28 THE BOOK OF GALATIANS – CHAPTER 6:11-13 - Message 28 – PAUL EXTENDS HIMSELF TO THE LIMITS AND ANOTHER EXPOSE´ OF THOSE WHO WERE FALSE
As we near the end of this heartfelt letter to the Galatian churches, Paul touches on a personal matter that raises much speculation, and he delivers another blow at these legalisers who were destroying the testimony of Christ.
[1]. OUR FAILING EYESIGHT AS WE AGE – BUT IS THAT WHY THE LETTERS ARE LARGE?
{{Galatians 6:11 “See with what LARGE LETTERS I AM WRITING to you with my own hand.”}}
The true meaning of this verse is not difficult when we realise the misleading translation of the AV/KJV is incorrect – [[“Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.”]] Paul did not write a large letter but what he did write, he used large letter formation because of probable eye problem or hand co-ordination. It is speculated there are one or two other reasons for the large size of the letters. As I consider the views in detail, I think the conclusion is that the true reason for what Paul wrote is uncertain but I favour the “eye” one.
The Church Father Chrysostom mentions he believes Paul wrote “rudely” or crudely”, as he tried penning the Greek that he was not too skilled at writing, and that was the meaning of his words here. That view has a following. No doubt Paul spoke Greek as well as Hebrew and probably was conversant in Latin also. It is not uncommon to be able to speak a language and not be able to write it, more so if it has a strange script such as Chinese, Arabic or Hindi.
The view that Paul was not too skilled at writing Greek is opposed by Greek scholar F.B. Meyer who wrote:- [[ “. . . secondly, that the charge of want of practice in writing Greek cannot be proved. The native of Tarsus and Roman citizen, who from his youth had enjoyed a learned training in Jerusalem, where the Greek language was very current among the Jews (see Hug, Einl. II. § 10) - the man who handled with so much delicacy and skill the Greek literary language, who was familiar with the works of the Greek poets (see Acts 17:28) and who was in constant intercourse with Greek Jews and Gentiles, - is it to be thought that such an one should not have possessed even the humble attainment of writing Greek without making the letters of an unshapely size?”]]
There is yet another view that sits in harmony with the earnest and caring Apostle – [[“But it is on the whole more probable that the largeness of the letters was intended to express the importance of the message to be conveyed. To those who have studied carefully the character of the great Apostle this view, suggested by the ablest of his early commentators and adopted by the greatest of modern expositors of his Epistles, will commend itself as in keeping with what we know of the man.”]] (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges). (It also expresses the great urgency of the letter).
Paul was anxious the letter got to the Galatians as fast as possible. Many of the names among commentators have the consensus [[“that his intention was to show the Galatians his earnest care for them, to make them attentive in reading, and the like.”]]
[[“Hofmann is also of opinion that Paul had not elsewhere written with his own hand, that he might not needlessly curtail the time for procuring his bodily maintenance. As if the dictating to the pen of another would not have involved just as much loss of time! Tertius and Timothy were hardly shorthand writers. Or is Paul supposed to have been occupied in tent-making during the time when he was dictating his letters, which presuppose so much abstraction and concentration of mental labour?”]] (CBSC)
So much speculation could be entertained but it is not worth the time. What is ironclad is that Paul was so concerned for these Galatians that he did all possible to get this letter to them. His heart was churned up about their departure from the faith; his pastoral care was breaking for them, his children in the faith. Earlier in the letter he wrote this -
{{Galatians 4:11 “I fear for you that perhaps I have laboured over you in vain.” Galatians 4:19-20 “My children with whom I am again in labour until Christ is formed in you - but I could wish to be present with you now and to change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.”}}
[2]. DID PAUL WRITE THE WHOLE LETTER HIMSELF?
Paul normally used an amanuensis to write at his dictation such as was mentioned here – {{Romans 16:22 “I, Tertius, who writes this letter, greet you in the Lord.”}} Whether Paul wrote part or whole of this letter it sealed it as being genuine, when spurious letters were getting around supposedly by Paul. The enemy does all he can to destroy God’s testimony.
[[“Jerome says, that Paul was a Hebrew, and that he was unacquainted with the mode of writing Greek letters; and that because necessity demanded that he should write a letter in his own hand, contrary to his usual custom, he was obliged to form his characters in this crude manner.”]] (Barnes). That was Jerome’s opinion but Meyer quoted earlier would dismiss that incorrect view of Jerome. Jerome lived about 400 years out from Paul and it is like us today trying to give an opinion on someone in Queen Elisabeth Ist time, like a contemporary of Shakespeare.
There is no conclusive proof that Paul wrote just the end, or the whole of this letter. It would not surprise me that this man who would go beyond even the extra mile, would strain to get this urgent letter to his Galatian believers overtaken by problems, so he composed it himself so time would not be wasted.
