The Implications Behind a Simple Greeting

I started a new study in Galatians and found myself stuck writing 26 pages of notes on the first 5 verses which is the greeting (Gal 1:1-5):

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me,

Paul claims in verse one to be “an apostle-not from men or through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the father, who raised him from the dead.” This one verse constitutes so much meaning.

First, an apostle of which there are 4 types in the New Testament.

1.  Apostles directly commissioned by Jesus who had seen the resurrected Lord in person, sometimes referred to as Super Apostles, and are considered in line with the OT Prophets. This is the 12 Apostles chosen as eyewitnesses by Jesus excluding Judas. Most would include Paul in this group due to his road to Damascus experience (Cf.Gal 1:1, Acts 9:1-19). By the content of Paul’s letter, men in Galatia have challenged his Apostleship in his absence along with bringing in false teaching {doctrine} into the Churches there.

2.     Apostles selected by the 11 Apostles who like the 12 preformed miraculous signs like Paul and the 11. Tradition says they were around Jesus and his ministry, but we don’t have details on this. Examples would be Stephen, Philip and Barnabas.

3.     Apostles sent by God and/or the Church as apostles who did not perform miraculous signs. This would be John the Baptist (Though considered the last OT Prophet, he didn’t perform signs but announced the coming of the Lord), Stephen, James, Apollos, Ephaphroditus, Andonicus, Junias, Silas and Timothy and others working with and as apostles who were sent by the Church or Super Apostles to share the Gospel and support the Ministry.

4.     False Apostles and/or False Teachers.

Secondly, “through Jesus Christ and God the Father.” This is the first two persons of the Trinity.

1.     This speaks to the Old Testament where there are two powers in heaven.

Genesis 1:26 (ESV) 26 Then God said, “Let ‘us’ make man in ‘our’ { both ‘plural’} image, after our likeness...”

Psalm 110:1 (ESV) 1 The Lord {YHWH} says to my Lord {YHWH, Jesus}: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”

2.     This speaks to the New Testament.

John 1:1ff (ESV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Word = Jesus)

Matthew 28:19 (ESV) 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Trinity)

Third, “who raised Him {Jesus} from the dead.” Paul speaks of his hope of resurrection throughout his letters but very distinctly in 1 Corinthians 15. This doctrine means to be physically raised from the dead with a body of incorruption that is never again subject to the limitations of a mortal body, including illness, harm and physical death. Sound so wonderful as I sit here in physical pain.

1.     Paul is imprisoned because of his belief in the Resurrection.

Acts 23:6–8 (ESV) 6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” 7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. 8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.

2.     Christ as the firstfruits of the resurrection:

1 Corinthians 15:20 (ESV) 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:23 (ESV) 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

3.     The resurrection of the royal family of God (the Church) at the Rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 (ESV) 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

This is but a small sample of the theology and doctrine implied by just the first verse. It not only greets the Church but sets the stage for what is to be discussed. What a wonderful Bible we have! Its depths are unknown. To read it every day is such a privilege as we see all that it implies for our life. So, consider yourself greeted by God the Father and His one and only Son Jesus who is our firstfruits and the hope that we will one day have a body of incorruptibility, to the Glory of God.