Gal 1-2 | TNotes | STEP | Book of Galatians — Quick facts: Purpose: To persuade the Gentile Christians in Galatia—against opposition from certain Jewish Christians—that it is unnecessary to be circumcised and to adopt other practices from Jewish law in order to be part of God’s people Author: Paul Date: Likely AD 48 or 49, just prior to the Jerusalem council Setting: Written after a group of Jewish Christians had infiltrated the Galatian church communities, teaching on the necessity of practicing circumcision Book of Galatians — Overview: Setting When Paul and Barnabas set out from Antioch of Syria on their first missionary journey, they headed across the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea through Cyprus, across the Taurus Mountains of Pamphylia, and into the south of the Roman province of Galatia. There Paul and Barnabas established churches in Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13:13–14:28 ). Many believed the Good News, but the message also aroused opposition and persecution. Paul and Barnabas then returned to Antioch of Syria, reporting on what God had accomplished “and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too” (Acts 14:27 ). From the results of Paul’s ministry in Galatia and from Peter’s experience with Cornelius and his household in Caesarea (see Acts 10:1-48 ), it became clear that salvation was available to Gentiles as well as Jews on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. Gentiles did not have to become Jews in order to become full members of God’s family. They had only to put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. Even so, in the period before the council in Jerusalem ( AD 49 or 50; Acts 15:1-41 ), controversy over the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the church became more heated. When Peter returned to Jerusalem from his groundbreaking work among Gentiles in Caesarea, he faced immediate criticism and pressure from Jewish compatriots who opposed his eating with uncircumcised Gentiles. He answered with an account of the Spirit’s work, which temporarily stilled the criticism (Acts 11:1-18 ). Some Jewish Christians continued to believe that Gentiles should practice Judaism in order to be Christians. Those who believed this are often referred to as “Judaizers.” Some of these Judaizers went to Galatia and began claiming that Paul’s teaching about the Good News was inadequate. They denigrated Paul’s status as an apostle, declaring that he had learned the Good News from the “real” apostles in Jerusalem. They asserted that Paul had changed the message, and that his version of the gospel had never received the apostles’ sanction. The Judaizers argued that Paul’s law-free gospel was incomplete, and they claimed that the real gospel required Gentiles to be circumcised and to keep other aspects of the law. Largely in response to the challenge brought by the Judaizers, Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians. Summary After briefly identifying himself and greeting his recipients (Gal 1:1-5 ), Paul launches directly into his thesis: The Good News that he preaches is the only true Good News (1:6-7 ), he is a genuine apostle of Christ (1:1 , 10 ), and his opponents will suffer God’s judgment for their false message (1:8-9 ). The rest of the letter centers around these assertions. Paul first demonstrates that he is a genuine apostle of Christ, preaching the true Good News (1:11–2:21 ). To this end, Paul reminds the Galatians of the kind of person he used to be (1:13-14 ) and recounts his conversion experience and his calling by God (1:15-16 a). Paul received the Good News as a direct revelation from Christ (1:11-12 ) rather than from the other apostles in Jerusalem (1:16-24 ). Still, the other apostles recognized Paul’s apostleship and message (2:1-10 ), and they had nothing to add or change. Further, Paul displayed his genuineness in an instance when Peter and some others compromised the Good News contrary to their own principles (2:11-21 ). Paul then makes an argument that his presentation of the Good News is scriptural and true (3:1–5:12 ). The Galatians had experienced the Spirit by faith (3:1-5 ), so they—like all who have faith in Christ—would experience the same blessing that Abraham received (3:6-9 ). By contrast, trying to be righteous by keeping the law only brings a curse (3:10-12 ). Christ rescued us from that curse and made God’s blessing available to all who have faith in him (3:13-14 ). God’s promise to Abraham shows that the promise is given on the basis of faith, not law (3:15-18 ). God’s demand for righteousness was fulfilled by Christ, not by keeping the law, and those who have faith in Christ become recipients of God’s promise to Abraham. The law’s purpose is not to make people righteous or to make them recipients of God’s promises. Instead, it brings awareness of sin and points to Christ and faith in him (3:19-22 ). Now that Christ has come, those who have faith in him are God’s children and heirs of his promises (3:23–4:7 ). In light of this, the Galatians’ return to trusting in the law was a dreadful return to slavery (4:8-11 ), so Paul personally appeals to them to reconsider (4:12-20 ). He draws an analogy between Hagar and Sarah and the old and new covenants, showing that Christ brings freedom, not slavery (4:21-31 ). God’s people must live in freedom (5:1 ), reject a reliance on obedience to the law for salvation (5:2-4 ), and live by faith (5:5-6 ), because a message of salvation through the law is not from God (5:7-12 ). Finally, Paul shows the Galatians that Christian freedom is not a license to sin, as some might claim. Instead, it is the only way to overcome sin, to live in Christ’s love, and to experience the Spirit’s power (5:13–6:10 ). Freedom provides an opportunity to love rather than to sin (5:13-15 ), and the only way to overcome sin is to live by the power of the Holy Spirit (5:16-18 ). Living by human effort cannot overcome sin, because the sinful nature can produce only sinful actions (5:19-21 ). By contrast, living in the power of the Holy Spirit produces good fruit (5:22-23 ). Paul gives several examples of the Spirit’s leading in the lives of God’s children (5:24–6:10 ). Paul ends his letter with a postscript in his own hand (6:11-18 ). He appeals again to the cross of Christ, reiterates his central message, bestows God’s mercy and peace on those who follow his teaching, reasserts his apostolic authority, and closes with a benediction that extends “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” to the recipients of his letter. Author Galatians has always been recognized as a genuine letter of Paul. It harmonizes well with the account of Paul’s mission in Acts and the other letters, and it authentically reflects Paul’s conflict with Jewish Christians who sought to make keeping the Jewish law a necessary element of Christian faith for Gentiles. Galatians has a message similar to that of Romans, but as an earlier letter, Galatians gives us a glimpse at the early stages of this intense, personal conflict. Here we feel the heartbeat of Paul’s care for the church. Recipients Some biblical scholars believe that Paul wrote to an ethnic group called “Galatians,” who lived in north central Asia Minor and were related to Gauls and Celts. Others believe that the recipients of Paul’s letter were groups of churches within the Roman province of Galatia, a much larger area than ethnic Galatia. The Roman province included in its southern districts a number of cities that Paul visited on his first missionary journey (Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe). Paul does not seem to have spent extended time in ethnic Galatia to the north (see possible references in Acts 16:6 ; 18:23 ), whereas we do have record of extensive and repeated missionary activity by Paul in the southern part of the Roman province of Galatia (Acts 13:13–14:25 ; 16:1-5 ). The available evidence suggests that the Galatians to whom Paul wrote this letter were most likely those whom Paul evangelized on his first missionary journey. Date Paul wrote Galatians either shortly before the council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-29 ) in AD 49 or 50, or sometime after the council, perhaps during his third missionary journey ( AD 53–57). Traditionally, scholars saw 2:1-10 as Paul’s description of the council at Jerusalem. However, close examination reveals serious differences between ch 2 and Acts 15:1-41 . It is hard to reconcile Paul’s account of two visits to Jerusalem (2:1 ) with the fact that the council in Acts 15:1-41 was really his third visit. Neglecting to mention his second visit (Acts 11:30 ; 12:25 ) would seriously weaken Paul’s argument that he had minimal contact with the apostles in Jerusalem. Furthermore, if this letter were written after the council, it would be hard to imagine why Paul doesn’t mention the council’s decision, which directly addresses the issue in Galatians. After the council, in fact, Paul gladly carried news of its decision to the churches he visited (Acts 16:4 ). It is thus difficult to believe that Galatians 2:1-10 describes Acts 15:1-41 and that Galatians was written after the council at Jerusalem. By contrast, there are relatively few difficulties in identifying the occasion described in Galatians 2:1-10 with Acts 11:30 and 12:25 . This would suggest that Paul wrote Galatians shortly before the council, perhaps in AD 48 or 49, right at the time when the controversy over circumcision was escalating in the church (see Acts 15:1-2 ). Meaning and Message The problem that arose in Galatia was a familiar one in the first-century church, and it remains a problem in the church today. Are we truly saved by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, or is something more necessary on our part? Paul’s letter to the Galatians establishes the completeness of the Good News—that salvation is available to all purely by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not by observing the law. It also establishes the unity of God’s people: No division exists between Jews and Gentiles or between other classes of people. We all come to God and gain new life by the same means: through faith in Christ. Galatians establishes our liberty in Christ: We fulfill Christ’s law not by human effort but by living in faith and love by the Holy Spirit. Finally, the letter establishes our need for the grace of God, which rescues us from the curse of sin, gives us new life and the promised Holy Spirit, and makes us God’s children, empowered to fulfill Christ’s law of love. Summary for Gal 1:1-2:21: 1:1–2:21 Paul’s opponents had questioned his integrity and authority as an apostle, so he opens his letter by defending his apostleship. Summary for Gal 1:1-5: 1:1-5 As in all his letters, Paul identifies himself and greets the recipients. This greeting is notable for (1) Paul’s strong assertion of his apostolic authority (1:1 ); and (2) the lack of thanks, prayer, or praise, which are replaced by rebuke (1:6-10 ). 1:1 Paul, an apostle: Apostles were commissioned representatives having authority delegated by a sending agent, often a church body or council (e.g., 2 Cor 8:23 ; Phil 2:25 ). But Paul was not made an apostle by the Jerusalem church. Rather, he was directly commissioned by Jesus Christ himself and had Christ’s authority (Acts 9:1-15 ; 26:12-20 ; see also Rom 1:5 ), which gave him equal authority with the other apostles. • Paul traced his commission to God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead . The resurrection made Paul’s commission possible.

