I am amazedPaul expresses astonishment at the Galatians' rapid shift in beliefs. This reflects his deep emotional investment in their spiritual well-being. His surprise underscores the seriousness of their deviation from the gospel he preached. This reaction is consistent with Paul's pastoral concern seen in other letters, such as
2 Corinthians 11:2-3, where he fears for the Corinthians' fidelity to Christ.
how quickly you are deserting
The phrase indicates the speed and ease with which the Galatians are abandoning their original teachings. This suggests a lack of deep-rooted understanding or conviction in the gospel message. Historically, the Galatians were influenced by Judaizers, who advocated adherence to Jewish law alongside faith in Christ, as seen inActs 15:1. This desertion is akin to the Israelites' frequent turning away from God in the Old Testament, such as inExodus 32:8.
the One who called you
This refers to God, who initiates the call to salvation. The calling is a divine act, emphasizing God's sovereignty and grace. InRomans 8:30, Paul elaborates on the process of calling, justification, and glorification, highlighting the divine origin and purpose of the call.
by the grace of Christ
The grace of Christ is central to the gospel message, emphasizing unmerited favor and salvation through faith, not works. This contrasts with the legalistic teachings the Galatians were turning to.Ephesians 2:8-9 reinforces this concept, stating that salvation is a gift from God, not a result of works.
and are turning to a different gospel—
The "different gospel" refers to teachings that distort the true message of Christ, likely the Judaizers' insistence on circumcision and law observance. Paul warns against such distortions in2 Corinthians 11:4 and emphasizes the singularity of the true gospel in1 Corinthians 15:1-4. This deviation is a serious matter, as it undermines the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice and the core of Christian faith.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
PaulThe apostle who authored the letter to the Galatians. He is expressing his astonishment at the Galatians' quick departure from the true gospel.
2.
GalatiansThe recipients of the letter, likely a group of churches in the region of Galatia. They are being influenced by false teachings.
3.
ChristCentral to the message of the gospel, whose grace is the means of calling believers.
4.
Different GospelRefers to the false teachings that were leading the Galatians astray from the true gospel of Christ.
5.
Grace of ChristThe unmerited favor and calling of believers, which is being abandoned by the Galatians in favor of a distorted message.
Teaching Points
Guard Against False TeachingsBelievers must be vigilant and discerning to ensure they are not swayed by teachings that deviate from the true gospel of Christ.
The Importance of GraceUnderstanding that salvation is by grace alone through faith in Christ is crucial. Any teaching that adds to this is a distortion of the gospel.
Stay Rooted in the True GospelRegular study of Scripture and sound doctrine helps believers remain steadfast in their faith and resist false teachings.
The Role of Apostolic AuthorityRecognize the authority of the apostles, like Paul, who were divinely appointed to establish and clarify the gospel message.
Quick Desertion as a WarningThe Galatians' quick desertion serves as a warning to all believers about the ease with which one can be led astray if not firmly grounded in the truth.
Lists and Questions
Top 10 Lessons from Galatians 1
What defines a toxic cult?
What defines a false gospel?
What were the churches located in Galatia?
What factors cause some churches to thrive or die?(6-10) The Apostle is surprised at their rapid defection. The doctrine to which they had at first given in their adhesion was a doctrine of salvation by grace: they now imagined that they were only hearing a different version of the same truths. A different version? How was that possible? There could not be any second gospel, nor was there really anything of the kind. It was not a new gospel, but only a factious perversion of the
old. Those who do this--no matter who they be--are accursed. That, at least, is plain speaking, and no one can accuse it of time-serving.
The Apostle had ended his address to the Galatians abruptly, and now he plunges abruptly, and without more preface, into the midst of his charges against them. He cannot understand their sudden apostasy.
(6)Removed.--The Greek word is one regularly used for a "deserter," "turn-coat," or "apostate," either in war, politics, or religion. The tense is strictly present: "You are now, at this moment, in the act of falling away."
Him that called you.--The call of the Christian is attributed by St. Paul to God the Father; so even inRomans 1:6. The Christian, having beencalled by God,belongs to Christ. The part taken by Christ in the calling of the Christian is rather a mediate agency, such as is expressed in the next phrase.
