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Galatians 1:1-5 |
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Introduction (1:1-10)
1. A Salutation (1:1-5)
2. A Rebuke (1:6-10)
1. The Gospel: Paul's Paul's Authoritative Message (1:11-2:21)
2. The Gospel: Legal Bondage Is Not for Today (3:1-4:31)
3. The Gospel: Christian Liberty Is for Today (5:1-6:10)
Conclusion (6:11-18)
In the period during which Galatians was written the salutation of a letter typically contained three elements: the name of the writer (the source), the description of the recipient(s) (the destination), and a greeting. These three elements are found in verses 1 through 5.
However, in the case of this salutation there is more than this source, destination, and greeting, although these are certainly here. Paul could have written simply, "Paul, to the churches of Galatia, grace and peace to you." But he expanded both the source and the greeting to include themes he would later develop in the letter. Paul included not only his designation as "an apostle" but further added that he was an apostle by divine appointment. The first two chapters of the letter will have more to say about his apostleship and the implications of it. And not only does Paul greet these believers but he expands that greeting to make reference to the work of Christ in providing the basis not only for our salvation but also for our sanctification. The last four chapters of the letter will focus on these subjects of salvation and sanctification. Furthermore, as part of his greeting, Paul added a eulogy to God the Father. Paul's letters contain similar eulogies, but this is the only letter that he includes one as part of his salutation.
Consistent with the three basic elements of a salutation, 1:1-5 may be sub-divided as follows.
1. The Letter's Source (1:1,2a)
2. The Letter's Destination (1:2b)
3. The Letter's Greeting (1:3-5)
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men neither through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, the one who raised him out from the dead), 2a and all the brothers with me,
Letters of that time often opened with an identification of who was writing the letter. This letter to the churches of Galatia follows this custom.
Paul introduced himself and immediately made the point that as an apostle his authority was not human based but divine based. He was not made an apostle by men but by God. By writing as he has, we see immediately that the issue of his apostleship (and thus the authority of his message) is an important issue. Paul developed this point at greater length in the first section of the letter.
Paul mentioned others who were with him at the time he wrote.
Paul, an apostle
The identity of the author is unquestionably the apostle Paul. Of all his letters, this one is among the least contested as to his authorship. Unlike many of his letters, rarely does anyone challenge Paul's authorship of Galatians.
Paul's position and thus his authority as an apostle had evidently been questioned. Therefore he wrote, "Paul, an apostle." This, of itself, is not unusual. Paul opened several of his letters with these words. Typically he wrote something like, "Paul, an apostle by the will of God." But, in the case of this letter to the Galatians, Paul's place as an apostle has important significance, particularly as it relates to the message of the gospel which he was proclaiming.
Here this term apostle (meaning "one sent") is used in the sense of a New Testament or Church apostle. There are two categories of apostles in a technical sense, not just one category of which there are primary and secondary subgroups. We can designate those in one category, an Old Testament sense, as "apostles to Israel" and those in the other category as "apostles to the Church." It seems that some individuals belong to one or the other of these groups. However, there are other individuals that apparently belong in both groups, like Peter and James. However, Paul was not among them. He was only an apostle to the Church.
So then, what distinguishes these two categories of apostle? On the one hand, an apostle to Israel was so by human appointment, either directly by Jesus during his ministry or subsequently, as the replacement for Judas, by those in the upper room (through the casting of lots). There are exactly 12 of these apostles to Israel. On the other hand, an apostle to the Church was so by divine appointment, namely by spiritual gift when placed into the body of Christ. The number of these apostles is unknown.
Paul is an apostle by spiritual gift so is an apostle to the Church. Beginning on the Day of Pentecost believers who were added to the Church were endowed with a spiritual gift. Prior to Pentecost, no one possessed any of these gifts. One of these gifts makes the believer who possess it an apostle. It is in this sense that Paul, and others like him, was an apostle. Thus, he is an apostle to the Church only, and not in any sense to Israel.
With regard to the gifts in general and apostle specifically consider the following passages. Ephesians 4:7-12 speaks of apostles, among others, given to the church. Ephesians 2:20 tells us that the Church is built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, prophet being another of the spiritual gifts first given at Pentecost. In 1 Corinthians 12:28 apostles are named first among the gifts and in 1 Corinthians 15:5-9 Paul wrote that he is not worthy to be called an apostle. As noted, we do not know the number of apostles to the Church. Others besides Paul are called apostles in this New Testament or Church sense. Romans 16:7 names Andronicus and Junias. In Galatians 1:19 James is mentioned. And Barnabas is so identified in Acts 14:14.
