paul's defence of his apostleship - gal 1 - 2

7/31/2019 Paul's Defence of His Apostleship - Gal 1 - 2

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Galatians 1:1-2:14

Review and Expositor, 91 (1994)

Introduction to the Epistle and Paul's Defense of hisApostleship

(Galatians 1:1-2:14)

DavidS. Dockery

Paul's letter to the churches in Galatia focuses on the question: "What makesa person a Christian?" The answer to this question addresses the very heart ofthe gospel, indeed the essence of the Christian faith. Paul's message in this letterprovided a foundation for the early church to address the Judaizing controversyand paved the way for the full liberty of the gospel. Few books have been assignificant for shaping Christian doctrine, proclamation, and practice. Nowherewas this more apparent than at the time of the Reformation. One commentatorhas noted, "Martin Luther put Galatians to his lips as a trumpet to blow thereveille of the Reformation."

1Luther loved Galatians so much that he referred to

it as his wife. He called it "my own epistle, to which I have pledged my troth,my Katie von Bora."

2It was his favorite book of the Bible, and he considered his

commentary on Galatians his most profitable work. "IfI had my way about it,"he said, "they would republish only those of my books which have doctrine, likeGalatians."

3

It remains the case today, just as in the early church and reformation periods,to say that how one understands the issues and teaching of Galatians indicateswhat kind of theology is espoused, what kind of message is proclaimed, andwhat kind of lifestyle is practiced.

4This generation, as every other generation,

needs to be reminded of the sole sufficiency ofJesus Christ for the redemption ofhumankind. Galatians sounds a clarion call for a vital relationship with JesusChrist rather than mere religiousritual,for total trust in the Savior rather than

dependence on self, for submission to the living Christ rather than subscriptionto dead creeds, and for a life enabled by the Holy Spirit rather than one ruled bylegalistic rituals. This article will introduce us to Paul's apostolic authority, therecipients of the letter, his apostolic message, Paul's opponents, and earlyinternal conflicts in the church.

Paul's Apostolic Authority (1:1-5)

Authorship

Paul's introductions follow the usual style of ancient letters by naming the

writer, the addressee(s), and a word of greeting. In Paul's other letters he oftenincludes a prayer or a word of thanksgiving for his readers, but this is


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conspicuously absent in Galatians. The evidence for Pauline authorship is greatboth on the basis of internal evidence within the epistle and the external evidence

derived from testimonies and scholarly investigation. Galatians 1:1 and 5:2identify the writer as Paul. The autobiographical sections of the letter (1:11-2:14)point directly to Paul. The theology and language of the letter also well attest toPauline authorship. The external evidence is equally convincing.

3W. G.

Kmmel concludes, "That Galatians is a genuine, authentic epistle isindisputable."

6It is difficult to be sure where Paul was when he wrote the letter,

but that he wrote it is not in dispute.When we think of the authorship of Paul's letters we should think of Paul's

companions acting as his secretaries and writing out the major portions of hisletters at the apostle's direction. Galatians 6:11 suggests a distinction between

the handwriting of the subscription and that of the body of the letter, indicatingPauls' use ofa secretary in writing the letter.

7

Recipients and Date

The letter is addressed "to the churches of Galatia" (1:2). Much discussion hasattempted to settle the dispute of the identity of the recipients as to whether theletter was sent to the churches in South Galatia or North Galatia. Prior to thework ofW. M. Ramsay in the 1890's,

Kthe recipients were assumed to be

Christians of Gaulish descent whose churches were located in Northern Asia

Minor. The problem for interpreters of Paul's letter is whether the "Galatians" towhich this epistle is addressed refers to ethnic Galatians in the north of theprovince or to the southerners of various races who were included in the Romanprovince. By the end of the third century, the southern area was separatedleaving the northern sector to be known as Galatia or Galatia proper. But thisdoes not necessarily mean that Paul used the term in this way. Paul visited thesouthern area on hisfirstmissionary journey (Acts 13-14). Never is it saidexplicitly that he visited the northern area, though many think this is what ismeant in Acts 16:6 and 18:23.

