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Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Spurgeon — Brothers and sisters, may you and I so live that Christian people may glorify God in us! May they often wonder at the mighty grace which has wrought such a change in us; and as they see us zealous and fervent, may they marvel at the amazing grace of God which has brought us to be so consecrated to Christ! (Spurgeon's Exposition)
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Spurgeon - Paul begins this Epistle by stating his commission as an apostle. In Galatia, he had been subjected to the great sorrow of having his apostleship called in question. Does he, therefore, give up his claim to the office, and retire from the work? No, not for a moment; but he begins his letter to the Galatians by declaring himself to be “an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ.” His enemies had said, “Paul was never one of the Saviour’s twelve apostles; he is not like those who were trained and educated by Christ himself. No doubt he has borrowed his doctrine from them, and he is only a retailer of other men’s goods”. No, no,” says Paul, “I am an apostle as truly as any other of the twelve; ‘not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;’” (Spurgeon's Exposition) J
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Spurgeon - Paul ever loved to associate others with him in his Christian service. He was not one who wanted to ride the high horse, and to keep himself aloof from his brethren in Christ. He frequently mentions the true-hearted men who were with him, even though they were far inferior to him in talent and also in grace. He often joins with himself such men as Timothy and Silvanus, and here he puts in, “all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:” (Spurgeon's Exposition) Brethren who are with me - We don't know who these brethren were, however the omission of their names shows that the Galatians must have known who they were. Clearly Paul's point is that he is not a "lone ranger" in regard to his concern for the integrity of the gospel of grace in Galatia. This suggests that he consulted with others (and with God of course) as to the best course of action to address the reports of "another gospel" being promoted in the Galatian churches. Indeed, Proverbs says "For by wise guidance you will wage war, And in abundance of counselors there is victory." (Pr 24:6). I like how R C H
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Spurgeon - We have not only “another gospel,” but we have fifty other gospels now preached. Beware of a movement in our day known as the Hebrew roots movement. The "Judaizers" are alive and well in the twenty-first century! For more on this subtle and pernicious movement see the following... What is the Hebrew Roots movement? The Haters: The Hebrew Roots Movement Who were the Judaizers? - alludes to Hebrew roots and other false teachings in our day G Campbell
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Spurgeon - It is the genius of the gospel to wish well to others. Hence Paul begins the actual Epistle with a benediction: “Grace be to you and peace.” Dear friends, may you all have a fullness of these two good things! Grace rightly comes first, and peace afterwards. Peace before grace would be perilous; nay more, it would be ruinous. But may you always have enough of grace to lead you on to a deep and joyful peace! The two things go together very delightfully, — grace and peace, — and it is the best of grace, and the best of peace, since they come “from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Spurgeon's Exposition)
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Spurgeon comments on Who gave himself for our sins — There is the doctrine of the atonement, which Paul always brings into his preaching and writing as soon as he can: “Who gave himself for our sins.” Well does Luther say, “Christ never gave himself for our righteousness; but he gave himself for our sins, because there was no other way of saving us except by a sacrifice for sin.” The substitutionary character of Christ’s death is always to be noticed. If our Lord's bearing our sin for us is not the gospel, I have no gospel to preach. The heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ. (Spurgeon's Exposition) Ridderbos - By way of exception to the usual pattern of the salutation, the apostle attaches a long description of the work of Christ to his mention of the name of Christ. This at once thrusts the purpose of the letter to the fore: the issue between Paul and the Galatians is the significance of Christ. (The Epistle of Paul to the Churches of Galatia) Jesus Himself testified to the voluntary nature of His sacrificial gift... John 10:17 “For this reason (What reason? see Jn 10:16) the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.18 “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” Eph 5:2+ and walk (present imperative - See discussion of need for the Holy Spirit to obey this command) in love, (HOW ARE WE TO WALK? see also Eph 5:1 where be imitators = present imperative) just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for (huper) us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Titus 2:14+ Who gave Himself for (huper) us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. 1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time. Matt 20:28 (cf Mk 10:45) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Hebrews 9:14+ how much more will the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Jesus' action fulfilled the OT High Priest's actions on the Day of Atonement, with one exception. In His giving Jesus functioned in the same manner as the Jewish High Priest who brought the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies. However the pronoun "Himself" signifies that Jesus was the sacrifice! (Jn 1:29). Jesus, our Great High Priest, was both the Sacrificer and the Sacrifice! Amazing love for those who were so unlovely in their sinful state! Hallelujah! Thank You Lord Jesus! For see discussion on huper below Our sins - On account of them. Sin (noun) (266)(hamartia) literally conveys the idea of missing the mark as when hunting with a bow and arrow (in Homer some hundred times of a warrior hurling his spear but missing his foe). Later hamartia came to mean missing or falling short of any goal, standard, or purpose. Hamartia in the Bible signifies a departure from God's holy, perfect standard of what is right in word or deed (righteous). It