 Preface of Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. That's L-I-B-R-I-V-O-X.org. Recording by Tim Perkins. Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. By Martin Luther. Translated by Theodore Grabner. Preface. The preparation of this edition of Luther's Commentary on Galatians was first suggested to me by Mr. P. J. Zondervan of the firm of publishers in March 1937. The consultation had the twofold merit of definiteness and brevity. Luther is still the greatest name in Protestantism. We want you to help us publish some leading work of Luther's for the general American market. Will you do it? I will, on one condition. And what is that? The condition is that I will be permitted to make Luther talk American. Streamline him, so to speak, because you will never get people whether in or outside the Lutheran church, actually to read Luther unless we make him talk as he would talk today to Americans. I illustrated the point by reading to Mr. Zondervan a few sentences from an English translation lately reprinted by an American publisher, one of Luther's outstanding reformatory essays. The demonstration seemed to prove convincing, for it was agreed that one may as well offer Luther and the original German or Latin as expect the American church member to read any translations that would adhere to Luther's German or Latin constructions and employ the mid-Victorian type of English characteristic of the translations now on the market. And what book would be your choice? There is one book that Luther himself like better than any other. Let us begin with that, his commentary on Galatians. The undertaking which seems so attractive when viewed as a literary task proved the most difficult one and at times became oppressive. The letter to the Galatians consists of six short chapters. Luther's commentary fills 733 octavo pages in the Weedman edition of his works. It was written in Latin. We were resolved not to present this entire mass of exegesis. It would have run to more than 1500 pages, ordinary octavo, like this, since it is impossible to use the compressed structure of sentences which is characteristic of Latin and particularly of Luther's Latin. The work had to be condensed. German and English translations are available, but the most acceptable English version, besides laboring under the handicaps of an archaic style, had to be condensed into half its volume in order to accomplish the streamlining of the book. Whatever merit the translation now presented to the reader may possess should be written to the credit of Reverend Gearhart Mahler of Geneva, New York who came to my assistance in a very busy season by making a rough draft of the translation and later preparing a revision of it which forms the basis of the final draft submitted to the printer. A word should now be said about the origin of Luther's commentary on Galatians. The reformer had lectured on this epistle of St. Paul's in 1519 and again in 1523. It was his favorite among all the biblical books. In his table talks, the saying is recorded, the epistle to the Galatians is my epistle. To it I am as it were in wedlock. It is my Catherine. Much later when a friend of his was preparing an edition of all his Latin works, he remarked to his home circle, if I had my way about it they would republish only those of my books which have doctrine, my Galatians for instance. The lectures which are preserved in the works herewith submitted to the American public were delivered in 1531. They were taken down by George Rohrer who held something of a deanship at Wittenberg University and who was one of Luther's aides in the translation of the Bible. Rohrer took down Luther's lectures and this manuscript has been preserved to the present day and a copy which contains also additions by Veit Dietrich and by Kruseger, friends of Rohrer's who with him attended Luther's lectures. In other words, these three men took down the lectures which Luther addressed to his students in the course of Galatians and Rohrer prepared the manuscript for the printer. A German translation by Justice Menius appeared in the Wittenberg edition of Luther's writings, published in 1539. One cannot discuss this famous document of the Reformation Age without averting of the experience of John Bunyan greatly afflicted on account of his original and inward pollution and wretched in the knowledge of his transgressions, Bunyan looked around for some ancient work that might satisfy him. He had found that the writers of his own day had not gone down themselves into the deep. Rummaging around, he found an old copy ready to fall to pieces of Martin Luther's commentary on Galatians. He says, When I had but a little way pursued I found my condition in his experience so largely and profoundly handled as if his book had been written out of my heart. I prefer this book of Martin Luther on the Galatians, accepting the Holy Bible, before all the books that ever I have seen as most fit for a wounded conscious. The importance of this commentary on Galatians for the history of Protestantism is very great. It presents, like no other of Luther's writings, the central thought of Christianity, the justification of the sinner for the sake of Christ's merits alone. We have permitted in the final revision of the manuscript many a passage to stand, which seemed weak and ineffectual when compared with the trumpet tones of the Latin original. But the essence of Luther's lectures is there. May the reader accept with indulgence where in this translation we have gone too far in modernizing Luther's expression, making him talk American. And may the divine blessing rest upon this we trust, even in its new dress, eloquent disquisition of Martin Luther on those central doctrines upon which the Christian church depends for its inner life and for success in its evangelical mission. At the end of his lectures in 1531, Luther uttered a brief prayer and then dictated two scriptural texts, which we shall inscribe at the end of these introductory remarks. The Lord who has given us power to teach and to hear, let him also give us the power to serve and to do. Luke 2. Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill to men. Isaiah 40. The word of our God shall stand forever. Theodore Grabner, St. Louis, Missouri. End of Preface Recording by Tim Perkins of Sugar Land, Texas. Chapter 1, Part 1 of commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Tim Perkins. Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. By Martin Luther. Translated by Theodore Grabner. Chapter 1, Part 1 Verse 1 Paul, an apostle, not of men neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead. St. Paul wrote this Epistle because after his departure from the Galatian churches, Jewish Christian fanatics moved in, who perverted Paul's Gospel and by faith in Christ Jesus. The world bears the Gospel at grudge because the Gospel condemns the religious wisdom of the world. Jealous for its own religious views, the world in turn charges the Gospel with being a subversive and licentious doctrine, offensive to God and man, a doctrine to be persecuted as the worst plague on earth. As a result, we have this paradoxical situation. The Gospel supplies the world with the salvation of Jesus Christ, peace of conscience and every blessing. Just for that, the world abhors the Gospel. These Jewish Christian fanatics who pushed themselves into the Galatian churches after Paul's departure boasted that they were the descendants of Abraham, true ministers of Christ, having been trained by the apostles themselves that they were able to perform miracles. In every way, they sought to undermine the authority of St. Paul. They said to the Galatians, you have no right to think highly of Paul. It was the last to turn to Christ, but we have seen Christ. We heard him preach. Paul came later in his beneath us. It is possible for us to be an error we who have received the Holy Ghost. Paul stands alone. He has not seen Christ, nor has he had much contact with the other apostles. Indeed, he persecuted the Church of Christ for a long time. When men claiming such credentials come along, they deceive not only the naive, but also those who seemingly are well established in the faith. This same argument is used by the Papacy. Do you suppose that God, for the sake of a few Lutheran heretics, would disown his entire Church? Or do you suppose that God would have left his Church floundering in error all these centuries? The Galatians were taken in by such arguments, with the result that Paul's authority and doctrine were drawn in question. Against these boasting false apostles, Paul boldly defends his apostolic authority and ministry. Humble man that he was, he will not now take a back seat. He reminds them of the time