1After saluting the churches of Galatia, 6Paul testifieth his surprise that they should so soon have forsaken the truth of the gospel which he had taught them; 8and pronounceth those accursed who preach any other gospel. 10He sheweth that his doctrine was not devised to please men, but came to him by immediate revelation from God. 13To confirm which he relateth his conversation before his calling, 15and what steps he had taken immediately thereupon.
1PAUL, 1an apostle, (2not of men, neither by man, but bya Jesus Christ, and God the Father, 3who raised him from the dead;)
1 See of this word, Luke 6:13.
2 Namely, who are mere men or nothing but men. This description the apostle adds to maintain his apostolic calling and authority against the slanders of the false apostles, who said that he was not lawfully called to the apostleship. For there is a twofold lawful calling to the ministry of the Word, one which is ordinary, which is effected indeed by God, but through men, therein following the order of God; such is the calling of the ordinary ministers of the Word. And there is a calling, which is effected without the ministry of men by God Himself, or by the Lord Christ, such was the calling of the prophets in the Old Testament, and of the apostles in the New Testament. This calling is extraordinary, and always accompanied with the gift of being not able to err in teaching, John 16:13; 2 Peter 1:21. That the apostle Paul was called by such an extraordinary calling is clearly described in Acts 9; 22.
a Titus 1:3.
3 And thereby openly showed that He was the proper and true Son of God. See Acts 13:32; 33; Rom. 1:4.
2And 4all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of 5Galatia:
4 Namely, not only my fellow brethren in the ministry, but also all the rest of the faithful. This the apostle adds, not so much to make his writing to be respected thereby, as by the unanimity of the congregation with him to move the congregations of Galatia the better to the laying aside of their errors.
5Galatia was one of the largest provinces in Asia Minor, bordering upon Phrygia, Bithynia, Pontus, Cappadocia and Pamphylia; was thus named after a people, who, being come out from Gaul, now called France, took in that province and long inhabited the same. See Acts 16:6; 1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Tim. 4:10; 1 Peter 1:1.
3Gracebbe to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
b Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; Eph. 1:2; 1 Peter 1:2.
4Whoc6gave 7himself 8for our sins, that he might deliver usfrom this present evil 9world, 10according to the will of God and our Father:
c Mat. 20:28; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 5:2; Titus 2:14; Heb. 9:14.
6 Namely, unto death. This the apostle adds in the beginning because this argument is alone sufficient to confute the teaching of the false apostles. For, He would have done this in vain if a man could be justified by the works of the law. See Gal. 2:21.
7 Namely, willingly, Philip. 2:8.
8 Namely, to reconcile them by His death, 1 John 1:7; 2:2. So that the reconciliation and remission of sins must be sought therein alone, and not in the works of the law.
9 Gr. age, that is, out of the sinful and miserable state wherein the entire world lies, 1 John 5:19.
10 That is, according to the eternal decree and good pleasure, Acts 2:23; 4:28; Heb. 10:7, 10. As such the Father is satisfied with this ransom of His Son.
5To whom be glory for 11ever and ever. Amen.
11 Gr. unto ages of ages, or, unto eternities of eternities. Hebraism.
612I marvel that ye are 13so 14soon 15removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ 16unto another gospel:
12 This astonishment was also accompanied with great displeasure and grief.
13 That is, in such a short a time, after you have received the Gospel from us; or, since the deceivers have taught you otherwise. Thereby he reproves their light-mindedness.
14 Namely, from God, Who called you by our preaching to save you by the grace of Christ, and not by the works of the law. Or, turning from Christ, Who called you in grace.
15 Namely, by those who deceive you; on whom he lays the greatest blame, because he had hope to bring them again into the right way, Gal. 5:10.
16 That is, unto another doctrine to be saved thereby, which the deceivers indeed call the Gospel, but is not the right Gospel, and differs far from that which we have preached unto you.
717Which is not another; 18but there be some thatd trouble you, and would 19pervert the gospel of Christ.
17 Or, Whereas there is no other, namely, than that, or but that which we have preached unto you. See Acts 4:12.
18 Namely, who, having betaken themselves unto the Christian religion from the sect of the Pharisees, sought to mingle the law with the Gospel, and the righteousness of works with the righteousness of faith. See Acts 15:5.
d Acts 15:1.
