General Information | |
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| Author And Date | All but the most radical scholars accept Paul as the author of the Epistle to the Galatians. Even nineteenth-century liberal scholars accepted Galatians among the few they thought were genuinely Pauline. In addition to ascribing his own name in the very first word of the letter, it was accepted early and universally in the early church that Paul was the author of Galatians. It was quoted by Origen, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and Eusebius, among others, and was included in the Muratorian Canon. Although its authorship is not questioned, other aspects of the letter are, including its date. Arguments for its date range from A.D. 49-58, and the date largely depends on the audience of the letter (“southern” Galatia or “northern” Galatia), which is also a widely debated topic. Few date the letter prior to 49, and they are exclusively proponents of southern Galatia being the recipients, since Paul did not visit northern Galatia until just before 56. Most “northern” proponents hold this date. Of the “southern” proponents, there are those in an early-date camp and others in a late-date camp. Those arguing an early date point to Paul’s statement that the Galatians had “so quickly” forgotten the true Gospel and turned to a “different gospel” (1:6). Others argue that several events are mentioned in Galatians that correspond to events that happened after 49, including Paul’s return to Antioch after his first missionary trip, his trip to Jerusalem (2:1) and return to Antioch, his disagreement with Peter (2:11), and his becoming aware of agitators coming among the Galatians (3:1). However, the events Paul describes don’t necessarily correspond to the events the late-date proponents think they do. Moreover, if Galatians was written after the Council of Jerusalem (A.D. 49), it is all but impossible that Paul would have left out any mention to it in Galatians, since the Council came to the same conclusion Paul is arguing in Galatians – that the Law does not save. Due to this glaring omission, it is likely Paul wrote Galatians in early 49, just before the Council. |
| Audience | The audience of Galatians is also hotly debated. Unlike Paul’s other letters, “Galatia” is not a city, or even a concretely known region. The English word “Galatia” comes from the Greek word Galatai, which was the word used to identify a tribe of Germanic people originally from the Danube River basin, usually known as the Celts or Gauls. These nomadic tribes spread all over Europe, from northern Scotland to France, and Asia Minor. Over the centuries the Gauls carved out their own independent kingdom centered around Ancyra (modern Ankara, the capitol of Turkey) in north-central Asia Minor. When Rome invaded Asia Minor, the Gauls voluntarily joined them, and were granted status as a client kingdom, ruled by King Amyntas. When Amyntas was killed in battle in 25 B.C., Rome reorganized the region, extending the borders of Galatia in all directions, but especially to the south. By the time Paul wrote Galatians, “Galatia” could refer to the older, smaller geographic region around Ancyra, or to the newer, larger political region. The discussion of the identity of the audience revolves around whether Paul wrote to the “Northern” Galatians (the geographic region) or “Southern” Galatians (the political region, mainly concerned with the southern part, since Paul never visited the far north part). Until the nineteenth century, it was simply assumed Paul had meant northern Galatia, stemming from the Church Fathers identifying the recipients of the letter as such. This identification was probably due to the fact that soon after Paul’s time, Galatia’s borders were reduced to those of the original, northern kingdom’s. However, Paul concentrated his missionary efforts on cities along major trade routes. Only southern Galatia fits this criterion. Northern Galatia was a provincial backwater during Paul’s lifetime, and no major trade route went anywhere near the region. Moreover, Paul almost always used Roman political designations, rather than traditional or geographical designations, so it is unlikely he would have been referring to the geographic, traditional area of Galatia, rather than the political area. Also, a southern Galatian audience, which was composed of believers in Derbe, Lystra, Iconium Pisidian Antioch, matches Paul’s habit of going to cities along major trade routes, and fits nicely with Paul’s first missionary journey, during which he visited all these cities. For these reasons, the “southern” Galatian theory is more likely. |
| Message and Occasion | Although the date and audience of Galatians is debatable, the message of Galatians is crystal clear: the Gospel teaches salvation by grace, not by works. It is also clear why Paul wrote Galatians. There were some in Galatia that had brought a new, different, “perverted” gospel to the area, challenging Paul’s message and authority. This new gospel made a mockery of Christ’s death and negated God’s grace by requiring righteousness through works of the Law. |
Key Information | |
| Key People | Paul Once again, interlopers were challenging Paul’s authority as an Apostle, and Paul is forced to defend himself to them. |
| Key Events | False Teachers Coming Among the Galatians At some point between Paul’s evangelism among the Galatians and the writing of this Epistle to them, false teachers had infiltrated the congregations, spreading a “different gospel” centered on requiring works of the Law for salvation, specifically circumcision. These interlopers were even challenging Paul’s authority. The problem was so severe that it necessitated a letter from Paul himself, and so widespread in the area that it eventually necessitated a council of the leaders of the Church in Jerusalem. |
Important Theology in Galatians | |
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| Salvation by Grace Through Faith, Not Works | Martin Luther said “The Epistle to the Galatians is my epistle. To it I am as it were in wedlock. It is my Katherine.” His affinity with the letter is not surprising, since the main, overarching theology in Galatians is salvation by grace through faith and not by works. Paul says salvation is not by works of the Law but only through faith in Christ (2:16). |
| Faith Brings Adoption | Paul assures the Galatian believers, and Christians everywhere, that those who have come to faith in Christ have been adopted into the family of God. This adoption removes any artificial division based on ethnicity, occupation or gender, and frees us from slavery and bondage to sin. |
| Sanctification | Paul also included in Galatians instructions for daily life. Although justification is not gained by doing good works, it is not a license to hedonism. He said the believer should walk in the Spirit and produce its fruit (5:22-23), not “sow to his flesh” but “to the Spirit” and not grow weary doing good, especially to other believers (6:8-9). |
General Outline |
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Introduction: Greetings and the Gospel (1:1-10)
Paul’s Authentic Gospel(1:10-2:21)
True Salvation (3:1-4:31)
True Freedom (5:1-6:10)
Conclusion (6:11-18)
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Used by permission. ©2017 H. Wayne House, Charting the New Testament. All Rights Reserved.