Footsteps #37

The earliest Christians knew no other Scriptures than the Old Testament. The NT, as we know it, did not take shape until the early second century. Yet, 2Peter.3:15 refers to the letters of Paul as scripture. “¹⁵ And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him.” NLT

The early church very much recognized the presence of living inspiration in its midst. The apostles, including Paul, were not just charismatic, highly spiritual individuals. The esteem in which they were held was because they had known, walked with, and/or encountered the living Christ and been found worthy to represent Him to the world. As such, what the apostles wrote or taught carried extra authority. They were certainly regarded as authoritative. This point brings us to the specific situation Paul addresses in Galatians. The major difference between Paul and his opponents was that Paul could and did claim to be an apostle, and his opponents could not and did not claim this status for themselves. All that was left for them to do was to say, “we may not be apostles, but Paul isn’t really that much of an apostle either.”  

Paul’s opponents attacked him on the basis of his personal qualities and the soundness of his calling and teachings.  Paul had never met Jesus in the flesh; even he admitted this. Thus, like it or not, he could not be viewed in the same way as, say, Peter. Also, Paul’s Judaizing opponents spoke for tradition.  Paul was seen, rightly or wrongly, as an innovator. Paul’s response? His opponents were absolutely right. He had not received his doctrines from personal contact with the historical Jesus during His earthly ministry. He had received them from the risen, heavenly Jesus who now resided at the right hand of the Father in heaven! This revelation was so obviously powerful and authentic that even those who had walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry were compelled to acknowledge it and indeed “glorified God” because of it (vs.24). Paul’s opponents based their appeal on tradition, but Paul also had this strong heritage of tradition. That tradition was now subject to the resurrected Messiah who fulfilled all that thousands of years of tradition had fulfilled.  This must be our faith also.