listen to false teaching. Paul is not so much attempting to dissuade these false teachers (though if they read
the letter and its anathemas it might) but to dissuade their audience from listening. Paul gives a blessing at
Gal 6:16, which coupled with the curse at the beginning, leaves no doubt in the minds of the Galatians as to
what choice they must make. However, there is a crucial question of implication: Exactly how are they to
avoid these teachers without disassociating themselves from them? The answer should be obvious. It is
impossible to do one and not the other.
He wants them to realign themselves with himself and his gospel and disassociate from the opponents and
their teaching. In the rest of the epistle, he shows them exactly what it was that they are to accept and to
reject.
anathemas against the Jewish influencers who desert, pervert and seduce, destroying the church. His
anathematizing is his relegation or handing over to God of these opponents of the true gospel for His
imminent and eschatological retribution. The force of these anathemas (present imperatives) is an
exhortational instruction to the Galatian churches to regard these opponents as cursed persons. Therefore,
Paul's desired effect of these anathemas is for these churches to choose between him and his gospel and the
apostates and their "gospel." He wants nothing more than for them to realign themselves with him and his
gospel, to reject the seducers and disassociate themselves from them and their teaching. By doing this, they
themselves will avoid God's imminent retribution.
anathematization and practiced it legitimately and illegitimately for nearly two millennia. Many questions
remain. Who put anathematization into practice and who should? When was it put into practice and when
should it be? Why was put it into practice? Upon whom was it practiced and upon whom should it be
practiced? The answers to these questions will help evangelical church leaders begin to think through the
implications of this passage.
God.