when he opposed Peter to his face, and reproved the chief of the apostles. Paul devotes the first two chapters to a defense of his office and his gospel, affirming that he received it not from men, but from the Lord Jesus Christ by special revelation, and that if he or an angel from heaven preached any other gospel than the one preached, he shall be accursed. The certainty of our calling Every minister should make much of his calling and impress upon others the fact that he has been delegated by God to preach the gospel. As the ambassador of a government is honored for his office, and not for his private person, so the minister of Christ should exalt his office, in order to gain authority among men. This is not vain glory, but needful glory. Paul takes pride in his ministry, not to his own praise, but to the praise of God. Right into the Romans he declares, In as much as I am the apostle of the Gentiles I magnify mine office. That is, I want to be received not as Paul of Tarsus, but as Paul the apostle and ambassador of Jesus Christ in order that people might be more eager to hear. Paul exalts his ministry out of the desire to make known the name, the grace and the mercy of God. Verse 1. Paul loses no time in defending himself against the charge that he had thrust himself into the ministry. He says to the Galatians, My call may seem inferior to you, but those who have come to you are either called of men or by man. My call is the highest possible, for it is by Jesus Christ and God the Father. When Paul speaks of those called by men, I take it he means those whom neither God nor man sent, but who go wherever they like. and speak for themselves. When Paul speaks of those called by man, I take it he means those who have a divine call extended to them through other persons. God calls in two ways. Either he calls ministers through the agency of men, or he calls them directly as he called the prophets and apostles. Paul declares that the false apostles were called or sent neither by men nor by man. The most they could claim they were sent by others. But as for me, I was called neither of men nor by man, but directly by Jesus Christ. My call is in every respect like the call of the apostles. In fact, I am an apostle. Elsewhere, Paul draws a sharp distinction between an apostleship and lesser functions. As in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 28, and God hath set some in the church first apostles, secondarily prophets, he mentions the apostles first because they were appointed directly by God. Matthias was called in this manner. The apostles chose two candidates and then cast lots, praying that God would indicate which one he would have. To be an apostle, he had to have his appointment from God. In the same manner, Paul was called as the apostle of the Gentiles. The call is not to be taken lightly. For a person to possess knowledge is not enough. He must be sure that he is properly called. Those who operate without a proper call seek no good purpose. God does not bless their labors. They may be good preachers, but they do not edify. Many of the fanatics of our day pronounce words of faith because their purpose is to turn men to their perverse opinions. On the other hand, those who have a divine call must suffer a good deal of opposition in order that they may become fortified against the running attacks This is our comfort in the ministry. That ours is a divine office to which we have been divinely called. Reversely, what an awful thing it must be for the conscience if one is not properly called. It spoils one's best work. When I was a young man, I thought Paul was making too much of his call. I did not understand his purpose. I did not then realize the importance of the ministry. I knew nothing of the doctrine of faith because we were taught sophistry and nobody understood spiritual boasting. We exalt our calling not to gain glory among men or money or satisfaction or favor but because people need to be assured that the words we speak are the words of God. This is no sinful pride. It is holy pride. First one, and God the Father who raised him from the dead. Paul is so eager to come to the subject matter of his epistle the righteousness of faith and the righteousness of works that he already in the title must speak his mind. He did not think it quite enough to say that he was an apostle by Jesus Christ. He adds, The clause seems superfluous on first sight, yet Paul had a good reason for adding it. He had the deal with Satan and his agents who endeavored to deprive him of the righteousness of Christ who was raised by God the Father from the dead. These perverters of the righteousness of Christ are the father and the son and the works of them both. In this whole epistle Paul treats of the resurrection of Christ. By his resurrection Christ won the victory over law, sin, flesh, world, devil, death, hell and every evil. In this his victory he donated unto us. These many tyrants and enemies of ours may accuse and frighten us but they dare not condemn us for Christ whom God the Father is our righteousness and our victory. Do you notice how well suited to his purpose Paul writes? He does not say by God who made heaven and earth who is Lord of the angels but Paul has in mind the righteousness of Christ and speaks to the point saying I am an apostle not of men neither by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead. First two and all the brethren which are with me should go far in shutting the mouths of the false apostles. Paul's intention is to exalt his own ministry while discrediting theirs. He adds for good measure the argument that he does not stand alone but that all the brethren with him attest to the fact that his doctrine is divinely true. Although the brethren with me are not apostles like myself yet they are all of one mind with me, think, write and teach as I do. Verse 2 The Churches of Galatia Paul has preached the gospel throughout Galatia founding many churches after which his departure were invaded by the false apostles. The Anabaptists in our time imitate the false apostles. They do not go where the enemies of the gospel predominate. They go where the Christians are. Why do they not invade the Catholic provinces and preach their doctrine to godless princes, bishops and doctors as we have done by the help of God? The martyrs take no chances. They go where the gospel has a hold so that they may not endanger their lives. The false apostles would not go to Jerusalem of Syphus or to the Rome of the Emperor or to any other place where no man had preached before as Paul and the other apostles did. But they came to the churches of Galatia knowing that where men profess the name of Christ they may feel secure. It is the lot of God's ministers not only to suffer opposition at the hand of a wicked world but also to see the patient indoctrination of many years quickly undone by such religious fanatics. This hurts more than the persecution of tyrants. We are treated shabbily on the outside by tyrants, on the inside by those whom we have restored to the liberty of the gospel and also by false brethren. But this is our comfort and our glory that being called of God we have the promise of everlasting life. We look for that reward not seen nor ear heard neither hath entered into the heart of man. Jerome raises the question why Paul called them churches that were no churches and as much as the Galatians had forsaken the grace of Christ for the law of Moses. The proper answer is although the Galatians had fallen away from the doctrine of Paul baptism, the gospel and the name of Christ continued among them. Not all the Galatians had become perverted. Some clung to the right view of the word and the sacraments. These means cannot be contaminated. They remain divine regardless of men's opinion. Wherever the means of grace are found there is the holy church even though Antichrist reigns there. So much for the title of the epistle now follows the greeting of the apostle. Verse 3 Grace be to you in peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. The terms of grace and peace are common terms with Paul and are now pretty well understood. But since we are explaining this epistle you will not mind if we repeat what we have so often explained elsewhere. The article of justification must be sounded in our ears incessantly because the frailty of our flesh will not permit us to take hold of it perfectly and to believe it with all our heart. The greeting of the apostle is refreshing. Grace remits sin and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. Only Christians possess this victorious knowledge given from above. These two terms, grace and peace constitute Christianity. Grace involves the remission of sins peace and a