서론
无标题
简体中文
英文原文
In this chapter, after the preface or introduction (Ga 1:1-5), the apostle severely reproves these churches for their defection from the faith (Ga 1:6-9), and then proves his own apostleship, which his enemies had brought them to question, I. From his end and design in preaching the gospel, Ga 1:10. II. From his having received it by immediate revelation, Ga 1:11,12. For the proof of which he acquaints them, 1. What his former conversation was, Ga 1:13,14. 2. How he was converted, and called to the apostleship, Ga 1:15,16. 3. How he behaved himself afterwards, Ga 1:16-24.
1-5
The Introductory Address (56 AD)
简体中文
引言与问安（主后56年）
¹ 作使徒的保罗（不是由于人，也不是借着人，乃是借着耶稣基督，与叫他从死里复活的父 神），
² 和一切与我同在的众弟兄，写信给加拉太的各教会。
³ 愿恩惠、平安从父 神与我们的主耶稣基督归与你们。
⁴ 基督照我们父 神的旨意，为我们的罪舍己，要救我们脱离这罪恶的世代。
⁵ 但愿荣耀归于他，直到永永远远。阿们。
在这几节经文里，我们有本书信的序言或引言，其中可观察到：
一、本书信的寄发者——保罗「作使徒」等等，「以及一切与我同在的众弟兄」。1. 本书信发自保罗；只有他是执笔人。因为加拉太人中有人竭力贬低他的品格和权柄，他就在书信的开头对自己作使徒的职分以及他蒙召承担这职分的方式，作了一个总体的说明，这一点他在本章和下一章还要更加详细地论述。至于他的职分，他是个使徒。他并不回避以使徒自称，尽管他的仇敌几乎不承认他这个头衔；为叫他们看见他并非没有正当理由就自取这身份，他向他们说明自己是如何蒙召承担这尊贵职分的，并向他们保证他所领受的使命完全是属天的，因为他作使徒「不是由于人，也不是借着人」；他并未像普通的传道人那样蒙了寻常的呼召，而是从天上蒙了非比寻常的呼召来承担这职分。无论是承担这职分的资格，还是承担这职分的指定，他都不是借着人的中介而得，乃是两者都直接从上面领受的；因为他作使徒是「借着耶稣基督」，他是直接从他领受使命和托付，因而也是从「父 神」领受的——就基督的神性而言，父与他原为一；父又设立他作中保，作我们所信之道的使徒和大祭司，并在此身份上授权他人承担这职分。他加上「叫他从死里复活的」一语，既是要告诉我们：父 神在此公开见证了基督是他的儿子、就是所应许的弥赛亚；也是要说明，他之蒙召作使徒既是直接从基督而来，便是在基督从死里复活、进入他升高的境界之后；因此他有理由不仅看自己与其他使徒站在同等的地位上，而且在某种意义上甚至高过他们；因为他们是在基督仍在地上时蒙他呼召，他却是在基督于天上时蒙他呼召。使徒就是这样，因着敌对者的缘故，不得不高举自己的职分；这表明，虽然人绝不应以自己所拥有的任何权柄为骄傲，但在某些时候、某些场合，坚持这权柄也是必要的。然而 2. 他在书信的问候中把一切与他同在的众弟兄都联在一起，也以他们的名义写信。所谓「与他同在的众弟兄」，可理解为是他当时所在之地一般的基督徒，也可理解为是与他在福音上一同事奉的工人。尽管他本人的品格和成就远在他们之上，他却乐意承认他们为弟兄；虽然只有他一人写信，他却把他们也一同列入书信的问候之中。在此，他既显明自己极大的谦和与谦卑，表明自己丝毫没有自视过高的性情；同时他这样作，也可能是为要使这些教会对他所写的更加重视，因为由此显明，他所传讲、如今又要确认的道，是已经蒙他们赞同的，并非只有他一人如此传讲和承认，乃是与别人一同公开传讲和承认的。
二、本书信的收信者——「写信给加拉太的各教会」。当时那一带有好些教会，看来它们或多或少都因那些混入其中的诱惑人之人的诡计而受了败坏；因此保罗——「天天为众教会挂虑」临到他身上的人——既为他们属灵的光景深感动容，又为使他们归回真道并在其上得以建立而心中挂念，便写了这封信给他们。他将信寄给它们众人，因为它们都或多或少与信中所论的事有关；他仍以「教会」之称称呼它们，虽然它们已经行得足以失掉这名分，因为败坏的教会绝不会被剥夺作教会的资格：无疑它们中间仍有人持守真道，他也并非没有指望别人还能归回。
三、使徒的祝福（加1:3）。在此，使徒以及与他同在的众弟兄，祝愿这些教会「恩惠、平安从父 神与我们的主耶稣基督」归与他们。这就是他奉主的名祝福众教会时常用的祝福语——「恩惠、平安」。恩惠包含神向我们所存的善意和他在我们里面所行的善工；平安则涵盖一切我们真正需要的内心的安慰或外在的兴旺；两者都是从父 神那里如泉源涌出，借着耶稣基督作为传达的管道而临到我们。这两样使徒都为这些基督徒祈求。但我们可以注意，先是恩惠，后是平安，因为没有恩惠就没有真正的平安。使徒既提到主耶稣基督，便不能不详细述说他的爱，于是接着说（加1:4）：「基督照我们父 神的旨意，为我们的罪舍己，要救我们……」主耶稣基督为我们的罪舍己，作为极大的祭物来为我们赎罪；这是神的公义所要求的，也是他为我们的缘故甘心顺服的。其一重大目的，乃是「要救我们脱离这罪恶的世代」——不仅要救我们脱离神的震怒和律法的咒诅，也要救我们脱离世上从情欲而来的败坏，并救拔我们脱离那些我们天性所受辖制的恶习和风俗；可能也是要救我们脱离摩西的体制，因为「这世代」（houtos ho aiōn）正是这样使用的（林前2:6,8）。由此我们可留意：1. 这今世是个邪恶的世代：它因人的罪而变成如此；它之所以如此，是因为其中充满了罪与忧愁，以及我们住在其中一日便要面对的许多网罗和试探。但 2. 主耶稣基督已经死了，为要救我们脱离这邪恶的今世——不是立即把他的百姓从中取走，而是要救他们脱离它的权势，保守他们脱离其中的恶，并在适当的时候使他们得着另一个更美的世界。使徒告诉我们，他这样作是「照我们父 神的旨意」。他将自己献为祭物，为要达成此目的，这既是按着父神的安排，也是出于他自己甘心的同意；因此我们最有理由信靠他为我们所作所受之功效和蒙悦纳；是的，我们从此也大得鼓励，可看神为我们的父——使徒在此就是这样称呼他的：他既是我们主耶稣的父，借着他、也在他里面，他也是一切真信徒的父，正如我们蒙福的救主自己所告诉我们的（约20:17），他对门徒说，他要升上去见他的父，也是他们的父。
使徒既已注意到基督爱我们的大爱，便以庄严的颂赞和荣耀归给他来结束这段序言（加1:5）：「但愿荣耀归于他，直到永永远远。阿们。」意思是他在这事上理当配得我们最高的尊敬和重视。这首颂赞也可视为既指着父神、又指着我们的主耶稣基督说的——使徒刚刚才是从他们那里祝愿恩惠平安。他们都是我们当敬拜和事奉的正当对象，一切尊贵和荣耀都当永永远远归给他们，既因他们自己本有无限的完全，也因我们从他们所领受的福分。
英文原文
The Introductory Address (56 AD)