pictures the idea of missing His appointed goal (His will) which results in a deviation from what is pleasing to Him. In short, sin is conceived as a missing the true end and scope of our lives, which is the Triune God Himself. As Martin Luther put it "Sin is essentially a departure from God." Ryrie adds that sin "is not only a negative idea but includes the positive idea of hitting some wrong mark." Hamartia is a deviation from the straight line, marked off by the "plumb line" of God's perfect, pure Word. As someone has well said ultimately sin is man's (foolish) declaration of independence of God, of the "apostasy" of the creature from his Creator! Woe! Puritan John Bunyan minced no words when he defined sin as "the dare of God's justice, the rape of His mercy, the jeer of His patience, the slight of His power and the contempt of His love." Hamartia is what happens when we err (err is from Latin errare = to wander!) which means to wander from the right way, to deviate from the true course or purpose and so to violate an accepted standard of conduct. Martin Luther comments that "these words (Christ died for our sins) are very thunderclaps from heaven against all kinds of righteousness (i.e., all forms of self-righteousness)." (Galatians 1 Commentary) John Stott - Once we have seen that Christ ‘gave himself for our sins’, we realize that we are sinners unable to save ourselves, and we give up trusting in ourselves that we are righteous. Spurgeon - Christ died for our sins, not for our virtues. It is not your efficiencies, but your deficiencies which entitle you to the Lord Jesus. It is not your wealth, but your lack. It is not what you have, but what you have not. It is not what you can boast of, but what you mourn over that qualifies you to receive the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. John Eadie - The doctrine taught is, that Jesus Christ did spontaneously offer Himself as the one propitiation, so that He is the source of grace and peace; and the inference is, because He gave Himself, the oblation is perfect as also the deliverance secured by it, so that obedience to the Mosaic law as a means of salvation is quite incompatible with faith in Him. (Commentary on Galatians) Barry Horner - The Christ who “gave himself for our sins” is the same Christ who, on the ground of this justification, has rescued us from this present evil age; it is the same grace that justifies which also sanctifies as a consequence. We are not only clothed in righteousness (justification) (Ro 9:30; Phil. 3:9) whereby our sin is pardoned, but also rescued from unrighteousness (sanctification) that the world represents, solely on the basis of the Son of God’s atonement, and the power of the Gospel. Having been initially saved by the Gospel, we are consummately saved by the Gospel (Phil 1:6). Warren
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Spurgeon: Oh blessed verse! Is this then true sacrifice? Is it an offering to ask an alms of heaven? It is even so. The King himself so regards it. For herein is faith manifested, herein is love proved, for in the hour of peril we fly to those we love. It seems a small think to pray to God when we are distressed, yet is it a more acceptable worship than the mere heartless presentation of bullocks and male goats. This is a voice from the throne, and how full of mercy it is! It is very tempestuous round about Jehovah, and yet what soft drops of mercy's rain drop from the bosom of the storm! Who would not offer such sacrifices? Troubled one, haste to present it now! Who shall say that Old Testament saints did not know the Gospel? (cp Gal 3:8) Its very spirit and essence breathes like frankincense all around this holy Psalm. I will rescue (Lxx = exaireo) you. The reality of your sacrifice of prayer shall be seen in its answer. Whether the smoke of burning bulls be sweet to Me or not, certainly your humble prayer shall be, and I will prove it so by My gracious reply to your supplication. This promise is very large, and may refer both to temporal and eternal deliverances; faith can turn it every way, like the sword of the cherubim. And thou you glorify Me (cf Gal 1:5). Your prayer will honour Me, and your grateful perception of My answering mercy will also glorify Me. The goats and bullocks would prove a failure, but the true sacrifice never could. The calves of the stall might be a vain oblation, but not the "calves" of sincere lips. Thus we see what is true ritual. Here we read inspired rubrics. Spiritual worship is the great, the essential matter; all else without it is rather provoking than pleasing to God. As helps to the soul, outward offerings were precious, but when men went not beyond them, even their hallowed things were profaned in the view of heaven. Psalm 59:1 For the choir director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David, when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him. Deliver (aorist imperative) me from my enemies, O my God; Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me. (PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE) Psalm 64:1 For the choir director. A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; Preserve (aorist imperative) my life from dread of the enemy. (PRAYER FOR PRESERVATION) Psalm 71:2 In Your righteousness deliver (Lxx = rhuomai - aorist imperative) me and rescue (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) me; Incline Your ear to me and save me. Spurgeon: “Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape.” Be true, O God, to thy word. It is a righteous thing in thee to keep the promises which thou hast made unto thy servants. I have trusted thee, and thou wilt not be unrighteous to forget my faith. I am taken as in a net, but do thou liberate me from the malice of my persecutors. “Incline thine ear unto me, and save me.” Stoop to my feebleness, and hear my faint whispers; be gracious to my infirmities, and smite upon me: I ask salvation; listen thou to my petitions, and save me. Like one wounded and left for dead by mine enemies, I need that thou bend over me and bind up my wounds. These mercies are asked on the plea of faith, and they cannot, therefore, be denied. Psalm 82:4 Rescue (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. (PRAYER FOR RESCUE) Spurgeon: “Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.” Break the nets of the man-catchers, the legal toils, the bonds, the securities, with which cunning men capture and continue to hold in bondage the poor and the embarrassed. It is a