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(Passage)
English
Standard Version
Greeting
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[a] who are with me,
To the
churches of Galatia:
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.
No Other
Gospel
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. 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.
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[b] of Christ.
Paul
Called by God
11 For I would have you know,
brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.[c] 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. 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. 15 But
when he who had set me apart before I was born,[d] and who called me by his grace, 16 was
pleased to reveal his Son to[e] me, in order that I might preach him among the
Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;[f] 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.
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!) 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.
Footnotes
- Galatians
1:2 Or brothers
and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the
plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may
refer either to brothers or to brothers and
sisters; also verse 11
- Galatians
1:10 For
the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
- Galatians
1:11 Greek not
according to man
- Galatians
1:15 Greek set
me apart from my mother's womb
- Galatians
1:16 Greek in
- Galatians
1:16 Greek with
flesh and blood
Analysis
Analysis
of Galatians Chapter 1 (ESV)
Background
and Context:
The Letter to
the Galatians is one of Paul's most passionate and urgent epistles. Martin
Luther saw it as the most important letter in the New Testament, and as the
greatest defense of the gospel of salvation by faith through grace. It was
written to a group of churches in the Roman province of Galatia (in modern-day
Turkey) that were facing a critical theological crisis. The Galatians were
Gauls, that is Celts. Distant relatives of the Gallic French and the Britons
and Irish peoples. The Celts were once the dominant people across Europe, but
were largely replaced by the Germanic tribes who are still dominant today. After
Paul had established these churches by preaching the gospel of salvation by
grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, a group often called the "Judaizers"
arrived. These individuals were teaching that to be truly part of the people of
God and receive the blessings of Abraham, chief of which is salvation, Gentile
Christians must also adhere to the Mosaic Law, particularly the rite of circumcision.
This
"different gospel" (1:6) struck at the very heart of Paul's message
and, in his view, nullified the sufficiency of Christ's work on the cross.
Galatians is Paul's vigorous, uncompromising defense of the true gospel and his
apostolic authority to preach it. But what is often missed by Christians is
that he grounds his argument for salvation in the wider context of how
justification makes us full members of the body of Christ.
Chapter 1
Analysis:
Galatians 1
serves as the powerful opening salvo in this defense. It can be divided into
three main sections:
- Introduction and Astonishment
(Verses 1-10):
- Unique Greeting (v. 1-5): Unlike his other letters,
Paul immediately establishes his authority. He is an apostle, "not
from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the
Father." This is a direct challenge to the Judaizers who likely
questioned his credentials. The greeting is abrupt, lacking his usual
thanksgiving for the recipients, signalling the letter's severe tone.
- The Core Issue: A Different
Gospel (v. 6-10): Paul
expresses "astonishment" that the Galatians are so quickly
deserting the one who called them for a "different gospel." He
pronounces a double curse (anathema) on anyone, even an angel from
heaven, who preaches a gospel contrary to what they first received. This
establishes the absolute, non-negotiable nature of the true gospel.
- The Divine Origin of Paul's
Gospel (Verses 11-17):
- Paul reveals that the gospel he
preaches is not a human invention ("not man's gospel"). He did
not receive it from any human source, nor was he taught it.
- Instead, it came through a direct
revelation of Jesus Christ. He points to his own dramatic conversion
(cf. Acts 9) as proof. The one who violently persecuted the church was
chosen by God's grace to proclaim Christ to the Gentiles.
- This section underscores that
his message is divine, not human, and therefore cannot be compromised by
human additions like the Mosaic Law.
- Paul's Independence from the
Jerusalem Apostles (Verses 18-24):
- To counter claims that he was a
second-hand apostle who received his doctrine from the original Twelve,
Paul details his early post-conversion history.
- He did not immediately consult
with the apostles in Jerusalem. After three years, he visited only Peter
and James, staying for just fifteen days.
- He emphasizes his unknown status
to the churches in Judea, who only heard reports: "He who used to
persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."
This testimony highlights the power of God's transformation and
reinforces that his mission and message were independent and directly
God-given.
Key Theme
of Chapter 1: The
gospel is of divine origin, is absolute and unchanging, and Paul's authority to
proclaim it comes directly from God, not from the approval of other men.
