Galatians post 1

Two Wednesdays ago the Bible study group began the letter to the Galatians, a Celtic ethnic group whom Paul an apostle had evangelize. As we have seen previously in introductions to other epistles, Paul doesn't use the word "apostle" as a title but rather as a gift. (Cf. Ephesians 4:8-11). He continues the wording of grace first in order to have peace. He also writes "present evil age" in contrast to secular humanism. In verse 6 of the first chapter he launches into the major theme of the letter- defending the truth of the only gospel, that of the Lord Jesus Christ. He does this with the strongest language in the New Testament. Let anyone preaching a different gospel be accursed, or eternally condemned. Paul maintains that he received his understanding of the gospel directly through a revelation of Jesus Christ. His extreme zealots for the traditions of men were replaced by unquenchable zeal for the message of Jesus.