The question is a very difficult one. Much of the argument for the date of thewriting and the identity of the recipients depends upon answering whether

Galatians 2 should be correlated with Paul's famine visit to Jerusalem (Acts11:27-30) or the visit at the time of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15). Thearguments can be summarized as follows:

North Galatia

(1) The North Galatia identity is based on equating Galatians 2 with theJerusalem council of Acts 15. Both the churches of Jerusalem and Antiochare involved and the time can be harmonized.

(2) Paul, Barnabas, Peter, and James are mentioned in both accounts, alongwith certain disturbers.


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(3) The topic of Gentile circumcision is the basic issue in each account. Thesame result occurred in each: Gentiles were exempted from circumcision

and the apostolic mission of Paul and Barnabas was recognized.

(4) Titus (see Gal. 2:3) can be understood to be included among "the certainothers" of Acts 15:2.

(5) Galatians 2:2 appears to parallel Acts 15:4,12.

(6) Some have argued that Paul's apostolic mission was not recognized untilafter the Acts 11 visit (not until after Acts 13:1); whereas it seems therecognition was understood prior to the Galatians 2 visit.*

South Galatia

(1) The same two churches (Jerusalem and Antioch) were involved, with thetrip being initiated by Antioch.

(2) According to the data in Galatians, the trip described in Galatians 2:1-5was Paul's second visit to Jerusalem since his conversion; and according toActs this would have been the famine visit (11:27-30). To argue as some dothat no apostles were in Jerusalem at this time and thus Paul ignored thisvisit is hardly consistent with his obvious intent of removing suspicion byrecounting all the data (Gal. 1:20). His use of"Then" (epeita in Gal. 2:1)leaves no hint that any trip has been omitted.

(3) At the Galatians 2 visit no question was brought before the church, norwas any authoritative answer given. The "only" exhortation was that theycontinue remembering the poor. This fits Acts 11 better, inasmuch as Acts 15concerned a problem and gained an official response.

(4) The Acts 11 visit had only two delegates and Galatians 2 agrees, for Titusis described in terms suggesting he was a subordinate (sumparalabon in Gal.

2:1). Acts 15, however, suggests that other delegates were with Paul andBarnabas (15:2).

(5) The Galatians 2 visit was made in response to divine revelation, whichcould be understood as a reference to the prophecy of Agabus (Acts 11:27-30).

(6) The private discussion of Galatians fits more easily Acts 11, than theJerusalem council of Acts 15.

(7) The question of circumcision was more likely to have been discussedagain (see Acts 11:1; 15:1) following a private meeting than after a formal


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Statement. Similarly, Peter's actions, though not excusable, nevertheless aremore easily understandable if the "circumcision" issue had not yet been

formally decided.

(8) There is no reference in the epistle to the official decisions of theJerusalem council, which could have been most informative for hisargument.

10

The issues are notoriously complex, and every interpreter weighs the datasomewhat differently. While the brief summaries offered above do not accountfor all the possible factors in making a determination, the balance of the issuesfavors a South Galatian hypothesis.

Determining the date of the letter is closely intertwined with the identificationof the recipients. The North Galatian theory would suggest a date for the writingin the mid-50's. If the South Galatian theory is adopted, an early date is possible.We can suggest that Paul's two visits are those of Acts 9 and 11 and Paul wroteGalatians prior to the Jerusalem council. Thus, the letter, which may have beenthefirstletter Paul wrote was most likely penned around A.D. 48-49.

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Paul's Authority and Message

In these first five verses Paul touches on two themes to which he will return

again and again throughout the letter: his credentials as a writer and his gospel.He had good reasons to do so because the churches had been bothered by falseteachers since Paul had founded the churches. These false teachers had mountedopposition to both Paul's authority and message. Understanding the dangers oftheir twofold attack, Paul immediately initiated his response at the beginning ofthe letter. John R. W. Stott has observed:

He [Paul] will elaborate these themes later in the Epistle, but notice how hebegins: Paul an apostle (not an imposter)... giace to you. These two terms"apostle" and "grace" were loaded words in that situation, and if weunderstand their meaning, we have grasped the two main subjects of the

Galatian Epistle.12

In these introductory verses of the letter Paul traced three stages of divineaction for the salvation of men and women. Thefirststage focused on the deathof Christ for our sins to rescue us out of this present evil age. The second stagedescribed the appointment of Paul as an apostle to testify to Jesus Christ whodied for sins and rose again. The third stage centered on God's gift of grace andpeace to believers to which Paul bore witness. Before moving to his discussionthat occasioned the epistle (1:6-10), Paul concluded hisfirstparagraph with acharacteristic doxology.


