Galatians Bible Study

[2nd Timothy]

OK, lets see if this will get the ball rolling...

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Paul puts this in a unique way.  The word persuade is interesting....but to me, he seems to be saying or asking, is he pleasing men, or God?  If he was still pleasing men then he could not possibly please God.  Back the word persuade...the original greek for persuade here is "peitho" which means convince.   He just stated in verse 9 that those who added circumcision to the truth Paul taught should be accursed.  They were trying to convince men that they were truly Godly by outward signs or works and persuading the churches they too should follow suit.  Paul says no!  He is trying to convince God by teaching truth which Christ imparted, going against what men are teaching.  Verse 11 backs this up by saying what he teaches is not by man.

This is my take anyhow, looking forward how others see these two verse.

Grace and Peace!

[Petro]

Not sure where we left off in the study, but it seemed maybe a discussion about Paul and his stay in Arabia. Therefore I will comment here. Hope it is ok to do so?

Galatians 1:22.  And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
 23.  But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
 24.  And they glorified God in me.

The churches of Judea glorified God in Paul even though he was unknown to them by sight and they had only known of him from hearing  of his conversion from persecuting the church to preaching the faith.

I went back to my previous post #117, where I tried to explain, that unless, one doesn't get the sequence of Paul's travels in the right order, there will be some confusion, and in re reading it, I realize my attempt was dis jointed.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how the churches of Judea might have glorified God in Paul? They were going on hearsay but yet their faith seems so strong about him and what he preached and of course it was not hearsay as we know, but true.

As had been stated before, after Pauls conversion, imediately he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God, confounding the Jews at Damascus, so much so, that they sought to kill him, and so he leaves Damascus for Arabia (Gal 1:3-25).

After an unspecified time he returned to Damascus, upon which after being saved three years he went to Jerusalem of his own accord, and tried to join up with the Apostles, but didn't meet up with except Peter, and James the Lords brother (Acts 9:26, This is all Dr. Luke writes about his first visit to Jerusalem), the reason why it can be said that verse 27-28 of Acts 9, is understood to be fourteen years later is because Barnabas brought Paul from Damascus (Gal 2:1) and he when we read verse 28, carefully we read;

28  And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

It was here that in his comings in, and goings out that he ministered to these churches in Judaea, begining at the Caesarea, which is where Cornelius was saved afterwards,(Acts 9:29-30) when Peter preached to him and his family, note Pauls words to King Agrippa at Acts 26;

19  Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
20  But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Which substantiate the verses at Galaltians 1;

20  Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
21  Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22  And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:

But because the Grecians at Jerusalem went about to slay him (Acts 9:29), he did not return to Jerusalem but was sent to Tarsus (Acts 9:30), which no doubt he went along the way preaching Jesus (Acts 9:31).

By the way note verse 21 above, Syria and Cilicia (Seleucia) are on the way to Tarsus.

But your question was;

Does anyone have any thoughts on how the churches of Judea might have glorified God in Paul? They were going on hearsay but yet their faith seems so strong about him and what he preached and of course it was not hearsay as we know, but true.

According to the verses you posted and others referenced,  Ceasarea is in the region of Judea, which is referenced at Acts 11, 12.

It is important to read, the passages begining with Pauls conversion at Acts 9 thru Acts 12, and connect them with Acts 22, and Acts 26, to glean these nuggets from God s Word.

Note the end of chapter 12, of Acts, Barnabas, travelled with him the whole time.

The churches of Judea didn't know Paul personally but I am sure they had heard of his doings, (Note Acts 8:1) from the scattered church faithfull who had settled in Judea, nevertheless;  all they knew was that this one who persecuted the Christians so cruelly was now a Christian himself and was preaching Christ to others.  Because of this they glorified God for what He had DONE in the life of Paul.  (We do this all the time, when we here of Gods converting work in others we have only heard about, don't we?)

Anyhow I trust this may have cleared this up to some extent.




Blessings,

Petro

[2nd Timothy]

OK, lets see if this will get the ball rolling...

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
Gal 1:11  But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

Paul puts this in a unique way.  The word persuade is interesting....but to me, he seems to be saying or asking, is he pleasing men, or God?  If he was still pleasing men then he could not possibly please God.  Back the word persuade...the original greek for persuade here is "peitho" which means convince.   He just stated in verse 9 that those who added circumcision to the truth Paul taught should be accursed.  They were trying to convince men that they were truly Godly by outward signs or works and persuading the churches they too should follow suit.  Paul says no!  He is trying to convince God by teaching truth which Christ imparted, going against what men are teaching.  Verse 11 backs this up by saying what he teaches is not by man.

