New Testament Survey:Book of Galatians

Street in the modern

city of Damascus

The Author

• Paul’s authorship of this book to the Galatian churches is certain

• Salutation (1:1)

• First two chapters are an autobiography of Paul’s life—from his conversion to the writing of the letter

• 14 years between visits to Jerusalem; the first in Acts 9; 3 years in Arabia

Date of Writing

• Paul was converted sometime between 31 and 36 AD

• 17-year interval (2:1)

• Subsequent to the Jerusalem meeting regarding the circumcision problem (Acts 15)

• Followed Peter’s visit to Antioch (2:11-14)

• Written between 55 and 57 AD

To Whom Written

• Galatia was originally in the northeastern part of Asia Minor

• Mixed population of Greeks, Romans, and Jewish people

• Quick to give up and easily influenced

• Paul visited the area twice: Acts 16:6; 18:23

• Letter written after 2nd visit (4:13-16)

• In 25 BC, the original Gaulic region was designated the new province of Galatia

• Paul preached in south Galatia on his first tour—Pisidia, Lyconia, Phrygia

• Paul preached in north Galatia on his second visit

• Letter addressed to all the churches in the Roman Province of Galatia

To Whom Written

Purpose of the Epistle

• The churches had begun well; after Paul’s departure, they were drawn away (5:7)

• Judaizing teachers caused problems over circumcision of Gentile converts

• They had redemption in Christ, Judaizers sought to bind Moses’ Law on them

• Justification determined by works of the Law

• No flesh can be justified by works of the Law

• Parallels arguments in the book of Romans

• Expressed with warmth and vehemence

• Tactic of Judaizing teachers—attack Paul’s apostleship

• Destroy confidence in Paul—convert the Galatians to their false teaching!

Purpose of the Epistle

Contents and Character

• First part mainly historic (chapters 1,2)

• Charged Paul not one of the original 12 apostles—should not be accepted as an apostle

• What he had learned about the gospel came from men—not God (false charge)

• Arrayed Paul against Peter and other apostles regarding circumcision

• This explains why Paul spent time discussing his own credentials

• Paul affirmed his work was not of men (1:1)

• Did not receive the gospel from men (1:11,12)

• After his conversion, Paul went to Arabia for three years (1:15-17)

• Brief 15-day visit to Jerusalem seeing only Peter and James (1:20-24)

• After 14 years, he went up to Jerusalem, by “revelation,” to confer about preaching to the Gentiles (2:1-10)

Contents and Character

• No dependence on other apostles

• Withstood Peter to face when his hypocrisy had caused a problem (2:11-14)

• Letter’s second part argues that God makes men righteous by faith in Christ—not works of the Law!

• Abraham was justified by faith before the Law (3:6-9,18)

• The Law cannot justify sinners; it only condemns (3:10-12)

Contents and Character

• In His own time, God sent His Son (4:4,5)

• Paul warned of the danger in following the Old Law (4:6-11)

• Paul knew of their love for him—how could he now be their enemy (4:14-16)

• Warned them of the false teachers and their dishonest intentions (4:17-21)

• The allegory—free woman and the bond woman (4:22-31)

Contents and Character

• Requiring circumcision binds them to keep the whole law—and they are fallen from grace! (5:4)

• Third part of letter is of practical character

• Exhorts the Galatian Christians to use Christian liberty in a worthy manner—putting to death their fleshly lusts (5:17-21)

• Must seek to bear one another burdens (6:1-5)

• Duties they have as brethren (6:6-10)

Contents and Character

• Hold steadfastly to the liberty that can be found only in Christ!

• Reject being bound to the Law of Moses or to fleshly lusts—walk after the Spirit (5:1-26)

• The basic theme is clearly summed up with this exhortation… (5:1)

• Some have called the Galatian Epistle the “Magna Carta of Christian Liberty”

Contents and Character