happy conscience. Sin is not cancelled by lawful living for no person is able to live up to the law. The law reveals guilt fills the conscience with terror that drives men to despair. Much less is sin taken away from man invented endeavors. The fact is, the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts the deeper he goes into debt. Nothing can take away sin except the grace of God. In actual living however it is not so easy to persuade oneself that by grace alone in opposition to every other means we obtain the forgiveness of our sins and peace with God. There ends this a pernicious doctrine. The world advances free will the rational and natural approach of good works as the means of obtaining the forgiveness of sin. But it is impossible to gain peace of conscience by the method and means of the world. Experience proves this. Various holy orders have been launched for the purpose of securing peace of conscience through religious exercises but they proved failures because such devices only increased doubt and despair. We find no rest for our weary bones unless we cling to the word of grace. The apostle does not wish the Galatians grace and peace from the Emperor or from the Kings or from the Governors but from God the Father. He wishes them heavenly peace the kind of which Jesus spoke when he said peace I leave unto you my peace I give unto you. Worldly peace provides quiet enjoyment of life and possessions but in affliction particularly in the hour of death the grace and peace of the world will not deliver us. However, the grace and peace of God will. They make a person strong, courageous to bear and to overcome all difficulties even death itself because we have the victory of Christ's death and the assurance of the forgiveness of our sins. Men should not speculate about the nature of God. The apostle adds to the salutation the words and from our Lord Jesus Christ was it not enough to save from God the Father? It is a principle of the Bible that we are not to inquire curiously into the nature of God. There shall no man see me and live. Exodus chapter 33 verse 20 All who trust in their own merits to save them disregard this principle and lose sight of the mediator Jesus Christ. True Christian theology does not inquire into the nature of God but into God's purpose and will in Christ whom God incorporated in our flesh to live and to die for our sins. There is nothing more dangerous than to speculate about the incomprehensible power, wisdom, and majesty of God when the conscience is in turmoil over sin. To do so is to lose God altogether because God becomes intolerable when we seek to measure and to comprehend His infinite majesty. We are to seek God as Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verses 23 and 24 We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Begin with Christ. He came down to earth, lived among men suffered was crucified and then he died standing clearly before us so that our hearts and eyes may fasten upon him. Thus we shall be kept from climbing heaven in a curious and futile search after the nature of God. If you ask how God may be found who justifies sinners know that there is no other God besides this man Christ Jesus. Embrace him and forget about the nature of God. But these fanatics who exclude our mediator in their dealings with God do not believe me. Did not Christ himself say I am the way and the truth and the life no man cometh unto the Father without Christ there is no access to the Father but futile rambling no truth but hypocrisy no life but eternal death. When you argue about the nature of God apart from the question of justification you may be as profound as you like but when you deal with conscience and with righteousness over against the law sin death and the devil you must close your mind to all inquiries into the nature of God and concentrate upon Jesus Christ who says come unto me all ye that labor in our heavy laden and I will give you rest. Doing this you will recognize the power and majesty condescending to your condition according to Paul's statement to the Colossians in Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily Paul in wishing grace and peace not alone from God the Father but also from Jesus Christ wants to warn us against the curious incursions into the nature of God we are to hear Christ who has been appointed by the Father as our Divine Teacher Christ is God by nature at the same time Paul confirms our creed that Christ is very God we need such frequent confirmation of our faith for Satan will not fail to attack it he hates our faith he knows that it is the victory which overcomeeth him in the world that Christ is very God in that Paul ascribes to him divine powers equally with the Father as for instance the power to dispense grace and peace this Jesus could not do unless he were God to bestow peace and grace lies in the province of God who alone can create these blessings the angels cannot the apostles could only distribute these blessings by the preaching of the Gospel in attributing to Christ the divine power of creating and giving grace peace fasting life, righteousness and forgiveness of sins the conclusion is inevitable that Christ is truly God similarly Saint John concludes from the works attributed to the Father and the Son that they are divinely one hence the gifts which we receive from the Father and from the Son are one and the same otherwise Paul should have written grace from God the Father and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ in combining them he ascribes them equally to the Father and the Son to stress this on the account of the many errors emanating from the sex the Aryans were sharp fellows admitting that Christ had two natures and that he is called very God of very God they were yet able to deny his divinity the Aryans took Christ for a noble and perfect creature superior even to the angels because by him God created heaven and earth Muhammad also speaks highly of Christ but all their praise is mere palaver to receive men Paul's language is different to paraphrase him you are established in this belief that Christ is very God because he gives us grace and peace gifts which only God can create in bestow verse 4 who gave himself for our sins Paul sticks to his theme he never loses sight of the purpose of his epistle he does not say who received our works but who gave not gold or silver or partial lambs or an angel but himself what for not for a crown or a kingdom or our goodness but for our sins these words are like so many thunderclaps of protest from heaven against every kind and type of self merit underscore these words for they are full of comfort for sore consciences how may we obtain remission of our sins the man who has named Jesus Christ and the Son of God gave himself for our sins the heavy artillery of these words explodes papacy works, merits, superstitions for if our sins could be removed by our own efforts what need was there for the Son of God to be given for them since Christ was given for our sins it stands to reason that they cannot be put away by our own efforts this sentence also defines our sins so great in fact that the whole world could not make amends for a single sin the greatness of the ransom Christ the Son of God indicates this the vicious character of sin is brought out by the words who gave himself for our sins so vicious is sin that only the sacrifice of Christ could atone for sin when we reflect that the one little word sin embraces the whole kingdom of Satan yet it includes everything that is horrible we have reason to tremble but we are careless we make light of sin we think that by some little work or merit we can dismiss sin this passage then bears out the fact that all men are sold under sin sin is an exacting despot who can be vanquished by no created power but by the sovereign power of Jesus Christ alone all this is of wonderful comfort to a conscience by the enormity of sin sin cannot harm those who believe in Christ because he has overcome sin by his death armed with this conviction we are enlightened and may pass judgment upon the papas monks, nuns, priests, Muhammadians, Anabaptists and all those who trust in their own merits as wicked and destructive sex that rob God and Christ of the honor that belong to them alone note especially the pronoun hour and its significance we readily grant that Christ gave himself for the sins of Peter, Paul and others who were worthy of such grace but feeling low you find it hard to believe that Christ gave himself for your sins our feelings shy at personal application of the pronoun hour and we refuse to have anything to do with God until we have made ourselves worthy by good deeds this attitude springs from a false conception of sin the conception