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Introduction to Galatians

Summary of the Book of Galatians

This summary of the book of Galatians provides information about the title, author(s), date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the Book of Galatians.

Author

The opening verse identifies the author of Galatians as the apostle Paul. Apart from a few 19th-century interpreters, no one has seriously questioned his authorship.

Date and Destination

The date of Galatians depends to a great extent on the destination of the letter. There are two main views:

1. The North Galatian theory. This older view holds that the letter was addressed to churches located in north-central Asia Minor (Pessinus, Ancyra and Tavium), where the Gauls had settled when they invaded the area in the third century b.c. It is held that Paul visited this area on his second missionary journey, though Acts contains no reference to such a visit. Galatians, it is maintained, was written between a.d. 53 and 57 from Ephesus or Macedonia.
2. The South Galatian theory. According to this view, Galatians was written to churches in the southern area of the Roman province of Galatia (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe) that Paul had founded on his first missionary journey. Some believe that Galatians was written from Syrian Antioch in 48-49 after Paul's first journey and before the Jerusalem council meeting (Ac 15). Others say that Galatians was written in Syrian Antioch or Corinth between 51 and 53.

Occasion and Purpose

Judaizers were Jewish Christians who believed, among other things, that a number of the ceremonial practices of the OT were still binding on the NT church. Following Paul's successful campaign in Galatia, they insisted that Gentile converts to Christianity abide by certain OT rites, especially circumcision. They may have been motivated by a desire to avoid the persecution of Zealot Jews who objected to their fraternizing with Gentiles (see 6:12). The Judaizers argued that Paul was not an authentic apostle and that out of a desire to make the message more appealing to Gentiles he had removed from the gospel certain legal requirements.

Paul responded by clearly establishing his apostolic authority and thereby substantiating the gospel he preached. By introducing additional requirements for justification (e.g., works of the law) his adversaries had perverted the gospel of grace and, unless prevented, would bring Paul's converts into the bondage of legalism. It is by grace through faith alone that people are justified, and it is by faith alone that they are to live out their new life in the freedom of the Spirit.

Theological Teaching

Galatians stands as an eloquent and vigorous apologetic for the essential NT truth that people are justified by faith in Jesus Christ -- by nothing less and nothing more -- and that they are sanctified not by legalistic works but by the obedience that comes from faith in God's work for them, in them and through them by the grace and power of Christ and the Holy Spirit. It was the rediscovery of the basic message of Galatians (and Romans) that brought about the Protestant Reformation. Galatians is often referred to as "Luther's book," because Martin Luther relied so strongly on this letter in all his preaching, teaching and writing against the prevailing theology of his day. It is also referred to as the "Magna Carta of Christian Liberty." A key verse is 2:16 (see note there).

Outline

I. Introduction (1:1-10)

A. Greetings (1:1-5)

• Denunciation (1:6-10)

II. Personal: Authentication of the Apostle of Liberty and Faith (1:11;2:21)

• Paul's Gospel Was Received by Special Revelation (1:11-12)
• Paul's Gospel Was Independent of the Jerusalem Apostles and the Judean Churches (1:13;2:21)
1. Evidenced by his early activities as a Christian (1:13-17)
2. Evidenced by his first post-Christian visit to Jerusalem (1:18-24)
3. Evidenced by his second post-Christian visit to Jerusalem (2:1-10)
4. Evidenced by his rebuke of Peter at Antioch (2:11-21)

III. Doctrinal: Justification of the Doctrine of Liberty and Faith (chs. 3-4)

• The Galatians' Experience of the Gospel (3:1-5)
• The Experience of Abraham (3:6-9)
• The Curse of the Law (3:10-14)
• The Priority of the Promise (3:15-18)
• The Purpose of the Law (3:19-25)
• Sons, Not Slaves (3:26;4:7)
• The Danger of Turning Back (4:8-11)
• Appeal to Embrace the Freedom of God's Children (4:12-20)
• God's Children Are Children of the Free Woman (4:21-31)

IV. Practical: Practice of the Life of Liberty and Faith (5:1;6:10)

• Exhortation to Freedom (5:1-12)
• Life by the Spirit, Not by the Flesh (5:13-26)
• Call for Mutual Help (6:1-10)

V. Conclusion and Benediction (6:11-18)

¢w¢w¡mNew International Version¡n

Introduction to Galatians

The churches in Galatia were formed partly of converted Jews, and partly of Gentile converts, as was generally the case. St. Paul asserts his apostolic character and the doctrines he taught, that he might confirm the Galatian churches in the faith of Christ, especially with respect to the important point of justification by faith alone. Thus the subject is mainly the same as that which is discussed in the epistle to the Romans, that is, justification by faith alone. In this epistle, however, attention is particularly directed to the point, that men are justified by faith without the works of the law of Moses. Of the importance of the doctrines prominently set forth in this epistle, Luther thus speaks: "We have to fear as the greatest and nearest danger, lest Satan take from us this doctrine of faith, and bring into the church again the doctrine of works and of men's traditions. Wherefore it is very necessary that this doctrine be kept in continual practice and public exercise, both of reading and hearing. If this doctrine be lost, then is also the doctrine of truth, life and salvation, lost and gone."