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Paul's Opponents and Their False Gospel (1:6-10)

In the place of Paul's customary thanksgiving following the salutation (seeRom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4-8; 1 Thess. 1:2-10), which was a common practice in Greekletter writing, we find an indignant polemic. Paul asserts that there is no othergospel than the one he preached to them atfirstand he expresses concern thatthe Galatians are defecting from this gospel. As R. Y. K. Fung notes, "Thisreflects the seriousness of the situation into which the Galatians have fallen:because they are deserting the one true gospel Paul can find no cause forthanksgiving to God, but can only express astonishment instead."

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The Influence of the False Teachers

The implication of the phrase "so quickly," expressing the Galatians' defectingfrom the one who called through the gospel, is that only a short time had elapsedsince their conversion. Though it should be noted that it is possible that theword translated "quickly" (tcheos) has the sense of "easily" (see 2 Thess. 2:2;1 Tim. 5:22). Either translation emphasizes Paul's astonishment.

The word translated, "are deserting" (NIV) represents a Greek present tenseverb and should be communicated as an English continuous present, such as"are turning away from" (Goodspeed) or "are moving away from" (Rotherham).It signifies transferring allegiance and is used of soldiers in the army who revoltor desert, and of people who change sides in politics or philosophy. Thus acertain Dionysius of Heracleia, who left the Stoics to become a member of therival philosophical school, the Epicureans, was called ho metathemenus, "aturncoat."

14Paul accuses the Galatians of being spiritual turncoats, turning from

the gospel of grace to another gospel.

The Identification of the False Teachers

Who were the proclaimers of this "other gospel" and what was their message?So much has been written on the identity of Paul's opponents at Galatia and

there is such a welter of opposing opinions and conflicting theories that exegesiscan easily become swamped. The consensus opinion during the patristic andReformation periods was that Paul's opponents were Jewish Christian Judaizers.

Beginning with F. C. Baur (1831), this consensus was challenged.15

Variousoptions that have been suggested include:

1. Some have argued that Paul's opponents should be understood aslibertines (see 5:13-16).

16But it is better to see the exhortation: "do not use your

freedom to indulge the sinful nature" as a corrective to a perversion of Paul'steaching regarding Christian freedom.

2. J. Munck contended that the opponents were some of Paul's own Gentile

converts who considered themselves insufficiently instructed by Paul and felt theneed to conform to the teaching of the Jerusalem church.17

Yet, the lettersuggests that the agitators came from outside.


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3. W. Schmithals has suggested that the Galatian heretics were Jewish

Christian gnostics.18

This option, however, has few followers since it is based onnumerous dubious assumptions.

4. Robert Jewett has articulated a view that identifies the Galatian agitators asa politically oriented group of nomistic Christians in Judea. The agitatorsemployed the tactic not of opposing Paul or his theology, but of offering acompletion to it (3:3) through the means of circumcision.

19But, as Fung and

Longenecker have shown, Jewett's hypothesis is less than satisfying.20

The traditional understanding of the Galatian heretics as Judaizers remainsthe most likely view.

21Their message challenged Paul's gospel of grace with

theirrigoristapproach toward Gentile believers. They attempted to imposecircumcision and the observance of the law as conditions necessary for salvationand complete status in the church. It was their insistence on including theseadditional teachings as essential aspects ofthe gospel message that caused Paulto denounce the agitators as perverters of the gospel.

The Gospel Message

Paul would not tolerate these wrongheaded additions to the gospel. For Paul,the gospel is the good news ofGod's gracious activity toward undeservingsinners. In grace God gave his Son to die for sinners. In grace, sinners are calledby God to himself. In grace, God justifies sinners who believe.

