Galatians chapter 1 part 2

*Verses 3-5 show us that Paul believed the messiah Jesus gave himself for the sins of the people to rescue them from the "present evil age." What were the sins of the people? What was different about that age that made it so evil? Nothing really, except that Paul was living in it and experiencing it first hand. The world for humans was carrying on pretty much the same it always had been for thousands of years, life and death, peace and war, conquest and revolution. Paul lived during the Pax Romana which was broken by the first Jewish-Roman war, aka the fall of Jerusalem, after he died. Of course, the Jews were uneasy under the yoke of Rome. Plus the Romans.were pagans and worshipped many other gods instead of yahweh. The Jews, and the newer christ followers, should have been used to that, having been surrounded by polytheists most of their existence.

(Many people, especially christians, consider this an especially evil age, maybe the most evil age ever, because they are so focused on the rise of secular society and the reduction of christian influence.)

*Verses 6-9 talk about "the gospel of Christ" without actually saying what that gospel is. Presumably the Galatians know what Paul is talking about because he also says he preached this gospel to them.  The word gospel carries the connotation of a message or proclamation of good news. Paul is very concerned that the gospel he preached is being undermined and perverted, throwing the receivers of his message into confusion. Remember that this  book is supposed to have been written between 47 and 60 C.E. That means that as little as 14-27 years after Jesus's estimated death (a very problematic 33C.E.)  there were divisions among the believers or proponents of a gospel based on Jesus the messiah. Paul says the gospel he originally preached is the one and only true gospel and if anyone else, including himself, dares to change the message they will be eternally condemned, twice!

*In verse 10, Paul offers as proof of his sincerity, the fact that he is trying to please God, not men, otherwise he wouldn't be a servant of Jesus. The problem is all the sincerity in the world doesn't prove something is true.