Galatians

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.) Galatians 1:20

The verb Paul uses is in the present tense. In essence, “…the things I am writing to you.” This then covers all of those things which he has relayed of which those in Galatia would have no way of easily verifying. It covers from verse 13 through the end of the chapter and then on through more events recorded in Chapter 2. However, it more especially starts with the thought beginning at verse 15. This begins the focus on his calling as an apostle and the fact that the gospel he preached was derived not from men, but from God.

The reason for this oath is that he is building a case against the false apostles. In doing so, he must verify for them the truth of his own calling and the divine Source from which it came. This oath is quite similar to that of Romans 9:1 –

“I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.”

And so in as solemn a manner as he can possibly present himself, he says, “…indeed, before God, I do not lie.” The words he has been writing, and those he will continue with, are either truthful or they are a lie. If a lie, then nothing else he has said can be held as reliable either. In other words, his words here are either an anchor which holds fast for the entire epistle, and as a refutation of the false apostles, or they are the cunning deception of a man who was willing to even pronounce a curse upon himself in order to deceive (see verse 1:8 & 9).

Paul has put himself out in a spiritually exposed manner for the Galatians to evaluate him and the truthfulness of his message. Though it would be difficult to determine the truth of some of his claims, many could be validated by the testimony of those who had walked with him in the past. Only a fool would make such claims if they weren’t true. This is especially so because they are in writing and could be referred to at any time. Because of this, it adds weight to the fact that they are, in fact, true.

Life application: On several occasions, the Bible tells us to let our yes be yes and our no be no. In other words, let our words be of such weight that when we speak those around us will know they are the truth. At times, however, a matter may be of such importance that we must invoke God in our words. Invoking anything less than God is idolatry. Let us never flippantly invoke God’s name, and let us never invoke any thing in creation when making a vow or an oath.

Lord God, just being still in Your presence and thinking on Your greatness is the most wonderful place to be. I can ponder the work of Your hands in creation and all the beauty it presents to our senses. I can meditate on Your word and all its lessons. And I can think on what You have given me in the life of Your Son. At times like these, I am filled with the joy of Your presence. Thank You for each precious moment where I can contemplate You and Your greatness. Amen. 

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. Galatians 1:19

The wording of this verse is rather difficult to be dogmatic about. At the same time, there are logical conclusions we can make as we evaluate its words. The first problem is the standing of James. Paul says that he “saw none of the other apostles except James.” This can be taken in one of two ways.

1) “I saw none of the other apostles with one exception, James.” (James is the only other apostle that Paul saw).
2) “I saw none of the other apostles, but I saw James.” (Of the apostles, Paul only saw only Peter. He also saw James.)

The second makes less sense because there would be no reason to mention seeing James if he were of no direct importance to the narrative in an apostolic capacity. Paul is refuting the “false apostles” in this letter, and therefore any mentioning of true apostles is what is considered bearing on his words to the Galatians.

Therefore, it can be inferred that “James” is an apostle. However, it does not logically follow that he was one of the Twelve. If he were, then it would be probable that he would be noted as such. Rather, it is possible that he is an apostle in the wider sense of the word, just as Barnabas is noted in Acts 14:14.

The reason why this is so complicated is because of the final words of the verse which designate him as “James, the Lord’s brother.” If one believes in the perpetual virginity of Mary, a wholly unscriptural tenet, then this cannot be a literal brother of the Lord, unless he is a son of Joseph from a previous marriage. But there is nothing in Scripture to indicate this and it needs to be read into the Bible.

Other views are 1) that the word “brother” means a cousin; 2) that this is James, the son of Alphaeus who is one of the Twelve noted in Matthew 10:3; or 3) that it is James, the son of Zebedee (who had not yet been killed with the sword).

If this is not one of the Twelve, then this would exclude the two apostles, James, the son of Alphaeus, and James, the son of Zebedee. If it is one of the Twelve, then the term “the Lord’s brother” seems to be an unusual term of designation. It would imply that one was considered a “brother” of the Lord, while the other wasn’t.

What seems the most logical, and without inserting anything into the Bible in order to come to a conclusion which the Bible cannot fully support, is that the answer is that this is a literal brother of Jesus – born of Joseph and Mary after the virgin birth of Christ. This is why in Acts 12:17, James is noted separately from the “brothers” by Peter. He is named James, but is not one of the Twelve. That he is an actual brother of the Lord would follow naturally from the words of Matthew 1 –

“Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, ²⁵ and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.” Matthew 1:24, 25

The Bible says that Joseph “did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.” The meaning is evident on the surface. Joseph “knew,” or had relations with, Mary after Jesus’ miraculous birth. Any other view is entirely forced, and is only given to elevate Mary in an unhealthy way. This has led down a very sad path for those who have taken their eyes off of Jesus and fixed them on her.

It is this James, the Lords brother, who later was to be the leader of the council in Jerusalem in Acts 15 and also the author of the book of James which is the 59th book of the Bible.

