Galatians Part 4: Paul defends his apostleship – (a) (1:10-2:14)

The apostle Paul, writing a letter.

III. Paul defends his apostleship—1:10-2:14
A. God’s approval is supreme—1:10

1:10—For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men?—In Paul’s own defence he sets forth the idea that if he was a man-pleaser, he certainly would not have pronounced a curse on those who preach false gospels! Rather, in seeking the favour of God, for the sake of the gospel, he would pronounce such a curse on those who falsify the gospel. Paul is standing with Christ and not with man.

If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ—Paul makes a statement that many of us should take to heart. If we adapt our gospel to please man, to accommodate sinners, to take the edge of the gospel so that it does not offend the wayward, then we have failed miserably as servants of Christ. In fact, when we have softened the gospel for the sake of man, then we are not servants of Christ. The gospel by nature offends people (Rom 9:33), since it shows them their utter helplessness in their own despicable sinful nature. It tells them that God’s wrath burns against them (Jn 3:36; Rom 1:18; 2:5; 9:22; Col 3:6) because of their sin and this flies against the thoughts of man of his own goodness.

The word “bond-servant” comes from doulos (δουλος), “slave…esp. of the relationship of men to God [whereby man is] owned by him body and soul.”¹ We are not mere servants of Christ but slaves to Him. A slave always seeks to please his Master and not anyone else.

Paul is making the point that since he was called directly by Christ to be His apostle and also since he is preaching the real gospel, there is no need for him to seek the approval of men, but rather that of God.
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