Bobservations' Column
Titled - "His Yoke is Easy"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz
The Epistle to the Galatians that we begin today is not just for a single Church. Asia Minor, which we refer to as Turkey today, was at the time of the letter called Anatolia. The region known as Galatia covered a large area of central Anatolia. There in that part of the country we find cities that we have read of in Acts of the Apostles: Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe were small cities but worthwhile stops in Paul’s travels. These were the Galatian Churches.
The region was named after the Gauls of Europe (Celts) after they found themselves unwelcome in their skirmishes to expand eastward to the Balkan States.
The Gauls eventually moved to central Anatolia as warrior-immigrants between 300 and 200 BC, centuries even before Christ. They established the Galatian region as their own, and it was called after them.
While Paul was near Lystra and Derbe, he met a young Timothy as a follower. It was several years later that Paul learned of problems in the region. Judaizers had followed Paul and preached the Jewish Law, requiring these new Gentile Converts to follow Jewish Laws and customs. Colossians 2:8 through chapter 3 goes into great detail of the problem also visited upon the Galatian churches, namely the completeness of Christ in the heart and mind of the Believers, rather than following laws made BY the Jews, and FOR the Jews in the practice of THEIR faith. (If Jews could not follow their own laws, what chance would gentiles have?)
The Judaizers saw this new faith in Jesus as a sect of Judaism, therefore in their minds, the Levitical Laws needed to be adopted by these new Christians. Paul disagreed vehemently! He had tasted of the freedom that Christ gave to those who follow His teachings, and knew that following Christ was a better way to live.
This wonderful Epistle is full of solid doctrine for Christian Churches and Believers: follow Christ Jesus rather than a human interpretation of His teachings! This is an important difference, and the reason that the Gospels were written: to let the Jews know that there was a better way to Worship God, and to bring them out of bondage to those laws and customs that even Paul declares were against us!
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:30
Bobservations' Column: Audio Version
Sunday Morning Message:
Galatians 1:1-12 - "His Yoke Is Easy"
Upon arriving back in Antioch from his first missionary journey after eighteen months on the road, Paul received a report that the churches he had started in Galatia had fallen into hard times—specifically, they had fallen into error. A group of Judaizers—those who sought to make living under the Mosaic Law a requirement of the Christian faith—had gained an influence in the Galatian churches. Paul wrote the book a few months before his attendance at the Jerusalem Council in AD 49, a meeting where the apostles would take up this very topic (Acts 15:1–30).
In advance of the Jerusalem Council, Paul’s letter speaks wisdom and clarity into the first real controversy that plagued the church in its early years—the relationship between Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles. Paul’s aggressive tone shows just how important it was to him that the people embrace unity in Christ, no matter their racial distinctions. For him, this was no minor issue, as he went so far as to call the Galatians deserters of Christ, people turning from the truth toward a gospel contrary to the one they had received from Paul (Galatians 1:6–9).
When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle. Therefore, Paul began the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue. Only in chapter 3 did he begin to get to the heart of their error; namely, that these Galatians sought to be justified by the Mosaic Law. In contrast, Paul presented his argument that justification comes to people by faith in Jesus Christ, not by their works under the Law.
Part of the problem that confronted the Galatians came in one of the arguments made by the Judaizers. These false teachers suggested that to live by grace and in freedom meant to live a lawless and therefore degenerate life. And so, in the final chapters of the letter, Paul made clear that justification—an act of grace through faith—need not result in a sinful lifestyle. Because Christians have been freed from bondage to the sinful nature, we now have the path of holiness open to us.
Sunday Morning Audio Message:
Key Words and Definitions with Reference:
Paul, an Apostle (1:1) - Paul was born in Tarsus, a city in the province of Cilicia, not far from Galatia. Under the famous rabbi, Gamaliel, Paul received a thorough training in the OT Scriptures and in the rabbinic traditions at Jerusalem (Acts 22:3). He was a member of the ultraorthodox sect of the Pharisees (Acts 23:6) and was one of the rising stars in Judaism. Paul's life took a sudden turn when on his way to Damascus from Jerusalem to persecute Christians, he was confronted by the risen, glorified Christ. That dramatic encounter turned Paul from Christianity's chief persecutor to its greatest missionary. "Apostle" in general terms means "one who is sent with a commission." The apostles of Jess Christ - The Twelve and Paul - were special ambassadors or messengers chosen and trained by Christ to lay the foundation of the early church and to be the channels of God's completed revelation (cf. Acts 1:2, 2:42; Ephesians 2:20).
