Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CONGREGATIONS OF BELIEVERS

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson IV) 07/18/19

Ernest DeWitt Burton takes special note of what Paul said here about how he “laid before them the Gospel which he preaches among the Gentiles.” It goes without saying, that this was not done in a short amount of time. Paul was not one to be short on words. Burton doesn’t think Paul spent much time explaining the practical method he used in sharing the Gospel with Gentiles, but he focused on the doctrinal portion. This included the significance of the work of Christ on the cross to make us right with God instead of the work people do to be right with God, the conditions upon which salvation was to be received as a gift, not earned, and the consequential obligations of believers once they accepted the Anointed One as their personal Savior, instead of the Law. But the real emphasis, as far as getting the Apostles to understand, was that this was his message to Gentiles. That way, they could compare it to their message to Jews. As Paul himself said, he hoped that after they listened and reacted, all his efforts among the Gentiles would not end up being in vain.¹

Jewish writer Avi ben Mordechai is of the opinion that when Paul spoke of the Gospel that he preached to the Gentiles, it was the same Word Yahweh sent to His people, exiled and scattered abroad².³ If these people were to know the true Yahweh, then they must know Him through the Torah and the Prophets from which He preached,⁴ because it mirrored Yahweh’s character and reputation.⁵ He was to do what Yeshua did, go to the Jews first,⁶ show them God’s divine mercy and call on them to have faith in Him as the Messiah,⁷ in order to reestablish them in the spirit of the Law as one nation – Jews and Gentiles under one God.⁸ In Mordechai’s mind, the Law of Moses and the Gospel of the Anointed One together would be their guiding light,⁹ As such, they were to become a spiritual house unified under the contract¹⁰ and referred to in the Final Covenant as the “congregation in the wilderness.”^{11 12}

2:2b I did so because I wanted to make sure that all my work did not end up being a waste of time.

Paul feared that if the Apostles in Jerusalem felt that all of his hard work wasn’t worth the time and trouble, then his call from God to be the Apostle to the Gentiles was a worthless endeavor. What he was hoping and praying for is that it would be accepted by the congregation leaders so that these Gentiles could become equal members of the congregation-at-large. When Jesus told His disciples that He was sending them out like sheep among wolves, Paul wanted to make sure that some wolves who infiltrated the believers were not considered a part of the congregation so as to devour his efforts for Jesus the Anointed One.¹³

He prayed the same prayer for his work among the Philippians.¹⁴ It was for that same reason Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians.¹⁵ Another thing that drove Paul toward Jerusalem to seek confirmation for his teachings, came from what he was taught by his great teacher Gamaliel about finding a good teacher who will help you stay away from doubt. Don’t become accustomed to doing things by guesswork.¹⁶

Either way, Paul did not want to make his visit a big deal. So he contacted several of the leaders and requested a private meeting with them. If Paul needed to feed his ego and do something to show everyone that God chose him and Jesus called him, why not staged his visit with maximum publicity. No, Paul is sending a hidden message to the Galatians that showed his great respect for the leaders of the congregation in Jerusalem, and their great respect for him. One converted African Christian commentator felt that Paul’s concern here was to consult in case he was not preaching the full Gospel. If he were to preach anything less, it would all have been in vain. If it could be proven that circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, and the rest of the Jewish rites and rituals were, in fact, advantageous to salvation, would that not eliminate the grace of God through the Anointed One? If that happened, then running his race to spread the Gospel meant nothing.¹⁷

Again, we do not know how many of the Greek classics Paul read, or whether he became familiar with the opening of Plato’s “Apology,” where Plato laments that those he thought supported him were persuaded to turn against him. However, perhaps Paul felt what the great Orator of Athens experienced. It begins this way: Plato says, “O Athenians, I don’t know if you changed your mind about me because of my accusers; but one thing I know, their persuasiveness almost made me doubt myself; even though nothing they said about me was true. But out of all the lies they told about me, the one that really amazed me, was when they told you to be careful and not allow themselves to be deceived by the force of my eloquence. They already knew that as soon as I opened my mouth their lie would be exposed since I am anything but an eloquent speaker. This falsehood struck me as being an insult – unless, of course, they were implying that the power of the truth I speak is my real eloquence.”

Paul himself admitted that he was anything but a great speaker,¹⁸ but more talented as a teacher. Yet it appeared that the Judaizers were just as smitten by how the truth of the Gospel Paul taught changed the hearts and minds of the Galatians in an amazing way. So like the accusers of Plato, the accusers of Paul cautioned the Galatians to be careful what Paul said and not be misled by his supposed eloquence and claims that it was inspired by God Himself. Early church writer John Cassian says that even Paul would not be so presumptuous and blind as to trust his own insights without seeking assurances from his co-apostles.¹⁹

Then Paul gives his readers another private peek inside his purpose for going to Jerusalem. The last time he was there only Peter and James were privy to his visit, but now there were others who wanted to hear firsthand his account of how God called him and Jesus ordained him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles; and all the good that came out of that missionary ministry. It was so important that they personally hear how he acted according to God’s will in every respect and received many blessings in his obedience to his calling. And Augustine believes that Paul is also assuring the Galatians that he experienced no difficulty in getting the approval of the Apostles in Jerusalem for what he did by exempting them from Jewish laws so that his mission to bring them this Good News would not end up being a futile effort because they began to doubt.²⁰

Peter Lombard (1096-1160 AD), Medieval Bishop of Paris, drew a comparison here between Paul’s going to Jerusalem and the command Jesus gave some lepers after He healed them. As Lombard sees it, the decision by the Council at Jerusalem cast out every variety of heretical leprosy. Therefore, they declared Paul’s Gospel as pure. One reads in the Gospel how the lepers cured by the Lord were sent to the priests so that they might show themselves to them.²¹ It is not far-fetched to take this to mean that those without sufficient knowledge of the true faith may profess various erroneous doctrines. Furthermore, no false doctrine should be allowed to intermingle with things that are true. When this is allowed to happen, it is analogous to those with leprosy being allowed to mingle with those who are healthy. Thus, it was in order to prove that the Apostle’s preaching was free from every corruption of heretical leprosy that he discuss the Gospel with the other Apostles.²²

From what Martin Luther says here, we might conclude that one of the roadblocks in the way of converted Jews giving up their circumcision requirement and adherence to the long-held Jewish Law’s rites, rituals, and regulations came as a result that neither their Prophets nor their Rabbis and Sanhedrin offered such choices as an option. After all, wasn’t Jesus circumcised? And where did Jesus say anything about giving up circumcision? Apparently, the word of Paul and the Apostles was not enough for them.²³

John Calvin finds two things here in what Paul is telling the Galatians that we need to take notice of and heed his words. On the one hand, it possessed the potential to be an alarming weapon against Paul if his opponents could shake the weak consciences of the Galatians causing them to believe that the doctrine Paul preached was false and at variance with the doctrine of the Apostles. Many were misled this way. The confidence one has in their faith does not necessarily depend on everyone else agreeing with you. However, it is our duty to be part of a consensus with other believers on what is the truth according to God’s Word. That way, neither men nor all the angels together could shake our faith. Believers weak in their faith are fair game for such irresistible persuasion when presented by people with a large following. But strong believers are more likely to resist such a powerful strategy often used by Satan to bring strife and divisions.²⁴ With their spirit bearing witness with the Holy Spirit, the Gospel, and the spirit of like-minded believers, they will not be so easily misled.

