Introductory remarks:
"Paul greets the churches in Galatia saying he is sent by God and that Christ gave himself to deliver us from this evil world. He says he is amazed that they are listening to people who are perverting the truth they have learned and curses any who teach falsely. Paul states that he serves God not men. He reminds them how he used to zealously persecute Christians until Christ appeared to him and sent him to preach to the heathen. He didn't then go and learn from men, the church in Judea didn't even know him. They only heard that their persecutor was now preaching the faith he had once destroyed" (A Survey Of Galatians - by Brenda). This chapter may be outlined as follows: Salutation vv. 1-5; there is no other gospel vv. 6-10; how Paul became an apostle vv. 11-24.
Salutation
Verse 1, "Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)"
LGT "Paul an apostle not from men nor through a man, but through Jesus Christ and God [the] Father, who raised Him from among [the] dead:"
Paul an apostle not from men nor through a man: Paul defends his apostleship against the charge of the Judaizers that he was not one of the original twelve. As we know Paul was called by Jesus Christ Himself on the road to Damascus; he was caught up into heaven and there commissioned to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. "In contradiction of the assertion that he was not directly commissioned by Jesus Christ, like the twelve, but only by human authority. From men, as authorizing the office: through a man, as issuing the call to the person. He thus distinguished himself from false apostles who did not derive their commission from God, and ranks himself with the twelve. Man does not point to any individual, but is in antithesis to Jesus Christ, or may be taken as = any man" (Vincent). But through Jesus Christ: as stated above, Paul received his call directly from the Lord Jesus Christ, remember, an apostle had to be an eyewitness of the resurrected Lord. And God the Father: that is, by the will of the Father. Who raised Him from among the dead: therefore Paul was qualified to be an apostle because he had seen the risen Lord. "God the Father entrusted Paul with the apostleship, and did it through Jesus, whom He had raised from the dead: so that the risen Savior invested with supreme authority, added, by a direct and personal act, one to the number of the twelve, with every element of qualification and prerogative which had been conferred on them" (John Eadie).
McGee describes his ordination as a minister that puts it fairly well into the contexts; however I do not believe in human ordinations by a group of men laying hands on another man saying he is qualified; to me, there is no such things as ordination. Let me quote McGee's' description of his ordination:
"Now I am an ordained minister from men and through men. I was told that I had to finish seminary and obtain certain degrees before I could be ordained. I did that. That was from men. That was the legalistic side. Next I went before a church body that examined me. Their decision was that I should be an ordained minister. In the Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, I knelt, and a group of men put their hands on me and said, 'You are now a minister.' That is the kind of minister I am. Paul said, 'I am not that kind of an apostle. Men had nothing to do with it. I am an apostle directly by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead."
Verse 2, "And all the brethren which are with me, unto all the churches of Galatia."
LGT "And all the brethren with me, to the assemblies of Galatia."
Paul includes his traveling companions in his salutation; This Epistle was a circulatory letter sent out to all the assemblies in North and South Galatia. Paul used this term "church" in his Epistles in two different ways: (1.) to identify the entire body of Christ made up of believers since Pentecost to the rapture of the church. (2.) The local assembly of believers made up of two or more that study the Word of God together as a family.
Verse 3, "Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ,"
LGT "Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ,"
"This is Paul's formal greeting that he uses in most of his Epistles. The word grace (charis) in this verse was the Gentile form of greeting in that day, while peace (shalom) was the religious greeting of the Jews. Now the grace of God must be experienced before the peace that is from God the Father can be experienced" (McGee).
Verse 4, "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."
LGT "The One who gave Himself on account of our sins, so that He might deliver us out of the age, the existing one being evil, according to the will of God and our Father:"
The One who gave Himself on account of our sins: Jesus Christ gave Himself for our sins - on account of them, or in such a connection with them - that He might deliver us. Christ gave Himself for us, on account of our sins, that expiation [to make atonement] might be made, or on behalf of sinners, that by such expiation they might obtain forgiveness and life eternal (John Eadie). So that He might deliver us out of the age, the existing evil one: He might deliver us from the course of the world in its evil condition. There is nothing in this world that is good, the same as there is no good in our flesh; the only good that exists in this present world is that which He has redeemed, for the earth groaneth even until now. Christ has made atonement for our sins in order that we might be delivered from this present evil, and we can take heart in the fact that we are in the world, but we are not of the world. It is when we attempt to please the world that we run into all sorts of difficulties in our living for Christ; we cannot live for Him, however, He can and will live through us if we allow Him (Gal. 2:20). According to the will of God and our Father: not according to any merit in us. This last clause underlines this entire verse. "But Christ's Self-sacrifice, with its gracious and effective purpose, was no human plan, and is in no sense dependant on man's legal obedience. Its one source is the supreme and sovereign will of God, and that is in relation to us a father who wins back his lost child (Luke 15:11). The process of salvation stands out in divine and fatherly pre-eminence, and is not to be overlaid by man's devices, which would either complicate or enfeeble it. In harmony with the eternal purpose, the Son of God incarnate gave Himself for us, and for our rescue. This redemptive work was no incident suddenly devised, nor was it an experiment made on the law and government of God. Alike in provision and result, it was in harmony with the highest will, and therefore perfect and permanent in nature - an argument against the Judaists" (John Eadie).