Into the grace of Christ.--Rather,by the grace of Christ. The grace (i.e., the free love) of Christ becomes the instrument of the divine calling, inasmuch as it is through the preaching of that free love and free gift that the unbeliever is at first attracted and won over to the faith. The "grace of Christ" is His voluntary self-surrender to humiliation and death, from no other prompting than His own love for sinful men.
(6, 7)Unto another gospel: which is not another.--It is to be regretted that the English language hardly admits the fine shade of distinction which exists here in the Greek. The Greek has two words for "another:" one (the first of those which is here used) implying a difference in kind, the other implying mere numerical addition.
Another gospel do I call it? That would seem to concede its right to be called a gospel at all. It might be supposed to be some alternative theory, existing side by side with that which you originally heard; but this cannot be. This "other gospel" is not a second gospel; for there cannot be two gospels. The inference, therefore, to be drawn is that it is not a gospel in any sense of the word. This, then, may be dismissed. It is no true gospel, but only mischievous and factious meddling on the part of certain false teachers.
Verse 6. - It is unnecessary again to remark on the disturbance of mind indicated by the abruptness with which the apostle plunges into the language of reproof. It cannot fail to strike every careful reader.
I marvel (
θαυμάζω);
I do marvel. The verb is used here with reference to something disappointing, something felt to be painful as well as strange. So
Mark 6:6 with reference to the unbelief of the Nazarenes. It is unjust to the apostle to take this "I do marvel" of his as a mere artifice of politic address: though unquestionably, as Chrysostom and Luther have well noted, it does soften his rebuke. The apostle was genuinely surmised; for he had had so much reason for thinking well of them (comp.
Galatians 3:1;
Galatians 4:14, 15;
Galatians 5:7). How could converts, once so cordial and affectionate, have possibly been so misled? As he reflects on the case, whatever feeling of resentment mingled with his surprise turns off upon the pseudo-evangelists misleading them; and accordingly it is upon these that his anathema is pronounced, not upon
them at all (cf.
Galatians 5:9, 12). They, indeed, by listening to the false teaching, were in danger of falling from grace; but this he rather compassionates than angrily denounces.
That ye are so soon removed (
ὅτι οὕτω ταχέως μετατίθεσθε);
that ye are so quickly falling away. This "quickly" has been taken by many as meaning "so soon after ye were called," and as consequently furnishing some ground for determining the time of the writing of the Epistle. But the comparison of the use of the same adverb (
ταχέως) in
2 Thessalonians 2:2, "Be not quickly shaken;" and in
1 Timothy 5:22, "Lay hands hastily on no man," suggests rather the meaning, "so quickly upon being solicited thereto." The verb
μετατίθεσθαι, to transfer one's self to a different course of thinking, acting, partisanship (cf. Liddell and Scott, 'Lexicon'), is used both in an unfavourable and in a good sense. Thus 2 Macc. 7:24,
Μεταθέμενον ἀπὸ τῶν πατρίων νόμων "If he would give over following the laws of his country;" Appian, 'Bell. Mithr.,' 41: "Falling away, going over, from (
ἀπὸ) Archelaus to Sylla;" Jamblich, 'Protrept,' 17, "Change from (
ἀπὸ) a restless and profligate mode of life to an orderly one." The verb, being in the present tense, and not in the aorist or the perfect, suggests the idea of an action in its commencing stage, and not yet fully consummated; as Chrysostom observes: "That is, 'I do not yet believe nor suppose that the delusion has got to be complete' - the language of one who will fain win them back."
