INTRODUCTION

The first piece of writing which emerge from the general controversy over keeping the
law was Paul epistle to the Galatians. As James was from the standpoint of a strict Jew who walk
to avoid all semblance of looseness and license in the use of ethical freedom , “the perfect law
of liberty”( James 1:25), so Galatians was written by a champion of freedom who saw that
neither gentiles nor Jews could be delivered from their sin by self effort in keeping a set of
ethical principles. Galatians accordingly has been called “ the magna Charta of spiritual
emancipation”1 . This epistle of Paul is directed not to the church or churches of a single city, as
some others are, but of a country or province, for so Galatians was. The book of Galatians is one
of the shorter epistles of Paul, in any bible of ordinary size, it occupied not more than eight pages
of two column each and it can be read carefully through rapidly in twenty minutes. Galatians
embodies the germinal teachings on Christian freedom which separated Christianity from
Judaism and which launch it up on career of missionary conquest 2 . Galatians however was the
cornerstone of the protestant reformation because its teaching of salvation by grace alone
becomes the dominant theme of the preaching of the reformers.
AUTHORSHIP
The first step in a critical appraisal of a book of the bible is the establishment of
authorship and the question will be whom does the book claim for an author? The name of Paul
occurs in the salutation (1:1) coupled with the title of his apostleship, and looking at the meaning
of the word “apostle” it mean “one sent” or “delegate” and it was by this term he defined his
authority. The name of Paul is not an arbitrary insertion in the first paragraph of Galatians for it
occur again in the body of his letter (5:2). Paul the apostle is generally believed to be the author
of this book. Even Baur, the father of the most radical school of critics in Germany (of
Tubingen), conceded it and his followers likewise do, even the most radical Dutch scholar
follows the suit.3

DATE
It’s difficult to fix a right date for the writings of Galatians considering several factor.
According to the southern Galatians theory, Galatians is likely the first New Testament book to
be written, The church of Galatians is regards to the church that consist of the pisidian Antioch,
Iconium, Lystra and derbe and following this combination of cities in the Galatians country, the
date in which the book is written is said to be around 48-49 AD. The north Galatians regards the
churches of Galatians as belonging to the ancient kingdom of Galatia, and places the date at A.D
54-55 after I and II Corinthian and Romans. Most scholars agreed on early 50s and 60s A.D, but
there is also a tendency that Paul probably wrote the letter around AD 57-58, during his time in
1
F.W. Ferrar, Message of the book of the bible (London :Macmillan & co.,ltd., 1990), vol 1,p.258.
2
Merrill C. Tenney, Galatians: The Charter Of Christian Liberty (U.S.A: Grand Rapids, Michgian,1950),
15.
3
Charles B. Williams, A commentary on the Pauline epistles(Chicago: moody press,1953),53.

1
Corinth as it also based on several factors, including internal evidence from the letter itself and
the dating of other New Testament books4. Since mid-50s dating is what is widely accepted, then
we can place the dating around AD 48.
RECIPIENT
Even though the book of Galatia is one of these letters, which many believe to be the
earliest that he (Paul) wrote (about AD 48 or 49), is the Epistle to the Galatians. It is addressed
To the churches of Galatia (verse 2). Although there is some dispute among scholars as to what
is meant by ‘Galatia’, and for the details here, going through some commentaries. I myself take
the view that the reference is to the southern part of the province he addressed it to, and in
particular to the four cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe, which Paul
evangelized during his first missionary journey just as read in the book of Acts 13 and 14.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The Galatians were descendant of the Gaul who invaded Greece and Asia minor about
three centuries before the Christian era. For a time this fierce northerner swept everything before
them but at length they are defeated in 238 BC by Antiochus soter, king of Syria and Attalus ,
king of pergamos. After that disastrous defeat they were confined to a part of Phrygia and they
gave the name of Galatians to it. 5 Surveying through the country of Galatia, there are great
facilities for commercial enterprises with fertile great rich in agricultural produce, extensive
pasture for flocks, a temperate climate and copious rivers which actually make up commerce.
The country consists of Ancyra, tavium and pessinus. Despite the mixture of inhabitants, the
Galatians largely retain their Celtic language and characteristics. One thing about the people of
Galatians is that despite the fact that no country do embrace the gospel so readily and cordially,
but not as this country, they receive Paul with such gratitude and respect as if he was an angel of
God or it was Jesus himself that bring the message to them. as easily accept the gospel likewise
they easily fall for false teachings by false teachers as seen in Paul’s address to them in Galatians
3:1. This people were also superstitious and cruel as part of their characteristics too due to the
formal worship of Cybele with its wild ceremonial and hideous mutilation which naturally do
attractive to Gualish mind.6 The letter was written around the time of the council of Jerusalem
around 49 AD, it was Paul answer to the judaizers who are troubling the Galatians, saying that
the gentile must first become Jews before they could become Christian in the true sense, they
further claim that salvation is not by faith alone but by the circumcision and observance of the
law of Moses and Paul sees this as a danger to the Christian gospel.

