Galatians
Chapter 1
Paul is writing this letter to the people in the Christian church of Galatia.
After Paul left Galatia and went to other places—-Jewish believers came to the church at Galatia and began to tell them things other than what Paul said.
These Jewish believers were telling the people at Galatia that they had to obey the laws of Moses even though they were Christians.
One of the main laws that these Jewish believers were trying to tell the Galatians was that they had to be circumcised.
(Circumcision is when the foreskin of the penis is cut away. It was done when a Jewish boy baby was 8 days old. In modern times, it is done in the hospital right away. If a person wants to have their child circumcised. They do not wait for 8 days.
The Circumcision was a “sign” that God gave to Abraham to “mark” his family and show they had made a promise/covenant with God. It was also a reminder (remember ) to them.
Most of the men in nations around them did not circumcise the boy babies. There were a few who did. But mostly not.)
All Jewish men were circumcised as babies. These Jewish men had now believed in Jesus and were following Jesus’ teachings but their old way of thinking about circumcision was still with them.
In their mind to be pleasing to God one had to be circumcised. After all Moses told them — and for hundreds of years the people of God had been circumcised.
If these Gentiles (non-Jews) wanted to be pleasing to God they had to be circumcised.
But Paul had told them that they did not need to be circumcised to be a believer and a follower of Jesus and to be pleasing to God.
Paul told them that it was about their “heart” inside of them that made them pleasing to God.
Being pleasing to God being accepted by God was not about cutting your flesh or body on the outside. It was about what you believed in your heart and what you did or lived after your believed.
These men of Galatia are not Jews. They have not been circumcised. But they have heard about Jesus and in their hearts they want to obey and follow what Jesus said.
Paul told them that was all they had to do was believe and obey.
And now these Jewish believers are telling them they have to be circumcised or God will not receive them.
The people of Galatia are confused. So Paul is writing to help them understand.
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Vs. 1 Paul introduces himself.
He says that he is an apostle. The name “apostle” was used for the 12 disciples.
After Judas betrayed Jesus Matthias was chosen to take his place. Acts 1:26
Paul said that he also was an “apostle” who was called by Jesus to follow him.
Remember the 12 disciples were each one called by Jesus to follow him and learn from his teachings.
Paul felt his was “called” by Jesus because of the time on the road to Damascus when a bright light knocked Paul to the ground and Jesus spoke to Paul and told him he wanted Paul to preach to the Gentiles. (non-Jews) Acts chp. 9
So Paul is saying here that he is an “apostle” called by Jesus/God not just chosen by men to be a teacher for Jesus.
Paul says “Hello” to the church that is in Galatia and he includes the Christian men “brethren/brothers” that are with him.
Paul says “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jesus who gave himself up for our sins. So that He could deliver us from this evil world that we are now in. This is the will of God our Father.
To God be all the glory forever, Amen.
Vs. 6 Paul begins now to write what is on his mind.
He says that he is surprised to learn that the people in the church at Galatia have begun to turn away from God the One who called you to know the grace of Jesus Christ.
God’s grace—-God’s forgiveness. Comes from believing not from doing some outward thing to please God.
He said You have begun to follow another way—-another teaching—–another “gospel”——–which is really not “gospel” at all. It is a false not true teaching.
Some men have come and changed the true “gospel” and are teaching something else.
Paul is telling them that the gospel that Paul taught them when he was with them before was the truth.
And that if anyone told them anything else, it was wrong. Paul said, Even if an angel comes and tells you differently—-do not believe him.
Paul said Even if I come and tell you something else don’t believe me.
Because what I, Paul told you the first time I was with you is the truth.
Keep to that truth. Do not follow another teaching.
Vs. 9 Paul says again If anyone comes to you and starts to preach and teach something else that what I told you in the beginning do not believe them. Let that person have a curse on them for teaching false/wrong things.
Paul said Why am I saying this? Am I trying to please people? Do I preach things so people will like me? Or am I trying to please God?
Paul said If I was trying to please people I would not be preaching at all. (Preaching the truth to people does not make a person well liked sometimes.)
Vs.11, 12 Paul said The gospel and truth that I preach is not from man’s thinking. It is from God. Jesus taught me what to say. Jesus showed me the truth.
Vs. 13 Paul said You remember how I changed what I believed. How at first I was against the Christians the people who followed Christ. I hurt them—put them in jail, etc.
Vs. 14 I did so much hurt to the Christians that I was doing more hurt to them than any other Jew in the leadership of the Jewish church.
Vs. 15 But when I was born God had a plan for me. He called me by his grace to follow Him. He showed me His Son. He called me to preach to all those who did not believe.
Vs. 16 As soon as Jesus was shown to me and spoke to me I went to Arabia.
I did not go talk to the disciples in Jerusalem. I did not go talk to others about what to believe. I went to Arabia. I was there for awhile. Then I went back to the city of Damascus. Three years later I went to Jerusalem to see the disciples there.
I visited with Peter for 15 days. The only other person I met while there was James, who is Jesus’ brother.
(Jesus had several brothers. We do not know if any of the others ever believed Jesus to be God’s son or not. We only hear about James. James became one of the leaders in the believer’s group in Jerusalem.)
Paul said I am telling the truth After this visit with Peter, I went north to Syria, and Cilicia. The people in Judea still had not met me personally.
They had all heard about me and they were saying, “The man who was hurting all the Christians has now become a believer in Christ and is preaching.!!!” They were are praising God for me.