Day #328

Sermon - Audio
Galatians 1-3 - Reading
Galatians 1-3 - Audio

Daily Insights - Please Comment

The book of Galatians as a chapter in the master story of the Bible.

Like most of the NT epistles, the letter to the Galatians works out some of the implications of the gospel. In particular, it preserves the free grace that God has provided in the cross of Christ by resisting any temptation to think that sinners can be saved by something they do, when in fact sinners can be saved only by believing in what Jesus has done.

1:1-2 "not from men nor through man" "through Jesus Christ and God the Father" - Paul is making sure to introduce himself as a messenger sent by God, not man (apostle). The people were going away from Paul's message and turning to other false teachers. Those false teachers were likely telling the people of Galatia that Paul was an impostor and not really a true apostle. Paul even goes as far to negate the other people who travel with him from this honor. He does this in verse 2 by stating "the brothers who are with me." He did not include them in the introduction under the same headings as him. Thus, leaving a specific "title" for himself. The greeting is much the same, but Paul includes the "not from men nor through man" to drive the point home of his title as apostle.

1:3-4 "Grace and Peace" - Paul is once again starting off a letter with these two words. The salvation message can be summed up with these two. Peace - "Completeness" (restoration) Grace - "God's unmerited favor" (getting what you don't deserve). The Galatians were trying hard to make the gospel more than that, so Paul makes it a point to start off his letter explaining how grace and peace were freely given/delivered to us.

1:4 The introduction is said in such a way to show that Jesus was the sacrifice for us. 3:13 The gospel message is one of "rescue." Jesus rescued us from our sin by being the sacrifice for it.

1:5 Paul ends with giving "glory" to the Father. As usual Paul is stating that the reason why everything he just stated has happened and is true is for God's glory. Those who have led the Galatians astray are doing so to “make a good showing in the flesh” (6:12), whereas Paul will conclude the letter by stating that his sole desire is to give all the glory to Christ (6:14).

1:6 The people have been listening to a group of people, Judaizers, say that they must accept Jesus, and..... "obey the law" "get circumcised" etc. Paul wants them to know that it is by God's grace, and only through God's grace through Jesus Christ that we are saved or "set free."

1:7 Two characteristics of these "false teachers." 1. Distorting the gospel 2. Troubling the people, or Causing them anguish/distress. So when you "tamper with the gospel" you automatically "cause trouble in the church."

1:10 Paul answers his critics, and the Galatians false beliefs that he is doing this to please man or himself.

1:11-12 Divine intervention is why Paul is givin the authority to proclaim his message so boldly. Because the revelation was given from God, it gave Paul the courage to carry it out.

1:13-14 Pre-Conversion = Paul persecuted the church zealously. You see the words "violently" "destroy" "zealous" all being used when he describes his previous life. This is confirmed in Acts 8:3, 26:5&10

1:13-14 It would take God, and only God, to change a man with that much passion and hatred for Christianity...and God did it.

1:15-16a Conversion = Paul was not searching for God or His mercy. God chose and found him. This is why Paul takes NO credit for the conversion, but states that "when he set me apart" and "when he who called" etc.

1:16b-2:1 Paul is trying to make it clear that the theology & message of Jesus Christ was given directly to him by Jesus Christ and no one else, including Jesus' disciples. He wants to make sure that his audience knows the message he is giving is from God himself.

2:2 Paul went to visit the other apostles after 14 years, because of a revelation from God. While Paul was there he preached the gospel that he had been preaching all along and the other apostles approved of the message Paul was preaching. So the Galatians were not only against Paul, but against the other apostles as well. This would have probably shook them up a bit.

2:7-2:10 All the other apostles agreed at that time that Paul's mission was from Christ, to preach to the Gentiles the message of Jesus Christ's salvation and the freedom that comes from that. One of Paul's main goals was to help the poor, which he claims he is eager to do. We can see him doing so in (Rom 15:25,26, 1Cor 16:1-3, 2 Cor 8-9)

Paul could care less what Peter's stature is, only that he was condemning the gospel message with his actions (not accepting the Gentiles when the Jewish people were around). Paul makes this rebuke public, not to shame Peter, but to show everyone how important it is to keep the gospel true and untouched. This once again shows Paul's true concern, the true gospel.

2:17-21 Paul's critics are saying that the gospel Paul is preaching is dangerous and relieves people from any moral obligation. So it's ok to sin, etc. Paul answers them back harshly with a "Certainly Not!" Christ is not the "author of our sins." Paul's claim is that it is impossible for someone who has accepted Jesus Christ or "is justified," to go back to their old life since they are now changed / new creation. 2 Corin 5:17, Gal 6:15

2:19-20 Paul is stating that "we have been crucified with Christ and risen up with him." This is the new creation of which he speaks for those who are justified. How can we possibly be changed and still continue in our old ways/old flesh?! Paul does not see this as a possibility. Thus Paul is always seeking to live in a way that pleases God, yet not at all depending on his own actions for justification.

3:6-9 Paul is relating the Abrahamic covenant back to these Gentile believers. It was through faith that Abraham was justified, thus the Abrahamic Covenant is one of Justification. "All nations will be blessed through you." This is Paul relating the current situation to a previous promise. The Gentiles are now blessed and included in this covenant of justification. Romans 4

3:10 Sin is lawlesness, a disregard for the laws of God. So by breaking the law, we have all fallen under the curse of God. The law has exposed our sinful nature, because it is by it that we know what sin is.

3:13-14 Hanging on a tree was seen as a curse, and Paul even states here that Christ had to become a curse in order to take away our curse. Many Jews had a very difficult time with Jesus being a curse (hanging on a tree), for good reason by the way, and therefore they didn't accept Him. That is, until many of them realized that He had to do this for their sins.

3:14 Three-Fold Blessing (Justification, Eternal Life, Promised Spirit)

History - Abraham - Isaac - Jacob - All died outside of promised land (430 yrs. pass). Promise to Abraham = God says I will, I will, I will, Promise is one of faith and grace.

3:26-28 Three things that we are in Christ | 1.(26&27) In Christ we are sons of God - God is no longer seen as our judge or tutor, but our Father. God is only our Father if we adopt Jesus Christ into our lives. God is Jesus' Father and the Father of those who accept Jesus. 2.(28) In Christ we are all one - We belong not only to Christ but to one another as brothers and sisters. Therefore, the barriers that plague this world (sex, race, color, etc.) have no barrier under Christ. 3.(28) In Christ we are Abraham's seed - We see our place in the unfolding story of God.

3:27 Baptism is a sign of this union, Paul would not preach against the law for salvation and then require us to another action for salvation.