Galatians - Introduction

Author - The Apostle Paul

Place and Date - Written at Corinth, about A.D. 49-50.

Prominent Personalities - The Apostle Paul and Peter, with unnamed Judaising teachers.

Message - Justification by faith plus nothing, is defended, explained, and applied, and sanctification by the Holy Spirit, not the Mosaic Law, is proclaimed.  Also, exhortation to guard against doctrinal error is given!

To Whom - The Galatian Churches.

"At the time of the writing of this letter the term 'Galatia' was used both in a geographical and in a political sense.  The former referred to the north-central Asia Minor, north of the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe; the latter referred to the Roman province (organized in 25 B.C.) that included southern districts and those cities just mentioned." (Ryrie)

"Some have held that these churches were situated in that section of Asia Minor designated on the map as Galatia, in which are situated the cities of Pessinus, Ancyra, and Tavium.  This is known as the North Galatian theory.  Others hold that these churches were located in the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Lystra, and Derbe.   This is the South Galatian theory.  The first theory had a clear field until Sir William M. Ramsay, a traveler in Asia Minor and a student of the Book of Acts, demonstrated that the Roman province of Galatia included at the time of the founding of the Galatian churches, not only the territory of Galatia, but also the country immediately to the south of it in which were situated the cities of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe." (Wuest)

"Dr. Thiessen asks some significant questions, the obvious answers to which point to the opinion that, as he says, the Galatian letter was written primarily to the churches of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe.  First, is it likely since Paul always used the provincial names of districts, that he would speak of Galatia in any other sense?  Second, would it not be strange for Luke to tell us so much about the founding of churches in South Galatia (Act 13:14-14:23), and for Paul to say nothing about them?  Third, does it not seem strange, on the other hand, to think that Paul would write so weighty a letter as the Epistle to the Galatians to churches whose founding is practically passed over in silence by Luke, as would be the case if the Galatian churches were located in North Galatia"  Fourth, would it not be strange also for the Judaizers of Palestine to pass by the most important cities of Iconium and Antioch in South Galatia, where there were a good many Jews, and no doubt, some Jewish Christians, and go to the remoter Galatian country to do their mischievous work? (Wuest)

"The religion of the Gentiles in the South Galatian cities was more oriental than Greek.  Its degraded type of sensuous worship could hardly satisfy the conscience even of a heathen community to which the influences of western civilization had come.  Greek philosophy and Roman morality created a nobler idea of human duty and divine government than could be reconciled with the popular religion.  Thus all the better feelings of educated men and women were stirred to revolt against the degraded superstition of the masses.  Into this conflict of religious ideas, the Jewish synagogue entered.  The Gentiles flocked to its higher and nobler conceptions.  However, while they gave adherence to the exalted ethics of the synagogue, yet they would have nothing to do with the sacrificial system which centered in the Jerusalem Temple.  To Paul's preaching, they gave a cordial welcome." (Wuest)

"The Epistle to the Galatians addresses a group of churches scattered over a rural district, with a population of rustics and 'county' folk.  The mass of the people lived on the land, and the towns were few and unimportant.  Antioch in Pisidia was merely a seat of government; Derbe a large village; Lystra-on-the-Hill won its place upon the map because of its garrison; and Iconium seems to have been little more than a police outpost.  In consideration of the mental outlook of his readers, Paul uses the simplest language and the homeliest illustrations he can find ..." (Robert Lee)

"His beloved converts were in such grave religious peril that he felt there was not a moment to spare.  His usual amanuensis not being at hand, he himself wrote it in haste, in spite of poor sight.  It reads as the composition of one moved by a great emotion ... There is an unusual tone of severity about this Epistle.  Paul begins without a word of praise or thanksgiving, which is most unusual for him ... He makes no request for prayer ... They were in a more serious condition than Corinth.  These were building wood, hay, and stubble on the one Foundation, but the Galatians were destroying the very Foundation itself.  It has been called not only Paul's 'Crucifixion Epistle,' but also 'Paul's Explosive Epistle,' and it has been also declared 'that every sentence is a thunderbolt.'" (Robert Lee)

"Men do not value this Epistle as they ought.  Luther thought highly of it: 'This was the pebble from the brook with which like another David, he went forth to meet the papal giant, and smite him in the forehead.'  He wrote a helpful commentary on it.  A copy of this came into John Bunyan's possession and just met his need.  Concerning it he wrote: 'I do prefer this book (except the Holy Bible) before all the books that ever I have seen, as most fit for a wounded conscience.'" (Robert Lee)