◄ Galatians 1:20 ►
I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.
Study Bible
I assure you before God

Paul calls God as witness to the truth of his account. Such an appeal carried solemn weight in Israel, where fearing the Lord and swearing by His name acknowledged His perfect knowledge and righteous judgment (Deuteronomy 6:13). Paul does not use God’s name carelessly; he places himself before the God who cannot lie and who judges every false word.

2Co 1:23 I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you…
Rom 1:9 God, whom I serve with my spirit in preaching the gospel…
1Th 2:5 As you know, we never used words of flattery…

that what I am writing to you

Paul’s written testimony concerns the limited contact he had with the Jerusalem apostles after his conversion. His letter establishes that the gospel he preached did not originate from human instruction but from the revelation of Jesus Christ. The churches could preserve, read, and test this apostolic teaching against the Scriptures and against competing claims. Paul’s emphasis on his written communication underscores the importance of the letter as a means of conveying authoritative teaching and correction. In the early church, letters were a primary method of communication, especially for apostles like Paul who traveled extensively. The written word served as a permanent record that could be shared and referenced, ensuring the consistency and preservation of apostolic doctrine. This reflects the broader biblical theme of the written word as a means of divine revelation, as seen in the giving of the Law on tablets in Exodus 31:18.

1Co 14:37 If anyone considers himself a prophet or spiritual person,…
2Co 1:13 For we do not write you anything beyond your ability…
2Th 2:15 Therefore, brothers, stand firm and cling to the traditions…

is no lie.

The accusation behind Paul’s defense was serious: opponents sought to undermine his apostleship and distort the gospel of grace. Paul’s integrity mattered because a false account of his calling would cast doubt on the message he proclaimed. God is the God of truth, and the gospel rests upon the true work of Christ, not human invention or religious deception.

1Ti 2:7 For this reason I was appointed as a preacher, an apostle,…
Rom 9:1 I speak the truth in Christ; I am not lying…
2Co 11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is forever worthy…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of the letter to the Galatians, Paul is defending his apostleship and the gospel he preaches. He emphasizes the truthfulness of his message.

2. Galatia
A region in modern-day Turkey where the recipients of the letter resided. The Galatian churches were being influenced by false teachings, prompting Paul's letter.

3. God
Paul invokes God as his witness to the truthfulness of his statements, underscoring the seriousness of his claim.

4. The Galatian Churches
The recipients of the letter, who were struggling with the influence of Judaizers who insisted on adherence to Jewish law for salvation.

5. Judaizers
A group of Jewish Christians who taught that Gentile converts must adhere to Jewish law, including circumcision, to be saved.
Teaching Points
Integrity in Communication
Paul’s insistence on the truthfulness of his message highlights the importance of integrity in our communication. As Christians, we should strive to be truthful in all our dealings, reflecting the character of God.

Divine Witness
Invoking God as a witness to our words is a serious matter. It reminds us that God is always aware of our actions and words, and we should live with a consciousness of His presence.

Defense of the Gospel
Paul’s defense of his apostleship and the gospel serves as a model for us to be prepared to defend our faith and the truth of the gospel against false teachings.

Reliance on God’s Authority
Paul’s appeal to God’s witness underscores the importance of relying on God’s authority rather than human approval. Our confidence should be rooted in God’s truth.

Awareness of False Teachings
The context of Galatians reminds us to be vigilant against false teachings that can distort the gospel. We must be grounded in Scripture to discern truth from error.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Paul’s appeal to God as his witness in Galatians 1:20 challenge us to consider the truthfulness of our own words and actions?

2. In what ways can we ensure that our defense of the gospel is rooted in truth and integrity, as demonstrated by Paul?

3. How does understanding the context of the Judaizers’ influence in Galatia help us identify and respond to modern-day false teachings?

4. What practical steps can we take to cultivate a greater awareness of God’s presence in our daily lives, as Paul demonstrates by invoking God as his witness?

5. How can we apply the principle of relying on God’s authority rather than seeking human approval in our personal and professional lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
2 Corinthians 11:31
Paul similarly calls God as his witness to the truth of his words, reinforcing his integrity and the divine origin of his message.

Romans 9:1
Paul again emphasizes his truthfulness by invoking God as his witness, showing a pattern in his writings of appealing to divine authority.

