The Run Down
Galatians
Review Paul’s Timeline:
Paul’s Conversion 34AD – Damascus 3 years – to Jerusalem – Antioch home base – Tarsus – Antioch 1 yr – Jerusalem famine (Acts only) – Antioch – First mission 46AD thru Galatia– to Jerusalem Council 49AD – to Antioch – Second Mission 49AD – thru Galatia – to Antioch – Third Mission 53AD thru Galatia – to Jerusalem – Arrested – to Rome 60AD – Luke wrote Acts 63 – Nero Emperor – Great Fire in Rome 64AD – Persecution Breaks Out in Rome – … Paul and Peter in Rome …disappear… Clement writes. 90AD

1 Clement, a letter written by the Roman bishop Clement of Rome, around the year 90 reports this about Paul:[81]
“By reason of jealousy and strife Paul by his example pointed out the prize of patient endurance. After that he had been seven times in bonds, had been driven into exile, had been stoned, had preached in the East and in the West, he won the noble renown which was the reward of his faith, having taught righteousness unto the whole world and having reached the farthest bounds of the West; and when he had borne his testimony before the rulers, so he departed from the world and went unto the holy place, having been found a notable pattern of patient endurance.”

Eusebius of Caesarea, who wrote in the 4th century, states that Paul was beheaded in the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero. This event has been dated either to the year 64, when Rome was devastated by a fire, or a few years later, to 67.

Criticism from Paul’s accusers.
#1 They question his Apostleship? Chapter 1 deals with Paul’s response of his authority of revelation from God.. not any other.
#2 Paul is teaching something different from the other apostles. Handled in Chapter 2, the same Gospel.

Read Gal. 1:1-10
Galatians 1:1-5
Three main themes in intro salutation:
1. Source of authority.
2. Doctrine of grace.
3. Full deliverance from sin.
One: authority is being spoken into your life by the Word of God. Are you receiving it? You are saved by Grace… by what your savior did. Do you rest in that? Are you being delivered from sin?

Vs. 1 This is usual for Paul… but he adds not from men nor through man… because this is what is being challenged in this church by the legalizers, his apostleship and thus his teaching authority and content.

Apostleship:
Acts 1:21-26… Seemingly defined: Apostleship 1) eyewitness of Christ’s ministry to resurrection… 2) commissioned by Jesus.
Paul defends his apostleship… and Luke does to… of him and Barnabas Acts 14:14…. And also James the bro of Jesus 1 Cor. 15:7 and Galatians 1:19. (Matt. 12:46… originally James thought crazy.)
Silvanus 1 Thess. 1:1 and 2:6-7.

Vs. 1 Specifically, no man commissioned Paul… but the Lord Jesus Himself did.
In 1:18 he will reference going up after 3 years to see Cephas and James… but he distancing himself as being Commissioned by them… by “man”… no… he will state he was commissioned by Jesus and the Father himself.
Then in 2:9 some 14 years later his going to the Apostles and them all agreeing on the Gospel message.. thus equal in revelation… equal in authority… all commissioned by Jesus.

Vs. 2 to the churches of Galatia… to be read in the region. Circulated.

Vs. 3 God the Father and Jesus Christ reversed from vs. 1… heightens the oneness of the two. As Jesus says in John 17:21.
20″I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Vs. 4 … deliverance… in the sense of not rescued from … but delivered from the power of … this present age.
Last in Gal 5:16… not to take again the yoke of slavery again… you are in this world….

Vs. 6 Paul usually praises the local church…. Here he goes straight into astonishment.
Obviously reports have come to him about the church.
Deserting… it’s with connotations change of attitude and of military revolt.
They aren’t just being deceived… or falling.. they are revolting from Grace!
Yikes!
They are turning to a “different gospel”… one not of grace. To one of works.
They are polar opposites. To reject grace is to reject God.

Vs. 7 Paul wants to be clear… that actually there is no “different gospel”… or another way… another option.
That those among them are actually distorting the true Gospel. This will trouble them.
Gal. 3:1-3. Who has bewitched you? The law?

Vs. 8 emphasizing… that if we or an angel preached a different one… let him be ‘accursed’. This is not “Paul’s” Gospel.
2 Cor. 11:14, 15 “angel of light”?
13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

In vs. 8 and 9. “anathema” Paul literally says “Let them be damned!”
He is fired up. He repeats this strong condemnation twice.
It is by Grace… and not the Law… Period!
Gal 2:21. If man can be saved by the law… doing what’s right and not doing what’s wrong… Christ died in vain.
1 Corin. 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

Vs. 9 he changes from “him or angel” to “anyone” … from “the one we preached” to “the one you received”… from supposition “if we”… to “is preaching”… so he’s transitioned to specifically go against those teaching this yet without naming them…. including those with the Galatians… let him be ‘accursed’.

Vs. 10 “For” is the connector… in condemning anyone, teachers, men, who oppose the Gospel… is he trying to please?…. When the Gospel is at stake… he doesn’t try to please man.
In 1 Cor. 9… he talks about a way of pleasing and fitting in with people… but not at a cost to the Gospel.. but to bring them to the Gospel. Here in Galatians… this is all about the Gospel!
He says he is a slave of Christ. In truth … to find freedom… we leave slavery to sin for slavery in Christ… which leads to true freedom.