brave thing when a judge can liberate a victim like a fly from the spider’s web, and a horrible case when magistrate and plunderer are in league. Law has too often been an instrument for vengeance in the hand of unscrupulous men, an instrument as deadly as poison or the dagger. It is for the judge to prevent such villainy. Psalm 91:15 "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. Spurgeon: “I will deliver him, and honour him.” The man honours God, and God honours him. Believers are not delivered or preserved in a way which lowers them, and makes them feel themselves degraded; far from it, the Lord’s salvation bestows honour upon those it delivers. God first gives us conquering grace, and then rewards us for it. Psalm 116:8 For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling. Spurgeon: “For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.” The triune God has given us a trinity of deliverances: our life has been spared from the grave, our heart has been uplifted from its griefs, and our course in life has been preserved from dishonor. We ought not to be satisfied unless we are conscious of all three of these deliverances. If our soul has been saved from death, why do we weep? What cause for sorrow remains? Whence those tears? And if our tears have been wiped away, can we endure to fall again into sin? Let us not rest unless with steady feet we pursue the path of the upright, escaping every snare and shunning every stumblingblock. Salvation, joy, and holiness must go together, and they are all provided for us in the covenant of grace. Death is vanquished, tears are dried, and fears are banished when the Lord is near. Psalm 119:153 Look upon my affliction and rescue (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) me, For I do not forget Your law. (PRAYER FOR RESCUE) Psalm 140:1 For the choir director. A Psalm of David. Rescue (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) me, O LORD, from evil men; Preserve me from violent men (PRAYER FOR RESCUE) Spurgeon: “Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man.” It reads like a clause of the Lord’s prayer, “Deliver us from evil.” David does not so much plead against an individual as against the species represented by him, namely, the being whose best description is—“the evil man.” There are many such abroad; indeed we we shall not find an unregenerate man who is not in some sense an evil man, and yet all are not alike evil. It is well for us that our enemies are evil: it would be a horrible thing to have the good against us. When “the evil man” bestirs himself against the godly he is as terrible a being as a wolf, or a serpent, or even a devil. Fierce, implacable, unpitying, unrelenting, unscrupulous, he cares for nothing but the indulgence of his malice. The persecuted man turns to God in prayer; he could not do a wiser thing. Who can meet the evil man and defeat him save Jehovah himself, whose infinite goodness is more than a match for all the evil in the universe? We cannot of ourselves baffle the craft of the enemy, but the Lord knoweth how to deliver his saints. He can keep us out of the enemy’s reach, he can sustain us when under his power, he can rescue us when our doom seems fixed, he can give us the victory when defeat seems certain; and in any and every case, if he do not save us from the man he can keep us from the evil. Should we be at this moment oppressed in any measure by ungodly men, it will be better to leave our defence with God than to attempt it ourselves. Psalm 140:4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) me from violent men Who have purposed to trip up my feet. (PRAYER FOR PRESERVATION) Spurgeon: “Preserve me from the violent man.” His intense passion makes him terribly dangerous. He will strike anyhow, use any weapon, smite from any quarter: he is so furious that he is reckless of his own life if he may accomplish his detestable design. Lord, preserve us by thine omnipotence when men attack us with their violence. This prayer is a wise and suitable one. Psalm 143:9 Deliver (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You. (PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE) Spurgeon: “Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies.” Many foes beset us, we cannot overcome them, we cannot even escape from them; but Jehovah can and will rescue us if we pray to him. The weapon of all-prayer will stand us in better stead than sword and shield. “I take refuge in You.” This was a good result from his persecutions. That which makes us flee to our God may be an ill wind, but it blows us good. There is no cowardice in such flight, but much holy courage. God can hide us out of reach of harm, and even out of sight of it. He is our hiding-place; Jesus has made himself the refuge of his people: the sooner, and the more entirely we flee to him the better for us. Beneath the crimson canopy of our Lord’s atonement believers are completely hidden; let us abide there and be at rest. In the seventh verse our poet cried. “Hide not thy face,” and here he prays, “Hide me.” Note also how often he uses the words “unto thee”; he is after his God: he must travel in that direction by some means, even though he may seem to be beating a retreat; his whole being longs to be near the Lord. It is possible that such thirstings for God will be left unsupplied? Never, while the Lord is love. Psalm 144:7 Stretch forth Your hand from on high; Rescue (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) me and deliver me out of great waters, Out of the hand of aliens (PRAYER FOR RESCUE) Spurgeon: Make a Moses of me,—one drawn out of the waters. My foes pour in upon me like torrents, they threaten to overwhelm me; save me from their force and fury; take them from me, and me from them. Psalm 144:11 Rescue me and deliver (Lxx = exaireo - aorist imperative) me out of the hand of aliens, Whose mouth speaks deceit And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood. (PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE) Spurgeon: Because of what the Lord had done, David returns to his pleading. He begs deliverance from him who is ever delivering him. “Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children.” This is in measure the refrain of the song, and the burden of the prayer. He desired to be delivered from his open and foreign adversaries, who had broken compacts, and treated treaties as vain things. Jeremiah 1:8 Do not be afraid of them, for (term of explanation - What does Jehovah explain to Jeremiah?) I am with