Bible Commentary


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1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

2 And all the brothers which are with me, to the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

6 I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel to you than that you have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

11 But I certify you, brothers, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

13 For you have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days.

19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

20 Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.

21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

22 And was unknown by face to the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preaches the faith which once he destroyed.

24 And they glorified God in me.


Grace

Grace (in salvation). Gal 1:6; Gal 1:15; Gal 2:21; Rom 3:24. (See Scofield " Joh 1:17").

sins

Sin. (See Scofield " Rom 3:23").

grace

The test of the Gospel is grace. If the message excludes grace, or mingles law with grace as the means of either of justification or sanctification Gal 2:21; Gal 3:1-3 or denies the fact or guilt of sin which alone gives grace its occasion and opportunity, it is "another" gospel, and the preacher of it is under the anathema of God Gal 1:8; Gal 1:9.

For now do

The demonstration is as follows:

(1) The Galatians know Paul, that he is no seeker after popularity Gal 1:10.

(2) He puts his known character back of the assertion that his Gospel of grace was a revelation from God ( Gal 1:11; Gal 1:12).

(3) As for the Judaizers, Paul had been a foremost Jew, and had forsaken Judaism for something better ( Gal 1:13; Gal 1:14).

(4) He had preached grace years before he saw any of the other apostles ( Gal 1:15-24).

(5) When he did meet the other apostles they had nothing to add to his revelations Gal 2:1-6.

(6) The other apostles fully recognized Paul’s apostleship. Gal 2:7-10.

(7) If the legalizers pleaded Peter’s authority, the answer was that he himself had claimed none when rebuked ( Gal 2:11-14).

Jews’ religion

The new dispensation of grace having come in, the Mosaic system, if still persisted in, becomes a mere "Jews’ religion."

religion

In Gal 1:13-14 the Greek word for "the Jews’ religion" is Ioudaismos (Judaism). In Act 26:5; Jas 1:26; Jas 1:27 threskeia--religious service--is translated "religion," and in Col 2:18, "worshipping." Excepting Jas 1:27, "religion" has always a bad sense, and nowhere is it synonymous with salvation or spirituality.