Galatians 1:6

Galatians 1:6-9 . I marvel that ye are so soon — After my leaving you; removed from him that called you into the grace — Or rather, by, or through the grace; of Christ — His gracious gospel, and his gracious power. God is generally said to call men into the grace of Christ, but the phraseology seems here to point out Paul, and not God, as the person spoken of. For as he wrote this chapter to prove himself an apostle, his success in calling the Galatians to the Christian faith was fitly mentioned as one of the proofs of his apostleship, as it implied that he was assisted in that work by God. Unto another gospel — Or pretended revelation from God, concerning the way of attaining justification and salvation, a way entirely inconsistent with the very fundamental principles of that doctrine which you were first taught. As these Galatians were descendants of the Gauls, as has been observed in the preface, it is the less to be wondered at that they were so unstable; the inhabitants of France, as M. Saurin observes, having been always reproached with taking impressions easily, and as easily suffering them to be effaced. Which is not indeed properly another gospel — For what ye have now received is no gospel at all. It is not glad, but heavy tidings, as setting your acceptance with God upon terms impossible to be performed.

But there are some — Who, on pretence that their doctrine of justification by the law of Moses is authorized by God; trouble you — With doubts concerning my doctrine, and disturb the peace of the church; and would — If they were able; pervert and overthrow the gospel of Christ — This the Judaizing teachers effectually did by teaching that justification could not be obtained purely by faith in Christ, but that circumcision and the observation of the Jewish ceremonies were necessary thereto; and the better to effect their purpose, they suggested that the other apostles, yea, and Paul himself, insisted on the observance of the law. But though we — I and all the apostles; or an angel from heaven — If it were possible; should preach any other gospel unto you — Any other method of obtaining justification and salvation; than that which we have formerly preached unto you — And confirmed by such evident and uncontrolled miracles; let him, be accursed — Greek, anathema: let him be cut off from God, and Christ, and his people, and devoted to a perpetual and most dreadful curse. The apostle speaks thus, because he was absolutely certain of his own inspiration, and that the gospel which he had preached was the only true and genuine gospel of Christ. Of the word anathema, see on Romans 9:3 ; 1 Corinthians 16:22 .

{3} I marvel that ye are so soon {e} removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (3) The first part of the epistle, in which he witnesses that he is an apostle, nothing inferior to those chief disciples of Christ, and wholly agreeing with them, whose names the false apostles abused. And he begins with chiding, reproving them of unsteadiness, because they gave ear so easily to those who perverted them and drew them away to a new gospel. (e) He uses the passive voice to cast the fault upon the false apostles, and he uses the present voice to show them that it was not completely done, but in the process of being done.

The apostle here beginneth the matter and substance of his Epistle, with a reprehension of this church; which in, some things is much qualified, in other things much aggravated. His expressing his reproof by the word marvel, hath in it something of mitigation, and signifieth his better hopes concerning them. The term removed, also, mollifies the reproof, the apostle thereby rather charging their apostacy upon their seducers, than upon them who were seduced; though they were not to be excused for their so yielding to the temptation, and that in so short a time, either after their first conversion, or after the first attempts upon them to seduce them; and herein was the aggravation of their guilt, that they very little resisted the temptation, but were presently overthrown by it. But it was a greater aggravation of their guilt, that they suffered themselves to be removed from him that called them. Interpreters doubt whether this be to be understood of God, or of Paul; and if of God, whether of the First or of the Second Person. That which inclineth some to think that Paul meant himself, was his instrumentality in the conversion of these Galatians; and his complaints of them in this Epistle, for their deserting his doctrine, and alienation from him; but then the substantive to the participle must be understood, and the call must be understood of the external call only, by the ministry of the word.

It therefore seemeth rather to be understood of God; the apostles generally ascribing calling to God, Galatians 5:8 1 Thessalonians 5:24 2 Thessalonians 2:14 1 Peter 1:2,15 2 Peter 1:3 . Nor doth it seem proper to refer the action to Christ, because the apostles ordinarily ascribe calling to the First Person in the Trinity, calling us by Christ, as Romans 8:30 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14,16 2 Timothy 1:9 1 Peter 5:10 ; besides, the grace of Christ is here made the term to which they are called. And though this would supply the participle with a substantive in the text, without understanding one, yet it seems both too remote, and also to alter the sense of the text; making it to run thus, from Christ that called you unto grace, instead of him that called you into the grace of Christ. By which grace the apostle doubtless means not the doctrine of the gospel only, (though that be sometimes called grace), but all the benefits of the gospel, justification, reconciliation, adoption; which are all properly called the grace of Christ, as being the purchase of his blood. Unto another gospel; that is, to the embracing of other doctrine, differing from the doctrine of the gospel, though it be brought to you by seducers under that notion; showing you another pretended way of salvation than by the merits of Jesus Christ, whereas God hath given no other name under heaven, neither is there salvation in any other, Acts 4:12 .

