By the middle of the first century, Christian churches dotted the southern region of the Roman province of Galatia (part of modern-day Turkey). They had accepted the Good News preached by Paul. However, some ‘head office’ types started to infiltrate the ‘branch plants’ suggesting they were lesser Christians than they ought to be, and disobedient for not circumcising the men or following the statutes and demands of ceremonial law.

In response, Paul makes one of his most impassioned, yet concise, defenses of the gospel. He wastes no time getting to the point as he expresses astonishment for their desertion from “him who called you (Gal. 1:6)”, to the tune of “a different gospel (1:7)”. Not that there is another gospel, he continues, but there are many who wish to distort the one true gospel. It is therefore interesting that Paul’s defense and proclamation of the gospel begins by looking back, back to the ancient Scriptures of his heritage.

We continue to encourage you to know the bible’s storyline, see the glory of Christ therein, and through this grow in your adoration of the Lord. The best way to learn how to understand the Old Testament faithfully is to see how Jesus and the New Testament authors handled it. As we work through Galatians 3 we see Paul framing up the gospel in terms of God’s promise, specifically the promise given to Abraham in Genesis    

Something to See: A Promise Given

Genesis 12:3

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonours you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Paul says the gospel, of which there is only one, was preached to Abraham through this promise long before the incarnation of Christ and his earthly ministry. We often, rightfully, see the gospel as the good news of an event – the sacrificial death of Christ for our sins. Paul tells us that the good news is also rooted in a long ago promise!