¹ Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
² And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
³ Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,
⁴ Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
⁵ To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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 afterwards, in this and the following chapter, he enlarges more upon. As to his office, he was an apostle. He is not afraid to style himself so, though his enemies would scarcely allow him this title: and, to let them see that he did not assume this character without just ground, he acquaints them how he was called to this dignity and office, and assures them that his commission to it was wholly divine, for he was an apostle, not of man, neither by man; he had not the common call of an ordinary minister, but an extraordinary call from heaven to this office. He neither received his qualification for it, nor his designation to it, by the mediation of men, but had both the one and the other directly from above; for he was an apostle by Jesus Christ, he had his instructions and commission immediately from him, and consequently from God the Father, who was one with him in respect of his divine nature, and who had appointed him, as Mediator, to be the apostle and high priest of our profession, and as such to authorize others to this office. He adds, Who raised him from the dead, both to acquaint us that herein God the Father gave a public testimony to Christ's being his Son and the promised Messiah, and also that, as his call to the apostleship was immediately from Christ, so it was after his resurrection from the dead, and when he had entered upon his exalted state; so that he had reason to look upon himself, not only as standing upon a level with the other apostles, but as in some sort preferred above them; for, whereas they were called by him when on earth, he had his call from him when in heaven. Thus does the apostle, being constrained to it by his adversaries, magnify his office, which shows that though men should by no means be proud of any authority they are possessed of, yet at certain times and upon certain occasions it may become needful to assert it. But, 2. He joins all the brethren that were with him in the inscription of the epistle, and writes in their name as well as his own. By the brethren that were with him may be understood either the Christians in common of that place where he now was, or such as were employed as ministers of the gospel. These, notwithstanding his own superior character and attainments, he is ready to own as his brethren; and, though he alone wrote the epistle, yet he joins them with himself in the inscription of it. Herein, as he shows his own great modesty and humility, and how remote he was from an assuming temper, so he might do this to dispose these churches to a greater regard to what he wrote, since hereby it would appear that he had their concurrence with him in the doctrine which he had preached, and was now about to confirm, and that it was no other than what was both published and professed by others as well as himself.
