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Galatians
BC Weekly Digest Monday, June 7 1999 In this issue: Galatians 1:11,12 Galatians 1:13 Galatians 1:6-12 Galatians 1:11,12 Galatians 1:11,12 (OPV) 11 For I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel preached by me is not according to man. 12 For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through revelation from Jesus Christ. == 1:11 "The gospel preached by me" The Greek word translated 'gospel' means 'good news'. The word for 'preached' in this verse is the verb form of 'gospel' which means 'preach good news'. This verb is used 53 times in the NT and is usually translated the same as the separate Greek phrase 'preach the gospel' which is found 11 times. A comparison of the two lists shows that Luke and Paul preferred 'evangelize' whereas Matthew and Mark preferred the phrase 'preach the gospel.' A comparison of these two sets of passages, especially parallel passages in the Gospels, reveals that an evangelist and a preacher of the gospel, biblically speaking, is exactly the same thing. The word 'evangelist' is found three times in the NT An evangelist is 'one who tells good news' or 'a proclaimer of the gospel.' Whereas the word 'evangelize' emphasizes the joyous nature of the message, the word 'preach' refers to the public nature of the proclamation. An evangelist is one who publicly proclaims the good news. Paul defines the gospel as follows: "Now I make known unto you brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Cor 15:1-4 ASV). Notice that Paul refers to "the word which I preached unto you." "The gospel" refers to the entire Christian message. "Sound doctrine" is "according to the gospel" (1 Tim 1:10,11). Paul wanted the Colossians to "continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel" (Col 1:23). 1:11,12 "Not according to man. For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it" The gospel preached by Paul was not of human origin. Nor were there human go-betweens in his reception of it. 1:12 "But I received it through revelation from Jesus Christ" A "revelation" is an inspired message from God disclosing something not previously known or realized. Later, Paul will explain and substantiate this point more fully. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul also emphasizes the divine origin of the message and his desire to please God, not man. "But even as we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts. For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others" (1 Thes 2:4-6 ASV). Paul has been criticized by false teachers. Basically, Paul is saying in a polite way, that he does not care what people think about him. The gospel he preaches came from God, and God is the one he is striving to please. Roy Davison ------------------------------ Galatians 1:13 Galatians 1:13 (OPV) 13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God exceedingly, and devastated it. === When Stephen was stoned the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of Saul (Acts 7:58), who "was consenting unto his death" (Acts 8:1). "But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison" (Acts 8:3 ASV). "But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem" (Acts 9:1,2 ASV). In his defense to the people from the steps of the temple barracks, Paul said: "And I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished" (Acts 22:4,5 ASV). Paul was well-known among the Jews for his persecution of the church: "And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee: and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him" (Acts 22:19,20 ASV). Paul later recounts these events in his defense before Agrippa: "I verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them. And punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities" (Acts 26:9-11 ASV). During the rest of his life Paul regretted what he had done and was ever thankful for the grace of God by which he could receive forgiveness. "For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me" (1 Cor 15:9,10 ASV). He considered himself to be the "chief" of sinners because he had persecuted the church. "I thank him that enabled me, [even] Christ Jesus our Lord, for that he counted me faithful, appointing me to [his] service; though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord abounded exceedingly with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief: howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me as chief might Jesus Christ show forth all his longsuffering, for an ensample of them that should thereafter believe on him unto eternal life" (1 Tim 1:12-16 ASV). Roy Davison ------------------------------ Galatians 1:6-12 Galatians 1:6-12 (NEV) I am astonished to find you turning so quickly away from Him who called you by grace, and following a different gospel. Not that it is in fact another gospel; only there are persons who unsettle your minds by trying to distort the gospel of Christ. But if anyone, if we ourselves or an angel from heaven, should preach a gospel at variance with the gospel we preached to you, he shall be held outcast. I now repeat what I have said before: if anyone preaches a gospel at variance with the gospel which you received, let him be outcast! Does my