Galatians 1:1-24

What is the theme of this chapter?

Paul's authority and gospel defended.

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 15-17

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 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.

What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

Paul says, in verse 6, that he is amazed the Galatians have so quickly deserted "him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel."  I can apply this to my life by being on my guard against doing the same thing.  I can stand firm no matter how many times I hear I must do good works to prove I'm a Christian and to assure my entrance into heaven.  It's never about what I do; rather, it's always about what Christ has done.

Additional observations/questions:

Galatians 1:11-24

For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 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. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 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. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.

"In these verses Paul defends his authority as an apostle.  On the one hand, he shows that his teaching was not derived from any human agency and, on the other, that it was acknowledged by the other apostles as truly from God." (Ryrie)

"Paul, in these verses, goes to great pains to show that his message was not from man.  He did not receive it from the apostles, but directly from Heaven.  After his conversion, instead of going for instruction to Jerusalem and the apostles, he went into Arabia, for three years of fundamental training.  Here he received the revelation of the grace of God to the Gentiles.  It was not the message of the apostles to Israel, but a new revelation of the mystery of the Body of Christ as composed of both Jew and Gentile.  At the close of Paul's three years in Arabia he returned to Damascus.  It was only after these three years in Arabia that Paul met Peter and James.  He was with them only two weeks, but they could not add anything to what Paul had received.  It was this new revelation of Paul which was called in question and which he was constantly called upon to defend." (DeHaan)

not man's gospel - "It seems to me that two facts stand out clearly in Galatians 1:11.  First, his gospel was new and different from the gospel of the Kingdom which the twelve preached.  Otherwise, why would he speak as he did so often of 'the gospel which was preached of me' and 'that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,' and three times, 'my gospel' (Rom 16:25; 2:16; 2 Tim 2:8)?  Second, that gospel was not 'after man;' he did not get it from men as we get the gospel.  We hear others preach it, or friends tell us about it, but Paul got it directly from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and no one else." [cf Acts 26:16; 22:17-18; 2 Cor 12:1-2] (Stam)

For I did not receive it - "the pronoun is emphatic, suggesting a contract with the Judaizers, who probably professed to come from James, as they did who taught the same things at Antioch, see 2:12, and denying any inferiority in this respect to those apostles who had companied with the Lord and had been directly commissioned by Him before His ascension.  But while Paul thus 'glorifies his ministry,' (Romans 11:13, when speaking of himself personally he uses very different language, 'I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle,' 1 Corinthians 15:9, cp. 2 Corinthians 12:11." (Vine)

you have heard of my former life in Judaism - "Now let us consider this whole picture as it is given to us in the Book of Acts.  There was at that time only one nation which God recognized as His own.  And that nation, Israel, rebelled against Him.  Who inspired and led that rebellion?  Saul of Tarsus.  And who was Saul of Tarsus?  A wicked ruffian?  No!  He was one of the chosen race, and was highly respected by his nation.  He was a scrupulous observer of the law, zealous of the traditions of his fathers.  Was he so ignorant of Old Testament prophecy that he did not recognize Christ?  No, he was a Pharisee, the son of a line of Pharisees, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, of the tribe of Benjamin, a spiritual leader in Israel with a profound knowledge of the law and the prophets.  Yet this man led his nation in bitter persecution against the followers of Jesus, determined to stamp out the very name and the memory of Jesus Christ of Nazareth ... Paul's argument for his apostleship is a strong one.  How could the twelve, or any of the other believers for that matter, have appointed him an apostle of Jesus Christ?" (Stam)

I persecuted the church of God - "Some readers, when they see the word 'church' in this passage, suppose that the church of today, the Body of Christ, began at Pentecost.  It is true that we read about a church in Acts 2, but beloved, the church of today is a 'joint body' made up of Jewish and Gentile believers, with a heavenly position and blessing.  The church at Pentecost, and from Pentecost to Paul, was composed of Jews only (Acts 11:19).  They had an earthly calling with Christ s their King to reign at Jerusalem according to the prophecies of the Old Testament.  The word 'church' simply means 'a called-out' people, His church, in every age.  In Acts 7:38, Israel, under Moses' leadership, is called 'the church in the wilderness,' and it was the church for that day.  They were God's called-out people.  But God's church of today, His called-out ones, are the believers in Christ from every nation, whose home, out-look, and prospect is not earthly, but heavenly." (Stam)

he who had set me apart before I was born -"Paul was set apart from birth for his work (as was Jeremiah, 1:5)." (Ryrie)

