Paul's Introduction

Greetings everyone.  

I finished blogging through the Gospel of Luke back in October.  In my studies, I am now pursuing a deeper understanding of God's grace through a study of the book of Galatians, and after that Romans.  So, today I will start sharing throughts from what I learning through my study of Galatians.  Here is my translation of Paul's introduction in his letter to the Galatians: 

1 Paul, an apostle, who has not been sent from men or by a man, but rather by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead, 2 and all of the brothers and sisters with me, to the churches in Galatia:
3  Grace and peace to you, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 the one who gave himself for our sins, to set us free from the evil of this current age, according to the desire of our God and Father.  5 To Him belongs the glory forever and ever, Amen. 

Paul has some serious issues to address in his letter to the churches in Galatia.  As we will see later in verse 7, some men have come in and are perverting the gospel that Paul had taught them, and Paul's letter is written in an effort to correct this false teaching.  Paul had taught them the gospel of grace, but these others were teaching something of a hybrid gospel that combines faith in Christ with obedience to the Old Law. I think that there is much that we can learn from this epistle, as Paul fights for grace and against legalism. 

In his commentary on Galatians, Douglas Moo tells us that Paul consistently begins his letters with the same pattern:  1) Paul identifies himself.  2) Paul identifies who he is writing to. 3)  He offers grace and peace to them.  4) A statement of thanksgiving for them.  (Moo, 65.)  In his letter to the Galatians the thanksgiving part is absent.  We can only speculate as to the absence of the usual thanksgiving here, but it is possible that because of the seriousness of the subject matter, he skips it and dives right into the issue at hand.  

In verse 1, we can see how Paul introduces himself. He identifies himself as an apostle of Jesus, and clarifies this further by stating that he was not sent by men, but that his calling to apostleship came directly from Jesus, and God the Father. So Paul establishes his authority to say what he is about to say right up front.  

He also establishes the power behind him. He makes the point that his apostleship did not come from human origins, but directly from God.  Paul next references how God raised Jesus from the dead, a miracle of epic proportions, and a declaration of God’s sovereign power. So, the all-powerful God that raised Jesus from death, is the same God that called Paul to apostleship.  That is a pretty high authority to be speaking from. Paul also mentions that the letter comes from all of the brothers and sisters that are with him, although no names are mentioned specifically. 

Paul’s identification of the recipient is short and sweet, simply saying ‘to the churches in Galatia.’  As previously mentioned, there is no expression of gratitude like you see in most of Paul’s letters.  

Paul may have been upset with the churches in Galatia, but he still offers them  Χάρις καὶ εἰρήνη - (Charis kai eirenai) or grace and peace.  No matter what anger Paul may feel toward the Galatian churches, that does not stop him from offering them grace, or peace.  

The problem, as we will soon see in future posts, is that the Galatian churches have turned away from the Gospel of grace to a different gospel.  So, it is important that Paul offers them grace up front.  Moo says, "'Grace' is a fundamental aspect of the NT revelation and of the gospel that Paul defends in Galatians; indeed Paul can use 'grace' to sum up the Christian message. (e.g. Rom. 5:2)” (Moo, 71.) So, while the offer of grace is standard in Paul’s letters, here it takes an important significance, as a plea for the Galatian churches to return to the true gospel of God’s grace. 

Paul goes on to define this grace in verse 4, stating “the one (Jesus) who gave himself for our sins, to set us free from the evil of this current age, according to the desire of our God and Father.” According to Moo, Paul again anticipates his message here, talking about Jesus' purpose in giving himself for our sins.  It was to set us free.  God’s desire for us is that we be set free, not bound up all over again.  (Moo, 71.)  Paul’s fight in the book of Galatians is against legalism, and legalism works against any kind of feeling of freedom.  

Moo tells us more. “Central to Paul’s attempt to woo the Galatians back to the true gospel is his insistence throughout the letter that the cross of Christ is the decisive and uniquely sufficient means to rescue sinners from death.” (Moo, 71.) Moo’s quote here is incredibly important for us to understand.  No amount of work that I may do is sufficient for my sins to be forgiven and to earn grace and freedom in Christ.  Only his death on my behalf can do that.  

To finish his introduction, and before starting his rebuke, Paul ends it by declaring glory to Jesus forever and ever.

     Douglas Moo, Galatians, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2013.