Gálatas 1
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gálatas 1
Vernon McGee summarizes Galatians 1 - Salutation -- cool greeting; subject stated -- warm declamation (vehement oratory); Paul's experience in Arabia. Galatians is God's polemic against legalism of every and any description. The Mosaic Law is neither discredited, despised, nor disregarded. Its majesty, perfection, demands, fullness, and purpose are maintained. Yet these very qualities make it utterly impossible for man to come this route to God. Another way is opened for man to be justified before God, a way which entirely bypasses the Mosaic Law. The new route is by faith. Justification by faith is the theme, with the emphasis upon faith. (Galatians 1 Thru the Bible) THOUGHT - Have you fallen into legalism? Don't answer too quickly because some forms of legalism are very subtle -- e.g., do you berate yourself or feel like you have let God down or that He won't bless you if you miss a quiet time, miss your daily through the Bible in a year reading, etc? What does the Bible say about legalism? How can a Christian avoid falling into the trap of legalism?; Ray Stedman on Legalism; John Piper on Legalism; Articles on Monergism A C Gaebelein - The object of this epistle is the defence of the Gospel which Paul had received by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Gal 1:12+). In order to do this successfully the apostle had first of all to defend his own apostolic authority.
Gálatas 1
Vernon McGee - Now I am an ordained minister from men and through men. I was told that I had to finish seminary and obtain certain degrees before I could do ordained. I did that. That was from men. That was the legalistic side. Next I went before a church body that examined me. Their decision was that I should be an ordained minister. In the Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, I knelt, and a group of men put their hands on me and said, "You are now an ordained minister." That is the kind of minister I am. Paul said, "I am not that kind of an apostle. Men had nothing to do with it. I am an apostle directly by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead." (Galatians 1 Thru the Bible) But - Term of contrast. This is a striking contrast. Paul has just given two negatives regarding his apostleship and now defends his apostleship from the positive viewpoint.
Gálatas 1
Vernon McGee says "Jesus Christ “gave himself for our sins.” There is nothing that we can add to the value of His sacrifice. Nothing! He gave Himself. What do you have to give, friend? Anything? Can you add anything to His sacrifice? He gave Himself. How wonderful and glorious that is! I am speechless when I read a verse like this. He gave Himself! When you give yourselves, you have given everything—who you are, what you have, your time, your talent— everything. He gave Himself. He couldn’t give any more. Paul just couldn’t wait to say it. Having mentioned Him, he says, “Who gave himself for our sins.” This is the germ of Paul’s subject." (Galatians 1 Thru the Bible) Who gave Himself - The Father gave the Son. The Son gave Himself. He gave Himself which was a gift impossible without incarnation, a gift valueless without a mysterious union with divinity." (John Eadie) Robert Gromacki - Since the nature of love is giving, the greatest gift is that of self. Christ gave Himself! (cp Jn 15:13, Jn 10:11, every husband's model = Eph 5:25+) ED COMMENT: DO NOT TRY TO OBEY THIS COMMAND TO "LOVE YOUR WIFE" IN YOUR OWN STRENGTH WITHOUT THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT! YOU CANNOT DO IT! Henry Alford - He thus reminds the Galatians, who wished to return to the bondage of the law, of the great object of the Atonement, which they had forgotten. Gal 3:13+ is but a restatement, in more precise terms, of this. Leon
Gálatas 1
McGee adds that "This is one of the oldest heresies known, and it is still with us today. It is adding something to the gospel of grace; it is doing something rather than simply believing something. It is faith plus something rather than faith plus nothing. Every cult and “ism” has something for you to do in order to be saved." (Galatians 1 Thru the Bible)
Gálatas 1
Vernon McGee - In strong language Paul says, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed,” which literally means let him be damned. Friend, I cannot make that statement any stronger. The gospel shuts out all works. Romans 4:5 says, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” I find a great many folk who think they have to become good enough to be saved. The other day a man said to me, “McGee, I want to become a Christian. I am going to try to be a little better, and if I improve, I am going to become a Christian.” I said to him, “If you improve, you will never become a Christian. The only class that God is saving is the ungodly. The Lord Jesus said He didn’t come to call the righteous; He came to call sinners. The reason He said that was because there is none righteous, no, not one (Ro 3:10). Even the righteousness of man is as filthy rags in God’s sight (Isa 64:6). Law condemns us (Ro 3:9), and it must make us speechless before grace can save us.” (Galatians 1 Thru the Bible) Augustus Toplady had it right in the great old hymn Rock of Ages Not the labors of my hands Can fulfill thy laws’ demands Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow All for sin could not atone; Thou must save and Thou Alone. John
Gálatas 1
