 |  |
Coming now to the exposition of the epistle we first exhibit the structure as a whole:
A | 1: - 2: 14. Paul's apostolic authority and gospel. Salutation.
B | 2: 15 - 4: 11. Doctrine. / Faith 5: Works.
\ Liberty 5: Bondage.
B | 4: 12 - 6: 16. Practice. / Spirit 5: Flesh.
\ Liberty 5: Bondage.
A | 6: 17, 18. The marks of the Lord Jesus. Benediction.
The epistle sets out in startling contrast the freedom of the gospel and the bondage of
the law. One is connected with the spirit, and the other with the flesh. One is linked with
the Jerusalem which is above, and the other the earthly Jerusalem "which now is" and is
in bondage. The Apostle Paul, in no uncertain language, shows the Galatian believers
where their defection is leading them--to utter slavery which in practice cancels the
glorious freedom in Christ.
His opening words in chapter 1: are a challenge. There is no attempt to give a
conventional introduction; the situation was too serious for that. First of all his
Christ-given apostleship must be recognized, for without this, the message which he had
to give would be of no avail. Over and over again Paul's enemies sought to disparage his
apostleship. They accused him of being a self-appointed apostle; that no one could
accept the story of his conversion, that he could not compare with the apostles at
Jerusalem who had been appointed by Christ in His earthly ministry and had enjoyed
close personal contact with Him. Paul had never seen Christ in the flesh and therefore in
no sense could his apostleship be recognized.
We find the same opposition manifested in the church at Corinth and in the second
epistle he is compelled to be a fool in his boasting to show that not only was his
apostleship real and Christ-directed, but that he could go further in suffering for it than
any other apostle (II Cor. 11: 5, 16-30).
As Charles H. Welch has pointed out, the opening chapter of the epistle is so
structured to throw into relief Paul's apostleship, the gospel preached by him and his
authority. The sections are divided by the recurrence of the three common words "not",
"neither" and "but". (Shown below on the structure).
b1 | 1: 1-5. Paul's apostleship.
/ Not from men
{ Neither through man
\ But through Jesus Christ
c1
| 6-10. No change in gospel "ye received".
b2 |
11, 12. Paul's gospel. / Not according to man
{ Neither from man
\ But by revelation of Jesus Christ
c2
| 13, 14. His past attitude "ye heard".
b3 |
15-17. Paul's authority. / Not flesh and blood
{ Neither from other apostles
\ But he went into Arabia
c3
| 1: 18-24. His present attitude "they had heard".