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Commentary on Galatians 1 verses 10–24
What Paul had said more generally, in the preface of this epistle, he now proceeds more particularly to enlarge upon. There he had declared himself to be an apostle of Christ; and here he comes more directly to support his claim to that character and office. There were some in the churches of Galatia who were prevailed with to call this in question; for those who preached up the ceremonial law did all they could to lessen Paul's reputation, who preached the pure gospel of Christ to the Gentiles: and therefore he here sets himself to prove the divinity both of his mission and doctrine, that thereby he might wipe off the aspersions which his enemies had cast upon him, and recover these Christians into a better opinion of the gospel he had preached to them. This he gives sufficient evidence of,
I. From the scope and design of his ministry, which was not to persuade men, but God, etc. The meaning of this may be either that in his preaching the gospel he did not act in obedience to men, but God, who had called him to this work and office; or that his aim therein was to bring persons to the obedience, not of men, but of God. As he professed to act by a commission from God; so that which he chiefly aimed at was to promote his glory, by recovering sinners into a state of subjection to him. And as this was the great end he was pursuing, so, agreeably hereunto, he did not seek to please men. He did not, in his doctrine, accommodate himself to the humours of persons, either to gain their affection or to avoid their resentment; but his great care was to approve himself to God. The judaizing teachers, by whom these churches were corrupted, had discovered a very different temper; they mixed works with faith, and the law with the gospel, only to please the Jews, whom they were willing to court and keep in with, that they might escape persecution. But Paul was a man of another spirit; he was not so solicitous to please them, nor to mitigate their rage against him, as to alter the doctrine of Christ either to gain their favour or to avoid their fury. And he gives this very good reason for it, that, if he yet pleased men, he would not be the servant of Christ. These he knew were utterly inconsistent, and that no man could serve two such masters; and therefore, though he would not needlessly displease any, yet he dared not allow himself to gratify men at the expense of his faithfulness to Christ. Thus, from the sincerity of his aims and intentions in the discharge of his office, he proves that he was truly an apostle of Christ. And from this his temper and behaviour we may note, 1. That the great end which ministers of the gospel should aim at is to bring men to God. 2. That those who are faithful will not seek to please men, but to approve themselves to God. 3. That they must not be solicitous to please men, if they would approve themselves faithful servants to Christ. But, if this argument should not be thought sufficient, he goes on to prove his apostleship,
II. From the manner wherein he received the gospel which he preached to them, concerning which he assures them (Gal 1:11, Gal 1:12) that he had it not by information from others, but by revelation from heaven. One thing peculiar in the character of an apostle was that he had been called to, and instructed for, this office immediately by Christ himself. And in this he here shows that he was by no means defective, whatever his enemies might suggest to the contrary. Ordinary ministers, as they receive their call to preach the gospel by the mediation of others, so it is by means of the instruction and assistance of others that they are brought to the knowledge of it. But Paul acquaints them that he had his knowledge of the gospel, as well as his authority to preach it, directly from the Lord Jesus: the gospel which he preached was not after man; he neither received it of man, nor was he taught it by man, but by immediate inspiration, or revelation from Christ himself. This he was concerned to make out, to prove himself an apostle: and to this purpose,
1.He tells them what his education was, and what, accordingly, his conversation in time past had been, Gal 1:13, Gal 1:14. Particularly, he acquaints them that he had been brought up in the Jewish religion, and that he had profited in it above many his equals of his own nation - that he had been exceedingly zealous of the traditions of the elders, such doctrines and customs as had been invented by their fathers, and conveyed down from one generation to another; yea, to such a degree that, in his zeal for them, he had beyond measure persecuted the church of God, and wasted it. He had not only been a rejecter of the Christian religion, notwithstanding the many evident proofs that were given of its divine origin; but he had been a persecutor of it too, and had applied himself with the utmost violence and rage to destroy the professors of it. This Paul often takes notice of, for the magnifying of that free and rich grace which had wrought so wonderful a change in him, whereby of so great a sinner he was made a sincere penitent, and from a persecutor had become an apostle. And it was very fit to mention it here; for it would hence appear that he was not led to Christianity, as many others are, purely by education, since he had been bred up in an enmity and opposition to it; and they might reasonably suppose that it must be something very extraordinary which had made so great a change in him, which had conquered the prejudices of his education, and brought him not only to profess, but to preach, that doctrine, which he had before so vehemently opposed.