II. To whom this epistle is sent—to the churches of Galatia. There were several churches at that time in this country, and it should seem that all of them were more or less corrupted through the arts of those seducers who had crept in among them; and therefore Paul, on whom came daily the care of all the churches, being deeply affected with their state, and concerned for their recovery to the faith and establishment in it, writes this epistle to them. He directs it to all of them, as being all more or less concerned in the matter of it; and he gives them the name of churches, though they had done enough to forfeit it, for corrupt churches are never allowed to be churches: no doubt there were some among them who still continued in the faith, and he was not without hope that others might be recovered to it.
III. The apostolical benediction, Ga 1:3. Herein the apostle, and the brethren who were with him, wish these churches grace and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the usual blessing wherewith he blesses the churches in the name of the Lord—grace and peace. Grace includes God's good-will towards us and his good work upon us; and peace implies in it all that inward comfort, or outward prosperity, which is really needful for us; and they come from God the Father as the fountain, through Jesus Christ as the channel of conveyance. Both these the apostle wishes for these Christians. But we may observe, First grace, and then peace, for there can be no true peace without grace. Having mentioned the Lord Jesus Christ, he cannot pass without enlarging upon his love; and therefore adds (Ga 1:4), Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver, etc. Jesus Christ gave himself for our sins, as a great sacrifice to make atonement for us; this the justice of God required, and to this he freely submitted for our sakes. One great end hereof was to deliver us from this present evil world; not only to redeem us from the wrath of God, and the curse of the law, but also to recover us from the corruption that is in the world through lust, and to rescue us from the vicious practices and customs of it, unto which we are naturally enslaved; and possibly also to set us free from the Mosaic constitution, for so aion houtos is used, 1Co 2:6,8. From this we may note, 1. This present world is an evil world: it has become so by the sin of man, and it is so on account of the sin and sorrow with which it abounds and the many snares and temptations to which we are exposed as long as we continue in it. But, 2. Jesus Christ has died to deliver us from this present evil world, not presently to remove his people out of it, but to rescue them from the power of it, to keep them from the evil of it, and in due time to possess them of another and better world. This, the apostle informs us, he has done according to the will of God and our Father. In offering up himself a sacrifice for this end and purpose, he acted by the appointment of the Father, as well as with his own free consent; and therefore we have the greatest reason to depend upon the efficacy and acceptableness of what he has done and suffered for us; yea, hence we have encouragement to look upon God as our Father, for thus the apostle here represents him: as he is the Father of our Lord Jesus, so in and through him he is also the Father of all true believers, as our blessed Saviour himself acquaints us (Joh 20:17), when he tells his disciples that he was ascending to his Father and their Father.
The apostle, having thus taken notice of the great love wherewith Christ hath loved us, concludes this preface with a solemn ascription of praise and glory to him (Ga 1:5): To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Intimating that on this account he is justly entitled to our highest esteem and regard. Or this doxology may be considered as referring both to God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom he had just before been wishing grace and peace. They are both the proper objects of our worship and adoration, and all honour and glory are perpetually due to them, both on account of their own infinite excellences, and also on account of the blessings we receive from them.
6-9
The Apostle's Concern at Their Defection (56 AD)
简体中文
使徒为他们偏离真道而担忧（主后56年）
⁶ 我希奇你们这么快离开那借着基督之恩召你们的，去从别的福音。
⁷ 那并不是福音，不过有些人搅扰你们，要把基督的福音更改了。
⁸ 但无论是我们，是天上来的使者，若传福音给你们，与我们所传给你们的不同，他就应当被咒诅。
⁹ 我们已经说了，现在又说：若有人传福音给你们，与你们所领受的不同，他就应当被咒诅。
使徒在此进入书信的正文；他以一个较为概括的责备开始，责备这些教会在真道上不坚固——这一点他在以下某些部分还要进一步展开。在此我们可以观察到：
