Paul wrote to the churches in southern galatia after having a. In every line it betrays its origin as a genuine letter of paul. Introduction to galatians background to pauls letter. Historical background for the book of galatians author the very first word of the epistle start by mentioning the name of the author, paul. The main purpose of the book is to put an end to the false teachings of the judaizers. The internal and external evidence for pauls authorship is conclusive. Galatians is likely the first new testament book to be written, composed sometime soon after ad 49. In fact, to emphasize the seriousness of his purpose, he took the pen from his scribe and wrote the end of the letter himself in large letters galatians 6. Book summary this book shows how we are saved by faith alone.
Introduction to galatians background to pauls letter to. For i neither received it of man, neither was i taught it, but by the revelation of jesus christ. Galatians is a key teaching on christian freedom which separated christianity from the laws and customs of judaism. The name comes from the greek for gaul which was repeated by latin writers as galli. When we look back in history, we note that celtic people had settled in the central part of the territory now known as france introduction at least by the sixth or seventh century b. The galatians felt pressured to seek salvation from the law of moses, even though they had already accepted the grace of christ. Many have characterized the letter as a short romans.
The key personalities of this book are the apostle paul, peter, barnabas, abraham, titus, and false teachers. In regard to being under the law, paul clearly includes gentiles as being under the law in some sense. It is interesting to note and observe that while the new testament often refers to the church, it does not speak of going to church. Galatia was a region in northcentral anatolia modernday turkey settled by the celtic gauls c. While of equivalent length and date of origin, there cannot be two more dissimilar books of the bible, however. I neither received it from man, nor was i taught it, but it came to me by revelation of jesus christ galatians 1. The book of galatians is a pauline epistle letter from paul. Galatians and romans context and purpose page 5 jewish believers, rather than the readers. He calls us to not only learn more about god intellectually by to put that knowledge into practice. The personal and cultural implications of galatians by.
Yes, we want to know how god sees the world, but beyond that, we want to then live according to that new knowledge. In the final sections, paul urges the galatians to walk by the spirit, bear each others burdens, and do good to everyone. Background of galatians in the course of about thirty years between his conversion outside damascus and his imprisonment in rome, the apostle paul traveled widely through the empire as an ambassador of jesus. The recipients of pauls letter to the galatia remain, geographically speaking, elusive. Galatians, it is maintained, was written between a. A map of philippi and surrounding regions the city of philippi and the origin of the church there the city of philippi, as one can see from the map, is located in north eastern greece macedonia. 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. Some have suggested the epistle is specifically addressed to jewish christians who want to. Book of galatians overview insight for living ministries.
Galatians is central to christian theology and to christian conceptualizations of judaism. Galatians introduction commentary commentary critical. 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. We have presented this subject in the style of an indepth bible study, which we think students of the bible will find very interesting and. Defection by galatian christians from the gospel back to the old law. Constable historical background galatians has been the least disputed of any of pauls epistles. Putting into context the christian concepts of paul. Pauls purpose in writing to these churches was to confirm them in the faith. Jesus alone fulfills the laws of torah and justifies believers. He warns them not to accept circumcision but to use their freedom in christ to love one another galatians 3. Introduction to galatians background to pauls letter to the.
In subsequent christian history a sense of the sacredness of nt scripture. It contains in substance what the apostle taught and which he had received by divine revelation gal 1. The celts were offered the region by the king of neighboring bithynia, nicomedes i r. Although his stay among them was brought about or affected by a weakness of the flesh 4.
