In our study, we will look at Paul's qualifications to be an apostle and his passion for the pure gospel of justification by grace.
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From: Sha'ul, an emissary - I received my commission not from human beings or through human mediation but through Yeshua the Messiah and God the Father, who raised him from the dead - also from all the brothers with me
Paul opens this letter by presenting his qualifications for being an apostle. He says that he was "sent not from men" meaning he did not complete some course or get a college degree or any other learning program. He then says that he is not an apostle "by man" speaking to the fact that he did not have to go through some type of ordination service, election, or any other ritual. Then, he explains that it is simply by the call of Jesus and the Father who has the power.
To: The Messianic communities in Galatia:
Paul was not alone and he was not looking for glory for himself but includes those with him in the greeting. The letter is addressed to the churches in Galatia and not a single church. When he says churches, he is talking about groups of believers in different areas of the Roman province that was known as Galatia.
Grace and shalom to you from God our Father and from the Lord Yeshua the Messiah,
Having gotten straight his qualifications, he now greets the people with the authority that was granted to him as an apostle. The greeting puts grace before peace and that is a good reminder to us that it is only by the grace of God that we can have peace with God. That point is crucial to our understanding of this letter.
who gave himself for our sins, so that he might deliver us from the present evil world-system, in obedience to the will of God, our Father. To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen.
Paul continues the opening greeting to this letter with a reminder that Jesus willingly died for our sins. It is important to understand that Jesus was willing to die and go to hell for us because He knew that it was the Father's will. In doing so, He rescued (delivered) us from the evil that is around us today. We do not have to live in disbelief and defeat because we have the victory and have been delivered by our Lord Jesus. That victory includes overcoming addictions and all other evil of this age.
I am astounded that you are so quick to remove yourselves from me, the one who called you by the Messiah's grace, and turn to some other supposedly "Good News," which is not good news at all! What is really happening is that certain people are pestering you and trying to pervert the genuine Good News of the Messiah.
Paul gets right to the heart of the matter as he says that the believers have abandoned the gospel and accepted a fake. There were people among the believers that wanted to add works to grace to get salvation. We, as people, have a tendency to want to do something to get something but, if you add works for salvation then it is no longer a gift and grace.
But even if we-or, for that matter, an angel from heaven!-were to announce to you some so-called "Good News" contrary to the Good News we did announce to you, let him be under a curse forever! We said it before, and I say it again: if anyone announces "Good News" contrary to what you received, let him be under a curse forever!
Paul says the same thing here twice and we should remember that the number two is the number of witnesses. He warns them that no matter who trys to tell them a different way to be saved (even if it was an angel from heaven) they must be ignored. Those that preach another gospel are eternally condemned and that may sound like strong words and judging someone's salvation. The simple fact is that Jesus said that He was the only way to be saved and God confirmed it with Jesus' resurrection. Those that preach anything but the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ stand condemned already because they do not believe that Jesus' sacrifice was sufficient and there is no other way.
Now does that sound as if I were trying to win human approval? No! I want God's approval! Or that I'm trying to cater to people? If I were still doing that, I would not be a servant of the Messiah.
Paul is making the point that he works for God and not a man. If he was trying to please men, then he would not be able to share the truth with them because they wouldn't want to hear it. We have to ask ourselves who we are trying to please.
Furthermore, let me make clear to you, brothers, that the Good News as I proclaim it is not a human product;
Paul begins to explain the origin of the gospel that was given to him to preach by saying that it is not something that man came up with. Men, will always make rules and want to do something to be saved but the true gospel is that we are saved only by God's grace.
because neither did I receive it from someone else nor was I taught it-it came through a direct revelation from Yeshua the Messiah.
Paul continues to explain that it is not even from man but by God. He did not go to some Bible college or other program to learn the gospel. Jesus showed up and he was changed and immediately qualified for the work that God had prepared for him. Today, more than ever, Christians are searching for some new program, title or something else to qualify them to serve God but the simple fact is that it still comes from God.
For you have heard about my former way of life in [traditional] Judaism - how I did my best to persecute God's Messianic Community and destroy it; and how, since I was more of a zealot for the traditions handed down by my forefathers than most Jews my age, I advanced in [traditional] Judaism more rapidly than they did.
Paul reminds the Galatian churches of his testimony and of how he actively opposed the gospel of Jesus Christ. He reminds them that he was following the traditions of his forefathers and defending them instead of following Jesus Christ.
But when God, who picked me out before I was born and called me by his grace, chose to reveal his Son to me, so that I might announce him to the Gentiles, I did not consult anyone;
When Jesus showed up and changed Paul from a murderer to an evangelist, he did not go check with anyone to get permission. He understood that he had been set aside even before his birth for this purpose and he simply embraced what God would have him to do. That is the same for us as we all have been saved for a purpose and that purpose was set even before we were born. If we listen to God and not the words of men, He will tell us what He has designed for us to do. We can also be sure that it is better than anything we could come up with on our own.
and I did not go up to Yerushalayim to see those who were emissaries before me. Instead, I immediately went off to Arabia and afterwards returned to Dammesek.
Paul goes on to explain that he didn't even have to check in with religious leaders because he already had his instructions from God. He first went into what is now Saudi Arabia but we do not know much about what he did there. We can only guess that God was preparing him for his upcoming missionary journeys.
Not until three years later did I go up to Yerushalayim to make Kefa's acquaintance, and I stayed with him for two weeks, but I did not see any of the other emissaries except Ya'akov the Lord's brother. (Concerning these matters I am writing you about, I declare before God that I am not lying!)
Paul goes on to explain that, even when he went to Jerusalem, he did not go there for approval or permission from them. There are many that forget that Jesus Christ is the head of the church and not a man but Paul never forgot that important fact. He went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter as he was known as a leader in the faith.
Next I went to Syria and Cilicia; but in Y'hudah, the Messianic congregations didn't even know what I looked like -
Paul lets us know that he went out to do what God had called him to do without even being known by the churches in Judea. This is a sharp contrast to what he did before as then he had authorization from the Jewish leaders to hunt down Christians. Now, we see that he has the very authority of God to call Gentiles to be saved and did not seek any other approval.
they were only hearing the report, "The one who used to persecute us now preaches the Good News of the faith he was formerly out to destroy"; and they praised God for me.
When Paul went on his travels spreading the gospel, people heard the news that he had been changed. They praised God as they could see the very power of God at work to change this man. We, too, should cause people to praise God because of the change that they see in us through that same power.
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