Commentary on Galatians 1:1-10

Please note that text in red (if any) are my additions.

The Epistle to the Galatians

CHAPTER 1

SALUTATION

A Summary of Galatians 1:1-5~With his accustomed greeting St. Paul opens this letter to the Galatians, but there is noticeable an absence of the usual warmth and praise which characterize the beginnings of most of his Epistles: here it is simply, “Paul, an Apostle, . . . and the brethren … to the churches of Galatia.” At once there is manifested the tension which soon finds its full outlet in the body of the letter; for he begins by proclaiming his Apostolic authority and its divine origin, which the Judaizers had denied. Setting aside all useless and merely pleasing words he plunges immediately into his subject, asserting that he has been sent by no other authority and sanction than that of Jesus Christ and God the Father. If he wishes his readers “grace and peace,” it is because he cannot well dispense with such a formality, and also because he desires to remind the Galatians of the source of this grace and peace, which is only God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, the blessings of whose redemption they have not appreciated as they ought.

Gal 1:1. Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead,

See note on Rom 1:1. Here is what Fr. Callan wrote on that passage:

"Paul. The Apostle probably assumed this name for the first time in Cyprus when he converted the Proconsul Sergius Paulus (Acts 13:7-12), perhaps, as St. Jerome says (in Philem.), in honor of his victory in making so great a convert. St. Thomas and others, however, think he was called both Paul and Saul from his infancy; the latter being his Jewish, and the former his Latin name. As Tarsus, the Apostle’s birth place, was under the Roman Empire, it seems not improbable that he should have been given a Latin, as well as a Jewish name, from the beginning." (from the Comm. on Romans). It seems unlikely (pace St Jerome) that St Paul would have been so ostentatious as to “honor his victory in making so great a convert” as to adopt the name Paulus from the Proconsul Sergius Paulus Gallio.

An apostle, in the strict sense of the term, equal to the twelve. The purpose of the Apostolate was to bear witness to the Resurrection of Christ (Acts 1:16-22; Acts 4:33).

Not of men, i.e., human agencies were not the source of his authority.

Neither by man, i.e., he was not authorized by men, as were the deacons (Acts 6:5) or Timothy (1 Tim 4:14), The Apostles all received their commission directly from Christ, whereas their lawful successors have ever since been sent by proper ecclesiastical authority, as priests are consecrated and commissioned by bishops.

But by Jesus Christ, etc. St. Paul here designates the real and only source of his Apostolic authority, which is proximately and immediately Christ, and ultimately God the Father. From man he received only episcopal consecration (Acts 13:2-3).

He says δια ιησου χριστου (by Jesus Christ), because he regards Christ as the divine Mediator between himself and the Father; he omits απο (from) before θεου πατρος (God the Father), so as not to separate Jesus from His Father (Lagrange).

Who raised him, etc. Christ as man was raised from the dead by God the Father; and the Apostles were especially commissioned to preach Jesus and the Resurrection (Acts 17:18).

Gal 1:2. And all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia.

All the brethren, etc., i.e., all his companions at the time of writing this letter. Who these were depends on the date of the Epistle. St. Paul includes his companions in his salutation most likely out of custom, rather than to give weight to his authority (cf. 1 Cor 1:1; 2 Cor 1:1; Philip, 1:1; Col 1:1; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1).

To the churches, etc., i.e., to all the Galatian Churches, without distinction, which shows they were all guilty of the same errors, or inclination to error. The word “church” (ἐκκλησία) literally means “an assembly called out” for some special purpose. The Jews applied it to their religious assemblies (Deut 31:30; Micah 2:5; Acts 7:38). Likewise the Christians used the term sometimes to designate an assembly gathered for worship (1 Cor 14:28, 1Cor 14:34); sometimes a group of the faithful that met in a particular house (Col 4:15; Philemon 2), or that belonged to one town or district (1 Cor 1:2; 1 Cor 16:1, 1Cor 16:19; Acts 9:31; etc.); sometimes the whole body of the faithful (Matt 16:18; Col 1:18, Col 1:24).

Whether St. Paul was addressing the northern or southern Galatians is disputed. See Introduction, II.

The coldness of the Apostle’s greetings here are in striking contrast with his usual warmth (cf. Rom 1:17; 1 Cor 1:2; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1).

Gal 1:3. Grace be to you, and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace be to you, etc. See on Rom 1:7. According to his custom, and out of his great charity for the erring Galatians the Apostle wishes them the grace and fear of God which they have not prized as they should. Here is what Fr. Callan wrote in his comments on Romans 1:7~

"Grace . . . peace, etc. This form of well-wishing, which occurs in nearly all the Epistles of St. Paul, is found nowhere before the Apostle, and therefore seems to have been his own creation (Lagrange). Grace, in its proper sense, is a special gift of God by which one is made holy and agreeable in God’s sight, and is rendered a participant of the divine nature, a brother of Christ, and heir to the glory of the Father in heaven. Peace with God insures interior tranquility of mind and soul, and is one of the most precious effects of grace. St. Paul here speaks of these eminent gifts as coming from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, thus placing the latter on a level with the former, but not identifying the two as persons." (from the omm. on Romans)

Gal 1:4. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present wicked world, according to the will of God and our Father:

St. Paul now reminds his readers that their deliverance from sin and from the curse that formerly enslaved them is due, not to the Mosaic Law and its ceremonies, but to Jesus Christ, who gave Himself up to death for them and for all mankind: Christ in obedience to the will of His Father (John 3:16; Philip 2:8), died for our sins that we might live.

