, God’s glory sings, and !

• James Burton Coffman, 1962 Since the very purpose of man’s existence is to glorify God, it follows that when man circumvents or countermands this purpose, he forfeits his right to live. Man cannot rise in his own strength alone, but must place his hand in the hand of his Creator, and like Enoch of old, learn to walk with God. How profound is the thought that man at last may attain eternal fellowship with the Father. What joys unspeakable are implied in this! Amen… As Cole observed: Amen, like Hosanna, Hallelujah, Maranatha and Abba, is one of the “fossilized survivals” of Hebrew and Aramaic language of worship, transmitted through the New Testament Greek-speaking church to the later Latin-speaking church, and ultimately to most languages of earth[16]For further comment on “Amen,” see my Commentary on Hebrews 13:25. ENDNOTE: [16] R. A. Cole, op. cit., p. 37. Verse 6 I marvel that ye are so quickly removing from him that called you in the grace of Christ unto a different gospel.Hendriksen pointed out that it was Paul’s manner to commend before he began to condemn”;[17] but there is nothing like that here. In the very place where commendation was usually written, Paul thundered his indignant astonishment at a fully developed and continuing apostasy of his beloved converts among the Galatians. As Wesley said, “The Greek word here rendered marvel usually expressed surprise at something blameworthy."[18]Ye are so quickly removing… The present tense indicates that the defection of the Galatians was well under way and still going on. There are several possible meanings of this clause: (a) It refers to moral speed,[19] that is, they were more quickly accepting the false teaching than they had accepted the gospel at first; (b) it means, “So soon after Paul’s visit to them”;[20] or (c) it means, “So soon after their conversion.” There is no certain way to know exactly what shade of meaning Paul had in mind; and, for this reason, it is precarious to build a theory regarding the date of this epistle on any alleged meaning of this clause. The reason why Paul speedily moved to attack and destroy the rampant heresy involved a number of facts, the details of which he would set forth in the bulk of the epistle. As Coad said, “The new teaching was retrograde, a return to bondage (Galatians 5:1)."[21] To surrender to the Judaizers was to negate the glory of the cross of Christ and to make the death of Christ on Calvary of no effect. It should be constantly borne in mind that the error Galatians was designed to correct was that of grafting Judaism into Christianity. There is absolutely nothing in this letter which may legitimately be construed as the stressing of “faith only” as opposed to “faith and obedience” as proclaimed in the Christian gospel from the beginning. Paul was not here giving a revised Christian doctrine, but defending the true doctrine already known and preached, from the encroachments of Judaism. Some of the comment one encounters regarding Galatians misses this very important point. [17] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 37. [18] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco. [19] J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 250. [20] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco. [21] F. Roy Coad, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 446. Verse 7 Which is not another gospel; only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.This verse should be read in close connection with the previous one. Regarding the exact meaning, Ramsay preferred as the simplest and best, “that which the English Revised Version (1885) gives in the margin,"[22]giving the thought thus: “A different gospel which is nothing else save that there are some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” There is no hint in this passage that Paul actually considered Judaism “another gospel” in any genuine sense. See note regarding “Another Gospel” at end of this chapter. A sample of the erroneous and irresponsible comment foisted upon this passage is the following: (The false teaching) was surely a teaching according to which men are saved through faith plus law-works, a perversion of the true gospel which proclaims the glad tidings of salvation (by grace) through faith alone.[23]Such a view is untrue, misleading, and anti-Scriptural. A New Testament writer flatly declared that people are not justified “by faith alone” (James 2:24); and no scholar has a right to contradict the New Testament. Note the expression “law-works,” used to make it appear that Paul belittled the Christian ordinances; but it is not Christian ordinances and commands which Paul was denouncing, but works of the Law of Moses. We have reason to be thankful for brilliant scholars like R. E. Howard who spoke out against the heresy that people attempted to import into this passage, saying: The logical implication of justification by faith alone is antinomianism, against which Paul vehemently objected… His repeated warning that wrong living excluded men from God’s kingdom should leave no doubt as to his attitude… The new faith provided the only adequate means for ethical conduct, rather than absolving men from that responsibility.[24]Any person familiar with the meaning of ordinary words must know that salvation “by faith alone” means salvation without obeying the Christian ordinances, without holiness, without moral conduct, without respect for any Christian duty, without the church and without the new birth or anything else. Such is the meaning of the word “alone” or its equivalent “only.” The only religious error ever known which rivals that of so-called salvation “by faith only” is the Christian Science proposition that there is no pain, sickness or death! Them that trouble you… Vine stated that the word thus rendered by this verse means “subverting the souls of believers by evil doctrine."[25] The exact characteristics of the evil teaching going on among the Galatians were gleaned from this epistle by David Lipscomb thus: It puts in bondage (Galatians 2:4), causes entanglement (Galatians 5:1), could not bring justification (Galatians 2:16), or freedom (Galatians 5:1); it made Christ of no profit (Galatians 5:2), and it made the death of Christ, which is the very essence of the gospel, a superfluous thing of no account (Galatians 2:21); and in addition to providing no blessing whatever, it puts men under a curse (Galatians 3:10); and all who accepted it fell from grace (Galatians 5:4)[26][22] William M. Ramsay, A Historical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1965), p. 264. [23] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 40. [24] R. E. Howard, op. cit., p. 23. [25] W. E. Vine, op. cit., 4p. 157. [26] David Lipscomb, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, Vol. III, p. 190. Verse 8 But though we or an angel from heaven, should preach unto you any gospel, other than that which we preached unto you, let him be anathema.Paul’s indignation here stood upon the very highest ground. “It is not on account of antagonism to himself, but antagonism to the truth. Though he himself should fall away from it, the truth must still be supreme."[27]In fact, supposing that he himself should defect from the truth, Paul invoked upon his own head the curse of God. An angel from heaven… McGarvey pointed out that the word of Christ was superior to that of angels who had ministered the old covenant, and “The sayings of Jesus were weightier than the words of angels in this very respect."[28] This probably accounts for Paul injecting the thought of angels into this passage. Also, as Cole said, “Paul may be using this word to show them the possibility of Satan himself appearing as an angel of light to deceive them."[29] It will be remembered that when Peter proposed to Christ the elimination of the cross, our Lord said, “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Mark 8:33). Anathema… Some have sought to soften the meaning of this word, but there can be no doubt that it is the strongest curse that can be uttered, having the meaning of “yielded up to the wrath of God, surrendered to the curse of God."[30]The gospel which we preached… It is a gross error to suppose that Paul’s gospel was different from that proclaimed by all the Twelve, although it is true that Paul had a more accurate understanding of its being for Gentiles and not restricted to Jews only. Paul wrote, “According to my gospel” (Romans 2:16); but he meant it was his in the sense of “my God” (Philippians 4:9) and “my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). Of the same gospel, he wrote that it is “our gospel”; (2 Thessalonians 2:14). In Galatians 1:23, Paul’s gospel was exactly the same gospel that was being preached by others while he was yet a persecutor.