that sin is a small matter taken care of by good works that we must present ourselves unto God with a good conscience that we must feel no sin before we may feel that Christ was given for our sins this attitude is universal and particularly developed in those who consider themselves better than others such readily confess that they are frequent sinners but they regard their sins as of no such importance that they cannot easily be dissolved by some good action or that they may not appear before the tribunal of Christ for the reward of eternal life for their righteousness meantime they pretend great humility and acknowledge a certain degree of sinfulness for which they soulfully join in the publican's prayer God be merciful to me as sinner but the real significance and comfort of the words for our sins is lost upon them the genius of Christianity takes the words of Paul who gave himself for our sins as true and efficacious we are not to look upon our sins as insignificant trifles on the other hand we are not to regard them as so terrible that we must despair learn to believe that Christ was given not for picayune and imaginary transgressions but for mountainous sins not for one or two but for all not for sins that can be discarded but for sins that are stubbornly ingrained practice this knowledge and fortify yourself against despair particularly in the last hour the last sin to sales the conscience say with confidence Christ the Son of God was not given for the righteous but for sinners if I had no sin I should not need Christ no Satan you cannot delude me into thinking I am holy the truth is I am all sin my sins are not imaginary transgressions but sins against the first table unbelief, doubt despair, contempt hatred, ignorance of God attitude towards him, misuse of his name neglect of his word etc and sins against the second table dishonor of parents, disobedience of government coveting of another's possessions etc granted that I have not committed murder adultery, theft and similar sins indeed nevertheless I have committed them in the heart and therefore I am a transgressor of all the commandments of God because my transgressions are multiplied by my own efforts at self-justification rather a hindrance than a furtherance therefore Christ the Son of God gave himself unto death for my sins to believe this is to have eternal life let us equip ourselves against the accusations of Satan with this in similar passages of holy scripture if he says thou shalt be damned you tell him no for I fly to Christ who gave himself for my sins and accusing me of being a damnable sinner you are cutting your own throat Satan you are reminding me of God's fatherly goodness towards me that he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life and calling me a sinner Satan you really comfort me above measure with such heavenly cunning we are to meet the devil's craft and put from us the memory of sin Saint Paul also presents a true picture of Christ as the virgin born son of God delivered unto death for our sins to entertain a true conception of Christ is important for the devil describes Christ as an exacting and cruel judge who condemns and punishes men tell him that his definition of Christ is wrong, that Christ has given himself for our sins that by his sacrifice he has taken away the sins of the whole world make ample use of this pronoun hour make sure that Christ has cancelled the sins not of certain persons only but your sins do not permit yourself to be robbed of this lovely conception of Christ Christ is no Moses no law giver no tyrant but the mediator for sins the giver of grace and life we know this yet in actual conflict with the devil when he scares us with the law when he frightens us with the very person of the mediator when he misquotes the words of Christ and distorts for us our savior we so easily lose sight of our sweet high priest for this reason I am so anxious for you to gain a true picture of Christ out of the words of Paul who gave himself for our sins obviously Christ is no judge to condemn us for he gave himself for our sins he does not trample the fallen but raises them he comforts the broken hearted otherwise Paul should lie when he writes who gave himself for our sins I do not bother my head with speculations about the nature of God I simply attach myself to the human Christ and I find joy and peace and the wisdom of God in him these are not new truths I am repeating what the apostles and all teachers of God have taught long ago would to God we could impregnate our hearts with these truths first four that he might deliver us from this present evil world Paul calls this present world evil because everything in it is subject to the malice of the devil who reigns over the whole world as his dominion and fills the air with ignorance, contempt, hatred and disobedience of God in this devil's kingdom we live as long as a person is in the world he cannot by his own efforts rid himself of sin because the world is bent upon evil the people of the world are the slaves of the devil not in the kingdom of Christ it is certain we belong to the kingdom of Satan and we are pressed into his service with every talent we possess take the talents of wisdom and integrity without Christ wisdom is double foolishness and integrity doubles sin because they not only fail to perceive the wisdom and righteousness of Christ but hinder in blaspheme the salvation of Christ Paul justly calls it the evil or wicked world for when the world is at its best the world is at its worst the grossest vices are small faults in comparison with the wisdom and righteousness of the world these prevent men from accepting the gospel of the righteousness of Christ the white devil of spiritual sin is far more dangerous than the black devil of carnal sin because the wiser the better men are without Christ the more they are likely to ignore and oppose the gospel with the words that he might deliver us Paul argues that we stand in need of Christ no other being can possibly deliver us from this present evil world do not let the fact disturb you that a great many people enjoy excellent reputations without Christ remember what Paul says that the world with all its wisdom might and righteousness is the devil's own God alone is able to deliver us from the world let us praise and thank God for his mercy in delivering us from the captivity of sin when we were unable to do so by our own strength let us confess with Paul that his righteousness is loss and dung let us condemn as filthy rags all talk about free will all religious orders masses, ceremonies, vows fastings and the like in branding the world the devil's kingdom of iniquity ignorance, error, sin, death and everlasting despair Paul at the same time declares the kingdom of Christ to be a kingdom of equity light, grace remission of sin healing health and everlasting life into which we are translated by our Lord Jesus Christ to whom we'll be glory forever in this passage Paul contends against the false apostles for the article of justification Christ says Paul has delivered us from this wicked kingdom of the devil and the world according to the good will, the pleasure and the commandment of the Father hence we are not delivered by our own will or shrewdness or wisdom by the mercy and love of God it is written, 1st John chapter 4 verse 10 herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins another reason why Paul like John emphasizes the Father's will is Christ's habit of directing attention to the Father for Christ came into the world to reconcile God with us and to draw us to the Father not by curious inquiries into the nature of God we know God and his purpose for our salvation but by taking hold of Christ who according to the will of the Father has given himself into death for our sins when we understand this to be the will of the Father in Christ then shall we know God to be merciful and not angry we shall realize that he loved us wretched sinners so much indeed that he gave us his only begotten son into death for us the pronoun hour he is our God and our Father Christ's Father and our Father are one and the same hence Christ said to Mary Magdalene go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God God is our Father and our God but only in Christ Jesus verse 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever Amen this writing is interspersed with expressions of praise and gratitude this peculiarity can be traced to the apostolic writings particularly in those of Paul the name of the Lord is to be mentioned with great reverence and thanksgiving verse 6 I marvel how patiently Paul deals with his seduced Galatians he does not pounce on them but like a father he fairly excuses their error with motherly affection