STRUCTURE OF THE LETTER

The structure of the letter gives us the clue of the body of the letter commences with an
expression of astonishment “I am astonished” that the Galatians are departing so quickly from
the gospel of grace for another gospel (1:6). Verses 7–9 explain, starting with a relative clause,

4
N.T Wright, Galatians for everyone (London: SPCK,2004)11-13
5
John H. Kerr, An introduction to the study of the book of the New Testament (Fleming. H. Revel company:
Chicago,1892), 114.
6
Ibid, 116.

2
why the new gospel is not a gospel at all. The intruders into the Galatians churches are not
proclaiming the gospel truly but are altering the gospel. Nevertheless, Paul -dogmatically insists
in 1:8–9 with two conditional clauses that the gospel cannot be changed. Indeed, even if Paul or
an angel were to proclaim a new gospel, they would be cursed by God. Verse 10 represents a
transitional verse in the argument and functions as an inference from vv. 8–9. The
pronouncement of a curse on those who proclaim a false gospel demonstrates that Paul does not
please people. In 1:10c Paul explains why it is clear that he is not pleasing people, For if such
were his goal, he would never have become a slave of Jesus Christ. The Galatians seem to be
repeating the error of the wilderness generation by departing from the Lord shortly after being
delivered; their departure is shocking, for they are abandoning the gift of grace that is in Christ.
Paul emphasizes that God called them into the realm of Christ’s grace. The word group for

“calling (καλέσαντος) is a Pauline favorite.

TEXT
Galatians 1:10-15
10
Ἄρτι γὰρ ἀνθρώπους πείθω ἢ τὸν θεόν; ἢ ζητῶ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν; εἰ ἔτι ἀνθρώποις
ἤρεσκον, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην.
11
Γνωρίζω γὰρ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ εὐαγγελισθὲν ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν κατὰ
ἄνθρωπον·
12
οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου παρέλαβον αὐτὸ οὔτε ἐδιδάχθην ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ
Χριστοῦ.
13
Ἠκούσατε γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναστροφήν ποτε ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ, ὅτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν
ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπόρθουν αὐτήν,
14
καὶ προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ ὑπὲρ πολλοὺς συνηλικιώτας ἐν τῷ γένει μου, περισσοτέρως
ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων.
15
Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν [ὁ θεὸς] ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου καὶ καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος
αὐτοῦ

TRANSLATION

10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were
still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
11
For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not
according to man.
12
For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of
Jesus Christ.

3
 13
For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the
church of God beyond measure, and tried to destroy it;
14
and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen,
being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.
15
But when He who had set me apart, even from my mother's womb, and called me through His
grace, was pleased.

EXPLANATION OF THE TEXT

Ἄρτι γὰρ ἀνθρώπους πείθω ἢ τὸν θεόν; ἢ ζητῶ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν; Therefore, am I pleasing
human beings now or God? Or, am I seeking to please people?
This verse is difficult: its interpretation and its contribution to Paul’s argument at this point in
the letter are both very unclear. The Greek text and most English translations (e.g., NRSV, ESV,
NLT, NIV) reveal the uncertainty about sequence by putting the verse in its own paragraph. Paul
uses rhetorical question to answer that he is not trying to pleases people, the verse could be
transitional, creating a bridge from the rebuke of chapter 1:6–9 to Paul’s defense of the gospel he
preaches (1:11–2:21), But the word γνωρίζω ὑμῖν (“I want you to know,” 1:11) probably marks
the introduction of a new phase of the argument but we cannot explain the precise way in which
this verse functions in its context until we better understand its meaning.
The initial question is puzzling: ἀνθρώπους πείθω ἢ τὸν θεόν; (Am I trying to persuade people or
God?). Context makes clear that the present tense πείθω is conative [i.e., an action attempted but
not accomplished], as most of the modern English translations recognize.) This question can
mean two very different things, depending on the force that we give to the particle ἤ:
“Am I trying to persuade either people or God?”
“Who am I trying to persuade: people or God?” (cf. NLT: “I’m not trying to win the approval of
people, but of God”).
In the first case, Paul expects a negative answer to his question; it is tantamount to his claiming
that he is not trying to “persuade” people or God, In the second case, the answer could be
“people,” in the sense that Paul’s gospel proclamation is, indeed, designed to “persuade” people
about the truth of the gospel7. it appears from the content of these two questions, especially from
the force of the temporal adverbs Ἄρτι “('now') and ἔτι (`still'), that Paul's consistency had been
called in question. Whatever he might do or teach now, it was suggested, he had acted and taught
differently at one time. He was suspected, in fact, of adapting his practice and preaching to
please his changing company from one time or place to another. The content of this persuasion is
summed up in the same context in 2 Cor. 5:20, where an appeal entrusted to Paul in his role as
ambassador for Christ. Pleasing men and women was not what he was called to do. He was
called to serve Christ: he could not make that his business, and aim to please his hearers at the

7
In order to be sure, I thinks that the answer is “yes” to both questions here: Paul seeks to persuade people
about the truth of his gospel and to “persuade God,” in the sense of exhorting him to carry out his curse. However, I
think there is no reason for Paul to think that God has to be “persuaded” to inflict his curse.

