Galatians Chapter 1
From the first verse, Paul sets himself apart from his former life in Judaism by saying, “Paul, an apostle – not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.” This first opening line is intended to bring our minds back to a time before Paul was a servant of the Messiah, to the time when he was working for the High Priest (Acts 9:1-2) in Jerusalem. It is important to understand that the word “apostle” is a transliteration rather than a translation of the Greek word ἀπόστολος (apostolos), which means in classical Greek a ship ready for departure, a bill of lading, or persons who are dispatched for a specific purpose (BDAG, 122). It is this latter meaning that Paul no doubt has in mind when he writes, “Paul, one sent – not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father.” We see this usage of apostolos as messenger or sent one in John 13:16 and Acts 3:26. In Paul's former life as a Pharisee, he was sent from men, sat at the feet of men (Acts 22:3), practiced the law of men (Acts 22:3), was zealous for the traditions of men (Galatians 1:14), and sought the High Priest and leadership in Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2). Now, in contrast, he was the apostolos (messenger/ambassador) sent from God, not man.
Further evidence of this is suggested by Paul's unusual practice of placing Jesus before God in verse one, when usually it is in the opposite order. This may be done specifically to draw our attention back to his conversion. It was at his conversion that Paul stopped being an apostolos of men and began to be an apostolos of God.
Right from the beginning of his salutation, Paul is thematically contrasting that which comes from men versus that which comes from God. He compares his former life in Judaism and his receipt of letters from men to his receipt of revelation from Jesus on the way to Damascus. Through Jesus, from God, Paul received a commission to be sent to the Gentiles. As we will see, this theme of men versus God will continue throughout the entire letter.
Turning to a Different Gospel
In 1:6, Paul begins to reprimand the Galatians for turning to another gospel from the one that he originally preached. At this point, Paul does not identify the original gospel, but he does say it is the gospel of Christ. What is this gospel to which Paul refers? What is his definition of the gospel?
In Galatians three, we read that the gospel was preached long ago to Abraham:
Further evidence of this is suggested by Paul's unusual practice of placing Jesus before God in verse one, when usually it is in the opposite order. This may be done specifically to draw our attention back to his conversion. It was at his conversion that Paul stopped being an apostolos of men and began to be an apostolos of God.
Right from the beginning of his salutation, Paul is thematically contrasting that which comes from men versus that which comes from God. He compares his former life in Judaism and his receipt of letters from men to his receipt of revelation from Jesus on the way to Damascus. Through Jesus, from God, Paul received a commission to be sent to the Gentiles. As we will see, this theme of men versus God will continue throughout the entire letter.
Turning to a Different Gospel
In 1:6, Paul begins to reprimand the Galatians for turning to another gospel from the one that he originally preached. At this point, Paul does not identify the original gospel, but he does say it is the gospel of Christ. What is this gospel to which Paul refers? What is his definition of the gospel?
In Galatians three, we read that the gospel was preached long ago to Abraham:
And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed” (8).
The basic gospel message was that God, through the seed of Abraham, would bring blessing to all people. This “seed” that brought blessing is ultimately our Messiah. In Colossians, Paul details this blessing given to all people through the work of Christ:
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister (1:21-23).
Sin had separated all people, Jew and Gentile alike, from the Creator. The blessing that came from the Seed of Abraham (that is, Christ) was reconciliation to the Creator. We were far off and have now been brought near (Ephesians 2:13). We are able to approach his throne because we have been declared holy, blameless, and above reproach (Colossians 1:22; cf. Hebrews 4:16). How was this accomplished? Through the death of Christ. This is the gospel given to Abraham. This is Paul's gospel. This is the gospel of Christ and is consistent throughout the pages of scripture.
A critical term in Pauline theology is justification. Throughout his letter to the Galatians, Paul shows that justification is not by works but by faith. We must understand what justification is, as well as what it is not, in order to understand Paul's message, the gospel of Christ.
Pauline scholar N.T. Wright has focused on this very issue in his book, Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision. Wright shows that the term justification has been wrongly used by many, and that we must understand it the way that Paul himself understood and used it. Many have used justification to denote a change in our moral character when we come to trust in Christ, that we are somehow made morally righteous the moment we trust in him. This, however, is not how Paul uses the term. Wright argues that Paul's usage of justification has three senses: covenantal, legal, and eschatological (101). By covenantal, he means that the term is intricately related to God's covenant with Abraham, that through Abraham's seed all nations would be blessed. This blessing is justification for those who trust in Christ.
The legal sense of justification depicts a law-court setting. We come before our judge in a court of law:
First, and we will discuss this more in detail in Galatians 3:19, to be charged with breaking the law (Torah) demands that the law is in existence and has authority, and that we are expected to live by it. Those who break the law have sinned, and they face the penalty of breaking the law, which is death. God, as judge, declares those who trust in Christ to be righteous. Wright says that justification
A critical term in Pauline theology is justification. Throughout his letter to the Galatians, Paul shows that justification is not by works but by faith. We must understand what justification is, as well as what it is not, in order to understand Paul's message, the gospel of Christ.