he talks to them in a way that at the same time he also reproves them on the other hand he is highly indignant at the seducers whom he blamed for the apostasy of the Galatians his anger bursts forth an elemental fury at the beginning of his epistle if any man he cries preach any other gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be accursed later on in the fifth chapter he threatens the false apostles with damnation say that trouble with you shall bear his judgment whosoever he be he pronounces a curse upon them I would they were even cut off which trouble you he might have addressed the Galatians after this fashion I am ashamed of you your ingratitude grieves me I am angry with you but his purpose was to call them back to the gospel with this purpose in mind he speaks very gently to them he could not have chosen a milder expression I marvel it indicates his sorrow and his displeasure Paul minds the rule which he himself lays down in the later chapter where he says brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such in one in the spirit of meekness considering thyself lest thou also be tempted toward those who have been misled we are to show ourselves parently affectionate so that they may perceive that we seek affection but their salvation over against the devil and his missionaries the authors of false doctrines and sects we ought to be like the apostle impatient and rigorously condemnatory as parents are with the dog that bites their little one but the weeping child itself they soothe the right spirit in Paul supplies him with an extraordinary facility in handling the afflicted consciences of the fallen the pope and his bishops with the desire to lord it over men's souls crack out thunders and curses upon miserable consciences they have no care for the saving of men's souls they are interested only in maintaining their position verse 6 that ye are so soon Paul deplores the fact that it is difficult for the mind to retain a sound instead fast faith a man labors for a decade before he succeeds in training his little church into orderly religion the ignorant and vicious paltrune comes along to overthrow in a minute the patient labor of years by the grace of God we have affected here in wittenberg the form of a Christian church the word of God is taught as it should be the sacraments are administered and everything is prosperous this happy condition secured by many years of arduous labors some lunatic might spoil in a moment this happened in the churches of Galatia which Paul had brought into life in spiritual travail soon after his departure however these Galatian churches were thrown into confusion by the false apostles the church is a tender plant it must be watched people hear a couple of sermons scan a few pages of holy writ and think they know it all they are bold because they have never gone through any trials of faith void of the Holy Spirit they teach what they please as long as it sounds good to the common people who are ever ready to join something new we have to watch out for the devil lest he so tears among the wheat while we sleep no sooner had Paul turned his back on the churches of Galatia than the false apostles went to work therefore let us watch over ourselves and over the whole church verse 6 I marvel that you are so soon removed again the apostle puts in a gentle word he does not berate the Galatians I marvel that you are so unsteady, unfaithful he says I marvel that you are so soon removed he does not address them as evildoers he speaks to them as people who have suffered great loss he condemns those who remove them rather than the Galatians at the same time he gently reproves them for permitting themselves to be removed the criticism is implied that they should have been a little more settled in their beliefs if they had taken better hold of the word they could not have been removed so easily Jerome thinks that Paul is playing upon the name Galatians deriving it from the Hebrew word Galaf which means fallen or carried away as though Paul wanted to say you are true Galatians that is fallen away in name and in fact some believe that the Germans are descended from the Galatians there may be something to that for the Germans are not unlike the Galatians in their lack of constancy at first we Germans are very enthusiastic but presently our emotions cool and we become slack when the light of the gospel first came to us many were zealous heard sermons greedily and held the ministry of God's word in high esteem but now that religion has been reformed many who formerly were such earnest disciples have discarded the word of God have become so bellies like the foolish and inconsistent Galatians verse 6 from him that called you into the grace of Christ the reading is a little doubtful the sentence may be construed to read from that Christ that called you into grace or it may be construed to read from God that called you into the grace of Christ I prefer the former for it seems to me that Paul's purpose is to impress upon us the benefits of Christ this reading also preserves the implied criticism the relations withdrew themselves from that Christ who had called them not into the law but into grace with Paul we decry the blindness and perverseness of men in that they will not receive the message of grace and salvation or having received it they quickly let go of it in spite of the fact that the gospel bestows all good things spiritual forgiveness of sins, true righteousness peace of conscience, everlasting life and all good things temporal good judgment, good government and peace why does the world abhor the glad tidings of the gospel and the blessings that go with it because the world is the devils under his direction the world persecutes the gospel and would if it could nail again Christ the Son of God to the cross although he gave himself into death for the sins of the world the world dwells in darkness the world is darkness Paul accentuates the point that the Galatians had been called by Christ unto grace I taught you the doctrine of grace and of liberty from the law from sin and wrath that you should be free in Christ and not slaves to the hard laws of Moses will you allow yourselves to be carried away so easily from the living fountain of grace and life verse 6 unto another gospel note the resourcefulness of the devil heretics do not advertise their errors murderers, adulterers thieves, disguise themselves so the devil masquerades all his devices and activities he puts on white to make himself look like an angel of light he is astoundingly clever to sell his patent poison for the gospel of Christ knowing Satan's guile, Paul sardonically calls the doctrine of the false apostles another gospel as if he would say you Galatians have now another gospel while my gospel is no longer esteemed by you we infer from this that the false apostles had depreciated the gospel of Paul among the Galatians on the plea that it was incomplete their objection to Paul's gospel is identical to that recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the book of Acts to the effect that it was not enough for the Galatians to believe in Christ or to be baptized but that it was needful to circumcise them and to command them to keep the law of Moses for accept ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, you cannot be saved as though Christ were a workman who had begun a building and left it for Moses to finish today the Anabaptists and others finding it difficult to condemn us accuse us Lutherans of timidity in professing the whole truth they grant that we have laid the foundation in Christ but claim that we have failed to go through with the building in this way these perverse fanatics parade their curse doctrine as the word of God and flying the flag of God's name they deceive many the devil knows better than to appear ugly and black he prefers to carry on his nefarious activities in the name of God hence the German proverb all mischief begins in the name of God when the devil sees that he cannot hurt the cause of the gospel by destructive methods he does it under the guise of correcting and advancing the cause of the gospel he would like best of all to persecute us with fire and sword but this method has availed him little because through the blood of martyrs the church has been watered unable to prevail by force he engages wicked and ungodly teachers who at first make common cause with us then claim that they are particularly called to teach the hidden mysteries of the scriptures to superimpose upon the first principles of Christian doctrine that we teach this sort of thing brings the gospel into trouble may we all cling to the word of Christ against the wiles of the devil we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places