Galatians 1:1

In all the other Epistles of St Paul the salutation ends with our Galatians 1:3. Here Galatians 1:4 enlarges on the work of Christ, and Galatians 1:5 adds a doxology. In Rom. and Tit. a somewhat similar enlargement is made earlier in the salutation.

Παῦλος. His Gentile name, and always used of him in connexion with his Gentile work; see Colossians 1:1 note; also St Paul the Traveller pp. 81–87.

ἀπόστολος. Envoys (‘envoy’ is perhaps the best translation of ἀπόστολος) were frequently sent by Jews from Jerusalem to instruct, and to gather alms; see the note on Colossians 1:1, where add a reference to Hort, St James, pp. xvi. sqq. The comma of the editions rightly emphasizes. Here only does St Paul at once lay stress on the fact of his apostleship, and proceed to elaborate its meaning. This unique description bears closely upon the purpose, and method, of the Epistle. Cf. κλητὸς�. in Romans 1:1. Cf. also 1 Corinthians 9:1.

οὐκ�ʼ ἀνθρώπων dependent on ἀπόστολος. For a similar contrast of ἄνθρωποι to Christ cf. Colossians 2:8; Colossians 2:20-22; Colossians 3:23-24.

Probably he was thinking especially of the Twelve. His apostleship was not from them. Acts 13:1-3 doubtless refers to a special commission; otherwise he might mean that his apostleship was not in reality from the Church of Antioch.

οὐδὲ (stronger than οὔτε) διʼ ἀνθρώπον, neither by Barnabas (Acts 9:27; Acts 11:25), nor by James the head in Jerusalem. St Paul at once mentions his independence as regards man, and his sole responsibility to Jesus and God. No one acted as mediary between him and the source of his commission. It is improbable that διʼ ἀνθρώπον = “by man,” “the singular [only] supplying the link of opposition to διὰ Ἰ. Χρ.” (Jowett).

ἀλλὰ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ πατρὸς. One preposition governs Ἰ. Χρ. and God the Father as is usual in the salutations. See also Galatians 1:3 (ἀπὸ) and 1 Timothy 6:13 (ἐνώπιον). To complete his contrast with the preceding clause he should have added ἀπό. The omission is probably due to his vivid sense of the unity of the two Persons. Lightfoot says, “The channel of his authority (διὰ) coincides with its source (ἀπό).” In the other salutations the Father is mentioned first, here Jesus, perhaps because He appeared to St Paul.

Θεοῦ πατρὸς. Father apparently in the widest sense, not of Christ (Colossians 1:3), nor of us (Galatians 1:3-4; Colossians 1:2), alone.

τοῦ ἐγείραντος αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν. From a state of death, see Colossians 2:12 note. The fact that Jesus had really risen from the dead would be the first impression made on St Paul by the words he heard at his call (Acts 9:4-6); it was also the pledge of the truth of that which he believed and of its ultimate triumph.