Thus, “Paul was referring to his gospel in opposition to all counterfeits,"[31] especially persistent Judaism. Even here, Paul did not say, “the gospel I preach,” but “the gospel we preach.” Dummelow affirmed that the “we,” both here and in the following verse, is epistolary;[32] but it seems mandatory to read it as Paul’s conscious intention of including the other apostles as also being preachers of the true gospel. In later historical times, “anathema” came to refer to excommunication by ecclesiastical authority; but “this curse may not be thought of as anything like that; after all, an angel too is hypothetically involved."[33] No angel was ever subject to ecclesiastical discipline. [27] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco. [28] J. W. McGarvey, op. cit., p. 251. [29] R. A. Cole, op. cit., p. 42. [30] Herman N. Ridderbos, op. cit., p. 50. [31] Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings from Paul (Chicago: Moody Press, 1967), p. 49. [32] J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 947. [33] Herman N. Ridderbos, op. cit., p. 50. Verse 9 As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preacheth unto you any gospel other than that which ye received, let him be anathema.In this verse Paul applied the curse concretely to the false teachers operating among the Galatians at that very moment. This verse is not a curse upon some hypothetical violator, but upon the guilty perverters preaching error at that very moment. This progression from the general to the specific dramatically emphasized the fatal danger of surrendering to Judaism. Verse 10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ.Seeking the favor of men… Paul brought into view in these words the bitter human opposition that accompanied his preaching everywhere he went. “His patient endurance made manifest that he was a genuine minister of Christ.[34] “Paul here showed the utter inconsistency of service of men (in sense of trying to curry favor).[35]If I were still pleasing men… The adverb here “marks the contrast between his position before and since conversion.[36] Yes, when Paul was a Pharisee, he attempted to serve God and please people at the same time, but no such thing was possible for the Christian apostle. Servant of Christ… The word actually means “bondservant” or “slave”; and with Paul it was no pious pretense. He truly served the Lord. [34] Arthur W. Pink, op. cit., p. 74. [35] R. A. Cole, op. cit., p. 45. [36] W. J. Conybeare, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1966), p. 480. Verse 11 For I make known unto you, brethren, as touching the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not after man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.Paul’s affirmation that he possessed a personal revelation from the Lord of glory which had endowed him with full and complete knowledge of the gospel was indeed bold and astonishing. It cannot be wondered that some of his contemporaries were concerned about whether or not he could be trusted in this; but it should always be borne in mind that the great miracles which the apostle Paul performed all over the Roman Empire confirmed and authenticated his message. There has not arisen another like him since New Testament times. None of the so-called “inspired” leaders of current times is worthy to be compared with Paul. As Howard expressed it: The revelation of the written word is unique. It is terminal and not continuous. Paul’s audacious claims were fully substantiated by the Holy Spirit. Our task is not to add to the written revelation, but to understand it and explain it.[37]Of course, Paul would at once offer proof to substantiate so bold a declaration; and, first of all, he appealed to the record which was open and to be read by all people concerning what the gospel had wrought in his own amazing life. ENDNOTE: [37] R. E. Howard, op. cit., p. 34. Verse 13 For ye have heard of my manner of life in times past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it: and I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of mine own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.In these two verses, “Paul was saying that no human persuasion could ever have been able to impart the gospel to such a confirmed and ferocious persecutor.[38] Only the power of God could have done such a thing. And what was that power? It was noted above that the Spirit of God through the enabling of power to work miracles had confirmed the fact of Paul’s having the revelation from Christ (Galatians 1:12); but it should be carefully noted that the Holy Spirit did not convey the revelation, for that was done personally by Christ. The function of the Holy Spirit, even in the Twelve, was not that of conveying God’s truth to them, but that of helping them remember the truth Christ conveyed; and the same fact is in evidence with reference to the revelation Paul had received from Christ, not from the Holy Spirit. See extensive comment on this exceedingly important truth in my Commentary on John 16:13. The Lord revealed that the Holy Spirit “shall not speak of himself’ (John 16:13), meaning that power to convey gospel truth did not reside in the Third Person of the Godhead. There were limitations upon the Second Person during his incarnation (Matthew 24:36); and, similarly, there were limitations upon the Spirit’s power in human beings. The proposition that the Holy Spirit operated upon Paul directly, independently of the word which Christ delivered to humanity, is a contradiction of everything in the New Testament. If the Spirit could have done such a thing, it would not have been necessary at all for Christ to come into this world in the first place, nor would it have been necessary for him to appear personally to Saul of Tarsus. Paul received a full knowledge of the gospel in exactly the same manner as the Twelve received it, from Christ himself, as Paul affirmed inGalatians 1:12; and the function of the Holy Spirit in Paul was to enable Paul to remember all that Jesus said, exactly as in the case of the Twelve (John 14:26). Since the personal appearance of Christ to Saul of Tarsus, and later to John the apostle, in all ages since, the Holy Spirit has never conveyed a single new truth to any person whomsoever; and, as always, the Spirit’s function even in those instances was to enable truth to be remembered and not to convey it. So-called “spirituals” in our own times have nothing except the sacred Scripture; because, if they did have truth to convey to others, the Spirit of God would confirm it with the power to do “signs and wonders and mighty deeds,” as he did in the case of Paul and the Twelve. They were guided into “all truth” (John 16:13). I persecuted the church… This went even further than many Pharisees were willing to go. “The ravening wolf of Benjamin”[39] was “laying waste the church.” Paul here declared “ye have heard” of this, indicating the notorious nature of his conduct, and also, perhaps, that “He brought his own career and experience into his preaching (as in this epistle), so that they may have heard it from his own lips."[40] Paul’s persecution of the church was totally the equivalent of persecuting Christ personally (Acts 22:8). Cole elaborated on this thus: Opposition to the church is not only opposition to Jesus the Messiah… It is opposition to God, who in the Old Testament had chosen Israel as his “company,” and who now has chosen the Christian church, whether Jew or Gentile.