"The appointment of Paul as an apostle was no makeshift arrangement.  It was not an after-thought on God's part; it was not as though God said to Himself, 'Now, they have rejected my Son; they will NOT accept Him as King; they will not accept His Kingdom.  What should I do?  I know what I will do, I will postpone the Kingdom and I will choose another apostle to preach grace.'  No, no, no!  Paul said that he was set apart for this from his very birth; every step of his life had led up to this, every step in his life had prepared him for the great ministry that God was to give him." (Stam)

who called me by his grace - "We must always distinguish between grace in a dispensation and 'the dispensation of grace.'  The principle of law is eternal, but 'the dispensation of law' was not.  It was wrong for Cain to kill his brother, and he was judged for it, yet the law was only given some 2,500 years later, by Moses (John 1:17).  Just so the principle of grace is eternal, but 'the dispensation of grace' is not.  It was only as Israel continued in her rejection of Christ that God reached down to save Saul of Tarsus, the leader of the rebellion, and usher in the dispensation of grace (Rom 5:20-21) ... I once thought as do many others today, and as perhaps you do also, that one must keep the law of the Ten Commandments, and thereby please God, to be sure of heaven.  I thought that the law was given as God's rule of life to help us to be good and to gain heaven at last; but the Word of God tells us that it was given for the purpose (Rom 3:19).  It was given to show us that we are not good and that we need a savior.  The law was given that every mouth might be stopped and all the world might be brought in guilty before God.  That is a very important fact.  'Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound' (Rom 5:20)." (Stam)

vss 15-17 - "These verses are important, and very significant, for Paul did not go immediately and talk it over with human beings.  When I was first saved I could not get enough fellowship with other believers, and I listened with rapt attention to those great men of God who were teaching the Scripture in those days.  Would you not think that when Paul was converted to Christ he would have gone immediately to those who were apostles before him, since the Lord Jesus had appointed him an apostle?  But he said that this was not what he did.  'I did not confer with flesh and blood.  I did not go to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me.'  He went into a desert place, doubtless to be alone with God.  It many well be that there he received the basic revelations about God's secret eternal purpose of grace (Gal 1:18-19) ... The Galatians letter does not actually deny that Paul met any of the apostles.  He talked instead about 'not conferring' (ver 16) with them concerning his own mission.  His point was that he had not gone to the designated Kingdom authority, the men who had the keys of the Kingdom, for instruction.  They did not commission him to carry out the Kingdom program.  His unique commission was given directly from God.  Three years later he did go to Jerusalem to confer with Peter for fifteen days.  At that time only James was present (ver. 18)." (Stam)

Arabia - "This may mean anywhere in the kingdom of the Habataeans, from near Damascus down to the Sinaitic peninsula.  Paul's intent is not to pinpoint the location but to emphasize that it was a place (in contrast to Jerusalem) where there was no apostle to instruct him.  In Arabia he was alone with God, thinking through the implications of his encounter with the risen Christ on the Damascus road.  Though not mentioned in Acts, this period in Paul's life would probably fit between Acts 9:22 and 9:23." (Ryrie)

I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas - "The purpose of Paul's visit to Peter was to become acquainted with him rather than to confer with him.  He also saw James, the Lord's half brother (v 19), but did not visit the Judean churches (v 22).  Acts 9:26-30 records this visit." (Ryrie)

Syria and Cilicia - "On his way to Tarsus, his home city (Acts 9:30)." (Ryrie)

