"I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers." (NIV)
Here Paul refers back to verse 12. "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age—" This section has the word 'school' stamped all over it. Paul was "advancing in Judaism"— The wording here makes it sound like Judaism is a class, of which Paul is the Valedictorian. Now look back at verse 12: "—nor was I taught it—" If the gospel could have been taught by mere mortal man, Paul would have been the first to learn it. Yet he was the last of the apostles.
Then Paul says, "[I] was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers." But the Message translation of verse 12 says, "I didn't receive it through the traditions—" Again, Paul is making it perfectly obvious where he didn't get the gospel from.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Galatians 1:13
"For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it." (NIV)
These next five verses refer back to the previous three. Verse 13 refers specifically to verse 10 in saying that Paul's former way of life was a life of pleasing himself as a Pharisee and pleasing the masses. If he had continued to be a slave to his own pleasure, he would have continued in his self-glorifying ways as a Pharisee. But clearly he gave up that life in favor of a more rewarding one in Christ. Thus, we have the Pauline letters that make up half of the New Testament.
In this verse Paul makes sure the Galatians have no doubt whatsoever as to who he was before his encounter with Christ and his introduction to the gospel in order to prove the miraculous nature of his conversion.
These next five verses refer back to the previous three. Verse 13 refers specifically to verse 10 in saying that Paul's former way of life was a life of pleasing himself as a Pharisee and pleasing the masses. If he had continued to be a slave to his own pleasure, he would have continued in his self-glorifying ways as a Pharisee. But clearly he gave up that life in favor of a more rewarding one in Christ. Thus, we have the Pauline letters that make up half of the New Testament.
In this verse Paul makes sure the Galatians have no doubt whatsoever as to who he was before his encounter with Christ and his introduction to the gospel in order to prove the miraculous nature of his conversion.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Galatians 1:12
"I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ." (NIV)
"I didn't receive it through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ." (MSG)
Paul reinforces here that the gospel is not, and cannot be, an invention of man. It is obviously not something Paul picked up from tradition. The Pharisees were the biggest practitioners of tradition, and Paul (then Saul) was one of them. Yet the Pharisees rejected Jesus as the Messiah. And if the gospel could have been learned solely by observing the Scriptures and examining every excruciating detail, then the Pharisees would have realized that Jesus was the Christ. They would have studied the Scriptures and associated the Messianic prophecies with the life of Jesus. So clearly, since the Pharisees refused to accept the fact that Jesus was (and is) the Messiah, the gospel could not have been learned or passed on through Jewish tradition.
If anyone were to take the academic approach to proving Jesus' identity as the Christ, Paul would have been the one to do it and succeed. But he was one of Christianity's fiercest opponents. It took a miracle of God, an encounter with Jesus Himself, to connect the dots in Paul's heart and mind, to make him realize the truth in the apostles' preaching. He did not examine the Scriptures and suddenly think, "Hey, that Jesus guy fulfilled a lot of the Messianic prophecies. Maybe those Christian nutcases are on to something." No, he came to the conclusion that Jesus is God when Christ revealed Himself to him in a blinding light with a booming voice. There was no adding things up. The answer just came to him. It was a moment of God-inspired intuition. And because God is the ultimate authority, pure Truth, Paul's testimony must also be true. There is no falsehood in his words to the Galatians.
"I didn't receive it through the traditions, and I wasn't taught it in some school. I got it straight from God, received the Message directly from Jesus Christ." (MSG)
Paul reinforces here that the gospel is not, and cannot be, an invention of man. It is obviously not something Paul picked up from tradition. The Pharisees were the biggest practitioners of tradition, and Paul (then Saul) was one of them. Yet the Pharisees rejected Jesus as the Messiah. And if the gospel could have been learned solely by observing the Scriptures and examining every excruciating detail, then the Pharisees would have realized that Jesus was the Christ. They would have studied the Scriptures and associated the Messianic prophecies with the life of Jesus. So clearly, since the Pharisees refused to accept the fact that Jesus was (and is) the Messiah, the gospel could not have been learned or passed on through Jewish tradition.
If anyone were to take the academic approach to proving Jesus' identity as the Christ, Paul would have been the one to do it and succeed. But he was one of Christianity's fiercest opponents. It took a miracle of God, an encounter with Jesus Himself, to connect the dots in Paul's heart and mind, to make him realize the truth in the apostles' preaching. He did not examine the Scriptures and suddenly think, "Hey, that Jesus guy fulfilled a lot of the Messianic prophecies. Maybe those Christian nutcases are on to something." No, he came to the conclusion that Jesus is God when Christ revealed Himself to him in a blinding light with a booming voice. There was no adding things up. The answer just came to him. It was a moment of God-inspired intuition. And because God is the ultimate authority, pure Truth, Paul's testimony must also be true. There is no falsehood in his words to the Galatians.
Galatians 1:11
"I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up." (NIV)
After Paul calls out the Galatians for being so fickle, he gets straight to the point and begins defending his reasons for preaching what he preached and why the Galatians should accept it as truth.
He begins by stating simply that the gospel was not an idea thought up by humans. As the Message puts it, "—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism." The gospel is not some fairy tale a random guy thought up to make people feel good and give them false hope. It is 100% true.
