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The Letter to the Galatians

Martin Taylor

{26Sep2021 Harlington BC}

Good morning and welcome to Harlington Baptist Church.

Last week, we looked at Galatians 1:1-5. In a masterpiece of literary summarisation, Paul encapsulated the Gospel in just a few words.

Each time anyone looks at a commentary on one of the New Testament books we get reminded of the Rules of Rhetoric (the art of persuasion) written down long ages ago by Aristotle and others.

A more recent approach to sermon structure was captured in a 1908 newspaper article as:

“Tell them what you’re going to tell them

Then tell them

Then tell them what you have told them”.

In the first five verses covered last week, Paul accomplished the first of these 3 tasks. He laid out the scene. He put in place strands of structure upon which he will shortly deploy his full battery of offensive and defensive weapons.

Using what has to be acknowledged as impressive literary skill, Paul foreshadows his case and set out the Gospel. With an economy of words that is breath taking, he has set out his stall of arguments giving a taste, an indication, of what is to come. The summary itself was inspiring. And now, Paul marshals his rhetorical skills, his vocabulary and grammar ready to make his first assault on the unsuspecting battle lines of the enemy.

Now, let us read through the text for today.

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Galatians 1:6-7a

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

⁷ which is really no gospel at all.

Let us turn to Galatians 1:6-12.

First, we will read it through, then we will come back and a look verse by verse. {click through each slide and read the Bible text to gain an overview of what it is about}.

Now that we are back to verse 6 and the first part of verse 7:

Rather than simply saying ‘this is where you went wrong’, he begins with ‘I am astonished’.

At first it sounds innocent. If you were an English maiden aunt, you might say ‘I am astonished that you have grown so tall George’. Or, ‘I am astonished that our football team won’ or even ‘I am astonished that our football team lost’. But that doesn’t begin to capture the depth-charges of emotion placed into the phrase as it is used by Paul here.

I am surprised / shocked / stunned / staggered / flabbergasted begins to capture it more closely. Elsewhere in the New Testament, this word (thaumazo) is used when people saw a miraculous act such as the calming of the storm in Matt 8:27. You would be staggered if you saw a massive storm - that was about to sink your boat - calmed with a word. That’s the sort of emotion that Paul is employing here. There is a great deal more absolute wonder in that than whether little George has increased in height by a few millimetres!

I am staggered that you are so quickly deserting – now we really begin to feel the weight of Paul’s emotion. He is not just a teeny bit upset. He is absolutely livid!

Note the present tense ‘deserting’ Paul is allowing an element of doubt as to whether they have gone all the way. The Greek (metatithesthai) ‘turn away’ carries overtones of change one’s mind, become a turncoat or an apostate. Really serious stuff.

The Galatian listeners would indeed have been shocked, and upset by this accusation. Surely all they had been doing was following what the Bible laid out.

Have you felt that? Have you been trying to follow closely what you thought God was saying – and still got it wrong? Sure, it happens. None of us is perfect. And we live in an imperfect world. Sometimes, we have to be surprised by the harshness of a letter or other external input. Sometimes we have to be jolted off what we thought was the right path on to another – before we discover that actually we were wrong. Sometimes our self-righteous anger that came out in the process as we come to the realisation that we didn’t quite get it as right as we thought we had.

I am so astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you.

And we have been called (the Greek is Kalesantos - sounds a little bit like the English word ‘call’) and like the Galatians, we were not called by human voices – for each one of us who has become a Christian, came on this journey because Jesus called us. There is a Hebrew background to this Greek word that puts in a sense of being chosen, being commissioned to do something special. But for the Galatians, that only makes this ‘turning away’, this ‘deserting’ so much more an act of unfaithfulness. ‘They have abandoned their first love’ is effectively what Paul is telling them. They have turned their backs on the one who saved them – and for what?

Paul turns the emotional screws even tighter. The Galatians (and we ourselves) were called, chosen, commissioned, summons even – like being summoned to a court – in such a way that it cannot be resisted. And that was brought into effect by ‘the grace’ of Christ. You were called, chosen, commissioned, summoned, brought in. You have been included into all this that you have; that you possess because you are Christians. But you only have it, you only possess it because of the unmerited favour displayed and granted to you through Christ. You don’t deserve it, never could, never will. This is not something you can change by anything that you do by yourself. This is the Gospel! This is the Good News. This is what we are getting excited about. The fact that it is a grace; it’s not about us.

And you Galatians by the way, oh you Galatians, you have turned your backs on it. You have slid sideways to a different gospel. You have decided that something else is more important! Something else is more important that this grace. And you don’t understand that this extra you think so desirable, so important – is not Good News at all!