Verse 5, "To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
LGT "To whom [be] the glory unto the ages of the ages, amen."
The glory that is due Him for all that He has done on our behalf; this glory belongs to Him and Him alone.
There is No other Gospel!
Verse 6, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel."
LGT "I marvel that you are so quickly removing yourselves from the One who called you by Christ's grace, to another gospel."
I marvel: Paul is surprised, mingled with anger and sorrow at this reprehensible thing. That you are so quickly removing yourselves: that they have transferred them selves from Paul's grace teaching to being gullible to the teaching of the Judaizers. The verb "removed" in the Greek is in the middle voice, so it means that they deliberately removed themselves; this means that they are totally to blame for their errors. Paul gets right down to the reason for this Epistle. From the one who called you: God called you into His wonderful grace. By Christ's grace: God called them by the means of the unmerited favor of Christ's grace. "This grace of Christ, so rich and free, crowned in His atoning death and seen in all the blessings springing out of it, seems to be suggested by, or connected in the apostles mind with, the phrase just used 'gave Himself for our sins.' But they are falling off" (John Eadie). To another gospel: to another sort of gospel. The Greek word for "another" is eteros, and it means another of a different kind. Men invent their own gospel with their own God and Jesus. Men want a gospel that includes their works, and they are not satisfied with giving God all the praise and glory; for if they accept the gospel of grace, they have to forfeit any participation in it. The Judaizing gospel was one void of faith, mercy and grace; the matching of the two gospels: the gospel of grace= liberty, the other gospel = bondage; the gospel of grace = Spirit. The other gospel = flesh.
Verse 7, "Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ."
LGT "Which is not another; except there are some who trouble you, and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ."
Which is not another: Paul uses another Greek word for "another" in this verse allo, meaning another of the same kind, which is no gospel at all; this is why he begins with the negative "not." The Judaizers are claiming this to teach the part of the gospel Paul left out. What they were saying to the Galatians was, 'What Paul taught is fine, but you must also keep the Mosaic Law to be truly saved.' Except there are some who trouble you: these false teachers also claim apostleship. "They pretend that they have come direct from the apostles at Jerusalem; that they have received their instructions from them, and that they preach the true gospel as they teach it. They pretend that Paul was called into the office of an apostle after them; that he had never seen the Lord Jesus; that he had derived his information only from others; and thus they are able to present a plausible argument, and to unsettle the minds of the Galatians" (Barnes). And wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ: The meaning of the word "pervert" is the Greek verb metastrepho, and it means to change into the opposite. Whether these Judaizers were sincere or not, their teachings would turn the hearers away from free grace, that is faith alone in Christ alone, for they were adding works to grace, and we all know this cannot be done. All false cults mingle works as a substitute for grace.
Verse 8, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
LGT "But even if we or an angel out of heaven should announce Glad Tidings to you, contrary to what we have announced to you, let him be accursed."
But though we: Paul associates himself with the other apostles in this use of the plural "we." Or an angel from heaven: some commentators have supposed that this term "angel" refers to the fallen spirits, or demons, but that is a fanciful suggestion; why Paul is using the term angel is to stress the fact that even the angels are under the dominion of God. Should announce Glad Tidings to you, contrary to what we announce to you: the gospel of grace has no rival, for there is no such thing as another gospel; however, if anyone comes with a watered down gospel, and preaches there venom: let him be accursed: this man that preaches contrary to or against the gospel of grace serves himself up into the hands of the Living God. Paul could not have expressed a sterner warning than he does in this verse.
Verse 9, "As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
LGT "As we have said before, also again I say, If anyone announce to you Glad Tidings contrary to what ye received, let him be accursed."