4
same time. Thus in 1 Cor. 4:3f. he make it clear that he is not concerned about other people's
assessment of him: for he says, ‘it is the Lord who judges me', so he makes it his business to
please the Lord. 'Men pleasers’ were opportunists, rendering 'eye-service' (Col. 3:22; Eph. 6:6).
As for his own apostolic duty, `we speak', he said, `not to please men, but to please God, who
tests our hearts. For', he adds, `we never used words of flattery.' (1 Thes. 2:4f.) Which men-
pleasers would naturally do8. The Greek phrase above indicates that, there is difference between
to persuade and to please. When you persuade someone, you are indirectly doing what is
pleasing to somebody (either someone’s interest or a commander’s wishes),the Jewish opponents
claimed that Paul failed to preach the whole gospel, which included the requirement of
circumcision. Paul omitted circumcision to curry favor with the Gentiles in Galatia (5:11). Paul
began the letter defending his apostolic authority, and here he rebuts the notion that he is
pleasing people. Hence, it seems that Paul engages in an apologetic of his apostleship 9.
Looking at the word” γὰρ” (therefore) which falls within the semantic range of the conjunction it
follows that he is not attempting to please people but only God himself (1:10) This give us a
clear understanding that, he persuades men, not God, and pleases God, not men; indeed, he
pleases God by persuading men, no wonder he called himself a slave of Christ.

εἰ ἔτι ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην.

εἰ ἔτι ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην. (For if I were still attempting to please
people, I would never have become a slave of Christ).
The heart of Paul’s concern is to deny accusations that he is seeking to “please people”.
He makes this point with a second rhetorical question ἢ ζητῶ ἀνθρώποις ἀρέσκειν; (am I seeking
to please people?) and with a conditional contrary to fact sentence: εἰ ἔτι ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον,
Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην (if I were yet trying to please people, I would not be a slave of
Christ). The imperfect ἤρεσκον is conative (show that, Paul’s activity is directed towards
achieving a particular goal and that goal is to know Christ and to please him; as it was make
mention in his epistle to the Philippians. Ph.3: 7-16). Rhetorically, this type of conditional
sentence denies the premise by showing the untenable conclusion that would follow “if it were
true” (if A, then B; not B, therefore not A). Paul clearly believes himself to be a “slave of
Christ,” language that both connotes (personally) his total dependence upon and dedication to the
Lord Jesus as well as his “official” status are called “slaves” of God. Since Paul’s total focus is
on pleasing his new master, it is clearly the case that he no longer is seeking to please people.
The “no longer” represents the clear temporal focus that Paul introduces into his discussion of
“pleasing people”: ἄρτι at the beginning of the verse and ἔτι here in this last sentence. I think that
these words imply no clear comparison with an earlier time (“at this late date”). But this is not
the most natural reading of these words. More important, perhaps, is the parallel language in
5:11: “Brothers and sisters, if I am still [ἔτι] preaching circumcision, why am I still being
persecuted?” Together these texts (and there are many other parallels in the respective contexts)

8
(If, in 1 Cor. 10:33, he speaks of his endeavor `to please all men in everything I do', the context makes it
plain that it is a question of subordinating his own interests to the interests of others, with a view to their salvation.
9
Thomas R. Schreiner, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids,
Michigan,2010), 229.

5
suggest that Paul was being accused of continuing to do what he admits he used to do, or what he
was accused of doing: proclaim the importance of circumcision and “please people.”

We have a second class, contrary to fact condition here. If Paul had desired to please people (but
he did not so desire, phil. 3:7-16), then he would never have become Christ’s slave.
Paul’s curse on those who proclaim another gospel demonstrates that his aim is to please God
rather than people. He clinches the case here by affirming that if he longed for the praise of
fellow human beings, he would not have become a follower of Christ.