Paul gives us a beautiful example of how to address any issue that may be reported back to us that something we are preaching or teaching does not fit the standard, orthodox, doctrine of evangelical Christianity, and how to deal with it. Don’t become angry at those who object, but schedule a meeting with them, present your solid reasons for interpreting the Scriptures the way you do. Don’t be apologetic when you have the Word of God to back you up. But at the same time, don’t hesitate to consider their objections or differences. In the end, you may not fully agree on every factor, but at least you will both understand each other’s point of view. And don’t forget, the Holy Spirit is there to help.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CONGREGATIONS OF BELIEVERS

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson IV)

Ernest DeWitt Burton takes special note of what Paul said here about how he “laid before them the Gospel which he preaches among the Gentiles.” It goes without saying, that this was not done in a short amount of time. Paul was not one to be short on words. Burton doesn’t think Paul spent much time explaining the practical method he used in sharing the Gospel with Gentiles, but he focused on the doctrinal portion. This included the significance of the work of Christ on the cross to make us right with God instead of the work people do to be right with God, the conditions upon which salvation was to be received as a gift, not earned, and the consequential obligations of believers once they accepted the Anointed One as their personal Savior, instead of the Law. But the real emphasis, as far as getting the Apostles to understand, was that this was his message to Gentiles. That way, they could compare it to their message to Jews. As Paul himself said, he hoped that after they listened and reacted, all his efforts among the Gentiles would not end up being in vain.¹

Jewish writer Avi ben Mordechai is of the opinion that when Paul spoke of the Gospel that he preached to the Gentiles, it was the same Word Yahweh sent to His people, exiled and scattered abroad².³ If these people were to know the true Yahweh, then they must know Him through the Torah and the Prophets from which He preached,⁴ because it mirrored Yahweh’s character and reputation.⁵ He was to do what Yeshua did, go to the Jews first,⁶ show them God’s divine mercy and call on them to have faith in Him as the Messiah,⁷ in order to reestablish them in the spirit of the Law as one nation – Jews and Gentiles under one God.⁸ In Mordechai’s mind, the Law of Moses and the Gospel of the Anointed One together would be their guiding light,⁹ As such, they were to become a spiritual house unified under the contract¹⁰ and referred to in the Final Covenant as the “congregation in the wilderness.”^11 12

2:2b I did so because I wanted to make sure that all my work did not end up being a waste of time.

Paul feared that if the Apostles in Jerusalem felt that all of his hard work wasn’t worth the time and trouble, then his call from God to be the Apostle to the Gentiles was a worthless endeavor. What he was hoping and praying for is that it would be accepted by the congregation leaders so that these Gentiles could become equal members of the congregation-at-large. When Jesus told His disciples that He was sending them out like sheep among wolves, Paul wanted to make sure that some wolves who infiltrated the believers were not considered a part of the congregation so as to devour his efforts for Jesus the Anointed One.¹³

He prayed the same prayer for his work among the Philippians.¹⁴ It was for that same reason Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians.¹⁵ Another thing that drove Paul toward Jerusalem to seek confirmation for his teachings, came from what he was taught by his great teacher Gamaliel about finding a good teacher who will help you stay away from doubt. Don’t become accustomed to doing things by guesswork.¹⁶

Either way, Paul did not want to make his visit a big deal. So he contacted several of the leaders and requested a private meeting with them. If Paul needed to feed his ego and do something to show everyone that God chose him and Jesus called him, why not staged his visit with maximum publicity. No, Paul is sending a hidden message to the Galatians that showed his great respect for the leaders of the congregation in Jerusalem, and their great respect for him. One converted African Christian commentator felt that Paul’s concern here was to consult in case he was not preaching the full Gospel. If he were to preach anything less, it would all have been in vain. If it could be proven that circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, and the rest of the Jewish rites and rituals were, in fact, advantageous to salvation, would that not eliminate the grace of God through the Anointed One? If that happened, then running his race to spread the Gospel meant nothing.¹⁷

Again, we do not know how many of the Greek classics Paul read, or whether he became familiar with the opening of Plato’s “Apology,” where Plato laments that those he thought supported him were persuaded to turn against him. However, perhaps Paul felt what the great Orator of Athens experienced. It begins this way: Plato says, “O Athenians, I don’t know if you changed your mind about me because of my accusers; but one thing I know, their persuasiveness almost made me doubt myself; even though nothing they said about me was true. But out of all the lies they told about me, the one that really amazed me, was when they told you to be careful and not allow themselves to be deceived by the force of my eloquence. They already knew that as soon as I opened my mouth their lie would be exposed since I am anything but an eloquent speaker. This falsehood struck me as being an insult – unless, of course, they were implying that the power of the truth I speak is my real eloquence.”

Paul himself admitted that he was anything but a great speaker,¹⁸ but more talented as a teacher. Yet it appeared that the Judaizers were just as smitten by how the truth of the Gospel Paul taught changed the hearts and minds of the Galatians in an amazing way. So like the accusers of Plato, the accusers of Paul cautioned the Galatians to be careful what Paul said and not be misled by his supposed eloquence and claims that it was inspired by God Himself. Early church writer John Cassian says that even Paul would not be so presumptuous and blind as to trust his own insights without seeking assurances from his co-apostles.¹⁹

Then Paul gives his readers another private peek inside his purpose for going to Jerusalem. The last time he was there only Peter and James were privy to his visit, but now there were others who wanted to hear firsthand his account of how God called him and Jesus ordained him to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles; and all the good that came out of that missionary ministry. It was so important that they personally hear how he acted according to God’s will in every respect and received many blessings in his obedience to his calling. And Augustine believes that Paul is also assuring the Galatians that he experienced no difficulty in getting the approval of the Apostles in Jerusalem for what he did by exempting them from Jewish laws so that his mission to bring them this Good News would not end up being a futile effort because they began to doubt.²⁰

Peter Lombard (1096-1160 AD), Medieval Bishop of Paris, drew a comparison here between Paul’s going to Jerusalem and the command Jesus gave some lepers after He healed them. As Lombard sees it, the decision by the Council at Jerusalem cast out every variety of heretical leprosy. Therefore, they declared Paul’s Gospel as pure. One reads in the Gospel how the lepers cured by the Lord were sent to the priests so that they might show themselves to them.²¹ It is not far-fetched to take this to mean that those without sufficient knowledge of the true faith may profess various erroneous doctrines. Furthermore, no false doctrine should be allowed to intermingle with things that are true. When this is allowed to happen, it is analogous to those with leprosy being allowed to mingle with those who are healthy. Thus, it was in order to prove that the Apostle’s preaching was free from every corruption of heretical leprosy that he discuss the Gospel with the other Apostles.²²

From what Martin Luther says here, we might conclude that one of the roadblocks in the way of converted Jews giving up their circumcision requirement and adherence to the long-held Jewish Law’s rites, rituals, and regulations came as a result that neither their Prophets nor their Rabbis and Sanhedrin offered such choices as an option. After all, wasn’t Jesus circumcised? And where did Jesus say anything about giving up circumcision? Apparently, the word of Paul and the Apostles was not enough for them.²³

John Calvin finds two things here in what Paul is telling the Galatians that we need to take notice of and heed his words. On the one hand, it possessed the potential to be an alarming weapon against Paul if his opponents could shake the weak consciences of the Galatians causing them to believe that the doctrine Paul preached was false and at variance with the doctrine of the Apostles. Many were misled this way. The confidence one has in their faith does not necessarily depend on everyone else agreeing with you. However, it is our duty to be part of a consensus with other believers on what is the truth according to God’s Word. That way, neither men nor all the angels together could shake our faith. Believers weak in their faith are fair game for such irresistible persuasion when presented by people with a large following. But strong believers are more likely to resist such a powerful strategy often used by Satan to bring strife and divisions.²⁴ With their spirit bearing witness with the Holy Spirit, the Gospel, and the spirit of like-minded believers, they will not be so easily misled.

