The Galatian churches included those in the cities of Lystra, Iconium, Antioch of Pisidia, and Derbe which were established on Paul's first missionary journey and revisited on his subsequent missionary trips.
The six chapters of this epistle are divided into three main sections of Paul's teaching. Chapters 1 & 2 are personal in nature and deal with Paul's authority. Chapters 3 & 4 are doctrinal in nature and deal with justification by faith. The final section, chapters 5 & 6, are practical in nature and deal with the application of the doctrine of justification.
I. Personal: Paul's Authority. 1:1-2:21
A. Paul's Announcement of His Gospel. 1:1-5
1. His Ministry. (1-2)
a. did not originate from men or by men.
b. but rather it centered on and around Jesus Christ.
c. although not one of the original twelve, he was called to be an apostle by Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus.
d. he had founded the very churches to whom he was writing.
2. His Message. (3-4)
a. Paul's message was always the Gospel.
b. the Person of the Gospel: "our Lord Jesus Christ"
c. the Price of the Gospel: "gave himself for our sins"
d. the Purpose of the Gospel: "that he might deliver us"
3. His Motive. (5)
a. "To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen"
b. the false teachers, both then and now, seek their own glory.
c. the Judaizers were not interested in reaching the lost, but in stealing converts.
B. Paul's Astonishment at Their Removal. 1:6-10
1. They were deserting the Grace of God. (6-7a)
a. Paul was astonished because it was happening so soon.
b. "another" = different from the first which is not "another" = of the same kind.
c. they were being "troubled" by false teachers.
2. They were believing a perverted Gospel. (7b)
a. "pervert" means to twist or turn the meaning to cause misdirection.
b. the Judaizers were twisting the Gospel message and adding to it the bondage of the Law of Moses.
3. Paul condemns those who would pervert the Gospel in any way! (8-10)
a. "...let him be accursed."
b. Paul repeats this condemna- tion.
c. Note: v10
d. the test of a man's ministry is not popularity, or miraculous signs and wonders, but his faithfulness to the Word of God!
C. Paul's Defense of His Ministry. 1:11-24
1. He received his Gospel personal- ly from Christ. (11-14)
a. Paul saw the risen Christ and received his commission and message directly from Him
b. this qualified him to be an apostle.
c. the only explanation of the radical change that took place in Paul's life was Jesus Christ!
2. He received his Gospel apart from the other Apostles. (15-17)
a. Paul was not taught by men, but by God.
b. he was not part of the Jeru- salem group, but was instructed by the Lord Himself in Arabia.
3. He received acknowledgment for his Gospel from the churches. (18-24)
a. he was acquainted with Peter and James, but none of the others.
b. he did not seek the approval of the Jerusalem church.
c. he was unknown to the Judean churches, but they glorified God when they heard about his glorious conversion.
Conclusion: Next week we will see how that after fourteen years Paul comes face to face with the Apostles once again.