vss 23-24 - "Paul has given us proof after proof that his message was not the same as that which the twelve had been preaching.  Yet the believers in Judea were saying, '...[he] now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.'  Does this mean that Paul was, after all, preaching the same gospel which the twelve had been preaching?  Some men have used this verse to seek to prove that this was the case.  Paul used the greater part of Chapters One and Two to prove that his message was different, but this does not mean that what the twelve had been preaching was not true.  They had preached Christ as the prophesied King, now risen from the dead.  Paul had once denied this and had persecuted those who believed it.  Then one day Christ Himself had appeared to Saul, and he saw that He was alive, and Israel's rightful King.  Thereafter, wherever he went, he sought to convince the Jews of that fact.  After all, how could they trust Christ as Lord and Savior if they did not know that He was their true Messiah, risen from the dead?  And how could they trust Him as the exalted dispenser of the grace that Paul presented, if He were an impostor whose dead body now lay in a Judean grave?  Paul confirmed what Peter and the twelve had been preaching.  In that sense, and to that degree, he preached the faith which once he had destroyed.  But even though he confirmed the message of the twelve, never once do we find him preaching the good news of the Kingdom—the good news that the Kingdom was about to be established.  He never, like Peter, offered the Kingdom and the return of Jesus Christ if the Jews would repent.  The time for that was past.  The establishment of the Messianic kingdom is, even yet in our own day, being held in abeyance until a future time; meanwhile, God offers reconciliation to his enemies by grace through faith." (Stam)

Galatians 1:6-10

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—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 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. 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. 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 of Christ.


deserting him who called you - "I.e., God the Father.  They were deserting grace to retreat into law, and they bore the responsibility for their defection." (Ryrie)

"I.e., God, to Whom Paul attributes the call of believers to salvation.  These words reveal in a flash the gravity of the situation.  The Galatians were not merely exchanging one set of opinions for another, they were not merely preferring an alternative way of access to Him.  If they left the grace of God they left God Himself." (Vine)

a different [heteros] gospel—not that there is another [allos] one - "The words heteros and allos are synonyms = 'other,' 'another.'  Synonyms are words with similar, but not necessarily the same, meaning,  Hence synonymous words are sometimes interchangeable, sometimes not." (Vine)

"Paul uses two Greek words, both of which mean 'another,' but which have a further distinct meaning of their own.  The first is heteros, the second allos.  Heteros means another of a different kind, allos, another of the same kind.  Heteros denotes qualitative difference, allos, numerical difference.  Heteros distinguishes one of two.  Allos adds one besides.  Every heteros is an allos, but not every allos is a heteros.  Heteros involves the idea of difference of kind, while allos denotes simply distinction of individuals ... We have here in the expression, 'heteros gospel,' a contradiction in terms.  Gospel is from euaggelion which means good news.  There cannot be a heteros good news, that is, a message of good news different in kind from that which Paul preached..." (Wuest)

"Perhaps you will recall that as soon as God began sending the message of salvation by grace to the Gentiles through Paul, some of the believers at Jerusalem and Judea became concerned ... They recognized this as something different than they had known.  They had known Christ only as their Savior King, because He was the Jewish Messiah.  They observed the law of Moses and the covenant of circumcision like Christ Himself had done on earth.  When Christ was on earth, He was under the law; He went to the synagogue every Sabbath Day; He was circumcised the eighth day, He kept the feast days.  They did not see how anyone could be saved by grace through faith alone ...  They knew nothing else.  They simply believed in Christ as their Messiah, their Savior King.  So they visited Galatia and they asked, 'How can these Gentiles be saved and the children of God without submitting to circumcision and the law of Moses?'  They were so greatly agitated that groups of them sent to the churches in Antioch, Corinth, and Galatia.  They convinced many of the Gentile converts, using the Old Testament Scriptures, that it was necessary for them to keep the law of Moses with all of its rites and ceremonies.  The Galatian believers, it seems, had embraced this line of reasoning, and Paul had to send them an urgent letter to get them re-established in the grace of God (v. 6)." (Stam)

"There are two different words for 'another' used here.  In verse 6, the word is heteros meaning 'one of a different sort.'  You have been removed to another gospel.  In verse 7, the Greek is 'allos' which means 'one of the same sort.'  Thus some commentators have said that Paul meant, 'you have switched to a difference which is not the same gospel'  And they suppose that these Gentiles had accepted a spurious gospel which was not a gospel at all.  But if this were so, would not Paul have said, '...another gospel which is not really a gospel at all?'  He did not say that this new thing which they had accepted was not really a gospel.  He said, 'another gospel which is not another.'  The idea is that there was not contradiction between the gospel of the Kingdom (or of the circumcision) and the gospel of the grace of God.  The latter was simply a further development, a further revelation of God's truth from the one that went before.  God gave the law to reveal what sin is and to show that man needed a Savior.  Again and again the apostle made it clear that his message was not a contradiction of what the twelve had preached.  I have been accused of teaching that Paul contradicted Peter.  Not at all!  Their messages were not the same but they were not contradictory.  What Peter preached at Pentecost was true:  he offered that if the Jews would repent God would send Jesus back to earth.  There is no contradiction.  When the Jews failed under the law, and rejected Jesus as King, God raised up Paul, the chief of sinner—saved him by His grace—and sent him forth with a new and further revelation called 'the dispensation of the grace of God.'  The dispensing of grace was chronologically the next number on the program of God, and there was no contradiction." (Stam)