McGee says "We come now to a new section that deals with the apostle Paul personally -- his experience in Arabia, his experience with the apostles in Jerusalem, and his experience in Antioch with Peter. This will take us through the first half of chapter 2." (Galatians 1 Thru the Bible) Howard Vos - Paul now moves into the next major section of the epistle, in which he defends his right to preach the gospel of grace and Christian liberty. He must clearly vindicate his apostleship before he can vindicate his message. Immediately he is on the defensive. (Galatians- Everyman's Bible Commentary: A Call to Christian Liberty) Donald Campbell adds "Paul then took up in more detail the challenge to his authority as an apostle. Was he a self-appointed impostor? Arguing autobiographically, Paul declared that (a) he was an apostle before he met the other apostles; (b) when he did meet them he was received as an equal; (c) and he even found it necessary to rebuke Peter, the reputed chief apostle." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary) For - Paul continues his explanation of his credentials as an apostle. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man - The KJV has "I certify you." The idea of this passage is "Let me make this perfectly clear." He wants to leave no doubt that the Gospel he preached to them had not come from men but from God, and as such had absolutely no admixture of human wisdom! It had no taint of man's works or efforts playing any part in the righteousness God provided. To certify (KJV) - to attest authoritatively: to confirm or attest as being true or as represented or as meeting a standard. To guarantee that the required standards have been met. "I certify to you with certainty" In other words, a certified statement of facts is about to follow. Bartlett says: “Certified” is a word of magic potency. We buy with confidence food and drug products bearing this label. There are times when, as in the purchase of a home, for example, an ordinary check will not be accepted in payment; it must be certified. And yet how easily men and women who pride themselves upon their shrewdness in business matters are taken in by all sorts of fantastic isms and vagaries in the realm of religion. With eternal destiny hanging in the balance, it is assuredly the most arrant folly to accept a so-called gospel which is not divinely accredited. (Galatians 1:11-24 - Personal Explanation) Have you know (1107)( gnorizo) means make known with certainty, to certify, thus the KJV = "I certify". Gnorizo was is used to introduce matters of great importance (1Cor 12:3; 15:1; 2Cor 8:1) Paul is defending his authority as an apostle and the authenticity of his message and so he uses this emphatic word so as to leave no doubt in his hearers that what follows is "gospel truth," so to speak! In context, gnorizo also conveys the sense of reminding the Galatians of truths regarding which they had already become convinced. R A
Gálatas 1
McGee says: The phrase “but when it pleased God,” in verse 15, means that Paul was called according to the will of God. (Galatians 1 Thru the Bible) Simpson says: That is about the most we can say for our part. “By the grace of God I am what I am,” was the testimony of Paul, and the epitaph on the monument of William Carey may well take us all in: A worthless, weak, and helpless worm, On Thy kind arms I fall. Be Thou my perfect righteousness, My Saviour and my All.” Oswald Chambers - The vocation of the natural life. But when it pleased God … to reveal His son in me … Gal. 1:15–16 . - The call of God is not a call to any particular service; my interpretation of it may be, because contact with the nature of God has made me realize what I would like to do for Him. The call of God is essentially expressive of His nature; service is the outcome of what is fitted to my nature. The vocation of the natural life is stated by the apostle Paul—“When it pleased God to reveal His Son in me that I might preach Him” (i.e., sacramentally express Him) “among the Gentiles.” Service is the overflow of superabounding devotion; but, profoundly speaking, there is no call to that, it is my own little actual bit, and is the echo of my identification with the nature of God. Service is the natural part of my life. God gets me into a relationship with Himself whereby I understand His call, then I do things out of sheer love for Him on my own account. To serve God is the deliberate love-gift of a nature that has heard the call of God. Service is expressive of that which is fitted to my nature: God’s call is expressive of His nature; consequently when I receive His nature and hear His call, the voice of the Divine nature sounds in both and the two work together. The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and I serve Him in the ordinary ways of life out of devotion to Him. (My utmost for his highest) Max Lucado: It’s often said, “The Lord works in mysterious ways.” How true. Start with the gospel of grace. The enemies of God being offered unconditional pardon and adoption into the royal family of God? Heaven’s most glorious riches lavished on the least deserving? It all reads like a fairy tale. And it gets even wilder. God announces his intention to partner with the likes of us so others can experience his love and grace. He could use angels or employ some other supernatural means. Instead he uses us. And what do we do? Mostly we stumble and fall and fail. Yet the Lord never gives up on us and never aborts his plan. He works in us and through us, despite us. The villains become the heroes. What a mystery! What a miracle! What a God we serve! Galatians 1:16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, Amplified - To reveal (unveil, disclose) His Son within me so that I might proclaim Him among the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world) as the glad tidings (Gospel), immediately I did not confer with flesh and blood [did not consult or counsel with any frail human being or communicate with anyone].