22For Paul, the

gospel message means nothing is due to human effort or merit. Salvation istotally "from God" (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18). To add human works to the gospel of gracewas for Paul anathema it was "really no gospel at all" (Gal. 1:7). Let theGalatians beware: yes, there are different messages, but Paul makes clear thesedifferent messages cannot be understood as alternative perspectives, but asperversions of the gospel.

Paul's warning was not only a word to the churches in Galatia, but remains aninspired word for us today. The messages of today's numerous cults, new agephilosophies, contemporary universalistic tendencies, and certain radical processand liberation theologies likewise are not, just alternative perspectives, but are

perversions of the gospel. The true gospel can be recognized by what it is (aword of grace) and where it comes from (God). The true gospel magnifies thefree grace of God.

Verse 10 suggests that not only did the false teachers oppose Paul's gospel, butalso accused him of courting human favor and being a compromiser. Paulresponded by affirming the integrity of his motivations. Was Paul merely apeople pleaser? His answer: "No! I want God's approval!" (TEV). Paul'sconsuming passion was to serve Christ.

Paul's Apostolic Call (1:11 -24)

In verses 6-10 Paul affirmed that there is only one gospel. In verses 11-24 theapostle shows the relationship between the origin of the gospel and his own call


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as an apostle. Was Paul's gospel message the product of his own creative

imagination? Was it borrowed from others? Paul answered these questionsspecifically in this section.

Apostolic Apologia

Against insinuations that his apostleship was derived and dependent, Paulmaintained that it came by direct call and election from God (1:1,15). Paulcontended that his life had been turned around in a divine encounter with JesusChrist (1:12). His gospel was not his own creation, and he was not dependent onthe Jerusalem leadership for his apostolic call or his apostolic message (1:16). Hisonly meeting in Jerusalem was private and it took place three years after he had

begun his ministry (1:18-20) .23

The Significance of the Genre

Paul explained what happened before his conversion/call (1:13-14), what tookplace at his conversion/call (l:15-16a), and the results of this revelatory event(l:16b-24). Recent interest in rhetorical criticism has raised questions about thegenre of Paul's apologetical approach.

24The "apolegetic genre" has been defined

by H.D. Betz as one that "presupposes the real orfictitioussituation of the courtof law, with jury, accuser, and defendant."

25In the case of Galatians, the

addressees are equated with the jury, with Paul identified as the defendant, andhis opponents the accusers. According to this theory the letter is a self-apology.Often this rhetorical strategy was employed without regard to the truthfulness ofthe message. This reason alone would cause us to doubt if Paul adopted his"apologetic" genre to argue his case. Additionally is the obvious question ofwhether the Galatians would have been likely to read Paul's letter as anapologetical letter in the technical sense.

26

Moreover, F. F. Bruce has asked "whether in the excitement and urgency ofthe crisis with which he was suddenly confronted Paul would have beenconsciously careful to construct his letter according to the canons of the rhetoricalschools."

27Particularly, is this the case in view of Betz's own acknowledgment

that Paul is one with other Christian writers in regarding the art of persuasion assomething negative and unfitting because of its identification with deception andslander (see 1 Cor. 2:l-5)?

28This seemingly would have undermined the integrity

of Paul's defense of his gospel and apostleship.

The platform for Paul's entire argument is his character as (1) an apostlecommissioned by Jesus Christ and God the Father (1:1), (2) a servant of Christ(1:10), (3) one who received from Christ the message he proclaimed (1:11-12), and(4) one who was set apart and called by God from birth to his ministry (1:13-24).On this basis his addressees are to believe him. It is because of his faithfulness tothe gospel amidstfluctuatingapproval and deviation on the part of other

Christian leaders that the Galatians are to have confidence in him.29


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Theological Significance

Few issues are more pertinent in theological circles these days than thequestion of authority. How do we know what is true? Who has the authority todecide the answer to such questions? This was a major concern for Paul inGalatians because his apostolic authority had been questioned.

As noted above Paul claimed that his gospel came through a "revelation fromJesus Christ" (Gal. 1:12). He traced this encounter back even further to whenGod had set him "apart from birth" (1:15). So we see that Paul's claims weregrounded in revelation.