you to deliver (Lxx = exaireo) you,” declares the LORD. HE RESCUED ME On the stormy sea of sin I was sinking, Never to rise again; The wind and the rain 'round me crashing, Had battered and torn me within. But He rescued me, Jesus rescued me, From the cold, dark waters of sin's troubled sea; Oh He rescued me through dark I can see, Jesus reached down in love and He rescued me. Present evil age - The KJV says we are rescued from this "present evil world" but this is not as accurate as "age." The grand purpose of the rescue is to deliver us from the dominion of this godless age. We have been rescued from the enslaving power of this present evil age—a world ruled by Satan, full of cruelty, tragedy, temptation, and deception. Our rescue is from an ethical system, a way of thinking under the dominion of the Evil One and thus diametrically opposed to God. Our holy purpose now in this world which is passing away (1Jn 2:17) is to be salt (Mt 5:13) and light (Mt 5:14-16, cp Php 2:14, 15). So yes, for the present, we are in the world but we are no longer of the world (Jn 17:11, 14-18, Php 3:20-21, 1Jn 5:5.) And so now The present evil age is under the domination of "the prince of this world" (Jn 12:31; 14:30; 16:11), the "Evil One," (1Jn 5:19) which helps understand why it is so evil. Matthew
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Spurgeon — “Another gospel: which is not another;” for there are not two gospels, any more than there are two gods. There is one only message from God, of good news to men; and if you turn away from that, you turn away to a falsehood, to that which will bring you trouble, to that which will pervert you, and lead you astray. (Spurgeon's Exposition) Augustine - If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. The "gospel truth" is that we don't change the Gospel, but the Gospel changes us! If we change the Gospel to another "gospel," it has no power to change us. There's a saying in Texas "Don't Mess with Texas!" Paul was not a Texan but I think if he were, he would say "Don't Mess with the Gospel!" Don Anderson - If I had TWO $1 BILLS—one real and one counterfeit—you could get the picture: They look alike. There is one that is good and one that is not. The counterfeit lacks quality, authority, and usefulness. One is worth 100 cents, vs. nothing. There is similarity without reality. (Notes) THOUGHT - The best way to defend our mind from error and false teaching is by continually imbibing and meditating on the Truth. Federal agents used to be trained to recognize counterfeit $20 bills by spending what seemed like an inordinate amount of time "meditating" on genuine $20 bills. If you know the truth, the truth will set you free from legalism, which can come in very subtle forms. Only there are some who are disturbing you - Some probably refers to the Judaizers. Whoever they were they preached a message of "Bad News", a heteros (different) "gospel" of works and legalism diametrically opposed to the Good News of Grace found only in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. False doctrine had "mentally disturbed" the Galatians! And it will do the same for any saint who partakes of this false fetid fair! Disturbing (troubling, stirring up) (5015)(tarasso) literally means to shake back and forth and therefore to agitate and stir up (like the pool in John 5:4,7, Lxx = Ezek 32:2, 13, Isa 51:15). Tarasso conveys the idea of to disturb mentally or to cause a deep emotional disturbance and thus refers to an unsettled mind, as when Herod heard of the birth of Jesus (Mt 2:3), Zacharias' fear when he saw the angel (Lk 1:12), the terror of the disciples when they witnessed Jesus walking on the water (Mt 14:26), Jesus' reaction to the lack of faith among the people before He raises Lazarus (Jn 11:33), in Jesus' command to not let their hearts be troubled (Jn 14:1) and of disturbing the faith of someone (Gal 5:10). Tarasso emphasizes the intensity of the Lord's reaction to His impending death (Jn 12:27) and His response to Judas' imminent betrayal. Tarasso is a strong word, meaning “to deeply upset,” “to deeply disturbed,” “to perplexed.” Here in Galatians 1:7 (and also in Gal 5:10+) tarasso describes the effect of the graceless "gospel" on the minds and hearts of the Galatians. Tarasso in Gal 1:7 is in the present tense they (the "some" presumably the Judaizers) are even at the time of the writing of this letter on the scene continually stirring up the Galatians with their false gospel, their "heteros" gospel. The active voice indicates that they are doing this as a definite choice which is emphasized even more by the following verb "want." "TWISTED" SCRIPTURE! And want to distort the gospel of Christ - Notice Paul does not refer to it as the "Gospel of Paul," but "of Christ." The false teachers purposely desire to pervert the Gospel of Christ Paul had taught the Galatians. They were seeking to transform the true Gospel into something into something of the opposite character. Paul is describing Spiritual Warfare 101! The cults in one way or another will always center their "stealth attack" on the most vital aspect of our faith, the Gospel of Christ. A twisted Gospel will result in saints "twisted up" (so to speak) like the centipede in following little ditty... The centipede was quite happy Until a frog in fun said, “Pray, which leg goes after which?” That worked her mind to such a pitch, She lay distracted in a ditch, Considering how to run Want (2309)(thelo) indicates the false teachers have a desire, a motive, even a resolve to distort the true Gospel. And again the present tense indicates that this was their present, continual wish and desire, that the actions were still in progress. They are determined to distort the truth! Wow! Watch out for false teachers! Wuest draws an interesting conclusion based on Paul's use of thelo writing that "the perversion was yet only a wish of the Judaizers, and that the Galatians had not completely succumbed to their influence."(Wuest Word Studies - Eerdman Publishing Company Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3 - used by permission)
