Horrible News from Galatia

Paul is fresh off his first missionary journey with Barnabas (Acts 14:36-27).  The dynamic duo rolled through the cities of Roman province of Galatia telling folks about Jesus and planting churches in cities like Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe (Acts 13:13-14:20).  On their way back home, they swung by for a second visit with these new believers (Acts 14:21-23).  So this letter is not to one church but to a network of churches in what we know today as Turkey.

When Paul arrives back at Antioch in Syria (this is a different city from the one he just visited), he gets some very disturbing news.  The people who had responded so radically and powerfully to the Gospel had fallen off the wagon.  

It seems some Jews were hot on the apostle's trail in Galatia, jacking up and twisting everything God had just revealed through him.  They claimed that Paul didn't tell these Galatian believers the whole story, that he left out some crucial intel.  These Jews tell the folks of Galatia they are lucky that they are in the area and able to clean up the mess left by the man from Tarsus.

These Jews tell the Galatians that the big thing Paul neglected to tell them is they have to become Jewish before becoming Christian.  You see, while there are a significant number of Galatian Jews who have accepted Jesus as Messiah, there are a huge number of Gentiles who have also come to put their faith in Him as well.  

This insidious second wave tells the Jews that they must keep on keepin' on with all of their Jewish practices.  And they tell the non-Jews that they must convert to Judaism before following Christ.  And, oh yeah, that means you must be circumcised.  Ouch.

When Paul gets the horrible news from Galatia, he hits the roof.  He was just there.  They were doing so well.  He's stunned to hear just how quickly and how radically they've put their faith in the ditch.  This is EXACTLY what he had warned them about.  

Something has to be done and done NOW!  Fresh off the road, he had only one choice.  He fires off a letter.  Quick.  Blunt.  Direct.  The gloves are off.  This is no time for pleasantries or warm fuzzies.  They are headed down an incredibly dangerous road and must be stopped NOW!

Paul begins by reminding him who he was.  "Paul, an apostle" (v1).  In the first century, an apostle is a personally designated representative who is given all the rights and full authority of his sender.  So for Paul to be Jesus' apostle, it's as if Jesus Himself has paid a visit to the Galatian churches.  He came to them with Jesus' authority.  He writes to them with Jesus' authority.  This isn't arrogance or pride.  This is his God given assignment.  

The apostle goes on to make sure they realize his authority is "not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father" (v1).  The risen Rabbi/Carpenter had personally appointed Paul when He divinely mugged him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6), sending him to tell non-Jews about God's gracious offer of salvation (Acts 9:15).  

He goes on to remind the Galatians that it was God the Father "who raised Him from the dead."  This is important to remember.  Jesus didn't just come back to life.  He couldn't raise Himself.  He was dead.  Dead.  Deceased.  In the grave.  No pulse.  No heartbeat.  No brain waves.  Dead.  

His Father had to reach down and bring Him back to life.  The apostle tells the Galatians that this is same God and Jesus are the Ones who sent him.

©2012

Jay Jennings