End of Chapter 1 Part 1 Recording by Tim Perkins of Sugar Land, Texas Chapter 1 Part 2 of Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians This is a Librivox recording All Librivox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit Librivox.org Recording by Bill Mosley Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians by Martin Luther Translated by Theodore Grabner Chapter 1 Part 2 Verse 7 Which is not another but there be some that trouble you Here again the apostle excuses the Galatians while he blames the false apostles for disturbing their consciences and for stealing them out of his hand How angry he gets at these deceivers He calls them troublemakers seducers of poor consciences This passage adduces further evidence that the false apostles defamed Paul as an imperfect apostle and a weak and erroneous preacher They condemn Paul Paul condemns them Such warfare of condemnation is always going on in the church The papus and the fanatics hate us condemn our doctrine and want to kill us We in turn hate and condemn their accursed doctrine In the meanwhile the people are uncertain whom to follow in which way to turn for it is not given to everybody to judge these matters but the truth will win out So much is certain we persecute no man neither does our doctrine trouble men On the contrary we have the testimony of many good men who thank God on their knees for the consolation that our doctrine has brought them Like Paul we are not to blame that the churches have trouble The fault lies with the anabaptists and other fanatics Every teacher of work righteousness is a troublemaker Has it ever occurred to you that the pope, cardinals bishops, monks and that the whole synagogue of Satan are troublemakers The truth is they are worse than false apostles The false apostles taught that in addition to faith in Christ the works of the law of God were necessary unto salvation But the papus omit faith altogether and teach self-divised traditions and works that are not commanded of God Indeed are contrary to the word of God and for these traditions they demand preferred attention and obedience Paul calls the false apostles troublemakers of the church because they taught circumcision and the keeping of the law as needful unto salvation They insisted that the law must be observed in every detail There were supporters in this contention by the Jews with the result that were not firmly established in faith were easily persuaded that Paul was not a sincere teacher of God because he ignored the law The Jews were offended at the idea that the law of God should be entirely ignored by Paul and that the Gentiles formerly idol worshipers should gratuitously attain to the station of God's people without circumcision without the penitentiary performance of the law by grace alone through faith in Christ Jesus These criticisms were amplified by the false apostles They accused Paul of designs to abolish the law of God and the Jewish dispensation contrary to the law of God contrary to their Jewish heritage contrary to apostolic example contrary to Paul's own example They demanded that Paul be shunned as a blasphemer and a rebel while they were to be heard as true teachers of the gospel and authentic disciples of the apostles Thus Paul stood defamed among the Galatians He was forced to attack the false apostles He did so without hesitation verse 7 and would pervert the gospel of Christ To paraphrase this sentence These false apostles do not merely trouble you they abolish Christ's gospel They act as if they were the only true gospel preachers For all that they muddle law and gospel As a result they pervert the gospel Either Christ must live and the law perish or the law remains and Christ must perish Christ and the law cannot dwell side by side in the conscience It is either grace or law To muddle the two is to eliminate the gospel of Christ entirely It seems a small matter to mingle the law and gospel faith and works but it creates more mischief than man's brain can conceive To mix law and gospel not only clouds the knowledge of grace it cuts out Christ altogether The words of Paul and would pervert the gospel of Christ also indicate how arrogant these false apostles were They were shameless boasters Paul simply had to exalt his own ministry and gospel Verse 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 Paul's zeal for the gospel becomes so fervent that it almost leads him to curse angels I would rather that I, my brethren, yes the angels of heaven be anathematized than that my gospel be overthrown The Greek word anathema Hebrew harem means to accursed, execrate to damn Paul first hypothetically curses himself Knowing persons must find fault with themselves in order that they may all the more earnestly reprove others Paul maintains that there is no other gospel besides the one he had preached to the Galatians He preached not at gospel of his own invention, but the very same gospel God had long ago prescribed in the sacred scriptures No wonder Paul pronounces curses upon himself and upon others upon the angels of heaven if anyone should preach any other gospel than Christ's own verse 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 Paul repeats the curse directing it now upon other persons before he cursed himself his brethren and an angel from heaven now he says if there are any others who preach a gospel different from that you have received from us let them also be accursed Paul herewith curses and excommunicates all false teachers including his opponents he is so worked up that he dares to curse all who pervert his gospel would to God that this terrible pronouncement of the apostle might strike fear into the hearts of all who pervert the gospel of Paul the Galatians might say Paul we do not pervert the gospel you have brought unto us we did not quite understand it, that is all now these teachers who came after you have explained everything so beautifully this explanation the apostle refuses to accept they must add nothing they must correct nothing what you receive from me is the genuine gospel of God let it stand if any man brings any other gospel than the one I brought to you or promises to deliver better things than you have received from me let him be accursed in spite of this emphatic denunciation so many accept the pope supreme judge of the scriptures the church they say chose only for gospels the church might have chosen more ergo the church is above the gospel with equal force one might argue I approve the scriptures ergo I am above the scriptures John the Baptist confessed Christ hence he is above Christ Paul subordinates himself all preachers all the angels of heaven everybody to the sacred scriptures we are not the masters judges or arbiters but witnesses disciples and confessors of the scriptures whether we be pope Luther, Augustine, Paul or an angel from heaven verse 10 for do I now persuade men or God the same vehemence Paul continues eugolations ought to be able to tell from my preaching and from the many afflictions which I have endured whether I serve men or God everybody can see that my preaching has stirred up persecution against me everywhere and has earned for me the cruel hatred of my own people in fact the hatred of all men this should convince you that by my preaching we are seeking the favor and praise of men but the glory of God no man can say that we are seeking the favor and praise of men with our doctrine we teach that all men are naturally depraved we condemn man's free will his strength, wisdom and righteousness we say that we obtain grace by the free mercy of God alone for Christ's sake this is no preaching to please men this is no preaching procures for us the hatred and disfavor of the world persecutions excommunications murders and curses can't you see that I seek no man's favor by my doctrine as Paul if I were anxious for the favor of men I would flatter them what do I do I condemn their works I teach things only above for that I bring down upon my head the wrath of Jews and Gentiles my doctrine must be right it must be divine any other doctrine cannot be better than mine any other doctrine must be false and wicked with Paul we boldly pronounce a curse upon every doctrine that does not agree with ours we do not preach for the praise of men or of princes we preach for the favor of God alone whose grace and mercy we proclaim whosoever teaches a gospel contrary to ours or different from ours let us be bold to say that he is sent of the devil verse 10 for do I seek to please men do I serve men or God Paul keeps an eye on the false apostles those flatterers of men they taught circumcision to avoid the hatred and persecution of men to this day you will find many who seek to please men in order