"They had been lured from the wonderful gospel of the grace of God to another gospel which had also been true, but which belonged to a former dispensation.  It was still valid among the people to whom it had first been preached—the Jewish nation—but some zealous Jews were now perverting the good news about Christ for the  Gentiles." (Stam)

some who trouble you - "Those men from Judea who had gone to Antioch, and then to Corinth, and to Galatia, to bring Gentile believers back under the law of Moses were called troublemakers, not only by Paul, but Peter also, and the great leaders in the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:23-24)." (Stam)

distort - "It is 'metastrepho' in the original and my Bible lexicon translates it as 'to twist or distort.'  It is not a denial of the Gospel, but a twisting of the message.  This twisting or distortion is accomplished by adding something to the grace of God.  In this case, it was the preaching of grace—plus something." (DeHaan)

the gospel of Christ - "The good news of God's grace in Christ, who gave Himself for our sins (Gal 1:4)." (Ryrie)

accursed - "Lit., anathema, or devoted to destruction.  Ecclesiastically, it was accompanied by excommunication." (Ryrie)

"Beloved, it is because of the failure to recognize and acknowledge the distinctive character of Paul's apostleship and message, as the one whom God ordained to give us the truth for our day, that the gospel has been perverted and subverted.  Thus, those who should be enjoying the peace and assurance of resting in the all-sufficient finished work of Christ instead lose this blessedness.  They doubt God's Word which teaches that they are 'complete in Christ' and 'made accepted in the Beloved One' (Col 2:10; Eph 1:6).  This is why Paul pronounced a curse upon those who proclaim any other gospel than that which was committed by the glorified Lord to him (Gal 1:8-9)." (Stam)

seeking the approval of man - "I.e., by toning down his message.  Paul was being accused of preaching a cheap form of admission to God's kingdom.  He counters by saying that he is a bond-servant of Christ (lit., slave).  How can this cross-centered way be viewed as seeking to please men?" (Ryrie)

Galatians 1:1-5

Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.


Paul, an apostle - "Because of his unique and different message, received by special revelation from Heaven, he was not readily received by the other apostles.  He was vigorously opposed by the legalistic teachers of his day, who followed him from place to place, seeking to discredit Paul authority and deny his message of grace.  As a result Paul was called upon again and again to defend himself against his accusers, and to prove his divine authority.  Several of his epistles open with a declaration of his authority [Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Galatians].  We are led to ask the question:  Why all this emphasis upon his apostleship?  Why did Paul have to defend his authority as an apostle wherever he went?  There are several reasons:  First, Paul was not chosen by the apostolic band in Jerusalem.  He received his appointment directly from heaven.  Secondly, Paul's message was not the apostolic Kingdom message held by the Church in Jerusalem.  Thirdly, Paul's ministry was not exclusively for Jews, but primarily to the Gentiles." (DeHaan)