一、他为他们偏离真道而何等担忧：「我希奇……」等等。这话既使他充满极大的惊奇，又使他充满极大的忧伤。他们的罪和愚妄在于：他们没有持守那已经传给他们的基督教的教训，反而任凭自己偏离了其中的纯洁和单纯。他们的偏离有几方面大大加重了它的严重性；例如：1. 他们「离开那召他们的」——不仅是离开了那作召他们进入福音相交之器皿的使徒，更是离开了神自己；因为是按着他的吩咐和引导，福音才传给他们，他们才被邀请来分享其中的特权：因此他们在此犯了大罪，滥用了他对他们的恩慈和怜悯。2. 他们曾「蒙基督之恩召」。既然传给他们的福音是神在基督耶稣里之恩典和怜悯的最荣耀的显明，那么他们便是借此被召来有分于最大的福分和益处，如称义、在此与神和好，以及将来的永生和福乐。这些都是我们的主耶稣以他宝贵血的重价为我们买来的，并白白赐给一切真心接受他的人；因此，他们所享特权的伟大与他们离弃它、任凭自己被引诱偏离那得着这些福分的正路，其罪和愚妄也成正比。3. 他们「这么快」就离开了。在极短的时间内，他们便失去了从前似乎对基督之恩的品尝和尊重，太轻易地随从了那些教导靠律法的行为称义的人——许多从小在法利赛人的意见和观念中长大的人正是如此，他们把这些与基督的教训搀杂在一起，从而败坏了它；这既显出他们的软弱，也进一步加重了他们的罪。4. 他们偏离到「别的福音」——「那并不是福音」。使徒就是这样描述那些奉割礼之教师的教训；他称之为「别的福音」，因为它开辟了一条与福音所启示的称义和得救之路不同的道路，即靠行为，而非靠信基督。然而他又加上：「那并不是福音——你们会发现那根本算不得福音——实在不是别的福音，乃是基督的福音被歪曲了，是那福音根基被倾覆了」——借此他暗示，凡想设立一条与基督的福音所启示的不同的上天堂之路的，就是犯了严重的歪曲福音之罪，至终必发现自己大错特错。使徒就是这样设法使这些加拉太人对自己离弃福音的称义之路的罪有适当的认识；然而同时他又以温和与柔情调和他的责备，把他们描绘成更像是被那些搅扰他们之人的诡计和活动所吸引进去，而非出于自愿而陷入其中——这虽不能为他们开脱，却多少减轻了他们的过失。借此他教导我们：在责备人的时候，我们既当忠心，也当温柔，并要「用温柔的心把他们挽回过来」（加6:1）。
二、他对所传给他们的福音是唯一真福音何等确信。他对此坚信不疑，以致对那些声称要传别的福音的人宣告了咒诅（加1:8）；为叫他们看见这并非出于他什么轻率或失当的热心，他又重申了一次（加1:9）。这并不能为我们向那些在次要之事上与我们不同的人发出咒诅提供借口。保罗所宣告咒诅的对象，只是那些伪造新福音、倾覆恩典之约根基的人——他们以律法的行为取代基督的义，并以犹太教搀杂基督教。他设这个例子：「假设我们要传别的福音；不，假设天上来的使者要传：」并不是说天上的使者可能作谎言的传信人；之所以这样说，更是为要加强他下面要说的话。「如果有人以我们的名义，或假托是从使者本人那里得来的，向你们传任何别的福音，你们就必须断定自己是受了蒙骗：凡传别的福音的，就把自己置于咒诅之下，并且有把你们也置于咒诅之下的危险。」
英文原文
The Apostle's Concern at Their Defection (56 AD)
⁶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
⁷ Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
⁸ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
⁹ As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Here the apostle comes to the body of the epistle; and he begins it with a more general reproof of these churches for their unsteadiness in the faith, which he afterwards, in some following parts of it, enlarges more upon. Here we may observe,
I. How much he was concerned at their defection: I marvel, etc. It filled him at once with the greatest surprise and sorrow. Their sin and folly were that they did not hold fast the doctrine of Christianity as it had been preached to them, but suffered themselves to be removed from the purity and simplicity of it. And there were several things by which their defection was greatly aggravated; as, 1. That they were removed from him that had called them; not only from the apostle, who had been the instrument of calling them into the fellowship of the gospel, but from God himself, by whose order and direction the gospel was preached to them, and they were invited to a participation of the privileges of it: so that herein they had been guilty of a great abuse of his kindness and mercy towards them. 2. That they had been called into the grace of Christ. As the gospel which had been preached to them was the most glorious discovery of divine grace and mercy in Christ Jesus; so thereby they had been called to partake of the greatest blessings and benefits, such as justification, and reconciliation with God here, and eternal life and happiness hereafter. These our Lord Jesus has purchased for us at the expense of his precious blood, and freely bestows upon all who sincerely accept of him: and therefore, in proportion to the greatness of the privilege they enjoyed, such were their sin and folly in deserting it and suffering themselves to be drawn off from the established way of obtaining these blessings. 3. That they were so soon removed. In a very little time they lost that relish and esteem of this grace of Christ which they seemed to have, and too easily fell in with those who taught justification by the works of the law, as many did, who had been bred up in the opinions and notions of the Pharisees, which they mingled with the doctrine of Christ, and so corrupted it; and this, as it was an instance of their weakness, so it was a further aggravation of their guilt. 4. That they were removed to another gospel, which yet was not another. Thus the apostle represents the doctrine of these judaizing teachers; he calls it another gospel, because it opened a different way of justification and salvation from that which was revealed in the gospel, namely, by works, and not by faith in Christ. And yet he adds, "Which is not another—you will find it to be no gospel at all—not really another gospel, but the perverting of the gospel of Christ, and the overturning of the foundations of that"—whereby he intimates that those who go about to establish any other way to heaven than what the gospel of Christ has revealed are guilty of a gross perversion of it, and in the issue will find themselves wretchedly mistaken. Thus the apostle endeavours to impress upon these Galatians a due sense of their guilt in forsaking the gospel way of justification; and yet at the same time he tempers his reproof with mildness and tenderness towards them, and represents them as rather drawn into it by the arts and industry of some that troubled them than as coming into it of their own accord, which, though it did not excuse them, yet was some extenuation of their fault. And hereby he teaches us that, in reproving others, as we should be faithful, so we should also be gentle, and endeavour to restore them in the spirit of meekness, Ga 6:1.