What was to prevent anyone from making a similar claim? Here was where

Paul made his second point. He appealed to the dramatic change in his life. Theone who formerly persecuted the church now preached the faith he onceattempted to destroy (1:23). What could have brought about this change otherthan the transforming grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ? Paul willinglysubmitted his claims to be tested. His apostolic call and his apostolic messagewere grounded in his revelation from Christ and in the power of his transformedlife. Similarly, theological and spiritual claims must today be submitted to thesetwo tests. But not only these two; for Paul also claimed that his apostleship wasconfirmed by the other apostles (2:l-10).

3(iIt is to this final issue that we

now turn.

Paul's Apostleship Confirmed (2:1-10)

One of the ways in which the false teachers of Paul's day attempted tochallenge his authority was to suggest that his gospel differed from that of Peterand the other apostles. They then raised the question of whose gospel to believeifboth are of divine origin. One of the apparent arguments of the Judaizersfocused on this issue. Paul should not be believed, they claimed, for he was aminority of one when compared to the other apostles. Their aim was not"robbing Peter to pay Paul," but "exalting Peter to spite Paul."

31Paul's argument

in chapter two was to show that his message was in harmony with the other

apostles, even though independent of the other apostles (1:15-20).

The Jerusalem Visit

Paul explained that he went up to Jerusalem in accordance with a revelationfrom God (2:2).

32Paul's point was that the visit was not of his own initiative, but

ofGod's. The purpose was to make known his story to the Jerusalem church.Paul did not waiver on his understanding of the gospel; he just stated that it

came by divine revelation. He was concerned that his ministry might behampered and churches established among the Gentiles might be threatened by

the Judaizing influences. Paul wanted the Jerusalem leadership to confirm hisposition in public view of the Judaizing detractors.


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Titus: A Test Case

Paul saw the issue clearly. The issue was not just a question of circumcision oruncircumcision, ofJewish or Gentile customs. The truth of the gospel was atstake; the church had to choose between Christian freedom or legalistic bondage.Titus was introduced as a test case. He was an uncircumcised Gentile, but also abeliever in the gospel, and thus accepted by God in Jesus Christ. Nothing elsewas needed for Titus to receive salvation or membership in the Christiancommunity.

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Paul stood firm. The Jerusalem apostles did not challenge Paul, but agreedwith him (2:5). If the Jerusalem leaders would have countered Paul at this point,the Judaizers' message would have been confirmed and the doom andenslavement of Christianity assured. The tension of the moment may have beeneased, but the future of Christianity would have been jeopardized. At stake wasnot a questionable matter (the so called adiaphora) to be decided by not offendingthe weaker party (see Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8-10). The issue was theological andconcerned the nature of the gospel. Knowing the difference between these tworequires great discernment. The church throughout history has often confusedthese matters standing firm when it should yield and yielding when it shouldstand firm.

Paul's Mission and Message Validated

Though there were differences between Paul and the Jerusalem apostles as tothe focus of their mission, they were in unity regarding the essentials of thegospel. The Jerusalem apostles accepted the validity of his Gentile mission.

34

They recognized that the mission of Paul and Barnabas paralleled their own.While affirming the Gentile mission, the apostles asked only that the needs of theJerusalem Christians be kept in mind by those involved in outreach to theGentiles.

33

What is seen is that, though there was opposition to Paul's apostleship and hismessage at both Galatia and Jerusalem, the Jerusalem apostles confirmed that

Paul's calling and ministry came about by the revelation ofGod.36

Thus thetheological validity of Paul's authority and message was not only recognized, butconfirmed.

37

Paul and Peter at Antiooh (2:11 -14)

The details of this episode are lacking. We could wish for an account of thismatter by Peter and Barnabas as well. There is much we do not know orunderstand. Many question why Paul's rebuke of Peter was public and notprivate. What is clear is that Paul again emphasized that the issue wastheological and not cultural. Thus Paul dealt with the issue not as an incidentaldifference between believers, but as a direct challenge to the truth of the gospel.38

Paul may have handled the matter incorrectly. Peter, however, was certainly


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wrong in his actions and Paulrightin his defense of the gospel. The correlation

of the two accounts in 2:1-5 and 2:11-14 lead to one conclusion: Paul withstoodthe false teachers at Jerusalem and Peter should have done the same at Antioch.39

Paul's point was that his readers must likewise confront the Judaizers in Galatia

and contemporary believers must confront the real challenges to the gospel in

our day as well.

