1:10 “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God”
This is a development and continuation of the theme which began in Gal. 1:1. Paul’s strong words to the false teachers proved that he was not trying to please men which they had apparently alleged. Possibly Paul was being criticized for his statement that he became all things to all men similar to 1 Cor. 9:19-27; Acts 21:17-26. This was misinterpreted as:
compromising with pagan culture
his preaching two gospels, one for Jews and another easier one for pagans
“If”
Verse 10 is a SECOND CLASS CONDITIONAL SENTENCE which expresses a false statement to highlight a false conclusion. It is called “contrary to fact.” Amplified, the sentence would read: “If I were still trying to please men, which I am not, then I would not be a bond-servant of Christ, which I am.”
SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK GRAMMATICAL TERMS, VII. C.
“I were still trying to please men”
There has been much discussion about the word “still.” Does this imply that he never appealed to men or that it was a confession that as a zealous Pharisee in his earlier days he did attempt to please men (i.e. Pharisees, cf. Gal. 1:14)?
“I would not be a bond-servant of Christ”
This is an allusion to Christ’s teaching that one cannot serve two masters (cf. Matt. 6:24). “Bond-servant” may have been used by Paul to refer to..
Jesus as Lord and Paul as slave
an honorific title of leadership from the OT used of Moses (cf. Deut. 34:5; Josh. 8:31,33), Joshua (cf. Josh. 24:29; Jdgs. 2:8), and to David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:5; title, Psalm 18)
SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: GALATIANS 1:11-17
11For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it; 14and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. 15But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased 16to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.
1:11-2:14 This is a literary unit in which Paul defends his apostleship, so as to defend his gospel.
1:11
NASB “For I would have you know, brethren”
NKJV “But I make known to you, brethren”
NRSV “For I want you to know, brothers and sisters”
TEV “Let me tell you, my brothers”
NJB “The fact is, brothers, and I want you to realize this”
REB “I must make it clear to you, my friends”
The KJV translates this as “I certify to you,” a technical rendering of the phrase (cf. 1 Cor. 12:3; 15:1; 2 Cor. 8:1).
1:11-12 “the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man” This begins a phrase which repeats the twin disclaimers of Gal. 1:1. Paul claimed that his message does not have a human origin (cf. 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Pet. 1:20-21). He further asserted that he did not receive it from any human.
The word “receive” was used of students being taught in rabbinical schools. The gospel was contrary to the teachings Paul received as a rabbinical student in Jerusalem. It was taught to him by a revelation from Jesus Christ (cf. Eph. 3:2-3), both on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9) and in Arabia (cf. v. 17). He stated this three times in verses 11-12!
The word “gospel” and the VERB “was preached” are both from the compound term
eu, “good”
angelion, “news” or “message”
Paul uses them together in 1 Cor. 15:1.
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE GOSPEL
1:12 “a revelation of Jesus Christ” This may be either SUBJECTIVE GENITIVE CASE (emphasizing Jesus as the agent of the revelation, i.e. opposite “from man”) or OBJECTIVE GENITIVE CASE (emphasizing Jesus as the content of the revelation, cf. Gal. 1:16). Both are true!
Utley.
I’ll stop here @Bestill.
J.