"There are 27 books in the New Testament.  Of these 27 books, over half were written by one man—the Apostle Paul.  If we accept the Pauline authorship of Hebrews, then 14 out of the 27 New Testament books were written by Paul  He is the outstanding apostle of the New Testament.  His letters contain revelation found nowhere else in the Bible, and but for the letters of Paul, we would be in almost total darkness concerning the truth of the Church as the Body of Christ, its function, activity and destiny.  His message was a NEW MESSAGE, a mystery not known before—A MESSAGE RECEIVED DIRECT FROM HEAVEN AS A NEW REVELATION OF DIVINE TRUTH.  The heart of this new message was the 'grace of God,' extended to all men everywhere, wholly and entirely apart from the works of the law.  The message before this had been limited to the Nation of Israel, and the Gentiles could only be saved by becoming Jews, submitting to the rite of circumcision and placing themselves under the laws and rituals of the Israelites.  These are called Jewish proselytes.  When Paul came with his message of grace, it met with serious misgivings by the apostles, who were still preaching the Kingdom message to the Jews only ... After Paul's conversion, he made a brief visit to Jerusalem, but the Christians there were afraid of him, and he soon left and departed for his home city of Tarsus, and from there went to Arabia for three years, where he received the revelation of the new message of the mystery of the Church, the Body of Christ, and the Age of Grace ... After his first missionary journey, Paul is called to give a report, and to account for his message before the apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 15).  His enemies accused him of preaching heresy and he went to Jerusalem to report before the apostles.  Here is was decided that the message of the grace which Paul preached to the Gentiles was truly the message of Christ from Heaven.  It was decided that the Gentile Christians were not under the Jewish law.  This is the last time the apostles in Jerusalem are mentioned.  Peter and all the rest of the eleven with their Kingdom message to Israel, now bow out of the picture, Israel is temporarily set aside, the Kingdom is postponed, and the new message of grace brought by Paul now goes to the entire world.  It is well to note here the sharp and distinct difference between the message Paul preached and the message committed to the apostles.  The message of Peter was to Israel, while Paul is the Apostle to the Gentiles.  This was also agreed upon (Gal 2:7).  The apostles never went to any but Jews with their Kingdom message.  On only one occasion did an apostle go to the Gentiles.  This was when Peter preached to a Gentile (Cornelius, Acts 10), to exercise the final use of the keys.  The apostles established no churches outside of Judaea, but limited their ministry to Jerusalem and the Jews.  Even after the death of Stephen when the Church was scattered, the apostles continued in Jerusalem ministering only to Israel (Acts 8:1).  Even those who were scattered abroad, did not preach to the Gentiles (Acts 11:19) ... The apostles never founded any Gentile churches.  It was Paul who was God's messenger for this dispensation ... Unless we keep this background in mind, that Paul's distinctive message was to all men, Jews and Gentiles, we cannot rightly divide the Word of Truth and reconcile the Gospel which Paul preached with the message of the apostles.  It will also explain the bitter opposition Paul experienced from his brethren according to the flesh.  They had been taught to consider Gentiles as unclean dogs and outside the covenant of grace.  When Paul therefore offered to these Gentiles salvation BY GRACE ALONE, they were most bitter in their opposition and finally succeeded in bringing about his arrest and execution.  It will also explain why Paul was always and everywhere called upon to defend his apostleship.  They would not accept him as an apostle because HE DID NOT RECEIVE HIS COMMISSION FROM THE APOSTLES, nor did he preach the apostolic message." (DeHaan)

"Before we deal with our text more fully, I want to press the point of Paul's distinct apostleship a bit further.  Has it ever occurred to you that the whole Bible is Jewish, except for Paul's epistles to the Gentiles?  After only eleven chapters in Genesis (You have hardly begun to read the Bible!), God set aside the Gentiles, and chose one man, Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation.  From there, right down to the end, the Bible is Jewish, except for the epistles which Paul wrote to the Gentiles.  I realize that technically the Hebrew race originated with Abram the son of Terah, and the Israelites originated with Jacob, who was later called Israel.  The name 'Jew' did not come into use until Judah, but we are using the term 'Jewish' because it is the most familiar to us.  All Jews today are physically the offspring of Abraham ... It is only when we come to Paul that God began dealing with the Gentiles again (Rom 11:13)." (Stam)

not from men nor through man - "Paul's apostleship was not ... from men; i.e,. it did not originate from any man but came from God.  Nor through man; i.e., it was not mediated through any man but came directly from Jesus Christ." (Ryrie)

To the churches of Galatia - "Observe the plural.  This is the only Epistle addressed to a number of Churches." (Robert Lee)

"The abruptness of the language is remarkable.  In Paul's other letters, he always has a word of commendation for the churches to which he is writing, even in the case of the church at Corinth which he was taking severely to task because of serious disorders within its membership.  He does not even address them as saints, although they were.  This shows the extent and seriousness of their defection, also the troubled state of the apostle's mind mingled with his indignation at the actions of his converts." (Wuest)