It is evident that those who possessed the gift of apostle held a special place of authority in the Church. In some sense this gift was the first among the gifts. Paul's position of authority in the Church, mentioned here at the very outset of the letter, carries special significance as he wrote to these believers. That significance is important to the acceptance of the true gospel of Christ which he proclaimed.
(not … dead)
This parenthesis explains how Paul came to be an apostle, emphasizing that it was because of the work of God the Father and God the Son. That this parenthesis is included here is perhaps the first indication of a problem that Paul intended to address. Paul's position and thus his authority as an apostle had evidently been called into question. In so doing, the message that Paul had proclaimed was being called into question. If Paul lacked authority, so too then did his message.
So Paul will defend his position as a genuine apostle. But this defense is not an end in itself. As Erdman writes, "Paul defends his apostolic authority, but this is in order to establish the truth of his doctrine, and he wishes to establish his doctrine, not as an end in itself, but in order to secure holiness and purity of life. Doctrine is never an end in itself, it is ever the means to an end. Life is the ultimate goal of Paul's endeavor" [Galatians, p. 31, emphasis added]. So Paul defended his apostleship not because of wounded pride but so that his readers would have confidence in his message [Bartlett, Galatians and You, p. 13].
not from men neither through man
Thus Paul opened, "Paul, an apostle." But he didn't stop there. He wrote that he was "an apostle, not of men, neither through man." Therefore, his authority is not of human origin or agency.
Man had nothing to do with Paul having become an apostle. The change in preposition emphasizes this fact. Man is not the source of Paul's having been made an apostle. His apostleship is "not from (apo) men." The leaders of the early Church did not decide to include Paul among their ranks. Furthermore, man is not even God's agent for Paul becoming an apostle. His apostleship is "neither through (dia man." No human being is responsible in any way. Paul was an apostle by gift and not by human appointment.
Later in the letter Paul expanded upon this independence from men in 1:15-17 (called by God he did not confer with men). At this point he was simply emphasizing the fact that he did not get his position, and the authority associated with it, from a body of men. Neither did he get it through any particular human being, even on God's behalf. For example, both Ananias (Acts 22:12-16, his role is recounted by Paul before the mob in Jerusalem) and Barnabas (Acts 11:25-26, Barnabas goes to Tarsus to get Paul and bring him to Antioch) played roles in Paul's ministry. But, as Paul makes it clear here, neither man had any role in his becoming an apostle.
but through Jesus Christ and God the Father
Rather than human, the agents responsible for Paul's apostleship are said to be "Jesus Christ and God the Father."
On the contrary, Paul is an apostle by divine choice. The Son, here identified by the name associated with his Incarnation, and the Father are together the agents of Paul's being an apostle. The decision to make Paul an apostle having taken place in eternity past has now been realized. On the road to Damascus, when Paul came to be a member of the body of Christ, Paul was gifted as an apostle.
"The phrase, 'through man,' stands in contrast with 'through Jesus Christ,' thus suggesting that He [Jesus Christ] is not to be classed with merely human agents, and preparing the way for the implication of His Deity in the succeeding words." (Vine, Galatians, p.14)
At this point a note about the identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God is in order. Here and going forward there is an assumption that Jesus Christ and the Son of God are designations for one and the same person. Scripture provides evidence that makes it possible to demonstration this relationship. However, no proof will be offered herein that these names do in fact identify the same person. One designation, Jesus Christ, sees this person as human. The other, the Son of God, sees him as divine. Both are true. Two natures, one divine and one human, were brought together in the one person when at the time of the Incarnation to the eternally divine, "second" person of the triune Godhead was added a human nature.
The involvement of the Son with Paul's ministry is mentioned as well in other passages. In Acts 20:24 Luke recorded that Paul received a charge from Christ to "testify the gospel of the grace of God." Later in that same book (Acts 26:15-28) Luke recorded Paul's conversion account given before King Agrippa. Paul explained to Agrippa that he was doing what he was because of his divine appointment by the Son. Paul quotes the Son's reason for appearing to him. "I have appeared unto thee for this purpose" (Acts 26:16).
