Previous:
Paul had been speaking about how he was trying to please God and not trying to get man's approval. With this in mind he went on to describe the origins of the gospel message that he had been given.
Galatians 1:11-24 (KJV)
11
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
12
For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14
And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15
But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
16
To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
17
Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
18
Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
19
But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
20
Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21
Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22
And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23
But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24
And they glorified God in me.
Verses 11 & 12 consist of Paul's assertion that the gospel message he received did not come from man, but rather directly from the revelation of Messiah Yeshua. The rest of chapter one relates the history of Paul's receiving that gospel.
Initially, Paul had been a part of traditional Judaism. He noted that the Galatians had heard of his "conversation." In the KJV this word means "conduct." Paul admitted that he had persecuted the Messianic believers in Yeshua. He said that he wasted, or tried to destroy this body of believers. Notice Paul's intensity and the zealousness of his actions (verse 13). Verse 14 further reveals how Paul was such an overachiever that he advanced in Judaism well before others his age. He was extremely zealous when it came to the traditions of Judaism. Paul was making a differentiation regarding the traditions taught in Judaism and the Law of God. Although Paul was undoubtedly zealous regarding God's Law, the thrust of his letter had to do with those traditions of his Jewish fathers and not the Law. Specifically, Paul is referring to the oral traditions that he learned because he was a Pharisee, the most strict sect of Judaism.
Verses 15 & 16 informs us about Paul's conversion. Although Paul had been separated unto God from before his birth (Aren't we glad that his mother did not abort him?), it was not until the right time in God's plan that he was called by God's grace and shown Yeshua, God's son (Acts 9:1-9). Paul's purpose from that time on was to preach the gospel to the heathen (Gentiles). After Paul's conversion he did not turn to any flesh and blood person. Verse 17 states that he didn't go to Jerusalem to seek out the disciples of Yeshua, but went into Arabia before returning to Damascus.
After three years Paul then went up to Jerusalem, saw Peter, and spent fifteen days there (verse 18). It is often taught that Paul spent three years in Arabia, but that is not necessarily the case. For sure that is the upper limit, but the three years also included the time spent in Damascus. Verse 19 states that Paul saw only James, Yeshua's brother, besides Peter. Acts 9:27 indicates that Paul met "the apostles." David H. Stern, in the Jewish New Testament Commentary (p.524), suggests that Paul met the apostles, but only discussed his gospel message with Peter and James.
In verse 20 Paul affirmed the validity of what he was relating.
After that, Paul went into Syria and Cilicia (verse 21). This is the area from which Paul originally came from. He spent a number of years there.
Verses 22 & 23 tells us that Paul was not known by face to the Messianic believers in Judea, but they had heard that he had been preaching the faith he had once tried to destroy. Verse 24 conveys that those believers were praising God because of Paul.
The question remains. What was the gospel message that Paul received directly from God? How was it different from the message the apostles were preaching? This will be the topic of discussion in the next post.
Next:
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Galatians 1:6-10 Messianic Style
Previous:
In Paul's short introduction to the book of Galatians he managed to pack in a summary of the what the Gospel message is and the foundation of the what Galatians discusses. The book continues:
Galatians 1:6-10 (KJV)
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
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.
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.
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 of Christ.
After his calm yet meaty introduction, Paul started off his letter by emotionally getting right to the problem at hand. He marveled at how quickly the Galatians, who had been called into a saving relationship with Yeshua by His grace, had turned from Yeshua to another gospel. The Aramaic English New Testament by Andrew Roth, translates "I marvel" by "I am stunned into silence, as if dead." This was no small matter to Paul and he expressed his shock to his readers.
Verse 7 clarifies that this "other gospel" is not really another, because any message that varied from what Paul had stated in his introduction was not really "good news" (what the word "gospel" means), but rather a message without power to save, leaving the believer without salvation from sin. Apparently, this message came from false teachers that had come into the Galatians' assemblies with the intent to pervert the gospel of Yeshua.
Paul informed his readers that if anyone, himself included, or an angel from heaven, preached any other gospel than the one that they had received, should be cursed (verse 8). The mention of an angel is interesting in that the word in Greek is "aggelos." This can be translated as "messenger" or "angel." The Greek word for gospel is "euaggelion", which as has been stated means "good news." Notice the common root in both words. Paul was making a play on words. Again, Paul was using pretty strong language. Paul repeated himself in verse 9. He wanted to make sure that his readers understood the seriousness of what was going on in the Galatian churches.
As of yet, the book of Galatians has not told us exactly who had come into their churches and what they had been preaching that was contrary to the gospel of Yeshua. This will come as we get further into the letter. At this point Paul is simply warning the believers about not accepting any other so-called gospels.
