Galatians
Theme to Watch for
The gospel is Jesus + nothing.
“The most obvious fact about the historical setting is often the most overlooked. In the letter to the Galatians, Paul expounds in detail what the gospel is and how it works. But the intended audience of this exposition of the gospel are all professing Christians. It is not simply non-Christians but also believers who need continually to learn the gospel and apply it to their lives.”
About the Author
This letter was written by Paul. The first line in verse 1 states: “ Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” –Galatians 1:1 (ESV)
When was it written?
Paul tells us in chapter one (1:18) that he spent three years in Damascus and Arabia after his conversion. He then went to Jerusalem for a little over two weeks. He mentions in chapter two (2:19) that 14 years pass before he goes to Jerusalem again. It is believed that Paul’s conversion took place in the early 30’s A.D., right after the death of Christ, which puts Galatians sometime after 48-49AD.
About the Audience
Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia.
In the late 270s B.C., the king of Bithynia, Nicomedes, invited a group from central Europe to what became Galatia. They originally resided in the Danube River basin but eventually made their way to other countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and France (which was also known as Gaul). These people accepted the invitation, made their way there, and settled at this location which became known as Galatia. Regarded as highly skilled warriors, they would unleash songs and shouts as they charged into battle, aiming to terrify their adversaries. They were tall and typically had long red hair. For this reason, King Nicomedes wanted to use this group as mercenaries (hired soldiers).
They spoke a Celtic dialect which continued to survive into the fourth century a.d., at least in rural areas of ethnic Galatia. They had a distinctive form of Celtic religious and political organization and were widely revered and feared as great warriors and mercenaries. They were considered barbarians due to their strange dialect, considerable physical stature, and wild appearance, though by Paul’s time most of them seem to have been capable of speaking Greek.
By the late 180s B.C., Galatia came under Roman rule. The Romans also understood the Galatians were fierce warriors and viewed them as formidable. They also felt that this group deeply opposed Rome. Rome wanted to “liberate Asia from the Galatians’ lawlessness.” It was common to stereotype the Galatians as ignorant, but they worked hard to fight against this stereotype.
Why was Galatians written?
This letter discusses a division (both social and racial) that is occurring within the church in Galatia. The early followers of Christianity were mostly Jewish, but the message of the gospel quickly attracted a large number of Gentiles who also embraced the faith. However, a group in Galatia was devoted to Jewish rituals and demanded that the Gentiles participate as well, primarily in the Jewish dietary regulations and the practice of circumcision. They fervently believed that this was the only way to achieve full acceptance and be completely pleasing to God.
Paul responds to this nonsense in three stages:
Paul uses his personal experiences to parallel the truth of the gospel and the law of Moses.
“Second, he uses the Galatians’ own experience and especially Scripture to argue that the justification that accompanies belonging to the “seed” of Abraham is by faith, apart from Torah observance (3:1–5:12).”
Paul expresses that the only way to please God is through faith and the work of the Holy Spirit.
