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- I. To Whom:
- a. “The churches of Galatia” (1:2).
- i. We note “churches” is plural, hence to all congregations of the region known
as Galatia.
- 1. Though the plural form is used there is only one church:
- a. Eph 1:22, 23; 4:4; 5:23.
b. Each congregation of a particular location makes up the one
church as a whole, but are church[s] individually because of the
autonomy which exists (Rom 16:16).
- 2. The name Galatians was given to Celtic people who originally lived in
Gaul before migrating to Asia Minor in the third century B.C. (Galatia
was in central Asia Minor).
- ii. These congregations were established on Paul’s first missionary journey.
- 1. Ac 13:13-14:28.
2. Phrygia, Lystra, Derbe, and Antioch in Pisidia are all in Southern
Galatia.
3. These congregations were established around 40-45 A.D.
- b. Peter’s first epistle was also addressed to those of the region (1:1); and Paul
mentions them in 1 Cor 16:1 as having been instructed as pertaining to giving.
- II. Date:
- a. Scholars have placed the date at 56 A.D, between the writing of 1 Corinthians
and Romans.
- i. Others have given the book a much earlier date making it the first New
Testament book written.
ii. While there is not enough evidence to place the book earlier than 56 A.D.
the notion should not be easily dismissed, because there is no abundant data
for the later date either.
- b. The churches were there established between Ac 13:13 & 14:28.
- i. In Ac 15 the Jerusalem counsel was called.
ii. After the counsel Paul returned to the churches of Galatia (Ac 15:23-29; 16:
4, 5), making this twice that he had been to the region.
iii. While there the second time no indication is given by Luke that the strife
Paul discusses in the Galatians’ epistle was present.
iv. However, it appears from Gal 1:6, “so soon,” that the epistle was written
after the second visit (cf. 4:13).
v. The term “so soon,” however, is not an indication of the time that the epistle
was written, but a time after Paul was with them in Ac 15:23-16:5.
- c. In 1:2 Paul mentions “all the brethren who are with me.”
- i. The largest entourage Paul had was in Ac 20:4.
ii. Since no particular names are given in the epistle, as is often the case, we
can reasonably conclude that this is the time and date of the epistle, A.D. 56.
- III. Author:
- a. “Paul an apostle” (1:1).
- i. Ac 9:1-20.
ii. 1 Cor 15:8.
- b. 1:1, 11, 12, 15, 16—authority.
- i. Authority in religion has nothing to do with men—what they think, what
seems to be, et al.
ii. Hence, man does not choose the rules, nor does he choose how to
interpret the rules.
- c. “With my own hand” (6:11).
- i. Not through a scribe as with 1 Corinthians.
ii. 1 Cor 1:1.
- IV. Purpose:
- a. Judaizing teachers (Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”) had converged with the Gentile
converts in Galatia and had raised the issue of circumcision (6:12-15), causing
those of Galatia to be removed (1:6-9) from the letter sent from Jerusalem (Ac 15:
22-29), moving toward the Law of Moses (2:11-4:31), which Law had been done
away (3:13-19).
b. Paul writes showing that those converted are “children of God through faith in
Christ Jesus,” because they were “baptized into Christ” (3:26, 27).
c. Now, in this New Testament, there is no division of race, gender or social status
(3:28).
d. Christians are the true heirs of Abraham (3:29) through the adoption of sons (4:5),
hence are children of the “free woman” (4:31).
e. Because of this they were to “walk in the Spirit” (5:16, 25), examining each man’s
own work (6:4), sowing to the Spirit (6:7, 8).
- V. Interesting Facts:
- a. The book helps us date the book of Acts.
- i. 1:13, 14—Ac 7:58; 8:1-3 (A.D. 35).
ii. 1:15, 16—Ac 9:1-20 (A.D. 36-37).
iii. 1:17—Ac 9:22, 23 (Ac 8:1).
iv. 1:18, 19—Ac 9:26 (A.D. 39-40).
v. 1:21—Ac 15:23, 41 (A.D. 47-49).
- b. The preacher is to be paid for his labor (6:6; cf. 1 Cor 9:3-14).
c. Benevolence of the church (6:10; cf. Mrk 14:3-7).
d. Certainty of Paul’s message (1:6-10).
e. Paul’s rebuke of Peter (2:11-16).
f. Possibility of apostasy (5:4).
g. Strong Christians are to help restore weaker ones (6:1-3).
h. There is a law of Christ (5:23; 6:2).
i. Man gets out what he puts in (6:7, 8).