Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Galatians 1:10

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men? if I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ." — Galatians 1:10 (ASV)

Before Paul moves to state his first important thesis (vv.11–12), he makes a brief transition. He had been accused of being a people-pleaser by his enemies, who no doubt also implied that he was such at the expense of the truth (cf. 2 Corinthians 10; Galatians 6:12). Would his enemies dare to say this now, Paul asks, after he has written so sharply? Do people-pleasers pronounce anathemas against those who teach false gospels?

It is important to point out that Paul’s words cannot be used to justify the belligerent and fault-finding attitude so often found among religious crusaders. For one thing, Paul did strive to please people sometimes (1 Corinthians 9:19–22), though not where the Gospel was at stake; he is merely saying here that he did not please people as opposed to pleasing God. Furthermore, the word “now” gives a limited sense to this verse, as if he were saying: “Have I made myself clear enough about Christ’s Gospel? Can anyone now charge that I seek to please people in presenting it?” The incongruity of charging Paul with being a people-pleaser is strengthened by the following sentence, in which Paul mentions being “a servant of Christ.” Jesus had said, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). Thus, when faced with the necessity of making a choice, Paul would choose to stand with Christ, not with other people.

The choice of the word “servant” (lit., “slave”; GK 1528) is interesting because this letter is about freedom. It is an early indication of the paradoxical teaching that real freedom is to be found in bondage—bondage to Christ.