Galathians - Chapter 1

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[a] who are with me,

apostle (ἀπόστολος apostolos) - means sent
Paul titles himself thus - first, he shows that he belongs to the circle of Jesus' twelve disciples (he was very concerned about this, so that there would be no doubt that he was one of them. He derived his legitimacy from this), and secondly, he reminds us that he is "commissioned" by God - a messenger sent with a message.
BTW: Paul did not see Jesus' miracles with his own eyes. He was not among those sent in pairs when they healed and exorcised, etc. His experience was considerably "poorer" than that of the other disciples. Paul was also accompanied by supernatural things, but not as many. But apparently that didn't hinder his service
So Paul "takes" the legitimacy of his mission directly from God. So I'm not dependent on what anyone thinks of me; what you Galatians think or what the other apostles in Jerusalem or anyone else thinks. I follow that calling, I obey it, I follow it, and God supernaturally confirms it. And that's enough for me.
this is a good, healthy attitude
although independence from people's opinion can sometimes be risky (you are not correctable, you can "fly away".) However, the experience on the way to Damascus was so powerful that one can build a life on it
(And after all, Pavel had been correcting for quite a long time - he spent a long time "tidy" in Tarsus. And even later he didn't go on his travels without being sent by the Church
and it is evident that Paul derives his legitimacy from Jesus (whom he met) but also, by implication, from the Father who raised Jesus

2 and all the brothers[a] who are with me, To the churches of Galatia:

Paul is not the only author - perhaps he consulted others when writing?
I readthe localization of the addressees depends on determining the date on which the letter was written. Older theories claim that the addressees were in ethnic Galatia in the northern part of Asia Minor, which Paul is said to have visited on his second mission (although this is not mentioned in Acts). Then the letter would have been written ca. 53-57 A.D. More likely is the so-called southern theory, which considers the Galatian congregations to be those in the southern part of the Roman province of Galatia (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe) that Paul founded on his first missionary journey. In that case, Paul would have written the letter in 48-49 in Syrian Antioch after the first mission, before the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15)." Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version).
(many times I drew diagrams of Paul's travels and his letters, where he wrote from and where he wrote to, etc. But it always quickly faded from my mind)
but I guess that's not important to us right now. He just writes to "some" congregations, more churches that he founded. He was taken seriously and his views were taken as very important
Of course, everything he writes is timeless and applies generally to Christians of all ages and places. That is, for us here and today. That's why we deal with them

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ

var.: From the Father and from our Lord
Therefore, Paul begins with what he considers most important. It is the background in which we move and will move. For unless God approaches us graciously, through grace, with grace, we are "finished." It's like the environment we live in or the air we breathe. It is the current of the river in which we swim that carries us
grace means undeserved favor. To treat someone graciously is to treat them better than they deserve.

4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

or: aby si nás vybral
the theme of the world and deliverance from it is extremely interesting. It is the subject of one of the studies on this website. We are in the world but not of the world is an amazing statement with huge implications
not only are we not of the world, we are, apparently, even freed from it
when you're freed from somewhere, you don't belong there anymore. Your citizenship has moved somewhere else entirely.
does anyone at all want to belong in this world? I depends. When things are good and life is pink and beige¹the world is a tolerable place to live²
On the other hand, the world is often (perhaps mostly and for most people) a bad place to live. It also changes during our lives: we experience good times and bad times.
However, if there is something better, a reasonable person will understand that "it is a win" not to belong here, but "there" Not to fall into the "mess" here, but somewhere where things are better³
it's a win to have the citizenship of Uganda and not South Sudan (see our project)⁴
everyone wants to live in the EU rather than North Korea. You may have to live in South Sudan temporarily for some reason, to function there, but it is not your home. Your home is elsewhere and you long for it.
or can this world be compared to a prison: you may have to live there, but it's not your home. You're still there, but you've already got your discharge papers.

