As we begin a study of St. Paul's epistle to the
churches in Galatia, we begin with the question: Who is Paul?
Paul was raised in Tarsus in Cilicia. He was raised in
a strict Jewish home. He went to Jerusalem as a youth to study at the feet of Gamaliel,
the greatest rabbi among the Pharisees.
As a strict Pharisee, Paul persecuted the Way (what
Christians were originally called) and imprisoned many. He makes his first
appearance in the Bible as the stands by while the Sanhedrin stones St. Stephen
to death (Acts 7:58; 8:1). He was blinded by an appearance of Jesus on the road
to Damascus (Acts 9). Through his conversation with the risen Savior he had
been persecuting, Paul becomes a Christian.
Simply being a Christian wasn't enough for Paul. He
was zealous as a persecutor (Philippians 3:6). He was equally as zealous as a
missionary for the Church. As a Roman citizen, Paul was able to go places where
the other Apostles were not. In so doing, Paul established many congregations
throughout Asia and Macedonia where he also wrote many epistles. Galatians
being one of the earliest.
It is this man--persecutor turned missionary--to whom
we listen for this series as he instructs the Galatians about their issues.
Issues that are the same today. Amen.