Paul is shouting at them. G R A C E guys. Which part about Grace do you not understand. You don’t deserve it. You could never earn it. There is nothing that you can do to make yourselves worthy of it.

So what are you playing at? These other things you think should be added to the Gospel – will only serve to take you away from the Grace of Christ.

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Galatians 1:7b

Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

As we move into the second part of verse 7, it is almost as if Paul had to take a breather at this point. He had to lessen the weight of evidence that he was throwing at them – just so that the Galatians could surface from the deluge of argument that was washing them away for ever. And breath, albeit temporarily, till the next tsunami hits (and a tsunami is coming Galatians).

Come guys, he says, I’ll give you a little respite. OK. Maybe some people are confusing you. It might be more than one, but it doesn’t need to be many. Paul doesn’t need to list them, or even number them. He doesn’t want to give these confusers any recognition. Whoever they might be, however many there were (and frankly, with hindsight Paul was right because they have vanished into the pages of history and now no-one knows who they are and no-one cares – with the possible exception of a few theologians who are still trying to second-guess their words and thoughts). These people –these people who are confusing you - these people are guilty of trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.

These people are turning the gospel into something else. The Greek word that is used for ‘turning’ metastrepsai carries overtones of radical, corrupting change. Of transmutation, alchemy, badness – Sun into darkness Act 2:20, rivers into blood Ps 77:44.

So what has served to confuse your Christian life? Has someone tried to persuade you that you should have your children baptised? That the way to salvation is reliant upon baptism? So often, we do not understand what we are doing when we give advice on Christian living. For example we say to people - all you have to do to live a good Christian life we say is – fill in your own pet dislike – stop smoking; stop drinking; stop rebelling; be more supportive; set a better example – we can and do go on – and on – and on! Because we all have our favourite things that we wish that other people either would do or would stop doing. Because surely, that would make a better gospel, wouldn’t it?

But no, Paul says, no. All that does is add to, corrupts, the gospel.

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Galatians 1:8

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let that person be under God's curse!

You might have got the impression, you might have rightly got the impression, that Paul was just a teensy weensy bit upset. You haven’t quite got the full venom of Paul’s accusations until this verse eight.

Paul starts in what is actually, quite a conciliatory tone – when you consider what he is actually about to do.

Look, he says, I am really, really serious about this. Even if my team – and that includes myself, Paul - no wait a minute, what might impress you even more … even if an angel from heaven, shining in all his glory – should come and preach to you some alternate non-gospel. If anyone comes and preaches a gospel to you and it turns out to be different to the gospel you have already received;

Then let him be anathema; accursed; dedicated to destruction! {sharp intake of breath} Martin, watch your language. To say such a thing – and in Church as well!

But that is exactly what Paul has just done. He has pronounced a curse. In a letter to be read in several churches. Absolutely shocking. Did we hear that right? Did Paul really just say that somebody should be dedicated to destruction – like the detestable idols in Deut 7:25-26 or the devoted things taken by Achan at Ai – see the story in Josh 7 (esp. 7:12).

This is serious stuff that Paul is saying.

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Galatians 1:9

As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let that person be under God's curse!

Just to make sure his listeners got the message, Paul repeats it in a different, more direct, way in verse nine. He makes two slight changes. Firstly, he focuses his ire on anyone who (as opposed to just Paul, his team or heavenly angels). This clearly now includes the ‘some people’ we read about earlier who have confused the Galatians.

The other significant change is the second ‘preach’ that occurred in verse 8 is replaced by accepted or received or learned.

If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you have already accepted, other than what you have already received, other than what you have already learned about.

This repetition from verse 8 to verse 9, makes it clear that what Paul was doing was deliberate. It was well thought through. It was a strategic part of his argument. This is rhetorical skills being brought into the argument; being brought into the battle that Paul is conducting. It brings a dramatic climax to this section of his introduction. “Guys, this is vital!” he says “This is something you really have to pay attention to.” As we go on to explain the rest of Galatians over weeks and months to come there will be more about it. Paul says “I am going to go on and explain more in a moment, but by this point you really must have understood that this is a matter of life and death, blessing or curse. Listen up folks!”

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Galatians 1:10

Am I now trying to win human approval, or God's approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Then Paul again adds a literary break into his diatribe. The switch in focus, and the change in emotional level, both signal that this is a very carefully constructed speech that has been written down. It is designed to evoke a response in his listeners – and it still does, 2000 years later, even after it has been translated into a different language - English as you have on the screen. Paul is not playing games. He is deadly serious about defending his ‘good news’ about Jesus. The one and only gospel.

Now, this letter is a bit like a phone conversation – where we can only hear one side of the argument. So we don’t actually know what Paul was responding to. And unfortunately that can make translation difficult because translation can so often depend on context.