II. How confident he was that the gospel he had preached to them was the only true gospel. He was so fully persuaded of this that he pronounced an anathema upon those who pretended to preach any other gospel (Ga 1:8), and, to let them see that this did not proceed from any rashness or intemperate zeal in him, he repeated it, Ga 1:9. This will not justify our thundering out anathemas against those who differ from us in minor things. It is only against those who forge a new gospel, who overturn the foundation of the covenant of grace, by setting up the works of the law in the place of Christ's righteousness, and corrupting Christianity with Judaism, that Paul denounces this. He puts the case: "Suppose we should preach any other gospel; nay, suppose an angel from heaven should:" not as if it were possible for an angel from heaven to be the messenger of a lie; but it is expressed so the more to strengthen what he was about to say. "If you have any other gospel preached to you by any other person, under our name, or under colour of having it from an angel himself, you must conclude that you are imposed upon: and whoever preaches another gospel lays himself under a curse, and is in danger of laying you under it too."
10-24
The Apostle's Integrity (56 AD)
简体中文
使徒的诚实正直（主后56年）
¹⁰ 我现在是要得人的心呢，还是要得 神的心呢？我岂是讨人的喜欢吗？若仍旧讨人的喜欢，我就不是基督的仆人了。
¹¹ 弟兄们，我告诉你们，我素来所传的福音不是出于人的意思。
¹² 因为我不是从人领受的，也不是人教导我的，乃是从耶稣基督启示来的。
¹³ 你们听见我从前在犹太教中所行的事，怎样极力逼迫残害 神的教会。
¹⁴ 我又在犹太教中，比我本国多半同岁的人更有长进，为我祖宗的遗传更加热心。
¹⁵ 然而，那把我从母腹里分别出来、又施恩召我的 神，
¹⁶ 既然乐意将他儿子启示在我心里，叫我把他传在外邦人中，我就没有与属血气的人商量，
¹⁷ 也没有上耶路撒冷去见那些比我先作使徒的，惟独往阿拉伯去，后又回到大马士革。
¹⁸ 过了三年，才上耶路撒冷去见矶法，和他同住了十五天。
¹⁹ 至于别的使徒，除了主的兄弟雅各，我都没有看见。
²⁰ 我写给你们的不是谎话，这是我在 神面前说的。
²¹ 以后我到了叙利亚和基利家境内。
²² 那时，犹太信基督的各教会都没有见过我的面。
²³ 不过听说那从前逼迫我们的，现在传扬他原先所残害的真道。
²⁴ 他们就因我的缘故，归荣耀给 神。
保罗在本书信的序言中较为概括地说过的，现在他更为具体地加以阐述。他在那里已声明自己是基督的使徒；这里他更直接地来支持他对这身份和职分的宣告。加拉太各教会中有些人受影响而对此提出质疑；因为那些高抬仪文律法的人，竭力要贬低那向外邦人传基督纯全福音的保罗的声誉：因此他在这里着手证明他的使命和教训都是属神的，借此洗清仇敌泼在他身上的污蔑，并使这些基督徒重新尊重他所传给他们的福音。他从两方面给出充分的证据：
一、从他事奉的目的和动机来看——「不是要得人的心，乃是要得 神的心」等等。这话的意思可以是：他在传福音时，不是顺服人，而是顺服那呼召他承担这工作和职分的神；或者，他的目标是使人顺服的不是人，而是神。他既声称是奉神的使命行事，他所追求的主要目标便是借着使罪人恢复顺服神的光景来增进神的荣耀。这既然是他所追求的伟大目的，那么与此相应，「他不是要讨人的喜欢」。他在教训上并不迁就人的脾气，无论是为要得他们的好感，还是为要避免他们的怨恨；他所关心的乃是向神表明忠诚。那些败坏这些教会的奉割礼之教师，却表现出了截然不同的性情；他们把行为与信心搀杂，把律法与福音搀杂，不过是为了讨犹太人的喜悦——他们甘愿迎合他们、与他们保持友好，以逃避逼迫。但保罗是个心志不同的人；他并不急于要讨他们的喜悦，也不急于缓和他们对他的怒气，以致为要得他们的好感或避免他们的凶暴而更改基督的教训。他为此举出一个很好的理由：「若仍旧讨人的喜欢，我就不是基督的仆人了。」他知道这两者是截然不能相合的，没有人能事奉这样两个主；因此，虽然他不愿无故地得罪任何人，却也不敢以对基督不忠为代价去讨人的喜悦。这样，他从自己尽职时心志和动机的真诚，证明自己实在是基督的使徒。从他的性情和行为中，我们可留意：1. 福音的传道人所当追求的伟大目的，是把人带到神面前。2. 忠心的人不求讨人的喜悦，而求向神表明忠诚。3. 他们若要在基督面前作忠心的仆人，就不可一味地讨人的喜悦。但是，若有人以为这个论证还不够，他接着又证明自己的使徒职分：