19 That is, falsify it, make it vain or of none effect.
8Bute though 20we, or 21an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you 22than that which we have preached unto you, let him be 23accursed.
e 2 Cor. 11:4.
20 Namely, I and the brethren, who are with me. Or, we apostles.
21 This is indeed impossible in itself, but the apostle, by proposing this impossible condition, will the more powerfully set forth the certainty of the curse, which shall come upon those who preach another Gospel. See the like, John 8:55; 1 Cor. 13:2.
22 That is, not only contrary to the same, but also who adds anything to it besides what we have preached; which the false apostles did, teaching that men are not justified by faith alone, but also by the works of the law.
23 Gr. anathama, that is, a cursing. See of this word, Rom. 9:3; 1 Cor. 16:22.
9As we said 24before, so say I now 25again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have 26received, let him be accursed.
24 Namely, in the foregoing verse.
25 Namely, to show that this is not spoken by me out of hastiness.
26 Namely, have heard and embraced through our preaching.
10For do I now 27persuadef men, 28or God? 29org do I seek to please men? for if I 30yet 31pleased 32men, I should not be the 33servant of Christ.
27 Gr. do I now advise men or God?, namely, to hear or to believe. For the Greek word which the apostle here uses, as also in Acts 28:23 and 2 Cor. 5:11, signifies properly: to move anyone with reasons or to persuade him, and here the sense is: Do I seek in my preaching to move you that you would adhere to me or any man? He means to say, I do this by no means.
f 1 Thes. 2:4.
28 That is, that you should put your trust in God in Christ; which, he wants to say, I do in all my preaching.
29 That is, do I in my preaching seek the favor of some people? By no means, he wants to say. And this, it seems, the false apostles sought to make the Galatians believe, to render the apostles’ doctrine suspect.
g James 4:4.
30 Namely, now being converted to Christ, even as I did in Judaism, when I persecuted the congregation to please the High Priest and the Jews.
31 That is, sought only their favor in preaching.
32 Namely, who are strangers from Christ, or who will have men preach according to their minds, 2 Tim. 4:3. Otherwise the upright teachers may and must also so carry themselves in doctrine and life, that they may please the upright and godly men in Christ, 1 Cor. 10:33.
33 That is, a true, upright and faithful servant. For no man can serve two masters, Mat. 6:24.
11Buth I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me 34is not after man.
h 1 Cor. 15:1.
34 That is, was not given or taught me by men, or feigned by myself, or depending upon the authority of any man, as is declared in the following verse.
12Fori I 35neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
i Eph. 3:3.
35 The apostle will not hereby reject the instruction in the doctrine of the Gospel, which is ordinarily performed by men, 2 Tim. 3:15, but means that he, as an apostle, has not received this doctrine in such an ordinary manner, but through an extraordinary revelation and instruction of Christ Himself. See Acts 9:3; 1 Cor. 15:8 and 2 Corinthians 12.
13Forj ye have heard of my conversation in 36time past in the Jews' religion, how that 37beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and 38wasted it:
j Acts 8:3; 9:1; 22:4; 26:9; Philip. 3:6; 1 Tim. 1:13.
36 Namely, before I was converted to the Christian religion.
37 This persecution of Paul is described in Acts 7:58; 9:1, etc.; 22:4, 5.
38 That is, as much as it was in me, sought to root out and destroy totally the same.
14And profited in the Jews' religion above many 39my equals 40in mine own nation, being more 41exceedingly zealous of the 42traditions 43of my fathers.
39 That is, young men. See Acts 7:58. This he expresses that he might not seem to set himself above the ancient teachers of the Jews out of self-conceitedness.
40 That is, among the Jews.
41 Gr. more abundantly a zealot. Namely, with a zeal which was not accompanied with knowledge, Rom. 10:2; Philip. 3:5, 6; 1 Tim. 1:13. Hereby he also reproves the mistaken zeal of the Jews in his own person.
42 Or, institutions. Namely, not only which are commanded and set down in the Scriptures, but those also which were instituted by men, and passed on by the parents to the children as from hand to hand.