As noted earlier, Paul's apostleship is the result of having been given a particular spiritual gift. In his letter to the church at Ephesus Paul indicates that believers are given grace "according to the measure of the gift of Christ," relating this to Christ's giving of "gifts to men" at the time of his ascension (Ephesians 4:7,8). Paul, of course, is included among those receiving a gift. In that same passage Paul went on (Ephesians 4:11) to list some of these gifts, identifying them with those who had received them. First on this list is apostle.
In the identification of God as the Father, he is seen as the Father of Jesus Christ, again emphasizing the deity of this person. Compare Ephesians 1:3 where this relationship is given full expression, "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Concerning the appointment of Paul to his ministry, the same is true with regard to the Father. Other passages speak of God the Father's role in bringing about what has come to pass. In this regard see 1 Corinthians 15:9,10 ("by the grace of God" we are what we are). If this statement is true in general, it is specifically true regarding our spiritual gift. See 1 Corinthians 12:18,28 (God places us in the body as it pleases him).
In fact, although not mentioned here in Galatians, the Spirt was also involved in Paul's divine appointment as an apostle. This is due to the fact that the Spirit has a role in the giving of spiritual gifts and Paul was an apostle by gift. Again see 1 Corinthians 12:18,28. God's decision to place the believer in the body of Christ as he sees fit is carried out through the work of the Spirit. It is the work of the Spirit, as he places or baptizes the believer into the Christ's body, which implements the Father's decision.
the one who raised him out from the dead
Furthermore, this agent "Jesus Christ" is not just the human Christ; this is the risen, glorified Christ who has commissioned Paul, for Paul wrote of him being raised from the dead by the Father.
The phrases "who [the Father] raised him [Jesus Christ] from the dead" of verse 1 and "who [Jesus Christ] gave himself for our sins" of verse 4 hint at Paul's second major theme, justification by faith and sanctification. These subjects will be further developed in the second part of the letter.
Having mentioned the Incarnate Son, Paul took this opportunity to emphasis that this Jesus Christ, who died, is alive by the work of God the Father. Vine notes that this is the only direct reference to the resurrection in the letter [Galatians, p. 15].
The Father and Son worked together in the divine appointment of Paul as apostle. However, relative to salvation, it was the Son who died and the Father who raised him. Paul also attributes the resurrection of Christ to the Father in his letter to the Romans. There (Romans 8:11) he referred to "the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead." In that context, where all three members of the Godhead are mentioned, the "him" is a reference to God the Father. Thus, there too it is God the Father "who raised Christ from the dead."
In both this passage and that in Romans Paul used the expression "out from the dead" or perhaps more literally "from among dead ones." Vine notes that this phrase "from among dead ones" is Paul's usual expression. The picture here is that this Jesus Christ was, along with many others, dead and in the grave. But he alone was resurrected, leaving behind all the others.
This phrase ("who raised him out from the dead") along with the one in verse 4 ("who gave himself for our sins") hint at Paul's second major theme, justification by grace through faith. It is this death and resurrection of Christ that provides the basis for this justification.
Importantly, while Paul often addressed justification, an initial aspect of our salvation, in so doing he also addressed sanctification, a subsequent aspect of our salvation. Paul argued that justification is based on faith apart from works, initial works or subsequent works. When the subject of ongoing works for believers is considered, even if working for justification, the subject really touches on sanctification, since sanctification involves the life of the believer after he or she is justified. We must keep in mind that this letter was written to believers, to those already justified. But furthermore, it is addressed to believers who were not living according to Paul’s gospel message.
and
While Paul included others in his salutation, he was the writer. Later, in 6:11, Paul informed these readers that he had actually written the letter himself. This was apparently not his usual practice, which was to dictate them.
So, in what sense could he include them? The sense seems to be that these believers there with Paul encouraged and endorsed what he was writing. Paul did something similar in other of his letters. For example, in Philippians he included Timothy (1:1) and in 1 Thessalonians he included Silas and Timothy (1:1). In these two cases Paul provided specific names. But not so here in Galatians.
all the brothers with me
If we accept the view suggested in the background to the letter regarding when and where the letter was written, then Paul was writing this letter from Ephesus during his third missionary journey. As noted in Luke's account (Acts 18:23), Paul had apparently visited these Galatian believers earlier on this journey. How much time he spent and what he did while with them is not recorded by Luke.
