By Warren E. Berkley
When Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia, in the first chapter of that epistle there are three related claims having to do with his work as an apostle. He said ...
![]() | I am "an apostle (not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)...," (1:1). |
![]() | He said, "...the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came by revelation of Jesus Christ," (1:11,12). |
![]() | "I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood," (1:16). |
Based on what is implied in this context, supplemented by other related passages in Acts and Second Corinthians, there isn't any doubt that Paul was under attack. His detractors were apparently suggesting or charging that Paul's message was human in origin; that he consulted with various men of influence and was simply repeating a human doctrine. Some may have said - his "gospel" wasn't the same as the message of the apostles in Jerusalem. In these three claims Paul responds to those charges. But the claims are upheld by evidence:
"One of the ways in which some false teachers of Paul's day tried to undermine his authority was to hint that his gospel was different from Peter's, and indeed from the views of all the other apostles in Jerusalem. 'As a result', they said, 'the church is being saddled with two gospels, Paul's and Peter's, each claiming a divine origin. Which are we going to accept?' 'Surely', they went on, 'we cannot follow Paul if he is in a minority of one, and if Peter and the rest of the apostles disagree with him?' This was evidently one of the specious arguments of the Judaizers. They were trying to disrupt the unity of the apostolic circle. They were openly alleging that the apostles contradicted one another. Their game, we might say, was not 'robbing Peter to pay Paul', but exalting Peter to spite Paul!
To this insinuation Paul now addresses himself. He has shown in chapter 1 that his gospel came from God not man. He now shows in the first part of chapter 2 that his gospel was precisely the same as that of the other apostles; it was not different. To prove that his gospel was independent of the other apostles, he has stressed that he paid only one visit to Jerusalem in fourteen years, and that this lasted only fifteen days. To prove that his gospel was yet identical with theirs, he now stresses that when he paid a proper visit to Jerusalem, his gospel was endorsed and approved by them." (Stott).
So, the first two chapters of Galatians were designed to establish that Paul (1) was an authentic apostle "by Jesus Christ and God the Father," (2) was preaching a message that came to him "by revelation of Jesus Christ," and (3) he did not "confer with flesh and blood." The claims stand, as supported by the evidence given by Paul; he did not consult with men; he believed, preached and practiced the gospel of Christ that came to him by revelation. The gospel which he preached and the apostolic mission he had was derived from God, and the history of the first years of his work demonstrated that; he received the sanction of the other apostles, but got his message from Jesus Christ.
"The bane of Paul's life and ministry was the insidious activity of false teachers. Wherever he went, they dogged his footsteps. No sooner had he planted the gospel in some locality than false teachers began to trouble the church by perverting it. Further, as we have seen, in order to discredit Paul's message, they also challenged his authority. This matter is of importance for us because Paul's detractors have plenty of successors in the Christian church today. They tell us that we do not need to pay too much attention to his writings. They forget or deny that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ, uniquely called, commissioned, authorized and inspired to teach in His name. They ignore Paul's own claim (Galatians 1:11,12) that he derived his gospel not from men but from Jesus Christ." (Stott)
Once I hear, believe and obey the gospel of Christ, I should never allow anyone to pressure me to compromise. Others may help me understand Bible teachings, and urge me toward deeper faithfulness and give me a good example of God-pleasing behavior. But nobody - no group of men; no elder, preacher, magazine, college or friend - NOBODY should be allowed to confer with me in such a manner as to cause me to pervert the gospel of Christ. Further, as a preacher I should be willing to establish that my message came from Jesus Christ (in our case, through the Spirit-inspired writings of the New Testament). I should be ready to give an answer, deal with charges and show that what I believe, teach and practice came from the New Testament of Jesus Christ. "There are times for thoughtful and even prolonged consideration, but where God's will is perfectly clear there is no need to consult men. Our first duty to Christ is a prompt obedience," (Pulpit Commentary).
The Message of Galatians, John Stott,
InterVarsity Press series,
"The Bible Speaks Today."
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians,
Alan Cole, Eerdmans Tyndale
Commentary Series.
The Pulpit Commentary, Galatians, p.#50.
Contact the Writer: [email protected]
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