September 25, 2022
INTRODUCTION TO GALATIANS
It is not surprising that this explosive epistle became Luther’s best-loved book of the Bible. He spoke of it as “my own epistle to which I have plighted my troth. To it I am wedded. It is my Katherine, my Katie von bora.” It has been called “the battle-cry of the Reformation,” “the great charter of religious freedom,” and “the Christian Declaration of Independence.” Paul’s passionate defense of the true Gospel against its corrupters and detractors was most relevant to the situation in Luther’s day. The Gospel of justification by faith apart from the works of the law and the traditions of men can, in the words of the great Reformer, “never be taught, urged, and repeated enough.”
As the Galatian Epistle was relevant to the situation of Luther’s day, so has it been to the conditions of every generation. Religious men are ever want to add various kinds of works, ceremonies, and rituals to the Gospel of grace, thus creating “another gospel, which is not another.” While the Roman Catholic Church holds too many forms and rituals similar to those found in the ceremonial Law, along with many others of their own inventions, they are certainly not the lone corruptors of the Gospel of Christ. They must share the anathema with countless other false religionists.
At the other end of the spectrum is another danger which must be avoided. On the one hand, religious teachers seek to bring us back into bondage making salvation to be a matter of grace plus the works of the Law. On the other hand, some will insist that the liberty of which Paul speaks in this book makes us free from any obligation to the Law, regardless if it be ceremonial or moral. While the Apostle denounces all legalism, he most certainly does not promote antinomianism. While it is true that by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified (Rom. 3:20, 28), it is also true that genuine saving faith is made manifest in the works of the Law. (James 2:14-26)
It is therefore vitally important that we carefully study and understand the Apostle’s warnings and teachings (his warnings are also teachings) in this book. We must not tolerate any additions to the pure Gospel of the grace of God. But neither can we allow any subtraction from it that would lead to antinomianism. By a proper understanding of this book, we can avoid both of these pitfalls.
THE PERSONS TO WHOM THIS EPISTLE IS ADDRESSED
Galatia, or Gallo-Graecia, is a large district in Asia Minor situated between Bithynia and Cappadocia. It was a Roman province made up of descendants of three tribes of Gauls who immigrated soon after the death of Alexander the Great about 300 B.C. and secured a settlement in the Asiatic regions. During the reign of Augustus, Galatia was converted into a Roman province. In the course of time, they intermingled with the Greek inhabitants, and thus got the name Gallo-Graecia. Like the other inhabitants of Asia Minor, they generally spoke the Greek language. They were generally idolaters, worshipping the Grecian gods, though it is likely that the traditional superstitions of the original settlers were also mixed in. Also, in this region, as it was throughout Asia Minor, there were many Jews, and a large number of proselytes to Judaism.
Such was the state of Galatia when the Apostle Paul appeared in it, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to its inhabitants. It was through the instrumentality of Paul that Christianity was introduced in this province, and a number of Christian churches founded. (Ch. 4:13-19) It is certain that Paul was at least twice in Galatia. (Acts 16:6; 18:23) It may be, as some suppose, that his initial evangelizing of Galatia occurred soon after his first visit to Jerusalem, (Acts 9:26; Gal. 1:18) when he went to his native country Cilicia, which was not far from Galatia. He spent a number of years in this region before Barnabas came and brought him to Antioch. Others believe that the churches of Galatia were planted by Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, after they had been set apart and sent out to preach the gospel among the Gentiles. (Acts 13:1-3) Although Galatia is not specifically mentioned in the record of that missionary tour, it is recorded that they preached the Gospel “in the regions that lie round about Laconia,” (Acts 16:6) and clearly that description may include Galatia. In the book of Acts we read of the Apostle being in Galatia on two occasions, (Acts 16:6; 18:23) but it is plain that on both occasions he found churches already established. At whatever period he first came to the Galatians, his labors were remarkably successful. Though he apparently came to them in much suffering, they received him as an angel of God, and with affection most remarkable. (Gal. 4:15)
THE OCCASION OF THE EPISTLE
It appears that not very long after their conversion to Christianity, the Galatian churches were visited by some false teachers who professed to be Christians, but who insisted that, even Gentile converts must submit to the rite of circumcision and observe the Mosaic rituals in order to be saved. As this doctrine was in direct opposition to the Gospel which they had heard of Paul, these false teachers did everything in their power to shake their attachment to their spiritual father, intimating that he was no true apostle, but merely a preacher sent out by the churches at Jerusalem or Antioch. They said that he was not consistent in his teaching respecting circumcision and the Law of Moses.