]G. G. Findlay, "Galatians" in The Expositor's Bible (New York: Hodder and Stoughton,

n.d.), p. 3.2Martin Luther, Luthers Werke (1538 edition; Weimar: Bohlaus, 1914) 40:2.3Ibid.4See Richard N. Longenecker, Galatians Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word,

1990), p. xliii.This affirmation is reflected in the writings ofthe Apostolic Fathers, the earliest canons

of scripture, the Apologists, the teachers ofthe Alexandrian and Antiochene schools. SeeJ. B. Lightfoot, The Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians (1890; Grand Rapids: Zondervan,reprint 1971), pp. 55-62.

*W. G. Kmmel, Introduction to the Neiv Testament (Nashville: Abingdon, 1975), 304.7Cf. Longenecker, Galatians, lix-lxi.

8Cf. W. M. Ramsay, The Church in the Roman Empire before A.D. 170 (London: Hodder

and Stoughton, 1893); idem., St. Paul the Travellei' (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1920).The best defense ofthe North Galatian theory can be found in J. B. Lightfoot, Galatians,

pp. 18-35. Also see Willi Marxsen, Introduction to the Neiv Testament, trans. G. Buswell(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1968), pp. 45-47.

'The major proponent ofthe South Galatian theory is F. F. Bruce, "Galatian Problems,"Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 51 (1968-69), pp. 292-309; 52 (1969-70), pp. 243-66; 3(1970-71), pp. 253-71; idem., Commentaiy on Galatians, The New International GreekTestament Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982), pp. 3-18. For a detailed and

balanced evaluation, see Longenecker, Galatians, pp. lxi-lxxxviii. Also see Thomas Urrey,"An Introduction to Galatians," Southivestern Journal of Theology 15 (1972), pp. 3-18.

"See D. A. Carson, Douglas J. Moo, and Leon Morris, An Introduction to the NeivTestament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992), 293-94. Also cf. George Ogg, The Chronology

of the Life of Paul(London: Epworth, 1968), 200; J. A. T. Robinson, Redatingthe NeivTestament(Philadelphia: Westminster, 1976), p. 55. H. D. Betz, Galatians, Hermeneia(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979), p. 12, opts for a north Galatian setting, nevertheless

suggests that Galatians is an earlyrather than late document. Note also the helpful andcorrective comments on the situation in Galatia byW. D. Davies, Jewish andPauline Studies(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984), pp. 172-74.

12John R. W. Stott, The Message ofGalatians, The Bible Speaks Today(Downers Grove:

InterVarsity, 1968), p. 12.13R. Y. K. Fung, The Epistle to the GalatiansNewInternational Commentary(Grand

Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988), p. 43.l4See C. Maurer, "melathemenos" TheologicalDictionaiyofthe NeivTestament, VIII.161.

13See F. C. Baur, "Die Chrisuspartei in der Korinthischen Gemeinde," Tbinger

Zeitschrift fr Theologie (1831) 61-206."See J. H. Ropes, The Singular Problem ofthe Epistle to the Galatians, Harvard Theological

Studies, 14 (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard, 1929), pp. 27,44-45.l7See J. Munck, Paul and the Salvation of Mankind(Richmond: John Knox, 1959), pp. 87-

134.


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'"See W. Schmithals, Paulandthe Gnostics(Nashville: Abingdon, 1972), pp. 13-46.w

See R. Jewett, "The Agitators and the Galatian Congregation," NeivTestamentStudies17 (1970-71), 206-11.aSee the critiques by Fung, Galatians, pp. 5-7 and Longenecker, Galatians, pp. xcv-xcvi.

2IE. P. Sanders comments that "they were 'right wing' Jewish Christians" who

emphasized such passages as Gen. 17:9-14 (see Paul, the Law andthejeivish People[Philadelphia: Fortress, 1985], p. 18).