¢w¢w Matthew Henry¡mConcise Commentary on Galatians¡n

 
Galatians General Review
 
AUTHOR: The apostle Paul (1:1; 5:2). This was the unanimous view of
the early church, and even those modern critics who challenge the 
authorship of many of the New Testament books concede that Galatians is
truly Pauline.
 
BACKGROUND OF THE EPISTLE: During his first missionary journey
(46-48 A.D.), Paul together with Barnabas had the opportunity to 
establish several churches in the Roman province of Galatia (Ac 13:14-
14:23). On his second trip (49-52 A.D.), Paul and Silas visited them
again (Ac 16:1-5).
 
It wasn't long, however, before some Jewish Christians came in and
began teaching that Gentile Christians needed to be circumcised and
keep the Law of Moses (similar to what happened at Antioch of Syria,
cf. Ac 15:1). In an effort to persuade the Galatians, it appears the
tactic was to discredit Paul as an apostle, challenge his concept of 
the gospel of Christ, and charge his doctrine with leading to loose
living.
 
TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING: Dating Galatians is affected by one's 
view of whether the churches of Galatia were located in the north 
central part of Asia Minor (ethnic Galatia), or in the south central 
part (the Roman province of Galatia). The "North Galatia Theory" 
maintains that the churches were in the north, and that Paul had not 
been there until the beginning of his third missionary journey (54-55 
A.D.; cf. Ac 18:23). This would require that Paul wrote his epistle 
sometime toward the end of that journey, or afterward (i.e., around 
57-58 A.D. or later).
 
I subscribe to the "South Galatia Theory", which identifies the 
churches of Galatia as those established on Paul's first journey (cf. 
Ac 13:14-14:23). I also believe that the meeting described in Ga 2:
1-10 took place during the "Jerusalem Conference" related in Ac 15:
1-29. This view opens several possibilities for the place and time of
writing:
 
 1) Corinth, in the period of Ac 18:1-17
 
  2) Antioch, in the period of Ac 18:22
 
 3) Ephesus, in the period covered by Ac 19:1-41
 
 4) Macedonia or Achaia in the period of Ac 20:1-3
 
With such uncertainty one cannot be dogmatic, but in view of Paul's 
lengthy stay in Ephesus, that would seem a likely possibility, and the
date would be approximately A.D. 55.
 
PURPOSE OF THE EPISTLE: The churches in Galatia were being influenced
by those who would "pervert the gospel of Christ" (1:6-7; cf. 3:1). 
Known as "Judaizing teachers", these individuals taught that Gentile 
Christians needed to be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses (cf. Ac 
15:1). Paul recognized that this doctrine would jeopardize the 
salvation of those souls who accepted it (cf. 5:4). Because the 
enemies of the true gospel were trying to support their case by 
undermining Paul's authority as an apostle of Christ, it was necessary
to verify that he was truly an apostle "not from men nor through man,
but through Jesus Christ and God the Father" (1:1). Therefore, Paul
writes:
 
 TO VERIFY HIS APOSTLESHIP
 AND
 THE GOSPEL OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH IN CHRIST
 
Because of his outstanding defense of the gospel of Christ in which we
have freedom from sin and the Law, this epistle has frequently been
called "The Magna Carta Of Christian Liberty."
 
KEY VERSE: Galatians 5:1
 
 "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made
 us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."
 