These unprincipled assertions seem to have been attended with all too much success. In order to stop the progress of this defection, and to bring back the simplicity of the faith of Christ, the Apostle wrote this epistle.
THE SUBJECT OF THE EPISTLE
The subject of this epistle is materially the same as the Roman epistle. He presses home the ground of a sinner’s acceptance with God. He establishes the divine method of justification. But though the substance of the two epistles is essentially the same, the circumstances with which the Apostle had to deal were different. In the Galatian epistle, he dealt not with Jews rejecting Christianity, but with Jews professing to embrace it. They did not reject Jesus as Messiah; they insisted that there must be the observance of the Law of Moses. In opposition to this, the Apostle taught that the Mosaic institution in all its extent never was capable of justifying any person, nor was it ever intended for that purpose. The whole ceremonial system was now entirely done away. To go back to it was not only lost labor, but was a renunciation of the grand truth of Christianity, which is that men are restored to divine favor entirely on the ground of Christ’s merits, and entirely by means of faith in Him.
THE INSCRIPTION OF THE EPISTLE (CH. 1:1-5)
A. THE AUTHOR. (VERSE 1)
1. His name: It is likely that the Apostle, from his infancy, had two names: “Saul,” a Jewish, and “Paul” a Roman name. Paul seems to have used his Roman name exclusively after his solemn separation to the ministry of the Gentiles. His object might have been to show that he had freed himself of all Jewish prejudices, and to gain for himself that respect which Gentiles were more apt to show to one whose name implied that he was a Roman citizen.
2. His office: Paul described himself as “an apostle.” The term precisely means messenger, however, in the New Testament it is ordinarily employed as the appropriate appellation of the highest order of Christian ministry. One distinguishing mark of this high office was a direct call and commission from Jesus Christ. He was ‘an apostle not of men (as to the source of the call) neither by man” (as an intermediate agent). The apostolic office was not an ordinance of man, neither was it bestowed through any human mediator. He was, in opposition to being an apostle of men or by man, an Apostle by Jesus Christ (the Messiah, Who is God manifest in the flesh) and God the Father Who raised Him from the dead. Note the contrast: He was not an Apostle of man but of God; he was not an Apostle by man, but by Jesus Christ. God the Father is the fountain of all grace, and Jesus Christ Whom He raised from the dead is the Mediator of all grace.
3. His associates: He includes with himself “the brethren which are with me.” (Verse 2) by ‘the brethren” he most likely means the evangelists who accompanied him. Sosthenes, Apollos, Timothy, Titus, Silvanus, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Onesimus. (Comp. Phil 4:21)
B. THE PERSONS ADDRESSED. (VERSE 2b)
1. Paul addressed this epistle to “the churches of Galatia.” The letter was to be shared by all of the churches of that region.
2. The New Testament recognizes local independent churches. No hierarchal system is found there. Thus, as Baptist we speak not of “the Baptist church” like some other denominations. We speak of Baptist churches, each of which is an autonomous body.
C. THE GREETING. (VERSES 3-5)
1. A prayer (Verse 3): “Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is the same as saying, “May you be the objects of the kind favor of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ; and may you receive from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ all that is necessary for your happiness both here and hereafter.”
2. A statement (Verse 4): Having mentioned the Lord Jesus Christ in the benediction, the Apostle was led to state one of the most important truths of the Gospel, “Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Christ voluntarily by His sufferings and death made atonement for our sins – He offered Himself a sacrifice for our sins. (I Tim. 2:6; Tit. 2:14; Eph. 5:2) He here states the doctrine that is the very cornerstone of the Gospel. Christ voluntarily gave Himself to die for our sins, that He might deliver us, and separate us from among the great body of mankind, who are bound in ignorance, vice, and wickedness, and make us His peculiar people. (Tit. 2:14) this Christ did “according to the will of God and our Father.” “God and our Father” does not suggest two different persons, but the meaning is “our God and Father.” God is the God of believers. He treats them as His people. Christ’s death for us, i.e. in our place, was according to the eternal purpose and decree of God the Father. He chose us in Christ, and by Him gives us all spiritual blessing. (See Eph. 1:3-7)
3. A doxology (Verse 5): This concise but complete account of the Christian salvation is concluded by an ascription of praise to its gracious Author. “To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” This glorious salvation is all of God; it is His work from beginning to end. TO HIM BE ALL THE GLORY!!
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