Paul repeats himself in order to express to the people the extreme importance of the message of grace. It matters not how well intentioned a man may be, or how many human good things he may be doing, Paul says that he will be damned if he preaches contrary to the grace they had received. The change in the plural "we" to the singular "I" in this verse, suggests that Paul is saying that they have received the gospel of grace before from the apostles, and that they join in with him in saying that God will curse the man preaching contrary to grace, and that he stands alone, if need be, in announcing this curse.
Verse 10, "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant Christ."
LGT "For now am I persuading men or God? Or am I seeking to please men? If yet I were pleasing men, Christ's bondsman I should not be."
For now am I persuading men or God: in light of the severe language Paul just used, does it look like he is trying to pacify men or be obedient to the God of grace. Paul says that by uttering this anathema he is urging men to believe God and God alone. Or am I seeking to please men: it is not Paul's aim to please men, which is obvious by his words in the last two verses. If yet I were pleasing men, Christ's bondsman I should not be: Paul says that it is impossible for him to have two masters. By all that he teaches in grace, Paul has proven emphatically that he has chosen Christ to please and not men. It is impossible to be popular with men and serve Christ. No teacher that is true to grace can ever be popular with men. The Judaizers were saying that Paul was a man-pleaser and that his gospel was one that would make him popular with all men; and now he refutes them with the truth of grace. McGee notes: "If you preach the gospel of grace today, you may get into trouble because it is the gospel of the grace of God that the sinner hates. Many unsaved church members [and I might add, saved church members] do not want to hear the message of grace. They want to hear a message that appeals to the flesh. The gospel of grace puts us in the dust and makes us beggars before God."
How Paul Became an Apostle
Verse 11, "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man."
LGT "For I make known to you, brethren, the Glad Tidings which was announced by me, that it is not according to man."
For I make known to you, brethren: Paul is not introducing to them a new topic, but reminding them of what they already had been taught. The Glad Tidings which was announced by me: this is the gospel of free grace. That it is not according to man: as Paul was not appointed to His apostleship by men, neither was he given the gospel of grace by men, but he is inspired by the Holy Spirit to announce these Glad Tidings. The Judaizers were claiming that Paul invented or was given this gospel by human agency and not God. Paul introduces this entire next section with the fact that he received the gospel of grace directly from God. I like how Chafer stated this truth: "The gospel of grace is not something man could write if he would, nor would write if could."
Verse 12, "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
LGT "For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught [it] by man, But through revelation of Jesus Christ."
For I neither received it from man: he did not receive the gospel of grace from Peter, James or John, or any other human agency. Nor was I taught it by man: he did not receive it at the feet of Gamaliel, or at the University of Tarsus. But through revelation of Jesus Christ: just as the other apostles received their teaching directly from Christ, so he also received it directly from the Lord Jesus Christ in his out of the body experience. "The apostle now proceeds to give an autobiographical proof of his position: that his gospel came from direct communication with Christ; that it was as original and trustworthy as those of the others who were apostles before him; that for a long period after his conversion he had no communication with any of them; that three years elapsed before he saw one of the twelve, and then he saw Peter only for a fortnight; and that fourteen years additional passed away ere he had any interview with the pillars of the church. His gospel was therefore in no sense dependant on them, nor had his first spheres of labor been either assigned or superintended by them. He had felt no dependence on them, and was conscious of no responsibility to them. Separate and supreme apostolic authority, therefore, belonged to him; and it sealed and sanctioned the message which it was the work of his life to publish" (John Eadie).
Verse 13, "For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jew's religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it."
LGT "For ye heard of my manner of life once in Judaism, that excessively I was persecuting the assembly of God, and was ravaging it:"
For ye heard of my manner of life once: the Greek word for "conversation" means his "manner of life." Paul was a Pharisees of the Pharisees and he hated the cause of Christ. Paul had evidently informed the Gentile believers of his past life centered in the legalistic teachings of the Jews. In Judaism: "Not Mosaism, not exactly the old and primitive Hebrew faith and worship, nor the modern or current theology, but rather ritualism and the mass of beliefs and traditions held by Pharisaism. Judaism is here the religious life of the Jews or Pharisees, in its varied spheres of nutriment and service" (John Eadie). That excessively I was persecuting the assembly of God: As a true Jew, Paul would never have persecuted the church, because the true Jew would believe in Christ as the Messiah; it is Judaism, the legalistic Pharisees that hated Christ; remember the Jews let the Christians worship in their synagogues. And ravaging it: Paul, then Saul, was seeking out every man woman or child that carried the banner of Christ and was seeking to exterminate them from the face of the earth; Saul had an extreme hatred for the Christians, and especially the Gentile Christians (See Acts 8:3; 9:1,2, 21; 22:4, 19; 26:10,11).