Who are these "brothers with me?" On the one hand, many hold that these brothers are those traveling with Paul [Vine, Galatians, p. 15]. In his account of Paul's journey Luke lists a group with Paul at a later point in this third journey, when he was in Macedonia (Acts 20:4). It is possible that some of these individuals were also with Paul at this earlier juncture. On the other hand, some hold that these brothers could refer to members of the local church where Paul was at the time of writing [Erdman, Galatians, p. 28.]. This would include those in the church of Ephesus (assuming it was written while he was there). In either case, by including this in the salutation Paul was indicating that these believers who were with him were in agreement with what he was writing.
2b to the churches of Galatia:
Following the information regarding who was writing, a letter of Paul's day typically included identification of those to whom it was addressed. Paul did this here in this letter to the Galatians.
to the churches of Galatia:
Note that the word churches is plural, "the churches of Galatia." Paul mentioned no church by name. He simply addressed the letter to a group of churches in an area he called Galatia. So, unlike Paul's other letters, this letter is addressed to a group of churches. (A possible exception is the letter to the Ephesians.) Apparently these churches had been founded on Paul's first missionary journey and revisited on both the second and third journeys. As noted, addressing a group of churches is unusual among the letters of Paul. Typically Paul named the specific church to which he was writing.
As the word church is used in the New Testament, it can refer to either the universal Church or to a local church. But used in the plural it can only to refer to local churches [see also e.g., 1:22 ("churches of Judea")]. There is only the one universal Church, the body of Christ.
Besides being addressed to several churches, Vine notes another unusual point about this salutation [Galatians, p. 15]. In Paul's other letters addressed to a church he included a further epithet, recognizing who those are to whom he is writing. For example, in Romans he adds, "to all those in Rome who are loved by God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:7). Or, in Colossians he wrote, "to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae" (1;2). He did not add such an epithet here in this letter. He simply wrote "to the churches of Galatia" and then moveed on to his greeting.
Paul was writing to a group of churches in an area he referred to as Galatia. Where are these "churches of Galatia?" The exact churches included here are not known. In fact, depending on what one thinks about the time of writing (northern versus southern Galatia theories), the churches addressed might be different. Generally speaking, these churches resided in the west central part of today's country of Turkey. In Acts we read the names of specific places in this area visited by Paul, but no names are included here. We do not need to be concerned that we do not know the identity of these churches. As Erdman points out, not knowing the location "does not affect the meaning or value of [Paul's] message" [Erdman, Galatians, p. 28]. If the names had been significant for our understanding, God would have seen fit to include them. So then, it doesn't really make a difference that we don't know specifically which churches these were. Our understanding of the letter is not impacted by this lack of knowledge.
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ, 4 the one who gave himself for our sins so that he might liberate us out from the present evil age according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever. Amen.
After the source and destination are identified, next comes the letter's greeting. We see here Paul's usual greeting of "grace and peace." But also included are various theological statements. These statements provide additional hints at Paul's reason for writing. As he finished his greeting, Paul concluded with a doxology expressed toward God the Father.
Grace to you and peace
The greeting can be summarized in the words grace and peace. This was a common current greeting for Paul. Grace was a salutation common among the Greeks. Peace was the salutation of the Hebrews. (Erdman, Galatians, p. 29)
This compound greeting was not generally used in letters at this time (the common greeting was "joy"). All of Paul's letters begin with this "grace and peace" greeting, although the letters to Timothy and Titus, Paul's final three letters, also include "mercy."
Grace has to do with our receiving what we have not earned. It invokes the idea of a gift. It looks at the "good" things that are given to us. Often associated with grace is the idea of mercy. Mercy has to do with our not receiving what we have earned in a negative sense. It looks at the "bad" things that are withheld from us. However, we should keep in mind that mercy itself is a matter of grace. Mercy is a "good" thing that we receive unearned.
Our salvation in every sense of the word is matter of grace. From justification to sanctification to glorification, everything we are and will be is a matter of God's gracious work for us. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10). He recognized that he was not worthy of all that God had done for him. That same is true for us.
