Paul begins his letter to the Christians of Galatia with a reproach that they, as we can see, easily and quickly abandoned what...
Paul begins his letter to the Christians of Galatia with a reproach that they, as we can see, easily and quickly abandoned what Paul had witnessed to them (vv. 6-7). And in his reproaches the apostle is extremely severe, excluding every possibility for a Christian to remain a Christian if he accepts the distorted gospel brought to the Galatians by certain preachers not named in the letter (vv. 8-10). At first glance, Paul's attitude toward a "different gospel" may appear overly harsh. Indeed, why not allow different points of view in the church on foundational matters?
But Paul, as we can see, looks at the matter differently, and not because he is worried about a lack of formal unanimity in the Galatian church. For him Christianity is not a search for truth, but truth itself; not a question, but the answer. In the search for truth, one can put forward various suppositions and different possible answers to foundational questions. But once it has been found, there is nothing more to search for and nothing more to suppose, because the true answer is always unambiguous and never hypothetical.
Of course, in our world, which is not yet fully transformed, and by means of our mind, which is not yet fully transformed, we are unable to see the truth in all its fullness, because both Christ and the Kingdom can be seen only with spiritual sight. But Paul speaks and acts as an inhabitant of the Kingdom and a witness of Christ. He bears witness to the One who is the answer, not to his own spiritual and intellectual searches. The point is not that the capacity for spiritual or intellectual search is bad in itself. The point is that it is out of place to ask questions when the living answer stands before you. Such a position can testify only to the insincerity of the search, or to delusion, to an unreadiness to see the truth that is revealed in such a way that, if the seeker received this revelation rightly, he would no longer have to search for anything. And the apostle does not want his Galatian brothers, having departed from Christ and the Kingdom that had opened to them as genuine reality, to find themselves again in the position of seekers, as if nothing had ever been revealed to them. Such a rollback would be a real spiritual catastrophe. It would mean the loss of the Kingdom, with completely unclear prospects for returning there later. Paul, of course, could not allow this, because the building up of the Kingdom was the meaning of the apostle's life and ministry.
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1:1 Paul, an apostle - Here it was necessary for St.Paul to assert his authority; otherwise he is very modest in the use of this title. He seldom mentions it when he mentions others in the salutations with himself, as in the Epistles to the Philippians and Thessalonians; or when he writes about secular affairs, as in that to Philemon; nor yet in writing to the Hebrews because he was not properly their apostle. Not of men - Not commissioned from them, but from God the Father.Neither by man - Neither by any man as an instrument, but by Jesus Christ. Who raised him from the dead - Of which it was the peculiar business of an apostle to bear witness.
1:2 And all the brethren - Who agree with me in what I now write.
1:4 That he might deliver us from the present evil world - From the guilt, wickedness, and misery wherein it is involved,and from its vain and foolish customs and pleasures. According to the will of God - Without any merit of ours. St. Paul begins most of his epistles with thanksgiving; but, writing to the Galatians, he alters his style, and first sets down his main proposition, That by the merits of Christ alone, giving himself for our sins, we are justified: neither does he term them, as he does others, either saints," elect," or churches of God."
1:5 To whom be glory - For this his gracious will.
1:6 I marvel that ye are removed so soon - After my leaving you. From him who called you by the grace of Christ - His gracious gospel, and his gracious power.
1:7 Which, indeed, is not properly another gospel.For what ye have now received is no gospel at all; it is not glad, but heavy, tidings, as setting your acceptance with God upon terms impossible to be performed. But there are some that trouble you - The same word occurs, Act 15:24.And would - If they were able. Subvert or overthrow the gospel of Christ - The better to effect which, they suggest, that the other apostles, yea, and I myself, insist upon the observance of the law.
1:8 But if we - I and all the apostles. Or an angel from heaven - If it were possible. Preach another gospel, let him be accursed - Cut off from Christ and God.
1:9 As - He speaks upon mature deliberation; after pausing, it seems, between the two verses. We - I and the brethren who are with me. Have said before - Many times, in effect, if not in terms. So I say - All those brethren knew the truth of the gospel. St. Paul knew the Galatians had received the true gospel.
1:10 For - He adds the reason why he speaks so confidently. Do I now satisfy men - Is this what I aim at in preaching or writing? If I still - Since I was an apostle.Pleased men - Studied to please them; if this were my motive of action; nay, if I did in fact please the men who know not God.I should not be the servant of Christ - Hear this, all ye who vainly hope to keep in favour both with God and with the world!