[3]. WAS THE REASON FOR LARGE/CRUDE LETTERS A PHYSICAL PROBLEM?
Unless the Lord gave Paul a miraculous touch with 20/20 vision I believe in any case his eyesight was as a normal man in his sixties for that is what Paul would have been. Without modern seeing aids he would have had problems. Such was Paul’s love and concern for the Galatian churches that he wrote this letter in spite of the eyestrain and weakened vision. It was a matter of urgency and in all probability he wrote it himself with difficulty.
There is an indication in this letter itself that there could have been problems with Paul’s sight. {{Galatians 4:13-16 “but you know that IT WAS BECAUSE OF A BODILY ILLNESS THAT I PREACHED THE GOSPEL TO YOU THE FIRST TIME, and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself. Where then is that sense of blessing you had for I bear you witness, that if possible, YOU WOULD HAVE PLUCKED OUT YOUR EYES AND GIVEN THEM TO ME? Have I therefore become your enemy by telling you the truth?”}}
Don’t you see it amazing that what we perceive as something bad and against us, that the Lord will use that for His glory? It was because of Paul’s bodily affliction that he was in Galatia available to preach the gospel for their conversion.
There has been much speculation about what the thorn in the flesh was, that Paul endured. {{2 Corinthians 12:7 “Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, THERE WAS GIVEN ME A THORN IN THE FLESH, a messenger of Satan to buffet me - to keep me from exalting myself!”}} A thorn digging into you makes its presence felt every time you move. It may have been eyes but that is only speculated. Was this thorn related to his eyes and sight?
[4]. YOUNGER CHRISTIANS TAKE NOTE FOR IT IS IMPORTANT
To close this section off, I need to encourage and warn you at the same time. Those of you, while you are still young or youngish, use your facilities for the Lord in His service “flat out”, and do not procrastinate waiting to get older and then start doing something for God. God is not mocked. If you belong to Him your time is His so use it correctly. Work while it is still day because the night soon comes in your life when you can’t work any longer because of illness or whatever the Lord knows about. Then it is too late.
Apply these verses to you – {{Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, “I have no delight in them”; before the sun, the light, the moon, and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain.”}} Study God’s word very earnestly while you are younger because a lot of what you study when young remains in old age. It is too late in older age to try to catch up those wasted years. Your facilities are heightened when young so the Lord wants you to establish a deep and solid foundation when you are able to do so.
Paul’s urgency in wanting to get this letter out and doing it when there was no amanuensis, speaks volumes. It would have been a struggle and a strain for him to have written this letter. His eyes were not good. How many of us will put ourselves out for the work of the kingdom? Will you miss a meal for an important matter regarding the work of the Lord? There can be a host of things of a similar nature. Something you have to forego because of a commitment with the Lord’s people; rushing message preparation because you have a worldly priority? I won’t badger you. Honestly examine your heart before the Lord
[5]. HYPOCRITES ARE USUALLY THE ONES WHO ARE LEGALISTS
{{Galatians 6:12 “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh TRY TO COMPEL YOU to be circumcised, simply THAT THEY MAY NOT BE PERSECUTED for the cross of Christ,
Galatians 6:13 for those who are circumcised DO NOT EVEN KEEP THE LAW THEMSELVES, but they desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh.”}}
Right at the start of this letter to his beloved Galatians, Paul locked horns with these Jewish legalisers who had come among the Galatian churches compelling them to follow the Law of Moses as an addition to their faith (their faith was a good start but not enough they would say), and it was the keeping of the Law that was to make them righteous.
Paul answered the claims through the letter and now near the end, he returns to it again. Briefly we will jot down previous points:
(a). The legalisers preached a different – false – gospel. (1:6-7)
(b). Twice Paul called for them to be accursed – these false teachers. (1:8-9)
(c). The Galatians had been bewitched because they were being placed under the curse of the Law. (3:10, 13)
(d). The legalisers sought the Galatians in an un-commendable way to shut them out [from the truth]. (4:17)
(e). Paul stood his ground firmly – these false teachers shall bear their judgement for this. (5:10)
(f). Paul pronounced on the legalisers that they go and mutilate themselves. (5:12)
(g). The legalisers want to show off the flesh for a good showing, forcing circumcision, because they don’t want persecution themselves. (5:12)
(h). They are proud, boasting people, evil, boasting in conquest. (5:13)
I wish to share a thought here at this juncture. All my life I have thought these legalisers were Jews of the circumcision who had travelled from Jerusalem, as they did in the Acts of the Apostles, following Paul around and stirring up trouble in every city he went to. However I am not sure about that now for the Galatians.
