Chapter One
Greetings from Paul
1:1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:
Understanding that the people he is addressing this epistle to have wandered from the true gospel message, Paul begins by identifying himself as an apostle (one who was sent to deliver a message) not by a fellow human being, but by Jesus, the Christ, and by God the Father. He is not touting his credentials, he is saying that his source of information comes straight from the top (no higher authority). Paul acknowledges others as co-senders, but does not state their names. This epistle was sent to the churches in the region known as Galatia, it is not a city. Most believe since Luke recorded four cities in or near this region that Paul’s use of the term Galatia is primarily southern Galatia which would include Antioch of Pisidia, Lystra, Derbe, and Iconium (see Introduction).
1:3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
In classic order, Paul extends grace first, something everyone needs prior to receiving peace, both given to believers from God the Father, and Jesus, who did all the work for our salvation on the cross. So that it is possible to be delivered from the present evil age (life condemned to hell) to spend eternity with God, not by man’s wishes, but God’s desire.
There is No Other Gospel!
1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Paul wastes no time to get to the primary reason he was writing, they deserted Jesus and turned to a different story, a false gospel. Paul clearly states that there is no other true gospel, and then acknowledges that there are some people who have been teaching them a distorted version, that they are troubling them (the Greek word that is translated here as ‘trouble’ is tarassontes, to stir up or agitate water, figuratively used to stir up trouble, emotional distress).
1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
If anyone, and it doesn’t matter who, be it one of his associates, or even an angel were to preach a way to salvation different, or in any way contrary to the gospel message he had previously taught them, Paul is saying they’re wrong, let them “be accursed” (Greek anathema, a gift given by vow or in fulfillment of a promise, and given up or devoted to destruction for God’s sake, therefore, given up to the curse and destruction, accursed).[1]
1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Paul asks the question, is he seeking the approval of man or God by writing this epistle? He answers, if for the approval of man then he would no longer be a servant of Christ. The issue of man trying to comprehend the ways of God is is one of the greatest enemies of the truth and a huge barrier for many when confronted with the gospel message.
Considerations
The True Gospel Message
Is there only one true gospel? If so, who gets to make that determination and what is it? To quickly answer those questions is in order: Yes, God, and salvation through faith alone in Jesus. But before you say that’s a “no brainer,” we have to ask then why are there so many different churches, church denominations, and Christian groups that have conflicting statements of faith? They all can’t be right.
The gospel is simple, in recognition of the fact that all human beings have sinned against God (see Roman 6:23), repent of those sins, and believe that Jesus, the Son of God, lived a sinless life, suffered, died on a cross on our behalf, and rose to life again so that when we die we spend eternity with Him and not an eternity without Him in hell. No protocols to follow, no rituals, just a relationship with Jesus.
Putting God in a Bottle
Most people seem to be only able to understand things they can relate to. For example we see and understand things that have a beginning and an end. Even when we don’t know how something got started, we can reasonably speculate on the process that made it happen. But when we think about someone like God who has no beginning or an ending, we can’t relate and often reduce our thinking to the “lowest common denominator.” Which typically restricts God to do things and require Him to think like us. There’s no end to the foolishness of that premise (see Isaiah 55:8-9). God revealed to Paul everything he needed to know to be a faithful teacher and witness for His plan of salvation through His Son Jesus. We do not need to determine or investigate how He did that, He is God and there is nothing beyond His ability to do.
Paul Called by God
1:11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul reiterates that the gospel he preached was not from a man-made construct, it came to him through a “revelation of Jesus Christ.” The Greek word translated as ‘revelation’ is apokalypseōs, which refers to an unveiling, to cause something to be fully revealed. He will explain when that occurred in verses 15-17.
1:13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
He notes that they knew about his past and how he vehemently and violently tried to stop the church of God and used that cause to advance his own career in Judaism, as he was truly zealous for the traditions of his people. Paul then contrasts that to who he is now.
1:15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
Paul refers to God as the one who set him apart before he was born, not of anything he did or deserved, but by His grace (receiving something undeserved) He revealed everything Paul needed to preach the gospel message to the Gentiles. He adds that he didn’t seek advice from anyone nor did he go to Jerusalem to learn from the apostles. Instead he went into Arabia (see below).
1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)
After three years in Damascus, Paul made the trip to Jerusalem to see Cephas (Aramaic for Peter) and stayed with him for fifteen days, but did not see any of the other apostles except for James the half-brother of Jesus (not considered one of the inner circle, but after Jesus’ resurrection became a believer and a church leader in Jerusalem). He then stresses the fact that he is not lying. Why would he stress that point? He wants them to understand that he was taught by God directly, no one in between. Just like the oath given before offering testimony in a courtroom, he is offering, “The whole truth and nothing but the truth!”
1:21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.
Paul then traveled northwest to the regions of Syria and Cilicia and was still not known in the churches in Judea. All they knew was what they had heard, that someone who once persecuted the church was now preaching the same faith that he tried to stop from progressing. They glorified God because of him.
Considerations
Paul in Arabia
If Paul did not make this quick reference that he was in Arabia we would not have known that he went there, as there is no mention of him being in Arabia in the book of Acts, or any other book of the Bible. Where he went specifically is unknown, what occurred while he was there is unknown, and how long he was there is unknown. Noting where Paul inserts that fact, we can see that it was a time he was being taught by God. Why Arabia? Possibly to isolate Paul from any distractions.
It is possible that in ‘Arabia’ Paul communed with God in the wilderness where Moses and Elijah had communed with him centuries before; but in the present context the primary purpose of his Arabian visit appears to have been the immediate fulfilment of his commission to preach the Son of God ‘among the Gentiles’. There were Gentiles in abundance in the Nabataean realm, both settled population and Bedouin. Nothing is said of the planting of any church, but a beginning in preached the gospel is indicated.[2]
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[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). AMG Publishers.
[2] Bruce, F. F. (1982). The Epistle to the Galatians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 96). W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.