GALATIANS: Perplexed

Having explained now the purpose of the Law and the calling the Jews have in the world, Paul moves on, continuing to speak to the God-fearing Gentiles who are being tempted to convert to Judaism. Having made the case that, in this new Jesus reality, everybody is a child of Abraham through faith — there is no distinction between gender, social status, or covenantal belonging — he then wants to know why they would exchange this good news for anything else.

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

Paul refers to their former days as ‘Gentile sinners’ and says they were slaves to men in this pagan, Roman world — men who thought themselves to be gods, but by nature are not gods. But now, if they choose to be burdened by this worldview of those in the ‘circumcision party,’ they will be turning to the same old situation. They will find themselves enslaved to the ways of men and not of God.

Paul then pleads with them to be open-minded and consider what he’s saying. He tells them to become like him, just as he did when he brought them the gospel. He humbled himself and met them on their turf, joining their conversation in order to express the gospel to them.

I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Apparently, it was because of an illness that Paul spent so much time in Galatia teaching the gospel to them. He asks them to consider those days when they spent that time together. He reminds them of how well they treated him; even though he was a burden in his illness, they treated him with gracious hospitality — the hallmark of being a child of Abraham. He asked them why they have lost this posture with him. Why this change in heart? Why do they treat him differently? He is simply bringing them a reminder of the same gospel he preached before when their lives were forever changed.

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Paul refers to those in the ‘circumcision party’ and speak of their intentions. They wish to divide these God-fearing children of Abraham and make them into what they are. He says they are zealous for them in the hopes that they might become zealous for their cause of Shammai exclusivity. But exclusivity is not the gospel; it is the anti-gospel. Paul reminds them that zeal is not the problem. It is fine to be zealous about the things God is doing in the world. However, since the beginning of the story, God has been trying to bless all nations, to bring everyone back to the table. If we are zealous about that kind of inclusivity, it would be a good thing!

Now, I’m certainly not talking about some loosey-goosey universalism. Certainly, many evangelical readers will cringe and grab their pitchforks at the frequent usage of the word “inclusivity.” But it is important to realize that from the earliest days of the Christian movement, this is the heart of the gospel. The Gentiles would not be a part of the story if God had not called people like Paul to fight for the place of ALL PEOPLE within the family of God IN FAITH. I can already hear the objections: “the gospel, by its very nature, is exclusive.” If this is how you see the gospel of Jesus Christ, the New Testament says you have the wrong gospel. This does not mean truth is relative and everybody is saved and morality doesn’t matter and every other false dichotomy we try to create which is illogical in its premises.

What we mean to say is that since the beginning of the story, God has invited people to trust in His promises. If they will do this, they will find salvation, justification, and redemption. This is the gospel; it is the “gospel preached beforehand to Abraham.” It is the gospel those in the Old Testament had (see Hebrews 4), as well as the truth of the New Testament reality in Christ.

Paul’s ministry is a ministry of reminding us that these promises and this faith are available to EVERYONE. Period. There are no qualifications to getting access to this gospel.

And we struggle with the same struggles as the Galatians. We begin to create spiritual “checkpoints” people have to get through in order to access this justification. We use our understanding of morality to create new groups that sound an awful lot like the ‘circumcision party’ of old. Instead of fighting for their place in the family, we find ourselves trying to make sure everybody understands what an “outsider” they are.

And Paul reminds us of how frustrating this is to the gospel. He says he wishes he was there in person and not writing a letter so he could change his tone, yet again. Paul began his letter in astonishment (“I am astonished that you are turning…”), he moved to anger (“You foolish Galatians!”), and now finds himself perplexed. How can we do this to the good news of Jesus? How can we miss out on the truth that there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female? How can we continue to exchange this truth for the lie of “we’re in and you’re out”?

It’s perplexing.