Sha’ul’s Letter to the Galatians ~ Part 2

We pause the ongoing story of Sha’ul to examine his Letter to the Galatians.

Note: To examine the graphics in this series, click on them for a pop-up version.

Greetings

1 ¹ 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.

I received my commission, etc. The basis of Sha’ul’s authority as an emissary of the Messiah Yeshua is one of the two main topics of this letter (see 1:10–2:14, 5:11, 6:12–14).

Who raised Him from the dead. This shows that God’s power and authority surpass those of any human and that Yeshua’s power and authority did not cease when He died (compare Romans 1:3–4).

Also all the brothers with me. What Sha’ul writes to the Galatians on the fundamental issues raised in this letter carries his authority and that of all his fellow believers.

² To: The Messianic communities in Galatia:

³ Grace and shalom to you from God our Father and from the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, ⁴ 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. ⁵ To him be the glory forever and ever! Amen. ^[1]

Together with v. 1, this epitomizes the Good News – Yeshua HaMashiach’s atoning death, the forgiveness of sins, salvation, obedience to God’s will, resurrection, and continuing authority, all for God’s glory. This is the standard against which to measure the false “supposedly ‘Good News'” of vv. 6–9. Amen. Intended to prompt a congregational response when the letter is read aloud. The Galatians’ “Amen“ is a public statement of affirmation and agreement with Sha’ul’s version of the Good News, contrasting with the version described in the following verses.

Some of the key theological foundations for Sha’ul’s argument are found in the first paragraph of the letter (1:1–5). Due to our sins, we were all captives of this present evil age, but Yeshua (who is the Messiah and clearly a divine figure) sacrificed Himself for our sins to free us from it. God raised Him from the dead, and now we experience grace and peace from God, who is our Father, and from Yeshua, who is our Lord. All this was accomplished according to God’s will, for which He deserves unending praise. God also sent Sha’ul, through Yeshua, as a messenger and interpreter of these events. The references to Messiah, God the Father, the resurrection from the dead, and ‘this evil age’ establish the Apocalyptic, Messianic theological framework in which Sha’ul’s argument will be developed. [2]

No Other Gospel

⁶ I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of Messiah and are turning to a different gospel – ⁷ not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are troubling you and want to change the good news about the Messiah. ⁸ But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than what we have preached to you, a curse be on him! ⁹ As we have said before, I now say again: If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!

Verse 6 is abrupt. Sha’ul was amazed at the Galatians’ defection from the Gospel of Grace. To reject the Gospel message is the same as rejecting God. After Sha’ul left Galatia, the Galatians thought they had heard and responded to a different gospel that was better, but it was actually no true gospel. The purity of the Gospel is so vital that even the emissaries or an angel should be cursed eternally if they tampered with it.

In our next post, we will continue to explore Sha’ul’s Letter to the Galatians, starting in verse 10.

Click here for the PDF version.

^[1] Galatians 1:1-9.
^[2] R. E. Ciampa, “Galatians,” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology.