Acts 15:1-35 & Galatians 1:1-5

Introduction to Epistle

This morning we come to an Epistle that has been called the “magna carta” of Christian liberty. 

Martin Luther said of the Epistle to the Galatians that this is “my Epistle.  To it I am as it were in wedlock.  It is my Katherine.”

This Epistle became the cornerstone of the Reformation.  Why are we Protestants and not part of the Roman Catholic Church?  It couldn’t be stated any simpler.  It is because of the teaching of Galatians.

1.  Author:  Paul, thirteenth apostle called by Jesus Christ to take the gospel to the Gentiles (2:7-8).

2.  Recipients:  Paul is writing a circular letter to the churches of 1st Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14) in the southern region of Galatia, what is today southern Turkey.

3.  Date:  AD 48-9  1st Missionary Journey (46-49) just prior to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15:1-21.   

In Gal. 2, Paul describes a visit to Jerusalem during the great famine that hit the city as described in Acts 11:27-30.  Thus the Book of Galatians was written during the days before the debate over the Gentile Christian’s relationship to the Law of Moses was settled. 

This would make Galatians the 1st Letter of Paul and probably of the entire NT (16-17 years after Paul's conversion).  This means that the doctrine of justification taught in Galatians was not something developed latter by Paul but is the heart of the Gospel message that was proclaimed by the church from the very beginning.

4.  Situation:

After much opposition form the Jews to Paul’s preaching, Paul was sent by the Holy Spirit with Barnabas to turn to the Gentiles.  In fact, though Paul certainly had a ministry to the Jews, his calling was primarily directed as the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; 22:21; Gal. 1:16; 2:2).

Paul turned his attention to the southern region of Galatia and many churches were planted there during his first missionary journey. 

1:6-7 – However, as soon as he left, a group of men from Jerusalem with a perverted gospel have infiltrated the church and are turning many away from the Gospel.

While it is not always easy to identify Paul’s antagonists, there is no doubt who Paul is confronting in Galatia.

Who are they?  Judaizers (Jewish Christians) students of the apostles in Jerusalem.  Probably came to faith very recently and with great enthusiasm left to do exactly what Paul was doing.  When they arrived at the churches at Galatia they saw that the practices of the Galatian Christians were very different from there own.

What were they teaching?  These Judaizers came and saw that the Gentiles were not doing the things that were being practiced in their home church in Jerusalem.  As young men tend to do (having not thought through all of these issues) began teaching that the Gentiles needed to practice the Law of Moses and be circumcised in order to be accepted by God for salvation.  cf. Acts 15:1, 5.  Before you could be accepted into the New Covenant, which is a continuation and fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant, you had to first enter into the Mosaic Covenant which was added latter (Gal. 3:6ff).  In order to be “right with God” you had to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law.  In other words, to the Gentiles these Judaizers said that before they could become Christians, they had to become Jews first. 

This sent the Galatians into massive confusion.  Not only were they tolerating this “new Gospel,” which is really no Gospel at all, some of them seem to have embraced this new teaching which directly contradicted what Paul had taught them.

What was Paul's Gospel?  That we are accepted by God not based on any works but by simple faith in the all -sufficient work of Jesus Christ.  Paul saw these issues were not necessary for Gentile Christians but were all right for Jewish Christians (1 Cor. 9:19ff).  Paul even points out that no law is necessary for salvation.  While is was alright for Jewish Christians to express their faith in Christ through traditional Jewish practices, it was anathema to then impose those practices upon Gentile believers as an addition to Christ.

The problem with the new teaching of the Judaizers was not that they were denying the necessity of faith in Christ.  No one denied that.  What they were doing was adding something to the all-sufficient work of Christ, therefore denying the sufficiency of Christ’s work.  Trusting in Christ’s work was not enough.  In order to be a true Christian, you must add the badges and emblems of national Israel, namely circumcision, the keeping of dietary laws, and obedience to the Law of Moses to Christ (Gal. 4:9-10).  In fact, Paul says that if you are going to add circumcision to Christ, you might as well mutilate or emasculate yourself (5:12).  These false teachers are leading the church in Galatia back under the Law (4:21) because they are trying to be justified by means of the Law (2:16).     

What was their response to Paul's gospel?  They had probably never thought through this issue.  Paul had some 15 years or more to think through it and because he was called to minister to the Gentiles he was forced to look at the issue.  However, these young men were enraged at Paul and began to call his authority into question.

a.  Paul was not an original apostle.  However, they were taught by the original apostles in Jerusalem. 

Paul takes the first two chapters to set them straight on this issue, before he tackles the larger issue.  But Paul isn’t concerned with establishing his apostleship for posterity sake.  If they suddenly disbelieve that Paul has authority to preach the Gospel they will not heed his correction of their false conception of the true Gospel.

b.  Because of the difficulty of Paul's task (witnessing to the Gentiles) Paul truncated his message in order to have more converts.  He knew they would never accept the whole truth but rather only a watered down version.  Paul never received his message from Jesus (like the real apostles did) but rather he came to Jerusalem and received it from the apostles, realized how difficult it would be for the Gentiles and truncated it sot that it would be more palatable to their tastes.  Only after the Judaizers arrived had the Galatians heard the correct gospel.