Verse 14, "And profited in the Jew's religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers."
LGT "And was advancing in Judaism beyond many contemporaries in my own race, being more abundantly zealous of [the] traditions of my fathers."
And was advancing in Judaism beyond many contemporaries: Saul advanced in the teaching of Judaism beyond those of his age; he was educated in Jerusalem at the feet of Gamaliel. It could possibly mean that he advanced beyond the other pupils that also were in his class being taught by Gamaliel. Being more abundantly zealous: that is, Saul was a zealot. "The extreme party of the Pharisees called themselves 'Zealots of the Law' (Vincent). Of the traditions of my fathers: these traditions were not directly from the Law of Moses, but they were perversions of it by the rabbis. "Thus the term traditions seems to denote not the Mosaic Law itself, but the accretions [additions] which in course of ages had grown around it, and which the Mishna is an example" (John Eadie). When making reference to the fathers, Paul is not referring to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but to the fathers of Judaism, for Saul was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee.
Verse 15, "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,"
LGT "But when it was the good pleasure of the God, who selected me from my mother's womb, and called [me] by His grace,"
But when it was the good pleasure of God: "Paul looks back on his parentage and early years as a providential preparation for his future ministry: this view is justified by his antecedents. By birth at once a Hebrew, a Greek and Roman citizen, educated in the Hebrew Scriptures and in the Greek learning, he combined in his own person the most essential requisites for an Apostle to the Gentiles. He was further molded by the spiritual discipline of an intense, though mistaken, zeal for the Law of his God, which issued in bitter remorse. By this career he was fitted to become a chosen vessel to bear the name of Christ before the Gentile world. He did not hesitate accordingly to regard himself, like Hebrew prophets of old, as dedicated from his birth to the service of God" (TEGT). Who selected me from my mother's womb: these words simply mean that Paul says that he was called from birth, and not from eternity. And called me by His grace: God called Saul on the road to Damascus; and it was His grace, because Saul was bitterly opposed to the church and was seeking to exterminate. Paul refers to his salvation as one of grace and not merit.
Verse 16, "To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:"
LGT "To reveal His Son in me, in order that I should announce Him as the Glad Tidings to the nations, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:"
To reveal His Son in me: God revealed Christ to Paul by supernatural revelation; the preposition en speaks of Paul becoming a possessor of Christ equipping him to be an apostle. In order that I should announce Him as the Glad Tidings to the nations: the first reason for this revelation was of course Paul's eternal salvation; and the second reason was that as Christ's apostle he might be equipped to give the gospel of grace to the Gentiles. "Revelation is opposed to knowledge gained by prolonged and patient thought. It is unlike the common process by which an intellectual conclusion is reached, the inference of one syllogism [deductive reasoning - a major and a minor premise and a conclusion] forming but the premise of another, till by a series of connected links, primary or abstract truth is reached. For it is sudden and perfect illumination, lifting the receptive power into intensest susceptibility, and so lighting up the whole theme disclosed, that it is immediately and fully apprehended in its evidence and reality" (John Eadie). Immediately, I conferred not with flesh and blood: Paul immediately decided on becoming a Christian and to respond to whatever Christ wanted him to do or to wherever He wanted him to go; he loved his Jews, but he also wanted to obey the Lord and go to the Gentiles. He did not take time to confer with friends about this decision; he immediately said yes to the Lord. "As soon as God revealed His Son in me, I threw aside all human counsel. Flesh and blood in the N.T. is always connected with human weakness and ignorance" (Vincent).
Verse 17, "Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus."
LGT "Nor went I up to Jerusalem to them [who were] apostles before me, but I went into Arabia, and again returned to Damascus."
Nor went I up to Jerusalem to them who were apostles before me: the apostles in Jerusalem were genuine apostles, but Paul was not appointed by them. But I went into Arabia: this journey into Arabia is not mentioned in the Acts, and it is unknown by us why he went away into Arabia; but he mentions it to assure the readers that he did not go into Jerusalem for apostolic sanctions. If we attempt to explain why he went to Arabia it would be to speculate and this I refuse to do. And again returned to Damascus: Paul returned to Damascus after his venture into Arabia. All this is to conclude that he did not confer with the apostles in Jerusalem.
Verse 18, "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."
LGT "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Cephas, and I remained with him fifteen days."
