I realize I must “speed up” some in our study of Galatians!

If not, we’re going to be in this little Bible Book for years!

But still, I MUST discuss yesterday’s verse once more, the half we didn’t mention then. And add to that “mix” verse 7 as well. (Of Galatians chapter 1.)

Paul wrote to his converts: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto ANOTHER gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

Paul has two “another’s” in this Text.

The first Greek adjective Paul felt led to use for “another” is “heteros,” which specifically means “ANOTHER OF A DIFFERENT KIND!” It is NOT the word “allos,” meaning “another of the same kind!”

This (the “another” I have capitalized above) is not a local, cultural presentation of the Old, Old Story! This is a monstrosity that flies in the Face of the Gospel of the Grace of God!

To Paul, to the Holy Spirit … Salvation is a GIFT of God, not earned in any way.

This “other”/”heteros” gospel makes Salvation merely a Wage, a Payment, a Goal one has achieved by observing hundreds of rules laid down thousands of years earlier!

That’s “heteros,” for sure!

Then the second time Paul uses “another” (underlined in the Test above) he does employ “allos,” now even more strongly denigrating this “new gospel,” so-called. It is NOT “like” the True Gospel at all! It is very un-allos! (Smile, please!)

What a grammar lesson today! Vocabulary lesson! Lesson in the precise nature of New Testament Greek, and of the Writing Ability of the Holy Spirit!

Then Paul notes that some men (enemies of this Gospel of Grace) have come into (invaded) the Galatian Churches and now “trouble” them. “Tarasso” means “to agitate!” To keep in an uproar! By stirring the waters of turmoil! By constantly aggravating! (The Peace of God has now vanished from these Churches, looks like. They are in confusion, chaos!)

This makes me wonder if SOME there in Galatia have not (at least not yet) fallen for the “lies” the Moses-men are telling. A few little heroes wanting to “hold the line” and “defend the Faith” once delivered to the saints!

Then lastly today … these false teachers are being accused by Paul of “perverting” the Gospel of Christ! This verb (an infinitive) is “metastrepho,” meaning to take something and “twist it” all out of shape! To actually ruin it by badly deforming it! To render it inoperable!

Wow!

What a precise description of … what a false doctrine can do!

No wonder the New Testament again and again warns us to “earnestly contend” (defend) for the Faith taught us in the Word of God!

To … “Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.” Paul again in Romans 16:17.

Sounds serious!

More tomorrow, the Lord willing.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Once I studied the things that made Jesus marvel! The list is not very long. And the answer is surprising, “FAITH!” Or the lack of it, “UNBELIEF!”

As Matthew 8:10 connotes: “When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great FAITH, no, not in Israel.” (Luke 7:9 also tells the very same story, just in slightly different words, about the healing of a Centurion’s servant.)

And Mark 6:6 presents the “doubt” side of my observation. “And he (Jesus) marvelled because of their UNBELIEF. And he went round about the villages, teaching.”

That verb, “to marvel,” translates “thaumazo” in Greek. It means “to wonder, to admire!” It derives from a root verb that means “to gaze upon,”  (Colloquially: to be unable to take your eyes off something, it is so captivating, so very thrilling! Wow!)

Now in Galatians, in today’s Lesson, Paul uses that same verb (thaumazo) to describe his reaction to the Galatians’ “unbelief?” Or their “departing from the Faith?” Or their “going back to the Law of Moses?”

“I (Paul) marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.” Galatians 1:6

“Removed,” another powerful Holy-Spirit chosen verb! It is “metatithemi” in Greek, meaning “to place something aside!” To lay it down, considering it no longer all that important!

And by “Grace” Paul here simply means Salvation as a free Gift from God … abundantly bestowed upon any repenting, believing sinner!

The Galatians are willingly being misled … and Paul is astounded!

Who would turn from fresh Rib-eye steak to instead eat poor quality, old and rancid bologna? Yet the Galatians have done worse than that!

And so Paul writes his whole Epistle, all 6 chapters of Galatians (149 verses) to persuade these Christians (???) not to defect from the Faith!

Paul … “stunned!”

Do WE care when people leave the Church?

When they “cool” in their relationship with Jesus?

It mattered to Jesus.

And it did to Paul, as we’ve just seen.

To Abraham as well.

Think about it today.

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Again, do we marvel about anything spiritual any more?

 

“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Galatians 1:3-5, Paul’s “salutation” (or “opening greeting”) to the Churches of Galatia.

Pretty routine, these words, from Paul’s perspective anyway.

“Grace” is most often how one would say Hello to a Greek, a gentile. (In Greek “charis,” in the literary world meaning that which brings “joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, etc.”)

And “peace” (in Greek “eirene”) is the greeting extended to any “Jews” who may have been in the area.

Paul wants everyone included! Everyone who  professes to be saved, everyone in the local churches in Galatia. (Just like Paul’s God is a “Whosoever will may come” Lord and Master!)

Note the “doctrine” Paul has inserted here in his opening, our Lord Jesus Christ is placed on equal footing as God the Father! Already emphasizing Jesus’ Ability to provide Salvation … without the help of the Law of Moses!

Then come two Jesus verbs … He GAVE Himself … to DELIVER us! Paul is this soon preaching the Grace of God to provide salvation! Jesus laid down His Life! (As opposed to just being “murdered!”) Why? To “lift us out” of our sinful lives! (“Didomai” and “exaireo” being the verbs at hand. If you want to study them further.)