language now sound as if I were canvassing for men's support? Whose support do I want but God's alone? Do you think I am currying favor with men? If I still sought men's favor, I should be no servant of Jesus Christ. I must make it clear to you, my friends, that the gospel you heard me preach is no human invention. I did not take it over from any man; no man taught it to me; I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." Comments by Howard Justice This passage relates the effects of those who are called "false teachers." It has several points that stand out from the rest. 1. These Galatian Christians had turned aside from the truth (the gospel of Christ). It had been only about seven years since Paul had first preached the gospel of Christ to these Gentiles of Asia Minor. He had first gone there in AD 51 but this departure had happened by late AD 58. Thus, it was something short of seven years. 2. They had been led astray by a different gospel (false doctrine). It was these erroneous teachings that had deluded them. They were newly converted from heathenism but they should have recognized that this false doctrine was not in accord with what Paul had at first imparted unto them. 3. It was not another gospel but it was the original gospel heard from Paul to which these false teachers had added the ritual of circumcision as a test of faith for these Gentiles. It was an altered form of the truth, Thus, it was an adulterated gospel. 4. Paul warns them that they were always to pay particular attention to the message, as opposed to the messenger, in their acceptance of any teachings. It was the false teachings that had corrupted them and not the presence of the false teachers. This is a very important concept. The only positive way of determining whether one comes with the true word of God is to listen to the message and then make that determination. Further, Paul warns them that should even an angel appear from Heaven, they were not to accept false teachings because the only way to determine whether even an angel was telling them the truth, was if the message was exactly as the one which they had originally heard from Paul. Some today teach that it is the heart or the fruit of an intentionally corrupt mind that identifies false teachers. But this is an erroneous concept filled with many problems. It is the doctrine alone that is to make that determination. Paul then uses himself to make the illustration. Had he then preached a new doctrine unto them, he would have made void his earlier teachings by doing so. Consider this also. Here Paul uses the example of an angel from Heaven. This was to prove to all that it was not the heart or the intent to defraud but it was the doctrine. Who else would have a more perfect heart than an angel sent from Heaven? No one! Thus the intent of the heart was deemed insufficient by Paul in making the identification of a false teacher. Of course, those whom we know to be teaching from an impure heart are to be warned as well but many times we cannot determine just what their agenda may be. In Philippians 1:15-18, Paul mentions those whose hearts were impure who taught the truth. Were they condemned because of their false motives? No! Was Paul being critical of their agendas? No. Paul even praised the outcome of their work because the truth (the message) was what mattered most of all. God will judge a man who teaches the truth out of an impure heart (1 Cor 4:4-5). We do not have that privilege. Of course, if we know that such is the case, we have every responsibility to try to restore this man but we cannot pass judgment on his soul. God will do that. We must remember that Paul had told the Corinthians that they were not to be shocked about the fact that Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14- 15). Even Satan's angels masquerade as agents of good but they have their reward which will match their evil deeds. No man has any assurance that false teachers can be identified by their evil aspirations. Rather, the only way is to determine the truth of their message as compared to the word of God. In 1 John 4:1, John advises each Christian to try the spirits because many false spirits had gone out into the world. thus, man has to have some standard of measure by which to make that determination. The standard is the word of God. John then refers to these false prophets denying the Lord. This is done by asserting that their doctrine is the truth when it is not. Rather, it is the doctrine of the devil. Sometimes, it is hard for brethren to understand that sincere brethren, who are teaching error fervently and with no apparent agenda, are simply the "tools" of Satan. They have unknowingly and unwittingly become angels of darkness. In 2 Corinthian 6:14, Paul asked what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness and what communion has light with darkness? The answer is resoundingly, NONE. 5. Paul then tells us to consider such men as ANATHEMA. This term is defined as an animal, person or thing doomed to destruction. It is condemned to the direst of woes. It is as a dung heap to the children of God. It is to be eternally lost. In Matthew 18:6; Mark 9:42 and in Luke 17:2, Jesus stated : "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Brethren, let us be careful that we not teach any doctrine that is false. lest we also fall into this condemnation. 