1. No Other Gospel (Galatians 1:1-10)
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
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Galatians Bible Study
Doctrine may seem pretty dry to us -- until it begins to
affect our salvation. Then we'd better be very sure what we believe. That's the
issue in Galatians: What do you have to do to be saved? You'd think that such a
basic issue would have been understood immediately, but it took the early church
nearly 20 years to reach a resolution.
At the beginning of Acts, we see an outline of the progress
of the gospel.
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
Let's trace how the gospel went forward in fulfillment
of this verse.
Jerusalem and Judea. For years, the gospel had made
headway mainly among Jews, first in Jerusalem at the Day of Pentecost (about 30
AD[6]) and later in Judea when
persecution began perhaps 36 AD.[7]
Here the gospel didn't have to cross religious lines. Even those present on the
Day of Pentecost were Jews, even though they lived outside of Palestine.
Samaria. But when Philip baptized some half-Jewish
Samaritans about 36 AD,[8]
the Jerusalem church was troubled. There was a strong religious and cultural
barrier between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Jerusalem church sent Peter and
John to investigate; they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit and the
Jerusalem church was satisfied -- for the moment.
Caesarea. A little later, Peter preached the gospel to
an all-Gentile audience at Cornelius' home in Caesarea and, when the Holy Spirit
fell on them, he baptized them. The reaction of orthodox Jewish-Christians in
the Jerusalem church, however, was harshly critical (Acts 11:2-3), though they
came to accept that the Gentiles' conversion was genuine (Acts 11:18).
Antioch. But then, about 40 to 41 AD,[9]
a revival broke out among Gentiles in Antioch in Syria, when some Greek-speaking
Jews began to preach Christ there (Acts 11:20-21). When the Jerusalem church
heard of it, they sent Barnabas to instruct them in the faith. And Barnabas got
Paul to help him (Acts 11:25-26).
First Missionary Journey. About 47 AD, Paul and
Barnabas were sent out by the Antioch Church on a missionary journey that took
them to Cyprus, and then to Asia Minor, where they clearly travelled through the
Roman Province of Galatia.[10]
In spite of intense opposition from the Jews in those areas, they won converts
in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:13-51), in Iconium (Acts 13:51-14:5), and in Lystra
and Derbe (Acts 14:6-21). Then they retraced their steps, appointing local
elders in each of these fledgling churches (Acts 14:21-23), and returned to
their home base in Antioch about 48 AD.
Turmoil from the Circumcision Party. But all was not
quiet in Antioch. Luke tells us,
"Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were
teaching the brothers: 'Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom
taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.'" (Acts 15:1)
These Jewish Christians[11]
seem to have troubled the newly-founded churches in the Province of Galatia with
the same false teaching, for this is clearly the issue addressed in Paul's
Letter to the Galatians.
Council of Jerusalem. About 49 AD,[12]
Paul and Barnabas realized that the only way to stop, once and for all, this
false teaching about the necessity of circumcision was to take the matter
directly to the elders and apostles in Jerusalem, the apparent source of the
teaching (Galatians 2:12). The Council, led by James, the head of the Jerusalem
church and Jesus' brother, concluded that circumcision was not necessary for
salvation, and wrote authorized letters to that effect to "the Gentile believers
in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia" (Acts 15:23).
Paul's Letter to the Galatians may well have been written as
early as 48 AD or perhaps as late as 56 AD. We can't be absolutely sure. We do
know, however, that Paul was battling Judaizers in Asia Minor, Macedonia, and
Achaia long after the decision at the Council of Jerusalem.
With this background, as we begin this letter, you can sense
Paul's urgency and passion. The matter of circumcision being required for
salvation had been destroying his work among the Galatians and he is compelled
to deal with it head on.
Paul begins with the characteristic letter format of the
first century: (1) author, (2) recipients, and (3) a greeting that often
included a statement about Christ's salvation.
