… and God the Father
Summary: Paul is on a mission. He has to correct the thinking of people who are hundreds of miles away while he is a prisoner in Rome.
Paul’s opening words to the Galatians are unique. No other letter from Paul begins this way or in this tone of voice.
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus,” is a greeting he used often (2 Corinthians 1:1, 1 Timothy 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:1, Ephesians 1:1). He refers to himself as a servant in his address to Titus (Titus 1:1) and the church at Rome (Romans 1:1). In his letter to Philemon, he calls himself a “prisoner of Christ Jesus” (Philemon 1:1).
His letter to the Galatians is different.
In verse six, Paul gives us a clue about what is happening. Paul has been given a report from someone that the believers in Galatia are abandoning the gospel Paul taught them for “a different gospel” (Galatians 1:6).
If I had to guess, I would say that Paul has received a shock. He is afraid for the souls of the believers in Galatia. Something horrible is happening in his absence, while Paul is literally “tied up” on business in Rome.
What to do?
If Paul were a battleship, he would be a ship with all his guns trained on the same target, and they would all be firing at once. He wants to get their attention.
In other letters, Paul takes a more measured approach to explaining his credentials. But not here. Here, he abruptly proclaims he is “Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father …”
Nobody else on the planet can make this claim.
Paul was called to apostleship by God himself. Directly. No intermediaries.
And notice this: Paul clarifies that when Paul met Jesus, Jesus was not “a man.”* Of course, when we read the account of Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:1-31), we understand what he means. Here is the key passage:
“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’
‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked.
‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied.” (Acts 9:3-5)
Paul had an encounter with the divine. The Galatians would know this. They are being called to account and not by any ordinary man. As they say in the movies, Paul is on a mission from God.
Application: Understand that Paul’s testimony about Jesus is directly from Jesus.
Food for Thought: If you lived in Paul’s day and heard conflicting accounts about the gospel message, how would you decide whom to listen to?
*Minor edit made for clarity.
I would hope I would listen to those whose words matched the Old Testament Scriptures (they didn’t have a full NT then) and the word of Jesus that I was aware of. In the OT, we see people justified by faith (e.g. Genesis 15: 6). So when the Galatians heard that they were justified by works and not in faith in Messiah Jesus, and they knew that Jesus taught something different and He was the Messiah and God in the flesh, that they would go with Jesus and not the law for salvation. And this is what Paul reasoned and taught (Acts 17: 2 – 3).
Thanks, Rich!
I think what you describe is exactly how the Bereans would have responded! (Acts 17:11)
I had to ponder this question lol.
In Paul’s day, the New Testament wasn’t as we know it today. There were letters and accounts, but not as easily accessible as today. People had to rely on first-hand observation or eye-witness testimony when it came to Christ.
I think then it would come down to what I believed about Christ. His teachings, and how what I was being told measured against His teachings.
Then there is the internal narrative or “where our treasures lie.” If people are looking for someone to support their narrative, and are not centered on Christ, then they would listen to someone who “justifies” their actions. If people are centered on Christ, and walk in the Sprit, then they would listen to those that speak in words that mirror the words of Christ.
I think both of those still hold true today.
Thanks, Chris!
I hope my question wasn’t too “ponder”– ous. 🙂
I like your reference to where our “treasures” are. I agree that everything depends on the priority we give to Christ in our lives.
11-29-2023, If you lived in Paul’s day and heard conflicting accounts about the gospel message, how would you decide whom to listen to?
We know the Holy Spirit was the teacher, guide ( John 16:13 ) the power revealing truth and discerning lies for believers then just as He is today ( Philippians 1:9-10, Hebrews 5:14 ). I would either seek the truth through the Holy Spirit in me, and confront the teachers of the conflicting account, or go to someone more spiritually mature in Christ for the answer.
Thanks, Ron!
All good answers, and they all resonate with me.
In my personal journey, I have been confronted with many teachers who, in retrospect, did not teach the Word of God. In each case there was an event or a spiritual ‘nudge’ that pushed me on in my journey. I feel incredibly blessed to be part of a church body now that honors God’s Word highly and strives to adhere to God’s will in every way .