Paul gives us a beautiful example of how to address any issue that may be reported back to us that something we are preaching or teaching does not fit the standard, orthodox, doctrine of evangelical Christianity, and how to deal with it. Don’t become angry at those who object, but schedule a meeting with them, present your solid reasons for interpreting the Scriptures the way you do. Don’t be apologetic when you have the Word of God to back you up. But at the same time, don’t hesitate to consider their objections or differences. In the end, if you can still not fully agree, at least you will both understand each other’s point of view. And don’t forget, the Holy Spirit is there to help.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CONGREGATIONS OF BELIEVERS

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson III) 07/17/19

2:2a I went there because God showed me in a special way that I should go. I then laid out before them the Good News that I preach among the people who are not Jews. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be prominent leaders of the church.

Sometimes the black print on a white page does not convey any real emotion or attitude. But from the way Paul communicated up until now, we should not be surprised that he continued the sense of irony that permeated his discourse so far. Irony is described as saying something serious with humor mixed in. It’s almost like laughing at a person’s misfortune in spite of all the warnings they received. Even though it may hurt, it’s still hard not to laugh. In telling the Galatians about his trip to Jerusalem, Paul indicates that God needed to give him special instructions to go because everyone else told him not to go.¹

At this point, Paul makes a very interesting remark about what prompted his visit to Jerusalem. He said it came after “God told him to go.” Some scholars believe it came in a dream, others in a vision, like Peter and John, or, perhaps, an unexpected invitation from the leaders in Jerusalem. In my opinion, Paul’s reference to being told to go refers back to the prophecy by Agabus as a revelation he received to go to Jerusalem. So it did not involve any personal longing, homesickness, a business matter, or anything personal. Paul took what Agabus revealed as the Holy Spirit’s message to him. So whatever conditions existed at the time, he remained convinced beyond any doubt that the time arrived to make a visit to Jerusalem.

So once Paul and his entourage arrived in Jerusalem, they didn’t go sightseeing. Apparently a meeting was hastily called, the Apostles, church leaders, and elders in the congregation were asked to greet Paul and hear from him and Barnabas what God did through their ministry.² Apparently their testimony proved spell-binding, because Luke records: “All those who were gathered together kept quiet as Paul and Barnabas told of all the powerful works God did through them among the Gentiles.”³ It is clear that by now Paul’s standing among ministry leaders was so impressive that just his presence brought them together to hear the great news from the mission field. That’s why one well-known Rabbi and Jewish commentator on the Psalms, expounds on verse two from the Psalms: “But may all those who seek you be glad and take joy in you. May those who love your salvation say always, ‘Adonai is great and glorious!’”⁴ by indicating that such men of great esteem were spiritual men, capable of judging of all spiritual things; men of full age, whose senses were exercised to discern between truth and error.⁵

Early church scholar Victorinus offers his opinion on what Paul says here that can be taken as a revelation Paul received in addition to the Word of Knowledge given by Agabus. Once Paul heard the Word from the Lord through Agabus, and the congregation asked him and Joseph Bar-Nabba to go to Jerusalem to get things sorted out, Paul was prompted by the Spirit that once he arrived he should meet privately with the top Apostles to explain his case as to why he didn’t require obedience to Jewish ceremonial law for the Gentiles who were being converted. This would keep them from being embarrassed in front of the Council when asked to explain.⁶

Chrysostom of Constantinople shares an interesting perspective on Paul’s visit. He starts out by questioning Paul’s intentions since neither at the beginning nor after three years he felt the need to confer with the Apostles, suddenly wants to discuss with them now. After all, fourteen years passed since his becoming an Apostle, so why was he now suddenly concerned that it all was in vain? Wouldn’t it have been better if he did this in the first place than after so many years? Also, why even go at all if he was not sure that he was running doing the right thing? Chrysostom describes it as Paul running a race only to find out he’s on the wrong racecourse. Who would be so senseless as to preach a message for so many years without being sure that their preaching was true?

Chrysostom also feels that there may be an answer to all this by the fact that Paul said he went up to Jerusalem because of a revelation. For if he went up to Jerusalem feeling guilty or as a last-minute decision would make it questionable. This would not be like the person who said, “I run straight for the finish line. I fight to win, not just beat the air with my fists.”⁷ If, therefore, he runs with such certainty, how can he say I didn’t want to be running? It is evident from this, that if he went up without a revelation he’d be laughed at upon his arrival there.⁸

Early church writer Haimo of Auxerre tells us that Jerome’s comments on this verse ought to be read as a question because its meaning is as follows. Did I confer with them separately because I was afraid they would rebuke me as if my teaching were not true and would be in need of their strengthening; or as if I ran in vain preaching from place to place? The answer is no, for they were the ones who needed to listen to him about such deep and profound mysteries because they proved less competent and thus could not comprehend such things without an explanation.

Haimo also feels that those gathered in Jerusalem were in no position to say to the Galatians: Do not believe Paul, for he is preaching a lie. He preaches and teaches one thing when he is around you and another when he’s with us. When he is with you, he preaches that circumcision should not be observed, and then when he is with us, he circumcised Titus. That could serve as a ploy to get the Galatians to see things their way and lessen Paul’s influence and authority. Since during all the time that Titus journeyed with Paul, he was never pressured to accept being circumcised, so why should he now be persuaded to do so just by the objection of the false brethren who were smuggled into the meeting to challenge Paul’s teaching on circumcision as not being a requirement for the Gentiles?

For this great early Church preacher, anyone hearing Paul’s explanation would be unable to harbor any suspicion of his efforts, since it was by grace that he was changed and it was by the same grace that drew him to Jerusalem. Therefore, this meeting was not the result of human planning, but by divine providence, because it concerned both the present and future of the Congregations of Believers. That’s why, one early church scholar points out that Paul discussed the Gospel he was preaching with the leaders, so they could be assured that Paul never adopted some corrupted doctrine. For Haimo, there is a difference between discussing an issue among each other and teaching or learning. Coequals discuss things, whereas teaching and learning take place between superiors and subordinates. That’s why Paul discussed it with Peter, John, and James.⁹ So in a way, Paul was saying that he discussed his understanding of the Gospel with people he considered his peers.