5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

(i.e. God) - it is great that He did it, i.e. that He delivered us from this world. That is really worth celebrating and thanking. I will never stop thanking him for doing this for me/us.

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel--

or: in Christ´s grace
gr.: heteros (i.e. of a different kind)
Paul is going hard. He immediately moves on to the most pressing issue for the Galatians. What they need to hear above all else.
Dear Galathians: for you were at (you belonged to him) who called you by the grace of Christ. That is, with God.
remember how you got there - of course by Christ´s grace. How else? You cannot do otherwise - without grace you could not get to God at all.
you´ve been called by God. He has addressed you and invited you (to Himself).
well, and you're getting away from that .. How does the turning away take place? Gradually you stop caring about it, you stop striving for it, living in it, dealing with it. You turn your back on it, you show disinterest.
who or what are you turning away from? From God, of course. You have come to Him (by Christ's grace). It was because He, Christ, was so gracious that He "bought you tickets" into God's presence. And now you are no longer interested in them.
you're interested in something else now. What is it? Totally qualitatively different Gospel. It means different good news⁵. A news about what? About how to get to God, how to get forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
So Jesus bought tickets to the presence of God and gives them away for free. You were interested at first, you "scrambled" for them, you wanted them, and you got them. First you shopped around Paul's (and Jesus') "booth." You pushed and clamoured: Give me a ticket!
but then, after a while, you got disinterested and turned elsewhere. Where to? To another booth, where they also offer those tickets (when it turns out that they are fake). But they don't offer them as a gift, but for money, for effort (e.g. good deeds or keeping the Law). The "other stallholder" shouts: buy those tickets from me, pay for them by following my rules, and you will get them. Here you can earn them, here you can deserve them, here you can work for them
did the Galatians stop "standing for" the presence of God? They did not. And they didn't recognize that Paul's tickets were working? That through them they actually got into the presence of God?⁶Apparently some of them don't. Otherwise, they wouldn't feel the need to try elsewhere
is it possible "in this side of heaven" to be sure I have the right, truly valid ticket to God?
that's a complicated question. Many people believe they have it, but many are also wrong. We Christians believe there is only one truly valid one, and that is the one "with a drop of the blood of Christ."
In any case, our life here on earth is "all about" getting the right valid ticket. But the fact is that until we test it (stand before God and wait for His verdict), we will not get 100% certainty
we Christians believe we have found the "right stand". It is the "sales booth" of Jesus Christ
We have"assurance of salvation", but this certainty of ours is still "faith", we will see with our eyes only on the other shore.
The image of a "crowd of people" around Paul's "sales booth " seems to me quite accurate: people enthusiastically accepting his message, being baptized, starting a church. But after a while, some move their attention elsewhere. Zhe reason is the other "evangelists" come along with competing offers. After all, it has to be admitted that this "our gospel of Christ" is rather "ordinary", rather improbable, perhaps offensively easy, not very attractive to some. And most of all, it eliminates any merit of its own, which nobody likes
it may be true and it may appear so. But it has one major "advantage": is true

7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

greek: allos (i.e. others of the same species);
I don't see the fundamental importance of the heteros/allos distinction that is often emphasized here. Either a completely different message of a different kind or a message of a similar kind, just slightly different.
maybe the difference is meant to be this: either you have to go about it from a ground up differently (forget faith, the Law decides, the deeds) or just light modification (Yes, faith is important, but you have to add something else to it, like circumcision).
In other words: there is no alternative way to get to God. There may be different messengers - bringing much or slightly different ways of getting to God. But the result of these different reporters is always that the ticket they offer turns out to be invalid.
but the result will always be the same: the key won't fit in the lock. And it doesn't matter if the offered key is a completely different key (e.g. a box key and a cylinder lock) or if the keys are very similar and only one microscopic protrusion is missing. It just won't fit in the lock, it won't work
there have always been, there are (there will be) people who will "muddle", modify, make more complex, edit the good news. And if they muddle it subtly enough, there will always be someone for whom it will be tempting or confusing. Someone who will say to themselves: isn't there really a catch that Paul didn't tell us? Isn't there something else that needs to be added to the faith? What they are telling us sounds so logical and attractive. This gospel of Paul is after all offensively primitive and strange, etc.
if the "alternative good news heralds" at the alternative sale booths shout loud enough and their leaflets are flashy and attractive enough, they will always find their audience. The sad thing is that sometimes they "drag" some of their listeners away from the Christ/Pauls booth.