[41]The Jews’ religion… “The Judaism,” as it is in the Greek, includes both the divine original as conveyed through Moses and the prophets and also that incredibly large body of traditions and elaborations of it which had been added by the religious hierarchy of Israel, the latter coming in time to surpass (in their eyes) the importance of the God-given law itself, making it “of no effect” (Mark 7:13; Matthew 15:6). Paul’s here speaking of Judaism as something apart from Christianity shows that within two decades after the resurrection of Christ the term had become synonymous with opposition to Christianity. However, since Jews were the first Christians and have always been welcome to accept Christ, the term “Jews,” as used here and extensively in John, has religious rather than racial overtones. The blunder of the Medieval church in blurring this distinction is one of the great tragedies of all time. Some scholars, including Lipscomb, believed that Paul here referred exclusively to the Pharisaical additions to God’s law; but it is an obvious truth that he exceeded his countrymen in knowledge of the divine law itself, as evidenced by his writings. Church of God… Paul also referred to the community of believers as the church of Christ; and apparently the reason for making it “church of God” in this place was to emphasize that the church was not merely of Christ but also, in view of Christ’s oneness and equality with God (a fact the Judaizers at work among the Galatians would deny), the Christians were “the congregation of God,"[42] no less than being the church of Christ. Exceedingly zealous …; Acts 9:1 and Acts 22:4 reveal the murderous and fanatical persecution Paul mounted against Christianity, resulting in the death of “both men and women.” Paul’s hatred of the church sprang from the vivid accuracy with which he saw the true nature of Judaism, the typical forms and ceremonies of which are simply irreconcilable with Christianity. The very heart of the sacred Law itself was typical and preparatory by nature; and Paul’s favorite words regarding it were: “abrogated, done away, taken away, annulled, etc.” It was this aspect of Christianity, truly understood, which so antagonized and enraged Saul of Tarsus. As soon as he accepted Christ, he accepted the very first corollary of the faith, that as far as worshipping Almighty God is concerned, it is all over and done with for Judaism. [38] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 52. [39] Everett F. Harrison, Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 695. [40] William Sanday, op. cit., p. 430. [41] R. A. Cole, op. cit., p. 49. [42] The Emphatic Diaglott (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society), in loco. Verse 15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother’s womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood; neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia, and again I returned unto Damascus.The whole burden of Paul’s defense of his apostleship in this and in Galatians 2 was summarized thus by Hayes: I was an apostle before I ever saw an apostle; I was recognized as an equal by the apostles the first time they ever met me or heard what gospel I preached … I have preached it with the official sanction of the apostles, and I have preached it in defiance of the apostles (Galatians 2:14). I am an apostle of God, and my gospel is the gospel of God.[43]The revelation which Jesus Christ gave personally to Paul was exactly the same as that given to the Twelve. Paul did not claim superiority to them but equality with them, and that implies the equality of the revelation to himself with that of the Twelve. Since the three verses above concern the source of Paul’s revelation, there is a strong inference that Arabia was the place where Christ met him to expound the truth of the gospel. It could also have been there that Paul experienced the visit (whether in the body or out of it being unknown) to the third heaven and to Paradise. It should be carefully noted that the revelation did not “flash into Paul’s mind,” as some claim; but it was conveyed personally by Jesus Christ our Lord. Called me through his grace… It was not the Holy Spirit which called Paul, for Paul himself taught that the Spirit was an endowment only of those already sons of God; and, as always in the New Testament, the call of God means God’s invitation accepted. Paul became a Son of God in the same manner as all Christians, by believing, repenting, confessing Christ and being baptized into him (Acts 22:16). I conferred not with flesh and blood… Tenney noted that this is a figure of speech, called synecdoche, in which some significant and essential part is used to identify the whole.[44] The meaning is, “I did not confer with any human being.” Sanday also detected a special meaning in “conferred,” as used here. “The Greek word contains the idea of taking counsel in a personal interview, much as we now use the word apply in the phrase to apply to a person."[45] Paul did not apply to the Twelve for permission to accept his call from Christ to the apostleship. Nothing of the length of time Paul spent in Arabia is known except that from the time of his conversion at Damascus and his preaching in that city for an undetermined length of time, until his escape from the plot under Aretas, was three years, including the sojourn in Arabia. [43] D. A. Hayes, Paul and His Epistles (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1915, reprint 1969), p. 293. [44] Merrill C. Tenney, Galatians the Charter of Christian Liberty (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), p. 138. [45] William Sanday, op. cit., p. 431. Verse 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days.This and the following verses were added by Paul as an explanation of what he had just said and to checkmate any denial of it by any one who might have known about the trip in view here. He noted that it was three whole years after he had become a preaching apostle and that even then he saw only Peter and James, the purpose being in no sense whatever to apply to them or to complete his knowledge of the gospel, but just in order to become acquainted. Ramsay says the word “visit” here was “used by those who go to see great and famous cities."[46] He also quoted Lightfoot and Chrysostom as maintaining the same thing. So Paul went to see two of the most distinguished persons in the early church in the same way one would go to see any celebrity. John Wesley also insisted that the word “implied the desire to see a celebrity."