Welcome back to
Daily Bread! Delighted that you could join in for another interesting letter
from Paul, this one written to the Galatians.
How about a little
Daily Bread Crumb to start off with? The area of Asia Minor that was called
Galatia back in Paul’s day, is now modern day Turkey. The reason why it was
called Galatia was because the people from that region migrated there from a
place called Gaul, or the Latin name, Gallia. This was what is now mainly
what is modern day France and Belgium, and at one time included part of
northern Italy.
The first part of
Paul’s letter reveals that the people of Galatia had been convinced somehow
that the way to salvation was through works, contrary to the Gospel of Faith
that Jesus brought. We’re about to find out how Paul reacts to this, so
anyone who is keeping a tally of their own good works, hoping that your
score is high enough to enter Heaven at the end of the game, pay close
attention.
From Paul an
Apostle, (not chosen of men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the
Father, who raised Him from the dead), and from all the brethren which are
with me,
To the churches of
Galatia.
A few things to
note in Paul’s opening lines. First, Paul always identifies himself in a
humble manner, saying in so many words, I am who I am because of the Lord.
Another thing to notice is that this letter is addressed to the churches
of Galatia, meaning more than one. If you look at a map of ancient Asia
Minor, you’ll see that Galatia was a fairly large area, so naturally there
would be more than one church to serve such a region. Also, remember Paul’s
note in parenthesis, as he is about to tell the Galatians the same thing
about the Gospel, that it is not from man, but from Jesus.
Now, Paul
continues his greeting and gives praise to God.
Grace be to you and
peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for
our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according
to the will of God our Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
I’m amazed that
you so quickly left God who called you into the Grace of Christ, to follow a
different Gospel, when there is no other gospel, but there are some people
who trouble you, and wish to corrupt the Gospel of Christ. But, whether we,
or an angel from
Heaven, preach any other gospel to you than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, let
him be accursed. As we said before, I repeat again, If any man preach
any other gospel to you than the one you have received, let him be accursed.
Am I now supposed
to persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? Because if I still
pleased men, I shouldn’t be the servant of Christ. But I assure you
brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not from man. I
neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I learned it by the
revelation of Jesus Christ.
You’ve heard of my
lifestyle in the past, in the Jewish religion, how I persecuted the Church
beyond measure and ravaged it. And I advanced in the Jewish religion above
many my own age in my own nation, because I was more dedicated to the
traditions of my fathers than they were. But when it pleased God, who
separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His Grace, to reveal
His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I didn’t
immediately consult with men, and neither did I go to Jerusalem to those who
were Apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and then returned again to
Damascus.
Then after three
years I went to Jerusalem to see Peter and stayed with him fifteen days, but
I didn’t see any of the other Apostles, only James, the Lord’s brother.
This is quite an
interesting thing to note. Paul didn’t go out right away and start spreading
the Gospel. He didn’t go and ask the other Apostles what it was all about.
It was three years before he went to Jerusalem to see Peter. So what do you
suppose he did for three years? Spent a lot of time in prayer, one would
imagine. Probably studied scripture in a totally different light than he had
for his whole life, changing gears from law to Grace. Discovering the TRUTH
of prophecy written in the Old Testament which is called the Torah in
Israel. And also, learning the Gospel as it was revealed to him by Jesus. He
was in a time of preparation, training, readying to do the Lord’s work, with
the Holy Spirit conforming him into the Apostle that would spread the Good
News to the Gentiles. If he didn’t spend any time with the other Apostles,
how then could he have learned the Gospel, if not from the Spirit of Jesus?
Friends, that’s the only way he could have.
He continues, Now,
the things I write, I say before God, I’m not lying. After that, I went to
the regions of Syria and Cilicia and in the churches of Judæa
which were believers in Christ, I was unknown by face, (they hadn’t met
Paul), but they had only heard, that the man who persecuted them in the past
was now preaching the Faith that he once destroyed. And they glorified God
about me.
What do you
suppose Paul’s point is in explaining to the Galatians about his past? Well,
there are intruders in Galatia, trying to teach things that are contrary to
the Gospel, yet calling it the Gospel. Paul is merely saying, just as he did
in his greeting, I am who I am because of the Lord, and I learned the Gospel
by revelation from Him. It was first hand. The other Apostles were with
Jesus in the flesh to learn the Gospel and by the Spirit of Jesus it was
revealed to Paul. So, the point that Paul is driving at is that whatever so
called gospel these intruders were trying to convince the Galatians of, they
didn’t get it from Jesus, so it’s not the TRUTH.
Next time, we’ll
find out a little more about Paul’s early days as an Apostle, so be sure to
come back soon and we’ll share it together, right here at Daily Bread.