Here Paul coupled grace with peace. Peace may be used in more than one sense. Peace may refer to a settled state of mind. It is the opposite of anxiety. This peace should be the practical outworking of the salvation. There is also a peace that involves a cessation of hostility between the believer and God. This too is an outworking of our salvation. It is the former of these two that Paul commends to these believers.
As a greeting, there is an implied verb here, likely an optative form of the verb to be. Paul wished for these believers to be able to enjoy these two aspects of their salvation, both grace and peace. The dative plural pronoun, "to you," designates the objects of the wish, those believers who are included in "the churches of Galatia." As we read Paul’s letter today, the same may be said for us.
from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ
But Paul's greeting was more than just customary. He indicated that he was referring to a grace and peace that comes from God, specifically "from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." Both the Father and the Son are mentioned here.
Again here, as in verse 1, both the Father and the Son are included. They are in a close relationship as those who provide this grace and peace to God's children.
Here the designation "Lord" is added to the name attributed to the Son in verse 1. (See also 5:10 and 6:14,18.) This Son, who became man (1:1) and who died for them (1:4), is also Lord. It is true that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, even though not all who live acknowledge that lordship. (But they will! Paul made that clear in Philippians 2:9-11.) Every believer has acknowledged that Jesus Christ is Lord (Romans 9:10). And by God's grace each of us leads our life recognizing that lordship.
The plural pronoun our is indicative of the fact that Paul did count the recipients of this letter as fellow believers. So too in the next verse it is "our sins" and "our God and Father." In the Greek text there is a variant on the location of this pronoun. Some texts have "God our Father" and others have "our Lord, Jesus Christ." Both the preferred reading and the variant are true and are found elsewhere in the New Testament.
the one who gave himself
With regard to the Son, Paul added "who gave himself." As mentioned earlier this phrase relates to Paul's second theme, justification. The work of the Lord Jesus Christ provides the basis for our justification by faith.
The Son was willing to do as the Father planned (Hebrews 10:7,9). He was willing to take on human flesh (Hebrews 10:5,10), even though that involved a great humiliation (Philippians 2:5-8, he humbled himself even to the point of being willing to die on a cross) and sacrifice (Hebrews 9:26) and suffering (Hebrews 2:9,10) on his part. The pronoun here is reflexive. The Son willingly did this.
Other passages also refer to the Son's giving of himself. In 2 Timothy 2:6 Paul wrote that the Son "gave himself a ransom for all." And in Titus 2:14 he wrote that the Son "gave himself for us." Later in this letter Paul is very personal about the Son's giving of himself. He wrote in 2:20 that it was the Son "who love me and gave himself for me." Interestingly, each of these passages has a different scope: all, us, me.
In Matthew's gospel account he recorded Jesus's statement that a reason for his coming was "to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
Again, in speaking of the sacrifice of Christ Paul here touches on a major theme of the letter, our justification.
for our sins
Paul wrote "our sins." In this context, the scope of our likely includes Paul, those with him, and those to whom he is writing. Or possibly, speaking generally, he could be including all fellow believers in Christ. In either case, it certainly applies to all believers.
Sin is rebellion against laws God has established for us as our creator, as the one who has authority over us. Intuitively all human beings recognize certain works as wrong even without having God’s formal law (Romans 2:12-16). However, we also know certain things are right or wrong because God has explicitly instructed us. In some cases this instruction has come directly to an individual. God told Adam he was not permitted to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Or it may have come indirectly, for example through a prophet. The Old Testament laws were given to the people through the agency of Moses. Those of us living today receive these instructions through the Word of God, set down over the years as God moved men to record them. This Word is the authority we have for what constitutes sin.
The plural word sins emphasizes the personal aspect sin. Human beings sin. It is our nature to do so. As soon as we can, we do. Christ died for our sins, 1 Corinthians 15:3. That he did so is part of the core gospel message. Note 1 Peter 2:24, "he bare our sins in his body."
Even though the plural emphasizes the personal aspect of sin, it does not exclude the sin that, although personally committed by Adam, has been imputed to all of us. That sin, by imputation, is as much ours as it was Adams.
Paul wrote "for our sins." The preposition for is huper, as also in 1 Corinthians 15:3. The idea here is simply "concerning" or "with reference to" (Dana & Mantey, Manual Grammar, p. 112). The Son gave himself with reference to our sins. Christ died as a substitute for us but with reference to our sins.
