Galatians 1:1-5

1Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2and all the brethren who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Verse 1 &2

Pronouncement of authority: Apostolos / Apostle 80 x New Testament. 0 in LXX

Paul’s spearheads his opening with a scalding retort for all believers he is writing to. He reminds them of the Authority from which he speaks, and heralds his Authority as undisputed, allowing him the privilege of responding to the disheartening news he has heard about the churches of Galatia. His Apostleship is not in question, (2 Cor 11:5, 12: 11.) However other messengers, purporting to be Apostles of Christ are delivering “another” (v. 6) Gospel a topic which results in a very animated response from the Spirit of God to the congregations or the Ekklesia of Galatia.

A singular point of authority “…through Christ Jesus and God the Father.” The relationship in view here is the oneness of the Church and the coherence of its message from the beginning of God’s revelation, Christ’s ministry (which is the message the believers received -vs. 9- of Paul from the beginning.) This is the same relationship Christ affirms in His priestly prayer in the garden prior to his passion on the cross in John 17. We are one in Christ and God the Father; the Godhead is established as the position which is above the position Christ held when praying to God, He identifies Himself as holding a position which is directed to obey in every detail the will of the Father who sent him, even though, they are one.

The death of Christ is listed in conjunction to Paul’s apostleship for several reasons.

Paul is called by Christ after His death and resurrection. Acts 22:6-11 and surrounding.

Acts 22:6-11

6“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. 7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

9“And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. 10So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’ 11And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

Paul is taught by direct revelation from Christ and the Spirit. Gal 1:10-2:2

Galatians 1:10-2:2

10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

11But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

21Afterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which were in Christ. 23But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.” 24And they glorified God in me.

1Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.

The essence of the GOSPEL is Christ as the indicated intention and purpose of God the Father for the fulfillment of all Creation. Gen. 12:3, 7; 13:15; 24:7; Acts 13:32; Gal 3:15-17; Heb 6:12

Genesis 12:3-7

3I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

4So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.

7Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 13:15

15for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever.

Genesis 24:7

7The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

Acts 13:32

32And we declare to you glad tidings— that promise which was made to the fathers.

Galatians 3:15-17

15Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 16Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of one, “And to your Seed,” who is Christ. 17And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.

Hebrews 6:12

12that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

In essence the message to the Galatians is the infallible truth from the beginning, which Christ came and demonstrated in its fullness; in His death and resurrection the Gospel is represented, as well as the promise of future gifts; goodness and Grace as yet unreceived. This is the single purpose and intention of the greeting and the message being delivered, it is the reason Paul’s amazement is so great in the follow verses. In view is the oneness of the Godhead and the text speaks of the Father and Son, the Spirit attesting, the testament itself is evidence of the fullness of the Godhead.

This oneness extends into the body the Ekklesia, the “called out” as we are in Christ and He in us. This stresses the importance of verse 2. The Spirit is speaking to those who have ears to hear, as Christ asked in the prayer in the garden. The message or revelation, the GOSPEL, is to those who will receive the blessing through the words of those who are sent (John 17) this is not isolated in the 12 Apostles, since Paul is stating in unequivocal terms, he too is an Apostle. This applies to the whole body of believers, the Ekklesia.

Affiliation of the saints:

Paul’s authority does not exist in a vacuum. He writes to inform fellow believers of the truth they all have in common, this is a truth accepted by the church at large. Thus fellow believers, with Paul, affirm the message he is delivering. This speaks directly to the Spiritual cohesion of the congregational relationships at the time of Paul. Paul sees ONE Congregation of believers, this one congregation acts in unity with itself. He is speaking to all the members of the one congregation but, especially those of Galatia congregations. How does this reflect on the polity of our church bodies today? Classis, General Assembly.

Verse 3

Gospel summary and designation of Unmerited Favor

Paul delivers the Gospel in a simple clear uniformity within his opening statement-

Gospel– Grace; Origination of Grace; Grace demonstrated; need for Grace; Foundation of Grace.

He reminds the congregation they receive the unmerited favor of God. But the action of Grace to the believer is more than favor; it is a gift of God which changes us, Charis, Grace, favor, thanks. Grace is one component of the transformational life of the regenerate in Christ. Without Grace the seed of the Gospel falls on the unprepared soil. Grace is the action of the sower preparing the soil to open it up and make it ready to receive the Word, but also attends to the seed once planted with constant diligent care until the crop is harvested and reaches its final designation.

The Grace of God is not passive; it is an active agent in the life the believer! Grace together with faith, hope, love, perseverance and all the fruit of the Spirit (Psalms 1:3; Romans 6:22-23; Gal 5:22; Eph 5:9)

The Proper order of this active Grace is from the “God the Father” and “Our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is God who gives particular grace which results in salvation. It is particular in its active transformation of the “born again” believer. Apart from this agency, faith cannot flourish within the carnal man. Once given, spiritual grace mounts a formidable overcoming assault against the carnal lusts of the flesh. This is the struggle described in Romans 7, and later in Gal 5:16-26 and James 1. It is one portion of the evidence of the being conformed to his image, of which we are told in Romans 8:28-30 and Phil 3:21. This is the message the Spirit through Paul is delivering. The fact that he introduces these themes, in concise words in his introduction is sustained as we look at the epistle as a whole, and Gods revelation as the context against which, all teaching, and truth must be tested, Christ said “sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” John 17:17. The Psalmist also expressed the same truth centuries before:

Psalm 84:11

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory;
No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.

Christ himself sends us the Holy Spirit, that we might be comforted, so we can walk uprightly, we receive grace because it was his grace and he shares it with us, our conformity to His image brings glory to Him, He is the greatest source of illumination and protection. This is part of the Gospel that the Galatians have left behind, or fallen away from.