Summary: This is letter is addressed to the churches in Galatia, probably located in Asia Minor (present-day turkey) (for evidence see the ESV Study Bible’s intro to Galatians). He begins his salutation with a small defense of his apostleship, in stating that he is not an apostle due to man’s will but he had been declared an apostle by the decree of Christ. Upon defending his apostleship, he proceeds in a prayer of supplication (supplying of peace and good-tidings for the Galatians) and also thanksgiving for the true* Gospel, this is fitting as it appears that Paul’s main purpose for writing the letter is to address the new-false^ gospel [little ‘g’] that had been sweeping throughout Galatia.
Note: The defense of Paul’s apostleship in the opening verses suggests that his credence had been attacked because he was not with Christ during Christ’s ministry on earth.
*Note: The substitutionary death and resurrection of Christ on a cross for a deprived people; justification through faith alone.
^Note: Many people were coming to the local churches and mixing in Judaic traditions and claiming a false gospel, i.e. justification through faith plus works (in the case of the Galatians, plus circumcision). [Acts 15]
Timeless Principle: There are two central points that can be perceived from this text. The first is the obedience of Christ in his death on the cross. It was the omnipotent God-man “who gave himself for our sins” (1: 4). Any man when peering at the truth that has been revealed by Christ himself in John’s Gospel will see that Christ willingly gave himself. In this passage, depicted by John, Christ makes a staggering claim; that no one takes his life from him, but he gladly, even joyfully, “lays it down at [his] own accord” (see John 10:17-18). It was for this purpose he was born, to die in a horrifying manner to purchase a people “for his own possession” (Titus 2). Perhaps the most staggering glimpse of this humility can be seen in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, in saying “that [Christ] being found in the formed of a man, humbled [even humiliated] himself by becoming obedient [perfectly to the Father’s will], even to the point of death on a cross” (paraphrase).
The second point is best seen in this question: why did Christ give himself? What was the purpose? The answer is remarkable. The purpose was to “deliver us from the present evil age” (1: 4). Philip Ryken, when talking about this deliverance says this, “the age to come has burst forth [in dramatic fashion] into the present age.” This is a true Collision of Heaven and Earth. Any man who has been captured by the grace to come has been broken, freed from the chains of slavery to sin. Christ has “cancelled the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them” (Col. 2: 14-15). We have been awakened from our hell-laden slumber, called to walk in a new life. The light has shown in and triumphed over death. The law no longer holds us but rather Christ holds us, therefore it says “my soul clings to you [O Lord], your right hand upholds me” [Psalm 63: 8]. This truth of Christ deliverance from the evil age might raise a question, Is it this present evil age that Paul refers to at the end of his letter to the Ephesians? Yes. This is the meaning of in the world but not of it. We are to wage a war against sin, pursuing holiness, attacking the lost world with the deadly truth of the Gospel of the risen Christ, such that God might get glory, in proceeding with this war we are fighting the present evil age. This must not be misinterpreted, if anyone is in Christ he has been made new and released from the holds of sin, delivered forever and for all eternity from its power.
My prayer: Father I thank you for this letter to the church in Galatians, I thank you for the truth that you breathed out. I ask that I and all those taking their time to study it may not only get earthly knowledge of you but rather may come to know you more. Father I thank you for invading earth with sending of your son, I am ever bound to your Gospel which proclaims your goodness in grace towards me as a sinner who has earned nothing but death. I pray that the truth of this text, that your love may penetrate my heart daily. I am forever grateful for your love in kindness towards me. In Christ’s wonderful name I pray, Amen.
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