Another medieval church theologian, Peter Lombard, felt that Paul was motivated to obey his revelation to go to Jerusalem because he saw the opportunity to discuss with the Apostle, as with friends and equals, the subject of the Gospel he was preaching among the Gentiles. This made it possible for Paul to speak in private and explain his preaching because many converts, having been accosted by the Judaizers, were now worried about the Apostle’s teaching. That is why he says he discussed it with them, thereby, demonstrating greater assurance of the Gospel’s impact by receiving the Apostle Peter’s stamp of approval, as well as others in leadership.¹⁰

I imagine the brethren in Jerusalem were all saying to each other, “Why is he here? He didn’t seem interested in what we had to say up until now? Wonder what brought him here?” Augustine of Hippo offered one suggestion. For him, Paul’s going to Jerusalem was in response to a revelation. That would certainly make it easier for him to explain why he was now going up at that this time and not having gone up for some fourteen years. By saying that he came because of a revelation then it was right for him to go up at that time.¹¹ In other words, God instructed him to go and so he went in obedience to God’s will. No doubt Paul felt that the brethren in Jerusalem would not want to argue with God’s decision to send him there.

Martin Luther agrees that without Paul hearing the prophecy by Agabus in which God revealed His will to Him personally for him to go, no scheduled visit to Jerusalem would have occurred.¹² And John Calvin is struck by Paul’s use of the Greek verb anatithēmi translated by KJV as “communicated.” It strongly suggests that Paul did not go there to learn but to declare in no uncertain terms why he told the Gentiles that they no longer needed the Jewish Law to their Declaration of Christian Faith. This would then not require them to be circumcised or follow traditional Jewish rites and rituals.¹³

Sir Robert Anderson (1841-1918), the son of an elder in the Irish Presbyterian Church, and Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department at Scotland Yard, was often referred to as “a secret service theologian.” In commenting on what Paul says here about going up to Jerusalem to explain to the Congregation Council there the Gospel he was preaching to the Gentiles, Anderson notes Paul felt such an obligation to his own people that he felt the need to defend it. But to Gentiles, he preached a Gospel which he received by special revelation. And the specific purpose of his third visit to Jerusalem was to communicate that Gospel to the other Apostles. In writing to Timothy he speaks of it as “the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.”¹⁴ It was this precious deposit which, we are told, that on the eve of his martyrdom he handed back to the God who entrusted it to him by telling Him that he kept the faith and finished the course¹⁵.¹⁶

Oh, that all of us who are given the privilege of communicating the Good News of salvation to the lost and dying in the world, and as nutrition to His children who need greater understanding of His Word, His Way, and His Will, can do the same when our time comes to lay down our cross and surrender our spirit into His hands.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CONGREGATIONS OF BELIEVERS

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson II)

Jewish commentator Adriaan Liebenberg notes that some Christians fall into the same trap today that Paul warned the Gentiles about. But instead of circumcision, these Christians declare “Water Baptism” as the doorway into the Kingdom of YaHWeH. Many churches in Christendom teach that infant baptism makes them a “member of the church.” In doing so, they place the “cart before the horse” as the Galatian Judaizers did with circumcision. Immersion is Scriptural does not come before personal faith in Yeshua, and the new believer in Yeshua must go through a period of spiritual instruction so that they fully understand the immersion steps they are taking and not be rushed, forced, or compelled into doing so before then.¹ We might say, that Baptism is the Christian form of Circumcision. However, for the Christian, it is circumcision of the heart.

Don Garrison puts a special emphasis on why Paul took Titus with him to Jerusalem. As Garrison sees it, Titus is a crucial figure at this pivotal point in the history of early Christianity. It would stand to reason that Paul purposely took Titus along as a perfect example for the Galatians themselves to provoke a confrontation with the Judaizers and to use Titus as a test case to confirm that he and the Apostles were in one accord about not needing circumcision in order to serve the Anointed One.² In other words, it’s one thing to talk about something, and another thing to offer proof. Paul used Titus to demonstrate to the doubters in Jerusalem, and Galatia, that what he preached to the Gentiles really worked in leading them to the Anointed One, and accepting Him as their Lord and Savior.

Garrison also mentions that New Testament Professor G. Walter Hansen feels that Paul’s inclusion of Titus on his team boldly expresses his conviction that it was not necessary for Greek Christians to change their ethnic identity by becoming Jews in order to be included in the congregation. The presence of Titus forced the conference in Jerusalem to resolve the issue of discrimination against Gentile Christians. Hansen further comments that Paul’s associates included Christian Jew Barnabas and the Christian Greek Titus, thereby providing a living illustration of the new found freedom in the Anointed One. Furthermore, says Hansen, Paul’s team was a mini example of the mighty power of the Gospel to break down the barriers that separated Jews and Gentiles, and to create a new unity in the Anointed One – a unity that transcends all ethnic, cultural, racial, gender, esteem, and social divisions in the world.³

Vincent Cheung adds more things for us to consider about Titus’ character and abilities. Paul called him his “true son,” in the faith.⁴ Paul entrusted him to deal with the Corinthians, and we know what sort of people they were. Nevertheless, he returned with a good report.⁵ This shows his ability to remain patient and open-minded. Paul also sent him to collect donations pledged by the Corinthians,⁶ so he could be trusted with money as well. Regarding God’s work, Titus’ eagerness, zealousness, and a willingness to initiate help when needed really impressed Paul.⁷ Titus also proved himself to be a dependable ministry worker, and a strong leader. In fact, Paul trusted him to complete what he himself left unfinished on the isle of Crete, implying Paul’s full confidence in his competence and character, so he instructed him to “appoint elders in every town,” something not given to a novice or young man with little experience. The truth is this required authority, knowledge, discernment, and maturity. The fact that Cretans were known in general to be “liars, evil brutes, and lazy gluttons,”⁸ reflects on the exceptional courage and skill of Titus to manage troublesome people. Paul told Titus to “rebuke them sharply”⁹ and “with all authority.”¹⁰ No wonder Titus was later appointed Bishop over this area.

Luke tells us that Barnabas’ first name was Joseph, but the people in the congregation in Jerusalem called him Bar-Nabba (which means “Son of the Exhorter),” which interpreted means, “Son of Consolation.” He was a Levite and a native of Cyprus. He sold a piece of land which belong to his family and brought the money to the Apostles.¹¹ He certainly proved to be a source of consolation, for when Paul finally came to Jerusalem after three years on his own in Syria and Arabia, it was Bar-Nabba who befriended Paul and took him to meet the Apostles.¹²

In the meantime, some trouble was brewing in Antioch because several of those sent out to preach were only reaching out to the Jews, while a number of Jewish Christian converts outside Israel in Cyprus and Cyrene, were also preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles. This caused the Council in Jerusalem to send Bar-Nabba to Antioch to report on how things were going there. So we should count it no wonder that when the congregation in Antioch needed some skilled teachers. It was Bar-Nabba they sent all the way to Tarsus to find Paul and bring him back.¹³

Paul stayed there for about a year. During that time, another delegation came from Jerusalem to visit the congregation in Antioch. During one of the services, the Holy Spirit gave a word of prophecy to one of the visiting ministers named Agabus. Through Him, the Spirit told the congregation that a famine was coming and it would affect Judea and Jerusalem directly. Luke tells us that this happened while Claudius was the Emperor. It involved the period between 41 to 54 AD. So the congregation took up a love offering and chose Paul and Bar-Nabba to take it to Jerusalem.¹⁴

Once they got back to Antioch, they brought along Peter’s nephew,¹⁵ John Mark. It wasn’t too long after that, that the Holy Spirit spoke once again and told the congregation to select Paul and Bar-Nabba and send them out to do the work for which the Lord called them. Thus began the ministry of Paul as a missionary with Joseph Bar-Nabba, the Son of Consolation, close by his side.¹⁶ Their relationship exhibited its ups and downs, but they remained friends up until the end.