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Spurgeon — The Galatians were a very fickle people. Some have said that they were a colony from Gaul, — Galatians, — and that they partook somewhat of the fickleness which is attributed to the character of the Gaul. I know not how true that may be; but, certainly, they seem very soon to have left the gospel, to have adulterated it, and to have fallen into Ritualism, into Sacramentarianism, into salvation by works, and all the errors into which people usually fall when they go away from the Gospel. (Spurgeon's Exposition) Deserting (3346)(metatithemi from metá = change of place or condition + títhemi = place) means to transpose two things, one of which is put in the place of the other. Metaphorically metatithemi speaks of a change sides or parties, of deserting or of turning away from someone. "In classical Greek metatithemi was used of a turncoat. The word is used of one altering his opinion or becoming of another mind. The word was also used of desertion or revolt, frequently of a change in religion, philosophy, or morals." (Wuest) New Linguistic & Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament - The word was used of desertion or revolt in a military or political defection and frequently had the idea of a change in religion, philosophy, or morals Metatithemi is in the present tense which indicates that when Paul wrote this letter, the Galatians were in the process of defecting. Defection was in progress. There was still time to arrest this desertion before it destroyed the churches in Galatia which was another reason Paul hastened to send this letter on its way. The middle voice which gives us a reflexive sense and means to transfer oneself - in other words they initiated the act of desertion and participated in the act of deserting. They were in effect in the process of removing themselves from the Gospel of grace. Paul is putting the blame for deserting on the converts themselves! Paul had explained God's grace to them, so they should have known better than to fall for the graceless teachings of the Judaizers! THOUGHT - There is a lesson here for all of us - it is one thing to know the truth, but unless we make a firm decision to stand on the truth of Scripture, we make ourselves vulnerable to false teaching. Adam knew the truth about eating the forbidden fruit, but he failed to take a stand on the truth and bought into the lie which Eve had believed! The lesson is stand firm in the truth of God's Word (cf "stand firm" used THREE times in Paul's instructions on spiritual warfare - Eph 6:11+, Eph 6:13+, Eph 6:14+ and the last stand firm = aorist imperative; 1 Cor 16:13+ where stand firm = present imperative calling for continued reliance on the Holy Spirit to obey; also Php 4:1+, 1 Th 3:8+, 2 Th 2:15, 1 Pe 5:12+). If Paul had instead used the perfect tense, Kenneth
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Spurgeon — Paul is no fanatic, no raving enthusiast; yet he cannot endure the notion of a false gospel. In his solemn anathema, he includes himself, and all the brethren with him, yea, and the very angels of God if they “preach any other gospel.” Let him be accursed, saith he, and so he is. (Spurgeon's Exposition) Preach...a gospel (2097)(euaggelizo/euangelizo) to announce or bring good news, to "evangelize," making known God's message of salvation with the authority of His Word and the power of His Holy Spirit. As Rees says "The gospel is neither a discussion nor a debate. It is an announcement." And it is not "up for debate!" It is presented (hopefully) to be received or rejected! John Marshall clearly states that "God and His truth cannot be changed; the Gospel is not negotiable." A gospel contrary to what we have preached to you - Wuest paraphrases it "preach a gospel to you which goes beyond that which we preached to you as good news." As Metzger says "A gospel that elevates man and dethrones God is not the gospel." (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Contrary (3844)(para) has the root meaning of "beside." In the present context para is used adversatively which signifies against, contrary to or without regard for (cf this sense in Ro 4:18, Heb 11:11). In English contrary means a relation of direct opposition or exact opposition. He is to be accursed - This is actually a command in the present imperative calling for those who distort the Gospel to be continually cursed! A teacher who requires others to obey the law as a requirement for salvation is leading others to a Christless eternity and that is what the teacher deserves! Wayne Detzler - Not only are all accursed who do not love the Lord, but those who preach a false gospel are under a special curse. Paul aimed part of his Galatian letter at counterfeiters of the Christian message. Anyone who does not preach the same Gospel as Paul is accursed (Gal. 1:8–9). In this day of wildly divergent theologies, it is good to remember how important Gospel purity is. (New Testament Words in Today’s Language) Accursed (331)(anathema from anatíthemi = to place, lay up) means strictly speaking something set up or placed so as to be kept, such as a votive [free will] offering which is "set up" in the temple. It describes that which has been dedicated to divinity, in the positive sense as a free will offering, in the negative sense as one delivered over to divine wrath or dedicated for destruction! Read Acts 23:14+ for a forceful illustration of the meaning of this word. Most of the NT uses are by Paul who uses anathema in a negative sense of delivering ("setting up" or "placing") someone under divine wrath or a curse, "devoted to the direst woes." (Thayer) Machen on anathema - The fundamental idea, when a thing is called an anathema, is that the thing has been taken from ordinary use and has been handed over to God. If it is a good thing, it has been handed over to Him for His use; if it is a bad thing, it has been handed over to Him for destruction: but in either case men have no more to say about it; it is taken out of ordinary relationships and is “devoted” to God. So here Paul says—if the original sense of the word is to be regarded as still in view—that the punishment of the man who attempts to lay violent hands upon the gospel of Christ should be in God’s hands: that man should be regarded as beyond men’s power to help; he should be regarded as having fallen into that state about which the Epistle to the Hebrews says: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” [Hebrews 10:31] Vine - Anathema is translated from the Greek, occurs frequently in LXX, where it is used to translate the Hebrew cherem, a thing devoted to God, whether, for His service, as the sacrifices, Leviticus 27:28, or, for destruction, as an idol, Deut 7:26, or Jericho, Josh 6:17. Then later, cherem took on a wider, more general meaning, the disfavor of Jehovah, see Isa 34:5; Zech 14:11+; Mal 4:6+. This latter is the New Testament sense of anathema.