6. Paul did not curry favor with men but spoke only the message of Jesus Christ who gave him the word. We need to be mindful that even the qualified words of Paul were written at the allowance of Jesus Christ by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Thus, everything that he taught as precept or command was the word of God. Amen Howard Justice ------------------------------ Galatians 1:14 Galatians 1:14 (OPV) 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being exceedingly zealous for my ancestral traditions. === When Paul addressed the angry crowd from the steps of the temple barracks, he explained: "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day" (Acts 22:3 ASV). In his defense before the Jewish council he said: "I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees" (Acts 23:6 ASV). And after being taken to Rome as a prisoner, he assured the local Jewish leaders that he "had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers" (Acts 28:17). Actually, it was this great zeal which caused Paul to be such a dedicated servant of Christ once he understood that Christ was the fulfillment of the aspirations of the fathers and the predictions of the prophets. When speaking before King Agrippa, Paul said: "My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, that after the straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand [here] to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers" (Acts 26:4-6 ASV). In his letter to the Galatians, Paul will explain that Christians are the true heirs of the promises given to the fathers. Roy Davison ------------------------------ Galatians 1:15-17 Galatians 1:15-17 (OPV) 15 But when He who set me apart from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son to me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, without delay, I did not consult with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and I returned again to Damascus. === *1:15 "Set me apart from my mother's womb" God set Jeremiah apart before his birth: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee; I have appointed thee a prophet unto the nations" (Jer 1:5 ASV). God sees in the future as easily as we see in the present. God makes such selections through foreknowledge. Compare this with His foreknowledge that the faithful would be saved in Christ (Romans 8:29,31). This does not deprive people of their free will, any more than our knowledge of what someone is doing now deprives him of his free will. God had providentially prepared Paul to be the apostle to the Gentles, even before he knew about or believed in Christ. He had both a Hebrew and a Greek education, and was a Roman citizen. He had excellent writing ability. The Lord used him to pen a large portion of the New Testament. *1:15 "Called me through His grace" All Christians are "called to be Jesus Christ's," "called to be saints" (Romans 1:6,7). Paul was also called to be an apostle: "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God" (Romans 1:1 ASV). Later, Paul and Barnabas were called for a specific work. "And as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them" (Acts 13:2 ASV). *1:15,16 "Was pleased to reveal His Son to me" The Lord appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9). When Ananias came, he told Paul: "The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth" (Acts 22:14). In Paul's writings he mentions other times when the Lord appeared to him. He refers to "the exceeding greatness of the revelations" given to him (2 Cor l2:7), and mentions being transported to the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2) and "how that he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Cor 12:4 ASV). *1:16 "That I might preach Him among the Gentiles" The Lord told Ananias when He sent him to Paul: "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15 ASV). Although Paul also preached to the people of Israel, his main task was to preach to non-Jews. The word for "Gentiles" here in Greek means literally "nations" but it was commonly used by the Jews with the meaning of 'Gentiles'. The context must determine whether 'nations' or 'Gentiles' is the best translation. When the Lord told Paul to leave Jerusalem, He said: "Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles" (Acts 22:21 ASV). Paul was entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised (Galatians 2:7,9). *1:16 "Without delay" Paul did not hesitate to start preaching after he was baptized: "And straightway in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God" (Acts 9:20 ASV). *1:16,17 "I did not consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me" Paul is substantiating what he said in verses 1, 11 and 12 about being made an apostle directly by Christ and receiving the gospel independently by revelation. ..Jesus had said to Peter, after he had confessed that He was the Christ: "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father who is in heaven" (Matt 16:17 ASV). The gospel was revealed to Paul in the same way. *1:17 "But I went away into Arabia, and I returned again to Damascus" For more details see Acts 9:20-27. Roy Davison