11
Γνωρίζω γὰρ ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ εὐαγγελισθὲν ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν κατὰ
ἄνθρωπον·, “for I want to make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by
me is not according to man.
Paul use a formal epistolary construct here which is known as a disclosure formula (Γνωρίζω γὰρ
ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοί, “I want to you know, brothers”) Paul begins his self-defense. “Know” (Γνωρίζω)
this verb is used by Paul to introduce some of his more formal or solemn assertions (1Co 12:3;
15:1; 2Co 8:1). Paul uses the same verb when he reminds the Corinthians of the gospel he
proclaims in 1 Cor 15:1 “Now I make known to you” (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν),
brothers.”
Indeed, the content of both declarations is remarkably similar, for in Corinthians he
makes known “the gospel which I proclaimed to you”( τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ εὐηγγελισάμην ὑμῖν),
and in Galatians “the gospel which is preached by me” (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ εὐαγγελισθὲν ὑπ᾽
ἐμοῦ). It is difficult to determine whether the superior textual reading here is “for” (γὰρ) or
“now” ( δε), but “for” (γὰρ) has more support10. In either case, the meaning of the text does not
change dramatically, for Paul either explains or grounds what he has said about not pleasing
people in 1:10. It seems, however, that the evidence favors “for” (γὰρ), and hence 1:11 should be
understood as a support or ground of 1:10.
The fundamental support and basis for the claim that Paul does not please people is the truth that
the gospel he preaches is not a human gospel (1:11). The words, “for I want to make known to
you” (Γνωρίζω γὰρ ὑμῖν) represent a disclosure formula introducing a new section. Paul here
begins an autobiographical summary which continues to 2:14; it occupies nearly one-fifth of the
whole letter. It therefore constitutes a substantial part of his argument, and should help the
modern reader to reconstruct at least one element in the situation to which Paul addresses
himself. That element took the form of a denial of Paul's independent standing as an apostle. He
is at pains, therefore, to rebut that denial, and to emphasize, with all the solemnity of which he is
capable, that the gospel which he preaches, together with his commission to preach it, was
received by him directly from the risen Christ, without any intermediary. In order to verify that
Paul’s gospel is not merely human, He further to provide an glimpse answers for his argument in
1:12, using a “for” (γὰρ) to support his claim. The gospel he proclaimed was not transmitted to

10
This is careful discussed in Silva’s work, where he convincingly supports “for” (γὰρ). Silva, Interpreting
Galatians,(44-49) where he argue against Longenecker commentary on Galatians, (20, 22).

6
him by a human being, nor was he taught it by another human being. Instead, he received the
gospel supernaturally when he saw Jesus Christ on the Damascus road. Therefore, there is no
doubt about the divine origin of his gospel.
Appealing to the revelation of that encounter and gospel on the Damascus road (1:12), his
past life in Judaism (1:13–14), his conversion and call apart from human mediation (1:15–17)
make this verse an autobiographical and apologetic defense of the Pauline gospel that extends to
the close of 2:21.
The narrative character of the text is indicated by the temporal words that link the various
sections together: “when” (Ὅτε, 1:15); “then” (Επειτα, 1:18); “then” (Επειτα, 1:21); “then”
(Επειτα, 2:1); “when” (Ὅτε, 2:11). What is evident, then, is that Paul is telling a story. Most
scholars have understood Paul here to be engaging in a defense of his apostleship, which was
questioned by the Jewish false teachers11.
The “disclosure of the phrase” γνωρίζω ὑμῖν (I want you to know) is used by Paul
elsewhere to call attention to what he is about to say (1 Cor. 12:3; 15:1; 2 Cor. 8:1) Paul’s
address of the Galatians as “brothers and sisters” (ἀδελφοί, adelphoi;) signals a change in tone
from the rather harsh warning of verses 6–9. “The gospel that I preach” (τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ
εὐαγγελισθέν ὑπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, the gospel that is preached by me) brings us back to the language of
verses 6–9, after the parenthetical verse 10 12. This does not suggest that he preaches a “private”
gospel, distinct from other forms of the gospel, for this would make nonsense of verses 6–9. Paul
puts it this way because he was the one who first evangelized the Galatians, but also because he
is highlighting the distinctive focus in his proclamation of the gospel: its law free application to
Gentiles.
ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν κατὰ ἄνθρωπον· (not according to a human being)
The gospel Paul claims here is not κατὰ ἄνθρωπον (according to a human being) Interpreting this
phrase to mean “not of human origin” according to NIV, NRSV, NET, NAB bible version. Paul
uses the phrase five other times, and in each case it means a general sense of “human,” with the
emphasis ranging from a relatively neutral idea (Rom. 3:5; 1 Cor. 9:8; 15:32; Gal. 3:15) to a
distinctly negative one (1 Cor. 3:3). Thus Paul is simply denying here that his gospel is a
“human” gospel: “it was no human message”
The central truth is that Paul’s gospel is not from human beings but was received through a
revelation of Jesus Christ (1:11–12). Therefore, the charge that he was pleasing people (1:10) is
groundless. Paul provides a narrative of his own life so that the readers will see a concrete
example of the freedom they are to embrace. Here, there are clear indications that Paul responds
in Galatians to opponents appears to respond to those who criticized his apostolic authority from
the very first verse in the letter (1:1) and counters the claim that he pleases people in 1:10.
We must be careful in articulating the situation in the letter, but, there are solid reasons for
thinking that Paul defends his apostleship in 1:1–2:21 and that he responds to a false gospel in
Galatians. Paul’s purpose here is not negative, to defend himself against false accusations, but

11
Thomas R. Schreiner, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 246.
12
Douglas J. Moo, Galatians: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids:
Michigan, 2013), 283.