[47] That so busy and distinguished a person as Peter would have devoted an entire fifteen days to Paul shows that he received and entertained him as an equal, and not merely as some appellant seeking a favor. [46] William M. Ramsay, op. cit., p. 283. [47] John Wesley, op. cit., in loco. Verse 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’ s brother. Now touching the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.Save James … The frequent persecutions might have caused the other apostles to be absent from the city; or they might have been engaged in various preaching missions in Judea. Later, even Peter was forced to flee the city. The Lord’s brother … This was one of the persons mentioned as brothers and sister of Jesus, children born to Mary and Joseph subsequent to the birth of Christ (Matthew 13:55). For detailed comment see my Commentary on Matthew 1:24. He became the official leader of the congregation in Jerusalem; nevertheless, his being called an apostle here must be understood (a) either as a complimentary title bestowed upon him by the early church due to his close personal relation to Jesus, or (b) because he was an apostle in the secondary sense, like Barnabas. James was not a plenary apostle like the Twelve and Paul. Before God, I lie not… Paul considered the information he conveyed here as paramount in importance and appealed to God who knows the hearts of all people, indicating the absolute truth and sincerity of his words. Verse 21 Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.It is hard to be patient with commentators who find some big “difficulty” in equating what is said here with the Lukan account in Acts, where it is related that the brethren, fearing for Paul’s life, “brought him down to Caesarea and sent him forth to Tarsus” (Acts 9:30). There is no difficulty. Tarsus is the chief city of Cilicia; and that was exactly where Luke says Barnabas found Paul and brought him to Antioch, the capital of Syria; and the fact of the order of Paul’s going to those places (in Acts) was Cilicia and Syria, whereas here, it is Syria and Cilicia, is nothing but a quibble. Since it had been at Antioch in Syria where Paul had bestowed the new name on the followers of Christ (Acts 11:26), and as Antioch was the sponsoring congregation who sent him forth on his mission to the Gentiles, it was only natural that Syria should have been mentioned ahead of Cilicia in this place. Verse 22 And I was still unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ.There is a distinction between Judea and Jerusalem. In all probability, Paul would not have been in that city some two or three Lord’s days without visiting the church there; but, as the Jews were trying to kill him, it could be that he had attended worship as inconspicuously as possible. No matter how one reads it, what Paul said here was true. In Christ… As often pointed out in this series of commentaries, this is one of the most meaningful phrases in the New Testament. Stamm noted that “It is Paul’s most unique phrase, being used 164 times in Paul’s letters."[48] John Mackay placed the number at 169.[49] Most commentators either ignore it altogether or, after noting it, give no adequate evaluation of it. Therefore, the following from Ridderbos is especially welcome: As a matter of fact, this in Christ represents, in a remarkable and comprehensive way, the whole profound view which Paul unfolds in his letters concerning the significance for believers of the salvation that has appeared in Christ. [50]Without exception, all Christians are those, and those only, who have been “baptized into Christ.” For extensive discussions of this exceedingly important premise, see my Commentary on Romans 3:22[48] Raymond T. Stamm, op. cit., p. 464. [49] John Mackay, God’s Order (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1953), p. 97. [50] Herman N. Ridderbos, op. cit., p. 72. Verse 23 But they only heard say, He that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc.Nothing in the New Testament more emphatically nails down the fact that Paul did not “bring a brand-new way of salvation.” The gospel he preached was exactly the truth he persecuted. The conflict which underlies Paul’s extensive writings on faith vs. law is not a conflict between two ways of understanding the gospel; but it is a conflict between the one faith vs. the Law of Moses as interpreted by the Judaizers who made keeping it necessary and essential unto salvation (Acts 15:1). If one might be permitted to speculate upon the reason why Almighty God moved to supplement the personnel of the original Twelve by the addition of Paul, the reason must be sought in the fact that in one essential particular the Twelve did not fully comprehend the absolute freedom (a term Paul himself used to describe the break in Romans 7:1 ff) of Christianity from the totality of Judaism. That God Almighty could not allow, no matter what miracles were involved in order to prevent it. Paul was surely one of those miracles. Paul never went beyond Jesus’ revelation to the Twelve, except in the application of the gospel to all people, and to Gentiles in particular, instead of merely to the Jews. The reason Paul was able to do that did not derive from any difference in Christ’s revelation to himself and to the Twelve; for they had all received the same revelation Paul was given. Peter, for example, on Pentecost had plainly declared that the gospel was for “them that are afar off,” obviously meaning Gentiles. The thing that enabled Paul more readily and effectively to apply this truth (although all of the apostles eventually succeeded in doing so) was his greater knowledge of the Old Testament, and in addition, many elements in the personality of the man himself. Dummelow’s comment on this verse is illustrative of the type of thinking that often clutters the minds of scholars on this question. He wrote: “Preacheth the faith proclaims the necessity of trust in Christ as the sole essential to salvation!"[51] Indeed, indeed! Paul was preaching the same gospel Peter preached, and Peter commanded believers to “repent and be baptized” in order to receive the remission of sins (Acts 2:38); and this verse is an affirmation that Paul preached exactly the same gospel. ENDNOTE: [51] J. R. Dummelow, op. cit., p. 948. Verse 24 And they glorified God in me.For thoughts regarding the glory of God, see under Galatians 1:5. As Pink said, “To honor that blessed One whose we are and whom we serve, to so conduct myself that fellow saints glorify God in me, that is to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things (Titus 2:10)."[52] Ridderbos commented on the fact that the churches of Judea glorified God in Paul, despite their having suffered so much at his hands “How different the attitude among the Galatians who had received only good from him."[53] Such is the mystery of human behavior. Cole accurately pointed out the reason why those in Judea glorified God in Paul. They recognized his gospel at once as that which they had preached.[54] ANOTHER GOSPELPaul’s times were not unique in producing advocates of “another gospel,” which in reality is “no gospel,” but falsehood. Some advocate the gospel of salvation by morality, supposing that the only requirement for eternal life is to live respectably before one’s contemporaries. Others advocate the gospel of an infallible church, whereas no church was ever infallible, not even any that were founded, or planted, by the apostles themselves, as detailed in the first chapters of Revelation. Still others preach the gospel of salvation by faith only, notwithstanding the fact that such a so-called gospel is anti-Scriptural, delusive, deceitful and contrary to everything in the New Testament. The great fad of our own times is the gospel of humanism, which deifies man himself, leaves the Son of God completely out of consideration, and equates humanitarian and charitable works with God’s unqualified approval, despite the truth that no present-day humanitarian may lay claim to any better service than that rendered by Cornelius, who was a lost man until he obeyed the gospel. Contrasting with all such false gospels is the only one true and eternal gospel of Jesus Christ revealed in the New Testament; and if one desires to know what it is and receive its blessings, he must find it here, and having found it: (a) believe the great facts it reveals, (b) obey its commandments, and (c) receive its glorious promises! Amen! [52] Arthur W. Pink, op. cit., p. 231. [53] Herman N. Ridderbos, op. cit., p. 74. [54] R. A. Cole, op. cit., p. 59.