二、从他所传给他们的福音是如何领受的方式来看——关于这点，他向他们保证（加1:11,12）：他不是从别人那里听来的，而是从天上启示来的。使徒的一个特别之处，在于他是直接蒙基督亲自呼召并受教于这职分的。这一点他在这里表明自己绝不欠缺，无论仇敌如何暗示相反的话。普通的传道人既是借着别人的中介而蒙召传福音，他们对福音的认识也是借着别人的教导和帮助而得。但保罗告诉他们，他对福音的知识，和他传福音的权柄一样，都是直接从主耶稣那里领受的：他所传的福音「不是出于人的意思；既不是从人领受的，也不是人教导他的」，乃是借着直接的默感，或说从基督自己启示来的。他必须证明这一点，才能证明自己是使徒：为此目的，
1. 他告诉他们他所受的教养如何，以及因此他从前为人如何（加1:13,14）。他特别告诉他们，他是在犹太教中长大的，并且「在犹太教中比他本国多半同岁的人更有长进」——「为我祖宗的遗传更加热心」，即那些由他们的祖宗所发明、一代一代传下来的教义和习俗；甚至到了一个地步，他为这些「极力逼迫残害 神的教会」。他不仅曾拒绝基督教——尽管已有许多明显的证据证明它出于神；他还曾逼迫它，并以极度的暴行和狂热要除灭信奉它的人。保罗常提到此事，为要高举那在他身上作了如此奇妙改变之白白的丰富恩典——这恩典使这么大的罪人成了真诚悔改的人，使一个逼迫人的成了使徒。在此提及这件事也是非常恰当的；因为由此显明，他之归信基督教并不像许多别的人那样纯粹是出于教养，因为他从小是在与基督教为敌、反对基督教的环境中长大的；他们理当设想，必有某种非常特别的事，才能在他身上造成如此重大的改变，才能克服他教养所带来的成见，使他不仅信奉，更是传讲他从前所极力反对的道理。
2. 他是以何等奇妙的方式从自己道路的错误中被扭转过来，被带到认识基督和信基督的地步，并被立为使徒（加1:15,16）。这不是按寻常的方式，也不是借着寻常的手段，而是以非比寻常的方式成就的；因为：（1）神「从母腹里把他分别出来」：在他身上所造成的改变，是按着神对他所定的旨意而成全的；借此他在出世之前，或行善或行恶之前，便已被指定要作基督徒和使徒。（2）他是「蒙恩召」。一切得蒙拯救的归信者，都是蒙神的恩典所召；他们的归信是他美意的功效，是借着他的大能和恩典在他们里面作成的。但在保罗的事例中，有某些特别之处——无论是在他身上所造成之改变的突然和重大上，还是在作成这改变的方式上：这方式不是借着别人作为器皿的中介，而是借着基督亲自向他显现、直接在他身上运行；因此这是神圣大能和恩惠的一个更为特别、非比寻常的实例。（3）基督是「启示在他心里」。他不仅是启示给他，更是启示在他里面。若基督只是启示给我们而没有启示在我们里面，对我们没有什么益处；但保罗的情形并非如此。神「乐意将他儿子启示在我心里」——借着特别而直接的启示，使他认识基督和他的福音。（4）这是带着一个目的，就是要他把基督传在外邦人中；他不仅要自己接受基督，更要把他传给别人；因此他因启示而既是基督徒，又是使徒。
3. 他告诉他们此后他的行事为人如何（加1:16至末）。他既这样蒙召承担他的工作和职分，「就没有与属血气的人商量」。这话可以更广泛地理解，借此我们可以学习到：当神借恩典呼召我们时，我们不可与属血气的人商量。但这里的意思是他没有与人商量；他没有向别人请教，请求指教和引导；「也没有上耶路撒冷去见那些比我先作使徒的」，好像他需要蒙他们认可，或需要从他们领受什么进一步的教训或权柄似的；相反，他另走了一条路，「往阿拉伯去」——或作为适合领受进一步属天启示的退修之地，或是为了在那里的外邦人中传福音，因为他已被指定作外邦人的使徒；然后「他又回到大马士革」——他最初开始传道的地方，也是他好不容易才逃脱仇敌怒气的地方（徒9:20-25）。直到他归信「三年之后」，他才「上耶路撒冷去见矶法」；他去的时候与矶法同住的时间也很短，不过「十五天」；他在那里也没有多少交际；因为「至于别的使徒，除了主的兄弟雅各，我都没有看见」。因此，他不可能装作自己曾受惠于任何别人而得着福音的知识或传福音的权柄；反倒显明他对使徒职分的资格和呼召都是非比寻常的、属神的。这叙述对确立他对这职分的宣告、对消除敌对者对他的不公正的指控、并使加拉太人从他受影响而对保罗存偏见的心中回转，都十分重要；他便以一个庄严的誓言来证实它（加1:20），宣告——如同在神面前——他所说的都是千真万确的，他在所述之事上毫无虚假；这虽不能为我们在每个场合都向神庄严呼吁提供借口，却表明在重大事件上，这有时不仅是合法的，更是当尽的本分。此后他告诉他们，他「到了叙利亚和基利家境内」：他既对矶法作了这次短暂的拜访，便回到他的工作中去了。他那时与「犹太信基督的各教会」没有什么来往，他们连他的面都「没有见过」；但「听说那从前逼迫他们的，现在传扬他原先所残害的真道」，他们就「因我的缘故归荣耀给 神」——许多人就为此向神献上感谢；他身上这极大改变的传闻，既使他们充满喜乐，也激发他们因此归荣耀给神。
英文原文
The Apostle's Integrity (56 AD)
¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
¹¹ But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
¹² For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
¹³ For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
¹⁴ And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
¹⁵ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
¹⁶ To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
¹⁷ Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
¹⁸ Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
¹⁹ But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.