7
positive, either to highlight the divine origin of the gospel or to present himself as a model for
the Galatians to imitate13 Hence, this verse is rightly understood as narrative in which Paul
defends his apostleship.

οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου παρέλαβον αὐτὸ οὔτε ἐδιδάχθην (For I neither received it
from man, nor was I taught it)
Paul makes his negative point with two correlated clauses: “οὐδὲ ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου
παρέλαβεν αὐτό” (I did not receive it from a human being) and “οὔτε ἐδιδάχθην” (neither was I
taught it) Paul supports here the theme that his gospel was not derived from human beings, for
human beings did not pass it on to him or instruct him in the gospel 14. The word
“received”( παραλαμβάνω) is used elsewhere for the transmission of tradition (1 Cor 11:23;
15:1, 3), and the term reflects a Jewish background. Paul is saying that he did not receive the
gospel in any way from a human being; specifically, he did not sit under a teacher (such as one
of the Jerusalem apostles) to learn it. Paul’s use of the personal pronoun ἐγώ (I) may put
emphasis on himself in contrast to other missionaries, but is more likely simply a stylistic
carryover from the pronoun in verse 11 (ἐμοῦ, me). Paul’s claim that he did not “receive” his
gospel from any human being raises questions about what he might then mean when he says in
1 Cor. 15:1–3.
“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you
received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold
firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received
[παρέλαβον] I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to
the Scriptures”.
How can Paul say that he “received” the gospel (1 Cor. 15:3) and yet claim that he
did not “receive” it from any human being? This is possible, for instance when we do a little
compares in Paul’s letter; looking through his statement in I cor.15:3 and since “receive” in
1 Cor. 15:3 is not qualified, it could be claimed that Paul there is referring to his receiving it
from the Lord, or through revelation. But Paul’s use of this same verb to describe the
Corinthians’ “receiving” of the gospel from Paul (1 Cor. 15:1) strongly suggests that the verb in
verse 3 also has the sense “receive from another human.” Paul uses the verb elsewhere with this
sense, in imitation of the Jewish use of the verb ‫( ָק ַבל‬receive; often paired with ‫ָמ ַסר‬, hand down;
also παρέδωκα “I passed on” in 1 Cor. 15:3); 2 Thess. 3:6: τὴν παράδοσιν ἣν παρελάβοσαν παρ᾽
ἡμῶν (the tradition that you received from us; as seen in the NIV note and also 1 Cor. 11:23;
Phil. 4:9; 1 Thess. 2:13. Nevertheless, these texts can be reconciled if we pay close attention to
their respective contexts. Here in Gal. 1:12 Paul needs to stress that the essential “truth of the
gospel” the fact of Christ’s death and resurrection and its implications for Gentiles and the law

13
Douglas J. Moo, Galatians: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament . 279.
14
. The normal correlative combination in Greek is οὐδὲ , some MSS read just this, but οὐδὲ . . . οὔτε also
occurs. It is possible that παρὰ ἀνθρώπου goes with both verbs ( New English Translation: “I did not receive it or
learn it from any human source”, but it is more likely that ἐδιδάχθην is used absolutely. The verb διδάσκω (teach)
occurs only four other times in the NT in the passive, and only once does it have an explicit agent, which is
indicated with διά (by/through) not παρά (by; 2 Thess. 2:15; the other occurrences are in Matt. 28:15; Eph. 4:21;
Col. 2:7).

8
was revealed to him by God and not taught to him by any human being for its not the power of
one man to make another a minister of the gospel, or to give him or himself success in the
ministration of it, but the whole is of God15
“ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.”
Pauls statement here shows that the gospel he received is by revelation of Jesus and not
from man., Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.” Indicate a genitive case and since it’s a genitive case, the question
that will be raised is
i. Is the genitive “Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ” objective or subjective here?
ii. Was the revelation given to him by Jesus Christ or did Paul see Jesus Christ?
The relationship of genitives to nouns is imprecise and must be discerned by the context.
It is both objective and subjective. In this instance, Jesus gave the revelation and is the object of
the revelation. This is parallel to chapter 1:16. God is the revealer and the Son is the object of the
revelation. Paul did not receive his gospel from a human being, for he saw the risen Christ on the
Damascus road, and the gospel in all its glory and beauty was disclosed to him. In seeing Jesus
Christ he was also called to be an apostle (1 Cor 9:1–2; Acts 9:17, 27; 22:18) an authoritative
messenger of the crucified and risen Lord. The independence of Paul’s gospel does not lead to
the conclusion that he learned nothing from the other apostles or that none of the Jesus traditions
were conveyed to him by others. Such radical independence is not the point Paul makes here.
Rather, he asserts that the fundamental truths of the gospel and his calling as an apostle to the
Gentiles took place on the Damascus road. The appearance of the risen Christ to him was an
objective experience, in which Christ took the initiative “ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ἀποκαλύψεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.”
What he really means here is that the “revelation” he received is bound up with, and has to do
with, Jesus Christ. He affirms that he did not receive the gospel from a chain of human tradition,
nor was he taught it.