Pauline scholar N.T. Wright has focused on this very issue in his book, Justification: God's Plan and Paul's Vision. Wright shows that the term justification has been wrongly used by many, and that we must understand it the way that Paul himself understood and used it. Many have used justification to denote a change in our moral character when we come to trust in Christ, that we are somehow made morally righteous the moment we trust in him. This, however, is not how Paul uses the term. Wright argues that Paul's usage of justification has three senses: covenantal, legal, and eschatological (101). By covenantal, he means that the term is intricately related to God's covenant with Abraham, that through Abraham's seed all nations would be blessed. This blessing is justification for those who trust in Christ.
The legal sense of justification depicts a law-court setting. We come before our judge in a court of law:
- We are charged with breaking God's commandments (transgression).
- The penalty for sin is death.
- Christ paid the penalty for our sin through his death.
- Therefore, we are legally declared “not guilty,” or “righteous.”
First, and we will discuss this more in detail in Galatians 3:19, to be charged with breaking the law (Torah) demands that the law is in existence and has authority, and that we are expected to live by it. Those who break the law have sinned, and they face the penalty of breaking the law, which is death. God, as judge, declares those who trust in Christ to be righteous. Wright says that justification
… denotes the status that someone has when the court has found in their favor. Notice, it does not denote, within that all-important law-court context, 'the moral character they are assumed to have,' or 'the moral behavior they have demonstrated which has earned them the verdict' (90, emphasis his).
Through justification, we do not somehow receive the perfect obedience of Christ and become morally righteous. That comes through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, fully realized in the eschatological Kingdom (see below). By way of example, if you go to court and the judge finds you guilty, but due to extenuating circumstances commutes your sentence, this does not mean that you can go out and continue to break the same law. Rather as Paul says in Romans, “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1b-2a).
Finally, there is an eschatological sense to justification in which we are declared righteous in the present, and yet this is not fully realized. The full realization of this status will be in the age to come, and is achieved through the work of the Holy Spirit. Then we will be righteous, just as now we are declared righteous. Therefore, when you see the term “justification,” define it as Paul did: the declaration that we are legally righteous, achieved through the death of Christ, which is God's promise to Abraham fulfilled.
In summary, the gospel that Paul preaches, the gospel of Christ, is the blessing that comes to all people through Christ, the Seed of Abraham. Through his death, we are declared legally righteous and therefore reconciled to God. This occurs through faith in Christ, not through our own works.
Paul would allow no perversion of this gospel. Most commentators identify the agitators that were “confusing” the Galatians as Judaizers. The problem is that few know or understand what a Judaizer is or what they teach. Understanding this is crucial to understanding Paul's argument. We will discover shortly what Paul's antagonists were advocating, and why that was completely unacceptable to Paul, and not only Paul, but the Torah and the rest of the Old Testament as well.
Not From Men
Paul now continues his men versus God comparison. He writes:
Finally, there is an eschatological sense to justification in which we are declared righteous in the present, and yet this is not fully realized. The full realization of this status will be in the age to come, and is achieved through the work of the Holy Spirit. Then we will be righteous, just as now we are declared righteous. Therefore, when you see the term “justification,” define it as Paul did: the declaration that we are legally righteous, achieved through the death of Christ, which is God's promise to Abraham fulfilled.
In summary, the gospel that Paul preaches, the gospel of Christ, is the blessing that comes to all people through Christ, the Seed of Abraham. Through his death, we are declared legally righteous and therefore reconciled to God. This occurs through faith in Christ, not through our own works.
Paul would allow no perversion of this gospel. Most commentators identify the agitators that were “confusing” the Galatians as Judaizers. The problem is that few know or understand what a Judaizer is or what they teach. Understanding this is crucial to understanding Paul's argument. We will discover shortly what Paul's antagonists were advocating, and why that was completely unacceptable to Paul, and not only Paul, but the Torah and the rest of the Old Testament as well.
Not From Men
Paul now continues his men versus God comparison. He writes:
For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers (Galatians 1:10-14).
Notice how many times Paul compares pleasing men with pleasing God. Repeatedly, Paul reiterates that the gospel is God's gospel, not man's. If Paul were concerned with pleasing men, he would never have left his former life in Judaism.
What is it about Judaism that caused Paul to see it as a religion of men? In the passage above, Paul uses the phrase “traditions of [his] fathers.” Because of Paul’s zeal for keeping these traditions, he was advancing in Judaism beyond all his peers. These traditions are manmade and are not from God.
What Exactly are the Traditions of the Fathers?
Judaism is not merely adherence to the Law of Moses, the Torah. Judaism maintains that God also gave Israel an Oral Law. The Oral Law is known today as the Talmud and was recorded by Rabbi Akiba, often referred to as the father of Rabbinic Judaism. The Oral Law is a lens through which the written law, the Torah, is to be interpreted. The “traditions of the fathers” were the laws enforced by the Pharisees of Jesus' day and the Rabbis currently. Some even believed that violating the traditions of the fathers was worthy of death. Consider this account from the Talmud about Rabbi Akiba, who was at the time in a Roman prison:
What is it about Judaism that caused Paul to see it as a religion of men? In the passage above, Paul uses the phrase “traditions of [his] fathers.” Because of Paul’s zeal for keeping these traditions, he was advancing in Judaism beyond all his peers. These traditions are manmade and are not from God.