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.

greek: euangelizó
greek: para; i.e. ‚against‘ ‚ 'beside/outside'
greek: euangelizó (aor.)
no matter how credible the messenger looks. He can be absolutely top notch credible, incredibly educated, supernaturally grounded, attractively spoken. But if what he's saying differs from our original message, it's completely off.
but worse than that - he's not just out of line, he's diabolically anti-God. He is not only to be rejected, but to be wished bad. Let the evil of God be poured out on him for what he does.
it's that big a deal. But why? Why doesn't it matter? Why can't everybody have their own truth, their own gospel? Protože ta falešná evangelia lidem uzavírají nebo znesnadňují cestu k Bohu.
they stand at the door that leads to God. And Paul encourages them: You are well here. Now press the bell (of faith) and God will open to you. Push the button and a valid ticket comes out. Really, it's that simple. But the false heralds come and start to complicate things, to confuse things, to obscure things (pressing the bell is not enough, something has to be added. You have to improve yourself at least partially first, etc.)
the result is that someone who has already stood in front of the ringing the bells leaves in frustration to go "collect credits" that no one actually requires and which they never collect in sufficient quantities
and this is a serious problem worthy of strong condemnation. Because this is really about rescue. The man is not standing in front of just any door, but the door that leads to the lifeboat. And in the process of collecting unnecessary credits, the ship could sink or the lifeboat could float away.
the word has great power: it can save, but it can also destroy. Even the Devil didn't twist Eve's arm, he just spoke - and the consequences, as we know, were absolutely disastrous

9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

greek: euangelizó
greek: para; i.e. ‚against‘ ‚ 'beside/outside
The curse means that God is against man, "working" against him for evil, harming him. And Paul wishes this on the false herald. But what else is there to wish for a man who does not get into the lifeboat himself and drives others away from it with lies?
It sounds harsh, Paul says, but I stand by it and repeat it: it's such a problem that such a person deserves to have God's evil come upon him. I wish that evil upon him, I send that evil upon him.
we are not called to curse, even if our enemies⁷. But this is such a serious matter, perhaps the most serious of all, that Paul here takes exception⁸

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

when I say that, nobody likes it. Or rather, a lot of people don't like it.
what is it that people don't like about this message that irritates them so much? Especially the extreme and exclusive nature of it. That there does exist only one way to salvation and that is through faith. That Paul claims to have "eaten up all wisdom" and condemns anything different so harshly.
it is quite possible that Paul was the first to state things so clearly and emphatically. The other disciples also evangelized, but probably in different ways. Perhaps more "naturally" - that Jesus was resurrected, that he was the Messiah.
it's just as offensive and provocative as prayer of salvation: that one prayer could change a person's whole destiny, when he had not thought of God all his life, is a really upsetting and insolent idea
Paul goes on to say: The mission of Christians is not to please people. Whenever God's truth and our acceptance by men are pitted against each other, the choice is clear.
if you wanted to be liked, you chose the wrong "religion" (Christianity) and the wrong "job" (evangelist), the wrong master (Christ). If you wanted to be liked, you should have gone do something else

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.

greek: euangelizó (aor.)
i.e. not a human thing (n. of human origin)
Paul's (and our) gospel (good news) is not of this world, of this planet. That is why it sounds so strange, why it is so unpopular. It's just an alien thing. And alien things tend to be weird. The gospel is extraterrestrial, it is "supernaturally working" - that's why it converts people's hearts. That's also why our "reasoning" doesn't really "work" on it. And that is why it is strange and uncomfortable to many people.
if I, Paul, were making it up, I'm sure it would look different.
it is true that many things about Christianity are "strange" and Paul was aware of that. Other religions are much more "after man" - they are more understandable, more digestible, more in line with human nature. If "I were God, I would have figured it out differently", more humanly. Also, the gospel would be much more human, more digestible and less controversial
so if some things about Christianity don't seem or suit me, that's natural.