²⁰ Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.
²¹ Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
²² And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judæa which were in Christ:
²³ But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
²⁴ And they glorified God in me.
What Paul had said more generally, in the preface of this epistle, he now proceeds more particularly to enlarge upon. There he had declared himself to be an apostle of Christ; and here he comes more directly to support his claim to that character and office. There were some in the churches of Galatia who were prevailed with to call this in question; for those who preached up the ceremonial law did all they could to lessen Paul's reputation, who preached the pure gospel of Christ to the Gentiles: and therefore he here sets himself to prove the divinity both of his mission and doctrine, that thereby he might wipe off the aspersions which his enemies had cast upon him, and recover these Christians into a better opinion of the gospel he had preached to them. This he gives sufficient evidence of,
I. From the scope and design of his ministry, which was not to persuade men, but God, etc. The meaning of this may be either that in his preaching the gospel he did not act in obedience to men, but God, who had called him to this work and office; or that his aim therein was to bring persons to the obedience, not of men, but of God. As he professed to act by a commission from God; so that which he chiefly aimed at was to promote his glory, by recovering sinners into a state of subjection to him. And as this was the great end he was pursuing, so, agreeably hereunto, he did not seek to please men. He did not, in his doctrine, accommodate himself to the humours of persons, either to gain their affection or to avoid their resentment; but his great care was to approve himself to God. The judaizing teachers, by whom these churches were corrupted, had discovered a very different temper; they mixed works with faith, and the law with the gospel, only to please the Jews, whom they were willing to court and keep in with, that they might escape persecution. But Paul was a man of another spirit; he was not so solicitous to please them, nor to mitigate their rage against him, as to alter the doctrine of Christ either to gain their favour or to avoid their fury. And he gives this very good reason for it, that, if he yet pleased men, he would not be the servant of Christ. These he knew were utterly inconsistent, and that no man could serve two such masters; and therefore, though he would not needlessly displease any, yet he dared not allow himself to gratify men at the expense of his faithfulness to Christ. Thus, from the sincerity of his aims and intentions in the discharge of his office, he proves that he was truly an apostle of Christ. And from this his temper and behaviour we may note, 1. That the great end which ministers of the gospel should aim at is to bring men to God. 2. That those who are faithful will not seek to please men, but to approve themselves to God. 3. That they must not be solicitous to please men, if they would approve themselves faithful servants to Christ. But, if this argument should not be thought sufficient, he goes on to prove his apostleship,
II. From the manner wherein he received the gospel which he preached to them, concerning which he assures them (Ga 1:11,12) that he had it not by information from others, but by revelation from heaven. One thing peculiar in the character of an apostle was that he had been called to, and instructed for, this office immediately by Christ himself. And in this he here shows that he was by no means defective, whatever his enemies might suggest to the contrary. Ordinary ministers, as they receive their call to preach the gospel by the mediation of others, so it is by means of the instruction and assistance of others that they are brought to the knowledge of it. But Paul acquaints them that he had his knowledge of the gospel, as well as his authority to preach it, directly from the Lord Jesus: the gospel which he preached was not after man; he neither received it of man, nor was he taught it by man, but by immediate inspiration, or revelation from Christ himself. This he was concerned to make out, to prove himself an apostle: and to this purpose,
1. He tells them what his education was, and what, accordingly, his conversation in time past had been, Ga 1:13,14. Particularly, he acquaints them that he had been brought up in the Jewish religion, and that he had profited in it above many his equals of his own nation—that he had been exceedingly zealous of the traditions of the elders, such doctrines and customs as had been invented by their fathers, and conveyed down from one generation to another; yea, to such a degree that, in his zeal for them, he had beyond measure persecuted the church of God, and wasted it. He had not only been a rejecter of the Christian religion, notwithstanding the many evident proofs that were given of its divine origin; but he had been a persecutor of it too, and had applied himself with the utmost violence and rage to destroy the professors of it. This Paul often takes notice of, for the magnifying of that free and rich grace which had wrought so wonderful a change in him, whereby of so great a sinner he was made a sincere penitent, and from a persecutor had become an apostle. And it was very fit to mention it here; for it would hence appear that he was not led to Christianity, as many others are, purely by education, since he had been bred up in an enmity and opposition to it; and they might reasonably suppose that it must be something very extraordinary which had made so great a change in him, which had conquered the prejudices of his education, and brought him not only to profess, but to preach, that doctrine, which he had before so vehemently opposed.
