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?