And look again: God willed our salvation. But Jesus bought, provided, gave our salvation! (The noun for “will” is “thelema” meaning what one “desires,” what “brings one pleasure!” Yes, GOD IS LOVE.)

This too, the “evil world” (“poneros aion” meaning “a progressively sinful and wicked age”) in which we live is only temporary! It’s the “present” evil world, implying not “eternal!” God will burn it some day, replacing it with a “new earth” says the Book of Revelation. Well, Peter teaches this too. As did Isaiah!)

Then finally Paul reaches the climax of his greeting, with a word of praise to God! “To Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”  Wow! This is characteristically Pauline! He often, when teaching, has to stop and pray, to magnify the One Whom he serves. The One on Whom he has been discoursing!

What an opening Statement!

And to the Galatians!

Now tomorrow, the Lord willing, Paul immediately segues into his first discussion of the problem at hand. The Galatians’ veering from the Grace of God!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

Maybe more than anywhere else in all his Epistles, Paul establishes his AUTHORITY as an Apostle when addressing the Galatian Churches.

(The Epistle to the Romans may be a close second! But he had never seen those people, most of them anyway, face-to-face! Not when writing that Epistle, Romans. Thus it was necessary to show them his “status” as a Preacher. Yet Paul knew the Galatians very well! This is remarkable!)

Look at what I mean, in Galatians, the first part of the salutation there. “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) and all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia.” Galatians 1:1-2

The Greek noun “apostlos” means “an official delegate.” Or “one sent forth with orders!” And clearly Paul here authenticates his “position” by referring to its Source, God the Father and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, the RESURRECTED Jesus Christ! (This is powerful!) In Greek “apo” means “from, away from.” And “stello” means “to set in order.”

And Apostle comes, in the New Testament view, to “straighten some things out,” things that have gradually drifted or changed for the worse!

Interestingly. Paul does not even mention being an Apostle in the salutation of Philippians, that being one of his most loving Churches! (No need to “pull rank!”)

Nor in the two Thessalonian Letters, one of Paul’s “supporting” congregations!

So why does Paul feel the need to establish such “gravitas” with the Galatians?

Because they are, at least to some degree, questioning his very Apostleship!

The Believers there have been (wrongly) told that Paul has led them astray!

That Paul’s “Gospel of Grace” is incomplete at best, and at worst, blatantly wrong!

So Paul is flashing his credentials … before engaging in debate with those who say salvation is via Moses, not Jesus! Those called “Judiazers” most often.

Yes, God calls His men and invests them with authority to declare His Word!

And that includes men like your Pastor, by the way!

Thank God that he (the Pastor) loves you and seeks to befriend you and your family again and again. But never forget he is also a MAN OF GOD! Given (via His “call” and the anointing Power of the Holy Spirit) authority to preach the Bible, in its entirety!

Wow!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

What a practical Text this morning!

 

The first verse in Galatians: “Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) and all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia ….” Yes, Paul nearly always had co-laborers with him. He was indeed a people-person! (Books, lots of them, have been written about the personalities surrounding the Apostle!)

But in Galatians notice he only (specifically) names himself as the writer. “PAUL, as Apostle.”

Whereas in one of the Corinthian Letters, he also names “Timothy” as a cowriter! “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and TIMOTHY our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia ….” 2 Corinthians 1:1

Look at Philippians also. “Paul and TIMOTHEUS, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons ….” Timothy again, Philippians 1:1

What about Colossians? “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and TIMOTHEUS our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse ….” Colossians 1:1-2, of course. Ever he is, “Paul the mentor!”

In Thessalonians, even more are listed!  “Paul, and SILVANUS (Silas), and TIMOTHEUS, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ ….” Wow, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, a trio!

It’s the same in 2 Thessalonians as well. “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus!”

What about Philemon? “Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and TIMOTHY our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer ….” Back to just Timothy, but he is listed as a co-author! (Philemon verse 1, King James Version.)

But what is the “point” of all this?

I woke up during the night with this question lingering in my mind. “WHY did Paul only name himself as the composer of the letter to the Galatians Churches?” Especially when it is so clear that others were with him as he wrote the Book! “Paul, an apostle … and all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia ….”

And I think I know the answer.

Or part of it, anyway.

In his friendlier, more love-soaked Letters Paul regularly mentions a co-author. (We all know that The True Writer of the Bible is God the Holy Spirit. I am speaking of human composers, now. See 2 Timothy 3:16.)

To the Churches “closest to his heart” Paul loves to promote comradery and brotherhood!

BUT TO THE GALATIANS … who seem to be on the verge of departing from the faith … it is another matter! Leaving the gospel of Grace … reverting to the rules (613 of them) Moses left so long ago? Dangerously close to spurning Christ’s Death on Calvary as being totally able to provide salvation?

So in this Epistle, Paul spares no words!

Uses harsh condemnation!

Even mimics their silliness!

Questions the reality of their faith to begin with, at its very inception!

And he chooses to do this alone!

With no co-author by his side.

(You can be sure … they were there, just incognito, not listed!)

Paul will do the “dirty work” by himself.

He alone will bear the blame, the censure, the hatred, if any comes. And surely it did.

Today’s lesson may be an incidental.

But it shows Paul’s character (to me) in a special light.

And I admire him more than ever!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

He bore this burden by himself.

Gives new meaning to the line in Paul’s “list of persecutions” … “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care (worry, burden, weight) of all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:28, amazing!