Galatians 1:3-4

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:1-5

Introduction. The tone of this Epistle is decidedly controversial. In the first and second chapters the writer establishes against Judaistic assailants his apostolic authority. This, however, is only subsidiary to his main design, which is in the third and fourth chapters, as an accredited servant of God, to establish the gospel of Christ, or justification by faith against Judaism (a different gospel), or justification by the works of the Law. The fifth and sixth chapters may be said to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:3

Grace be to you and peace ( χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ); grace to you and peace. Here, as often, we have combined the form of salutation prevalent among Greeks, χαίρειν (found in its unaltered form in James 1:1 , "wishing joy"), Christianized into χάρις , grace, which denotes the outpouring of Divine benignity in all such spiritual blessings as sinful creatures need; and the Hebrew greeting, shalom , which in its transformation into εἰρήνη may be supposed to have... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:3

The apostolic benediction. "Grace to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ." This benediction is a proof of the hearty love of the apostle, as well as a mark of his unswerving loyalty to the doctrine of salvation by Christ only. I. THE BLESSINGS WISHED FOR . "Grace and peace." Nearly twenty times in Scripture are these two graces linked together, but never so significantly as at present, when the Galatians manifested a disposition to return to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:3-4

Christ's sacrifice for our deliverance. The salutation is more than a kindly expression of good will; it is a true benediction based on the grand assurance of grace and peace that grows out of a right understanding of the sacrifice of Christ. St. Paul describes the bearings of that wonderful sacrifice in order to give support to his benediction. But it is clear that he does this with great fulness and distinctness for a further purpose. He wishes at the outset to set forth the fundamental... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:4

Who gave himself ( τοῦ δόντος ἑαυτόν ). This is the strongest imaginable description of what Christ did to redeem us. The phrase occurs in 1 Macc. 6:44, with reference to the Eleazar who rushed upon certain death to kill the elephant which was carrying the king, Antiochus: "He gave himself ( ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν ) to save his people." It is applied to Christ also in Titus 2:14 ," Who gave himself for us;" and 1 Timothy 2:6 , "Who gave himself a ransom for all." In the next... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:4-5

The sum and substance of the Epistle. He here declares the true ground of acceptance with God which the Galatians practically ignored by their system of legalism. I. MARK THE SELF - OBLATION OF CHRIST . "Who gave himself for our sins." Our Redeemer was not killed by the hand of violence, though "by lawless hands" he was crucified and slain; he spontaneously offered himself, and his offering was not the impulse of mere excited feeling. The expression, "gave himself," always... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 1:3

Grace be unto you ... - This is the usual apostolic salutation, imploring for them the blessing of God. See it fully explained in the notes at Romans 1:7. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Galatians 1:4

Who gave himself for our sins - The reason why Paul so soon introduces this important doctrine, and makes it here so prominent, probably is, that this was the cardinal doctrine of the Christian religion, the great truth which was ever to be kept before the mind, and because this truth had been in fact lost sight of by them. They had embraced doctrines which tended to obscure it, or to make it void. They had been led into error by the Judaizing teachers, who held that it was necessary to be... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 1:1-3

Galatians 1:1-3. Paul, an apostle Here it was necessary for Paul to assert his authority, otherwise he is very modest in the use of this title. He seldom mentions it when he joins others with himself in the salutations, as in the epistles to the Philippians and Thessalonians; or when he writes about secular affairs, as in that to Philemon: nor yet in writing to the Hebrews. Not of men Not commissioned from them. It seems the false teachers had insinuated, if not openly asserted, that he... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Galatians 1:4-5

Galatians 1:4-5. Who gave himself for our sins See on 1 Corinthians 15:3; that he might deliver us from this present evil world From the ignorance and folly, sinfulness and guilt, corruption and misery, wherein it is involved, and from its vain and foolish customs and pleasures, that friendship and society with worldly men, and that inordinate desire after, and attachment to worldly things, which is enmity against God, Romans 8:7; James 4:4; according to the will of God Without any... read more

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