As far as Titus is concerned, Paul mentions him as though everyone knew about him. According to one Roman Catholic tradition,¹⁷ Titus studied Greek philosophy and poetry in Antioch until Paul came there preaching the Gospel of Jesus the Anointed One, and when Titus heard about Jesus and what Jesus did in dying on the cross on behalf of his sins to bring him freedom and rising again from the dead in order to give him timeless life, he believed and became a devoted Christian. From that point on, Paul took him under his wing and it’s clear from the twelve different times Paul mentions him, in four of his letters, that he and Paul became best of friends.

We find that when Titus is mentioned by Paul in his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle is distraught because he could not locate him. ¹⁸ And later, Paul is so happy to welcome Titus back from a visit to Corinth and the good news he brought.¹⁹ Later, Paul mentioned the good work that Titus did in Corinth and how much it helped them and him.²⁰ Apparently, Titus carried a soft spot in his heart for the Corinthians.²¹ No wonder Paul referred to him as one of his closest associates. As we say today, his “right-hand man.”²² We see now why Paul put so much confidence in Titus that he would later ordain him as Bishop of Crete.²³ Here in his letter to the Galatians, Paul will reveal that Titus, a Greek Gentile convert, never underwent circumcision.²⁴

When you stop and think about this, Paul traveled around preaching the powerful Gospel of the Anointed One and bringing the lost to Him for salvation. Some fourteen years went by before he went up to Jerusalem again to meet with the executive committee of the congregation to get their stamp of approval. And as some scholars point out, this came after the three years he spent in Arabia, for a total of seventeen years. It didn’t mean that Paul was being arrogant or even dismissive of his place in the congregation and the needed guidance he provided. Rather, he found out that they were receiving false information about him and his ministry. If Peter, James, or John disapproved of his work they certainly would have made that known a long time ago. That’s why he calls the accusers, spies.

Thank goodness that the Apostles in Jerusalem exercised good sense to wait and speak to Paul before making up their minds about his ministry. But even more important, Paul knew who he was, and whose he was. Too often ministers seek the approval of their peers or superiors before they seek approval from the One who called them. Even our strongest supporters cannot live our lives for us, nor do the work God called us to do; neither are they able to go with us every place we go and undergo the same pressures and demands that our calling often brings us into. But the One who called us is able to do all of that. Trust Him first, and all others second. While we may rightly respect our peers, we must reverence our Lord and Savior, our Great Shepherd, our Master and Redeemer.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CONGREGATIONS OF BELIEVERS

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson I)

2:1  It took another fourteen years before I returned to Jerusalem, and this time I took Barnabas and Titus along with me.

Paul now moves on with his story as to why he’s claiming the right, as well as the blessing, of the original Apostles to teach and preach the Gospel the Anointed One revealed to him. Since his conversion to Christianity marked the starting point for his time reference; the fourteen years he speaks of here began at that point. What did he do during those years? A quick review of his journeys listed in the Book of Acts tells us.¹ But his main point to the Galatians was that he stayed in contact with the leaders in Jerusalem and is very mindful and respectful of their Ecclesiastical authority.

Luke records this journey to Jerusalem by Paul and tells us it all started with an argument. Paul and Barnabas returned to the congregation in Antioch from their first missionary journey. And while they were there, some questionable so-called apostles came over from Judea and started telling them and the congregation members that they needed to add circumcision and other practiced rites and rituals of the Jewish faith to their Christian faith, if they wanted to be absolutely certain of their salvation.

But Paul and Barnabas got into a debate and argued with them. That didn’t seem to settle the matter, however, so the congregation in Antioch decided to send Paul and Barnabas, and some others, up to Jerusalem to report this to the Council. Along the way, they stopped and visited the churches in Phoenicia and Samaria, and told them how many Gentiles on the mission field were turning to God. This made the members of these congregations very glad and they rejoiced in the Lord.²

The associates Paul chose to take with him to Jerusalem were emblematic of his ministry. Barnabas, a Cypriot Jewish Levite, one who vouched for Paul before the Council in Jerusalem when Paul returned from Damascus³, and Titus, a non-Jew living in Antioch and one of his first converts. What better way to prove his ministry being effective both among the Jews and non-Jews than to bring witnesses to show that in a part of the world no other Apostles ever visited, heathens were being won to Christ through Paul’s preaching of the Gospel.

Early church scholar Irenaeus wrote that Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with the Apostle in response to their request. Apparently, the Jewish legalistic contingent of the congregation in Jerusalem were all upset that no one confronted and questioned this rebel Apostle formerly named, Saul of Tarsus, asking him to explain who gave him the authority to excuse the Gentile Christians from being circumcised before they were baptized. Paul feels that this information proved important enough not only to share with the congregations of believers in Galatia but also hoping that the converted Pharisee troublemakers might also see the light.

That’s why Paul did not hesitate to include this story in his letter to them in the opening verse of this second chapter. But it was in Jerusalem that something else happened that Paul wanted the Galatians to know about, so he told them, “We refused to yield for a single instant to their claims; we were determined that the truth of the Gospel should hold steady for you.”¹ However, Irenaeus may have uncovered some information passed down by the Apostles that Paul did not include here. He tells that Paul and his entourage admitted that “for about an hour they did take time to receive advice.”⁵

Early church writer Ambrosiaster points out that Paul found himself dealing with a reputation that preceded him no matter where he went, especially among Jews who never met him. This allowed the possibility of a false impression being created in their minds. And in Galatia, the added pressure of explaining how his Gospel matched that of the Apostles in Jerusalem needed to be explained. No doubt, many of those in the synagogues in Galatia were suspicious when their neighbor to the southeast by the name of Saul of Tarsus, planned to come their way. So Paul is taking as much space as needed in his letter to remind them that all of their fears dissipated when he got there because they found out he was the real thing. Now, unfortunately, some reputation assassins still embarked on attacking Paul’s message as well as the messenger.

Ambrosiaster is convinced that Paul insisted on a private meeting with the Apostles for them to realize that he did not go around propagating some new version of the Gospel, that is to say, that they wouldn’t think he knowingly or unknowingly developed an error in his interpretation,⁶ as quite a few of the Jewish believers imagined.⁷ The ultimate goal remained that any hesitation or suspicion on the part of his brothers or fellow Apostles might be removed and the Gentile believers would be reassured that Paul’s Gospel proved to be the same as that of the other Apostles, especially after they decreed that Gentile believers would not be bothered as long as they kept the law by refraining from fornication and idolatry.

Early church commentator, Bruno the Carthusian, felt that Paul recalled this event to correct any misgivings the Galatians harbored after his departure. He goes on to explain that Paul’s intentions were to dismiss any of his opponents’ claims that he concealed the real truth when he preached to the Gentiles. Paul wanted them to know that he preached the authentic Gospel among the Gentiles. Nor did he at any time keep the true Word under wraps. In fact, he conferred with the Council in Jerusalem publicly.⁸

The reason Paul emphasized this visit showed his critics that if the leaders in Jerusalem found any reason to oppose his ministry, they would have made it known as soon as possible to everyone. But just the opposite happened; they agreed that the Anointed One chose Paul specifically to preach the Gospel among the Gentiles. So little by little, Paul is tearing down the Judaizers’ arguments against his authority; he refutes their claim that he’s an independent maverick organizer of a new Jesus Movement and never given the right hand of fellowship by the original disciples.

