I. IT
WAS A RECEIVED, NOT AN ORIGINATED, GOSPEL. "For I delivered unto you first
of all that which I also received" (ver. 3). He tells us that he received
it by "the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:12). He had the more confidence in it that it was not of
himself, and we have also. It came from the very central Source of all. Paul's
gospel of Christ
came from
Christ. Some preachers of the gospel are so able that they feel bound to
originate. They throw a new light upon the truth instead of the old light. They
preach, as they consider, a magnificent gospel, but it is unfortunately
"of man," and thus worthless. Man can do many things, but he cannot
make a gospel. When he tries he advertises his folly. With Paul, we should get
as near as we can to the fountainhead - the streams are apt to become
contaminated.
II. TWO CONSPICUOUS FEATURES.
1. The atoning
death of Christ. Paul preached constantly, untiringly, supremely, the
atonement (see his strong expression, 1 Corinthians 2:2). He
laid greatest emphasis upon the death
of Christ. The life was
beautiful, full of teaching; but in the death was the propitiation for sin. He died for our sins;
our sins were so great that they required his death! "He bore our sins in his own body on the
tree." And the death of Christ did not come suddenly upon the world. It
was "according to the Scriptures:" foretold by the prophets, as, for
example, by Isaiah in the fifty-third chapter of his book. He had no sins of
his own to die for; he died for ours.
He "gave himself"
for us.
2. The resurrection of Christ. This was
the demonstration of the efficacy of his death, a proof that he conquered and
was not conquered. The real triumph achieved in his death was manifested by his
resurrection. A pledge of our resurrection through him. A token of his
acceptance by God.
(1) The apostle laid stress upon the fact that Christ died. It
was no swoon. A real death, and then a real resurrection. He "died"
and "was buried" (ver. 4). He rose "the third day," so that
for a day and part of two others he was in the sepulchre. Stone afterwards
denied the actual death of Christ, and thus made void his resurrection. The
apostle here anticipates their attack.
(2) That his resurrection accorded with prophecy. It was
"according to the Scriptures" (see Psalm 16:10).
(3) That his resurrection was well attested by witnesses. Paul
does not give here all the appearances of Christ after his death, but a
selection.
(a) Appearance to Peter (Luke 24:34).
(b) To the twelve. Called by the familiar name "the
twelve," though Judas was gone (Luke 24:33-36).
(c) To five hundred brethren. Possibly in Galilee, where
intimation of his appearing had been given, and may have been widely known,
occasioning a large gathering of his followers (Matthew 26:32 and Matthew
28:10, 16).
(d) To James. Probably James who presided over the Church at
Jerusalem.
(f) To St. Paul. As of one born out of due time. The least of
the apostles. A grand array of evidence, and yet not all. The writer and
speaker could bear personal testimony. Most of the five hundred were alive and
could be interrogated. Others had "fallen asleep" in hope of a
glorious resurrection through him who had appeared to them after his own death
and burial.
