Many Good Commentaries on Galatians Have Been Written with the Phrase Another Gospel As

Introduction

Many good commentaries on Galatians have been written with the phrase another gospel as their theme, and even as the title in one instance, but I would like to shift gears a little and make as my theme the true gospel that was left for another gospel.

We will of course dive into the pool of doctrinal issues that the Apostle Paul brings up concerning this other gospel, but an emphasis that is often left out of many good commentaries will also be discussed. This emphasis can only be touched upon when one enters into the deep end of the pool and goes down to the bottom where only a few have dared to go.

Authorship

There is no reason to spend time insulting anyone’s intelligence with challenging Paul’s authorship of this epistle, it is without question the Epistle of the Apostle to the Gentiles.

Liberals like to claim that three men named Isaiah possibly wrote the book of Isaiah and that there had to be at least two people by the name of Daniel possibly as many as four writers who went by the same name who wrote the book of Daniel.

Perhaps some would even promote thirteen different writers for Paul's epistles, but I will by faith and common sense stick with Paul as their author with the exception of the book of Hebrews and I use as the basis for my opinion the scriptures:

2 Thessalonians 3:17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in every epistle: so I write.

Just so there would be no debate Paul has left us a token in each of his Epistles. He even says he writes the salutation himself while allowing others to pen his words as he dictates to them.

Date

Galatians is considered Paul's earliest epistle written around 54 A.D.

Chapter 1

The Grace of Christ

1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

The twelve apostles were apostles to the Jews and they were chosen by Christ while he was here on earth, Paul was chosen by Christ as well but not while he was on earth but rather in heaven.

This is a difference that many commentators fail to see in their attempts to understand this epistle of Paul and that is because they tend to stay in the safe end of the pool with their floaties on.

Paul was chosen by Christ while in heaven because was to be and is the Apostle of the Gentiles. The twelve were promised to sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel during the regeneration (millennium), but no such honor was afforded the Apostle Paul.

A higher one was literally offered to him that was separate and distinct from the twelve in that his office was not related to the nation of Israel and their earthly destiny here during the millennial Kingdom but his office spoke of an heavenly destiny that dealt with a totally new entity called the body of Christ.

A good friend of mine Dr. Dave McCarthy in his book Called unto Liberty makes the distinction that Matthias truly was the twelfth apostle thus replacing Judas who fell by transgression and he is absolutely correct for scripture bears it as such. This truth could not be seen however if one were only to stay in the shallow end of the pool.

Paul himself in his first epistle to the Corinthians states on three occasions in the first eight verses of the fifteenth chapter that he is not the twelfth apostle. They ministered to the circumcision while Paul's main ministry was to the heathen.

Paul said here in verse one that his apostleship was not of men, neither by men. Let me ask you a simple question that should clear it up for you. Who appointed Matthias? Men did. Paul was not snubbing the eleven for not picking him, he was not qualified to be chosen, he did not follow Christ since the baptism of John.

2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

There was a reason that Christ went through all that he did and the reason was to deliver us from this present evil world. When the world looks as if there is no end to its evil Christ steps in and delivers us from it, never to visit it again. There is an end in sight.

Not only have we been delivered from this present evil world by Christ but we have also been delivered from a future date with hell by the grace of Christ.

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Paul is writing this letter after many years have been removed from when he first visited this region to correct doctrinal heresies that have moved in as time has progressed.

Satan has not just been standing by and watching as this new entity has been taking ground that had once belonged to him but he is actively engaged in a battle with the forces of light that have encroached upon his territory.

Remember Satan literally means, the Adversary, and those that were troubling the new believers in Galatia were there perverting the gospel of Christ and turning it into something that is not good news at all but a lie that will condemn souls to hell.

One may wonder how such a thing could happen in such a short time so as to lead these new churches of Galatia into such a mess. Satan just pulled out an old trick that had been successful against Israel before and just dusted it off and gave it a new coat of paint and those in Galatia fell for it just as Israel had in the past.

Notice that Paul here calls the gospel of Christ, the grace of Christ, so as to differentiate it from the gospel of the kingdom which was preached by the twelve.

Jesus never told the nation of Israel while he was here for three and a half years for by grace are ye saved by faith because that is the gospel of the grace of God but he instead told Israel Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand (The gospel of the Kingdom).

The Gospel of the Kingdom was for Israel until it was rejected and has been put on the self along with the blinded nation until the time of the gentiles be fulfilled. Until that time however the gospel of the grace of God which we shall see later was committed unto the Apostle Paul as he clearly states in his own words has been preached.