12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.

the source is important. When the source is supernatural, the whole message is supernatural.

13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it.

or.: way of life
or: tried to exterminate it;
Paul says: with my understanding of reality at the time, my actions were logical - I was "in Judaism." Judaism, the Jewish religion, is "weird" too, but still a lot "less weird" than Christianity. (Judaism is a set of rules, the observance of which is supposed to bring us closer to God. This is a common approach among religions.)
the Jewish rules are "quite special" and very specific (they reveal a lot about the Lord, and therefore about our Christian God) - but compared to Christianity it is much less strange
and when you look at Christianity from a human point of view, it leads you inevitably to persecute it: what else do you want to do with such a strange religion? The exclusiveness of it, for example, is just calling to be persecuted.

14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

if any of you want to compare yourselves with me, for example, to claim that they are as "Jewishly" religious as I am, it will not be easy. Because I was an extremist in Judaism, a complete zealot. I took it all very seriously and did my best

15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born] and who called me by his grace,

greek.: from the womb
greek.: by his grace
interesting verse. We will not here discuss the mystery of God's election and foreknowledge, it is beyond the scope of this analysis (and anyway there is a mystery of God in it, no theological answers are completely satisfactory)
but that's just the way it is, as mysterious as it is. Everything that was happening in Paul's life was in God's authority and it was going somewhere
the separation for service to God. ἀφορίζω [aforizó] 1. to separate, set apart; to exclude 2. to choose, select, determine (εἴς τι to what) [10]
καλέω [kaleó] 1. to call 2. to name (τινά τι [ak.] ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί τινος whom as after whom); (pas.) to be called, to name oneself; to be called 3. to call (εἴς τι to what), to summon; to invite [148]
set aside for himself: still, one can't help wondering - how did God "set it all up" so that it really "worked" in Paul's life later on? That Paul got where he was supposed to? Did God just decide to set someone apart and then everything points to that, whether that person wants it or not?
it is true that Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus was very "impressive" - as an article in the Voice of the Martyrs was mentioned⁹: who wouldn't turn after such a brutal encounter? (blinding light, being thrown from a horse, being blinded, a voice from heaven) ¹⁰
Paul received "an invitation that is not to be refused.
But regardless of predestination - all Paul received was grace and nothing but grace! If the Lord calls Paul, gives him a chance to "do something for him" or suffer something, it is pure grace. It's a above-standard that not everyone gets.

16 to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;

