Galatians 1:1-5
The Salutation– The introductory words of the letter. The common practice of the first century
world was to include in the letters greeting three parts:
a) Identification of the author
b) Identification of the recipient
c) A customary greeting to the recipients from
the writer.
Paul’s attitude and purpose for the letter are seen immediately. He identifies himself as:
“Paul, an apostle— sent not from men nor by
man, by Jesus Christ and God the Father.
. .”
The issue is clear right away. Paul
wants any one who
reads this letter to know what he is. He is an apostle of God. Paul also wants everyone to know even more
importantly what he is not. Paul is not
an apostle sent from men. Paul’s
ministry is not to represent men and their message, culture, feelings or
thoughts.
Notice some other salutations in other letters of Paul’s and how they
themselves briefly contain the purpose of the letter:
Romans— “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set
apart for the gospel of God—the gospel he promised before hand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. . .”
1 Corinthians— “Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the
will of God. . .”
Ephesians— “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God. . .”
Philippians— “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus Colossians—”Paul, an apostle
of Christ Jesus by the will of God, . . .”
1 Thessalonians— “Paul, Silas and Timothy.”
1 Timothy— “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of
Christ Jesus our hope.”
2 Timothy— “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of
God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.
Titus— “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of
God’s elect and the knowl edge of the truth that leads to godliness—a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal
life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time and at
his appointed season he brought his word
to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Saviour, To Titus,
my true son in our common faith.”
“Paul, an apostle” - “apostle” is the Greek word “apostoloV” /apostolos/. An apostle was one sent with a mission to be
carried out with the authority of the one sending him.
“Not” - The use of the word not in the opening line indicates that
this is going to be an argumentative letter.
Paul is already drawing a comparison.
Also, the use of the word “but” in “not from men nor by man, but
by Jesus Christ” is a strong adversative word used to draw a
comparison. Paul could have used the
more passive “de” /de/ which would also have been translated “but”. Instead he uses “alla” /alla/
“from men” speaks of a group of men
like the
“by man” renounces the thought that
not even one man sent Paul.
“and all the brothers with me.” This indicates that though Paul was not sent
by men, he has been received by man and stands in fellowship with a group that
is willing to defend Paul and his message.
Any attack on Paul will be more than an attack on one man. It will be an attack on the God who sent Paul
and the men who have embraced the message Paul brings.
Galatians 1:3-5 includes the full message and plan of God that Paul
preaches, that the Galatians have abandoned, that the Judiazers have attacked and that Paul plans on defending in
this letter.
The message is important.
Apostles (Paul) where commissioned by God.
Paul received message from God; We have received
Paul's (from God) message.
Galatians 1:6-10
1:6 "deserting" is "metatithesthe"
is not just "had been removed." They were deserting the
Christian camp altogether.
The Greek word speaks of:
1) a military revolt
2) Change of attitude
This verb is in the middle voice (not passive) meaning they did it to
themselves.
This verb is in the present tense meaning they were still in the process of
revolt and the action was not yet completed
"Deserted the one who called them" meaning God the Father. They
had left God and turned to legalism.
POINT:
1- God does
the calling, it is not a ritual or legalistic attempt by man.
2- It is by grace not by merit.
"another gospel" -is “heteron euaggelion”
1- "heteros" - another of a different kind
2- "allos" - another of the same kind
1- "heteros" - qualitative differences
2- "allos" - numerical differences
1- "heteros" - distinguishes one of two
2- "allos" - adds one beside
1- "heteros" - involves the idea of
difference of kind
2- "allos" - denotes simply distinction of
individuals
"heteros" leaves room to say it is so
different it is evil.
Every "heteros" is an "allos," but not every "allos"
is a "heteros."
“Gospel” is "euaggelion" or "good
news"
The gospel of "good works" is an evil gospel,
or not the Gospel at all:
1) Titus 3:5, "not by
works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us."
2) If by works how many works
are required and which kind of works count?
i. To attain salvation
ii.
To maintain salvation
POINT: This is no message at all. This is to say we do not
know, but keep working, keep looking. To teach legalism quickly turns
into no message at all but ideas of hitting and missing to get something from
God.
"Heteros" is opposition gospel.
"Allos" is an alternative gospel.
The Judiazer's legalism is an opposition ("heteros") gospel which makes it no alternative (allos) gospel.
“Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to
pervert the gospel of Christ” 1:7
"throwing you into confusion" is "taraso"
and means to "mentally disturb".
Present tense means the false teachers were still in
False teachers are rebuked not by name but by their teaching and the resulting
actions:
1) they were perverting the
gospel.
2) They were troubling the
church (To tamper with the gospel is to trouble the church.)
i. The churches greatest trouble is not those outside but those with in.
ii.
The greatest trouble ("to mentally disturb") does
not come from ridicule or persecution, but from those who change the
gospel.
iii.
The best way to serve the church is to believe and preach/teach accurately the
gospel.
1:8 POINT: You can not evaluate the
message by the messenger .
The Galatians may have said: "But these men came from
(Remember: Peter and legalism in
Paul said here: "It doesn't matter if the message came from an angel
of God, nor does it matter if the new message came from Paul or Barnabus, if it isn't the gospel it is wrong."
You can not judge the message by the messenger.
In Act 14:8-18 the Galatians in Lystra received
Paul and Barnabus as a visitation from the god's.
Satan can disguise himself in a messenger, but he cannot disguise himself
in the truth.
Satan and Jesus in Luke 4
1) Satan tried diverting Jesus
from God’s plan (4:3)
2) Satan tried giving the
crown before cross (4:6)
3) Satan tried perverting
the word of God (4:10)
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
Matthew 16:23
"Though" is supposing a case that has not occurred and probably
won't.
"Anathema" is related to the
Hebrew word "herem" which denotes a thing
devoted to God for destruction because of hatred for God. It means
damnation.
It is not an ecclesiastical decision like excommunication, but is affirming a
spiritual principal.
The concept of "anathema" and Paul's strong attitude and
pronouncement is foreign to modern Christian's. This shows how little the
gospel of grace is:
1) Understood
2) Appreciated
3) How little Christians are concerned for the advance
of biblical truth
The conflict is not between teachers, but between truth and error.
A false teaching will affect:
1- The glory of Jesus. . .
. Galatians 2:21
2- The salvation of men. .
.Matthew 18:6; 23:13-15
1:9 Paul repeats "anathema"
This is not a reference to 1:8, but refers to something that Paul had already
taught them in Galatia or by a letter.
The repeat of the damnation has changed from "ean"
(an unfulfilled or hypothetical situation) to "ei"
which speaks of a fulfilled condition.
1:8 was a hypothetical situation. 1:9 has occurred.
Other switches:
1- "The one we
preached" to "what you accepted"
2- The potential of it
occurring is increased
3- A future possibility is
taken to a present reality
"Damn the Judiazers in
Transition to his personal Defense:
1:10 Paul had been accused by the Judiazers
as presenting an easy, greasy gospel just to please men. Paul now says
after "damning" anyone who teaches false truth:
"There, does that sound like the talk of a man pleaser?"
Paul does not have the crusader mentality of the belligerent, fault finding
religious zealot. Paul does try to please men (1 Cor.
9:19-22) but he does not oppose God to please men.
"Be a servant of Christ."
Matthew 6:24, can't serve both.
Servant is slave - the letter is about freedom in Christ. That freedom is
for all by being a bond-slave to Christ.