We learn from this text that the gospel we proclaim is a divine gospel. It is a heavenly
gospel in that it comes from the Father. We can be assured that a gospel that comes from God
himself is true, that it cannot be dismissed as a human invention. Why should we believe in the
Christian faith? We should believe in it because it is true. It reflects God’s view of reality, and
God’s view is indisputably true since he is the creator of all reality.

13
Ἠκούσατε γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναστροφήν ποτε ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ, ὅτι καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ἐδίωκον τὴν
ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπόρθουν αὐτήν,
14
καὶ προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ ὑπὲρ πολλοὺς συνηλικιώτας ἐν τῷ γένει μου, περισσοτέρως
ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων.
15
Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν [ὁ θεὸς] ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου καὶ καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος
αὐτοῦ
15
John Gill’s, Bible commentary on the book of Galatians 1:11

9
 This section focuses on Paul’s relationships with Jerusalem, almost certainly for
apologetic reasons. The word (γὰρ) introduces all of chapter 1:13–2:116, since scholars argued
that Paul was called on his way to Damascus but not coverted 17, but the word (γὰρ, “for”)
supports the theme that Paul received the truth of the gospel through a revelation given by Jesus
Christ, since only a revelation from God could turn Paul away from his devotion to Judaism18.
The phrase τὴν ἐμὴν ἀναστροφήν ποτε ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ (my former way of life in
Judaism) suggest that he has left this way of life behind (ἀναστροφή; elsewhere Eph. 4:22;
1 Tim. 4:12; also 1 Pet. 1:18: ἀναστροφῆς πατροπαραδότου, way of life handed down to you
from your ancestors). The ποτε modifies ἀναστροφήν, an article before ποτε not being required
in these kinds of constructions. The possessive adjective ἐμήν (in contrast to the genitive of the
personal pronoun, μοῦ (me) is probably not emphatic here.
Dunn and Miller minimize the significance of this claim by arguing that Ἰουδαϊσμός
refers not to “Judaism” in general but to the distinctive nationalist Jewish movement that arose at
the time of the Maccabees and notes rightly that the word is first attested in sources from this
time (2 Macc. 2:21; 8:1; 14:38 [2x]; 4 Macc. 4:26. However, while the word first occurs here,
these texts do not suggest the sort of restrictive focus that he argues for (BDAG 479 defines
Ἰουδαϊσμός as “the Judean way of belief and life”; where “Judaism” is contrasted with
“Christianity”)19. Paul’s usage of the word here and in verse 14 suggest any such restriction;
indeed, in both verses, “in Judaism” appears to refer broadly to the Jewish faith as a whole,
within which Paul distinguished himself for his devotion and zeal.
With a ὅτι (that), Paul elaborates on the specifics of that “former way of life in Judaism.”
First, he was “intensely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it” (καθ᾿ ὑπερβολὴν
ἐδίωκον τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπόρθουν αὐτήν). Both verbs are in the imperfect tense, is a
durative idea “I was persecuting” and the second is conative “I tried to destroy” is used by Paul
elsewhere (1 Cor. 1:2; 11:22; 15:9; 2 Cor. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:5, 15) along with the parallel in 1 Cor.
15:9 (ἐδίωξα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ θεοῦ, I persecuted the church of God) 20, To persecute God’s
church means that one is opposed to the assembly of God’s people. The term Paul typically uses
to designate the communities he established is “church” (ἐκκλησίαν) The word “church” derives
from the OT, where the people of Israel were the “assembly of Yahweh” (Deut 23:2, 8;1 Chr
28:8), or “the assembly of Israel” (Lev 16:17; Deut 31:30; 1 Kgs 8:14, 22). The former phrase
occurs in the LXX as the “assembly of the Lord” ( ἐκκλησίαν κυρίου). Obviously Paul
persecuted local churches, but here he thinks of the church in universal terms. 21 The church of
God” that Paul was persecuting may refer to a local church, such as the one in Jerusalem22

16
Richard N. Longenecker, Word biblical commentary Vol.41 (Dallas, Texas: Word Books, 1990), 27
17
Krister Stendahl, Paul among Jews and Gentiles and Other Essays (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1977), 1–23
18
H.D. Betz, Galatians: A commentary on Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia Hermeneia Series.
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979), 66.
19
Bauer, A Greek English lexicon of the new testament and other early Christian literature, 479.
20
Douglas J. Moo, Galatians: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, 302.
21
Longenecker, Galatians 28.
22
In Galatians 1:13, Paul refer to his persecution of the “ekklessia”. Hendrikus Berkhof Boer explains the
word “ekklessia” refers to the entire Christian community, rather than to a specific building or congregation. (Boer,
Galatians , 49)