OUTLINE:
 
INTRODUCTION (1:1-10)
 1. Salutation (1-5)
 2. Reason for the letter (6-10)
 
I. PAUL'S DEFENSE OF HIS APOSTLESHIP (1:11-2:21)
 
 A. THE DIVINE ORIGIN OF HIS GOSPEL (1:11-17)
 1. Thesis: His gospel received directly from God (1:11-12)
 2. His pre-Christian years, and conversion (1:13-17)
 
 B. HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE OTHER APOSTLES (1:18-2:21)
 1. His first visit with Peter, and early years as a Christian 
 (1:18-24)
 2. The council at Jerusalem (2:1-5)
 3. His sanction by James, Cephas, and John (2:6-10)
 4. His rebuke of Peter at Antioch (2:11-21)
 a. Peter's hypocrisy (2:11-13)
 b. His speech to Peter, how we are justified by faith in 
 Christ (2:14-21)
 
II. PAUL'S DEFENSE OF THE GOSPEL OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH (3:1-4:31)
 
 A. THE PERSONAL ARGUMENT (3:1-5)
 1. How they received the Spirit (3:1-4)
 2. From whom they received the Spirit (3:5)
 
 B. THE SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENT (3:6-25)
 1. The example of Abraham (3:6-9)
  2. The curse of the Law (3:10-14)
 3. The priority of the Promise over the Law (3:15-18)
 4. The purpose of the Law (3:19-25)
 
 C. THE PRACTICAL ARGUMENT (3:26-4:7)
 1. In Christ they are one, as children of God, Abraham's seed,
  and heirs of the promise (3:26-29)
 2. Redeemed from the law, and adopted as sons, they are no longer
 slaves, but heirs (4:1-7)
 
 D. THE SENTIMENTAL ARGUMENT (4:8-20)
 1. His fears over their returning to bondage (4:8-11)
 2. Their past and present relationships to him (4:12-20)
 
 E. THE ALLEGORICAL ARGUMENT (4:21-31)
 1. An allegory for those who desire to be under the Law 
 (4:21-24a)
 2. Symbolic of the two covenants; one from Mount Sinai which 
 gives birth to bondage, and the other from the Jerusalem above
 which makes free (24b-31)
 
III. THE CALL TO STAND FAST IN THE LIBERTY OF THE GOSPEL (5:1-6:10)
 
 A. A LIBERTY THAT EXCLUDES THE NECESSITY OF CIRCUMCISION (5:1-6)
 1. Do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage (5:1)
 2. Circumcision means nothing; requiring it results in falling 
 from grace (5:2-4)
 3. We should wait for the hope of righteousness with faith 
 working through love (5:5-6)
 
 B. A LIBERTY THAT FULFILLS THE LAW (5:7-15)
 1. Beware of those who would bind the Law (5:7-12)
 2. Use your liberty as an opportunity to serve one another with
 love, and you will fulfill the Law (5:13-14)
 3. But beware that you do not use it as an opportunity for the
 flesh in which you consume one another (5:13b,15)
 
 C. A LIBERTY IN WHICH ONE IS TO BE LED BY THE SPIRIT (5:16-26)
 1. Liberty is not an excuse for license (5:16-18)
 2. The works of the flesh contrasted with the fruits of the 
 Spirit (5:19-23)
 3. Those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh and are 
 walking in the Spirit (5:24-26)
 
 D. A LIBERTY WITH A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY (6:1-10)
 1. For helping those with burdens (6:1-5)
 2. For doing good to all, thus sowing to the Spirit (6:6-10)
 
CONCLUSION (6:11-18)
 1. A final rebuke to those who would bind circumcision (6:11-13)
 2. Paul's confidence in the cross of Christ (6:14-17)
 3. Benediction (6:18)
 
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE INTRODUCTION
 
1) According to the "South Galatia Theory", on which journey did Paul
 establish the churches in Galatia?
 - His first journey
 
2) Where does one read about the establishment of these churches?
 - Ac 13:14-14:23
 
3) What are some of the cities in which these churches were located?
 (14:20-23)
 - Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia
 
4) Among the many possibilities for the place of writing and time of 
 this epistle, which one seems likely because of Paul's extended stay
 at that place?
 - Ephesus, on his third missionary journey, A.D. 55
 
5) What two things were being required of the Gentile Christians that
 jeopardized their salvation? (cf. Ac 15:1; Ga 5:2-4)
 - Circumcision
 - Observance of the Law of Moses
 
6) What three tactics appear to have been used by "Judaizing teachers"?
 - Discredit Paul as an apostle
 - Challenge his concept of the gospel of Christ
 - Charge his doctrine with leading to loose living
 
7) What is Paul's purpose in writing this epistle?
 - To verify his apostleship and the gospel of justification by faith
 in Christ
 
8) What has The Epistle To The Galatians been frequently called?
 - The Magna Carta Of Christian Liberty
 
9) Which verse in the book stands out as the "key" verse?
 - Ga 5:1

¡Ð¡Ð¡mExecutable Outlines¡n