greek: nations
i.e. with a man
God was pleased: a strange word - it just seemed like a good idea to him, a good idea, he was interested in it, he decided to do it; he thought of it. With God, there is "nothing" between the idea and the implementation. No obstacles, no necessary next steps.
there's a total sovereignty: I like this word. We don't know at all the reasons for God's actions, the background of His actions. We don't need to know them, in fact they are not important to us. Most of the time His grace is behind them, sometimes also some covenants from the past, His global plan with the world and who knows what else.
He just decides, and that's that. He's not obliged to justify anything to anyone. He doesn't give out bills to anyone
maybe it's a bit like a parent who also doesn't explain to their child why they have to get dressed and go out now. The parent just makes that decision and the child has to accept it. It's in his best interest, whether he understands it or not. (Either he needs to go for a run or the parent needs to run an errand. Both are necessary. The child may not understand)¹¹
so what's pleasing to God? to reveal his Son in Paul. A strange turn of phrase. God wants to reveal to the world/people something that is not obvious, that is hidden, that which is not generally known and available. Something about his, that is, the Son of God. Something that we Christians and NT readers probably already know - that the Son exists and that he came to earth to resolve human sin, save us, etc. This information needs to be revealed to people because it is hidden from them and undetectable through normal channels
how does he do it? He uses people to do it, like Paul here. His witnesses, who talk about it, in other words, give testimony about what they have experienced and seen.
ale reveal in somebody points also to something else. It was as if Paul himself had become that son. Not only the bearer of the message, but the message itself. Whoever looks at Paul sees the Son.
I guess it kind of works with Christians in general - in them the Son is revealed. In how they behave, how they live, how they are. That's nice and comforting. By /their/our very existence they/we witness to the Son.
that encourages me - maybe we don't always need to be dramatic in speaking about the gospel. (Although Paul talked a lot, he certainly just "didn´t exited"). But it can certainly work that way to some extent - that our very existence and behavior in this world is a testimony.
(but that includes the preaching, too)
among the Gentiles - a gentile is anyone who does not belong to Christ. Here still in the sense of non-Jew. These people, that was Paul's specialty, so that's the target group he specialized in.
so Paul understood that this was to be his work, his calling (in the true sense of the word) in the future. So next, he needed to find out how this work of his could be done. He needed advice, he needed to consult
but he didn't automatically "run" to where we would first think of going -- that is, to more experienced Christians. He didn't even run to any man. So where did he turn?
flesh and blood, it expresses a person. With whom then did Paul consult, if not with men? Apparently, he first went to pray
this is a very useful, so-called Moses´ custom¹² - to pray first

17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Paul realizes that he is about to become an apostle (whatever that means) and automatically includes himself among them
but he doesn't immediately seek out his (more experienced) "colleagues"
he goes somewhere completely "away", to Arabia and then to Damascus (where his journey began, where he first met Christians)
why Arabia? Damascus I could understand, e.g. David Wilkerson¹³ he was also going back to places where he'd had experiences with God
but why Arabia? Did he want peace to meditate or pray? Did he want to educate himself in Christianity in peace? (from what sources?). To re-read the OT scriptures from a new perspective? We have no idea who he knew there, what he was doing there.
what's certain is that he wasn't in a hurry. He didn't feel like he had to evangelize in a month.
three years is quite a long time... For example, the usual college sabbatical lasts half a year.
but let's not forget that Paul was a complete Christian beginner. He needed to put the new reality of the risen Christ into context with his Jewish background.
look at the OT in a new context - that sounds likely. Looking at the OT in the light of the NT is very new. It is a complete reformatting of thinking. Jews think differently than Christians.
this could really take a year of time. Honest detailed study takes time
and those who believe need not hurry. God is not hurried and always behind deadlines. Jesus was busy, tired, but not constantly pressed for time.¹⁴

