Five Minutes Daily with Luther - January 21

(Reprinted with permission from Five Minutes Daily with Luther: Daily Lessons from the Writings of Martin Luther, by John Theodore Mueller.)

"and all the brethren who are with me, to the churches of Galatia"
Galatians 1:2.

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These words are to stop the mouths of those false apostles; for all Paul’s arguments tend to the advancing and magnifying of his ministry, and, contrariwise, to the discrediting of theirs. It is as if he would say: “Although it is enough that I, through a divine calling, am sent as an Apostle by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him up from the dead; yet, lest I should be alone, I add besides, that all the brethren, who are not Apostles, but fellow-soldiers, write this Epistle as well as I, and bear witness with me that my doctrine is true and godly. For this reason we are sure that Christ is present with us and that He teaches and speaks in the midst of us and in our church. As for the false apostles, if they are anything, they are sent either of men, or by men; but I am sent of God the Father, and by Jesus Christ, who is our Life and Resurrection. My other brethren are sent from God; although, it is true, by man, that is, by me. Therefore, lest they might say that I only set myself proudly against them, I have my brethren with me, all of one mind, as faithful witnesses, who think, write, and teach the exact same thing that I do.” Unto the churches of Galatia. In these words Paul wishes to show that the false apostles would not endanger themselves to go to Jerusalem, to Caiaphas, or to Rome, to the Emperor, or to other places where no man had preached before, as Paul and the other Apostles did; but they went into Galatia, which was won unto Christ already by the labor and travail of Paul, and into Asia, Corinth, and such other places, where good men were, who professed the name of Christ, and where they, the enemies of Christ’s cross, might live in great security, and without any persecution.

Send men whose eyes have seen the King
Men in whose ears His sweet words ring;
Send such Thy lost ones home to bring;
Send them where Thou wilt come.