What is the meaning of Galatians 1:23? They only heard the account • The churches in Judea had never met Paul face-to-face at this early stage (Galatians 1:22), yet news traveled fast about what God was doing. • God’s work often precedes personal acquaintance; testimony can build faith even before firsthand experience, as it did when the shepherds spread word of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:17-18). • Hearing alone was enough for these believers to glorify God (v. 24), echoing Romans 10:17—“faith comes by hearing.” • The phrase underscores gospel credibility: multiple independent witnesses repeat the same story, just as early believers spread word of Peter’s escape from prison (Acts 12:17). The man who formerly persecuted us • Paul openly owns his violent past (Galatians 1:13; Acts 8:3) to magnify grace. • Believers in Judea remembered his raids on their homes; their fear had been real (Acts 9:1-2). • Scripture repeatedly highlights transformed sinners—Moses the murderer (Exodus 2:12), Manasseh the idolater (2 Chronicles 33:12-13), the Gerasene demoniac (Mark 5:19)—to prove God’s power to redeem anyone. • By saying “us,” the church personalizes both the pain and the miracle; forgiveness replaces terror. is now preaching the faith • The same zeal once aimed at crushing the church is redirected to building it (Philippians 3:7-8). • “Preaching the faith” means proclaiming the gospel message handed down by the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) without alteration (Galatians 1:11-12). • The verb “preaching” signals an ongoing lifestyle, not a single event; Paul’s consistent pattern appears in every city he visits (Acts 13:42-44; 14:21). • This turnaround illustrates 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” he once tried to destroy • Paul’s prior mission was extermination, not mere opposition (Acts 26:10-11). • The word “destroy” recalls Jesus’ prophecy that the gates of Hades would not prevail against His church (Matthew 16:18); Paul’s failure proves Christ’s promise. • The contrast demonstrates God’s sovereignty in using even hostility to advance His purpose (Genesis 50:20; Philippians 1:12). • Believers who feared annihilation now witness their persecutor defending the very truth he hated, underscoring Romans 8:31—“If God is for us, who can be against us?” summary Galatians 1:23 captures the shock and wonder of a once-violent enemy becoming a passionate herald of the gospel. The verse shows that: • God’s grace can transform the worst antagonist into a trusted brother. • Testimony spreads faster than personal contact, fueling worship. • A life reversed by Christ authenticates the message it proclaims. • What Satan intends for destruction, God repurposes for proclamation, bringing glory to His name and strengthening the faith of His people. |
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