Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

1:6 so quickly. It was a remarkably short time between Paul's first proclamation to the Galatians and their present disarray (see Introduction: Date). The phrases deserting him and different gospel show that these are not issues over which Christians might legitimately disagree. The Galatians are questioning the very gospel itself, and Paul is a model of forthright frankness when central gospel issues are at stake.

1:7 there are some who trouble you. Visiting preachers who have tried to persuade the Galatians that they should require circumcision and obedience to the whole law as a means of justification before God (see also 4:17; 6:12-13).

1:8-9 a gospel contrary. The gospel is unchanging. Thus Paul pronounces a curse of final judgment on those who proclaim or receive a different gospel. Even if he himself, or an angel from heaven, were to preach such a gospel, the Galatians should reject it. Mormonism is an example of a religion that is based on revelation supposedly given by an angel and that teaches a gospel different from justification by faith alone in the substitutionary death of Christ.