Life application: There are passages which are very confusing in the Bible. Further, there are things that people intentionally want to believe because of a presupposition they hold to. However, with a thorough study of what is related to a confusing subject, a logical conclusion can normally be made which is supportable by the rest of the Bible. Be diligent and be sure to carefully evaluate the Bible without getting caught up in unscriptural tenets simply because someone says something is so. Check, verify, and be ready to accept what is written when all of the evidence is in.

Heavenly Father, You have asked us to fix our eyes on Jesus. Help us to follow through with that. Help us not to get caught up in crazy things which have no biblical support, like praying to the saints or to Mary for protection and help. There is one Mediator between God and man; our Lord Jesus. As Your word says this is so, then help us to remember this truth and to be obedient to what You have established. Keep us from the false teachings of man, and help us to be faithful adherents to Your word alone. Amen.

Monday, 15 February 2016

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. Galatians 1:18

Paul is being exceptionally methodical in his words here for a reason. He has already established that the gospel he preached was neither received from man, nor was he taught it. He further gave the timeline of what occurred after his conversion, including his trip to Arabia. Now he says that “after three years I went up to Jerusalem.” This “three years” is probably from his original conversion and not from the later events which included his return from Damascus.

The purpose of the visit was “to see Peter.” This seems innocuous enough, but there is exacting purpose in why he says this. First, the word rendered “to see” is an uncommon one, being found only here in the New Testament. It is historeó. One can see the germ of our modern word “history” in it. It is what one does in order to ascertain information by a personal examination and inquiry. For example, it is the word one would use when visiting a great city to find out all about it. Scholars puzzle over why Peter is singled out, but understanding what Paul writes about Peter in chapter 2 clears up the reason.

Peter is noted as one of the “pillars” of the church in Galatians 2:9. It may seem peculiar that his words are directed only at Peter, but this directed line of wording is given as a build-up to the events of Galatians 2:11-13. In other words, Paul is continuing to establish his apostleship and the truth of the gospel message he preaches, showing that it is on the same level of authority as that of any other apostles, including the noted Peter.

In this visit to Peter, he notes that he was there with him for “fifteen days.” Again, this is important to understand because it established the fact that this extremely short time was insufficient in length for Paul to have somehow obtained his apostleship by Peter or anyone else. There would not have been time to evaluate him, test his sincerity, place the needed trust in him, and commission him. Paul himself, while speaking to Timothy, shows that granting a commission after such a short time is imprudent –

“Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure.” 1 Timothy 5:22

Finally, during this fifteen-day period, Paul stayed with Peter, but he did not spend all of his time with him. This is evidenced by the account found in Acts 9 –

“So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. ²⁹ And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. ³⁰ When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.” Acts 9:28-30

Paul has methodically given the record of his conversion to demonstrate that what he preaches is both sound and on an equal footing with that of even the most noted of apostles. When a challenge is made to the true gospel, he was willing to go to almost unimaginable efforts to protect its purity. This will be seen as the epistle unfolds.

Life application: We are being given a continuous stream of verses which clearly establish Paul as the apostle to the Gentiles, and one whose message is to be adhered to as doctrine for the church age. Of course this is why Paul’s letters are attacked continuously by legalistic Judaizers such as the Hebrew Roots Movement and other “messianic” groups. He is also diminished by countless other churches as well. By weakening the authority of Paul’s letters, one is left with nothing but a convoluted religion that will inevitably fall back on works-based salvation. Hold fast to the gospel of Jesus Christ which says that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone.

Heavenly Father, a new week of work lies ahead of us. While we are busy with that, help us to keep our hearts and thoughts directed to You. Keep us from idle hands and wandering minds and help us to be productive and honorable people who will be an example to others and a light back to You. Let us not do anything that would bring a stain upon Your name. Help us in this as the week unfolds before us. Amen.

Sunday, 14 February 2016

…nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Galatians 1:17

Paul continues to reveal his qualifications as an apostle who is to be trusted in the message he brought to Galatia. In the previous verse, he said that he did not “confer with flesh and blood.” This was to show that what he received was superior to anything taught by fallen, fallible man. Instead, he received his instructions from a divine Source.

He continues with this thought now saying, “…nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me.” As they were flesh and blood men, it would seem superfluous to say this. But it is not. Their training had come from the Lord. They were personally selected and commissioned by Him. Therefore, had he gone to them in Jerusalem, it would not be contradictory to his previous words.

And yet, it would also mean that he felt it necessary to have his commission testified to by them; he did not. Instead, his words “who were apostles before me” clearly imply that he was to be considered an apostle, having been selected by the same divine Source as they had, and having received his full apostolic commission from Him. He did not require men to confirm what the Lord had established. Instead of going to them, he “went to Arabia.”