“THE EPISTLE TO THE "

Chapter One

IN THIS CHAPTER

1. To understand the divine origin of Paul’s apostleship

2. To appreciate the danger of twisting the gospel of Christ

SUMMARY Paul begins his letter to the churches of Galatia immediately addressing a key issue of the epistle: that he is an apostle “not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ…” (Galatians 1:1). Joined by unnamed brethren, he sends grace and peace from God and Christ, making reference to the deliverance made possible by Jesus’ death for our sins in keeping with God’s will (Galatians 1:2-4). This in turns leads to a short doxology (Galatians 1:5).

Without any thanksgiving or prayer for his recipients as found in other epistles, Paul expresses his amazement that they are so soon turning to a different gospel being offered by those who wish to pervert the gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:6-7). This is followed by a condemnation repeated for emphasis of anyone, even an apostle or angel, who would preach a different gospel than they had already received (Galatians 1:8-9). Strong words, yes, but as a servant of Christ Paul is seeking to please God, not man (Galatians 1:10).

The gospel preached by Paul was being twisted by those who challenged his authority as an apostle. Therefore Paul proceeds to defend both the gospel and his apostleship by stressing that his gospel was by revelation, and not from man (Galatians 1:11-12). As evidence, Paul relates his conduct prior to his conversion, and how by the grace of God he was called to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Galatians 1:13-14). That his gospel was not from man is supported by the scarcity of opportunities he had to be around Peter or the other apostles (Galatians 1:15-20). In the early years after his conversion, most of his time was spent in Syria and Cilicia, with the churches of Judea knowing Paul only by what they heard. And what they heard led them to glorify God (Galatians 1:21-24)!

OUTLINE

I. (Galatians 1:1-10) A. (Galatians 1:1-5)1. From Paul, an apostle, and those with him, to the churches of Galatia (Galatians 1:1-2) 2. With a desire for them to have grace and peace from God and Jesus (Galatians 1:3) 3. With mention of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, designed to deliver us from this evil age, in keeping with God’s will, to Whom be glory forever (Galatians 1:4-5)

B. REASON FOR THE LETTER (Galatians 1:6-10)1. He is amazed that they are turning from the One who called them in the grace of Christ, to a different and perverted gospel (Galatians 1:6-7) 2. A repeated condemnation against anyone (man, apostle, or angel) who would preach a different gospel than what they had already received (Galatians 1:8-9) 3. Strong words, yes, but coming from one who seeks to serve Christ, not man (Galatians 1:10)

II. PAUL’S DEFENSE OF HIS (Galatians 1:11-24) A. THE DIVINE ORIGIN OF HIS GOSPEL (Galatians 1:11-17)1. His gospel was not according to man, or from man, but directly from Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12) 2. A review of his conduct in Judaism prior to conversion (Galatians 1:13-14) 3. Upon his conversion, an act of Divine revelation itself, he did not confer with man, especially the apostles in Jerusalem (Galatians 1:15-17 a) 4. But went to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus (Galatians 1:17 b)

B. HIS WITH OTHER (Galatians 1:18-24)1. After three years he went to Jerusalem to see Peter, and only then for fifteen days (Galatians 1:18) a. He saw none of the other apostles, except James, the Lord’s brother (Galatians 1:19) b. With a solemn declaration he affirms these things to be true (Galatians 1:20) 2. Then he went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia (Galatians 1:21) a. Remaining unknown by face to the churches of Judea (Galatians 1:22) b. They heard only of his preaching brought about by his conversion, and they glorified God in him (Galatians 1:23-24)

REVIEW FOR THE CHAPTER

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

• Introduction (Galatians 1:1-10)
• Paul’s defense of his apostleship (Galatians 1:11-24)

2. In identifying himself as an apostle, what point does Paul stress? (Galatians 1:1)

• It was not from men nor through man
• But through Jesus Christ and God the Father

