Greetings from Paul
Themes in the book of Galatians:
Salvation was available to the Gentiles.
Gentiles did not have to become Jews in order to become full members of God’s family. They only had to put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Pass out maps of Paul’s 1st missionary journey.
Locate Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia on a map.
Refer to Acts 13: 13-14 & Acts 14:1, 7
Upon arriving back in Antioch from his first missionary journey after eighteen months on the road, Paul received a report that the churches he had started in Galatia had been led away from the truth of the Gospel by a group of Judaizers. Judaizers taught that all Christians were required to live under the Mosaic Law.
Galatians 1:1-2 NLT
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia.
Read Paul’s greeting to the churches in Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossi, and Thessalonica.
Romans 1:6-9 NLT
6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
1 Corinthians 1:1-4 NLT
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
2 I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
3 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
4 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 1:1-2 & 15-16 NLT
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
I am writing to God’s holy people in Ephesus, who are faithful followers of Christ Jesus.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God’s people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly,
Philippians 1:1-6 NLT
1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.
I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.
2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
Colossians 1:1-4 NLT
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.
2 We are writing to God’s holy people in the city of Colosse, who are faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
May God our Father give you grace and peace.
3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people,
Thessalonians 1:1-4 NLT
1 This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.
We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
May God give you grace and peace.
2 We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. 3 As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4 We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.
Read Paul’s greeting to the churches in Galatia.
Galatians 1:1-5 NLT
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia.
3 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
What’s missing in this greeting to the Galatians?
- The usual expression of thanksgiving and praise for believers is totally absent.
Examine the scriptures:
Galatians 1:1-2 NLT
Greetings from Paul
1 This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia.
1 This letter is from Paul,
- The book of Galatians was written by Paul
an apostle.
Paul immediately defends his apostolic credentials.
When the Galatians fell away so quickly from the gospel of grace Paul had preached to them, they also made clear their disloyalty to Paul’s authority as an apostle.
- The Galatians were being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ. (Galatians 1:7)
Paul was accused of changing the Gospel message.
The Judaizers stated that his version of the Gospel had never received the apostles’ sanction.
The Judaizers also stated that Paul’s presentation of the Gospel was incomplete.
Paul begins the letter to the Galatians by spending two chapters defending that very issue.
Paul’s apostolic credentials were being challenged.
Though not one of the original Twelve, Paul claimed equality with them as an apostle. Paul claimed the right to speak for God as His representative or delegate.
Ambassador
Messenger
- Paul felt a strong need to defend his authority as an apostle.
I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
But by Jesus Christ. That is, directly by Christ. He had been called by him, and commissioned by him, and sent by him, to engage in the work of the gospel.
Paul made the bold claim that his call was of heavenly origin, from God the Father and the risen Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul’s apostleship was not from men, that is, he was not appointed an apostle by any official body such as the leaders in Jerusalem or Antioch.
- Paul’s apostleship was not from men but from Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia.
Paul did not stand alone. Paul was supported by others in the “church”.
The letter was sent to Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia
Acts 13: 13-14 & Acts 14:1, 7
- The recipients of the letter were the churches in Galatia.
- All the brothers and sisters in Antioch of Syria joined Paul in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia. (commentary)