This clause, consisting of just a few words, is one of the most highly debated set of words to be found in Paul’s life and travels. At this point, the conversion and early ministry of Paul needs to be cited from Acts 9 –

And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
¹⁹ So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.
²⁰ Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God.
²¹ Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”
²² But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

There seems to be no room in Luke’s record for Paul’s words here in Galatians. However, Luke was concerned with Paul’s ministry in a particular way. Recording this trip to Arabia was not a necessary part of his account. The trip to Arabia would fit logically in the middle of verse 19 of Acts 9. As Paul did not “confer with flesh and blood,” it is probable that he immediately felt his calling to go to Arabia and then return after that.

And so this brings in the next fundamental question, “Where in Arabia?” Arabia of Paul’s day was considerably different than that of Saudi Arabia today. As it is only referred to one other time in the New Testament, Galatians 4:25, all we have is that one verse to give us a clue as to where Paul went.

In that verse, Paul says that Mount Sinai is in Arabia. For this reason, we can logically (although not dogmatically) suppose that Paul went to the very spot where Moses received the law, and where Elijah was drawn to after his great ordeal with the false prophets of Baal (see 1 Kings 19), in order to receive the instruction for his ministry after having received the commission of his apostleship. There is no reason to dismiss this, and a valid reason to accept it.

Regardless of this though, after his time in Arabia, it says he “returned again to Damascus.” This then would be in line with the words in Acts 9:19 that he “spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.” The time of his divine instruction is hidden in part, and yet it is revealed here in his few words to the wayward churches in Galatia.

For those who were willing to understand and accept his words, they would see that the same God who had given the law to Moses had also given the instructions to Paul for his apostolic ministry to the Gentiles. Thus, the gospel of Grace stands on the same level of authority as the Law of Moses, but it also stands in replacement of it.

Life application: Bible study is hard work, but it is greatly rewarding. Study your Bible.

Heavenly Father, the more we peer into Your wonderful word, the more amazing it gets! It is a delight to our eyes, a marvel to our minds, a wonder to our taste buds, and a source of health to our souls. Help us to put the study of it into its proper place – high among the things we do each day. Grant us the willing desire to not neglect this most precious gift which comes directly from Your mind and heart to us. Grant us this desire even now! Amen.

Saturday, 13 February 2016

…to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, Galatians 1:16

The words “to reveal His Son in me” refer to the calling of Paul through God’s grace. It was this calling that was intended to accomplish exactly that. Paul had fought against Christ by fighting against His church, but God intended to reveal Him to Paul in an act of grace and with the intent that he “might preach among the Gentiles.”

He was uniquely qualified to accomplish this. His attitude, demeanor, learning of Scripture, language abilities, and so much more made him the logical (and even perfect) choice to become the Apostle to the Gentiles. The other apostles could not grasp that this message would go out to the Gentile world. Passages such as Acts 11:18, and the general idea which brought about the Council in Jerusalem in Acts 15, show that there was continued resistance to the truth of the gospel as it was understood by Paul. Peter will also show this resistance in Chapter 2 of Galatians.

But Paul, well trained in the Hebrew Scriptures, was able to pull out the pertinent verses and passages from those same Scriptures to see that how God would work in the Gentiles was how He had actually worked all along. All of his writings methodically show the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith, and they meticulously rely on the very Hebrew Scriptures which he had been so well trained in.

For this reason he says, “I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood.” Rather than relying on the doctrines of man, he determined to immediately turn away from such fallible resources and devote himself further to comprehending the great body of Scripture which he was already well trained in. He would do it without presupposition or the weakened, fallible interpretation of man. Instead, he would do it with the leading of the Holy Spirit who gave the Scriptures to man in the first place.

The term “flesh and blood” is used four times in the New Testament, and each time it is connected to a hint of either human weakness or ignorance. In contrast to this is the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit. A good example is found in Matthew 16:17 –

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.'”

As he has been doing thus far, he is showing the supremacy of the gospel he preached over the fallible and misguided path those in Galatia had chosen to follow by listening to the false apostles. Scripture can be twisted by any fallible human to produce the most wretched of heresies. But the Holy Spirit will reveal the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are willing to put aside biases, presuppositions, and lies in order to hold fast to what is properly revealed concerning Christ Jesus.

Life application: Paul’s words are clear and concise, but they are often twisted by those who have a perverse agenda. Peter mentions exactly this in 2 Peter 3:14-16. Never trust the interpretation of man without checking and rechecking what you have been taught.

Heavenly Father, learning the Bible isn’t easy. So many commentaries disagree in their interpretation of verses and passages. So many pastors and preachers claim that others are preaching heresy, implying that they are preaching the truth. But what if they are the heretics? The world is full of trolls, antagonists, and deceitful liars concerning your word. And so Lord, I must come to You and ask that You lead me to proper teachers. And help me to be discerning over the doctrine I assimilate. My heart is set on You, but my level of knowledge is limited. Guide me and protect me from that which is false. Amen.