3. To whom is this epistle written? (Galatians 1:2)

• To the churches of Galatia

4. Why did Jesus give Himself for our sins? (Galatians 1:4)

• That He might deliver us from this present evil age

5. Why did Paul marvel? (Galatians 1:6)

• That the Galatians were turning away so soon from God to a different gospel

6. What were those who were troubling them actually doing? (Galatians 1:7)

• Seeking to pervert the gospel of Christ

7. What does Paul say of those who would preach a different gospel? (Galatians 1:8-9)

• Let them be accursed

8. Who was Paul seeking to please? Why? (Galatians 1:10)

• God, not man
• Otherwise he would not be a servant of Christ

9. What does Paul stress about the gospel he preached? (Galatians 1:11-12)

• It is not according to man (neither received from man, nor was taught it)
• It came through the revelation of Jesus Christ

10. What did Paul remind them concerning his former conduct in Judaism? (Galatians 1:13-14)

• How he persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it
• How he advanced in Judaism beyond many of his contemporaries

11. Why did God call Paul and reveal His Son in him? (Galatians 1:15-16)

• To preach Christ among the Gentiles

12. Where did Paul NOT go after his conversion? (Galatians 1:17)

• To Jerusalem and the apostles who were there

13. How long was it before Paul saw any of the apostles in Jerusalem? Which ones did he see? (Galatians 1:18-19)

• Three years
• Peter, and James, the Lord’s brother

14. Where did he go then? (Galatians 1:21)

• The regions of Syria and Cilicia

15. What three things are said about Paul’s connection with the churches of Judea? (Galatians 1:22-24)

• He was unknown by face to them
• They were only hearing about his preaching
• They glorified God because of Paul

Questions by E.M. Zerr On Galatians 1

1. Was man responsible for Paul’ s apostleship?
2. What fact proved Christ the Son of God?
3. Whom does Paul associate with him in this epistle?
4. To whom is the epistle addressed ?
5. How does this differ from previous epistles?
6. In what continent is this province?
7. State the usual benediction wished by Paul.
8. For what did Christ give himself?
9. To deliver us from what?
10. Was this to take us out of this world?
11. How could we be delivered from it?
12. In so doing whose will would be accomplished?
13. State the endurance of his gloTy.
14. Was Paul satisfied with conditions ?
15. From what had they been removed?
16. Unto what have they been influenced?
17. How “ another” and yet not “ another” Gospel?
18. State if there had been outside influences.
19. What would they do to the Gospel of Christ?
20. Who has right to preach another Gospel ?
21. Are any exceptions made for angels?
22. State the fate of those preaching another.
23. How does Paul emphasize this warning ?
24. Whose persuasion does he seek?
25. When could he not be the servant of Christ ?
26. State the certificate he gives the Galatians.
27. What had man to do in giving Paul the Gospel?
28. By what means was it taught to him ?
29. Of what had they heard?
30. In what book may we also hear of this ?
31. What is meant by “ conversation” ?
32. Tell what he did to the Church of God.
33. How well did he progress in Jews’ religion?
34. Of what was he zealous?
35. What is meant by such doctrines?
36. What was God’ s pleasure concerning Paul?
37. How was he called?
38. What was wished to be revealed through him ?
39. What conference did he refuse to have?
40. In what way could he have had such conference ?
41. Hid he go to Jerusalem to begin preaching?
42. What does he say about Arabia?
43. When did he go to Jerusalem ?
44. With whom did he make a stay?
45. Did he make a general visit at this time?
46. Whose brother did he meet this time?
47. To whose knowledge does he refer his claims?
48. Into what regions did he afterward come?
49. In what sense was he unknown?
50. Ill what respect was he known of all people?
51. What did it cause in them?

Galatians 1:1

General remarks. The preceding three epistles of Paul were written to single congregations, and they were located in Europe. The present one was sent to a group of churches in a certain district called Galatia. It was a part of Asia Minor, which in turn was a part of the continent of Asia. Paul had labored among these churches and at one time a warm personal attachment had been formed between them. There were some Jews in these churches, but for the most part they were Gentiles.

The principal reason for the epistle was to counteract the evil teaching of some Judaizers who were troubling the churches. These were Jews who tried to induce Gentile Christians to take up the ordinances of the law of Moses, particularly the rite of circumcision. This disturbance was in evidence in many parts of the Roman Empire where Christianity had been planted (Acts 15:1-2; Colossians 2:16-23, and others), but the present epistle is directed to the territory in Galatia, doubtless because Paul was so dis-pointed over the reversal of conditions there. Galatians 1:1. Apostle is from , and Thayer defines it as follows: “A delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders.” If the word is to have any special application it will need to be determined by the connection in which it is used. For instance, if a man is sent out merely on the authority of men, then such an apostle would have human authority only. Hence Paul considers that point when he says here that his apostleship is not of men neither by men. His divine call to the office had been questioned by some of his critics operating in Galatia. The same situation appears to have existed elsewhere. (See 1 Corinthians 9:1-2.) Who raised him from the dead.

This fact gives force to the authority of Paul, for God would not have raised Jesus from the dead had he not been his Son. The apostolic call, therefore, which Jesus gave to Paul, came ultimately from God.

Galatians 1:2

Galatians 1:2. Brethren which are with me. These brethren had no authority in connection with this letter; they did not even take part In the writing of it (chapter 6:11). The phrase means they Joined the apostle in friendly salutation to the churches.

