Lesson for September 8, 2021
The Book of Galatians
Lesson 2 – Paul Defends Himself
Galatians 1:10-12
“For 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. For I would have you know, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
The Apostle Paul wrote more than half the books of the New Testament and hardly had to defend himself to anyone, but he nevertheless deemed it necessary to do so. Even the eleven disciples of Christ had a difficult time accepting him as an apostle at first. Paul was a Hebrew scholar and a member of the elite Sanhedrin. (Acts 22:3) He was educated at the feet of Gamaliel, a prominent teacher of Judaism in Israel. His zeal for Judaism caused him to reject Christianity and persecute those who were followers of Christ. All this changed when Saul was on the road to Damascus and saw a bright light from Heaven and heard Jesus speak to him from Heaven. Paul was struck blind for three days and led into the city by others. During this time, God used a faithful believer named Ananias to restore Saul’s sight. As a result of his faith in Jesus Christ, and after spending three years in Arabia being taught the Word of God, Paul was ready to launch a ministry that is unrivaled in human history. (Acts 9:1-19; Galatians 1:17)
For 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. Galatians 1:10 demonstrates the reason for Paul’s seemingly harsh statements in verses 8 and 9. In the past, Paul had been accused of trying to please men with his words. Paul states clearly that his purpose was not to persuade men in his favor, but to persuade them in God’s favor. In other words, Paul was stating that the Gospel message was not his, but God’s. Paul was not seeking to please men, but God. And, as a servant of Christ, Paul’s only goal in life was to please his Savior. Failing to do so, in favor of being a man-pleaser, would mean he was not being the servant of Christ. The Greek word for persuade is “peitho,” which means to win over or to render friendly.
For I would have you know, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. In Galatians 1:11 Paul continues his thought of certifying to the Galatians what they previously had been convinced of, that his message was from God. The use of the word brethren, which is “alelphos” in Greek, is a tender word for the family relationship that Paul shared with the believers in Galatia. Paul obviously had a great love for the believers in Galatia. Paul repeats the fact that the Gospel of grace that he had been preaching did not have its origin from the human race.
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:12 once again states that Paul preached the Gospel as revealed to him from Jesus Christ. Paul’s statement that Jesus Christ was the Person Who revealed the truth of the Gospel to him lines up with the three years he spent in Arabia after his conversion. The Greek word for revelation is “apokalupto” and means to remove that which is concealed. In other words, Jesus Christ was the One revealing truth to Paul. First, the Gospel was revealed to Paul directly on the road to Damascus and fully explained by Ananias. Then, when Paul went to the Arabian desert for three years where he was taught the mystery doctrine for the Church Age by the Holy Spirit as he re-studied the Scriptures, which he had learned academically in Judaism. Finally, in II Corinthians 12 Paul writes about visions and revelations where he is caught up into the third Heaven, God’s dwelling place. He states that he heard inexpressible words while he was there. All these events add up to the fact that Paul received direct revelation from God regarding the Gospel and the mystery doctrine he was now teaching.
Galatians 1:13-17
“For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.”
For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. In Galatians 1:13 Paul reminds them that he was the chief persecutor of the Church. Keep in mind that Paul was a Jew, a member of the elite Sanhedrin and well schooled in this religion. Religion always attacks the truth with false doctrine.
And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.Galatians 1:14 describes Paul’s pursuit of Judaism and the reason he advanced in it so rapidly. Obviously, before believing in Christ, Paul knew nothing of true Biblical Judaism in which the Levitical offerings and sacrifices were demonstrations of the Person of Jesus Christ. Paul was, however, the most zealous of his peers in the practice of Judaism. He excelled in apostate Judaism, described by him as “the traditions of my ancestors.” Paul was determined to eradicate the very existence of Christianity, believing it was a threat to mainstream Judaism of his day. All of these verses point to the fact that Paul had not been taught the truth of God’s Word from the Old Testament Scriptures by any human being (including the eleven apostles as we will discover later), did not learn about the true Messiah in a Jewish rabbinical school, but his faith and his message were the result of supernatural revelation.
God had a distinct purpose for Paul after he believed in Jesus Christ for salvation, and it would take a supernatural power for Paul to fulfill that purpose. God’s purpose for Paul was to take the Gospel to the Gentile world. Therefore, he became known as the apostle to the Gentiles, even though he did not go solely to the Gentiles to spread the good news of the Gospel.
But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace. In Galatians 1:15 we see that God knows ahead of time who will and will not believe in Jesus Christ and is able to design a perfect plan for their life (the basis for this is God’s foreknowledge). Within the framework of God’s plan for a believer is His directive will, His permissive will and His overruling will. All three impact the life of a believer at different times and in different ways. In all cases, however, God is working all things together for good for those who are advancing in the Christian Way of Life. This is exactly what God did in the case of Paul. This verse in no way indicates that God chose Paul for salvation while in was in his mother’s womb. (Romans 8:28)
Was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood. In Galatians 1:16 Paul continues his defense of his authority to be an apostle. Paul says that his calling was not from any man, but it was a divine revelation from God, which was revealed “in him.” This terminology means that the revelation regarding Jesus Christ was internal, not external. Once again, Paul is demonstrating that his salvation and his apostleship was a matter of God’s grace in revealing the truth to him. The purpose is stated once again – so that he could preach the Gospel to the Gentile world.
Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia and returned once more to Damascus. Notice in Galatians 1:17 that Paul did not go to Jerusalem to confer with the other apostles but went into Arabia. Most people would go immediately to the eleven apostles and present themselves to them in order to receive their approval. But Paul did not do this, and apparently did not feel the need to do so until three years later. Paul went into the Arabian Desert for three years to study the Scriptures aided by the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 1:18-24
“Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. (Now in what I am writing to you, I assure you before God that I am not lying.) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; but only, they kept hearing, ‘He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.’ And they were glorifying God because of me.” After spending three years in the Arabian Desert, Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with the other apostles, but apparently saw only Peter and James while he was there.
Leaving Jerusalem, Paul began a ministry to the Gentile world as God had instructed Him to do. What a wonderful testimony Paul had, and it was an amazing turn around for a person who so vigorously persecuted the believers. As he says, they were glorifying God because of Paul’s faith in Christ.