This is my take anyhow, looking forward how others see these two verse.

Grace and Peace!

Actually, looking at this again, it seems wrong to say he is trying to convince God.  Rather, he is not trying to convince Men OR God.  I notice he doesn't use both men and God when he asked who he is trying to please.   So I correct myself!.....lol  Maybe there is more here that I am getting though.

Grace and Peace!

[Allinall]

Tim,

Try this translation of the passage for more insight perhaps:

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

You weren't too entirely off in the first place brother!  To me, he is saying that he isn't stating these things for the approval of men, rather, he seeks the approval of God.  He is "persuading" God's favor, and to please Him as he goes on to intimate.  And you're right.  He's not trying to convince anyone.  He's seeking the approval of God for the message he's preaching.  He doesn't want the accursed status to be applied to him!

Good thinking brother!

[Allinall]

...which gets me to thinking.  Paul had a way with not candy-coating his messages.  He was quick to praise even the unworthy, but he didn't worry with offending people with the truth.  How often do we fear man rather than God?  How often do we seek the approval of man with the truth's we adhere to, rather than seeking God's approval?  Paul's statement here speaks volumes.  It is God Who's approval matters most.  

[Petro]

Maybe I am wrong, but I thought we had gotten to verse 24.

Anyhow, I thought I would post verses 10 thru 24, in the English Standard Version, which makes for very easy reading.

Gal 1
Gal 1
10  For am I now seeking approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.
11  For I would have you know, brothers that the gospel that was preached by me is not mans gospel.
12   For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
13  For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, How I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.
14  And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
15  But when He had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not imediately consult with anyone,
17  Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18  Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.  
19  But I  saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother.
20  (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie)
21  Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.
22  And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ.
23  They only were hearing it said, "He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.
24  And they glorified God because of me.

For simple review..

And it has been interesting just reviewing, Pauls conversion and where he had been to and how it came to be he had gotten this far.

Acts 16:6, 18:23,1 Cor 16:1, and besides this letter to the Galatians, another letter to the Galatians is written by Peter, in his first letter, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, (1 Pet 1:1)

Reading these helps in connecting dots, in the study.


Blessings,

Petro

[Allinall]

Sweet!  I hadn't thought of the 1 Peter 1 passage in this matter brother.  Thanks!

[Petro]

Actually, in order to get ready for any bible study even studying a book like Galatians, one almost needs do a bible study in itself.
 
I was thinking this morning as I considered what had been shared by everyone to this point.

It helps to know that the letter to the Galatians was written before the book of Acts around 48 A.D., while Acts is dated by scholars at 62 A.D. because it ends abruptly with Paul's imprisonment at Rome.

Also, in my previous post I mentioned reading thru Acts 12, however, chapters  13 and 14 are essential reading as it tells of Pauls firt missionary journey after returning from Jerusalem, sent at the bidding of the Holy Spirit  (Acts 13:2).


Anyhow, where did the study leave off??

Blessings,

Petro

[2nd Timothy]

Petro,

I got a little lost during all the debating myself.   Some stayed on what the aspect of what the gospel really was, and others went ahead with Paul's service discussing where he had been.  After all that died down, Tom stated in his last post....

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

After considerable thought and prayer, I do not feel led to continue. We got through Verse 10, and anyone who wishes to continue, please do.

I would simply pray that whatever is done will be for the Glory of God and not for the vanity of man in petty arguments.

Love In Christ To All,
Tom

So I started with 10 and 11 since you could hear a pin drop in here....lol.  I liked the discussion's based off each verse, with everyone having a chance to give their views or ask questions.   I think its fair to say a few of us lost track of where we were including myself.   I vote we start from verse 11, if for no other reason than to give me a chance to catch up.    

Grace and Peace!

[Petro]

Petro,

I got a little lost during all the debating myself.   Some stayed on what the aspect of what the gospel really was, and others went ahead with Paul's service discussing where he had been.  After all that died down, Tom stated in his last post....

Oklahoma Howdy to All,

After considerable thought and prayer, I do not feel led to continue. We got through Verse 10, and anyone who wishes to continue, please do.

I would simply pray that whatever is done will be for the Glory of God and not for the vanity of man in petty arguments.

Love In Christ To All,
Tom

So I started with 10 and 11 since you could hear a pin drop in here....lol.  I liked the discussion's based off each verse, with everyone having a chance to give their views or ask questions.   I think its fair to say a few of us lost track of where we were including myself.   I vote we start from verse 11, if for no other reason than to give me a chance to catch up.    

Grace and Peace!

