The Letters · New Testament

Galatians 1

Galatians 1: another gospel and where Paul says his came from

General context

The letter opens from Paul, called an apostle not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, together with all the brethren with him, and is addressed to the churches of Galatia. After a greeting and a short blessing, Paul goes straight to a complaint. He marvels that they are so soon removed to another gospel, says it is not another at all, and blames some who trouble them and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. Twice he pronounces a curse on anyone who preaches a different message, including himself or an angel from heaven. He asks whether he is trying to please men, and says that pleasing men would mean not being the servant of Christ. He then argues his case by biography. The gospel he preached is not after man, since he neither received it from a man nor was taught it, but by revelation. He recalls persecuting the church of God beyond measure in the Jews' religion and outstripping his contemporaries in zeal for the traditions of his fathers. When God called him and revealed his Son in him, he did not confer with flesh and blood and did not go to Jerusalem, but went into Arabia and returned to Damascus. Three years later he went to Jerusalem to see Peter for fifteen days, meeting no other apostle except James the Lord's brother. He swears before God that this is true, describes going on to Syria and Cilicia, and says the churches of Judea, who had never seen his face, heard only that their former persecutor now preached the faith he had destroyed, and glorified God because of him.

Cited passages: Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:8, Galatians 1:9, Galatians 1:10, Galatians 1:11, Galatians 1:12, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:14, Galatians 1:15, Galatians 1:16, Galatians 1:17, Galatians 1:18, Galatians 1:19, Galatians 1:20, Galatians 1:21, Galatians 1:22, Galatians 1:23, Galatians 1:24

Galatians 1 (KJV)

¹Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

²And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

³Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

⁴Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

⁵To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

⁶I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

⁷Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

⁸But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

⁹As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

¹⁰For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

¹³For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:

¹⁴And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,

¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

¹⁷Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.

²⁰Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.

²¹Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;

²²And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

²³But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

²⁴And they glorified God in me.

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Historical context

The senders are Paul and all the brethren which are with me, and none of those brethren are named. The recipients are the churches of Galatia, plural, with no city named and no individual greeted. The occasion is stated as a defection already under way, that they are so soon removed to another gospel, and the people responsible are described only as some that trouble you. Two other people are named: Peter, whom Paul visited for fifteen days, and James the Lord's brother, the only other apostle he says he saw. The places are Jerusalem, Arabia, Damascus, Syria, Cilicia and Judea. Two intervals appear, immediately after the call and then after three years, but the chapter gives no dates and says nothing at all about what Paul did in Arabia. It quotes no scripture. Paul's own account of his past is the only source here for his persecution of the church, and he backs it with an oath, before God, I lie not.

Cited passages: Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:2, Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:7, Galatians 1:13, Galatians 1:16, Galatians 1:17, Galatians 1:18, Galatians 1:19, Galatians 1:20, Galatians 1:21, Galatians 1:22

Literary context

The opening is unusual in what it leaves out. There is no thanksgiving for the readers; the greeting ends and the next sentence is I marvel. The argument then works by negation. Not of men, neither by man in the first line sets the pattern, and it returns as I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it and as Neither went I up to Jerusalem. Each denial removes a human source for the message. The curse is stated twice in two verses, the second time with a formula that marks the repetition, As we said before, so say I now again, which turns a strong statement into a settled ruling. The travel details work as evidence rather than as narrative, counting who he did not see, and the chapter closes by putting the verdict in someone else's mouth: the churches of Judea, who did not know him by face, glorified God in me.

Cited passages: Galatians 1:1, Galatians 1:5, Galatians 1:6, Galatians 1:8, Galatians 1:9, Galatians 1:12, Galatians 1:17, Galatians 1:19, Galatians 1:22, Galatians 1:24

Key moments

Not of men, neither by man (Galatians 1:1). Paul opens by denying any human source for his commission.
So soon removed (Galatians 1:6). He marvels that the Galatians have turned to another gospel.
Even an angel accursed (Galatians 1:8). He curses any other gospel, whoever brings it.
By revelation, not teaching (Galatians 1:12). He says he neither received nor was taught the gospel by a man.
The persecutor's past (Galatians 1:13). Paul recalls persecuting the church of God beyond measure.
Fifteen days with Peter (Galatians 1:18). Three years after his call he visits Jerusalem to see Peter.
Judea hears the report (Galatians 1:23). Churches that never saw him hear that the persecutor now preaches the faith.

For reflection

Paul says that if he still pleased men he would not be the servant of Christ, and he says it while writing a letter designed to change minds. Where does wanting approval quietly steer what you are willing to say?