But before we go on we need to remind ourselves of some further details that are not included in the obvious reading of Galatians. Is Paul's summary a complete description of the gospel message? Since books have been written on the topic, obviously Paul didn't mean his statement of summary to be the end all of what the gospel message is, but there are some clues that can help us.
There are other places in Scripture where the "good news" is discussed.
Psalm 40:9 (KJV)
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Isaiah 52:7 (KJV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Romans 10:14-15 (KJV)
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Matthew 4:23 (KJV)
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 4:17 (KJV)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
These passages speak about the "good things" that Yeshua's message was all about. Specifically, the Matthew verses highlight that the kingdom of heaven was near. See here about the kingdom of God:
This is the foundation of what Yeshua's whole plan was about, bringing in a kingdom where He is the king, and believers are His subjects.
Although Paul doesn't directly address this, his statement from verse 4, "that he might deliver us from this present evil world," implies that something better is coming. Whereas the Jews had come to believe that only Jews could participate in that kingdom, God's plan from the beginning included both Jews and Gentile believers.
Zechariah 8:23 (KJV)
23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Isaiah 2:2-3 (KJV)
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Hang onto the idea about the coming kingdom being composed of Jews and Gentiles. We will return to this.
Verse 10 of Galatians 1 ends this section by Paul's affirming that he was not trying to win any man's approval, but that he only sought God's. Apparently, someone was accusing Paul of this and apparently, his gospel preaching appeared to be anti-God in some way. As we progress in this study more on this will come to light.
Next:
In Paul's short introduction to the book of Galatians he managed to pack in a summary of the what the Gospel message is and the foundation of the what Galatians discusses. The book continues:
Galatians 1:6-10 (KJV)
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
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.
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.
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 of Christ.
After his calm yet meaty introduction, Paul started off his letter by emotionally getting right to the problem at hand. He marveled at how quickly the Galatians, who had been called into a saving relationship with Yeshua by His grace, had turned from Yeshua to another gospel. The Aramaic English New Testament by Andrew Roth, translates "I marvel" by "I am stunned into silence, as if dead." This was no small matter to Paul and he expressed his shock to his readers.
Verse 7 clarifies that this "other gospel" is not really another, because any message that varied from what Paul had stated in his introduction was not really "good news" (what the word "gospel" means), but rather a message without power to save, leaving the believer without salvation from sin. Apparently, this message came from false teachers that had come into the Galatians' assemblies with the intent to pervert the gospel of Yeshua.
Paul informed his readers that if anyone, himself included, or an angel from heaven, preached any other gospel than the one that they had received, should be cursed (verse 8). The mention of an angel is interesting in that the word in Greek is "aggelos." This can be translated as "messenger" or "angel." The Greek word for gospel is "euaggelion", which as has been stated means "good news." Notice the common root in both words. Paul was making a play on words. Again, Paul was using pretty strong language. Paul repeated himself in verse 9. He wanted to make sure that his readers understood the seriousness of what was going on in the Galatian churches.
As of yet, the book of Galatians has not told us exactly who had come into their churches and what they had been preaching that was contrary to the gospel of Yeshua. This will come as we get further into the letter. At this point Paul is simply warning the believers about not accepting any other so-called gospels.
But before we go on we need to remind ourselves of some further details that are not included in the obvious reading of Galatians. Is Paul's summary a complete description of the gospel message? Since books have been written on the topic, obviously Paul didn't mean his statement of summary to be the end all of what the gospel message is, but there are some clues that can help us.
There are other places in Scripture where the "good news" is discussed.
Psalm 40:9 (KJV)
9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
Isaiah 52:7 (KJV)
7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!
Romans 10:14-15 (KJV)
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Matthew 4:23 (KJV)
23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Matthew 4:17 (KJV)
17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
These passages speak about the "good things" that Yeshua's message was all about. Specifically, the Matthew verses highlight that the kingdom of heaven was near. See here about the kingdom of God:
This is the foundation of what Yeshua's whole plan was about, bringing in a kingdom where He is the king, and believers are His subjects.
Although Paul doesn't directly address this, his statement from verse 4, "that he might deliver us from this present evil world," implies that something better is coming. Whereas the Jews had come to believe that only Jews could participate in that kingdom, God's plan from the beginning included both Jews and Gentile believers.
Zechariah 8:23 (KJV)
23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Isaiah 2:2-3 (KJV)
2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Hang onto the idea about the coming kingdom being composed of Jews and Gentiles. We will return to this.
Verse 10 of Galatians 1 ends this section by Paul's affirming that he was not trying to win any man's approval, but that he only sought God's. Apparently, someone was accusing Paul of this and apparently, his gospel preaching appeared to be anti-God in some way. As we progress in this study more on this will come to light.
Next:
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