Galatians 1:3

Galatians 1:3. This expression of well-wishing occurs at the beginning of every me of Paul’s epistles with the excention of Hebrews. It is not a mere sentimental statement but contains some fundamental truths. Grace is from CHARTS, and one part of Thayer’s definition is, “kindness which bestows unon one what he has not deserved.” This phase of the word explains why the apostle specifies that it is the grace from God he is wishing for his brethren, since all of God’s favors are bestowed upon man only through the Lord Jesus Christ. That is because the sacrifice of Christ provided the way for God to maintain his justice and at the same time extend this unmerited favor to humanity. (See the notes at Romans 3:26, volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.) Peace is from EIRENE, and the outstanding definition in Thayer’s lexicon is, “peace between individuals, i. e., harmony, concord, security, safety, prosperity.” It is significant that Paul ascribes this favor to God and Christ, for they are the only Beings who can assure it to man in the face of unnumbered difficulties besetting an existence on the earth. And such a favor will be granted only to those who model their lives according to the will of the Lord. Such a life will assure one of being at peace with God, though it may not always have such a result with mankind. (See Romans 12:18.)

Galatians 1:4

Galatians 1:4. The churches of Macedonia were praised for their liberal support of the brethren in Christ (2 Corinthians 8:5), and their devotion is accounted for partly by the fact that they “first gave their own selves to the Lord.” The same motive is ascribed to Christ in his sacrifice for mankind, namely, he gave himself for our sins. Many people are willing to bestow some favor upon others if it does not require any personal inconvenience upon themselves. And it is usually even then in a case where the person to be bene-fitted is “a worthy individual.” But Jesus made his supreme sacrifice for the sins of the world. Furthermore, this favor from Christ was not with the motive that the ones benefited might be placed in a condition where they could “return the favor” upon their benefactor; it was to deliver them from this present evil world; that is, rescue them from the evil influences and results of the present world or age.

Galatians 1:5

Galatians 1:5. Whom refers to the Father in the preceding verse. For ever and ever is an emphatic way of saying that God deserves to reecive glory without end. Amen is explained at Romans 16:24, in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.

Galatians 1:6

Galatians 1:6. Up to this place the verses constitute Paul’s introduction for his epistle. He now begins on the main subject of the letter, namely, the corruptions that had entered among the churches of Galatia through the activities of Judaizers. The reader should again consult the comments on these false teachers in “general remarks” at the beginning of this epistle. Him that called you refers to God (1 Corinthians 1:9), who had called them by the preaching of Paul, to receive the grace or favor of Christ. So soon removed indicates the fickleness of these brethren, for it had not been such a long time since they had been taught the truth.

Gospel is always from EUAG-GELION, and its primary meaning according to Thayer is, “good tidings,” and it can have special applications only by the connection in which it is used. Hence if some pretended good news should be offered to persons, it would be a form of gospel regardless of whether it were true or false. That explains why Paul uses the phrase another gospel. The first word is from HETEROS, which means another kind of gospel or supposed good news. The false doctrine was the claim that Christians could obtain salvation by observing the ordinances of the law of Moses, especially that of circumcision; this is clearly shown in Acts 15:1. But since such “good news” was false, Paul calls it another kind of gospel.

Galatians 1:7

Galatians 1:7. This verse might seem to contradict the preceding one, but the explanation is in the difference between the original words for another. (See verse 6 for the meaning of the word in that instance.) In this verse the word is from ALLOS, which means another something of the same kind. As there is but one true Gospel, there cannot be another like it or of the same kind. That is why Paul says this doctrine that the Judaizers were giving was not another Gospel like the one he was preaching; and for a good reason, for there is no other like it. To pervert the Gospel means to corrupt it by mixing it with something else. The Judaizers were trying to combine the law of Moses with that of Christ, and in so doing Paul charges them with perverting the Gospel, and it was causing trouble for those who otherwise had been faithful.

Galatians 1:8

Galatians 1:8. We have seen that some people questioned the apostleship of Paul (verse 1); on the other hand, some Judaizers charged that he was advocating the practice of circumcision as a religious necessity (chapter 5:11). A pretext for such a false claim may have been drawn from the fact that Paul had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3), disregarding the fact that Timothy had Jewish blood in his veins, and thus had a right to it from a national standpoint. (See the comments at that place in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.) However, even if Paul did preach such a false doctrine, that would not make it right but instead he would be under the curse of God. Angels from heaven were never permitted to preach the terms of salvation to any human individual, much less would they dare preach a gospel that contradicted the inspired one given by Paul.

Galatians 1:9

Galatians 1:9. To emphasize his warning against the false teacher, Paul refers to what he had taught them at a previous time. Said before is from PROEI-PON, which Thayer defines at this place, “to say before, i. e., heretofore, formerly.” Robinson defines it, “to have said before, to have already declared.” Hence it could not be intimated that Paul’s present warning was some new idea of his. We know Paul had been among them before and had delivered his teaching on the matters of proper living. (See chapter 5:21.) Accursed is from , and Thayer defines it at this place, “a man accursed, devoted to the direst woes.” Robinson says it means to be “separated from God’s favor and delivered to destruction.” It is easy to see that preaching a false doctrine is one of the worst sins of which a man can be guilty.

Galatians 1:10

Galatians 1:10. Persuade in this passage means “to make friends of, win one’s favor, gain one’s good-will; to seek to win one, strive to please one,” according to Thayer. Paul makes his statement in question form, but he really is denying that he is trying to please men with his preaching. The basic reason is that he could not be a servant of Christ while preaching in a way to win the favor of men. He was resolved to be true to God even though he would lose the friendship of the whole world. This was in agreement with his statement in Romans 3:4.

Galatians 1:11

Galatians 1:11. To certify means to make known, and after man means to be according to man. Since the Gospel was not composed to suit the wishes of man, Paul could not be true to his call were he to try bending it to suit man in order to win his friendship and good will.

Galatians 1:12

Galatians 1:12. Paul received the Gospel by the revelation authorized of Christ. (See the definition of the word in the comments at 2 Corinthians 12:1.)