10
 The prepositional phrase καθ᾿ ὑπερβολὴν (“according to excess”) is adverbial, stressing
the extremity or intensity of his persecuting efforts (the phrase is used only by Paul in the New
Testament; Rom. 7:13; 1 Cor. 12:31; 2 Cor. 1:8; 4:17). Schnabel suggests, following Niebuhr,
that “trying to destroy the church” means that he was trying to deny the right of Christ-followers
to maintain their place in the synagogue23.
A second facet of Paul’s “way of life in Judaism” is “ I was advancing in Judaism beyond
many of my own age among my people” (προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ ὑπὲρ πολλοὺς
συνηλικιώτας ἐν τῷ γένει μου). This phrase is also dependent on ὅτι in v. 13). The verb
προέκοπτον is again in the imperfect because it covers the course of Paul’s early life; the verb is
used the same way in Luke 2:52. Paul said, he was trained as a Pharisee and ardently sought to
please God in every arena of his life (Act. 23:6; 26:5; Phil 3:5) Neusner has argued that the goal
of the Pharisees was to extend temple purity to every realm of life 24. Sanders question whether
the Pharisees were the most influential sect in Judaism during Paul’s day. 25 Denies give a
defense of the view that the Pharisees were the dominant sect. 26 It’s very obvious that Paul’s
identity as a Pharisees cannot be denied and he is very devoted to that life before he encounters
Christ. The broad scope of γένος (race, people) sheds light on Ἰουδαϊσμός earlier in the verse,
which seems to be in parallel with it: Paul has in view not a sect within Judaism but Judaism per
se.
περισσοτέρως ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τῶν πατρικῶν μου παραδόσεων “being extremely zealous for
the traditions of my father’s”. This is participial clause that modifies the main clause “I was
advancing in Judaism”, it provides information about the kind of progress Paul was making. The
clause probably “specifies in what way the προέκοπτον γένει μου found active expression” 27 ,
this is how it written in RSV: “I advanced in Judaism, . . . so extremely zealous was I . . .”). As
the RSV translation suggests, περισσοτέρως, while comparative in form, is probably an elative
superlative28 moreover, elective superlative is a kind of superlative that uses the “to-infinitive”
construction and “to- infinitive construction is a grammatical structure that consist of the “to”
followed by an infinitive verb). The persecution of the church and the slaying of believers was,
to Paul’s way of thinking before his conversion, not an indication of his sin, but revealed the
depth of his commitment and piety. He also claim to be a “zealot” (ζηλωτής) and this does not
mean that he belonged to the actual Zealot party, or sect as it was contradicting Lightfoot
claim29but he meant here according to the context of the passage is that he had a deep passion
for his Jewish faith (Acts 22:3; Phil. 3:6). It is important to realize that our zeal and sincerity do

23
Eckhard J. Schnabel, The letter to the Galatians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), 927.
24
Jacob Neusner, The Rabbinic Traditions about the Pharisees before 70 (3 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 1971).
25
E.P Sander, Judaism: Practice and Belief, 63 BCE–66 CE (Philadelphia: Trinity Press International,
1992), 380–412.
26
Roland Deines, “The Pharisees between ‘Judaisms’ and ‘Common Judaism,’” in Justification and
Variegated Nomism; vol. 1: The Complexities of Second Temple Judaism, ed. D. A. Carson, Peter T. O’Brien, and
Mark A. Seifrid (Tubingen/Grand Rapids: Mohr Siebeck/Baker, 2001), 443–504.

27
Meyer, H.A, Critical and Exegetical handbook to the epistle to the Galatians (London: Macmillan and
co., 1873), 36.
28
H.D. Betz, Galatians: A commentary on Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia Hermeneia Series. 68.
29
J.B. Lightfoot, A Commentary on the epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, fifth edition (London:
Macmillan & co., 1881), 81-82.

11
not mean that we are necessarily right. We can be zealous for something and yet be zealously
wrong.

. Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν [ὁ θεὸς] ὁ ἀφορίσας με ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου καὶ καλέσας διὰ τῆς χάριτος
15
αὐτοῦ
This verse comprise one sentence, with a long subordinate clause describing Paul’s
conversion, ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν “but when [God] was pleased” ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοί
“ to reveal his Son in me”. The prepositional phrase (ἐν ἐμοί) in verse 16, could be translated “in
me” rather than “to me.” Deciding between these two options is remarkably difficult, and a good
case could be made for either interpretation 30. In context, however, the translation “to me” makes
better sense, for Paul recalls Jesus’ appearance to him on his way to Damascus, and hence he
does not focus on the internal dimension of the revelation. It has been noted previously that Paul
was both called and converted on this occasion, but the emphasis here is on Paul’s call as an
apostle, since the teachers in Galatia questioned the legitimacy of his apostleship.
It is expected announce to others the message of the gospel and be ready to give answer
to anyone who asks the reasons for our faith.
CONCLUSION
Paul was not only converted but also called. The central truth in this verse is that Paul’s
gospel is not from human beings but was received through a revelation of Jesus Christ as it was
pointed out in chapter 1:11–12. Therefore, the claim that Paul’s ministerial assignment was to
please people is groundless as Galatians 1:13–17 supports the divine origin of Paul’s gospel.
This verse is majorly for apologetics purpose, Paul defends his apostleship with the claim that it
was not handed over to him from any man but rather it was given to him by God himself,
referring back to his encounter on his way to Damascus. Therefore, this verse supports the divine
origin of Paul’s gospel and if it’s not documented, there won’t be more evidence on his
apostleship defense; hence, this passage is rightly understood as narrative in which Paul defends
his apostleship.
In the context of the world we are in now, we should not be tempted to compromise the gospel
of Christ, knowing vividly that its directly from God, we must defend the gospel whenever we
find ourselves. In the face of many gospel flying around, prosperity gospel, knowing it all
gospel, gospel that’s trying to please the Muslim or others religions, in the face of Syncretism,
Gnosticism and the likes, we must stand firm as Paul as said “knowing fully that the gospel is
from God and not from man”. In addition to this, we must be ready to give answers to anyone
who asks us the reasons for our faith, just as Paul defends his apostleship and the gospel that is
handed over to him by God through the revelation of Jesus Christ, Contemporary believers must
also be confident and bold of what we have and also must make the people to understand that,
it’s not the title that matters, but the functionality of the title.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
30
Sam K. Williams, Galatians (ANTC; Nashville: Abingdon, 1997), 47

12
B. Williams Charles, A commentary on the Pauline epistles, Chicago: moody press,1953.

Bauer, A Greek English lexicon of the new testament and other early Christian literature, 479.

Betz, Galatians: A commentary on Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia Hermeneia Series.
Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.

Deines Roland, “The Pharisees between ‘Judaisms’ and ‘Common Judaism,’” in Justification
and Variegated Nomism; vol. 1: The Complexities of Second Temple Judaism, ed. D. A.
Carson, Peter T. O’Brien, and Mark A. Seifrid, Tubingen/Grand Rapids: Mohr
Siebeck/Baker, 2001.

Douglas J. Moo, Galatians: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Grand
Rapids: Michigan, 2013..

Farrar F.W., Message of the book of the bible , vol 1, London :Macmillan & co. ltd., 1990.

H.A Meyer, Critical and Exegetical handbook to the epistle to the Galatians, London:
Macmillan and co., 1873.

In Galatians 1:13, Paul refer to his persecution of the “ekklessia”. Hendrikus Berkhof Boer
explains the word “ekklessia” refers to the entire Christian community, rather than to a
specific building or congregation. (Boer, Galatians , 49.

J. Schnabel Eckhard, The letter to the Galatians (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004.

John H. Kerr, An introduction to the study of the book of the New Testament, Fleming. H. Revel
Company: Chicago, 1892.

Kerr John H., An introduction to the study of the book of the New Testament, Fleming. H. Revel
Company: Chicago, 1892.

Krister Stendahl, Paul among Jews and Gentiles and Other Essays, Philadelphia: Fortress, 1977.

Lightfoot J.B, The epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1968.

Lightfoot J.B., A Commentary on the epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, fifth edition (London:
Macmillan & co., 1881.

Longenecker, Word biblical commentary Vol.41, Dallas, Texas: Word Books, 1990.

Merrill, C. Tenney Galatians: The Charter Of Christian Liberty, U.S.A: Grand Rapids,
Michigan, 1950.

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N.T Wright, Galatians for everyone, London: SPCK,2004.

Neusner Jacob, The Rabbinic Traditions about the Pharisees before 70 vol 3. Leiden: Brill,
1971.

Sander Roland, Judaism: Practice and Belief, 63 BCE–66 CE, Philadelphia: Trinity Press
International, 1992.

Thomas R. Schreiner, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Grand

Rapids, Michigan,2010.

William Charles B. S, A commentary on the Pauline epistles, Chicago: moody press, 1953.

Williams Sam K., Galatians (ANTC; Nashville: Abingdon, 1997), 47

EXEGEGITICAL WORK ON GALATIAN 1:10-15

14
AN ASSIGNMENT WRITTEN BY: OLAOYE JAMES OLUWADAMILARE

MATRIC NO: 08594

SUBMITTED TO REV, (DR) M.D OLAJIDE

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT TO THE COURSE REQUIREMENT

GREEK EXEGEGIS: BBS 411

ECWA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY, IGBAJA

OCTOBER, 2023

TABLE OF CONTENT

15
 INTRODUCTION
 AUTHOURSHIP
 DATE OF WRITING
 RECIPIENT
 HISTORICAL CONTEXT
 STRUCTURE OF THE LETTER
 TEXT AND TRANSLATION
 EXPLANATION OF THE TEXT
 CONCLUSION
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

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