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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Galatians 1:1-5

In these verses we have the preface or introduction to the epistle, where observe, I. The person or persons from whom this epistle is sent?from Paul an apostle, etc., and all the brethren that were with him. 1. The epistle is sent from Paul; he only was the penman of it. And, because there were some among the Galatians who endeavoured to lessen his character and authority, in the front of it he gives a general account both of his office and of the manner in which he was called to it, which... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Galatians 1:1-5

1:1-5 I, Paul, an apostle--and my apostleship was given to me from no human source and through no man's hand, because it came to me direct from Jesus Christ and from God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead--with all the brothers who are here, write this letter to the Churches of Galatia. May grace and peace be on you from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, who, because our God and Father willed it so, gave his life for our sins, to rescue us from this present world with all... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Galatians 1:4

Who gave himself for our sins ,.... The antecedent to the relative "who, is our Lord Jesus Christ", Galatians 1:3 and the words are an illustration of the good will of God the Father, and of the grace and love of Christ, in the gift of himself, for the sins of his people: he did not merely give, "sua, his own things", what were his properly, but, "se, himself"; not the world, and the fulness of it, gold, silver, and such like corruptible things; no, nor men for them, and people for their... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 1:4

Who gave himself for our sins - Who became a sin-offering to God in behalf of mankind, that they might be saved from their sins. Deliver us from this present evil world - These words cannot mean created nature, or the earth and its productions, nor even wicked men. The former we shall need while we live, the latter we cannot avoid; indeed they are those who, when converted, form the Church of God; and, by the successive conversion of sinners is the Church of Christ maintained; and the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Galatians 1:4

Verse 4 4.Who gave himself for our sins. He begins with commending the grace of Christ, in order to recall and fix on Him the attention of the Galatians; for, if they had justly appreciated this benefit of redemption, they would never have fallen into opposite views of religion. He who knows Christ in a proper manner beholds him earnestly, embraces him with the warmest affection, is absorbed in the contemplation of him, and desires no other object. The best remedy for purifying our minds from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:1-5

The introductory greeting. The style of this greeting, compared with those found in St. Paul's other Epistles, gives indications of his having addressed himself to the composition of the letter under strong perturbation of feeling. This transpires in the abruptness with which, at the very outset, he at once sweeps aside, as it were, out of his path, a slur east upon his apostolic commission, in protesting that he was "apostle, not from man nor through a man." It appears again in that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Galatians 1:1-5

The gospel of self-sacrifice. In sending an Epistle to an apostate people, Paul does not indulge in unmeaning compliments. These Celts in Asia had been showing some of their proverbial fickleness, and going back from the doctrine of justification by faith to a ritualism whose development must be self-righteousness. It is needful for their recovery from apostasy that the authority of the apostle and the truth of the gospel should be put before them in unmistakable terms. Hence we find... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

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 1:3-4

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

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