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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gal_1:6-10
6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you have received, he is to be accursed! 10For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Gal_1:6 "I am amazed" Instead of a thanksgiving—so common in Pauline writings—Paul observed with astonishment (the verb is found only here and 2Th_1:10 in Paul's writings) that the Galatians had been too easily wooed away from the pure, simple, majestic gospel of justification by grace through faith by the false teachers.
▣ "so quickly" Two senses are possible: (1) so soon after they accepted the gospel that Paul preached, or (2) so soon after the false teachers came.
▣ "deserting Him" This verb is present tense, indicating the Galatians were in the process of turning away. "deserting" is a military term for revolt. Note the emphasis is on the personal element of turning away from God Himself by rejecting Paul's gospel. It can be a present passive verbal form, but the larger context (cf. Gal_3:1 ff; Gal_5:7) implies a present middle form. This emphasizes that although the false teachers instigated the deserting, the Galatians willingly participated in it.
▣ "who called you by the grace of Christ" The phrase "called you" usually refers to an action of God the Father (cf. Rom_8:30; Rom_9:24; 1Co_1:9). This is significant because of the textual problem with the addition of the phrase "of Christ." It is not found in the papyrus P46, F*, or G, but it is found in the papyrus P51, and the uncial manuscripts à , A, B, K and F2. "Of Jesus Christ" is found in MS D. This may be an early addition to clarify that it is the Father who calls us through Christ. It must be stated again: God always takes the initiative in human salvation (cf. Joh_6:44; Joh_6:65; Romans 9; Eph_1:3-14). See hyperlink at 1Th_1:4 and hyperlink at 2Th_1:11.
▣ "for a different gospel" "Different" [heteros] is sometimes used in the sense of "another of a different kind," (cf. 2Co_11:4). In Gal_1:7 allos (i.e., "another of the same kind") is used; it can be translated "another of the same kind in a series." However, in Koine Greek these terms were becoming synonymous and a distinction should not be insisted upon too strongly. But, in this context, Paul obviously used both for contrast.
Gal_1:7
NASB "which is really not another"
NKJV "which is not another"
NRSV "not that there is another gospel"
TEV "there is no ‘other gospel'"
NJB "Not that there can be more than one Good News"
There are not two gospels, though the one true gospel is often perverted. The KJV translation of Gal_2:7 has been often interpreted as referring to two gospels, one for the Greeks and one for the Jews. This is an unfortunate and untrue inference, although it may have been a statement of the false teachers.
NASB "only there are some who are disturbing you"
NKJV "but there are some who trouble you"
NRSV "but there are some who are confusing you"
TEV "there are some people who are upsetting you"
NJB "it is merely that some troublemakers among you"
"Disturbing" refers to a purposeful action like a military revolt (i.e., this context has several military terms). "False teachers" is plural in Gal_5:12, but possibly only the leader of the false teachers is actually meant because of the use of the singular in Gal_5:7 and twice in Gal_5:10. They are called "agitators" in Gal_5:12. Many assume the Judaizers of Galatians are synonymous with the converted Pharisees or priests of Act_15:1; Act_15:5; Act_15:24. They emphasized the necessity of becoming a Jew before one could become a Christian. The Judaizers' emphasis on the Jewish Law can be seen in:
1. the necessity of circumcision (cf. Gal_2:3-4; Gal_5:1; Gal_6:12-15)
2. their keeping of special days (cf. Gal_4:10)
3. a possible inclusion of keeping the food laws which is implied in Paul's confrontation with Peter (cf. Gal_2:11-14)
This was probably the same group of false teachers mentioned in 2Co_11:26 and 1Th_2:14-16. Their problem was not that they denied the central place of Christ in salvation, but that they also required the Mosaic Law, which confuses grace and human performance. The New Covenant does not focus on human merit (cf. Jer_31:31-34; Eze_36:22-38).
The theological and practical problem of how to relate the OT and NT remains even today. Here are some possible options suggested through the years.
1. ignore the OT
2. magnify the OT
3. continue the ethics, but not the cultus of Israel
4. read the NT through the eyes of the OT categories
5. read the OT through the new message of Jesus
6. see it as a promise (OT) and fulfillment (NT)
I have struggled with this issue! It seems to me the OT is surely revelation (Mat_5:17-19; 2Ti_3:15-16). One cannot understand the Bible without Genesis. The OT surely reveals God in marvelous ways, however, it seems to me that Judaism mishandled the Mosaic covenant by emphasizing the human aspect of covenant! I prefer to emphasize the divine universal aspect (i.e., Gen_3:15; Gen_12:3; Exo_19:5-6) with a mandated covenantal human response!