Thomas Aquinas sees Paul making a series of important points for the Galatians, so as to assure them that the Gospel he brought them was genuine. The first thing he does is to show that the other Apostles approved of his teaching. This is what allowed him to rebuke the Judaizers who opposed his Gospel. The second thing involved showing how he scheduled a private session with the top Apostles. Not only did they gladly receive him, but they approved of what he did there in Galatia. And the third thing his visit accomplished, concerned those who came to oppose him did not succeed. In fact, the other Apostles accepted Paul’s view as part of their Gospel.⁹

Reformist Martin Luther sees a similarity between what Paul experienced with the Jews and what he observed in trying to get Roman Catholics to convert to his way of understanding the Bible. Just like the Jews who were brought up in the Law of Moses and the traditions that were embedded in Judaism, so Roman Catholics were prone to cling to their teachings and their traditions. After all, do not both Jews and Catholics believe that what they received came from God? Jews believe that it came through Moses and the Prophets, while Roman Catholics believe that it came through the Apostles to the Pope and then to the Church.

So Luther understood how impossible it proved for recent converts from Judaism to suddenly break with the Law and Tradition. However, God showed the same patience with them that He had with the infirmity of Israel when the people switched back and forth between two religions. In addition, didn’t God show patience with us while we remained blindfolded by our religion and traditions? But God is patient and full of mercy. But once the Jews learned the truth, they did not dare abuse the patience of the Lord. Same is true of those who continue in error once the truth of the Gospel is revealed to them. How long will they continue to test God’s merciful patience?¹⁰

Matthew Henry (1662-1714) feels that he can see a pattern here in why Paul picked the two companions he did to go up with him to Jerusalem to inform Peter, James, John, and the Council there about their missionary ministry to the Gentiles. For Henry, he says that we have a clear reason why Barnabas went along with Paul for he was chosen by the Christians at Antioch to be his companion and associate for this particular effort. But, as it does not appear that Titus was put into the same commission with him, so the chief reason of his taking him along with him seems to have been to let those at Jerusalem see that he was neither ashamed nor afraid to own the doctrine which he constantly preached in his evangelistic endeavors among the Jews and Gentiles.

In other words, Paul brought Titus along so he could testify that salvation without circumcision works. For although Titus became not only a convert to the Christian faith, but a preacher, and later a Bishop, of it as well, yet he was by birth a Gentile and uncircumcised, and, therefore, by making him his companion, it appeared that their doctrine and practice were cut from the same piece of the same cloth, and that as he preached that circumcision and observing the Law of Moses were unnecessary, so Paul presented through Titus the evidence that his message worked for the salvation of all who heard.¹¹

Luke does not mention who went with Paul besides Barnabas, but here Paul tells us that one of them was Titus. William Ramsay suggests that Titus was Luke’s little brother, that’s why Luke never mentions him in Acts of the Apostles.¹² As far as Barnabas is concerned. Luke gives us a little background on this young man. He attended the prayer group in Jerusalem that prayed for Peter and John when they were kicked out of the Temple and then forbidden to speak about this Jesus anymore.¹³ But Peter and John stood steadfast and refused to stop preaching Jesus as the Messiah. When they reported this to the congregation there in Jerusalem, everyone rejoiced in what happened.

Harvey Mackay is one of America’s most popular and entertaining business speakers. Toastmasters International named him one of the top five speakers in the world. In one of his motivational presentations, he said: “Do what you love, love what you do, and deliver more than you promise.”

Nicole Bradley-Bernard is quoted as saying that your word is more valuable than anything else. We should always remind ourselves about the importance of promises (and of keeping them). Life is always changing and evolving. This includes everything from the things in our daily lives to our emotions. All of these things make some commitments hard to keep. The proof that sticking to your word can sometimes be hard, is deep-rooted in our society. New Year’s resolutions are only followed through the first week of January and nearly every person has experienced the feeling of betrayal from a broken promise, and have often been responsible for causing that feeling for someone else.

She points us to several quotes that we ought to keep in mind. For instance, “Don’t make a promise you don’t intend to keep.” Another thing is not to make a good promise when you are happy and don’t promise revenge when you are angry and do not make a regrettable promise when you are sad. Furthermore, the most important person to keep your promise to is God, then your spouse and family, then to yourself. Think of it this way: a promise is like a cloud. When it’s filled it sends down rain. Kept promises are the best friends a person can have. And the Bible makes it clear that we are never to break a promise, especially one we make to the Lord.¹

As Nicole rightly stated, keeping your word is what make it valuable. So if you are known to keep your promises, you will be thought of as a very valuable friend. So it makes sense then, that what Mackay says about going above and beyond what you promised will really make you a precious spouse, father, mother, sister, brother, family member, co-worker, friend, neighbor. That doesn’t mean you make promises for things you can’t deliver. What it does imply is that once you make a promise and fulfill it, if there anything left over, add that too what you’re able to do or give. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

GOD IS NEVER LATE

This story is told by one of two college musicians who decided that a good part-time job would be singing on the street in Times Square. So each evening they would go down to Manhattan and set up their instruments just outside the Starbucks on 51^st Street and Broadway. On this particular Saturday, it was chilly outside but warm inside the Starbucks Coffee Shop. The early November weather in New York City holds only the slightest hint of the bitter chill of late December and January, but it’s enough to send the masses crowding indoors to get in line for the available space and warmth and hot coffee.

Most street musicians know it’s the most lucrative Starbucks location in the world, and the tips can be substantial if they play their tunes right. Apparently, on this evening, they were striking all the right chords because their basket was almost overflowing. It was a fun, low-pressure performance, one was playing keyboard and singing backup for his friend who also added rhythm with an arsenal of percussion instruments. They sang mostly pop songs from the ’40s to the ’90s with a few original tunes thrown in. During their emotional rendition of the classic, “If You Don’t Know Me by Now,” one of them noticed a lady sitting in a chair across from them. She was swaying to the beat and singing along.

After the tune was over, she approached them. “I apologize for singing along on that song,” she said. “Did it bother you?” she asked. “No,” they replied. “We love it when the audience joins in. Would you like to sing up front on the next selection?” To their delight, she accepted their invitation. “You choose the song,” they said. “What are you in the mood to sing?” “Well…. do you know any hymns?” she asked.

Hymns? This woman didn’t know who she was talking to. Before one of them was even born, he was going to church! He gave the guest singer a knowing look. “Name one,” he offered. “Oh, I don’t know. There are so many good ones. You pick one,” she told him.

“Okay,” he replied. “How about His Eye is on the Sparrow?” The lady just stood there in silence as she looked away. Then she turned and looked him straight in the eye and said, “Yeah, okay. Let’s do that one.” She slowly put down her purse, straightened her jacket and faced the center of the shop. With a two-bar setup, she began to sing in a beautiful soprano voice, “Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?” The audience of coffee drinkers were transfixed. Even the gurgling noises of the cappuccino machine ceased as the employees stopped what they were doing to listen. The song rose to its conclusion. “I sing because I’m happy; I sing because I’m free. For His eye is on the sparrow And I know He watches me.”