This present wicked world. With the Redemption commenced the reign of freedom from the slavery of sin which till then had gripped the entire world. But although the death of Christ broke the dominion of Satan over us, “this present world,” as contrasted with our future immortal existence, will always be “wicked,” (a) because of the sins which men continue freely to commit, in spite of the blessings of Christ’s Redemption; (b) because of the ceaseless war which Satan will ever wage against Christ and His Militant Church (John 15:19; Rom 8:7).

According to the will, etc. This shows that the Redemption was expressly designed and planned by God.

The Vulgate reading, pro peccatis supposes the Greek υπερ των αμαρτιων (for our sins) rather than περι των αμαρτιων (because of our sins), and is perhaps preferable.

Gal 1:5. To whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Is glory. The Greek has the article, η (the), before δοξα (glory), which indicates the glory that is due to God and which the Judaizers have tried to take from Him by minimizing His benefits. This is the only place where a doxology occurs in the salutation, and St. Paul inserts it here instead of rendering thanks to God for his readers.

ST. PAUL UPBRAIDS HIS READERS AND REBUKES THEIR SEDUCERS

A Summary of Galatians 1:6-10~Dispensing with all oratory and circumlocutions St. Paul goes straight to his point. There is only one Gospel of Christ, that, namely, which he himself delivered to the Galatians. To add to or subtract from it, after the manner of the Judaizers, is to destroy it. He pronounces a curse against the enemies of the Gospel, declaring that, as Christ’s servant, he is concerned about pleasing Him only.

Gal 1:6. I wonder that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another gospel.

So soon does not mean that the Galatians fell away shortly after their conversion; it has reference rather to the ease and suddenness with which they yielded to false doctrines when they heard them. To have fallen away soon after conversion would have been more or less excusable; but to have lived and practiced their faith for some time, and then, upon the first temptation, to be willing to give it up was indeed reprehensible.

Removed (μετατιθεσθε) . Better, “On the verge of changing.” The use of the present shows that the Apostle did not consider their change complete.

From him, etc., i.e., from the heavenly Father, to whom St. Paul uniformly attributes the call to the faith (Rom 8:29-30; 1 Cor 1:9; 1 Thess 2:12; etc.).

Into the grace, etc. Better, “In the grace,” etc. (εν χαριτι χριστου), i.e., through the grace of Christ. The call is from the Father, but through the Son (St. Chrys.).

Another gospel. Literally, “A different gospel,” i.e., a pretended gospel, or no gospel at all, because it contained a serious doctrinal error.

Gal 1:7. Which is not another, only there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Which is not another, etc. There is only one true Gospel of Christ, although there were certain preachers of a false gospel among the Galatians.

Would pervert. The purpose of the Judaizers was to change completely the gospel of Christ, i.e., the Gospel preached and delivered by Christ (Zahn), or the Gospel that gives the true conception of Christ (Lagrange).

Gal 1:8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema.

We, i.e., Paul and his companions.

Besides. Better, “Contrary to” (παρ).

That which, etc., refers to the Gospel Paul had preached on his first and second visits to the faithful of Galatia.

Anathema, i.e., accursed, excluded from the Kingdom of God. See on Rom 9:3. This curse of Paul was revocable upon repentance. Here is what Fr. Callan wrote on Rom 9:3~

"Anathema from Christ, i.e., to be separated from Christ so as to be deprived of Christianity and of the Messianic benefits. “Anathema” literally means a thing set up to be destroyed; it comes from two Greek words signifying to place apart. To the Jews it meant a person or thing cursed, and therefore fit for destruction (Lev 27:28-29; Deut 7:26; Joshua 6:17). With St. Paul it meant cursed of God (Gal 1:8-9; 1 Cor 12:3; 1 Cor 16:22)." (from the Comm. on Romans).

Gal 1:9. As we said before, so now I say again: If any one preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be anathema.

As we said before, etc. St. Paul reminds his readers of the warning he and his companions had given them on a previous occasion, perhaps on his second visit, against possible perils and false teachings which, if not at that time threatening, might disturb them later.

There is an important connection between verses 8 and 9. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema....If any one preach to you a gospel, besides that which you have received, let him be anathema. Note how preached in verse 8 becomes received in verse 9. The word for "received" in Greek is parelabete, from paralambano. This word, along with paradosis, are the language for tradition and are equivalent to the Hebrew words masar (to hand on) and qibbell (to receive). What's important is that the gospel as preached (verse 8) is equivalent to the gospel as received (verse 9). The true gospel message is traditional as opposed to novel.

Gal 1:10. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? If I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

Feeling that his words so far have been harsh St. Paul observes that there is question now of pleasing, not man, but God. The word now (αρτι) does not imply that formerly, before his conversion, he tried to please men; for even when persecuting the Christians he was moved by zeal for God, and not by a desire to please men, albeit his conduct then was agreeable to the Jews. The Judaizers had said that he sought to persuade, only to win favor. The verb πειθω has the sense of the Latin suadeo, and so means to seek the favor of. The Apostle now asks his readers to judge for themselves whose favor he is seeking, whether the favor of God, or that of men. If he were trying to please men, he would be preaching Judaism, and thus would not be what in truth he is, the servant of Christ.