The NT universalizes the national promises to Israel whereby the original intent of God to redeem fallen mankind, made in His image and likeness (cf. Gen_1:26-27) is fully realized! One God, one world, one way to restored fellowship (i.e., Isaiah's message)!
hyperlink
NASB "and want to distort the gospel of Christ"
NKJV, NRSV "and want to pervert the gospel of Christ"
TEV "and trying to change the gospel of Christ"
NJB "want to change the Good News of Christ"
"To distort" is an aorist infinitive meaning "to reverse," possibly another military term. Although morality is a significant element of the gospel, it always follows salvation. It does not precede it as the Judaizers asserted (cf. Eph_2:8-10). Paul's gospel was Christ, then Christlikeness; their gospel was works righteousness (Mosaic Law) and then God's righteousness in Christ.
Gal_1:8 "but even if" This third class conditional sentence with an aorist middle subjunctive which shows a hypothetical situation (cf. 2Co_11:3-4). Paul asserted that if he, or an angel from heaven, should preach a different gospel, they should be judged and separated from God.
NASB "he is to be accursed!"
NKJV "let him be accursed"
NRSV "let that one be accursed"
TEV "may he be condemned to hell"
NJB "he is to be condemned"
"Curse" (anathema, cf. Mat_18:7; Rom_9:3; 1Co_12:3; 1Co_16:22) may reflect the Hebrew word herem which was employed in the sense of dedicating something to God. Herem developed a negative connotation from its use in the case of Jericho being dedicated to God for destruction (cf. Joshua 6-7). God's curse is a natural result of His people breaking a covenant (cf. Deu_27:11-26). However, Paul specifically used this term to show the seriousness of the false teachers' gospel by consigning them to God's wrath
Syntactically, Gal_1:8-9 are parallel. However, the third class condition sentence of Gal_1:8 shows potential action (i.e., hypothetical), while the first class condition sentence of Gal_1:9 shows current, assumed action (i.e., the preaching of the false teachers).
hyperlink
Gal_1:9 "as we have said before" This is a perfect active indicative plural, which refers to the previous teaching and preaching of Paul's mission team.
▣ "a gospel contrary to that which you have received" The verb "received" (paralambanô, aorist active indicative) is a technical term in rabbinical writings for passing on "the Oral Tradition," indicating Paul was passing on the gospel tradition (cf. Gal_1:12; 1Co_11:23; 1Co_15:3; Php_4:9; 1Th_2:13; 1Th_4:1; 2Th_3:6)), but the context is emphatic that he did not receive this tradition from other humans (cf. Gal_1:12).
To become a Christian one must receive (cf. Joh_1:12) or to put it another way, believe (cf. Joh_3:16) the gospel. Christian conversion has three aspects, all of which are crucial (all three correspond to the three uses of pistis - pistellô, see note at Gal_1:23-24):
1. welcome Jesus personally (a person to believe in)
2. believe the NT truths about Him (truths about that person to affirm)
3. live a life like His (a life to live like that person's)
It must be clarified that the central elements of Paul's gospel came from Jesus directly (cf. Gal_1:12). Paul contemplated and developed them for several years before he went to visit the Mother Church and its leaders in Jerusalem (cf. Gal_1:18; Gal_2:1). However, Paul also learned much about the words and actions of Jesus from those who knew Him in the flesh:
1. those he persecuted witnessed to him
2. he saw and heard the defense of Stephen (cf. Act_7:58)
3. Ananias witnessed to him (cf. Act_9:10-19)
4. he visited with Peter for 15 days (cf. Gal_1:18)
Additionally, Paul also quotes many creeds or hymns of the early Church in his writings (cf. Gal_1:4-5; 1Co_15:3-4; Eph_5:14; Php_2:6-11; Col_1:15-20; 1Ti_3:16); and mentions Christian traditions several times (cf. 1Co_11:2; 2Th_3:6). Paul was speaking in very specific terms and in a guarded sense because of the accusations of the false teachers.
Gal_1:10 "For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God" This is a development and continuation of the theme which began in Gal_1:1. Paul's strong words to the false teachers proved that he was not trying to please men which they had apparently alleged. Possibly Paul was being criticized for his statement that he became all things to all men similar to 1Co_9:19-27; Act_21:17-26. This was misinterpreted as:
1. compromising with pagan culture
2. his preaching two gospels, one for Jews and another easier one for pagans
▣ "If" Gal_1:10 is a second class conditional sentence which expresses a statement "contrary to fact." Amplified, the sentence would read: "If I were still trying to please men, which I am not, then I would not be a bond-servant of Christ, which I am." See Appendix One, VII.
▣ "I were still trying to please men" There has been much discussion about the word "still." Does this imply that he never appealed to men or that it was a confession that as a zealous Pharisee in his earlier days he did attempt to please men (i.e., Pharisees, cf. Gal_1:14)?
▣ "I would not be a bond-servant of Christ" This is an allusion to Christ's teaching that one cannot serve two masters (cf. Mat_6:24). "Bond-servant" may have been used by Paul to refer to
1. Jesus as Lord and Paul as slave
2. an honorific title of leadership from the OT used of Moses (cf. Deu_34:5; Jos_8:31; Jos_8:33), Joshua (cf. Jos_24:29; Jdg_2:8), and to David (cf. 2Sa_7:5; title, Psalms 18)