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Spurgeon - In “Babbage’s Economy of Manufactures,” we are told that some years ago a mode of preparing old clover and trefoil seeds, by a process called “doctoring,” became so prevalent as to attract the attention of the House of Commons. By this process old and worthless seed was rendered in appearance equal to the best. One witness tried some “doctored” seed, and found that not above one grain in a hundred grew. Is it not to be feared that a “doctored” gospel is becoming very common among us; and if so, it is no wonder that conversions are but few. Only pure truth is living seed. (The Biblical Illustrator) TODAY IN THE WORD - If you ever watch sports, you’ve seen this scenario: a time-out is called, and the players gather breathlessly around the coach. The coach’s words are punctuated with urgency. He doesn’t smile. He gestures emphatically at his clipboard. The outcome of the game hangs in the balance. Paul is like this coach on the sidelines. His words are urgent. The situation, as he sees it, is tenuous. Paul doesn’t waste any time in his letter to the Galatians before addressing the dire problem he sees in their churches. False teachers have been given standing in the churches, and the Galatians have been deceived. The error of the Galatians actually threatens their standing in Christ. Paul accused the Galatians of having abandoned God the Father and the gospel of Jesus Christ. They have deserted the One who called them and embraced another gospel. What Paul wants to emphasize is that the message that the Galatians have now believed is really no gospel at all. The Galatians, of course, didn’t see it that way. Most likely, the false teachers hadn’t asked the Galatians to renounce their faith in Christ. No, their message was probably much more subtle. They’ve criticized Paul’s ministry, trying to discredit him and expose what they see as the error of his preaching and teaching. They’ve elevated their teaching as the “true” gospel. To Paul’s horror, they’ve preached the necessity of circumcision to Gentile believers (cf. 5:2). Paul answers back emphatically: May all of God’s curses fall on them, or on anyone in fact who preaches anything other than the gospel of Jesus Christ! Paul was not going to cede any ground to these false teachers. He would not compromise the gospel, nor would he give up on the Galatians so easily. What we start to see in this letter is Paul as a man who’s fiercely committed to the Galatians and who wants to secure their total commitment to Christ. Like a coach explaining a key play in the game, Paul carefully outlined an argument in his letter for the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Beecher - No matter how infidel philosophers may regard the Bible: they may say that Genesis is awry, and that the Psalms are more than half bitter imprecations, and the Prophecies only the fantasies of brain-bewildered men, and the Gospels weak laudations of an impostor, and the Epistles but the letters of a mad Jew, and that the whole book has had its day, I shall cling to it until they show me a better revelation. The Bible emptied, effete, worn out! If all the wisest men of the world were placed man to man, they could not sound the shallowest depth of the Gospel of John. O philosophers! break the shell, and fly out, and let me hear how you can sing,—not of passion, I know that already; not of worldly power, I hear that everywhere: but teach me, through your song, how to find joy in sorrow, strength in weakness, and light in darkest days; how to bear buffeting and scorn; how to welcome death, and to pass, through its ministration, into the sphere of life; and this, not for me only, but for the whole world that groans and travails in pain. And, until you can do this, speak not to me of a better revelation. Galatians 1:9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! Amplified - As we said before, so I now say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel different from or contrary to that which you received [from us], let him be accursed (anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment)!
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Spurgeon - Ah! believer, it is safer always for you to be led of the Spirit into gospel liberty than to wear legal fetters. Judge yourself at what Christ is rather than at what you are. Satan will try to mar your peace by reminding you of your sinfulness and imperfections: you can only meet his accusations by faithfully adhering to the gospel and refusing to wear the yoke of bondage Galatians 1:10 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. Amplified - Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a bond servant of Christ (the Messiah).