that they may live in peace and security they teach whatever is agreeable to men no matter whether it is contrary to God's word or their own conscience but we who endeavor to please God and not men in the hell itself we must suffer reproach slanders death for those who go about to please men we have a word from Christ recorded in the 5th chapter of Saint John how can you believe which receive honor one of another and seek not the honor that cometh from God alone verse 10 for if I yet pleased men will not be the servant of Christ observe the consummate cleverness with which the false apostles went about to bring Paul into disrepute they combed Paul's writings for contradictions our opponents do the same to accuse him of teaching contradictory things they found that Paul had circumcised Timothy according to the law that Paul had purified himself with four other men in the temple at Jerusalem that Paul had shaven his head at Saint Shreya the false apostles slightly suggested that Paul had been constrained by the other apostles to observe these ceremonial laws we know that Paul observed these decora out of charitable regard for the weak brethren he did not want to offend them but the false apostles turned Paul's charitable regard to his disadvantage if Paul had preached the law and circumcision if he had commended the strength and free will of man he would not have been so obnoxious to the Jews on the contrary they would have praised his every action verses 11-12 but I certify you brethren that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man for I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Jesus Christ this passage constitutes Paul's chief defense against the accusations of his opponents he maintains under oath that he received his gospel not from men but by the revelation of Jesus Christ in declaring that his gospel is not after man Paul does not merely wish to state that his gospel is not mundane the false apostles made the same claim for their gospel Paul means to say that he learned his gospel not in the usual and accepted manner through the agency of men by hearing, reading, or writing he received the gospel by special revelation directly from Jesus Christ Paul received his gospel on the way to Damascus when Christ appeared to him Saint Luke furnishes an account of the incident in the 9th chapter of the book of Acts a rise said Christ to Paul and go into the city and it shall be told the what thou must do Christ did not send Paul into the city to learn the gospel from Ananias Ananias was only to baptize Paul to lay his hands on Paul to commit the ministry of the word unto Paul and to recommend him to the church Ananias recognized his limited assignment when he said to Paul brother Saul the Lord even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou came has sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost Paul did not receive instruction from Ananias Paul had already been called enlightened and taught by Christ in the road his contact with Ananias was merely a testimonial to the fact that Paul had been called by Christ to preach the gospel Paul was forced to speak of his conversion to combat the slanderous contention of the false apostles to the effect that this apostleship was inferior to that of the other apostles if it were not for the example of the Galatian churches I would never have thought it possible that anybody who had received the word of God with such eagerness as they had could so quickly let go of it good Lord what terrible mischief one single false statement can create the article of justification not in itself of course but in us I know how quickly a person can forfeit the joy of the gospel I know in what slippery places even those stand who seem to have a good footing in the matters of faith in the midst of the conflict when we should be consoling ourselves with the gospel the law rears up and begins to rage all over the place I say the gospel is frail because we are frail what makes matters worse is that one half of ourselves our own reason stands against us the flesh resists the spirit or as Paul puts it the flesh lusteth against the spirit therefore we teach Christ and to believe in him is no achievement of man but the gift of God God alone can create and preserve faith in us God creates faith in us through the word he increases strengthens and confirms faith in us through his word hence the best service that anybody can render God is diligently to hear and read God's word on the other hand nothing is more perilous than to be weary of the word of God thinking he knows enough a person begins little by little to despise the word till he has lost Christ and the gospel all together let every believer carefully learn the gospel let him continue in humble prayer we are molested by puny foes but by mighty ones foes who never grow tired of warring against us these are enemies are many our own flesh the world the law sin death the wrath and judgment of God and the devil himself the arguments which the false apostles today who are you to dissent from the fathers and the entire church and to bring a contradictory doctrine are you wiser than so many holy men wiser than the whole church when Satan abetted by our own reason advances these arguments against us we lose heart unless we keep on saying to ourselves I don't care Ambrose, Augustine Peter, Paul John or an angel from heaven teaches so and so I know that I teach the truth of God in Christ Jesus when I first took over the defense of the gospel I remember that Dr. Stout it said to me I like it well he said that the doctrine which you proclaim gives glory to God alone and none to man can too much glory, goodness and mercy be ascribed unto God these words of the worthy doctor comforted and confirmed me the gospel is true because it deprives men of all glory wisdom and righteousness and turns over all honor to the creator alone it is safer to attribute too much glory unto God than unto man you may argue that the church and the fathers are holy yet the church is compelled to pray forgive us our trespasses I am not to be believed nor is the church to be believed or the fathers or the apostles or an angel from heaven if they teach anything contrary to the word of God let the word of God abide forever Peter aired in life Paul might have dismissed Peter's error as a matter of no consequence but Paul saw that Peter's error would lead to the damage of the whole church unless it were corrected therefore he withstood Peter to his face the church Peter the apostles angels from heaven are not to be heard unless they teach the genuine word of God this argument is not always to our advantage people ask whom then shall we believe our opponents maintain that they teach the pure word of God we do not believe them they in turn hate and persecute us for vile heretics what can we do about it with Paul we glory in the gospel of Jesus Christ what do we gain we are told that our glorying is idle vanity and unadulterated blasphemy the moment we abase ourselves and give in to the rage of our opponents papists and anabaptists grow arrogant the anabaptist hatch out some new monstrosity the papists revive their old abominations what to do we become sure of his calling and doctrine that he may boldly say with Paul but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than ye have received let him be accursed verses 13 14 for ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the jews religion beyond measure I persecuted the church of god and wasted it and profited in the jews religion above many of my equals in my own nation this passage does not contain doctrine Paul adduces his own case for an example I have he says at one time defended the traditions of the Pharisees more fiercely than any of your false apostles now if the righteousness of the law had been worth anything I would never have forsaken it so carefully did I live up to the law that I excelled many of my companions so zealous was I in defense of the law that I wasted the church of god verse 14 being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of my fathers speaking now of the mosaic law Paul declares that he was wrapped up in it to the philippians he wrote as touching the law a Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the church touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless he means to say I can compare myself with the best and holiest of all those who are of the circumcision let them show me if they can a more earnest defender of the mosaic law than I was at one time this fact ogolations should have put you on your guard against these deceivers who make so much of the law if anybody ever had reason to glory in the righteousness of the law it was I I too may say that before