Day 3 Galatians 1: In verse 1, Paul calls himself an "apostle." The word means "one who is sent." This is most obvious in John 13:16, where Jesus says, "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, neither is an apostle greater than the one who sent him." In the New Testament the word "apostle" had a general and specific use (Piper). In the general sense it was used, for example, for representatives sent out by a church on a mission. In Philippians 2:25, Paul calls Epaphroditus "your apostle and minister for my need." He had been sent by the Philippian church on a mission to give Paul their gifts. And in 2 Corinthians 8:23, the men who were appointed by the churches of Macedonia to help Paul take money to the poor in Jerusalem, are called the "apostles of the churches," that is, men appointed by the churches to represent them in this mission. In Galatians 1:1, Paul denies that he is an apostle merely in this general sense: "Paul an apostle, not from men or through men." Do not class me with those who come with letters of recommendation from men. I was not made an apostle by any council or church. Rather, as verse 1 continues, "through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead." The one who sent Paul on his mission is Christ. So Paul is "an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God" 2 Corinthians 1: 1. Do you see what it means? It means that when you read Galatians, you are hearing Christ; it will be important to remember that as we continue in Galatians.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 05:00:12 +0000
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