2. In how wonderful a manner he was turned from the error of his ways, brought to the knowledge and faith of Christ, and appointed to the office of an apostle, Ga 1:15,16. This was not done in an ordinary way, nor by ordinary means, but in an extraordinary manner; for, (1.) God had separated him hereunto from his mother's womb: the change that was wrought in him was in pursuance of a divine purpose concerning him, whereby he was appointed to be a Christian and an apostle, before he came into the world, or had done either good or evil. (2.) he was called by his grace. All who are savingly converted are called by the grace of God; their conversion is the effect of his good pleasure concerning them, and is effected by his power and grace in them. But there was something peculiar in the case of Paul, both in the suddenness and in the greatness of the change wrought in him, and also in the manner wherein it was effected, which was not by the mediation of others, as the instruments of it, but by Christ's personal appearance to him, and immediate operation upon him, whereby it was rendered a more special and extraordinary instance of divine power and favour. (3.) He had Christ revealed in him. He was not only revealed to him, but in him. It will but little avail us to have Christ revealed to us if he is not also revealed in us; but this was not the case of Paul. It pleased God to reveal his Son in him, to bring him to the knowledge of Christ and his gospel by special and immediate revelation. And, (4.) It was with this design, that he should preach him among the heathen; not only that he should embrace him himself, but preach him to others; so that he was both a Christian and an apostle by revelation.
3. He acquaints them how he behaved himself hereupon, from Ga 1:16, to the end. Being thus called to his work and office, he conferred not with flesh and blood. This may be taken more generally, and so we may learn from it that, when God calls us by his grace, we must not consult flesh and blood. But the meaning of it here is that he did not consult men; he did not apply to any others for their advice and direction; neither did he go up to Jerusalem, to those that were apostles before him, as though he needed to be approved by them, or to receive any further instructions or authority from them: but, instead of that, he steered another course, and went into Arabia, either as a place of retirement proper for receiving further divine revelations, or in order to preach the gospel there among the Gentiles, being appointed to be the apostle of the Gentiles; and thence he returned again to Damascus, where he had first begun his ministry, and whence he had with difficulty escaped the rage of his enemies, Ac 9:20-25. It was not till three years after his conversion that he went up to Jerusalem, to see Peter; and when he did so he made but a very short stay with him, no more than fifteen days; nor, while he was there, did he go much into conversation; for others of the apostles he saw none, but James, the Lord's brother. So that it could not well be pretended that he was indebted to any other either for his knowledge of the gospel or his authority to preach it; but it appeared that both his qualifications for, and his call to, the apostolic office were extraordinary and divine. This account being of importance, to establish his claim to this office, to remove the unjust censures of his adversaries, and to recover the Galatians from the impressions they had received to his prejudice, he confirms it by a solemn oath (Ga 1:20), declaring, as in the presence of God, that what he had said was strictly true, and that he had not in the least falsified in what he had related, which, though it will not justify us in solemn appeals to God upon every occasion, yet shows that, in matters of weight and moment, this may sometimes not only be lawful, but duty. After this he acquaints them that he came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia: having made this short visit to Peter, he returns to his work again. He had no communication at that time with the churches of Christ in Judea, they had not so much as seen his face; but, having heard that he who persecuted them in times past now preached the faith which he once destroyed, they glorified God because of him; thanksgivings were rendered by many unto God on that behalf; the very report of this mighty change in him, as it filled them with joy, so it excited them to give glory to God on the account of it.
在本章中，继序言或引言之后（加1:1-5），使徒严厉地责备这些教会偏离了真道（加1:6-9），然后证明他自己的使徒职分——这是他的仇敌使他们产生怀疑的。他从两方面证明：一、从他传福音的目的和动机来看（加1:10）。二、从他是直接借着启示领受福音这一事实来看（加1:11,12）。为证明这一点，他向他们说明：1. 他从前为人如何（加1:13,14）。2. 他是如何归信并蒙召作使徒的（加1:15,16）。3. 他后来的行事为人如何（加1:16-24）。