"—nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus." (NIV)
Rather than going to meet the other apostles to have them explain to him what had happened, Paul went out into the desert, just like Jesus did in Mark 1:12-13. Like Jesus did in Mark 1:35, Paul went off on his own, and, using his own knowledge of the Scriptures (with God's guiding wisdom and understanding), he discerned for himself whether or not the message of Christ was true. After he had come to a conclusion, he then returned to Damascus before meeting the other apostles.
Like Paul, the Bereans in Acts 17:10-15 examined the Scriptures closely before making their decision, rather than simply accepting the words of famous men, and they were commended for it. We should do the same, always picking apart the words of the Bible to determine our own God-given understanding of the gospel. We need to own our faith and not just be genetic Christians (Christians by heredity: because our parents are Christians). Paul set a great example for us to follow, and we would do well to follow that example. god clearly knew exactly what He was doing when He chose Paul to preach to the Gentiles.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Galatians 1:15-16
"But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man—" (NIV)
The Jews believed that they were God's chosen people, "set apart from birth," so when Paul makes the same claim about his apostleship, he is making a bold statement. But he makes sure to give all the glory to God by adding that he was chosen by God's grace, not because of anything he had done (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Then he continues: not only did God choose Paul to be His missionary to the Gentiles, but He was pleased for it to be so. He chose His fiercest persecutor to shine His light through him and to reveal Himself to the Gentiles.
This is a very important point to remember: Paul was a Pharisee (while he was still Saul, prior to his conversion). He believed just as strongly as any Jew that only Jews (and those who converted to Judaism) were God's people. So for Paul to go out preaching to pagans was to go against everything the Pharisees believed. And he wasn't just a missionary who gathered a handful of Gentiles along with his primarily Jewish followers; he was THE apostle to the Gentiles. That was his purpose, his calling: to go against the customs of the Pharisees and share the gospel with the Gentiles. And God was pleased to send this Pharisee of Pharisees out to spread the name of Jesus around the world.
When Paul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, was blinded by light, and was later given his sight back, he did not go to the Pharisees to discuss what had happened. Doing so would have shown him to still be a selfish man, looking out for what would put him in a better position among the people. We see in verse 17 what he did instead.
The Jews believed that they were God's chosen people, "set apart from birth," so when Paul makes the same claim about his apostleship, he is making a bold statement. But he makes sure to give all the glory to God by adding that he was chosen by God's grace, not because of anything he had done (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Then he continues: not only did God choose Paul to be His missionary to the Gentiles, but He was pleased for it to be so. He chose His fiercest persecutor to shine His light through him and to reveal Himself to the Gentiles.
This is a very important point to remember: Paul was a Pharisee (while he was still Saul, prior to his conversion). He believed just as strongly as any Jew that only Jews (and those who converted to Judaism) were God's people. So for Paul to go out preaching to pagans was to go against everything the Pharisees believed. And he wasn't just a missionary who gathered a handful of Gentiles along with his primarily Jewish followers; he was THE apostle to the Gentiles. That was his purpose, his calling: to go against the customs of the Pharisees and share the gospel with the Gentiles. And God was pleased to send this Pharisee of Pharisees out to spread the name of Jesus around the world.
When Paul encountered Christ on the road to Damascus, was blinded by light, and was later given his sight back, he did not go to the Pharisees to discuss what had happened. Doing so would have shown him to still be a selfish man, looking out for what would put him in a better position among the people. We see in verse 17 what he did instead.
Additional Notes - Galatians 1:1-9
v. 1) John 17:14-18 says that we are to be in the world but not of it. In the same way, when Paul says that he has not been sent from men, he is saying that he has been transformed and is no longer a man of the world but a disciple of God. As Paul says in Philippians 3:20, "[Our] citizenship is in heaven."
v. 2) The fact that "the brothers" trusted Paul enough to follow him despite his life prior to his encounter with Christ proves that there was a miraculous change in his life. "The brothers" would not be with Paul if they expected persecution from him.
v. 3) Paul uses the words "grace" and "peace" here to remind the Galatians of how they should respond to their salvation. Grace is a gift given that is undeserved. Obviously, nobody deserves eternal life because no one is righteous; yet God gave us the free gift of salvation anyway. Paul reminds the Galatians of that fact. Then he assures them that they should have peace: certainty that their salvation is guaranteed. Peace can also take on the connotation of joy in that, if our peace/joy is in Christ, nothing can take it away.
v. 4) Jesus never drew upon His identity as God in the flesh, but He did everything out of pure devotion to God. Philippians 2:6-8 says, "[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!"
Jesus did not draw upon His power as God to give Him the willpower to die on the cross. He simply prayed for strength to do so, and God answered His Son's prayer. Jesus was then able to give Himself up on the cross as a Man. He died a real human death. And He was happy to do it for us.
v. 6) [By] the grace of Christ—" Again we see that we have been given a gift we don't deserve. But the Galatians turned down the gift. They deserted (NIV), or turned traitor to (MSG), Christ. They were just as bad as the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), taking the gift, wasting it, and betraying his father. But we often do the same, dragging the cross through the mud. Thank God there's forgiveness and sanctification!
v. 8-9) Mark 9:42 sums this passage up perfectly: "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck."
v. 2) The fact that "the brothers" trusted Paul enough to follow him despite his life prior to his encounter with Christ proves that there was a miraculous change in his life. "The brothers" would not be with Paul if they expected persecution from him.
v. 3) Paul uses the words "grace" and "peace" here to remind the Galatians of how they should respond to their salvation. Grace is a gift given that is undeserved. Obviously, nobody deserves eternal life because no one is righteous; yet God gave us the free gift of salvation anyway. Paul reminds the Galatians of that fact. Then he assures them that they should have peace: certainty that their salvation is guaranteed. Peace can also take on the connotation of joy in that, if our peace/joy is in Christ, nothing can take it away.
v. 4) Jesus never drew upon His identity as God in the flesh, but He did everything out of pure devotion to God. Philippians 2:6-8 says, "[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!"
Jesus did not draw upon His power as God to give Him the willpower to die on the cross. He simply prayed for strength to do so, and God answered His Son's prayer. Jesus was then able to give Himself up on the cross as a Man. He died a real human death. And He was happy to do it for us.
v. 6) [By] the grace of Christ—" Again we see that we have been given a gift we don't deserve. But the Galatians turned down the gift. They deserted (NIV), or turned traitor to (MSG), Christ. They were just as bad as the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32), taking the gift, wasting it, and betraying his father. But we often do the same, dragging the cross through the mud. Thank God there's forgiveness and sanctification!
v. 8-9) Mark 9:42 sums this passage up perfectly: "And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck."
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