Pay attention to the way Paul begins this sentence:
After Paul calls out the Galatians for being so fickle, he gets straight to the point and begins defending his reasons for preaching what he preached and why the Galatians should accept it as truth.
He begins by stating simply that the gospel was not an idea thought up by humans. As the Message puts it, "—this great Message I delivered to you is not mere human optimism." The gospel is not some fairy tale a random guy thought up to make people feel good and give them false hope. It is 100% true.
Pay attention to the way Paul begins this sentence:
"I want you to know, brothers—" (NIV)
"For I would have you know, brother—" (ESV)
"Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—" (MSG)
In all of these translations, Paul uses the word "know." He wants the Galatians to have confidence in what they have heard from the apostles, to be certain that their testimony is true. He does not say, "I want you to believe with all your heart—" The term "belief" implies a possibility of falsehood. I could believe wholeheartedly that I have 20/20 vision, but that wouldn't help me read my professor's notes on the whiteboard at the front of the room without my glasses. Paul seeks to eliminate any and all uncertainty that what he originally preached to the Galatians was the truth. He wants them to have no doubt in their hearts and minds about the sufficiency of Christ alone.
"For I would have you know, brother—" (ESV)
"Know this—I am most emphatic here, friends—" (MSG)
In all of these translations, Paul uses the word "know." He wants the Galatians to have confidence in what they have heard from the apostles, to be certain that their testimony is true. He does not say, "I want you to believe with all your heart—" The term "belief" implies a possibility of falsehood. I could believe wholeheartedly that I have 20/20 vision, but that wouldn't help me read my professor's notes on the whiteboard at the front of the room without my glasses. Paul seeks to eliminate any and all uncertainty that what he originally preached to the Galatians was the truth. He wants them to have no doubt in their hearts and minds about the sufficiency of Christ alone.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Galatians 1:10
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (NIV)
This is the story of Paul's life in a nutshell. Paul spent the early part of his life serving himself and seeking the approval of the Pharisees by persecuting Christians. But then he encountered Christ and turned his life around. He no longer serves men, but God. A quote I like, though I am unfamiliar with the source, says, "People will think we are ruined if we live out the gospel. There is no higher calling than to be ruined for the gospel." Being a Christian is not a decision for physical well-being. It is an invitation for suffering. And it is with this knowledge that Paul boldly proclaims that only as a servant of God is he able and willing to accept that challenge. It's not a socially acceptable choice, but it's the best choice. ("Man" (ESV) can also be interpreted here as "flesh" or "sinful nature." We cannot serve both God and our flesh.)
This is the story of Paul's life in a nutshell. Paul spent the early part of his life serving himself and seeking the approval of the Pharisees by persecuting Christians. But then he encountered Christ and turned his life around. He no longer serves men, but God. A quote I like, though I am unfamiliar with the source, says, "People will think we are ruined if we live out the gospel. There is no higher calling than to be ruined for the gospel." Being a Christian is not a decision for physical well-being. It is an invitation for suffering. And it is with this knowledge that Paul boldly proclaims that only as a servant of God is he able and willing to accept that challenge. It's not a socially acceptable choice, but it's the best choice. ("Man" (ESV) can also be interpreted here as "flesh" or "sinful nature." We cannot serve both God and our flesh.)
Galatians 1:8-9
"But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!" (NIV)
Here Paul gives an excellent description of Christ. He does not say it point blank, but the message is there: "Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). People change, but the gospel is always constant, never changing. So if anyone teaches anything other than the original gospel, that person is a liar, a deceiver. This statement is so important that Paul feels the need to reemphasize that if anyone, even one of the apostles, tries to teach a different gospel, he is not to be trusted.
It's interesting to me how Paul says verse 9a: "As we have already said, so now I say again—" It sounds to me like "all the brothers with [Paul]" (v.2) warned the Galatians against accepting false gospels the first time they visited them, and now Paul is repeating the warning, reaffirming his belief that the gospel is always the same, no matter what anyone says.
And it's amazing that Paul mentions angels in this passage. Any angel preaching a false gospel is not from God, but from Satan. "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). This is clearly a warning against Mormonism, among other religions... nearly 2000 years before they emerged! This warning must be from God Himself, as we can see now, because no mere human could have predicted such a thing.
Here Paul gives an excellent description of Christ. He does not say it point blank, but the message is there: "Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). People change, but the gospel is always constant, never changing. So if anyone teaches anything other than the original gospel, that person is a liar, a deceiver. This statement is so important that Paul feels the need to reemphasize that if anyone, even one of the apostles, tries to teach a different gospel, he is not to be trusted.
It's interesting to me how Paul says verse 9a: "As we have already said, so now I say again—" It sounds to me like "all the brothers with [Paul]" (v.2) warned the Galatians against accepting false gospels the first time they visited them, and now Paul is repeating the warning, reaffirming his belief that the gospel is always the same, no matter what anyone says.
And it's amazing that Paul mentions angels in this passage. Any angel preaching a false gospel is not from God, but from Satan. "And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. their end will be what their actions deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). This is clearly a warning against Mormonism, among other religions... nearly 2000 years before they emerged! This warning must be from God Himself, as we can see now, because no mere human could have predicted such a thing.
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