What Exactly are the Traditions of the Fathers?
Judaism is not merely adherence to the Law of Moses, the Torah. Judaism maintains that God also gave Israel an Oral Law. The Oral Law is known today as the Talmud and was recorded by Rabbi Akiba, often referred to as the father of Rabbinic Judaism. The Oral Law is a lens through which the written law, the Torah, is to be interpreted. The “traditions of the fathers” were the laws enforced by the Pharisees of Jesus' day and the Rabbis currently. Some even believed that violating the traditions of the fathers was worthy of death. Consider this account from the Talmud about Rabbi Akiba, who was at the time in a Roman prison:
Our Rabbis taught: R. Akiba was once confined in a prison-house [By the Romans] and R. Joshua the grits-maker was attending on him. Every day, a certain quantity of water was brought in to him. On one occasion he was met by the prison keeper who said to him, ‘Your water to-day is rather much; do you perhaps require it for undermining the prison?’ He poured out a half of it and handed to him the other half. When he came to R. Akiba the latter said to him, ‘Joshua, do you not know that I am an old man and my life depends on yours?’ When the latter told him all that had happened [R. Akiba] said to him, ‘Give me some water to wash my hands.’ ‘It will not suffice for drinking,’ the other complained, ‘will it suffice for washing your hands?’ ‘What can I do,’ the former replied: ‘when for [neglecting] the words of the Rabbis one deserves death. It is better that I myself should die than that I should transgress against the opinion of my colleagues.’ It was related that he tasted nothing until the other had brought him water wherewith to wash his hands (Bab. Talmud, Eruvin 21b).
In the excerpt above, Rabbi Akiba held that upholding the rabbinic law of hand-washing before meals was more important than drinking water to sustain his life. Nowhere in the written Torah is there a command to wash one's hands before a meal. This is a man-made law, part of “the traditions of my fathers” (Galatians 1:14; cf Matthew 15:2). Rabbi Akiba believes that to transgress “the words of the Rabbis” is deserving of death.
These “traditions” or added rabbinic laws brought Jesus into conflict with the Jewish religious leadership. In this passage, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees over their adherence to their manmade traditions and their negligence of God’s laws:
These “traditions” or added rabbinic laws brought Jesus into conflict with the Jewish religious leadership. In this passage, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees over their adherence to their manmade traditions and their negligence of God’s laws:
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:1-9, emphasis ours).
Jesus allowed his disciples to eat without following the rabbinic practice of ritually washing their hands. Search throughout the Torah and you will not find a law of God requiring people to ritually wash their hands before eating. It is these added laws that Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for in Matthew 23:4-5a:
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear (cf. Acts 15:10), and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others.
Contrasted with this is Jesus' proclamation about the Torah (whose origin is of God, not man):
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19).
Jesus constantly upholds the Torah (God's law) and undermine the traditions of the elders (man's law).
Rabbinic Judaism had departed from the simplicity of the Torah of God and made it burdensome, adding to it many regulations and laws. The Pharisees of Jesus' time delighted in being seen by others, and they gloried in their own code to win the approval of men.
Paul had excelled at these traditions in his former life in Judaism. But now, like his Messiah, he had rejected this empty outward show of piety and returned to the things of God.
Contrasting Judaism with the Gospel of Christ
Paul now contrasts his former life, which glorified the traditions of the fathers, the man-made religion of the Pharisees, with that of the gospel that comes from God. Here's how Paul writes it:
Rabbinic Judaism had departed from the simplicity of the Torah of God and made it burdensome, adding to it many regulations and laws. The Pharisees of Jesus' time delighted in being seen by others, and they gloried in their own code to win the approval of men.
Paul had excelled at these traditions in his former life in Judaism. But now, like his Messiah, he had rejected this empty outward show of piety and returned to the things of God.
Contrasting Judaism with the Gospel of Christ
Paul now contrasts his former life, which glorified the traditions of the fathers, the man-made religion of the Pharisees, with that of the gospel that comes from God. Here's how Paul writes it:
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus (Galatians 1:15-17).
Paul continues to contrast a teaching from men with a teaching from God. He says here that he did not go to the apostles in Jerusalem, but rather went into Arabia. In the first chapter of Galatians, Paul's primary purpose is to distinguish himself and his teachings from his former life and teachings of Rabbinic Judaism. Over and over he repeats that his teachings are not from men, but that they come directly from God through Jesus. This new revelation caused him to lose standing in the eyes of his former affiliation, the Rabbinic Jews because Paul now has rejected the traditions of the fathers, which Jesus points out are in conflict with the law of God. Both Paul and Jesus teach that Rabbinic Judaism as a system had departed from God and become a religion of men. Paul, renouncing his previous lifestyle, returns to the source of the gospel, God himself. As we progress through the rest of the book, we will see this same pattern of the religion, practices, and traditions of men that have led to covenant breaking, exile, and death. This is contrasted with returning to God and his message of redemption and faithfulness found in the Torah.