Read the Passage: Galatians 1

Listen to the Redeemed Mind Podcast: Galatians 1

Authorship and Date – As the first word of the book of Galatians testifies, this epistle was written by the apostle Paul (cf. Gal. 1:1; 5:2). Pauline authorship was unanimously affirmed by the early church and has not been challenged, for the most part, by even the most liberal literary critics. Assigning a date to this epistle is challenging, for the recipients of Paul’s letter are not specifically identified. From the book’s title, it is clear that Paul wrote to the Galatians (1:2); yet the identity of the Galatians themselves is a topic of debate. Some believe that “Galatia” is a reference to the northern area of Asia Minor where many ethnic Galatians lived, dating the letter from AD 52–56. This is called the north Galatia theory. Paul passed through this area on his second missionary journey (cf. Acts 16:6), and he was in this same general area on his third missionary journey (cf. Acts 18:23; 19:1). Others, however, believe that “Galatia” is a not an ethnic reference but a political one, referring to the Roman province of Galatia in south-central Asia Minor. This is called the south Galatia theory. Paul ministered here on his first missionary journey, in the cities of Antioch, Iconium, Lysra, and Derbe (cf. Acts 13:14–14:23). If correct, this would mean the letter was written around 48–49 AD, making Galatians the first of Paul’s thirteen (or fourteen) epistles. Note, as well, that Galatians is the only one of Paul’s epistles that is specifically addressed to churches in an entire region, not just a city—although, many of Paul’s other letters were meant to be shared. Paul likely wrote Galatians from Antioch of Syria.

Purpose and Theme – Regardless of the exact recipients and date for this letter, Paul’s purpose in writing is clear—that is, he intended to defend the doctrine of justification by faith alone in light of false teaching of the Judaizers. The Judaizers were sect of false teachers who arose in the first century who taught that one must first become a Jewish proselyte, keeping all of the ceremonials laws, in order to become and to remain a Christian (cf. Gal. 2:16–17; 3:2; 5:4). The specific topic that Paul focuses on in this letter is the issue of circumcision, which was required by the Jewish ceremonial law (cf. Gal. 5:2; 6:12–13). Note that this is the same issue that was debated at the Jerusalem Council in the context of their discussion of the Old Testament law (cf. Acts 15:1–29). Note that the Jerusalem Council ruled in favor Paul and against the teaching of the Judaizers.

Structure and Outline – The epistle to the Galatians is known for being doctrinally and structurally very similar to Paul’s letter to the Romans, and is sometime called “little Romans.”

• Personal Defense (1:1–2:21)
• Doctrinal Argument (3:1–4:31)
• Practical Application (5:1–6:10)

Paul’s Introduction (1:1–5)

A common aspect of Paul’s letters that is absent from his epistle to the Galatians is a commendation. Interestingly, the apostle begins his letter to the Galatians with a defense of his apostleship, a topic that he expands upon in Gal. 1:11–24. Paul likely omitted a customary commendation because of the urgency of addressing the problem at hand—that is, the distortion of the gospel. One reason for Paul’s defense of his apostleship is that his credentials were likely being questioned by the false teachers. The biographical information Paul supplies in this letter, as well as his reminder of his time spent with the Galatians (cf. Gal. 4:12–16), would have helped to ease the personal attacks of the false teachers. After greeting his readers with a “grace to you” (Gal. 1:3), which itself was a rebuke of the Judaizer’s false teaching, Paul moved to address the reason for his writing.

Paul’s Gospel (1:6–10)

In addressing the reason for his letter, Paul wrote, “I marvel that you are now turning away so soon from Him who called you” (Gal. 1:6). Paul was so disturbed by the Galatians’ tolerance of error, and he was so sure of the truth of the gospel he had preached, that he exhorted the Galatians to ignore all other purportedly “gospel” messages—even if and angel or he himself should preach it. Like most false teachers, the Judaizers undermined the gospel not by explicitly denying it, but by adding to it. As a means of self-defense against the false teachers who were attacking his character, Paul noted in Gal. 1:10 that he was not trying to please men, nor was he operating out of self-interest; rather Paul was a bondslave of Jesus Christ. Note that Paul’s methodology of argument was not to generate new teachings, but to return to the old gospel message.

Paul’s Credentials (1:11–24)

In Gal. 1:11–24 Paul gives his apostolic credentials, a topic that he had touched upon in Gal. 1:1. In this section, especially Gal. 1:17–23, Paul discloses biographical information that is not available in the book of Acts or in any other of his thirteen epistles. In short, we learn of Paul’s three-year apprenticeship in Arabia, which chronologically occurred between Acts 9:25 and Acts 9:26. A timeline of Paul’s conversion, then, would look like this: Paul was confronted by Christ on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9:1–9); Paul was healed and baptized after three days in Damascus (cf. Acts 9:10–19); Paul began to preach and was persecuted in Damascus (cf. Acts 9:20–25); Paull’s three-year training in Arabia (Gal. 1:15–17); and Paul’s visit to Jerusalem (cf. Gal. 1:17; Acts 9:26–30). Note how Paul highlights God’s sovereignty in this passage (cf. Gal. 1:12, 15–16, 19, 24).

Application Questions:

1. What do you know about the book of Galatians? What comes to mind about this epistle as we look forward to this study?
2. Why is the message of faith plus works a false doctrine since it does include faith? Why did false teaching arise so early in church history?
3. Do you think most people, even most Christians, fully understand the gospel message? What are the non-negotiable parts of the gospel?
4. How do most false teachers articulate their doctrines? Why are false teachers sometimes tolerated by otherwise orthodox churches?
5. Why does Paul refer to Christ being revealed “in me” (Gal. 1:16) in this passage as opposed to Jesus being revealed to me?