No Other Gospel

Context for Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians

Who did Paul write to? The Galatians

However, some scholars are unsure if Paul wrote to a people group from northern Turkey known as the Galatians or if He wrote to the churches in the Roman providence of Galatica

I lean towards the position that Paul wrote to the churches in the Roman providence of Galatica because we do know that Paul established churches there.

This map shows the routes that Paul may have taken on his first and second ministry journeys and where the Roman Providence of Galatica is.

Paul most likely came to the Galatians in 46-47 A.D. as apart of his first missionary journey

The epistle was most likely written in 48 A.D. prior to the Jerusalem Council

We believe that the epistle was written prior to the Jerusalem Council (mentioned in acts 15), which took place in 48 or 49 A.D., as it dealt with the same issues that Paul deals with in this epistle, however Paul does not appeal to the Council for his argument of which other the other present apostles took the same stance as Paul.

Paul’s purpose of writing to the Galatians was to address the issue that arose when false apostles came, during Paul’s absence, and taught doctrine contrary to the gospel that Paul taught

The false teachers taught that the practice of Jewish ceremonies were necessary for salvation

These false teachers had to make a claim of authority to be messengers(apostleship) of God. The message they taught is in opposition to the gospel of Christ. As we dive into the epistle we will observe a few key themes of the letter.

Paul’s claim and argument of his apostolic rank and authority

How man is justified before God

The consequence of rejecting the gospel as taught by Paul

Freedom in Christ

now we’ll get into the text of scripture starting in Galatians 1:1-10

Paul’s Greeting

Galatians 1:1–5 ESV

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul has his authority to teach the Word as an apostle by Jesus Christ and God the Father

Paul identifies God the Father by His work of raising Jesus from the dead and Jesus by his sacrificial and atoning work

If they oppose Paul’s office as apostle then they oppose God who appointed him

Paul typically starts his epistles off with his claim to apostleship to enforce the doctrine that he teaches in his letters. The word apostle comes from the Greek word “apostolos” which means “emissary” or “messenger”. Apostolos finds its roots in the Greek word “apostello” which means to send or to dispatch. So the claim Paul is making here is that he is sent by Christ with the message of Christ, that is the gospel and doctrine of God.

It is noteworthy that Paul makes to point to emphasize that his apostleship is not of men or by men, but by God, something that he does not do in the introduction of his other epistles. While it is true that all pastor’s and elders are ordained by God, the methodology of electing an individual to pastoral leadership or eldership is different from an apostle. While Pastors and elders in Paul’s time were first appointed by apostles and then by other elders and members of the congregation (Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5) Apostleship, however was granted directly by Christ, the original 12 during Jesus’ earthly ministry (Matt. 10:1-4), and Paul as he was traveling to Damascus (Acts 9:15-16).

There is one outlier as Matthias was revealed to be chosen by Christ via the casting of lots to take the office that Judas(Acts 1:26), the one who betrayed Jesus over to the Jewish officials, left void after his betrayal and death. Matthias followed jesus during his earthly ministry and is a wittiness of the resurrection.

Paul

A Distorted Gospel

Galatians 1:6–10 ESV

6 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— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 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. 9 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. 10 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.