Gal 1:6-9 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Gal 1:6-10: 1:6-10 I am shocked: In most of his letters, Paul followed his greeting with gratitude for his readers and a prayer for them (e.g., Rom 1:8-10 ; 1 Cor 1:4-5 ; Phil 1:3-6 ; Col 1:3-5 ; 2 Thes 1:3-12 ), but he found nothing to praise in the Galatian church. 1:6 The Galatians were turning away ... from God by rejecting the Good News Paul proclaimed and looking instead to the law. God called them to himself through the loving mercy of Christ, not through the law (2:16 ). • God, who called you: Cp. 1:15 ; Rom 8:30 ; 9:24 ; 11:29 . • a different way that pretends to be the Good News: Some were teaching that Gentile Christians had to be circumcised to be considered members of God’s family. Paul rejected any requirement besides faith in Jesus (cp. Gal 5:2-4 ).

Summary for Gal 1:6-10: 1:6-10 ^a I am shocked: In most of his letters, Paul followed his greeting with gratitude for his readers and a prayer for them (e.g., Rom 1:8-10 ^b; 1 Cor 1:4-5 ^c; Phil 1:3-6 ^d; Col 1:3-5 ^e; 2 Thes 1:3-12 ^f), but he found nothing to praise in the Galatian church. 1:6 ^g The Galatians were turning away ... from God by rejecting the Good News Paul proclaimed and looking instead to the law. God called them to himself through the loving mercy of Christ, not through the law (2:16 ^h).

• God, who called you: Cp. 1:15 ⁱ; Rom 8:30 ^j; 9:24 ^k; 11:29 ^l.

• a different way that pretends to be the Good News: Some were teaching that Gentile Christians had to be circumcised to be considered members of God’s family. Paul rejected any requirement besides faith in Jesus (cp. Gal 5:2-4 ^m).
1:7 ⁿ The “different way” (1:6 ^o) was a distortion, not the Good News of salvation at all. The only way to be saved is by faith in Christ. Adding any requirements makes the message no longer the Good News.

• those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ: The Judaizers knew they were changing the Good News to fit their views.
Summary for Gal 1:8-9: 1:8-9 ^p Let God’s curse fall on anyone (literally Let that person be anathema): The Greek word anathema was often used to translate the Hebrew kherem, which in the Old Testament means something dedicated to God for total destruction (see Lev 27:28-29 ^q; cp. Rom 9:3 ^r; 1 Cor 12:3 ^s; 16:22 ^t). Paul was invoking God’s strongest wrath on those who distort the Good News (Gal 1:7 ^u).

• including us or even an angel from heaven: No one is authorized to change the Good News (cp. 2:6-10 ^v, 11-14 ^w).
1:9 ^x The Good News ... you welcomed was precisely the message Paul had preached to them (1:8 ^y; cp. 2 Thes 2:15 ^z).