As with any preacher who preaches the all-pervasive grace of the Gospel, Paul was called an antinomian.  He was lessening the standard of Gospel which was the added obedience to the Law of Moses.  Paul had to be corrected by these young theologians.

These accusations were so serious that Paul spends the first two chapters of the letter attempting to correct them.  Only in chapter 3 does he begin to remind and rebuke them concerning the true gospel.

This is clearly Paul’s angriest letter.  In fact, it is clear that Paul is overwhelmed with righteous indignation.  He doesn’t take the time for his typical cordial greeting.  Instead, he begins abruptly with the issue at hand because the very gospel and their souls weigh in the balance.  Paul begins with amazement (1:6) at how quickly they could be deceived.  Paul wonders how they could be so foolish (3:1) in so easily giving up the Gospel that has set them free.  Because he understands the seriousness of what’s at stake and how easily they have been confused, Paul writes the sternest rebuke of all his letters to the Galatians. 

Exposition of 1:1-5

Normal Greeting in Paul's day 

Pattern:  Author, Addressee, Greeting (cf. Ezra 7:12)

From:

Paul = apostle (commissioned)

apostle -- "one who is sent"  emissary

One who has received a special commission from Jesus Christ and works to establish the foundation of His body with His full authority and is accompanied by signs and wonders as testimony to their authority.

Of all 13 Epistles (except Phil.; Thess.; Philemon) Paul claims to be an apostle

Paul claims the title for himself and makes it clear that he is in no way inferior to the other apostles.

He has been commissioned by Jesus Christ just as they had

He defends His apostleship (1:1, 11-12; 15-17; 21-24

He carries with Him the full authority of Christ (Matt. 28; 2 Cor. 10:8)

not from men (pl)

nor through man

but through Jesus Christ and through God the Father

Paul's commission was not derived though any human intermediary.

Judaizers were describing Paul's commission through men not from God trying to discredit him which would have ultimately discredited his message to the destruction of the Galatian churches.

Paul's commission came from Jesus Christ (ultimately from God through JC)

cf. 1:10, 15ff; 2:7 Acts 9:1-31 (22:4-11; 26:13-18)

God the Father -- who raised Him (Christ) from the dead – It is the risen Lord who has sent Paul to the Gentiles to preach the Gospel of Christ.

If these false teachers oppose Paul, he wants them to understand that it is not merely him they are opposing but Jesus Christ who sent him. 

To:

the churches of Galatia (pl) -- circular letter going to the churches he has just planted.

Churches at Galatia Acts 13:14-14:23 -- 1st missionary journey

Caustic Nature of the Epistle:

Absence of thanksgiving for them

Language of Rebuke:  1:6, 3:1

Greeting:

Grace and Peace be yours

"Grace is God's unconditional good will towards mankind which is decisively expressed in the saving work of Christ; peace is the state of life -- peace with God and peace with one another -- enjoyed by those who have effectively experienced the divine grace."  Bruce, 74.

from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ -- Passive obedience

Act:  who gave Himself for our sins (atonement)

Purpose: that He might deliver us from this present evil age

Paul sees the whole history of the human race as divided into two ages, or two worlds.  “This present age” stands in direct contrast to the “age to come.”

“This present age” is marked by evil and darkness.  It is under the curse of Adam’s sin.  It is temporal age that will come to an end at the return of Christ. 

“The age to come” is marked by resurrection life.  It is the life of Heaven itself.  It is the eternal state of the believer who has entered into rest in Christ. 

We have already been delivered from “this present evil age” and have risen with Christ to sit in the “age to come.”  The eternal blessings are already ours.  We have already risen to the Heavenly Jerusalem (4:26). 

The Judaizers are theologians of this present evil age, which Christ has delivered us from.  But the Galatains are in danger of falling into their snare, and by God’s grace Paul has been sent to steer them clear from this danger back to their freedom in Christ.  There hope is not to be rooted in the merit of good works and self-righteousness, but solely in the finished work of Jesus Christ, a righteousness that is imputed through faith alone.

Motive:  According to the will of our God and Father

Result:  to whom be glory forever and ever.  AMEN!

Only Christ's self-oblation procures forgiveness for the sins of His people and delivers them out of the realm of death into the realm of life (Col. 1:13).

The Apostolic Blessing assures us that the Galatians haven’t gone so far as to give up the Gospel.  Paul still sees them as united to Jesus Christ.  They are in danger of being led away and falling from grace (5:4), but Paul is using the rebuke as a means of grace to keep them in the faith.

Our sovereign God not only ordains the ends, but the very means for our perseverance.  And these warning of Paul serve as those sovereign means of keeping the Galatians in the faith. 

Paul not only shows them the futility and danger of the Galatian heresy, but even from the very beginning he displays for them the glorious beauty of Christ who was given to set them free and grant them eternal life through faith alone. 

Amen!  -SDG-