"1 Paul, an apostle -- sent not from men
nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead
-- 2 and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: 3
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
4 who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil
age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory
for ever and ever. Amen." (1:1-5)
Notice how Paul presents himself: "an apostle -- sent not from
men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father." As we'll see in Lesson
2, Paul felt it was vital to establish that his apostolic authority didn't
derive from men -- especially the Jerusalem church -- but came directly from
Christ himself, unmediated to men.
"Apostle" (Greek apostolos), means literally, "one
sent." "In older Greek, the term is a nautical one denoting a freighter or a
naval force with no sense of initiative or authorization." But in Judaism it
began to develop the sense of "delegate, envoy, messenger," that is, one sent
with the authority of the sender.[13]
Paul's authority has been questioned and undermined by the Judaizers, so in
verse 1, Paul begins by insisting that his authority comes from Christ himself!
"Galatia" can refer to either the Roman Province of Galatia
(South Galatian theory, which I am following) or the Kingdom of Galatia (North
Galatian theory), as discussed in detail in the Introduction.
Next, best wishes are offered, as was common in the letter
format of the time. The Greeks typically began with "grace" (Greek charis),
while the Jews would offer "peace" (Hebrew shalom). Paul offers both
"grace and peace."
"3 Grace and peace to you from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to
rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and
Father, 5 to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (1:3-5)
Now Paul writes a doxology to Jesus Christ and God the
Father. Notice the elements of this doxology:
- Action: "Gave himself for[14]
our sins." Christ died for our sins on the cross. The Judaizers' emphasis on
the law negated the need for the cross.
- Problem: "The present evil age,"[15]
with its sinfulness, thus resting under God's righteous judgment. If we "go with
the flow" of our culture, we'll end up being condemned. "Broad is the road that
leads to destruction" (Matthew 7:13).
- Purpose: "To rescue[16]
us." Christ performed a rescue mission. This is the crux of the matter. At
the end of chapter two, Paul sums it up:
"If righteousness could be
gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" (Galatians 2:21)
The gospel isn't
about man's ability to save himself by keeping the law. It is about Christ dying
for our sins so that the just requirement of the law is fulfilled in him on our
behalf.
- Source: "According to the will of our God and Father."
"For God so loved the
world..." (John 3:16).
- Praise: "To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."[17]
He is worthy of all our praise!
You'll find questions interspersed throughout these
lessons. They are designed to stimulate discussion in groups or for you to
respond to personally. Take time with these, for they'll help you understand the
key issues and reinforce them in your mind. Lesson 1 has only two questions, but
most lessons will contain four discussion questions. If you're taking this study
online, why don't you register for the Joyful Heart Bible Study Forum and then
click on the link below each question to read others' answers and to add your
own?
Q1. (Galatians 1:4) According to verse 4, for what
purpose did Jesus give himself? How does Jesus rescue people today? How does he
keep people from falling back into their old ways?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1120
Often, Paul's letters contain an extended word of praise of
Christ at this point. But not this letter. Paul immediately gets to the point.
Notice the strong verbs. Paul isn't trying to smooth over here, but to
accentuate the problem:
"6 I am astonished that you are so
quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are
turning to a different gospel -- 7 which is really no gospel at
all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying
to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel
from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let
him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now
I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you
accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (1:6-9)
This is explicit language, a kind of tirade[18]
from an apostle who is both livid with rage at the Judaizers and extremely
frustrated with his converts who have been so easily swayed.
It's interesting that repeatedly over the course of four
verses, Paul uses the noun "gospel" (euangelion) or the verb "preach the
gospel" (euangelizō, from which we get our English word "evangelize"):
- "Different gospel" (1:6)
- "No gospel at all" (1:7a)[19]
- "Pervert the gospel" (1:7b)
- "Preach a gospel other" (1:8)
- "Preaching a gospel other" (1:9)
Euangelizō means, "bring good news, announce good
news."[20]
Euangelion refers to the "good news" that is announced or proclaimed.[21]
It derives from eu-, "good" + angelos, "bringer, messenger." In
Greece, the verb was used "for bringing news, especially of a victory or some
other joyous event, in person or by letter." Jesus was the first to use the term
in the New Testament:
"Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news
(euangelion) of God. 'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is
near. Repent and believe the good news (euangelion)!'" (Mark 1:14-15)
The Galatians now believe "another gospel," says Paul, that
is, another "good news." The problem is that their "good news" isn't good; it's
really bad news, which Paul observes when he says that it "is really no gospel
at all." The Judaizers' message was: If you keep the law you will be considered
righteous. Contrast that with Jesus "gave himself for our sins to rescue us"
(1:4).