Galatians 1:6 . Θαυμάζω , I marvel ) Paul, writing to all the other churches, begins with an expression of thanksgiving and praise to God, which, although the subject here requires something different, has however been virtually expressed, [has been represented by an equivalent] Galatians 1:5 . He also delays giving them the appellation of brethren . We give this summary of the epistle. There are three divisions. I. The Inscription, Galatians 1:1-5 . II. The Recalling of the Gentiles to the true Gospel, where i. He reproves them, Galatians 1:6-10 . ii. He asserts the divine authority of the Gospel preached by himself: because he 1) From a persecutor has become an apostle by heavenly calling, Galatians 1:11-17 . 2) Never acted as if he had not been Peter’s equal, Galatians 1:18-19 ; Galatians 1:21-22 . iii. He vindicates justification by faith, anew reproaching the Galatians, Galatians 3:1-2 ; Galatians 3:15 – Galatians 4:11 . iv. He explains the same subject to the Galatians, with the most tender affection, by the allegory of the son of the bond maid and of the son of the free woman, Galatians 4:12 . v. He then exhorts them to maintain their liberty, Galatians 5:1-12 , dissuades them from its abuse, and admonishes them not to walk after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Galatians 5:13-14 ; Galatians 5:16 – Galatians 6:5 , Galatians 6:6-10 . III. Conclusion, Galatians 5:11-12 ; Galatians 5:17-18 .

See also the note at Galatians 2:16 . — οὕτω ταχέως , so quickly ) Paul had been with the Galatians not long before. See Ordo temp . (arrangement of dates) p. 281 [Ed. ii., p. 242, No. 6.]— μετατίθεσθε , you are removed ) transferred [you have changed your place from Him] A weighty expression, having an excuse blended with it. Jerome says: Galatia in our language implies transference, [removal from one place to another].— ἀπὸ τοῦ καλέσαντος ὑμᾶς , from Him, who called you ) One’s calling, is therefore the channel of grace, the rule for the future; ch. Galatians 5:8 ; Galatians 5:13 . We have here, Galatians 1:6-10 , a Proposition [statement of the subject, viz. the calling ] and a sort of Division of it into parts [ διαίρεσις ]; and the calling in [“into the”] grace [ Galatians 1:6 ] is treated of in continuation from Galatians 1:11 : the words “there be some that trouble you” are treated of, ch. Galatians 5:7 , etc.— ἐν χάριτι , in grace [Engl. Vers., into the grace ] Acts 15:11 .— Χριστοῦ , of Christ ) The construction is with ἀπὸ from .1[1]) [1] 1 This word Χριστοῦ itself, although it is not considered as a reading fully established by the margin of both Ed., is, however, expressed in the Germ. Ver.—E. B. G g Cypr. Lucif. omit Χριστοῦ . But ABHD [adding Ἰησοῦ with f ] Vulg. support it;— τοῦ καλέσαντος agreeing with Χριστοῦ , and both governed by ἀπο ; but Engl. Vers. and Vulg. make Χριστοῦ be governed by χάριτι .—ED.

Galatians 1:6-9 . THE APOSTLE EXPRESSES SURPRISE AT THE SUDDEN DEFECTION OF HIS CONVERTS FROM THE ONLY TRUE GOSPEL, AND PRONOUNCES ANATHEMAS ON ALL PERVERTERS OF THE TRUTH.—Paul is evidently startled at the tidings of a sudden revolution in Galatian feeling. His intense indignation is evinced by the vehemence of his language and the solemnity of his anathema. There could be but one true Gospel; this new doctrine was no Gospel at all, but only a heretical perversion of the truth by foreign agitators. They were probably emissaries of a Pharisaic party in the Church, which advocated circumcision and legal observances for all converts alike.

I marvel (θαυμάζω) Often by Greek orators of surprise as something reprehensible. So in New Testament Mark 6:6; John 7:21; Luke 11:38; John 4:27. So soon (οὕτως ταχέως) Better, so quickly. Paul does not mean so soon after a particular event, as their conversion, or his last visit, or the entry of the false teachers, - but refers to the rapidity of their apostasy; ταχέως being used absolutely as always. Removed (μετατίθεσθε) A.V. misses the sense of the middle voice, removing or transferring yourselves, and also the force of the continuous present, are removing or going over, indicating an apostasy not consummated but in progress. The verb is used in Class. of altering a treaty, changing an opinion, desertion from an army. For other applications see Acts 7:16; Hebrews 7:12; Hebrews 11:5. Comp. lxx, Deuteronomy 27:17; Proverbs 23:10; Isaiah 29:17. Lightfoot renders are turning renegades. Him that called (τοῦ καλέσαντος) God. Not neuter and referring to the gospel. Calling, in the writings of the apostles, is habitually represented as God's work. See Romans 8:30; Romans 9:11; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Galatians 1:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Peter 1:15; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 1:3. Into the grace (ἐν χάριτι) Into is wrong. It should be by. Another gospel (ἕτερον) Rather a different, another sort of gospel. See Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:7; Luke 18:10.

6. Without the usual expressions of thanksgiving for their faith, &c., he vehemently plunges into his subject, zealous for "the glory" of God (Ga 1:5), which was being disparaged by the Galatians falling away from the pure Gospel of the "grace" of God. I marvel—implying that he had hoped better things from them, whence his sorrowful surprise at their turning out so different from his expectations. so soon—after my last visit; when I hoped and thought you were untainted by the Judaizing teachers. If this Epistle was written from Corinth, the interval would be a little more than three years, which would be "soon" to have fallen away, if they were apparently sound at the time of his visit. Ga 4:18, 20 may imply that he saw no symptom of unsoundness then, such as he hears of in them now. But English Version is probably not correct there. See see on [2331]Ga 4:18; [2332]Ga 4:20; also see [2333]Introduction. If from Ephesus, the interval would be not more than one year.