Not From Men . . . But Through Jesus Christ (1:1) - Defending his apostleship against the false teachers' attack, Paul emphasized that Christ Himself appointed him as an apostle before he met the other apostles (cf. vv. 17, 18; Acts 9:3-9).
Raised Him from the Dead (1:1) - Paul included this important fact to show that the risen and ascended Christ Himself appointed him, thus Paul was a qualified witness of His resurrection (cf. Acts 1:22).
Churches of Galatia (1:2) - The churches Paul founded at Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:14-14:23).
Grace to You and Peace (1:3) - Even Paul's typical greeting attacked the Judaizers' legalistic system. If salvation is by works as they claimed, it is not of "grace" and cannot result in "peace," since no one can be sure he has enough good works to be eternally secure.
For Our Sins (1:4) - No one can avoid sin by human effort or law-keeping (Romans 3:20); therefore, it must be forgiven, which Christ accomplished through His atoning death on the cross (3:13).
Present Evil Age (1:4) - The Greek word for "age" does not refer to a period of time but an order or system, and in particular to the current world system ruled by Satan.
The Will of Our God (1:4) - The sacrifice of Christ for salvation was the will of God designed and fulfilled for His glory. (Matthew 26:42; John 6:38-40; Acts 2:22, 23; Romans 8:3, 31, 32; Ephesians 1:7, 11; Hebrews 10:4-10).
Turning Away (1:6) - This is better translated "deserting." The Greek word was used of military desertion, which was punishable by death. The form of this Greek verb indicates that the Galatian believers were voluntarily deserting grace to pursue the legalism taught by the false teachers.
So Soon (1:6) - This Greek word can mean either "easily" or "Quickly" and sometimes both. No doubt both senses characterized the Galatians' response to the false teachers' heretical doctrines.
Called You (1:6) This could be translated, "who called you once and for all" (2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14; 2 Timothy 1:8, 9; 1 Peter 1:15), and refers to God's effectual call to salvation.
Grace of Christ (1:6) - God's free and sovereign act of mercy in granting salvation through the death and resurrection of Christ, totally apart from any human work or merit.
Different Gospel (1:6) - The Judaizers' perversion of the true gospel. They added the requirements, ceremonies, and standards of the Old Covenant as necessary prerequisites to salvation.
Trouble (1:7) - The Greek word could be translated "disturb" and means "to shake back and forth, " such as to agitate or stir up. Here, it refers to the deep emotional disturbance the Galatian believers experienced.
Pervert (1:7) - To turn something into its opposite. By adding law to the gospel of Christ, the false teachers were effectively destroying grace, turning the message of God's undeserved favor toward sinners into a message of earned and merited favor.
The Gospel of Christ (1:7) - The good news of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
We, or An Angel from Heaven (1:8) - Paul's point is hypothetical, calling on the most unlikely examples for false teaching - himself and holy angels. The Galatians should receive no messenger, regardless of how impeccable his credentials, if his doctrine of salvation differs in the slightest degree from God's truth revealed through Christ and the apostles.
Accursed (1:8) - The translation of the familiar Greek word anathema, which refers to devoting someone to destruction in eternal hell (cf. Romans 9:3; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 16:22).
As We Have Said Before (1:9) - This refers to what Paul taught during an earlier visit to these churches, not to a previous comment in this epistle.
Anyone (1:9) - Paul turns from the hypothetical case of verse 8 to the real situation faced by the Galatians. The Judaizers were doing just that and were to be devoted to destruction because of their damning heresy.
Still Pleased Men (1:10) - Paul's previous motivation when he used to persecute Christians on behalf of his fellow Jews.
A Bondservant of Christ (1:10) - Paul had become a willing slave of Christ which cost him a great deal of suffering from others (6:17). Such personal sacrifice is exactly opposite the goal of pleasing men (6:12).
Make Known to You (1:11) - The strong Greek verb Paul used here often introduced an important and emphatic statement.
The Gospel . . . Not According to Man (1:11) - The gospel Paul preached was not human in origin or it would have been like all other human religion, permeated with works righteousness born of man's pride and Satan's deception (Romans 1:16).
Neither Received it from Man, Nor Was I Taught It (1:12) - This was in contrast to the Judaizers, who received their religious instruction from rabbinic tradition. Most Jews did no study the actual Scriptures; instead, they used human interpretations of Scripture as their religious authority and guide. Many of their traditions not only were no taught in Scripture but also contradicted it (Mark 7:13).
Through the Revelation (1:12) - This refers to the unveiling of something previously kept secret - in this case, Jesus Christ. While he knew about Christ, Paul subsequently met Him personally on the road to Damascus and received the truth of the gospel from Him (Acts 9:1-16).
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