Then after three years: Paul's purpose in mentioning these three years from his conversion to his return to Jerusalem was to point out the fact that he had no discourse with the other apostles during this time. I went up to Jerusalem: that is, he returned to Jerusalem. To make acquaintance with Cephas: Paul did not go to see Peter to receive instruction from him, but as the meaning of the word "visit" in the Greek means, "to become personally acquainted with." And I remained with him fifteen days: "If we turn to Acts 9:26-30, we shall see that the visit of two weeks to Peter came after Barnabas endorsed Paul to the suspicious disciples in Jerusalem and probably while he was preaching in the city. It was a delightful experience, but Peter did not start Paul upon his apostleship. He visited him as an equal. Peter no doubt had much to say to Paul" (Robertson). Paul also mentions this "fifteen days" to point out that he could not have been taught by Peter in this short of a period, and that he had come for mutual intercourse with Peter. It says in Acts 9:29, "He spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians."
Verse 19, "But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother."
LGT "But other of the apostles I saw not, except James the brother of the Lord."
Paul mentions James as the brother of the Lord to distinguish him from the brother of John, the son of Zebedee, "son of thunder" who was killed by Herod earlier. He also calls him an apostle, although not one of the original twelve. This James remained in Jerusalem and was the pastor of the church there.
Verse 20, "Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not."
LGT "Now what [things] I am writing to you, lo, before God, I lie not."
Only God cannot lie, and so Paul is saying that what he is writing to them is from God Himself, that is, God inspires him. Now what things I am writing you: what he had just told them about his visit to Jerusalem to see Peter; he is vindicating his apostleship. Lo, before God, I lie not: because of the seriousness of the charges against him, he calls God to witness.
John Eadie notes:
"One can scarcely suppose that the apostle would have used this solemn adjuration [a solemn oath], unless the statement had been liable to be questioned, or a different account of his early Christian history had been in circulation. It would seem that a totally different account of his visit to Jerusalem after his conversion, and of the relation he sustained to the elder apostles, had been in use among the Judaists, to undermine his independent authority and neutralize his teaching. And because what he now tells would contradict received opinion as to his earlier acting's and journeys, he confirms what he says by a virtual oath."
Verse 21, "Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia."
LGT "Then I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia."
Paul was at work in Tarsus and the surrounding area, pointing just how far he traveled away from Judean influence. "Syria, in the narrower sense, of the district of which Antioch was the capital: not the whole Roman province of Syria, including Galilee and Judea. This district was the scene of Paul's first apostolic work among the Gentiles. Cilicia was the southeasterly province of Asia Minor, directly adjoining Syria, from which it was separated by Mt. Pierius and the range of Amanus. It was bordered on the south. It was Paul's native province, and its capital was Tarsus, Paul's birthplace" (Vincent).
Verse 22, "And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ:"
LGT "But I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea, which [are] in Christ."
But I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea: the assemblies of Judea had only heard of Paul, but they had never met him in person. Which are in Christ: Paul adds this to distinguish the true assemblies from the synagogues that claimed to be churches of God.
Verse 23, "But they heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed."
LGT "Only they were hearing, That he was the one who once persecuted us, now announces the Glad Tidings - the faith which he once ravaged."
These assemblies in Judea had heard from time to time of this Paul who was a Pharisee of a Pharisee was going about to ruin the Church of God. This same Paul, our former persecutor, is now preaching the same Glad Tidings they had believed by faith. We read of the results of this knowledge in the next verse:
Verse 24, "And they glorified God in me."
LGT "And they were glorifying God in me."
They glorified God as the source of the conversion that took place in me. What a wonderful verse to complete this chapter.
John Eadie notes:
"Not only did his conversion give them occasion to glorify God, but they glorified God working in him, and in him changing their malignant and resolute persecutor into a bold enthusiastic preacher. They were thankful not simply because persecution had ceased, but they rejoiced that he who did the havoc was openly building up the cause which he had labored to overthrow. On hearing of a change in so prominent and terrible an adversary - a change not leading merely to a momentary check or a longer neutral pause, but passing into unwearied activity, self-denial, and apostolic pre-eminence - they glorified God in him, for in him God's gracious power had wrought with unexpected and unexampled might and result. They did not exalt the man, though they could not have a special interest in him; but they knew that by the grace of God he was what he was. If the churches even in Judea were so grateful to God for His work in Paul, were they not a rebuke to the Judaizers, who now questioned his apostleship and impugned his teaching?"
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