When the last note was sung, the applause crescendoed to a deafening roar that would have rivaled a sold-out crowd at Carnegie Hall. Embarrassed, the woman tried to shout over the noise, “Oh, y’all go back to your coffee! I didn’t come in here to do a concert! I just came in here to get something to drink, just like you!” But the ovation continued. The musician who picked the hymn reached out and embraced his new friend. “You, my dear, have made my whole year! That was beautiful!” he told her.

“Well, it’s funny that you picked that particular hymn,” she said. “Why is that?” he inquired. “Well…” she hesitated again, “that was my daughter’s favorite song.” “Really!” he exclaimed. “Yes,” she said, and then grabbed his hands. By this time, the applause had subsided and it was business as usual… “My daughter was sixteen, she died of a brain tumor last week.”

He said the first thing that found its way through his stunned silence. “Are you going to be okay? he asked. She smiled through tear-filled eyes and squeezed his hands. “I’m going to be okay,” she replied, I’ve just got to keep trusting the Lord and singing His songs, and everything’s going be just fine.” She picked up her bag, gave him her card, and then she was gone.

Was it just a coincidence that they happened to be singing in that particular coffee shop on that particular November evening? Was it happenstance that this wonderful lady just happened to walk into that particular shop? Was it by pure chance that of all the hymns to choose from, he just happened to pick the very hymn that was the favorite of her daughter, who died just the week before? He refused to believe it.

God has been arranging encounters like this in human history since the beginning of time, and it’s no stretch for anyone to imagine that God could reach into a coffee shop in midtown Manhattan and turn an ordinary gig into a revival. It was a great reminder that if we keep trusting God and singing the songs that honor Him, everything’s going to be okay.

Some may call this incident a case of good luck, karma, fate, coincidence, or being in the right place at the right time. That might seem reasonable if you are talking about one person’s fortune. But three people, coming from different directions, meeting on the same night, at a particular spot in one of the largest cities in the world, knowing the same song? No! As every believer knows, God often operates this way. Just think of Jesus meeting the lady at Jacob’s Well in Samaria.¹ That wasn’t happenstance. That was by divine appointment. So when something like this happens to you, don’t give fate or luck the praise, give God the praise because He’s the One in charge of your destiny. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CONGREGATIONS OF BELIEVERS

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER ONE 

Like all of Paul’s writings, the Book of Galatians is an epistle – a letter. Paul founded the Christian congregations of believers in the region of Galatia during his early missionary journeys. After leaving the region, he wrote the letter we now call the Book of Galatians in order to encourage the congregation he planted – and to offer correction for some on the way they were easily being led astray from the Gospel that he brought and taught them.

Paul began the letter by claiming himself as the author, which is important. Some Final Covenant epistles were written anonymously, but Paul made sure his recipients knew they were hearing from him. He begins Chapter One by asserting that he was appointed by the Anointed One, not the other Apostles or the Jerusalem Council. Paul claimed that this fact alone made him, unlike the other Apostles. The first five verses are a standard greeting for his day.

Paul was writing this letter to the congregations of believers in Galatia because there was a huge problem about men claiming to be teachers for the Lord. Their true intention, however, was to steer the people away from the Scripture and insert alternate books and teachings. These false teachers wanted to discredit Paul’s word in order to continue their selfish mission of corrupting the congregation of the Anointed One.

In verses six and seven, however, Paul got down to the main reason for his correspondence: I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from Him who called you by the grace of the Anointed One, said Paul, and are turning to a different gospel – not that there was another gospel, but there are some who were troubling them and wanted to change the good news about the Messiah with the bad news of the Law.

Paul also mentions that he was disappointed in how easily these false teachers were able to sway people away from the Scripture. Paul then made it clear that any person, whether they are a priest, an apostle, or even an angel, that spoke of any other word than the Word of the Lord were to be promptly told to leave without any goodbyes. As an obedient servant of God, he saw it as his duty to please God and not mankind.

This all happened because after Paul departed from Galatia, a group of Jewish Christians entered the region and began denouncing the Gospel of salvation Paul preached. These Jewish Christians were often referred to as “Judaizers” because they claimed that followers of Jesus must continue to fulfill all the regulations of the First Covenant Law – including circumcision, sacrifices, observing holy days, and more.

Paul’s Gospel was being put on trial by those that questioned his authority as an Apostle. Paul continued to defend his Gospel by saying that its words were sent to him by the Lord and not by man. He wrote how God’s grace saved his soul and called him to preach the Scripture to the Gentiles. He claimed that he had very little interaction with the other Apostles.

Paul was completely against the message of the Judaizers. He rightly understood that they were attempting to twist the Gospel into a process of salvation by works. Indeed, the Judaizers were attempting to hijack the early Christian movement and return it to a legalistic form of Judaism.

For this reason, Paul spent much of chapter one establishing his authority and credentials as an Apostle of Jesus. Paul had received the Gospel message directly from Jesus during a supernatural encounter on the road to Damascus and then later in the Arabian wasteland.

Just as importantly, Paul spent most of his life as a gifted student of the First Covenant Law. He was a zealous Jew, a Pharisee, and dedicated his life to following the same system the Judaizers wanted. He knew better than most the utter failure of that religious legal system, especially in light of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

That’s why Paul used this letter to explain his conversion on the road to Damascus, his connection with Peter and the other Apostles in Jerusalem, and his earlier work teaching the message of the Gospel in Syria and Cilicia. After his conversion, he did not consult with anyone else but traveled into Arabia. Then after three years, he traveled to see Peter in Jerusalem, but only stayed for fifteen days. The only other Apostle he spoke with was James, the brother of Jesus. Paul then moved to Syria and Cilicia, remaining out of sight to the congregations of believers in Judea. The people of Judea only heard of Paul’s teachings, which was enough to make believers out of most of them that he was for real.

Paul faithfully taught the Gospel to the people of Galatia. He proclaimed the truth that Jesus the Anointed One died and rose again in order that all people might experience salvation and the forgiveness of sins as a gift received through faith – not as something they could earn through good works. Therefore, Paul showed no tolerance for those who attempted to deny or corrupt the truth.

Additionally, Paul reinforced his credibility as an Apostle of Jesus the Anointed One. One of the ways the Judaizers attempted to argue against Paul’s ideas was to discredit his character. The Judaizers often tried to intimidate Gentile Christians on the basis of their familiarity with the Scriptures. Because the Gentiles had only learned about the First Covenant for a few years, the Judaizers would often bully them with their superior knowledge of the text.

Paul wanted to make sure the Galatians understood that he had more experience with the Jewish Law than any of the Judaizers. In addition, he received a direct revelation from Jesus the Anointed One regarding the message of the Gospel – the same message he proclaimed to them. This was something the Judaizers were unable to do. So one question the Galatians might ask these intruders was this: When did you meet Jesus the Anointed One? When did He call you to be an Apostle to the Gentiles? Where did you spend three years learning more from the Great Teacher about His Word, His Mission, and His desire to save the world? I’m sure, that if they did, they’d only hear excuses and alibis. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

LESSONS ON GALATIANS UPDATE

A grateful “Thank You” to all my readers whose love for God’s Word is greater than their desire in using their time for other things. You are blessed of the Lord for your urge to learn more about what the Word of God has to say about our conduct in this present world. Especially among those outside the church walls, as well as, those inside the church walls.