Maybe at first some legalistic Jews came to Galatia but it seems from Verse 12 that these were local Jews (probably Jews) and some Gentiles who were being harassed by the fanatical Jews possibly from the synagogues who were persecuting those in the churches. Therefore some were reverting to, or changing over to the Law and circumcision in order to escape persecution.
{{Galatians 6:12 “Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised, SIMPLY THAT THEY MAY NOT BE PERSECUTED FOR THE CROSS OF Christ”}} The conclusion therefore is that these troublemakers, the devil’s tares, have not come in externally, but internally, ones who were actually members in these churches or had associations with them. That makes the task all the more difficult because you now have friends and relations. It complicates the problem.
I would say that these in the Galatian churches who don’t want to be persecuted for the cross of Christ are Christians but weak Christians who still fear the Jews and may have been Jewish themselves but can’t properly surrender to the claims of Christ and don’t want to stand up for Jesus Christ.
That is why Paul has been so direct in this letter to expose and correct this very serious problem that is nothing less than the abandonment of saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tolerates nothing that is not true to correct doctrine and behaviour. The purity of the faith and of the Body of Christ is His only burning desire.
As Paul nears the conclusion of his letter he returns to the pressing subject of this whole epistle, that of bringing people into bondage under the Law. He has exposed the whole false premise that Christians must keep the Law. We looked at that from many different angles. Now Paul takes a look at the ones doing this and why they do so.
They want to make a good show in the flesh. That is, they want to be noticed for what they do. They want people to think good of them or to say how great they are. If we are like that it is a lack of confidence in the Lord and we still have the fear of man. We need boldness in the Lord and His word gives you that.
There is too much compromise in churches in doctrine and purity. Paul would be horrified in some churches today. The gospel has been abused, watered down, abandoned often for a socialist doctrine and the whims and fancies of men and women. Some of the contemporary singing would leave him floored as if some of it came from heathen shrines with the banging and screaming. We can not bring the world into the church.
{{Galatians 6:13 “for those who are circumcised do not even keep the Law themselves, BUT THEY DESIRE TO HAVE YOU CIRCUMCISED, THAT THEY MAY BOAST IN YOUR FLESH.”}}
The second motive is revealed here. It is PRIDE and the pride of the capture, like a game hunter of past days who would pose in self-glory by the large African animal he had shot. It was his trophy. These false teachers sought their own trophies by trading in human souls. The hypocritical thing about all this is that these people do not ever keep the Law themselves. Even if they wanted to, they could not do it because no one can keep the Law. The Law will not make you righteous.
As I urged on you in the earlier messages here, guard your freedom lest you be caught out by a pernicious doctrine or practice. The devil has many subtle means of capturing your freedom. Don’t be married to a system or a ritual or any practice that becomes a rule of life that may enslave you.
These hypocrites I don’t think were all that well established. I mentioned they came out of Jewish sources but they even seem now and again not to have been converted. It is no use speculating, but to take note ourselves very carefully that our motives are correct; our lives walk in humility; and that we know the scriptures –
{{2 Timothy 3:14-17 “You, however, CONTINUE in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known THE SACRED WRITINGS WHICH ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE WISDOM THAT LEADS TO SALVATION THROUGH FAITH WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, THAT THE MAN OF GOD MAY BE ADEQUATE, EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.”}}
Is it not appalling that very little these days is taught and preached from the Old Testament? In the verses we have just had, Paul means THE WHOLE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. They were the scriptures of the early church.
[6]. CONCLUDING REMARKS AS OVERVIEW
{{Ephesians 2:11 “Therefore remember, that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands -
Ephesians 2:13 but now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ,”}}
That is the way these Gentiles lived before the cross of Christ intervened. They were uncircumcised in the flesh; Gentiles in the flesh. As Ephesians 2:13 says we have been brought near by the blood of Christ NOT by an action (circumcision) in the flesh. Circumcision is of no avail whatever in regards to godliness or relationship.
The Galatian Gentiles came as “Gentiles in the flesh” but now evil, unstable teachers were trying to make them “Jews in the flesh”. The Galatian Christians who had succumbed, were losing sight of the cross of Christ and the Spirit's work, and were becoming possessed by feelings belonging to the old "carnal" relations between Jews and Gentiles.
They were making it their ambition to be acceptable in the eyes of the circumcision (Jews), as well as to escape the enmity of the cross. It was like they were recanting and walking away from Jesus so they would not come under any offence as Christians or “christians”.
The cross IS an offence for believers. They are persecuted because of it.
{{Ephesians 2:16 “and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it HAVING PUT TO DEATH THE ENMITY.”}} The cross forever destroyed the enmity between God and man, but it still exists between saved and unsaved. These Galatians were trying to remove that enmity through circumcision and Law-keeping so they could be at ease.
IT WILL NEVER WORK, BUT WILL SEPARATE FROM THE LORD.