The Greeks have a pair of words used to contrast like and
unlike:
- Homos, "same"
- Heteros, "different"[22]
The Judaizers' message was another[23]
message, clearly different from the gospel the Galatians had received.
But the Galatians' error isn't just an innocent
misinterpretation. Paul had carefully taught them the gospel of the grace of
God. Their doctrinal shift was deliberate on their part; they had believed the
deliberate twisting of the Judaizers. Paul wasn't easy on either party. Consider
the verbs he uses:
"Deserting" (NIV, NRSV), "removed from" (KJV) is metatithēmi,
"to have a change of mind in allegiance, change one's mind, turn away, desert."[24]
Paul doesn't excuse the Galatians. He accuses them of deserting the true gospel.
"Throw into confusion" (NIV), "confuse"
(NRSV), "trouble" (KJV) describes the effect of the Judaizers' false teaching.
The verb tarassō means, "to cause inward turmoil, stir up, disturb,
unsettle, throw into confusion."[25]
As a pastor I've seen the kind of confusion and turmoil that enemies of peace
can cause in a congregation. It's significant!
"Trying to pervert" is another strong pair of verbs --
thelō, "desire, purpose, resolve" and metastrephō, "to cause a
change in state or condition, change, alter something" into something else.[26]
This latter verb isn't always pejorative. It is used of the sun being turned
into darkness at the Last Day (Acts 2:20; Joel 3:4) and in some manuscripts of
laughter being turned to mourning (James 4:9). But here it is the equivalent of
"to pervert, corrupt."[27]
The Judaizers don't merely have an innocent misunderstanding, but are waging
deliberate campaign to change the Galatians' understanding of salvation!
"Eternally condemned" (NIV), "accursed" (NRSV,
KJV) is anathema (from which we get our English word), "that which has
been cursed, accursed."[28]
Twice in this passage Paul calls down an eternal curse upon the Judaizers who
have perpetrated this deception and proclaimed "another gospel."
Q2. Paul called the Judaizers' message as a "different
gospel," a perversion of the true gospel. How is this dangerous to the Galatian
believers? How do twisted gospels (or an unbalanced interpretation of the
gospel) affect Christians in our day?
http://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=1121
Paul has clearly been accused by his enemies of merely saying
what people want to hear. So he concludes this section with a question:
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of
God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would
not be a servant of Christ." (1:10)
Paul's harsh words here aren't the smooth talk of a
politician. He isn't trying to smooth things over and make everyone happy.[29]
Rather, he is trying to polarize the situation, to label the Judaizers as guilty
of distortion and deceit, and drive a wedge between them and the Galatian
Christians. Paul isn't trying to please man, but to please Christ his commander.
Ironically, as we'll see in the last chapter, the Judaizers' true motivation to
stress circumcision is to put themselves on good terms with the Jewish community
in the region. That is why they were downplaying Christ's saving work on the
cross (6:12-14).
In the first few sentences of his letter, Paul has thrown
down the challenge to the Jewish Christian perverters of the gospel. Now he will
begin to develop his argument that our salvation is by grace alone, not by
fulfilling the law.
Prayer
Father, thank you for sending Jesus to rescue us. We ask you
to sharpen our discernment so that we can see the true gospel clearly enough to
recognize the slick counterfeits that we're presented with. In Jesus' name, we
pray. Amen.
Key Verse
"The Lord Jesus Christ ... gave himself
for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of
our God and Father." (Galatians 1:3b-4, NIV)
End Notes
Galatians Bible Study:
Discipleship Lessons
Copyright © 1985-2012, Ralph F. Wilson. <pastor
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