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Spurgeon — Paul foresaw what would be said about him in the after ages; and truly, to this day, the fiercest attack upon Christianity is always made upon the teaching of the apostle Paul. The men who creep in unawares among us talk glibly about having great reverence for Christ, but none for Paul. Yet Paul is Christ’s apostle; Paul speaks only what was personally revealed to him by the Lord himself; and he is in everything to be accepted as speaking by divine revelation. (Spurgeon's Exposition) Lehman Strauss - His opponents argued that Paul was not of the original twelve who met with the risen Christ before His ascension, therefore he could not possibly be one of Christ's true apostles. It is the old satanic method of discrediting the man. The devil used this same approach against Job (Job 1:9). Brethren (adelphos) means literally from the same womb. Adelphos (here in the plural) is a reminder that they were members of the same family, Paul's brethren, who are in Christ with the same Father (1Jn 3:1+). KJV Bible Commentary adds that "They (Galatian believers) are deceived, disturbed, and defecting in their devotion and duty to Christ. But they are still regarded as brethren, brethren needing Paul’s Spirit-inspired counsel." THE TRUE SOURCE OF THE GOSPEL The Gospel which was preached (euaggelizo/euangelizo) by me (Literally, "the gospel gospelled by me") - "Paul uses the word “gospel” of two closely allied but quite distinct things, a, of the facts of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, as in 1 Corinthians 15:1–3+; b, of the interpretation of these facts, as in Gal 1:8; 2:2, and here, cp. “my gospel” in Romans 2:16, et al. In a the gospel is viewed historically, in b doctrinally. Not the facts but the interpretation of them was in dispute among the Galatians. Hence b is the meaning here." Leon
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Spurgeon — He was an out-and-out Jew. He never took up anything without going through with it thoroughly; so, while he believed in Judaism, he did believe it. He was no hypocrite, no pretender, so he fought for it tooth and nail. This was the man who afterwards preached the Christianity he had received from Christ, Evidently he did not borrow it from his parents, for they had taught him quite differently. His religion was not the product of his training; but it came to him from God, — to him who seemed to be the most unlikely person in the whole land ever to receive it. (Spurgeon's Exposition) Judaism (Ioudaismos) describes the religious system of the Jews that had its basis in the OT teachings, especially the Law of Moses and the traditions of the elders. The main emphases of Judaism are circumcision and Sabbath keeping. The word occurs in II Maccabees where it refers to the Jewish religion as opposed to the Hellenism that the Syrian kings were imposing upon the Jews.
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Spurgeon - “Oh!” said Caesar, “we will soon root up this Christianity. Off with their heads!” The different governors hastened one after another of the disciples to death; but, the more they persecuted them, the more they multiplied. The pro-consuls had orders to destroy Christians; the more they hunted them, the more Christians there were, until, at last, men pressed to the judgment-seat, and asked to be permitted to die for Christ. They invented torments; they dragged saints at the heels of wild horses; they laid them upon red-hot gridirons; they pulled off the skin from their flesh piece by piece; they were sawn asunder; they were wrapped up in skins, and daubed with pitch, and set in Nero’s gardens at night to burn; they were left to rot in dungeons; they were made a spectacle to all men in the amphitheatre; the bears hugged them to death; the lions tore them to pieces; the wild bulls tossed them upon their horns: and yet Christianity spread. All the swords of the legionaries which had put to rout the armies of all nations, and had overcome the invincible Gaul and the savage Briton, could not withstand the feebleness of Christianity; for the weakness of God is mightier than men (1Cor 1:25). (The Biblical Illustrator) PAUL PRE-CONVERSION A SUMMARY Raised in Tarsus (Acts 21:39+) A Roman citizen (Acts 21:39+) Studied under the famous rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3+) Studied in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3+) Of the tribe of Benjamin (Phil 3:5+) Of the sect of the Pharisees (Acts 23:6+) Originally named Saul, probably after King Saul (Acts 9:1+) His sister's son resided in Jerusalem (Acts 23:16-22+) Probably had a wealthy father Was advancing as a leader in Judaism (Gal. 1:14) Was zealous for his Jewish traditions (Gal 1:14) Set out to destroy the church of God (Gal 1:13) Was given authority by the chief priests to murder Christians (Acts 9:1, 14+) TODAY IN THE WORD - Yigal Amir was born into an Orthodox Jewish family in 1970. His mother was a kindergarten teacher, his father a Jewish scribe. As a university student, Amir became actively involved in right-wing protests against Israel’s signing of the Oslo Accords. On November 4, 1996, Amir shot and killed Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin. Later at his trial, Amir defended himself very simply: “According to the Halacha [Jewish legal code], you can kill the enemy.” We could compare Saul of Tarsus to Yigal Amir. Saul belonged to the strictest sect of the Pharisees, a group whose concern wasn’t simply personal piety but also political revolution. Zeal for the Jew, in this first-century context of Roman occupation, called for violent overthrow of the Roman regime. As one scholar described it, “For the first-century Jew, ‘zeal’ was something you did with a knife.” Galatians 1:14 and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. Amplified - And [you have heard how] I outstripped many of the men of my own generation among the people of my race in [my advancement in study and observance of the laws of] Judaism, so extremely enthusiastic and zealous I was for the traditions of my ancestors.