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days

i.e. Peter
what has he come to during these three years? What has changed in him? What has he learned? What has he experienced? And what did he do?
he could, for example, make arrangements to be free for duty. Pass on the business (he may have had an "outdoor gear" business before (he made tents). Or, conversely, he could have learned the trade¹⁵. (I can always make a living on a mission by craft). With his systematic approach, he really could have taken it like A. Schweizer
I'm sure he's educated himself. He reread the OT and looked at it in a new light, in the light of the NT.
or else: Paul's call to evangelize was very intense and quite specific: Jesus told him directly¹⁶
what kind of experience did Paul actually have? Let's be reminded, it's all the way back in Acts chapter 9: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? "5He said, "Who are you, Lord?" He answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6It is hard for you to stand up against the thorns." (Saul) trembled and was afraid. He said, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" And the Lord (answered) him, "Arise, go into the city, and there you will be told what to do." ... "Go, for he is my chosen vessel to bring my name before the nations and kings and the children of Israel. 16I will show him what he must suffer for my name's sake." ... "Brother Saul, the Lord, Jesus, who appeared to you on the way you came here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ...with the disciples in Damascus 20 and immediately in the synagogues proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of God. ... 2But Saul grew more and more powerful, and by his evidence that this Jesus was the Messiah, he stirred up the Jews who lived in Damascus. 23When this went on long enough, the Jews decided to kill him. 24But Saul found out about their plot. They also carefully guarded the gates day and night so that they could kill him. 25But the disciples took him by night, dropped him through a hole in the wall, and lowered him down in a basket. 26When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but everyone was afraid of him because they didn't believe he was a disciple. 27Barnabas took him in, brought him to the apostles, and told them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken openly in the name of Jesus. 28He was with them, walking freely in Jerusalem, speaking openly in the name of the Lord. 29He also spoke to the Hellenists and argued with them, but they tried to kill him. 30When the brothers learned of this 24But Saul learned of their deeds. They kept a watchful eye on the gates day and night so that they could kill him. 25But the disciples took him by night, dropped him through a hole in the wall, and let him down in a basket. 26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they didn't believe he was a disciple. 27Barnabas took him in, brought him to the apostles, and told them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken openly in the name of Jesus. 28He was with them, walking freely in Jerusalem, speaking openly in the name of the Lord. 29He also spoke to the Hellenists and argued with them, but they tried to kill him. 24But Saul learned of their deeds. They kept a watchful eye on the gates day and night so that they could kill him. 25But the disciples took him by night, dropped him through a hole in the wall, and let him down in a basket. 26When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him because they didn't believe he was a disciple. 27Barnabas took him in, brought him to the apostles, and told them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken openly in the name of Jesus. 28He was with them, walking freely in Jerusalem, speaking openly in the name of the Lord. 29He also spoke to the Hellenists and argued with them, but they tried to kill him.
So Jesus told him, among other things, that he was "rebelling against the thorns" (vainly rebelling against God), that he would be Christ's messenger, and that he would suffer.
Paul did indeed proclaim (that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God). On that account he then experienced persecution and salvation, rejection in the church, various disputations, etc., etc. And all this quite early on, say within a matter of months
only then followed the three years of " rest"
then Paul tried to meet Peter. At first unsuccessfully, because he didn't want to meet him. Now he has met Peter and spent two weeks with him. What did they do? What did they talk about? Peter must have seen in Paul that he was educated and devout and zealous. That he was a true Christian. But what about it?
Peter and Paul were completely different - a fisherman and an intellectual. Peter knew Jesus much better.
but somehow they "managed" the meeting. They clarified their competences. Peter reassured himself that Paul would not interfere in his congregation, but would "retire" somewhere. So why not try
It is noteworthy that Paul "continued in the faith" for those three years. Three years will test a man - if he had only built on a one-time (albeit supernatural and very intense experience), he probably would not have stayed with "Christianity"¹⁷
když přijde do sboru někdo čerstvě obrácený, jsi samozřejmě rád. Ale důvěra se musí vybudovat. Nově příchozí je často entuziastický, ale může mu chybět realismus a samozřejmě zkušenosti. Ježíš mě poslal kázat pohanům – zní dobře. Ale jak to budeš dělat konkrétně?
let's not forget that so far there have been no results behind Pavel
If he had been attending church for those three years, he must have "peeked" a lot, soaked up a lot.

19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James hthe Lord’s brother¹⁸.

interesting small "detail" - where did he meet them? Where were they and what were they doing? Did they work in the Jerusalem congregation? Or were they "scattered"? On the road? On missions? Starting churches? Who knows.
but Peter was fully committed to Paul. We never know who's in front of us. Paul may not have looked like a future "mega" apostle to the Gentiles. But Peter didn't discourage him. Maybe he recognized the future potential in him, maybe that's how he treated everyone.
he met James, the birth brother of Jesus. It must be strange to talk to Jesus' "brother". (They shared 50% of their genes from Mary). Maybe Paul was telling him: So I have met "your brother". Imagine being hit by a horse and blinded. What a power was it!
So they both had a very different personal experience of Jesus: James knew Jesus as an older brother. He was probably a bit special, but in any case quite "ordinary". (He didn't even attend the encounter on the mountain with Jesus' transfiguration. Paul had one powerful experience¹⁹. he was called James the righteous and was a pillar of the congregation in Jerusalem, probably a bishop. he must have been converted probably in response to the resurrection, maybe even earlier
James as the author of the Letter of James comes across as a nice "guy", a realist, a practical man