That is exactly the issue here. The words ‘win approval’ here are based on the Greek peithoe. It uses the present tense – which brings an implied ‘attempting to’ – hence it is translated as ‘Am I trying to win approval’ here. The difficulty comes with the placement of peithoe in between the words ‘men or God’ in the Greek. Peithoe often means persuade – and whilst ‘trying to persuade men’ sounds plausible, ‘trying to persuade God’ doesn’t quite sound right. ‘Am I trying to persuade God?’ I can’t persuade God - that sounds silly. So some translations adjust the meaning a little so that it doesn’t sound quite so out of place. Hence ‘approval’ here or ‘seeking favour’ in other versions. ‘Am I now trying to win human approval, or God’s approval?’

With the context of the previous version, the question seems to beg the answer ‘no’. “No, I am not trying to curry favour with men.

The second iteration is easier – another rhetorical question is clarified and answered. “Am I trying to please people?” The answer follows, you can see it on the screen. “No, I am not trying to please men” (translated inclusively as people here). Why is it obvious that I (Paul) am not trying to please people? Because I am a slave (servant) of Christ. The word translated servant here on the screen really does mean slave back in the Greek. There is no advantage to a servant to please anyone other than his own master. That is what the slave is there for. If he doesn’t please his master, he is in serious trouble. So Paul is saying ‘I am not trying to win human approval, the only thing I care about is God’s approval. I care about Jesus Christ’s approval - because I am Jesu’s slave – isn’t that obvious to you guys, you Galatians.

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Galatians 1:11

[Now] I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin.

Here, I put the word [Now] in brackets because the Greek ‘Gar’ exists in the original, and provides a linkage to what has gone before in verses 6 through 10. This word ‘Gar’ links them to verses 11 and 12. Particularly v8 where it talks about the gospel. It can be translated as For or Now. However, it is not absolutely essential when translated to English – and some translators just miss it out thinking it over-emphasises the point.

‘I want you to know’ (Greek Gnoerizoe hymen – know ye in ) is a phrase Paul uses also in 1 Cor 12:1-3, 15:1 and 2 Cor 8:1. It can be translated ‘I certify’ or ‘I declare’. It is a ‘call to pay attention’. ‘Listen up guys’ is what he is saying, ‘the next bit is important’.

Once more Paul puts in a literary switch of emphasis. He softens his approach to his audience, reaching out to them, starting to treat them as family. Using the term ‘adelphoi’ – the same word that he used in verse 2 to demonstrate that he was not on his own, that he had a whole body of ‘brothers and sisters’ who agreed with him and backed the sending of this letter. He now applies ‘adelphoi’ to his hearers – including them into his own family. He has given them a rousting telling off, now he wants them to feel a little love.

Paul also puts in an echo back to verse 1. In verse 1 he set out his credentials as an Apostle. His bold claim was that his authority as an Apostle came directly from Jesus himself. Paul had not been sent by a committee of people. He had not even been anointed by God using a man as an intermediary – some human laying hands on him to commission him. No, Paul’s mission came from Jesus Christ Himself.

This is the bit that Paul wants the Galatians to ‘listen up’ to. Paul says, “the gospel I preach is not of human origin”. It does not come from a committee of people. We didn’t sit around the place discussing the pros and cons of this bit and that. This good news is not up for a debate on whether it is right or wrong. It is right because it came from Jesus himself.

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Galatians 1:12

I did not receive it from any human source, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

The echo back to verse 1 continues in v12. Just as Paul’s apostleship was not handed over by someone (literally) laying hands on Paul so also, Paul did not receive the gospel like a baton handed over in a relay race. The Greek ‘kata anthropon’ means ‘according to a human’. No human devised it and then explained it to Paul. Paul is being very emphatic. Don’t assume that I, Paul acquired this gospel from anywhere else, whether ordinary man or super-apostle.

Rather, it was received – the Greek ‘paralabon’ is the same word used twice in 1 Cor 15:1-3 – the gospel you received … that which I received I passed on.

The received gospel - came as a revelation – the Greek is ‘apocalypse’ – the same word used for the ‘Book of Revelation’. It evokes some theatre, a drama played out where heaven itself opens to reveal / disclose something that was before not universally known. This apocalypse, this revelation, this disclosure, comes direct from Jesus himself. The whole of the phrasing bringing to mind Paul on the Damascus Road, being blinded by the light of Jesu’s glory.

This is the importance, the impact, the spectacle that Paul is drawing our attention to. I saw Jesus, I saw THE light, THE Way, THE truth. That is from where I received the gospel – and that is what I am passing on to you. This is not second hand, it is not second best. It is the real deal – and you had better take proper notice of it!

Come back for more in 2 weeks time. Next week we celebrate harvest!

Back to the Worship Team.