-Much of the recent discussion around the message of Galatians has focused on themeaning of salvation and membership among the people of God. E. P. Sanders hasadvanced his understanding of "covenantal nomism" (PaulandPalestinian Judaism[Philadelphia: Fortress, 1977]). See the correctives offered by Frank Thielman, From Plightto Solution (Leiden: Brill, 1989) and MarkSeifrid. Justification byFaith: The OriginalDevelopment ofa Central Pauline Theme (Leiden: Brill, 1992).

^See the discussion of "apostolic apologia" in Luke T. Johnson, The Writingsofthe NeivTestament(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986), pp. 306-07.

24Most notably is H. D. Betz. See Galatians, pp. 14-25; Cf. G. Howard, Paul: Crisis in

Galatia, Societyfor New Testament Studies Monograph Series, 35 Cambridge: UniversityPress, 1979), pp. 48-50.

^Betz, Galatians, p. 24.2ft

See especiallyJames D.G. Dunn's critique ofBetz's discussion of Galatians 1:12-2:14(Dunn, "The Relationship between Paul and Jerusalem according to Galatians 1 and 2,"NeivTestamentStudies28(1981-82], pp. 461-78).

27Bruce, Galatians, p. 58.

^See Fung, Galatians, p. 31.

* am following Longenecker, Galatians, pp. c-cxix, esp. cxv.^See the helpful discussion by Wayne E. Ward, "Theology in the Book of Galatians,"Southwestern JournalofTheology15 (1972), 19-34.

3,See Stott, Galatians, 40.

32The visit is described as taking place "fourteen years later" (2:1). It is debated

whether the "fourteen years" should be dated from the time ofPaul's conversion (1:15,16)or from the time of hisfirstvisit to Jerusalem (1:18), which came three years after hisconversion. Advocates of the first viewtend to identify this incident with the famine visit(Acts 11:30) and maintain that the apostle would not in this context leave out any of hisvisits to Jerusalem. Those who adopt the second viewclaim that Paul did not intend tolist all of his visits to Jerusalem, but only those of importance for his argument. Thesecond viewequates this visit with the Jerusalem council of Acts 15.

Those who adopt the first viewusually accept an early date for the writing of Galatiansand the south Galatians as recipients of the letter. The second viewnormally identifiesGalatians with a later date written for those in Northern Galatia. See Bruce, Galatians, 3-18; Donald Guthrie NeivTestamentintroduction (Downers Gover: InterVarsity, 1990), pp.472-83.

The matter is important for establishing a chronology of Paul's life, but of much lesssignificance for the interpretation of the message ofGalatians. For a viewthat questionsthe reliability of the Acts/Galatians chronology, see R. Jewett, A ChronologyofPaul'sLife(Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979). For a defense of the reliability of the Acts/Galatianschronology, see C. J. Hemer, "Acts and Galatians Reconsidered," ThemeliosNewSeries 2(1976-77), 81-88; idem. "Observations on Pauline Chronology" in Pauline Studies, ed. D. A.

Hagner and M. J. Harris (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1980), pp. 3-18.vSee D. W. B. Robinson, "The Circumcision of Titus, and Paul's 'Liberty'," AustralianBiblicalRevieiv12 (1964), 24-42.


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^. . Ridderbos, The Epistle ofPaulto the Churches ofGalatia, New International

Commentary(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1953), pp. 89-90.VR. Y. K. Fung, "A Note on Galatians 2:3-8," Journalof the EvangelicalTheologicalSociety

25 (1982), pp. 49-52.*R. Y. K. Fung, "Revelation and Tradition: the Origin of Paul's Gospel," Evangelical

Quarterly 57 (1985), 24-41.37See F. F. Bruce, "Paul and Jerusalem," Tyndale Bulletin 19 (1968), 3-25.

*J. D. G. Dunn, "The Incident at Antioch (Gal. 2:11-18), " Journalfor the Study ofthe NeivTestament18 (1983), 7-11; idem.. Unity andDiversity in the Neiv Testament(Philadelphia:

Westminster, 1977), 253-54.**See Longenecker, Galatians, pp. 71-80.


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paul's defence of his apostleship - gal 1 - 2

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