"The word 'church' is the translation of ekklesia, a word akin to the verb ekkaleo which refers to the act of calling out a group of individuals to an assembly.  The word in classical Greek referred to a summoned assembly, for instance, an assembly summoned for legislative business.  In the New Testament, it refers usually to a local assembly of Christians, less frequently to the whole body of Christians as in the Ephesian letter." (Wuest)

Grace to you and peace - "How wonderful!  'Grace' and 'peace.'  This is the gist, the basis of Paul's whole wonderful message to the Gentiles: 'from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins.'  'But,' you may ask, 'Was not the death of Christ, His crucifixion, preached before Paul?'  Yes, Peter talked about Christ's death, but not in the same way as Paul.  Peter's sermon, at Pentecost, blamed his hearers for the death of Christ: 'You took Him, and with wicked hands you slew Him!'  When convicted, his hearers asked, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?'  Peter answered, 'Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins' (Acts 2:38).  God does not blame us now for the death of Christ, although we could be blamed.  Paul proclaimed grace and peace to us because Christ gave Himself for our sins.  This is why Paul called hi message, 'the preaching of the cross' (1 Cor 1:18), and this is good news for the believer today because He offers us grace and peace, forgiveness, justification from sin, all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, and a position in Christ at God's right hand—all of this is based upon the death of Christ for our sins.  It all rests upon the fact that in love Christ paid the penalty for our sins so that we could be free ...Here we see that Paul was very different from the twelve.  He began with the death of Christ in his ministry—the death of Christ as the payment for sin and the basis of his whole message.  His epistles have nothing to say about the birth and life of the Lord Jesus Christ, for Christ came into this world, not primarily for a life on earth, but basically to die—to die for our sins." (Stam)

who gave himself for our sins - "Here Paul brings to the attention of the Galatian Christians who were practically ignoring the substitutionary character of the atoning death of the Lord Jesus, a declaration of the true ground of acceptance with God (Gal 2:21; 5:4).  This was purposely added because the Galatians were falling back on works as the ground of such acceptance." (Wuest)

to deliver us from the present evil age - "Deliver is the translation of exaireo which means to pluck out, to draw out, to rescue, to deliver.  The word strikes the keynote of the letter.  The gospel is a rescue, an emancipation from a state of bondage.  The word here denotes, not a removal from, but a rescue from the power of the ethical characteristics of the present age." (Wuest)

"The word evil is not from kakos here but poneros.  In the latter word, the positive activity of evil comes out far more decidedly than in the former.  The kakos man may be content to perish in his own corruption, but the poneros man is not content unless he is corrupting others as well, and drawing them into the same destruction with himself." (Wuest)

according to the will of our God and Father - "But Paul hastens to add that the act of Christ rescuing us is not according to our plan, or in proportion to our legal obedience or because of any quality in us, but according to the Father's sovereign will which is the standard of all the process of redemption.  This rescue therefore is according to the procedure prescribed by Him.  All of which means that the salvation procured on the Cross for us by our Lord is to be received by faith aside from any merit of our own.  We cannot earn what Christ procured for us." (Wuest)

"In this greeting Paul neatly summarizes his whole preaching message." (Ryrie)

Galatians - Introduction

Author - The Apostle Paul

Place and Date - Written at Corinth, about A.D. 49-50.

Prominent Personalities - The Apostle Paul and Peter, with unnamed Judaising teachers.

Message - Justification by faith plus nothing, is defended, explained, and applied, and sanctification by the Holy Spirit, not the Mosaic Law, is proclaimed.  Also, exhortation to guard against doctrinal error is given!

To Whom - The Galatian Churches.

"At the time of the writing of this letter the term 'Galatia' was used both in a geographical and in a political sense.  The former referred to the north-central Asia Minor, north of the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe; the latter referred to the Roman province (organized in 25 B.C.) that included southern districts and those cities just mentioned." (Ryrie)

"Some have held that these churches were situated in that section of Asia Minor designated on the map as Galatia, in which are situated the cities of Pessinus, Ancyra, and Tavium.  This is known as the North Galatian theory.  Others hold that these churches were located in the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Lystra, and Derbe.   This is the South Galatian theory.  The first theory had a clear field until Sir William M. Ramsay, a traveler in Asia Minor and a student of the Book of Acts, demonstrated that the Roman province of Galatia included at the time of the founding of the Galatian churches, not only the territory of Galatia, but also the country immediately to the south of it in which were situated the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe." (Wuest)