43 Namely, of which I cherished more, than of the doctrine of the prophets. What institutions these were, may be seen Mat. 5:21; 15:2; 23:3, etc.; Mark 7:5, etc.; 1 Peter 1:18.
15Butk when it pleased God, who 44separated me 45from my mother's womb, and called me 46by his grace,
k Acts 9:15; 13:2.
44 That is, purposed and decreed to separate me from the common heap of other men to call me in due time to be an apostle.
45 Gr. out of, that is, before I was born of my mother. See the like Jer. 1:5.
46 Namely, as the only cause why He did that; and therefore foreseen in me without any worthiness or merits of mine; as also God’s good pleasure before is made the cause thereof. See Eph. 1:5, 6, 9, 11.
16To reveal 47his Son 48in me, thatl I might preach him among the heathen; 49immediately I 50conferred not 51withm flesh and blood:
47 Namely, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.
48 That is, to me, in my soul. Or, to reveal by me, that is, to make known, that I have acknowledged Him for the Son of God and the true Messiah, and believed in Him, Mat. 16:17.
l Acts 9:15; 13:2; 22:21; Gal. 2:8; Eph. 3:8.
49 Namely, as soon as I was converted unto Christ.
50 That is, spoke and treated with any man concerning the doctrine of the Gospel to be instructed better or in more detail in the same.
51 That is, with some men, who consist of flesh and blood. See the like phrase, Mat. 16:17; Eph. 6:12; no, not even with mine own natural ingenuity.
m Mat. 16:17.
1752Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles 53before me; but I went into 54Arabia, and returned again unto 55Damascus.
52 Or, went not again; as also verse 18. This seems to contradict with which Luke says in Acts 9:26. But that which Luke says there must be understood to have come to pass after that Paul, having been three years in Arabia, was again come from thence unto Damascus. For, Luke makes no mention there of Paul’s journey into Arabia, as he also omits many other actions and journeys of Paul, which Paul relates himself, 2 Corinthians 11; 12.
53 Namely, anyone of the twelve, who were called to the apostleship long before me.
54 A country situated to the south of the land of the Jews, wherein Mount Sinai was located, Gal. 4:25, between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Persia.
55 Of this city see the annotation on Acts 9:2.
18Then 56after three years I went up to Jerusalem 57to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
56 Namely, during which I had been in Arabia as well as at Damascus.
57 The Greek word signifies to go see or visit any man to hear him, and to speak and to discuss things with him.
19But other of the apostles saw I none, save 58James 59the Lord’s brother.
58 There were two among the apostles with this name. See of both, Mat. 10:2, 3; Acts 12:2, 17, and of this (James) Acts 12:17 and 15:13.
59 That is, cousin, an Hebrew phrase. See Gen. 14:14; Mat. 12:46, 47; 1 Cor. 9:5. Of him see Mat. 10:3; Mark 15:40.
2060Now the things which I write unto you, behold, 61beforen God, I lie not.
60 Namely, concerning that I have received the Gospel from Christ Himself without any calling or instruction of men.
61 A form of making an oath, with which the apostle thought it needful to confirm this, because of the weightiness of the matter. See Rom. 9:1.
n Rom. 1:9; 9:1; 2 Cor. 1:23; 11:31; 1 Thes. 2:5; 1 Tim. 5:21; 2 Tim. 4:1.
21Afterwards I came into the regions of 62Syria and Cilicia;
62 These are provinces situated in Asia. See of the same, Mat. 4:24; Acts 15:23, 41; 27:5.
22And was unknown by face unto the churches 63of Judaea 64which were in Christ:
63 Namely, seeing I, according to my calling, preached the Gospel not among the Jews there, but amongst the Gentiles. See verse 16.
64 That is, who have received and profess the Christian doctrine.
23But they had heard only, That 65he which persecuted 66us in times past now preacheth 67the faith which once he 68destroyed.
65 Namely, Paul. These are the words of the aforementioned congregations, which Paul quotes.
66 Namely, Christians.
67 That is, the doctrine of the Gospel, which one must believe unto salvation. See the similar phrase, 1 Tim. 1:19, compared with 2 Tim. 2:18.
68 See verse 13.
24And they glorified God 69in me.
69 Gr. for my sake, that is, for the grace which God had bestowed on me.