galatians-1:13-24-nlt

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:13-14

A retrospect of his career as a Jew. This would be the best proof that he had not received his gospel from man. I. HIS ENMITY TO THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION . "I was beyond measure persecuting the Church of God, and destroying it." His past career was notorious. "He persecuted unto death" ( Acts 22:4 ), "beyond measure"—by no feeble or spasmodic effort, limited to one spot, but by a persistent scheme of violence wrought with a fierce energy that knew no weariness. He could not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:14

And profited in the Jews' religion ( καὶ προέκοπτον ἐν τῷ ἰουδαΐσμῷ ); and was going forward in Judaism ; that is, was going on further and further in Judaism. The Greek verb ( προκόπτειν ) "to make way," " advance ," is found also Luke 2:52 ; Romans 13:12 ; 2 Timothy 2:16 ; 2 Timothy 3:9 , 2 Timothy 3:13 . "In Judaism," i.e. in the sentiments and practices of Judaism. The particular kind of Judaism which he has in view was the Pharisean form of Mosaism. A... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:15

But when it pleased God ( ὅτε δὲ αὐδόκησεν ὁ θεός ); and when it was the good pleasure of God. The Authorized Version and the Revised Version have "but when." To determine the exact force here of the conjunction δέ , we must consider how the sentence it introduces stands related to what precedes. The main underlying thought of Galatians 1:13 , Galatians 1:14 was that the habit of the apostle's mind before his conversion was such as wholly to preclude the notion of his... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:15-16

After his conversion he took no counsel with men as to his doctrine or career. The apostle is most emphatic in asserting his independence of man. Mark— I. HIS HIGH DESTINATION FROM BIRTH . "Who separated me from my mother's womb." Here is an instance of prevenient grace. From his very birth, and therefore before he could have any impulses or ideas of his own, God destined him to apostleship, no matter how wayward or inconsistent may have been the career of his youth. Looking... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:15-16

The destiny, call, and mission of St. Paul I. THE DESTINY . St. Paul feels that from his birth he was set apart for the great apostolic work of his later years. 1 . There is a destiny in every life. God has his purpose of calling us into being. 2 . This destiny is determined for us , not by us. We do not choose the circumstances in which we are born, nor our own gifts and dispositions. We can with difficulty escape from our surroundings, and we can never escape from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:16

To reveal his Son in me ( ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοί ) . The rendering " in me ," i.e. "in my soul," or, in the idiom of the New Testament, " in my heart," is quite borne out by the use of the same preposition in numerous passages; e.q. John 2:25 , "Knew what was in man;" John 4:14 ," Shall become in him a well;" Colossians 1:27 , "Christ in you the Hope of glory;" Romans 7:17 , Romans 7:20 , "Sin which dwelleth in me;" Romans 8:9 ," The Spirit of God... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:17

Neither went I up to Jerusalem ( οὐδὲ ἀνῆκλθον εἰς ἱεροσόλυμα ) neither went I up ( or , away ) . This "neither" negatives one particular instance of the general notion of "consulting flesh and blood," in reference to which an exception might else have not unnaturally been supposed likely. It forms a sort of climax to the negative. So Romans 9:16 , "Not of him that willeth, neither of him that ranneth." It is uncertain whether "went up" or "went away" is the true reading... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:17

The purpose of St. Paul's journey into Arabia. The paraphrase given above in the Exposition explains why it is that the apostle mentions his going into Arabia. It is because, at that juncture, he left Damascus to go nowhere else, and because this was a country where there was no man to teach him the gospel. It explains, I say, why St. Paul mentions the journey into Arabia; the journey itself it does not explain. But thin is a point which now claims consideration. 1 . By ancient... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:17-24

Proofs of his entirely independent course after conversion. The apostle adduces three or four separate facts to prove his independence of the apostles and of Judaic influence. I. HIS FIRST JOURNEY AFTER HIS CONVERSION WAS NOT TO JERUSALEM . "Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me." It was very necessary for him to show that he received no instructions from the apostles at the commencement of his ministry, for the Judaists were... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:18

Then after three years ( ἔπειτα μετὰ τρία ἔτη ) . The apostle's object is to illustrate the independent source of his doctrine as not derived from men. This he does here by indicating how long an interval elapsed after he first was made acquainted with it before he ever got to even know Peter. By this he gives his readers to feel how strongly assured from the very first was his conviction of the sufficiency and certain truth of those views of the "gospel" which had been... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:13-14

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:15

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:15-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:15-16

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:16

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:17

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:17-24

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:18

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