Galatians 1:13

Galatians 1:13. Conversation means conduct or manner of life, and Paul is referring to what he practiced while he was a worker in the Jews’ religion, which means that under the law of Moses. His reference to the persecution of the church of God in the past, was to show that his present defense of it was not motivated by a life-long prejudice in its favor. Beyond measure is from which is defined in Thayer’s lexicon as “preeminently; exceedingly.” Wasted is from the same Greek word as “destroyed” in Acts 9:21, where the persecution by Paul is the subject. In that place it is stated that he “destroyed them which called on the name” of the Son of God. This explains in what sense the church of God may be destroyed; it is by overthrowing certain members of it. Such individual destruction of the church has always been and always will be possible, but the church as a whole is destined to live for ever. (See Daniel 2:44.) It was impossible for the powers of darkness to prevent the building of the church (Matthew 16:18), and the world is given assurance that Christianity will exist on earth until the second coming of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

Galatians 1:14

Galatians 1:14. Profited does not have the sense of personal gain as the word usually does. The original is defined in the lexicon, “to go forward, advance, proceed, make progress.” Equals is from , which Thayer defines, “one of the same age, an equal in age.” It is much like a case in the public schools where it may be said of a boy that “he stood at the head of his class.” The point Paul is making is that in leaving Judaism and coming to the Gospel, he was not seeking some balm for disappointment over failure, for he was highly successful before.

Traditions is from , which Thayer defines, “a giving over, giving up; i. e., the act of giving up, the surrender. A giving over which is done by word of mouth or in writing.” The reader should make himself familiar with this word, which is used frequently in the New Testament, but not always in a bad sense. Any doctrine or rule of conduct becomes a tradition when it has once been given over from one person to another. Whether it is good or bad, and whether it is of any authority or not depends upon the persons handing over the doctrine. Hence the traditions Paul was condemning were those that had been given over by the Jewish fathers, and they were not of authority.

Galatians 1:15

Galatians 1:15. Separated is from a word that means to “appoint, set apart, one for some purpose.” From my mother’s womb means from the time of his birth. At the time of Paul’s birth, God determined to use him as a special messenger of Christ. However, that was not made known to him for many years, and even then He did not put that appointment in effect until He had called him by his grace or the Gospel. That call is recorded in Acts 9.

Galatians 1:16

Galatians 1:16. This verse states the purpose for which God selected Paul, which was to preach His Son among the heathen, or nations of the world. Immediately denotes that Paul did not delay entering into the work for which he had been called. Conferred not with flesh and blood indicates he did not seek counsel or information about his duty; not even of his relatives or close personal friends.

Galatians 1:17

Galatians 1:17. Paul did not first try to consult the other apostles, for his call was from God directly and the previous apostles would not have been able to confer any special qualifications on him. Since no other reference is made to this Journey into Arabia, we have no way of determining the_ purpose of it nor how he spent the time while there. But we have the information that after his stay there was ended, he returned to the city of his conversion before going elsewhere.

Galatians 1:18

Galatians 1:18. After three years is dated from his conversion, and includes the time spent in Arabia and Damascus. The time spent in the last place was divided between the days immediately after his conversion, and his return from Arabia. (See verse 17 and Acts 9:19-22.) The special purpose for Paul’s Journey to Jerusalem was to see Peter. As this was his first visit to that city since his conversion, it is not strange that he had not met Peter before. The words to see are from HIS-TOREO, and this is the only place in the Greek New Testament where the word is used. Thayer defines it, “1, to inquire into, examine, investigate. 2, to find out, learn by inquiry. 3, to gain knowledge of by visiting; to become personally acquainted with, know face to face.” All of this was after the three years, in the course of which Paul had been preaching the Gospel elsewhere, hence it does not contradict verse 17.

Neither does it leave any room for saying that he went up there to receive the Gospel from Peter (which would have contradicted verse 12). But the importance of the apostle Peter created a desire in Paul to “become personally acquainted with him,” and to “know him face to face.” He spent fifteen days in the city while visiting Peter.

Galatians 1:19

Galatians 1:19. Apostles . . . James the Lord’s brother. He was not one of the twelve, but was a very prominent man in the church at Jerusalem, and the term is applied to him in a sort of honorary manner. Regarding such a use of the word, Funk and Wagnalls New Standard Bible Dictionary says the following: “The term came to be used more widely than at first, restricted to its reference to the twelve and Paul. This is confirmed by Paul’s reference to James, the Lord’s brother, as an apostle (Galatians 1:19).” Thayer agrees with this thought, for after giving the definition of the Greek word for apostle, he adds by way of explanation, “In a broader sense the name is transferred to other eminent Christian teachers.”

Galatians 1:20

Galatians 1:20. Paul’s apostleship had been questioned by some Judaizers, and his account contained in the preceding several verses is given as factual evidence of his authority. The statement before God I lie not is added to show that he is conscientious and serious, for he knows that God understands his heart.

Galatians 1:21

Galatians 1:21. Syria and Cilicia were provinces north of Palestine, and the latter contained Tarsus, the city of Paul’s birth. The immediate occasion for his going there at this time is shown in Acts 9:26-30. (See the comments at that place in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.)

Galatians 1:22

Galatians 1:22. Unknown by face means they had not seen Paul personally. This is not strange, for he had spent the years following his conversion in Damascus and Arabia, and was in Jerusalem only fifteen days (verse 18) before being driven out by persecution.

Galatians 1:23

Galatians 1:23. They had heard only. Even though these churches had never met Paul in person, yet the report of his persecution of the saints had reached their ears and filled them with a state of unrest. Now the opposite report was coming to their ears and it brought great relief to them. Hence the writer of Acts says the churches had “rest” upon the ceasing of oppression from this man. (See the comments at Acts 9:31 in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.)

Galatians 1:24

Galatians 1:24. Glorified God in me means they gave God the glory for all of the good results of Paul’s conversion. This glorification toward God was not in words only, as may be seen in the passage cited at the close of the preceding paragraph.