1 Corinthians to  Galatians

A curse for not loving Jesus and preaching a false gospel.

Curse

22Whoever does not love our master Joshua the anointed let him be cursed. Our master has come. 1 Corinthians 16:22 (1 Corinthians 16:22 BRB)
8But even if we or a king from the skies think outside from what we thought he would be cursed. FA 9As I have said before so I now say again, If any man thinks outside what you have received let him be cursed. (Galatians 1:8-9 BRB)

First Corinthians and Galatians connect in part on the idea of a curse.

The Aramaic term translated "curse" in these verses means something very different then the English definition of curse.

HäReM  1) Fence authoritatively from.

The Aramaic term comes directly from Hebrew and means to "fence authoritatively from." From what? From everyone/everything else. The picture is one of putting a fence around something or someone so it's off limits to, or separated from, everyone else.

Paul is not advocating casting a spell on someone or wanting God to damn them. Rather, he's asking the Corinthians and the Galatians to be vigilant about not letting these infectious guys loose. If someone doesn't love Jesus or preaches a false gospel, which are probably the same thing, don't give them the pulpit.

This definition is so far from the English sense of "curse" it deserves a different word. The idea is to separate or sanction or restrict someone. The focus is on protecting others, not doing harm to the offender as curse might imply.

This definition of curse bears out in the larger context of Galatians in several ways, but in none so clear as the story of the time Paul had to confront Peter. Paul tells the story as a model to the Galatians of how it's necessary at times to confront people. Paul's concern was that the new Gentile converts would draw the wrong idea from the way Peter was acting so Paul confronted Peter about his behavior while everyone was watching. In so doing he built a fence between Peter's actions and the new converts Paul was protecting. The point to the Galatians is that even the good guys get it wrong at times and need to be rebuked, so how much more the false preachers in Galatia.

By Galatians 5 the subject is circumcision and there's another example of fencing. The false preachers wanted the Galatians circumcised, but the Galatians knew better, or at least had been taught better. The problem is they were putting up with this craziness instead of fencing these guys, so Paul basically says if you don't cut these guys off from your community (fence them) they will have you cutting off your foreskins. So what will it be?

Offerings

Another detail that connects First Corinthians and Galatians is the reference to how offerings were to work in Galatia.

FA 1About the collection for the holy. As I have given order to the assemblies of Galatia you also do. 2On every 1st of the week each of you put aside and keep in his house whatever he can afford, so that there not be collections when I come. 3When I come whomever you may select I will send with a letter to carry your gracious gift to Jerusalem. 4If it is right that I go also they will go with me. 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 (1 Corinthians 16:1-4 BRB)

This passage is odd for a couple reasons. First, Paul says that the Corinthians should do offerings like the Galatians. Well, there's no record of what he told the Galatians anywhere in the Bible. Not in Galatians and not in Acts. That's a bit odd, but even more odd is the way Paul repeats the instructions. If he was referring to some known way of doing things, "like the Galatians do," then why repeat it?

It appears the passage lives at the end of First Corinthians, but mentions Galatians, for the purpose of connecting the books and saving precious column space in the Bible. Since First Corinthians 16 is close to Galatians, the passage addresses the Corinthians and the Galatians at the same time and Galatians does not have to include a redundant passage about offerings. Clever.

It's hard to imagine this is the result of the original authors, editors, canonizers. This looks like something the Holy Spirit just caused to work, knowing his final product and book order.

Persecution

9For I am the least of the apostles, and I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of god. 1 Corinthians 15:9-11 (1 Corinthians 15:9 BRB)
13You have heard of the manner of my life in time past in Judaism, how beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of god and tried to destroy it. 14I was far more advanced in Judaism than many of my age among the people of my race, for above all I was especially zealous for the doctrines of my fathers. Galatians 1:13-17 (Galatians 1:13-14 BRB)

Quite a bit of Paul's story is shared in First Corinthians 15 and the opening chapters of Galatians. Quite a few similar details are given in both passages, one such being the way Paul persecuted the church.

When Paul says in Galatians 1:13 "You have heard" it means "what you just read" in First Corinthians 15:9.

Encounter

3For I delivered to you 1st of all what I had also received, 1|9 that the anointed died for our sins, as it is written, 2|9 4and that he was buried, 3|9 and that he rose again on the 3rd day, as it is written, 4|9 5and that he appeared to Peter, 5|9 and after him to the 12. 6|9 6After that he appeared to more than 500 brothers at once, of whom a great many are still living, though some are dead. 7|9 7After that he appeared to Jacob, 8|9 and after him to all the apostles. 9|9 8But, last of all, he appeared to me also, ignorant and imperfectly trained as I was. 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 BRB)
15When it pleased him who had chosen me from the womb of my mother and called me by his grace 16to reveal FA his son to me that I might preach him among the peoples, I did not reveal it to any flesh and blood, 17neither did I go up to Jerusalem to those who had been apostles before me, but instead I went to Arabia and returned again to Damascus. (Galatians 1:15-17 BRB)

Paul also talks about his encounter with Jesus in both passages.

Both passages mention that Paul saw Jesus, but they also mention that Paul saw him last.

Ryan Eaton 2008-09-10 2010-11-07