2.In how wonderful a manner he was turned from the error of his ways, brought to the knowledge and faith of Christ, and appointed to the office of an apostle, Gal 1:15, Gal 1:16. This was not done in an ordinary way, nor by ordinary means, but in an extraordinary manner; for, (1.) God had separated him hereunto from his mother's womb: the change that was wrought in him was in pursuance of a divine purpose concerning him, whereby he was appointed to be a Christian and an apostle, before he came into the world, or had done either good or evil. (2.) he was called by his grace. All who are savingly converted are called by the grace of God; their conversion is the effect of his good pleasure concerning them, and is effected by his power and grace in them. But there was something peculiar in the case of Paul, both in the suddenness and in the greatness of the change wrought in him, and also in the manner wherein it was effected, which was not by the mediation of others, as the instruments of it, but by Christ's personal appearance to him, and immediate operation upon him, whereby it was rendered a more special and extraordinary instance of divine power and favour. (3.) He had Christ revealed in him. He was not only revealed to him, but in him. It will but little avail us to have Christ revealed to us if he is not also revealed in us; but this was not the case of Paul. It pleased God to reveal his Son in him, to bring him to the knowledge of Christ and his gospel by special and immediate revelation. And, (4.) It was with this design, that he should preach him among the heathen; not only that he should embrace him himself, but preach him to others; so that he was both a Christian and an apostle by revelation.
3.He acquaints them how he behaved himself hereupon, from Gal 1:16, to the end. Being thus called to his work and office, he conferred not with flesh and blood. This may be taken more generally, and so we may learn from it that, when God calls us by his grace, we must not consult flesh and blood. But the meaning of it here is that he did not consult men; he did not apply to any others for their advice and direction; neither did he go up to Jerusalem, to those that were apostles before him, as though he needed to be approved by them, or to receive any further instructions or authority from them: but, instead of that, he steered another course, and went into Arabia, either as a place of retirement proper for receiving further divine revelations, or in order to preach the gospel there among the Gentiles, being appointed to be the apostle of the Gentiles; and thence he returned again to Damascus, where he had first begun his ministry, and whence he had with difficulty escaped the rage of his enemies, Acts 9. It was not till three years after his conversion that he went up to Jerusalem, to see Peter; and when he did so he made but a very short stay with him, no more than fifteen days; nor, while he was there, did he go much into conversation; for others of the apostles he saw none, but James, the Lord's brother. So that it could not well be pretended that he was indebted to any other either for his knowledge of the gospel or his authority to preach it; but it appeared that both his qualifications for, and his call to, the apostolic office were extraordinary and divine. This account being of importance, to establish his claim to this office, to remove the unjust censures of his adversaries, and to recover the Galatians from the impressions they had received to his prejudice, he confirms it by a solemn oath (Gal 1:20), declaring, as in the presence of God, that what he had said was strictly true, and that he had not in the least falsified in what he had related, which, though it will not justify us in solemn appeals to God upon every occasion, yet shows that, in matters of weight and moment, this may sometimes not only be lawful, but duty. After this he acquaints them that he came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia: having made this short visit to Peter, he returns to his work again. He had no communication at that time with the churches of Christ in Judea, they had not so much as seen his face; but, having heard that he who persecuted them in times past now preached the faith which he once destroyed, they glorified God because of him; thanksgivings were rendered by many unto God on that behalf; the very report of this mighty change in him, as it filled them with joy, so it excited them to give glory to God on the account of it.