Tomorrow we will post a Summary of Chapter One for you to add to your notes, that will give you a quick overview of what Paul wrote and what role it plays in his message to the Galatians – which is also a message to us.

Then on Friday, I will finalize the first lesson on Chapter Two for posting next Monday, July 15th. I hope that your appreciation for what the Apostle Paul went through just to spread the Gospel to those to whom the Lord Jesus sent him. So the next time you encounter any difficulties in carrying out the mission given to you by God, just remember what Paul went through. It should make you feel better and give the Lord thanks for what He’s doing through your life.

P.S. If you haven’t heard about our studies on the Book of Galatians, or haven’t joined yet, there is still time to get in and be able to catch up. Just go to Facebook Group “Called to Live in Freedom” and ask to join. You will be accepted immediately. – Dr. Robert R Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIAN CONGREGATIONS OF BELIEVERS

CHAPTER ONE (Lesson LXVI)

Collector of anecdotes, British Sunday school teacher J. L. Nye offered this story as an illustration of verse twenty-three where Paul relates how so many were talking about the difference in meeting the Anointed One face to face made a change in him from a Persecutor of the Gospel into a Preacher of the Gospel.

One of Martin Luther’s most fierce enemies was Count Eberhard of Erbach, Germany. At a scheduled meeting of Church officials in Heidelberg, Germany, Count Eberhard heard that Martin Luther would be attending. So leaving a sick daughter at home, he rushed to get to the city in time. While staying at a Gasthaus, he conversed with several men, who were all strangers to him, about Luther staying there. Count Eberhard was struck by the learning and piety of one of them, an unknown monk. After their talk, Count Eberhard quietly told them of his plan to get rid of Martin Luther and invited them to join him. When the other men left, the monk stayed behind. He looked steadfastly into the Count’s eyes and said, “You can spare yourself with any further trouble in this matter. The man you desire to seize and put in prison is standing in front of you. I am Martin Luther.” Thunderstruck and bewildered by this sudden revelation, the Count fell to his knees and in a choked voice said to Luther, “You are a much better man than I am. May God in His mercy forgive me of my evil intentions.” In a calm and reassuring voice Luther took his hand and said to Count Eberhard, “Rise and go in peace. The one who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus the Anointed One.” As a result, Count Eberhard became on of the staunchest supporters of Luther and the Reformation Movement.1

What a model for faith and faithfulness that Martin Luther gives us to emulate. His core belief that came from the Apostle Paul wrote in his Epistle to the Galatians. And in the same manner, we should all be ready to become an Apostle Paul or a Martin Luther when it comes to any persecution or hardships we may have to endue because of our faith in the Anointed One. We must stand fast in the belief that we are “called of God,” “called by God,” until we are “called away by God” to our rest to await the resurrection.

Andrew Roth shows us that the Aramaic version of Galatians gives us a slightly different nuance on what Paul is saying here in verse twenty-four about praise going to God. His translation reads: “And they turned their praise to Elohim on my account.”² The translation from Aramaic by John Etheridge has: “And in me they glorified Aloha.” (Hebrew “Eloah.”). And James Murdock’s translation reads, “And they glorified God in me.” Edger J. Goodspeed renders it as, “…and they praised God for me.”³ In the Contextual Bible it is rendered, “And they praise God because of me.”⁴ When we put all of these together it is clear that Paul was saying that when they saw what God was doing through me they gave Him all the praise. That’s the way it should be for all of us.

Ronald Fung has another insight as to why the congregations of believers in Judæa rejoiced because of Paul’s conversion and the ministry God gave him. Not only was it because of what they saw in him that was truly attributed to God’s transforming grace, but because it also showed that the Gospel he was preaching was in harmony with that believed by earlier congregations. This caused the Judæan Christians to be cordial in their attitude towards him. Therefore, the Judaizers whom he is opposing are both of recent development and out of harmony with the original Gospel and with the original attitude of the Judæan Christians. In other words, it was the Judaizers, not Paul, who deviated from the right path.⁵

Messianic scholar Lancaster explains that when Paul ended up in Antioch, it would have been very easy for him to begin teaching them about Judaism and guide them along the path to full conversion by first becoming converts to Judaism. This is what the false teachers were doing in the Galatian congregations of believers. But Paul refused to follow this model. Instead, he taught the new believers to remain as non-Jews as far as being circumcised was concerned, and, as well as the observance of the Jewish holidays and feasts.

Lancaster believes that Paul’s message in Antioch was the same as that he would share with the believers in Corinth: “But each one of you should continue to live the way the Lord God has given you to live—the way you were when God chose you. I tell people in all the congregations of believers to follow this rule. If a man was already circumcised when he was chosen, he should not change his circumcision. If a man was without circumcision when he was chosen, he should not be circumcised. It is not important if anyone is circumcised or not. What is important is obeying God’s commands. Each one of you should stay the way you were when God chose you. If you were a slave when God chose you, don’t let that bother you. But if you can be free, then do it. If you were a slave when the Lord chose you, you are now free in the Lord. You belong to the Lord. In the same way, if you were free when you were chosen, you are now the Anointed One’s slave. God paid a high price for you, so don’t be slaves to anyone else. Brothers and sisters, in your new life with God, each one of you should continue the way you were when God chose you.”⁶

Lancaster goes on to say, that Paul wanted the Galatian believers to know that the Gospel he preached teaches that a non-Jew can become a full member of the body of the Anointed One without having to go through the Jewish process of first being a convert to Judaism with circumcision, and then accept Jesus of Nazareth as the true the Anointed One. Lancaster concludes, that Gentiles would not be present in the community of faith today, nor in any congregation of believers if it were not for the revelation from Heaven that God granted His servant Paul. God set him apart before he was born, called him by His grace, and was pleased to reveal His Son to him in order that he might preach the Anointed One among the Gentiles.⁷

Charles B. Stevens (1854-1906) offers a paraphrase of verses eighteen through twenty-four that serves as a summary of Paul’s message and mission. Here’s the way Stevens puts it:

After my conversion, my course was such as to prove my independence of human teachers. For three years I did not see Jerusalem and the authorities of the church there. At the expiration of that period, however, I went there to interview Peter, but my visit was a brief one. I saw only one other apostle. I solemnly assert the truth of these statements. I next returned through Syria to my native province. My brief stay in Jerusalem and Judæa brought about, indeed, a new interest and rejoicing at my conversion, but I was not there long enough so that the congregations of believers at large even knew what I looked like.8

We should all be humbled by Paul’s example of standing true to God’s calling and God’s Word. At the same time, we should all be proud that the Holy Spirit gave us such a model to emulate by inspiring Paul to write these words. But none of this means anything if we do not dedicate ourselves to adopting the same attitude and action in standing up for the Gospel of Jesus the Anointed One. Otherwise, by reading these words we will be like the person who saw themselves in a mirror, realized what a weak and helpless person they were, but then turning away to go down the same old path they were following. They apparently concluded, that the image they saw the mirror was a part of their imagination, or, that it was a defective mirror that did not show their true self.⁹

But one thing is for sure. One day we will all stand before the judgment seat of the Anointed One, and what He sees will determine whether or not we go through the gate into everlasting life, or are thrown down into the pit with Satan into everlasting damnation. The choice is not His, it is ours.

THE END OF CHAPTER ONE