Galatians 1:10-12 – Paul received the gospel directly from Jesus Christ.

SUMMARY

Paul taught “freedom” from circumcision and from the Law, which he calls “a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1-3).  For that reason, he was accused of “trying to please men” (Gal 1:10). He continued to defend his gospel by claiming that he received it from God:

Paul received the gospel that he preached not from other people; he received it directly from Jesus Christ (Gal 1:11-12).

After God stopped Paul on his way to persecute the Christians, he did not consult other people (Gal 1:16-19). 

When he visited Jerusalem, “those who were of reputation, contributed nothing to me” (Gal 2:6).

GALATIANS 1:10-12

Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God?
Or am I striving to please men?
If I were still trying to please men,
I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
1:11
For I would have you know, brethren,
that the gospel which was preached by me
is not according to man.
1:12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it,
but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

SEEKING THE FAVOR OR MEN

The defensive stance which Paul assumes in this verse implies that he was accused of “seeking the favor of men” (Gal 1:10) by his gospel.  This is perhaps the very first indication in the letter of what the distortion was.  Paul taught “freedom” from “circumcision” and from “the whole Law,” which he calls “a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1-3).  Apparently, he was, therefore, being accused of “trying to please men” (Gal 1:10).

NOT ACCORDING TO MAN

He continues to defend his gospel by claiming that he received it from God.  The NIV is perhaps clearer:

The gospel I preached is not of human origin.  I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

This is the main message of the first chapter of the letter to the Galatians; namely that he did not receive his message from people (Gal 1:11, 12).  He was not “sent of men” (Gal 1:1).  In Gal 1:15-20 he explains what happened in the years after God stopped him on his way to persecute the Christians; how he did not “consult with flesh and blood” (Gal 1:16) and he “did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother” (Gal 1:19). In chapter 2 he recalls a visit to Jerusalem and said: “those who were of reputation, (namely James, Peter Cephas and John – Gal 2:9) contributed nothing to me” (Gal 2:6).

Rather, he claims that he was sent through God (Gal 1:1) and received his message through a revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal 1:12).

TO: Galatians Table of Contents
TO: Summary of Galatians chapters 1 to 3
NEXT: Galatians 1:13-14

Galatians 1:6-9 – Some want to distort the gospel of Christ.

SUMMARY

The distortion of the gospel of Christ (Gal 1:7) which the Galatians accepted, fairly soon after Paul founded those churches (Gal 1:6), was “contrary to what we have preached to you” (Gal 1:8). The following indicates that this was a serious distortion:

If the Galatians continue on their path, Paul has labored “in vain” and the Galatians have also suffered “in vain” (Gal 3:4; 4:11). “Christ will be of no benefit to you” (Gal 5:2).

Paul normally starts his letters with words of praise or thanks to the churches. But, in this letter, he does not do that.

GALATIANS 1:6-9

1:6 I am amazed
that you are so quickly deserting Him
who called you by the grace of Christ,
for a different gospel;
1:7 which is really not another;
only there are some who are disturbing you
and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
1:8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven,
should preach to you a gospel
contrary to what we have preached to you,
he is to be accursed!
1:9 As we have said before, so I say again now,
if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary
to what you received, he is to be accursed!

DISTORT THE GOSPEL

After a relatively short introduction (Gal 1:1-5), compared to some of his other letters, Paul gets right down to business and immediately expresses his disappointment in the Galatian Christians for accepting a distorted gospel (Gal 1:7). It will be important to find out in what way the gospel was distorted.

ACCURSED

Galatians is the angriest of all of Paul’s letters, which means that we are dealing here with a very dangerous distortion of the gospel. This “different gospel” (Gal 1:6), which was “contrary to what we have preached to you” (Gal 1:8) and “contrary to what you received” (Gal 1:9), distorted the truth of the gospel (Gal 1:7; 2:5, 14). That this distortion may result in eternal loss can be seen from the following:

Did you suffer so many things in vain (Gal 3:4)?
Perhaps I have labored over you in vain (Gal 4:11).
Christ will be of no benefit to you (Gal 5:2).

Paul normally starts his letters with words of praise or thanks to the churches he is writing to. Paul even gave praise to the carnal Christians at Corinth.  But in this letter, he does not do that, which is an indication of the danger inherent in this distortion.

TO: Galatians Table of Contents
TO: Summary Galatians chapters 1 to 3
NEXT: Galatians 1:10-12

For general discussions of theology, I recommend Graham Maxwell, who you will find on the Pineknoll website.