I was enlightened by the gospel I was as zealous for the laws and traditions of the fathers as ever a man was I tried hard to live up to every law as best I could I punished myself with fasting watching, praying and other exercises more than all those who today hate and persecute me I was so much in earnest that I imposed upon my body more than it could stand I honored the pope as a matter of conscience whatever I did I did with a single heart to the glory of God but our opponents well fed idlers that they are will not believe what I and many others have endured verses 15, 16, 17 but when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace to reveal his son in me that I might preach him among the heathen immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me but I went into Arabia and returned again unto Damascus here Paul relates that immediately upon being called by God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles he went into Arabia without consulting a single person when it had pleased God he writes I did not deserve it I had been an enemy of Christ I had blasphemed his gospel I had shed innocent blood in the midst of my frenzy I was called why? because my account of my outrageous cruelty indeed not my gracious God who shows mercy and to whom he will pardoned all mine iniquities he bestowed his grace upon me and called me for an apostle we also have come to the knowledge of the truth by the same kindness of God I crucified Christ daily in my cloistered life and blasphemed God by my wrong faith outwardly I kept myself chased, poor and obedient I was much given to fasting, watching, praying saying of masses and the like yet under the cloak of my outward respectability I continually mistrusted doubted feared hated my righteousness was a filthy puddle Satan loves such saints they are his darlings for they quickly destroy their body and soul by depriving them of the blessings of God's generous gifts I tell you I stood in awe of the Pope's authority to dissent from him I considered a crime worthy of eternal death I thought of John Huss as a cursed heretic I counted it a sin even to think of him I would gladly have furnished the wood to burn him I would have felt I had done God a real service in comparison with these sanctimonious hypocrites of the papacy publicans and harlots are not bad they at least feel remorse they at least do not try to justify their wicked deeds but these pretended saints so far from acknowledging their errors justify them and regard them as acceptable sacrifices unto God verse 15 when it pleased God by the favor of God I a wicked and cursed wretch a blasphemer persecutor and rebel was spared not content to spare me God granted unto me the knowledge of his salvation his spirit his son the office of an apostle everlasting life Paul speaking God not only pardoned our iniquities but in addition overwhelmed us with blessings and spiritual gifts many however are ungrateful worse, by opening again a window to the devil many begin to loathe God's word and end by perverting the gospel verse 15 who separated me from my mother's womb this is a Hebrew expression meaning to sanctify ordained prepare Paul is saying when I was not yet born God ordained me to be an apostle and in due time confirmed my apostleship before the world every gift be it small or great spiritual or temporal and every good thing I should ever do God has ordained while I was yet in my mother's womb where I could neither think nor perform any good thing after I was born God supported me keeping mercy upon mercy he freely forgave my sins replenishing me with his grace to enable me to learn what great things are ours in Christ to crown it all he called me to preach the gospel to others verse 15 and called me by his grace did God call me on account of my holy life or an account of my ferrocycal religion or an account of my prayers fastings and works never well then it is certain God did not call me on account of my blasphemies persecutions oppressions what prompted him to call me his grace alone verse 16 to reveal his son to me we now hear what kind of doctrine was committed to Paul the doctrine of the gospel the doctrine of the revelation of the son of God this doctrine differs greatly from the law the law terrorizes the conscience the law reveals the wrath and judgment of God the gospel does not threaten the gospel announces that Christ is come to forgive the sins of the world the gospel conveys to us the inestimable treasures of God verse 16 that I might preach him it pleased God says the apostle to reveal himself in me why for a two-fold purpose that I personally should believe in the son of God and that I should reveal him to the Gentiles Paul does not mention the Jews for the simple reason that he was the call that acknowledged apostle of the Gentiles although he preached Christ also to the Jews we can hear the apostle saying to himself I will not burden the Gentiles with the law because I am their apostle and not their law giver not once did you Galatians hear me speak of the righteousness of the law or of works my job was to bring you the gospel therefore you ought to listen to the preachers of the law but the gospel not Moses but the son of God not the righteousness of works but the righteousness of faith must be proclaimed to the Gentiles that is the right kind of preaching for Gentiles verse 16 immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood once Paul had received Christ he conferred with nobody in Damascus he asked no man to teach him he did not go up to Jerusalem to sit at the feet of Peter and the other apostles at once he preached Jesus Christ in Damascus verse 17 neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me but I went into Arabia again unto Damascus I went to Arabia before I saw any of the apostles I took it upon myself to preach the gospel to the Gentiles without delay because Christ had called me for that purpose this statement refused the assertion of the false apostles that Paul had been a pupil of the apostles from which the false apostles inferred that Paul had been instructed in the obedience of the law therefore the Gentiles also ought to keep the law and submit to circumcision verses 18 19 then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him 15 days but other of the apostles saw I none save James the Lord's brother Paul minutely recounts his personal history to stop the false apostles Paul does not deny that he had been with some of the apostles he went to Jerusalem uninvited not to be instructed but to visit with Peter Luke reports the occasion in the ninth chapter of the book of Acts Barnabas introduced Paul to the apostles and related to them how Paul had met the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus also how Paul had engaged boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus Paul says that he saw Peter and James but he denies that he learned anything from them why does Paul harp on this seemingly unimportant fact to convince the churches of Galatia that his gospel was the true word of Christ which he learned from Christ himself and from no man Paul was forced to affirm and reaffirm this fact his usefulness to all the churches that had used him as their pastor and teacher was at stake verse 20 now the things which I write unto you behold before God I lie not was it necessary for Paul to go under oath yes Paul is reporting personal history how else would the churches believe him the false apostles might say who knows whether Paul is telling the truth Paul the elect vessel of God was held in so little esteem by his own Galatians to whom he had preached Christ that it was necessary for him to swear an oath that he spoke the truth if this happened to Paul what business have we to complain when people doubt our words thus in little regard we who cannot begin to compare ourselves with the apostle verse 21 afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Solicia Syria and Solicia are adjacent countries Paul traces his movements carefully in order to convince the Galatians but he had never been the disciple of any apostle verses 22 23 24 and was unknown by face unto the churches of Judea which were in Christ but they had heard only that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed and they glorified God in me in Syria and Solicia Paul won the endorsement of all the churches of Judea by his preaching these churches everywhere even those of Judea could testify that he had preached the same faith everywhere and Paul adds these churches glorified God in me not because I taught that circumcision in the law of Moses should be observed but because I urged upon all faith in the Lord Jesus Christ end of chapter 1 recording by Bill Mosley Freilsburg, Texas U.S.A