From him that called you into the grace of Christ (
ἀπὸ τοῦ καλέσαντος ὑμᾶς ἐνχάριτι Ξριστοῦ);
from him that called you w be in the grace of Christ. The phrase, "he that called you," recites the personality of "our God and Father," spoken of in vers. 3, 4. The calling of man into the kingdom of God is habitually ascribed by St. Paul to the First Person in the Trinity (cf. ver. 15;
Romans 8:30;
Romans 9:24, 25;
1 Corinthians 1:9;
1 Corinthians 7:15, 17;
1 Thessalonians 2:12;
2 Thessalonians 2:14;
2 Timothy 1:9). God's name is omitted, as in ver. 15 (where it is wanting in the more recent texts), and
Galatians 2:8, "For he that wrought for Peter." The apostle impressively, even startlingly, describes their defection from the truth of the gospel as no other than a defection from God himself; similarly to the strain of language pursued in
Hebrews 3:12-15. "The grace of Christ" recites the state of acceptance with God into which Christians are brought by Christ through faith in him. So
Galatians 5:4. "Fallen away from grace;"
Romans 5:2, "Through whom we have also had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." The genitive, "of Christ," denotes the Author, as in" the peace of God" (
Philippians 4:7); "righteousness of God" (
Romans 1:17;
Romans 3:21, etc.). There is a pathos in the word "grace," as referring to the sweet gentleness of Christ's yoke as contrasted with the yoke of ceremonial-ism which the Galatians were so foolishly hankering after. The construction, "Called you in the grace of Christ," is similar to "Called us in peace" (
1 Corinthians 7:15); "Ye were called in one hope of your calling" (
Ephesians 4:4); "Called us... in sanctification" (
1 Thessalonians 4:7). The verb "call," implying as it does the bringing into a certain state, suggests the sense here given to the clause, in preference to our taking it as meaning "called you by the grace of Christ."
Unto another gospel (
εἰς ἐτερον εὐαγγέκιον);
unto another (or,
a new)
sort of gospel. The adjective
ἕτερον, as contrasted with
ἄλλο used in the next verse, appears to intimate the changed quality of the object, its strange new-fangled character. The adjective does sometimes take this shade of meaning. Thus
1 Corinthians 14:21,
Ἐν ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶἐν χείλεσιν ἑτέροις, "By men of strange tongues, and by lips of strangers;"
2 Corinthians 11:4,
Πνεῦμα επτερον...
εὐαγγέλιον ἕτερον," Different spirit... different gospel;"
1 Timothy 1:3,
Ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν, "Teach a different doctrine." The reader will find a brief but instructive description of the difference at times observable between
ἕτερος and
ἄλλος in Bishop Lightfoot's note on the passage; who cites the Septuagint rendering in
Exodus 1:8 of the Hebrew "new king," which it gives
βασιλεὺςἕτερπς: and a passage in Xenophon's 'Cyclopaedia,' 8:3, 8, "If you accuse me... another time when I serve you... you will find me (
ἑτερῳ διακόνῳ) another sort of attendant." The phrase, "another sort of gospel," so far as giving the new form of doctrine the title of "gospel" at all, is paradoxical and sarcastic. The paradox is corrected in what follows. The substantive, "gospel." is borrowed, not without a tinge of irony, from the pretensions of the innovators; they, of course, would be ready to designate their mangled form of Christian doctrine as still "the gospel." The epithet which the apostle adds gives his own view of its character.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
I am astonishedΘαυμάζω(Thaumazō)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2296:(a) intrans: I wonder, marvel, (b) trans: I wonder at, admire. From thauma; to wonder; by implication, to admire.howοὕτως(houtōs)Adverb
Strong's 3779:Thus, so, in this manner. Or (referring to what precedes or follows).quicklyταχέως(tacheōs)Adverb
Strong's 5030:Soon, quickly, hastily. Adverb from tachus; briefly, i.e. speedily, or rapidly.you are desertingμετατίθεσθε(metatithesthe)Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3346:From meta and tithemi; to transfer, i.e. transport, exchange, change sides, or pervert.the [One who]τοῦ(tou)Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.calledκαλέσαντος(kalesantos)Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 2564:(a) I call, summon, invite, (b) I call, name. Akin to the base of keleuo; to 'call'.youὑμᾶς(hymas)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.byἐν(en)Preposition
Strong's 1722:In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.[the] graceχάριτι(chariti)Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5485:From chairo; graciousness, of manner or act.of ChristΧριστοῦ(Christou)Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 5547:Anointed One; the Messiah, the Christ. From chrio; Anointed One, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.[and are turning] toεἰς(eis)Preposition
Strong's 1519:A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.a differentἕτερον(heteron)Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2087:(a) of two: another, a second, (b) other, different, (c) one's neighbor. Of uncertain affinity; other or different.gospel—εὐαγγέλιον(euangelion)Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 2098:From the same as euaggelizo; a good message, i.e. The gospel.
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NT Letters: Galatians 1:6 I marvel that you are so quickly (Gal. Ga) 