"Dr. Thiessen asks some significant questions, the obvious answers to which point to the opinion that, as he says, the Galatian letter was written primarily to the churches of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.  First, is it likely since Paul always used the provincial names of districts, that he would speak of Galatia in any other sense?  Second, would it not be strange for Luke to tell us so much about the founding of churches in South Galatia (Act 13:14-14:23), and for Paul to say nothing about them?  Third, does it not seem strange, on the other hand, to think that Paul would write so weighty a letter as the Epistle to the Galatians to churches whose founding is practically passed over in silence by Luke, as would be the case if the Galatian churches were located in North Galatia"  Fourth, would it not be strange also for the Judaizers of Palestine to pass by the most important cities of Iconium and Antioch in South Galatia, where there were a good many Jews, and no doubt, some Jewish Christians, and go to the remoter Galatian country to do their mischievous work? (Wuest)

"The religion of the Gentiles in the South Galatian cities was more oriental than Greek.  Its degraded type of sensuous worship could hardly satisfy the conscience even of a heathen community to which the influences of western civilization had come.  Greek philosophy and Roman morality created a nobler idea of human duty and divine government than could be reconciled with the popular religion.  Thus all the better feelings of educated men and women were stirred to revolt against the degraded superstition of the masses.  Into this conflict of religious ideas, the Jewish synagogue entered.  The Gentiles flocked to its higher and nobler conceptions.  However, while they gave adherence to the exalted ethics of the synagogue, yet they would have nothing to do with the sacrificial system which centered in the Jerusalem Temple.  To Paul's preaching, they gave a cordial welcome." (Wuest)

"The Epistle to the Galatians addresses a group of churches scattered over a rural district, with a population of rustics and 'county' folk.  The mass of the people lived on the land, and the towns were few and unimportant.  Antioch in Pisidia was merely a seat of government; Derbe a large village; Lystra-on-the-Hill won its place upon the map because of its garrison; and Iconium seems to have been little more than a police outpost.  In consideration of the mental outlook of his readers, Paul uses the simplest language and the homeliest illustrations he can find ..." (Robert Lee)

"His beloved converts were in such grave religious peril that he felt there was not a moment to spare.  His usual amanuensis not being at hand, he himself wrote it in haste, in spite of poor sight.  It reads as the composition of one moved by a great emotion ... There is an unusual tone of severity about this Epistle.  Paul begins without a word of praise or thanksgiving, which is most unusual for him ... He makes no request for prayer ... They were in a more serious condition than Corinth.  These were building wood, hay, and stubble on the one Foundation, but the Galatians were destroying the very Foundation itself.  It has been called not only Paul's 'Crucifixion Epistle,' but also 'Paul's Explosive Epistle,' and it has been also declared 'that every sentence is a thunderbolt.'" (Robert Lee)

"Men do not value this Epistle as they ought.  Luther thought highly of it: 'This was the pebble from the brook with which like another David, he went forth to meet the papal giant, and smite him in the forehead.'  He wrote a helpful commentary on it.  A copy of this came into John Bunyan's possession and just met his need.  Concerning it he wrote: 'I do prefer this book (except the Holy Bible) before all the books that ever I have seen, as most fit for a wounded conscience.'" (Robert Lee)

Acts 28:1-31

What is the theme of this chapter?

Paul in Malta and Rome.

What is the key verse(s) of this chapter? Verses 25-28

And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: “‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

 What can I apply to my life from this chapter (things to do/avoid)?

When Paul addressed the Jews in verse 17 by saying, "Brethren, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers...", the idea is clearly that he was not guilty of treating either the people or their beliefs with disrespect.  I should keep this in mind when talking to others about Christ.  There is no percentage in even lightly ridiculing the beliefs of others.