The Received Text has peri as a variant of huper. Here again, the basic idea is "concerning." There are, in fact, a number of other verses that have the preposition peri. They include the following. Romans 8:3 ("for sin"); Hebrews 10:18 ("for sin"), 26 ("for sins"); 13:11 ("for sin"); 1 Peter 3:18 ("for sins"); and 1 John 2:2 ("for our sins" and "for the sins of the whole world"); 4:10 ("for our sins"). In either case, whether the preposition is huper or peri, the meaning is similar.
As it relates to justification and the message of the gospel, the Son's giving of himself "for our sins" is offensive. This is not something human beings want to hear. Human beings do not want to be told they are sinners. However, everyone that comes to be saved must acknowledge that he or she is guilty of sinning and is thereby in need of justification. Fallen, depraved human beings do not want to hear this. Human beings do not want to acknowledge that God has authority over them, can establish rules for their conduct, and will hold them accountable for failure to abide by them.
Here the object of Christ's work relates to sin. In other places the object of Christ's work is those who have sinned. But, even here it is "our sins" or the like, so it is personal. In this regard compare Galatians 2:20, "gave himself for me, huper emou." Also see 1 Timothy 2:6, "gave himself for all, huper pantōn" and Titus 2:14, "gave himself for us, huper hāmōn". So too in 2 Corinthians 5:14,15 where "he died for all." Notice the interchange. In giving himself for our sins, he did so for us. On one hand this addresses the person who needs to be provided with a substitute, even though this "for" preposition does not indicate substitution. On the other hand this word does address the reason there is a need for that provision. In these passages the objects of the prepositions are individuals. Notice that in these references three different scopes are in view: "me" (Paul), "us" (the elect), and "all" (human beings).
In Matthew 20:28 (and Mark 10:45) the preposition is anti, "to give his life a ransom for many." Here the idea of substitution, one for the other, is in view. The critical question here is whether the scope of many is all human beings or only us the elect.
When considering passages like these, the subject of the extent of the atonement often comes into question. The question is asked. "For whom did Christ die?" However this question is too narrow. It presumes a single purpose for the death of Christ, salvation of the elect. But, it seems that there is more to Christ's death than just that. For example, "For what did Christ die?" And even beyond that, the question that should be asked is broader. "Why did Christ die?" The scope of this question includes the former but also permits other tasks that Christ accomplished in his death. For example, is there a provision for "common grace" in the work of the cross? The imputation of Adam's sin to all humanity says the all human being deserve only punishment. Given that all human beings were not immediately punished, it certainly seems that all human beings receive some benefit from the death of Christ.
so that he might liberate us
As Paul continued with the subject of the work of Christ, he moved on to consider benefits for those who come to Christ. He added, "so that he might liberate us." Christ's death provided not only for our justification but also for our sanctification. Paul speaks of liberation or deliverance (cf. ESV or KJV) or rescue (cf. NASB or NIV).
The subordinate conjunction "so that" or "in order that" indicates intended purpose. This is what God intended to accomplish. Since this is God's intention, it is also the actual result. He does it. God always achieves what he purposes. It should be noted that this intention relative to the work of Christ is not exhaustive. God intended that the death of Christ accomplish many things. The one Paul states here is only one out of this many.
The word used here for liberate is used in Acts 7:10 and 7:34 of the liberating of Joseph from his afflictions and of Israel from their bondage while in Egypt. In Acts 12:11 the word is used of Peter's release from prison. And in Acts 23:27 it is used of Paul's rescue when it was found that he was a Roman citizen. The word has the idea of being taken out and set free. With this word we perhaps again see a hint of what Paul intends in writing the letter. The good news of Christian liberty is an important theme, if not the central theme, of this letter.
The verb liberate is in the middle voice, so perhaps "he might liberate us for himself." As Vine notes, this may be "suggesting that He who thus delivers us has an interest in the result of His own act." [Vine, Galatians, p. 16.]
The Son gave himself to liberate us or to set us free. There is a bondage indicated here. Otherwise, why would we need to be set free? As indicated in the next phrase, this liberation is related to "the present evil age."
