Verse 1: The apostolic call or any other ministerial call isn’t from men or through a man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father. Paul recognizes that a man didn’t call him. Ananias might have prayed for, healed, and even baptized him in the Holy Ghost, but this call didn’t come from an Ananias or a Barnabas; it came from God. The called must recognize that his calling is from God. Galatians 1:1
Verse 4: God gave Himself for our sins. It is the substitution principle. (John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). He became the sacrifice for the sins of the world, a willing offering for us. He took upon Himself the responsibility of our salvation.
- That He might deliver us from this present evil age.
- The word Age in Greek is Aion, which means a period. In this context, it means this world is not permanent; it will pass away. The world isn’t just the physical elements we see, like the earth, vegetation, etc. It more accurately depicts a worldly system.
- God’s sacrifice has delivered us from the condemnation that this age and time will receive.
- We see God doing everything to save men. He didn’t send His Son to condemn this world, but to save it. John 3:16-18. He doesn’t want anyone to perish but that all will come to the knowledge of His truth. 2 Peter 3:9.
- The death and resurrection of Jesus have made this possible, the preaching of the cross saves the hearers and the believers.
- The judgment of God isn’t just for men, it is for everything in this age and in this time.
- The heaven and the earth will pass away.
- The devil, death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire.
- Unbelievers will have their part in the lake of fire.
- Everything that is not in Christ will pass away.
Verse 6-9: Paul feared that the Galatian church was turning away from God to a different gospel or another gospel
- The Greek word for different is heteros; which means altered, something strange or foreign to the original subject, a different sort. It expresses a qualitative difference. Allos is another word for different: this means another of the same sort. It expresses a numerical difference.
- Allos Examples
- To be removed or turned away in the Greek is metatithēmi which means to be transferred, that is to be transported or perverted.
Verse 7: Some want to trouble you: Greek is tarassō which means to stir or agitate. How anyone is troubled by their conviction is by the perversion of the gospel.
- We see an example of this in Acts 15 when the church had to assemble in Jerusalem to resolve issues concerning circumcision.
- Acts 15:24 – Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law”—to whom we gave no such commandment—
- In the faith and life we live, we have a settled soul, we aren’t tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. We must seek to live like this. A troubled soul will make very little progress.
- …which is not another…
- The heteros gospel is not the allos gospel. A perverted gospel is different in quality and contrary to the real gospel.
Verse 8-9: Paul sentences anyone, including himself who preaches another gospel, who perverts or corrupts it. That person is accursed – anathema.
- Anathema – to be cursed with a curse, to be in disfavour with God, something doomed to destruction.
- More Verses with Anathema
- Acts 23:14
- Romans 9:3
- 1 Corinthians 12:3
Verse 10: As ministers and disciples of Jesus, we must divorce ourselves from pleasing men. Our goal is to please the Lord. We can’t please men and serve Jesus. The demands of Christ will make you unpleasing to the world.
Verse 11-12: The gospel isn’t from man, it isn’t a creation of man. It is preached by man, but it comes from the Lord. The revelation of Jesus brings about mature knowledge of the gospel.
When Jesus met the disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus, beginning from Moses and the prophets, explained the Scriptures concerning Himself (Luke 24:13-35). The Holy Ghost in the believer, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
Verse 13-14: Paul’s former conduct wasn’t something done in the shadows when no one was looking, he was known for the havoc he caused. It was at his feet that they cast the clothes of the men who stoned Stephen. When He encountered Jesus and attempted to join the disciples, they still feared him.
Verse 15: Paul’s separation from his mother’s womb isn’t the day he was physically born. If it was his physical birth, then many others would bear the same fate.
- The pleasing of God and His calling by His grace is no longer dependent on God, through Christ he has sacrificed and shown to the world His love and care. God is pleased that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Peter 3:9
Verse 16-21: Paul is showing us how he got this gospel and began to preach it. After the call, he had no interference with anyone but separated himself. He did not immediately confer with flesh and blood.
- He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy. Galatians 1:23.
- One major way we know that we are born again is the urgency and zeal to preach the gospel to others.