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Spurgeon — What he did there, we do not know; but probably he had a time of quiet meditation and prayer, all alone: “I went into Arabia.” The best thing we can do, sometimes, is to get away from the voices of men, and listen only to the voice of God: (Spurgeon's Exposition) Wuest supposes that Paul "needed to be alone with God. He needed time and isolation in order to think. The revelation of the Son of God had blasted away the foundations of the Pharisaic thought structure which he had been building up with such consummate skill and zeal, and it had come tumbling down in ruins about his head. This revelation also furnished him with another foundation upon which to build a new theological structure. But the replacement of the ruined structure with a new one could not be the work of a day or a month. There in Arabia, isolated from all human contact, alone with God, the great apostle restudied his Old Testament scriptures, not now with the Pharisaic traditions vitiating his thinking, but, led by the Holy Spirit, with the central fact of the Cross of the Lord Jesus as the controlling factor in his meditations. Out of all this study emerged the Pauline system of doctrine as we have it presented in Romans. (Word Studies from the Greek New Testament) Oswald Chambers - The nutriment of a man’s life comes when he is alone with God; he gets his direction in the desert experiences. Dennis Egner - As we run the race of the Christian life, we need to end well. The apostle Paul is an example of a good finisher. He received Christ on the Damascus road. He attended "seminary" in the Arabian desert (Galatians 1:17-18). He served Christ in spite of hardship and persecution. He opened Europe to the Gospel. And at the close of his life, he could say with confidence, "I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7+). What about us? What stalls our spiritual engines? What causes us to break down? When we find ourselves out of the running, we need to diagnose the problem, make the necessary repairs, and get back into the race. God needs people He can count on to cross the finish line. Returned once more to Damascus - This return to the place of his first personal persecution by the Jews is not recorded anywhere else in Scripture. One might say Paul was foolish to go back to the place where his life might be threatened. But after 3 years with God, there is little doubt that Saul/Paul was led by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:18+) to return to Damascus. We do not know what Paul did in Damascus, but given the "context" of what he repeatedly did in Acts, he must have proclaimed the Gospel of Jesus Christ. John Brown comments "After continuing in Arabia for some time, he returned to Damascus, which at that time was under the government of Aretas, the king of Arabia (2 Cor 11:32). During all this time he had never met with one of the apostles, nor does it appear that he had intercourse with any individual of note among the Christians. And when, after three years, he did at length go up to Jerusalem, he received neither instruction nor authority from the apostles." (Brown) The significance of this episode for us - In the busy mart, amid life’s dusky lanes and accumulating cares, we lose and forget our God. Our books are too much with us; friends and social life make the hours busy with what is human; and the claims of business are of increasing urgency. We must find for ourselves a desert place, where, occasionally for prolonged seasons, and daily for a short season, we may receive the Lord’s anointing. (S. Pearson, M. A.) Meditation (See Meditate or Primer on Biblical Meditation) is the life of the soul; action is the outcome of meditation, honour is the reward of action. So meditate that thou may do; so do that thou may be honored; so accept honour as to give God the glory. (The Biblical Illustrator)
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Spurgeon — That is, “after three years,” which showed that he did not go there to receive any commission from Peter. He had been for three years working for his Lord and Master before he ever saw the face of an apostle. (Spurgeon's Exposition) Brown notes that " It is impossible to say certainly whether these three years are to be dated from Paul’s departure from Jerusalem to Damascus, or from his return from Arabia to that city. This is probably the visit of which we have an account, Acts 9:26, 27. His object was to “see Peter.” (Brown) Oswald Chambers - Think of Paul after three years in Arabia, where he was altogether broken and then re-made by the grace of God, coming to Peter and being with him for fifteen days—can you imagine what happened? How Peter would go over the whole story, beginning with the scenes on the lake right on to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Cross; and Peter would take Paul to the Communion service, and they would see widows there, made so by Paul. Think what a memory like that would mean to a man of acute sensitiveness. It takes great courage for a forgiven man to come in contact with those whom he has wronged. Luke describes Paul's first visit to Jerusalem... And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with them moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. (Acts 9:26-29+, See also Acts 22:17-18 which could be during the first visit, although one cannot be dogmatic) To become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days - Cephas is Simon Peter. Cephas is the Greek spelling of a Chaldaic word meaning “a rock." (Jn 1:42) As Paul had stately earlier his message was not obtained from men, but here he emphasizes that was still in the mainstream of apostolic tradition of men like Peter.
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Spurgeon — “I did not derive my knowledge of Christ from any one of these holy men, therefore I am not an imitator of any other apostle. I was sent out by Christ himself, and instructed by him by revelation, so I am an apostle of Christ as much as any of them.” (Spurgeon's Exposition) Galeazius, a gentleman of great wealth, who suffered martyrdom at St. Angelo in Italy, being much entreated by his friends to recant, replied, “Death is much sweeter to me with the testimony of truth than life with its least denial.” (The Biblical Illustrator) TODAY IN THE WORD -""Staking a claim"" in the Old West was serious business. Doing so gave a person the rights over a mine or a piece of land. If a prospector found gold or silver on his claim, others would rush to stake claims nearby in hopes of striking it rich. It was not uncommon for fights to break out over who had staked a claim first or over where one claim stopped and another started. Men were known to lie, cheat, gamble, steal and even kill to get and keep their claims. ""Staking a claim"" is exactly what Paul is doing in today's reading: a claim to apostleship and apostolic authority. Not to elevate himself, but for the sake of the gospel, he proclaims his God-given authority. The Galatians must not take his words lightly! Galatians 1:21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. Amplified - Then I went into the districts (countries, regions) of Syria and Cilicia.