"And they glorified God in me."
See here again how accurately he observes the rule of his humility; he says not, they admired me, they applauded or were astonished at me, but ascribes all to Divine grace by the words, "they glorified God in me."
"And I was still unknown by face unto the Churches of Judaea; but they only heard say, he that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc."
What modesty in thus again mentioning the facts of his persecuting and laying waste the Church, and in thus making infamous his former life, while he passes over the illustrious deeds he was about to achieve! He might have told, had he wished it, all his successes, but he mentions none of these and stepping with one word over a vast expanse, he says merely, "I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;" and, "they had heard, that he, which once persecuted us, now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc." The purpose of the words, "I was unknown to the Churches of Judaea," is to show, that so far from preaching to them the necessity of circumcision, he was not known to them even by sight.
(Verses 22-24.) But I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea, which were in Christ Jesus. They only heard it said: He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy. And they glorified God in me. The churches of Judea had only heard of me by reputation. And among them, they saw me more as a persecutor than as an apostle. But in Syria and Cilicia, Arabia and Damascus, they might have recognized me by sight as well: because I, as the Apostle to the Gentiles, preached the gospel of Christ not to the Jews, but to the Gentiles. But the whole point of what he does is this: to show that he could never have been glorious before those very people whom he had previously persecuted unless his preaching had also been proven by their judgment, even by those who had known him before as evil. And he returns secretly to his purpose, affirming that he spent such a short time in Judea that even those who believed were unaware of his appearance. From this he shows that he did not have Peter, James, or John as his teachers, but Christ, who revealed the Gospel to him. At the same time, it should be noted that while it was said above that the Church was under attack, here faith is: there men, here things; so that now (or then) it could be more opportune: He preaches the faith, which he once attacked. For they could not make a similar sound about the Church.
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SUMMARY
Galatians 1:23 captures the astonishing testimony circulating among the Judean churches concerning Paul: the notorious persecutor of the early Christian movement had undergone such a radical transformation that he was now fervently proclaiming the very faith he once violently sought to eradicate. This dramatic turnaround served as irrefutable evidence of God's mighty power and grace, leading believers to glorify God for His miraculous work in Paul's life.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed within Paul's opening defense of his apostleship and the divine origin of the gospel he preaches to the Galatian churches. Having established that his message was not received from human tradition or instruction (Galatians 1:11-12), Paul recounts his dramatic conversion and subsequent period of independent ministry in Arabia and Damascus, carefully emphasizing that he did not immediately consult with the Jerusalem apostles (Galatians 1:16-17). His first visit to Jerusalem, three years after his conversion, was brief and limited to seeing Peter and James (Galatians 1:18-19). Galatians 1:23 then highlights that during this early period, the churches in Judea, who had not met him personally, had only heard reports of his conversion, which powerfully validated the authenticity of his God-given mission and the gospel's transformative power.
Historical & Cultural Context: In the nascent years of the Christian church, persecution was a constant threat, and Saul of Tarsus (Paul's former name) was one of its most zealous and feared agents. His reputation as a violent persecutor who "made havoc of the church" (Acts 8:3) and "breathed out threatenings and slaughter" (Acts 9:1) was widespread among believers. For the Judean churches, who were geographically distinct from Paul's initial post-conversion ministry in Syria and Cilicia (Galatians 1:21), the news of his conversion would have been truly astounding, almost unbelievable. This context underscores the profound impact of the report: it wasn't just a change of heart, but a complete reversal by someone infamous for his opposition, making his conversion a powerful and undeniable act of divine intervention.
