1Paul, an apostle—not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2and all the brothers who are with me, to the assemblies of Galatia: 3Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father— 5to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
6I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different “good news”, 7but there isn’t another “good news.” Only there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the Good News of Christ. 8But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any “good news” other than that which we preached to you, let him be cursed. 9As we have said before, so I now say again: if any man preaches to you any “good news” other than that which you received, let him be cursed.
10For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? For if I were still pleasing men, I wouldn’t be a servant of Christ.
11But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man. 12For I didn’t receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it. 14I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his grace, 16to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I didn’t immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia. Then I returned to Damascus.
18Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days. 19But of the other apostles I saw no one except James, the Lord’s brother. 20Now about the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I’m not lying. 21Then I came to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ, 23but they only heard, “He who once persecuted us now preaches the faith that he once tried to destroy.” 24So they glorified God in me.
The Epistle to the Galatians is by far one of the most passionate letters in the New Testament. Paul, who identifies himself as the author, gives a rigorous defense of the Gospel stressing that salvation is by grace alone and not of works, echoing the same theme he emphasized in the book of Romans. This profound epistle, just like the book of Romans, has transformed many believers, including the great reformer, Martin Luther.
The dating of this letter depends on whether one holds that Paul addressed southern or northern Galatia. If the former, it was written to the Roman province of Galatia around A.D. 48, and before the Council at Jerusalem in A.D. 49, but if the latter, it was written to the geographical region of Galatia around A.D. 58 during his Ephesian ministry. Most likely the southern Galatian view is correct, because it would be difficult to explain why he would not have mentioned the important decree from the apostles and elders in Jerusalem that was on point with his topic in the letter, which came to the same conclusion as that of Paul in this letter: “the Law does not save.” An additional support for the southern view is Paul’s terminology in the book. He says that he was amazed at how “quickly” these bodies of Galatian believers had turned away to a “different gospel.” This would seem to imply that they were new believers and thus did not have enough time to be rooted in the faith. If the early date of A.D. 48-49 is chosen, the letter to the Galatians is Paul’s first letter.
In the letter to the Galatians, Paul seeks to correct the common human desire to seek salvation and divine approval through human effort by teaching that salvation is by grace through faith alone. Moreover, in addition to defending his apostolic authority (1:1) and divine calling as the source behind his ministry, his writing (1:11), and his Gospel, Paul lays out a strong warning to all: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be cursed! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be cursed!” (1:8-9), the curse, in Jewish usage, judgment from God for disobedience and false teaching.
Though a very early writing of Paul, Galatians contains a high Christology, reflecting the view of early Christians, who from the beginning considered Jesus the Messiah as God. Moreover, Paul’s straightforward statement of the Gospel of Jesus is clear, namely, that one could only be saved by belief in Christ and only by the grace of God. This echoes the latter Reformation theme (a reason why Galatians was a favorite book among 16th century Reformers) of only Christ (soli Christi), only grace (sola gratia), and only faith (sola fide). Any gospel combining works as salvific apart from pure grace is not only twisted but also a perversion and a mockery of the atoning work of Christ on the cross—which alone saves. In other words, if righteousness could be acquired through the Law, then Christ died in vain. Paul argues that his opponents, the Judaizers from Jerusalem, or, in fact, anyone, who offered another gospel than what Paul preached, did not receive it from God and were under the judgment of God.