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NEW
TESTAMENT
SURVEY 
STUDY 11 - THE EPISTLE TO THE
GALATIANS
For this study see: M.C.Tenney, pp.267-275; R.H.Gundry, pp.341-351.
Further reading: D.A.Carson, et al., An
Introduction to the New
Testament, pp.289-303.
1. AUTHORSHIP AND DESTINATION
A Pauline epistle
Together with Romans and 1 Corinthians, Galatians is recognised as one
of Paul's main epistles. Like Romans it deals with the doctrine
of justification by faith. It is a manifesto of Christian
liberty. It compares with James. M.C.Tenney adds:
"The second piece of writing that emerged from the general controversy
over keeping the law was Paul's epistle to the Galatians. As
James was written from the standpoint of a strict Jew who worked to
avoid all semblance of looseness and license in the use of ethical
freedom, 'the perfect law of liberty' (Jam.1:25), so Galatians was
written by a champion of freedom who saw that neither Gentile nor Jews
could be delivered from their sins by self-effort in keeping a set of
ethical principles. Galatians accordingly has been called 'the
Magna Charta of spiritual emancipation' because it declared that
'Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse
for us... that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith' (Gal.3:13-14)". [1]
Martin Luther recognised the significance and greatness of this epistle.
'To the churches in Galatia'
(1:2)
Study what M.C.Tenney says here:
"Galatia is the name given originally to the territory in north-central
Asia Minor where the invading Gauls settled in the third century before
Christ and maintained an independent kingdom for many years.
Gradually the Gallic population was absorbed into the other peoples
living there, and after a number of political changes the territory
became the property of Rome in 25 B.C. The Romans incorporated
this northern section into a larger division of land that they made a
province and called by the name of Galatia. Galatia, then, under
Roman rule, could mean Galatia proper, which the Gauls had founded, or
it could be applied to the whole province, which included the southern
cities of Antioch, Iconium, Derbe, and Lystra". [2]
But to whom is the apostle referring when he writes 'Galatia' (Gal.1:2)
and 'Galatians' (3:1)? Reference must be made to Paul's missionary
journeys in the Acts, and to the mention of 'the region of Phrygia and
Galatia' (16:6), and to 'the region of Galatia and Phrygia' (18:23).
Two views are held, the so-called North Galatian theory and the South
Galatian theory. The South Galatian theory is the more popular
theory today - but the issue is still debated. It is of interest
to historians who are interested in the spread of Christianity in the
first century. Consider:
The two theories
-
The North Galatian theory, championed by J.B.Lightfoot,
interprets the region to indicate the Celtic peoples in the north.
[3]
-
The South Galatian theory, represented by Sir William
M.Ramsay, views
Paul ministering in the southern part of the province, namely to the
cities of Antioch, Iconium, Derbe and Lystra. (This theory did
not
rule out Paul possibly travelling northwards, for the language of Acts
16:2,4 and 6 show that he covered the area around Derbe and Lystra, and
that he then went along the Phrygio-Galatic border to Mysia and
Bithynia, and then turned westwards towards Troas.) [4]
2. DATE AND PLACE OF WRITING
Date of writing
Dating relates to the above theories. The South Galatian theory accepts
an early date of A.D. 48. The fact that the Council of Jerusalem
(Acts 15:1-21) is not mentioned, which dealt with the question of
salvation and the observance of the law, supports the earlier date. The
North Galatian theory dates the epistle after Acts 18:93, that is,
during Paul's third missionary journey, between A.D. 53 and 55.
Place of writing
The South Galatian theory would see Paul writing from Antioch, just
before attending the Council at Jerusalem in A.D. 49/50 (general dating
- Tenny advocates A.D. 48/49). The North Galatian theory makes either
Macedonia or Achaia the place of writing.
3. CONTENTS AND OUTLINE
"You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?" (3:1).
Paul reveals a deep concern for his converts - and anger with the
Judaisers who oppose the gospel.
The Judaisers
Judaisers were insisting on circumcision, the observation of holy days,
and the unalterable nature of the law. Salvation was gained by
keeping the law. Paul's gospel was condemned. The epistle does not name
the opposers of the gospel. Who were the Judaisers? Acts 15:1-5
records that certain Christians insisted that circumcision and keeping
the law of Moses was necessary for Gentile salvation. However, in
Galatians, they may have been Jews, Jewish Christians or gnostics. [5]
The contents of the epistle
M.C.Tenney writes:
"Galatians was not written as an essay in contemporary history.
It was a protest against corruption of the gospel of Christ. The
essential truth of justification by faith rather than by the works of
the law had been obscured by the Judaizers' insistence that believers
in Christ must keep the law if they expected to be perfect before
God. When Paul learned that this teaching had begun to penetrate
the Galatian churches and that it had alienated them from their
heritage of liberty, he wrote the impassioned remonstrance contain in
this epistle. [6]
An outline of the epistle
M.C.Tenney demonstrates that Galatians is symmetrical and logical in
structure.
-
Galatians: The Defence of
Christian Liberty
-
Introduction (1:1-9)
-
The biographical argument: an independent revelation
(1:10-2:21)
-
The theological argument: the failure of legalism
(3:1-4:31)
-
The practical argument: the end of legalism (5:1-6:10)
-
Conclusion (6:11-13. Written by Paul, these verses are
significant).
4. EVALUATION
M.C.Tenney is worth quoting at length here:
"If the early date for Galatians is correct, the book is the earliest
of Paul's extant writings. It summarizes the heart of 'the gospel
which (he preached) among the Gentiles' (2:2). In it he showed
that man's chief problem is obtaining a right standing with God.
Since he is incapable of establishing this himself because 'a man is
not justified by the works of the law' (2:16), it must be provided for
him by another. "Christ has given this standing, for he 'gave
himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil
world' (1:4). His provision is available to those who put their
full trust in him, for 'the promise by faith in Jesus Christ (is) given
to them that believe' (3:22). This standing is not simply a legal
fiction, applied only externally or ceremonially, but it becomes part
of the inner life through union with Christ. 'I have been
crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ
liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in
faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself up for me' (2:20). Salvation is thus not only the
application of a new life, but also its impartation. [7]
Paul's gospel
Galatians, then, represents Paul's gospel - the message he shared in
his Gentile mission. The doctrine of justification by faith apart from
the law is stressed (2:15). The role of the law is explained
(3:24). He defines a Christian as a new creation (6:15). The
believer's sonship is actualised by the Spirit (4:6f.). The
Western church is still working out the liberty of Gal.3:28 in terms of
class distinctions and sex discrimination. Christ is obviously
central to the apostle's life and message as his testimony reveals: "I
have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives
in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (2:20; cf., 1:7).
ENDNOTES
1. M.C.Tenney, p.267.
2. M.C.Tenney, pp.267ff.
3. See: J.B.Lightfoot, St.Paul 's Epistle to the Galatians,
London, Macmillan, 1890.
4. See: W.M.Ramsay, A Historical Commentary on St.Paul's
Epistle to the Galatians, London, Macmillan, 1899.
5. Some commentaries take, "Brothers, if someone is caught in
a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently" (Gal.6:1) to be
a sarcastic remark aimed at those who saw themselves as
super-spiritual, namely the 'spirituals' or pneumatics.
6. M.C.Tenney, pp.262 & 271.
7. M.C.Tenney, p.272f..
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