Key Themes: Galatians 1:23 powerfully contributes to several key themes. Foremost is the theme of Radical Transformation, demonstrating God's capacity to utterly change a life, turning a bitter enemy into a fervent advocate. This transformation also speaks to the Authenticity of Paul's Ministry and Apostleship; his notorious past served as unexpected, powerful evidence that his conversion and subsequent preaching were genuinely from God, not a calculated human maneuver. It highlights the Irresistible Power of the Gospel, which is potent enough to not only save individuals but to turn a persecutor into its most ardent proclaimer, echoing the gospel's ability to reconcile enemies to God (Romans 5:10). Finally, the verse is a profound testament to God's Sovereign and Amazing Grace, extended even to "the chief of sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15), showcasing His mercy and redemptive purpose.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Galatians 1:23 is rich with literary devices that underscore the profound nature of Paul's conversion. The most prominent is Antithesis, or stark contrast, seen in the juxtaposition of Paul's past actions ("persecuted," "destroyed") with his present ministry ("now preacheth the faith"). This creates a powerful rhetorical effect, highlighting the radical shift in his life. There is also significant Irony at play: the one who was the church's fiercest enemy becomes its most zealous advocate. This unexpected turn of events serves to magnify God's power and sovereignty. Finally, the verse functions as a Testimony or Witness, as the news of Paul's transformation serves as compelling evidence to others of the gospel's truth and God's ability to save and change lives.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly illustrates the transformative power of God's grace, demonstrating that no individual is beyond the reach of divine redemption. Paul's radical conversion from a zealous persecutor to an ardent preacher of the gospel is a living testament to the efficacy of Christ's work. It underscores that salvation is entirely a work of God, not dependent on human merit or prior disposition, but on His sovereign call and mercy. The news of Paul's turnaround led the Judean churches to "glorify God," indicating that such a dramatic change was understood as a direct act of divine power, validating the gospel message and strengthening the faith of believers. It serves as a foundational example of how God often uses the most unlikely individuals to advance His kingdom, turning former enemies into powerful instruments for His purposes.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Galatians 1:23 offers immense encouragement and a powerful challenge for believers today. It reminds us that God's grace is boundless and capable of transforming even the most hardened hearts and hostile adversaries. Just as the Judean churches glorified God upon hearing of Paul's conversion, we too should marvel at and celebrate the redemptive work of Christ in our own lives and in the lives of others, especially those who seem furthest from God. This verse compels us to never give up on anyone, recognizing that God can turn any enemy into an evangelist, any persecutor into a proclaimer. Our own transformed lives, like Paul's, become a living testimony to the truth and power of the gospel, serving as a compelling witness to a skeptical world. It calls us to live lives that consistently reflect the radical change Christ has wrought in us, so that others may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was Paul's past as a persecutor so significant for the early church?
Answer: Paul's past as a zealous persecutor (Saul of Tarsus) was widely known and deeply feared among early Christians. He was not just an opponent but an active, violent agent of destruction against the church, obtaining warrants to arrest believers and bring them to Jerusalem for punishment (Acts 9:1-2). Therefore, the news of his conversion was not merely surprising but utterly astonishing and profoundly validating. It demonstrated that God's power was so immense that it could transform even the most ardent enemy into a fervent advocate, lending undeniable credibility to Paul's apostleship and the divine origin of the gospel he proclaimed. His radical change served as a powerful, living testimony to the truth and efficacy of the Christian faith.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Galatians 1:23, while narrating a pivotal moment in Paul's personal history, ultimately points to the profound and transformative power of Christ. Paul's conversion is not merely a change of heart but a dramatic demonstration of Christ's triumph over sin, death, and even human enmity. The one who "persecuted us" and "destroyed" the faith was utterly conquered by the resurrected Christ on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:3-6). This transformation showcases the gospel's ability to reconcile enemies to God through the atoning work of Christ, echoing the truth that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). Paul's life becomes a living parable of the new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), where old things pass away and all things become new. His former zeal against the church is now redirected with even greater intensity for Christ, illustrating how the Lord Jesus not only saves but redeems and re-purposes lives for His glory, making former adversaries powerful witnesses to His saving grace and the truth of His kingdom.