20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!)

why is Paul so emphatic about this? What is he telling his readers that is so serious that they must swear he is not making it up?
emphasizes the following facts: 1) that he is called to mission, and 2) that this call comes directly from God.

21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

so after the meeting in Jerusalem, he went there. Compared to Jerusalem, it was probably quite a big "periphery", like if he had gone from Prague to Ostrava? Or to somewhere "in eastern Slovakia? Or even "to Ukraine"? Or even further?

22 And I was still unknown in person to kthe churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”

where they didn't know him personally, they didn't seem to have "that much of a problem" with him. It was a heartening story or testimony of a persecutor who turned, nothing more

I think Vzech pop-singer Helena Vondráčková is singing. At least that's what Evžen Bocek claims in his humorous novel The Last Aristocrat ↩︎
Matthew 5:44 .. he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. God has made life on this planet bearable for believers and unbelievers alike - He has given us work, food, drink, wine, sex, etc. as legitimate sources of joy. ↩︎
the better place is the kingdom of God, one of Jesus' central themes. This kingdom is already present (though not yet visible) and can be "enrolled" in ↩︎
https://spolekjiznisudan.cz/ ↩︎
the good news is the meaning of the Greek word "gospel" ↩︎
Being in God's presence is not a matter of a permanent spiritual experience or a pleasurable feeling. The initial enthusiasm is usually followed by a phase of a certain "ordinariness" ↩︎
it is repeatedly emphasized in the NT that cursing is not "our job" ↩︎
when rules are set for the Church, when precedent is at stake, sometimes the rules are harsher: cf. Ananias and Sapphira ↩︎
a magazine about the persecution of Christians ↩︎
the HM article beautifully compared Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus with the conversion of the scoundrel on the cross. Paul saw the spectacular power of God, whereas the scoundrel saw only a miserable dying human wreck. The author concludes that the conversion of the thief on the cross was a far greater miracle - for in the face of such divine power, who would not be converted. But in the face of a beaten dying man, who would convert. . ↩︎
when my granddaughter is hungry and obnoxious, she doesn't even understand that she has to eat. She hasn't yet connected her hunger with food (and her obnoxiousness from hunger, not at all). Mom sometimes has to "stuff" food into her even against her will. And worlds wonder, with every bite, everything is rosier, her mood better and the world a happier place. At the same time, the granddaughter perceives the feeding as an injustice (not a bad image of some of God's works). ↩︎
Moses, when a problem arose, the first thing he did was to shut himself in the Tent of meeting and discuss the matter with God ↩︎
author of The Dagger and the Cross and other books. He did this, I think, in It Began with the Dagger and the Cross ↩︎
Is 28:16 therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation sin Zion,a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in blebleble haste.’ . (according to the another translation , He wil not hurry). ↩︎
compare Albert Sshweitzer - studied medicine to go to Africa (Lambarene). He earned his ministry from organ concerts ↩︎
it is quite exceptional that someone hears God acoustically ↩︎
it's sad how many times I've seen people fall away from the faith who have had very intense and very supernatural experiences with God ↩︎
that Jesus had a siblings is beyond all doubt: Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother's name Mary, and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude? And are not all his sisters with us? Mary certainly began a normal life with Joseph after childbirth and they had other children ↩︎
Jesus' brother was called James the righteous. He was a pillar of the church in Jerusalem, probably a bishop. He was converted probably in response to the resurrection, perhaps even earlier ↩︎

Vít Šmajstrla

Vit.Smajstrla@bormed.cz