Even though Paul does not use the term gospel here with reference to this liberation, it may be argued that this phrase "defines" a "good news" or gospel that these believers have abandoned for a "different gospel" (1:6-9). The focus of the letter is on present deliverance. But Christ died and was raised for our deliverance, past, present, and future. That is truly good news.
out from the present evil age
Here Paul makes reference to a liberation that takes place as part of our salvation. Here is it with reference to "the present evil age." In other passages we see similar terms used with reference to our salvation. In Colossians 1:13 Paul wrote of our being "rescued" from the dominion of darkness and "transferred" into the kingdom of God's Son. In 1 Thessalonians 1:10 Paul wrote of deliverance from future wrath. Paul also wrote of being freed from servitude to sin. Compare Romans 6:6,7 (our old man was crucified so that now we no longer need to serve sin).
What "deliverance" was Paul referring to here? Is this liberation a present or future reality? One might think that Paul's reference was to our life in the future with God. Certainly it is true that in our future we will be liberated from anything evil and especially something like an age that is evil.
However, while it certainly is true of the future, Paul's point seems best understood as a reference to a present, "right now" reality. We are presently set free. Lenski writes, "We should not think of future deliverance at the end of the world or at the moment of our death. ... The deliverance connected with Christ's expiation is the one effected now, in this life. ... [It] is an actual deliverance." [Lenski, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, p. 28,29.] And Vine concurs, "That [this deliverance] refers to present salvation ... seems preferable since it is in harmony with 2.20, and with the prayer of the Lord in John 17, and with such passages as Romans 12.1,2. In Col. 1.13 this deliverance is looked upon as actually accomplished." [Vine, Galatians, p. 18.]
So it seems best to understand that this is not a future deliverance coming after death, but a present deliverance. In this phrase Paul was referring to the here and now as we live before God. We are delivered from "the present evil age." As suggested by Vine, note what Paul wrote in Colossians 1:13. "[The Father] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son." It is the work of the Son that has provided for this deliverance. And again, as Vine suggests, this seems to be an answer to Christ's prayer in the garden. His prayer that the Father "keep them from the evil one … sanctify them through the truth" (John 17:15-17) is with regard to the present. It expressed his desire regarding our not being of the world and being kept from evil.
So then, this deliverance is concerned with living in the here and now. It is concerned with our sanctification, not our initial justification or our ultimate glorification. Paul developed this "present tense" subject further as the letter unfolds, particularly in the third section. "The third portion of this epistle deals with the life of victory over evil, the life of liberty and love, which is enjoyed by those who put their trust in Christ." [Erdman, Galatians, p. 31]
The Greek preposition used here, ek, emphasizes the fact that we were truly liberated. We who were once under the bondage of the age have been fully taken out from under that bondage. This liberation has moved us from a place of confinement and thereby set us free.
We are liberated from the present evil age (aiōn). Technically, as contemporary versions have it, the correct translation is "age", not "world" (as KJV). In Scripture the term world is used metaphorically as descriptive of a "system" over which Satan rules. The term age simply demarks a period of time having a particular character. 1 Corinthians 2:12 speaks of not receiving "the spirit of the world." Ephesians 2:2 speaks of walking "according to the age of this world." There Paul relates this evil age to the world system presently dominating life on this earth.
It should be noted that from a "dispensational" perspective, ages are different than dispensations. Both involve periods of time. As already noted, an age is simply a period of time having some particular characteristic, in this case "evil." One age follows another (cf. Matthew 12:32; 13:49; 28:20). And this process will continue in the future, for Paul wrote of "the coming ages" (Ephesians 2:7). A dispensation involves a period of time where a stewardship arrangement is in effect between God and men. (Actually, at any given time one or more of these arrangements may be in force, e.g. Human Government and The Church.) Traditional dispensational theology would teach that currently this is "The Church" dispensation. Contrast that with the fact that Paul here speaks of this being "the evil" age.
The age is designated as evil. The primary reference seems to be to the time period in which we live being characterized as evil. This time is permeated with corrupt, wicked behavior. Note that is it the "present evil age." Obviously this characterization is true because of the dominion of Satan over the world and the extent to which evil pervades the period in which we live. Compare 1 John 5:19 ("the whole world lies in the evil one") where the same word for evil is used.
