Galatians 6:17 - The Heavenly Seal of Approval

"The rest of my troubles let no one be causing.  For I myself the scars of Jesus in my body I am bearing.’

-Whatever challenges might want to made to Paul’s authority, whatever angry reactions one might be tempted to level at him because of his teaching, he says, ‘enough’.  For his part, Paul would say later that he had in fact been beaten "times without number" (2Corinthians 11.23).  We know that in Galatia he was stoned and left for dead at one point (Acts 14.19).  That had to hurt.  Surely it left a mark.  Or marks.  But these wounds he (almost affectionately) referred to as the scars of Jesus.  They were Gospel merit badges, earned in the service of Paul’s great and glorious King.  The early church knew much of the glory of suffering for the sake of the Name of Jesus, so that others might come to know Him.  They well understood that it was in fact a privilege and an honor to be mistreated and persecuted and beaten and even killed because of their identification with Jesus (cf Acts 5.41).  Thus they closely identified with His scars, this One Who had first suffered so much for them (and us).  Their attitude was that of C.T. Studd, who famously declared, "If Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him."

-So was Paul saying that he had actually had enough?  No more suffering for him?  No way.  We know that he endured plenty more suffering after he wrote this letter, many beatings and mistreatings and lashings, hardships galore - and we have no indication that he shied away from any of them.  Just the opposite in fact (cf Acts 20.22-24).  What Paul is doing here rather is serving notice to the troublemaking Judaizers to cease and desist.  His message is indeed correct, and it is ratified by the scars he bears.  Those are proof positive that the content of his message is legit, that he has the heavenly seal of approval.  The very opposition he has faced from the Jews - who more than likely would have backed off had he been promoting circumcision - and those scars they gave him, are further validation of the content of his preaching, that salvation by grace alone through faith (and not through any works like circumcision) is for both Jews and non-Jews.  Which is very good news...!