1 Timothy 2:7
Paul asserts his role as a preacher and apostle, emphasizing his truthfulness and divine commission.
Sermons
A Solemn Declaration of the TruthR. Nicholls.Galatians 1:20
Lying ScornedFoster.Galatians 1:20
Perfect Truthfulness NecessaryDr. Guthrie.Galatians 1:20
The Truth-Teller -- His Reward and WorkDe Wette.Galatians 1:20
Truthfulness Excites TrustS. Smiles, LL. D.Galatians 1:20
Truthfulness; its ViolationGalatians 1:20
Paul's Personal Grasp of the GospelR.M. Edgar Galatians 1:11-24
PositionR. Finlayson Galatians 1:11-24
People
Cephas, Galatians, James, Paul, Peter
Places
Cilicia, Damascus, Galatia, Jerusalem, Judea, Syria
Topics
TRUE, Assure, Behold, I'm, Lie, Lying, Making, Sight, Speaking, Touching, Truth, Witness, Writing
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Galatians 1:19

     2535   Christ, family of
     7707   apostles, designation

Galatians 1:15-19

     7241   Jerusalem, significance

Library
Our Manifesto
TO ME it is a pitiful sight to see Paul defending himself as an apostle; and doing this, not against the gainsaying world, but against cold-hearted members of the church. They said that he was not truly an apostle, for he had not seen the Lord; and they uttered a great many other things derogatory to him. To maintain his claim to the apostleship, he was driven to commence his epistles with "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ," though his work was a self-evident proof of his call. If, after God has …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

Answer to Mr. W's Fifth Objection.
5. The consideration that none of these raised persons did or could, after the return to their bodies, tell any tales of their separate existence; otherwise the Evangelists had not been silent in this main point, &c. p. 32. None of these persons, Mr. W. says, told any tales of their separate existence. So I suppose with him. As for the two first: How should they? being only, as Mr. W. says, an insignificant boy and girl, of twelve years of age, or thereabouts. Or if they did, the Evangelists were …
Nathaniel Lardner—A Vindication of Three of Our Blessed Saviour's Miracles

The Epistles of St. Paul
WHEN we pass from primitive Christian preaching to the epistles of St. Paul, we are embarrassed not by the scantiness but by the abundance of our materials. It is not possible to argue that the death of Christ has less than a central, or rather than the central and fundamental place, in the apostle's gospel. But before proceeding to investigate more closely the significance he assigns to it, there are some preliminary considerations to which it is necessary to attend. Attempts have often been made, …
James Denney—The Death of Christ

Institutions of Jesus.
That Jesus was never entirely absorbed in his apocalyptic ideas is proved, moreover, by the fact that at the very time he was most preoccupied with them, he laid with rare forethought the foundation of a church destined to endure. It is scarcely possible to doubt that he himself chose from among his disciples those who were pre-eminently called the "apostles," or the "twelve," since on the day after his death we find them forming a distinct body, and filling up by election the vacancies that had …
Ernest Renan—The Life of Jesus

Fourth Conversation
The manner of going to God. * Hearty renunciation. * Prayer and praise prevent discouragement. * Sanctification in common business. * Prayer and the presence of God. * The whole substance of religion. * Self-estimation * Further personal experience. He discoursed with me very frequently, and with great openness of heart, concerning his manner of going to GOD, whereof some part is related already. He told me, that all consists in one hearty renunciation of everything which we are sensible does not …
Brother Lawrence—The Practice of the Presence of God

Exposition of St. Paul's Words, Gal. I. 8.
Exposition of St. Paul's Words, Gal. i. 8. [21.] When therefore certain of this sort wandering about provinces and cities, and carrying with them their venal errors, had found their way to Galatia, and when the Galatians, on hearing them, nauseating the truth, and vomiting up the manna of Apostolic and Catholic doctrine, were delighted with the garbage of heretical novelty, the apostle putting in exercise the authority of his office, delivered his sentence with the utmost severity, "Though we," he …
Vincent of Lérins—The COMMONITORY OF Vincent of Lérins

A Reasonable Service
TEXT: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."--Romans 12:1. There is perhaps no chapter in the New Testament, certainly none in this epistle, with which we are more familiar than this one which is introduced by the text; and yet, however familiar we may be with the statements, if we read them carefully and study them honestly they must always come to us not only in the …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

The Praise of Men.
"They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."--John xii. 43. This is spoken of the chief rulers of the Jews, who, though they believed in Christ's Divine mission, were afraid to confess Him, lest they should incur temporal loss and shame from the Pharisees. The censure passed by St. John on these persons is too often applicable to Christians at the present day; perhaps, indeed, there is no one among us who has not at some time or other fallen under it. We love the good opinion …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

Sudden Conversions.
"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain."--1 Cor. xv. 10. We can hardly conceive that grace, such as that given to the great Apostle who speaks in the text, would have been given in vain; that is, we should not expect that it would have been given, had it been foreseen and designed by the Almighty Giver that it would have been in vain. By which I do not mean, of course, to deny that God's gifts are oftentimes abused and wasted by man, which …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

So Great Blindness, Moreover, Hath Occupied Men's Minds...
43. So great blindness, moreover, hath occupied men's minds, that to them it is too little if we pronounce some lies not to be sins; but they must needs pronounce it to be sin in some things if we refuse to lie: and to such a pass have they been brought by defending lying, that even that first kind which is of all the most abominably wicked they pronounce to have been used by the Apostle Paul. For in the Epistle to the Galatians, written as it was, like the rest, for doctrine of religion and piety, …
St. Augustine—On Lying

Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House Officers, Taxation, Publicans
It was the very busiest road in Palestine, on which the publican Levi Matthew sat at the receipt of "custom," when our Lord called him to the fellowship of the Gospel, and he then made that great feast to which he invited his fellow-publicans, that they also might see and hear Him in Whom he had found life and peace (Luke 5:29). For, it was the only truly international road of all those which passed through Palestine; indeed, it formed one of the great highways of the world's commerce. At the time …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

The Early History of Particular Churches.
A.D. 67-A.D. 500 Section 1. The Church of England. [Sidenote: St. Paul's visit to England.] The CHURCH OF ENGLAND is believed, with good reason, to owe its foundation to the Apostle St. Paul, who probably came to this country after his first imprisonment at Rome. The writings of Tertullian, and others in the second and third centuries speak of Christianity as having spread as far as the islands of Britain, and a British king named Lucius is known to have embraced the Faith about the middle of …
John Henry Blunt—A Key to the Knowledge of Church History

It is Also Written, "But I Say unto You...
28. It is also written, "But I say unto you, Swear not at all." But the Apostle himself has used oaths in his Epistles. [2342] And so he shows how that is to be taken which is said, "I say unto you, Swear not at all:" that is, lest by swearing one come to a facility in swearing, from facility to a custom, and so from a custom there be a downfall into perjury. And therefore he is not found to have sworn except in writing, where there is more wary forethought, and no precipitate tongue withal. And …
St. Augustine—On Lying

Easter Monday
Text: Acts 10, 34-43. 34 And Peter opened his mouth, and said: Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him. 36 The word which he sent unto the children of Israel, preaching good tidings of peace by Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)--37 that saying ye yourselves know, which was published throughout all Judaea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 even Jesus of Nazareth, …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
Text: Colossians 3, 12-17. 12 Put on therefore, as God's elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; 13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14 and above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to the which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the Word …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Extracts No. vii.
[In this number the objector gives the whole ground of his objections, and the reasons for his doubts: which he states as follows, viz. "1. Mankind, in all ages of the world, have been, and still are prone to superstition. "2. It cannot be denied, but that a part of mankind at least, have believed, and still are believing in miracles and revelation, which are spurious. "3. The facts on which religion is predicated are unlike every thing of which we have any positive knowledge." Under the first …
Hosea Ballou—A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation

Chrysostom Evades Election to a Bishopric, and Writes his Work on the Priesthood.
About this time several bishoprics were vacant in Syria, and frequent depositions took place with the changing fortunes of orthodoxy and Arianism, and the interference of the court. The attention of the clergy and the people turned to Chrysostom and his friend Basil as suitable candidates for the episcopal office, although they had not the canonical age of thirty. Chrysostom shrunk from the responsibilities and avoided an election by a pious fraud. He apparently assented to an agreement with Basil …
St. Chrysostom—On the Priesthood

The Apostle's Position and Circumstances
PHILIPPIANS i. 12-20 Disloyal "brethren"--Interest of the paragraph--The victory of patience--The Praetorian sentinel--Separatism, and how it was met--St Paul's secret--His "earnest expectation"--"Christ magnified"--"In my body" St Paul has spoken his affectionate greeting to the Philippians, and has opened to them the warm depths of his friendship with them in the Lord. What he feels towards them "in the heart of Christ Jesus," what he prays for them in regard of the growth and fruit of their …
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies

Epistle Xlv. To Theoctista, Patrician .
To Theoctista, Patrician [153] . Gregory to Theoctista, &c. We ought to give great thanks to Almighty God, that our most pious and most benignant Emperors have near them kinsfolk of their race, whose life and conversation is such as to give us all great joy. Hence too we should continually pray for these our lords, that their life, with that of all who belong to them, may by the protection of heavenly grace be preserved through long and tranquil times. I have to inform you, however, that I have …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great

Jesus' First Residence at Capernaum.
^D John II. 12. ^d 12 After this he went down to Capernaum [The site of Capernaum is generally conceded to be marked by the ruins now called Tel-Hum. Jesus is said to have gone "down" because Cana is among the hills, and Capernaum was by the Lake of Galilee, about six hundred feet below sea level], he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples [There is much dispute as to what the New Testament writers mean by the phrase the "brethren of the Lord." This phrase, found in any other than a …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Indeed in all Spiritual Delights, which Unmarried Women Enjoy...
27. Indeed in all spiritual delights, which unmarried women enjoy, their holy conversation ought also to be with caution; lest haply, though their life be not evil through haughtiness, their report be evil through negligence. Nor are they to be listened to, whether they be holy men or women, when (upon occasion of their neglect in some matter being blamed, through which it comes to pass that they fall into evil suspicion, from which they know that their life is far removed) they say that it is enough …
St. Augustine—On the Good of Widowhood.

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