The gospel of the grace of God is faith in the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and it will be preached until the last member of the body (the Church) is saved in this present dispensation and the rapture occurs.

After the rapture, Israel’s blindness is lifted and they will be taken off the self figuratively and the gospel of the kingdom will once again be preached as the kingdom will soon be at hand.

The gospel of the kingdom as you can plainly see in the four gospels had obedience to the Law as a requirement for entrance into the earthly kingdom (not Heaven) for Israel.

As Paul received his abundance of revelations concerning the one new man (the body of Christ) Satan was busy confusing the new message of grace with the earlier message of the Law and blending them into one which God never intended them to be. We must learn how to rightly divide the word of truth or we will be subject to the same doctrinal errors that plagued these Galatian churches.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

It would have been easy to blend the Kingdom message into the gospel of the gospel of the grace of God to appease those who had grown accustomed to it in the early days but God was doing something new with the Gentiles predominantly and there was to be no mixing of the old with the new.

To make sure we understood the importance of this Paul repeats himself and ends each statement with a curse thus signifying its importance to its readers to adhere to its tenants.

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul was not parroting the Gospel of the Kingdom that he had heard while in Jerusalem, nor was he parroting what he had been taught at the feet of Gamaliel, or even by the Apostles themselves, Paul was proclaiming a new message, one of grace to its hearers, this was not the same message that the twelve were preaching in Israel.

13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.

Paul persecuted the early Church, or the remnant Church as some have called it, that was continuing to offer the kingdom to the nation of Israel if they would only repent.

After they had rejected that offer God raised up the chief of sinners Saul who was his arch rival here on earth who lead the opposition against what God was doing at that time and he saved him.

This was a major blow to Satan's plan but he immediately formulated another plan to engulf the body of Christwith the legalism that had plagued Israel for quite some time.

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. 19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

Paul makes it very clear that neither a man nor the apostles gave him his authority but it came from God himself. Paul went into Arabia and for three years received an abundance of revelations concerning this new organism that God was forming beginning with Paul himself as its pattern for those who would follow after. 1 Timothy 1:15-16

I know these words may seem shocking and new to you but they shouldn't, they have been in the pages of scriptures for almost two thousand years but they have rarely been spoken of.

James the Lord's brother was the leader of the Church in Jerusalem and the other apostles were all in hiding which explains why Paul didn't see any of them while he was there with the exception of Peter.

Paul wasn't getting any apostolic authority from Peter while on this visit or any other visit for that matter but he was simply relaying the visions he had received while in Arabia to Peter to inform him of the program that God was beginning with him amongst the Gentiles.

Paul no doubt told Peter that God would have Peterand the eleven remain in Jerusalem continuing to minister to the circumcision andtheydid.

1 Timothy 1:11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. 16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Paul was not some immoral reprobate preacher that sinned more than all of mankind, but he rather was the most moral man that Israel had to offer who blinded by zeal became the chief of sinners by being the leader (Chief) of the opposition against God.

20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. 21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: 23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me.

Paul continues on with his self-defense in claiming a divine origin for his message and stating that he was unknown by face as he came proclaiming this new message to further convince his hearers that he was not taught his doctrine by any man or else someone in that region would be able to recognize him.

Chapter 2

The Gospel of the Uncircumcision

1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Paul was sent back to Jerusalem to deliver an offering to the suffering saints that remained there because of the dearth that came upon all the land during the days of Claudius Caesar.

The believers in Jerusalem were harder hit than others because they could not count on any relief from the Sadducees and Pharisees that still dominated the nation of Israel and were enemies of the Apostles and the remnant of believers that remained in Jerusalem.

It amazing to note that the Jewish believers back in Israel who had originally sold all their possessions and divided them as every man had need, were now destitute and needed the body of Christ believers out among the Gentiles to come to their rescue. They could see their program was quickly coming to an end while the body of Christ was only just beginning.

Notice that Paul say that the gospel that he was preaching was committed unto him by God as well and not by man. Just like his apostleship was given by God and not man.

3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Paul did not go along to get along and thus allow the Churches to become infiltrated with false doctrine and thereby be destroyed from the inside, instead he fought heresies at every turn. What was once true and right and good under the Law could no longer have a place in the message of Grace. There could be no blending of the two.

As it became apparent by Paul's revelations that the sacrifices were no longer necessary the ceremonial rituals and observance of days and weeks and months ceased with them. People were trying to make Gentiles into Jews and Christians back into Jews by placing them back under the Law.

6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)