And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia.
Church unity
Our religion is not designed to terminate upon ourselves, but to benefit those with whom we associate. As the touched needle has the power to impart something of its own magnetic virtue to kindred substances brought into contact with it, so true grace is always communicative, and delights to diffuse the moral impressions which it has received. The early Churches set a noble pattern, in this respect, to the men of succeeding times.
I. Their unity of sentiment in the fundamental doctrines of Christian faith. Paul blends the testimony of his brethren in the ministry with his own (“all the brethren”) to show that he stood not alone in his views of Christian doctrine; and they delight to bear their concurrent attestation in favour of the truths he proclaimed, and against the errors he condemned.
II. Their unity of affection. “All the brethren that are with me, to the Churches of Galatia.” Amidst some discrepancy of opinion, there was much love at heart, which yet did not prevent their bearing a faithful and energetic protest against the dangerous views newly entertained by their Galatian friends, upon the subject of the incorporation of the Jewish rites with the Christian faith. The truth of grace in others should be the most powerful loadstone to attract our regards towards them. For one man to love another, chiefly because he is of his own opinion and party, is little better than a refined species of selfishness, as he does but embrace his own shadow which he sees falling upon his brother’s breast.
III. Mark also their unity in prayer, for spiritual blessings to descend upon those to whom they wrote--“Grace be to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (The Evangelist.)
A word to pastors and people
I.To pastors.
1. Don’t lord it over your people: they are “brethren.”
2. Take them into your confidence: not to confirm your authority, but because they have an interest in your work.
3. Secure their sympathy: it “will be your solace when you are dealing with crafty Judaizers.
4. Carry them with you. You will need them
(1) in bodily affliction;
(2) in exceptional difficulties.
II. To people,
1. Your pastor is not your slave but your “brother”: love and esteem him.
2. He is the servant of Christ and the Church, and you are his fellowservants: give him sympathy and co-operation.
3. He is your leader: follow him; let him speak not only in his own name but yours, because
(1) you have common interests,
(2) these interests can only be preserved by unanimity (Php_1:27).
There is no relationship like that founded on the sanctity of religion. Between you and me that sanctity exists. I stood by your side when you awoke in the dark valley of conviction and owned yourselves lost. I led you by the hand out of the darkness. By your side I have prayed, and my tears have mingled with yours. I have bathed you in the crystal waters of a holy baptism; and when you sang the song of the ransomed captive it filled my heart with a joy as great as your own. Love beginning in such scenes and drawn from so sacred a fountain is not commercial, is not fluctuating. Amid severe toils and not a few anxieties it is a crown of rejoicing to a pastor. (H. W. Beecher.)
The Churches of Galatia
I.Their locality. Probably the seats of the most ancient bishoprics.
1. Ancyra, the capital.
2. Pessinus, the great emporium.
3. Tavium, the junction of many roads.
4. Juliopolis, in the centre of the land. Note Paul’s sagacity in choosing such serviceable centres.
II. Their members.
1. The native Gaulo-Phrygians--an impulsive, inquisitive, imaginative, and superstitious race; worshippers of Cybele, whose cult involved wild ceremonial and horrible mutilations.
2. Jews and proselytes.
3. Roman colonists.
III. Their planting.
1. During second missionary tour (Act_16:6).
2. Under afflictive circumstances (Gal_4:13).
3. With warm enthusiasm (Gal_4:15). Rapid growth, rapid decadence.
IV. Their character.
1. Their natural imaginativeness and impulsiveness moulded by grace.
2. Many churches, but one Church.
3. True churches, though in error.
V. Their early history.
1. Confirmed during third missionary tour (Act_18:23).
2. Corrupted by Judaizers.
3. Rebuked and perhaps reclaimed by Paul (2Ti_4:10).
4. Strongholds of heresy during second and third centuries.
5. Purged by the Diocletian persecution.
6. Triumphant over Julian.
What is a church?
A band of faithful men
Met for God’s worship in some humble room,
Or screened from foes by midnight’s starlit gloom,
On hillside or lone glen
To hear the counsels of God’s Holy Word
Pledged to each other and their common Lord.
These, few as they may be,
Compose a Church, such as in pristine ages
Defied the tyrant’s steel, the bigot’s rage.
For, when but two or three,
Whate’er the place, in faith’s communion meet,
There, with Christ present, is a Church complete.
The Galatian people
When the vast tide of Aryan migration began to set to the westward the Celtic family was among the earliest to stream away. They gradually occupied a great part of the centre and west of Europe, and their various tribes were swept hither and thither by various currents. One of their Brennuses, four centuries b.c., inflicted on Rome its deepest humiliation. Another, 111 years later, ravaged Northern Greece, and when its hordes were driven back at Delphi they found another body under Leonnorius and Lutarius, and established themselves in the northern regions of Asia Minor. But their exactions soon roused an opposition which led to their confinement to the central region. Here we find them in threetribes: the Tolistobogii, with their capital Pessinus; the Tectosages, with their capital Ancyra; the Trocmi, with their capital Tavium. These tribes were, in b.c. 65, united under Deiotarus, tetrarch of the Tolistobogii. The Romans had conquered them in b.c. 189, but had left them nominally independent; and in b.c. 36 Mark Antony made Amyntas king. On his death, b.c. 25, Galatia was joined to Lycaonia and part of Pisidia, and made a Roman province. This was its political condition when Paul entered Pessinus. (F. W. Farrar.)
Note--
I. The brotherhood of Christians;
II. Their united action;
III. Their interest in distant churches. (J. Lyth.)