On his three famous missionary journeys he preached the gospel and planted churches in the provinces of galatia. After paul left galatia, christians of jewish origin 6. The most uncontroverted matter in the study of galatians is that the letter was written by paul, the christian apostle whose ministry is portrayed in the acts of the apostles. Watch our overview video on the book of galatians, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. While we know that the region of galatia was located in northcentral asia minor, its expansiveness and pauls lack of specificity means we cannot identity precisely where within galatia his letter was sent. In 278277 bc a people known as the gauls left their home in southern europe and settled in northern asia minor. The galatians are probably believers in the churches of the southern region of the roman province of galatia. Title galatians derives its title pros galatas from the region in asia minor modern turkey where the churches addressed were located. The epistle to the galatians is one of pauls greatest and most important letters. Epistle to galatians encyclopedia of the bible bible. The city was already ancient by the time paul arrived there around 49 ce acts 16. The book of galatians shows that justification is by jesus. The epistle to the galatians has exerted enormous influence on the history of christianity. In fact, its beginnings go back to the fourth century bce when it was occupied by the thracians.
Galatians has always been among those pauline epistles least challenged on the issue of authorship. This quite possibly could have been pauls first letter. The book of galatians reminds the church to embrace and follow the gospel message of the crucified messiah. Paul aggressively combats the notion that nonjews who turn from idols to the worship of israels god as the one god of all humankind should or even may undertake to become proselyte jews. Nine of these book are letters to local churches like the ones in galatia. Historical context for galatians by paul the core curriculum.
The superscription, and allusions to the apostle of the gentiles in the first person, throughout the epistle, establish the same truth galatians 1. Paul is concerned that the galatians will be as bad off as pagans if they return to the jewish law. Background and history with commentary on the book of galatians. The cross is complete, nothing can be added to it, to think you can add something to the cross is to insult the spirit of grace because grace means underserved favor. The requirement for nonjewish christians to become torah observers and be circumcised or eat kosher misses the point. Galatians exhibits paul at his angriest, as he risked the good favor of the converts in those churches to make sure they were on the path of truth and not led off into deception. Indeed, romans may well be an expansion of galatians. In their origin they were a part of the great migration. Interesting facts about galatians barnes bible charts author. Intro to galatians biblica the international bible society.
Introduction, background, and outline to philippians. In this lesson we look at some of the circumstances behind pauls letter to the galatians. It is the only one of pauls epistles specifically addres. The galatian region had been a roman province since 189 b. Externally and internally the evidence has been overwhelming in critical scholarship in favor of pauline authorship of this letter. The epistle to the galatians is my own little epistle.
Pauls letter to the galatianshow to understand it 1 introduction our focus in this booklet is on pauls letter to the galatians, which is perhaps one of the most misunderstood writings in the bible. Author the apostle paul date the letter to the ephesians was written during pauls roman imprisonment between 60 and 62 ad audience paul wrote to the network of house churches in western asia minor, in and near ephesus. Pdf historical background for the book of galatians. Ephesians chapters wonderfully expound the gospel while ephesians chapters 46 provide a clear picture of how those doctrines change our lives.
The epistle to the galatians, often shortened to galatians, is the ninth book of the new. Galatians is often referred to as luthers book, because martin luther relied so strongly on this letter in all his preaching, teaching and writing against the. The book of ephesians clearly leaves its mark among other bible books by displaying the powerful impact of the gospel of christ jesus in the individual and corporate life of believers. Paul passionately defends the gospel of grace, fervently declaring that it is only by faith in god that can save. Picture study bible galatians bible history online. The epistle of james was likely written at approximately the same time as pauls letter to the galatians. Because of its teaching of salvation by gods grace, the letter to the galatians was the cornerstone of the protestant reformation. The historical context of pauls letters to the galatians. Galatians intro to galatians biblica the international bible society. The apostle paul counteracted false teachings about the law, identified abrahams offspring, and contrasted the works of the flesh with the fruitage of gods spirit. Paul doesnt really in the book of acts ever specifically establish churches in what we would call the north galatian area, but in 18. Pauls letter to galatians is an ancient letter, written mid first century ad, which makes it almost 2000 years old. A commentary on the epistle to the galatians the gospel versus religion james a. Pdf historical background for the book of galatians samuel.