Additional observations/questions:

Acts 28:23-31

When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: “‘Go to this people, and say, “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.


trying to convince - "...the Jews meant proving to them from Scripture and His resurrection that Jesus was the Messiah (See Acts 13:30-39)." (Ryrie)

about Jesus from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets - "The plain fact is that we find Paul, in his earlier epistles, and even in the Acts record, preaching much that was not contained in the law and the prophets.  Indeed, as early as Acts 13:38-39 we find him preaching in a synagogue, proclaiming justification by faith in Christ without the law.  But in dealing with the Jews under the law, he must prove to them from their Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.  It is only a pity that in so many cases they refused to be persuaded, so that he could not go on to preach to them the glorious truths he had been specially commissioned to proclaim.  If it be remembered that the theme of Acts is the fall of Israel and God's vindication of Himself for going to the Gentiles, it will not seem strange that again and again we find the apostle proving to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ, but getting no farther, since they will not accept the proof." (Stam)

vss 25-27 - "Paul's citation of this passage (Isa 6:9-10) has been regarded as a parting shot at their obtuseness.  He followed it with a declaration that henceforth salvation will be preached to the Gentiles, the Jews having refused it." (Ryrie)

"The Jews (except a remnant) from Jerusalem to Rome had now rejected their Messiah.  Stephen's initial pronouncement had now been brought to a conclusion, as Paul said: 'Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God has been sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it' (Ver. 28) ... God's present work is not, of course, the fulfillment of prophecy among the Gentiles.  This awaits a future day, when Israel is saved and the Gentiles find salvation through her (Zech 8:13,22,23; etc.)." (Stam)

"Judgment must now be executed upon the nation and the blindness is now to come, which has lasted so long and will continue till the fullness of the Gentiles is come in (Rom 11:26).  Stephen, whose death young Saul had witnessed and approved (Acts 8:1), had pronounced judgment upon the nation, in Jerusalem.  God's mercy had still waited.  Marvelous Grace, which took up the young Pharisee, Saul, and made him the Apostle to the Gentiles!  Through him, the chosen instrument, the Lord still sought his beloved Israel, even after Jerusalem had so completely rejected the offered mercy.  We have seen how the Apostle's intense love for his brethren had led him back to Jerusalem, though warned repeatedly by the Holy Spirit.  And now he is used to give the very last message to the Jews and speak the final word of condemnation.  It is interesting to see how the Spirit of God quotes through the Apostle the message of judgment, which was given to Isaiah over 700 years before.  How long-suffering God is.  What infinite patience and mercy He manifested in dealing with Israel.  Isaiah had announced the hardening judgment, and God waited 700 years before it was finally accomplished.  Twice before these words from Isaiah 6 are mentioned in the New Testament.  In Matthew 13:14-15, they are spoken by our Lord after the people had rejected Him and the Pharisees had charged him with driving out the demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons.  They rejected Him, whom the Father had sent.  Again, we find the Lord making use of these words at another occasion.  In John 12:37-41, they are applied after the full rejection of the Son Himself and His testimony.  Here in our passage they are used for the last time.  The rejection is now complete and the result is the threatened blindness rests upon the nation.  But we must not forget that the Spirit of God had announced all this in the Epistle to the Romans.  The eleventh chapter unfolds and the Jewish question and assures us that in spite of all this, the blindness of Israel is not permanent.  God has not cast away this people, whom He foreknew.  He will yet bring the remnant to Himself and forgive them their sins.  God's gifts and calling are without repentance ... But the offer of the Salvation of God to the Gentiles will likewise close.  Romans 11:18-22 contains the solemn message, one of the great forgotten message of the Bible.  Boasting Gentile Christendom will some day be cut off and the broken off branches will be grafted in again into their good olive tree." (Gaebelein)

vs 29 - "Many mss. do not contain this verse." (Ryrie)

two whole years at his own expense - "During this time of confinement Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Knowing that they could not get a verdict of guilty, his accusers probably never showed up and therefore lost the case by default.  Paul would then have been released and become free to engage in the ministry reflected in the pastoral epistles before being rearrested and finally martyred." (Ryrie)

"Why does the Book of Acts close so abruptly?  It is evident from the close of Acts, if nowhere else, that the book is not primarily a history of 'the birth and growth of the Church,' nor even a complete record of 'the acts of the apostles.'  How we should like to know what happened to the Judaean apostles after the raising up of Paul!  How we should like to know how Paul fared during these two years in his own hired house and after!  What reading an inspired record of his last days and his trial and execution would have made!  But God did not cause Luke to write the Book of Acts in order to satisfy our curiosity.  The book is rather intended to be the story of Israel's fall and of how salvation was sent to the Gentiles.  This having been accomplished, and Israel having rejected Christ at Rome as she had done at Jerusalem and all the way between, the narrative ends." (Stam)