In the Greek of the New Testament there are two words for evil. The word used here, ponāros, can be characterized as "malignant" evil, evil that is bad in influence and effect. The other word for evil, kakos, is "benign" evil, evil that is bad in character. Both are evil, but one is clearly worse. In this regard think of a tumor. All tumors are bad. But there is a significant difference between a benign tumor and a malignant one.
There is a variant reading here. It is either "the age, the present one" or "the present age." There is little difference between these two reading, perhaps only emphasis on the fact the it is the current age as opposed to a preceding or succeeding age.
It is important to note Paul's emphasis here in the purpose for Christ death. As noted before this is only one of many purposes and in this case focuses on salvation or directly on a liberation that accompanies that salvation. Here, rather than focusing on the "past" (justification) or "future" (glorification) aspects of our salvation, Paul's concern is with the "present" aspect of our salvation (sanctification). So, with this focus, we see again that Paul's concern was for the sanctification of those to whom he was writing.
according to the will
This deliverance is "according to the will" of God. As we will see it flows out of the gracious will of God the Father. It is a present possession because it was given to us as part of our initial salvation. We have this liberty because we are justified.
The word used here to refer to the will of God indicates desire (thelāma) as opposed to determination (boulā). This liberating is something that God desired to do. As it turns out and is often the case, however, this is a desire that God opted to fulfill and is therefore also something that was determined to come to pass. As Vine notes in reference to this verse, the word will is used here in the sense of "'the gracious design' rather than 'the determined resolve'" [Vine, Galatians, p.18.]. What has been given to us as part of our salvation is an expression of God's desire even if ultimately it came to us because of his determination to act on that desire.
Regarding what is involved in God's desire, likely both the means and the end are in view here [Vine, Galatians, p.18.]. As means, the Son's giving of himself for our sins was according to the desire of the Father. Compare Isaiah 53:10 where we read, "It pleased the LORD to bruise him." As end, our release from bondage as part of our salvation was also in accord with God's desire.
of our God and Father
The desire from which our liberty flows is that of God the Father. Here in the Greek text this phrase is a Granville-Sharp construction, article-noun-conjunction-noun. This construction indicates that both nouns, here God and Father, refer to the same individual. So, as if there is any doubt, the Father is God.
The pronoun our modifies this construction. He is both our God and our Father.
As God, he is the God of all men. All men, both lost and saved, could refer to him as "our God" even if all will not acknowledge him as such. As the God of all, he is clearly then the God of those who are saved. We who are saved will readily acknowledge this truth.
As Father, however, in a “family sense” he is not the Father of all men, but only of those born of him. See John 1:12,13 ("authority to become the children of God") and 1 John 3:1 ("we would be called the children of God"). Because of our salvation we have the great privilege of calling God the Father "our Father."
to whom be the glory
Paul closes his salutation with a doxology, "to whom be the glory." A doxology is unusual for a salutation. This is the only salutation in the Pauline letters that contains such. This one follows on the heels of Paul's mention of our deliverance. Paul is filled with joy because he knows of the deliverance which is "according to the will of our God and Father."
The antecedent of the singular pronoun, whom, is "our God and Father." Paul has just spoken of the work of the Son in giving himself so that we might have salvation and be liberated. This work was done at the behest of the Father. See also 1 John 4:14, "the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world." And for this, the Father is to receive the glory.
Interestingly, a root idea of the word glory is "opinion." How does this make sense? We must understand that we only know about God and his work from what he tells us about himself and that work. As such he is telling us what he thinks. He is giving us his opinion. Therefore, we glorify God when we recognize, acknowledge, and demonstrate that God is who he claims to be. We glorify him as we testify that what he tells us is true. Ultimately, as it appears, the Father is the "architect" of the plan of salvation. The fact that his plan is being successfully carried out is demonstration the he is who he claims to be. As such, he is to receive this glory.
forever
Forever is literally "into the ages of ages" (an idiom), emphasizing a time element, in this case one without end. Paul's desire is that the Father is to forever receive glory for his role in our salvation.
Amen
Paul closes his doxology with "Amen." This word means "let it be so" or "let it come to be." It comes from Hebrew. MacArthur says the original Hebrew meaning is well expressed in the phrase "with all my heart this is what I wish." [Galatians, p. 7 (citing Cole, Galatians, 1970, p. 37.)]
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