2d Timothy,

I am agreeable to that, and I do apoligize, since I was answering ollies, question and trying to get some ground work in, which would allow for a easier understanding of Gal's.

Actually everything that would be prestudy of any other book written by Paul, shopuld be started off of thre book of Acts.

I say let us proceed.  Lord willing..


Blessings, Petro

[ollie]

I found these thoughts and they might be of interest on this subject.

"Following his conversion and the Damascus incident, he was led by the now-indwelling Holy Spirit into Arabia then again into Damascus where he was set apart for three years of preparation before finally journeying to Jerusalem to meet Peter. The Scriptures are silent about his activities during this time except to carry Paul's testimony that he was being taught by the revelations of Jesus Christ.

It is also interesting that the Disciples were set apart with Jesus for three years before they began their ministries as Apostles and now we see that Paul also spent three years apart with the same Jesus before assuming the Apostleship Christ had called him to."

The highlight is mine as this is something of which I was not aware or had not connected the thoughts.

"It is also interesting that he was led into Arabia for his desert experience just as Moses had been led into the land of Midian, and as Christ had been led into the wilderness."

JOAN KREMPEL
http://www.joankrempelministries.com/frontpage/paul.html

[Sower]

Acts 9:3  And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Acts 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Acts 9:6  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

It is important to note that Saul used the term "Lord" probably as one would use "Sir" and didn't understand he was in the presence of the risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ until later. Saul arose and was blind.

Tom

Brother Tom:

Thanks for your warm welcome elsewhere on this forum.  I've missed the Christian interaction and encouragement, and it's good to see that the book of Galatians is being studied in depth. I trust the Lord will guide some of the misguided Messianic Jews of today to this discussion, since they are doing exactly what many of the Galatians were doing -- turning from grace to the law.

However, coming back to your comments which I have quoted above, I believe that when Saul addressed the Lord Jesus Christ -- "the Lord of glory" -- as "Lord", he used that word with the full knowledge and assurance in his heart that he was in the presence of the living Saviour -- the LORD God Almighty.

Why should we come to that conclusion?

1. Paul tells us in Acts 22:6 that is was "about noon" when there shone "a great light" from heaven. In the Middle East(and those parts of the world), the sun blazes intensely at noon , yet here was a light infinitely more intense than the sun. What could be it's source? Saul, who was steeped in the OT Scriptures, would have immediately realized that this was the shekinah glory of JEHOVAH, because of the great contrast between the noonday sun and the glory of God.

2. Christ identified Himself from within that glorious light as "I am Jesus of Nazareth" (Acts 22:. Since Saul the persecutor had been following the acts and proclamations of the other apostles, he had undoubtedly heard (either first hand or second hand) the bold proclamation of Peter on the day of Pentecost: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, BOTH LORD [KURIOS = JEHOVAH] and CHRIST [CHRISTOS = MASCHIYACH]" (Acts 2:36).  

Therefore the conclusion was inescapable: Jesus of Nazareth, the risen Christ, is no less than the LORD God Almighty! This had already been revealed in Psalms 110:1; 45:6,7; 102:25-27, and many other OT scriptures, and both Peter and Saul saw, by the Holy Spirit, that these verses were applicable to Jesus of Nazareth.  They must have flashed through Saul's mind on the road to Damascus, and he was instantly converted.  

3. For a Pharisee steeped in the OT, there was no way out. Absolute submission to the Almighty was the only response, ans so Paul "trembling and astonished" that he was in the presence of the Holy One of Israel blurted out " LORD, what wilt thou have me to do"?

I trust that by God's grace, each one of us who are the Lord's will humbly submit to Him daily (and every moment of our lives).

[ollie]

My apologies also.
I went to verses 22-24 as I thought with all the discussion from everyone on the "going to Arabia" that those verses would probably be about where we were in study.

However going back to verses 10-11 is ok.
 I do think we could skip over the Arabia thing as we have probably already spoken enough on that. I did add a post on that yesterday. I pray it was ok to do so.

 

[Ambassador4Christ]

Galatians 1:11-12---“ But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.”



Paul’s gospel states that Christ died for all mans sins, and was buried then rose again on the third day. All we have to do today is truly believe this gospel and we are saved.



I Corinthians 15:1-4---“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:



Romans 10:9-10---“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation

[Petro]

These verses at Gal 1:11-12, are to cap off, verses 8 and 9, whereby Paul stated;

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

No comprimises, the gosple which was preached by himself, and the other apostles, was the same they received themselves  by revelation of Jesus himself.

Anyone who comes forth preaching another, let him be accursed.

Can anyone post an example of another gosple?



Blessings,
Petro