Galatians

Galatians is a Pauline epistle that was written to guard against the heresy of legalism touted by the Judaizers. Paul founded churches on his first missionary journey in that region and wrote this letter about 49 A.D. to them (this may have been the first NT book written). It is one of thirteen Pauline epistles, and one of two that do not have a prayer/thanksgiving section (Paul was very upset from the start of this letter). The major theme of the letter is justification by faith alone and that there is no need to be circumcised or to live according to Jewish law to become a Christian. The letter can be organized into two major sections excluding the opening and closing: rebuke section in 1:6-4:11; request section in 4:12-6:10.

After a brief introduction, Paul immediately rebuked the Galatians for turning to a different gospel than what he preached to them (1:6-9). Paul had to defend his apostleship since these false teachers were accusing him of not being a legitimate apostle. Paul showed he did not receive the gospel from man, not even the other apostles (1:11-12,16-19). Some false brothers infiltrated the church and spied on the freedom the church had in Christ and tried to make them slaves to the law (2:4-5). But Paul did not allow Titus to be circumcised, though he was a Greek (2:3).

Paul was given the right hand of fellowship by the other church leaders, and they recognized God called him to minister to the Gentiles (2:7-9). Paul rebuked Peter in front of the church when he gave in to the circumcision group and stopped acting in line with the gospel (2:12-14). Paul declared that a man is justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law (2:15-21). We have a unique union with Christ now. In chapter 3, Paul uses Abraham as an example of faith in the promise of God (3:6; Genesis 15:6). God told Abraham all nations would be blessed through him (3:8; Genesis 12:3). The righteous will live by faith (3:11; Habakkuk 2:4).