15-Question
Bible Study on Galatians Chapter 1 (ESV)
Question
1: In verses
1-5, how does Paul describe his apostleship and its source? Why do you think he
starts his letter this way, given the situation in Galatia?
- Cross-Reference: Romans 1:1 - "Paul, a
servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel
of God..."
Question
2: In verse 4 Paul
refers to the “present evil age”. Is this a reference to something specific in
his time or a more general statement referring to this fallen world? Does this
phrase align with Jesus’ use of “this wicked generation” (Matt. 11:16; 12:39, 41-42,
23:36).
·
Cross-Reference: Ephesians 5:15-16 – “15 Look
carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use
of the time, because the days are evil.”
Question 3: Paul expresses
"astonishment" in verse 6. What is he astonished about, and what does
this reveal about the spiritual state of the Galatians?
- Cross-Reference: 2 Corinthians 11:3 -
"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning,
your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to
Christ."
Question 4: Verses 6-7 speak of a
"different gospel." According to Paul, what is the true nature of
this "different gospel"?
- Cross-Reference: 2 Corinthians 11:4 -
"For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we
proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you
received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted,
you put up with it readily enough."
Question 5: Paul pronounces a serious
warning (anathema) in verses 8-9. What does this tell us about the importance
of doctrinal truth and the danger of distorting the gospel?
- Cross-Reference: 1 John 4:1 - "Beloved,
do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are
from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
Question 6: In verse 10, Paul poses a
rhetorical question about seeking the approval of man or God. How does this
verse challenge our motivations in Christian life and ministry?
- Cross-Reference: 1 Thessalonians 2:4 -
"...but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the
gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our
hearts."
Question 7: What crucial point does Paul
make about the origin of his gospel in verse 11-12?
- Cross-Reference: Ephesians 3:2-3 -
"...assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by
revelation..."
Question 8: Paul describes his former life
in Judaism in verses 13-14. How does this background make his conversion and
calling all the more powerful? If Paul rejected Judaism to become a Christian,
how could Christianity come from Judaism? What is Judaism, is it the faith of
the Old Testament?
- Cross-Reference: Philippians 3:5-6 -
"...circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the
tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to
zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law,
blameless."
Question 9: According to verses 15-16a, who
was responsible for Paul's calling and revelation? What was the specific
purpose of this calling?
- Cross-Reference: Acts 9:15 - "But the
Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my
name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.'"
Question 10: After his conversion, what was
Paul's immediate response in verse 16b? What can we learn from this about
relying on human counsel versus divine guidance? Why do you think Paul did not
consult with anyone?
- Cross-Reference: Jeremiah 17:5 - "Thus
says the LORD: 'Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his
strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.'"
Question 11: Paul's first trip to Jerusalem
after his conversion was brief (v. 18-19). Who did he see, and how long did he
stay? Why might he be emphasizing these specific details?
- Cross-Reference: Acts 9:26-28 - It describes
his initial introduction to the apostles through Barnabas, aligning with
his point that his contact was limited.
Question 12: What solemn oath does Paul make
in verse 20? Why is this significant for his argument?
- Cross-Reference: Romans 9:1 - "I am
speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me
witness in the Holy Spirit..."
Question 13: Where did Paul go after leaving
Jerusalem, and what was the result of his ministry there (v. 21-24)?
- Cross-Reference: Acts 9:30 - "And when
the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him
off to Tarsus."
Question 14: How did the churches in Judea
view Paul, whom they had never met (v. 22-24)? What was the basis of their
praise to God?
- Cross-Reference: Matthew 5:16 - "In the
same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
Question 15: Looking back over the entire
chapter, what is the primary evidence Paul uses to prove that his gospel is the
true one?
- Cross-Reference: 2 Timothy 3:16 - "All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, and for training in righteousness..."
Question 16: In your own life, what are some
modern "different gospels" or additions to the gospel that can tempt
believers away from the simplicity of faith in Christ alone?
- Cross-Reference: Colossians 2:8 - "See
to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit,
according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the
world, and not according to Christ."
May this
analysis and study guide lead you into a deeper understanding and appreciation
of the glorious, all-sufficient gospel of Jesus Christ.
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