Book of Galatians — Quick facts:

Purpose: To persuade the Gentile Christians in Galatia—against opposition from certain Jewish Christians—that it is unnecessary to be circumcised and to adopt other practices from Jewish law in order to be part of God’s people

Author: Paul

Date: Likely AD 48 or 49, just prior to the Jerusalem council

Setting: Written after a group of Jewish Christians had infiltrated the Galatian church communities, teaching on the necessity of practicing circumcision

Book of Galatians — Overview:

Setting
When Paul and Barnabas set out from Antioch of Syria on their first missionary journey, they headed across the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea through Cyprus, across the Taurus Mountains of Pamphylia, and into the south of the Roman province of Galatia. There Paul and Barnabas established churches in Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13:13–14:28 ^a). Many believed the Good News, but the message also aroused opposition and persecution. Paul and Barnabas then returned to Antioch of Syria, reporting on what God had accomplished “and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles, too” (Acts 14:27 ^b).
From the results of Paul’s ministry in Galatia and from Peter’s experience with Cornelius and his household in Caesarea (see Acts 10:1-48 ^c), it became clear that salvation was available to Gentiles as well as Jews on the basis of faith in Jesus Christ. Gentiles did not have to become Jews in order to become full members of God’s family. They had only to put their faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.
Even so, in the period before the council in Jerusalem (AD 49 or 50; Acts 15:1-41 ^d), controversy over the relationship of Jews and Gentiles in the church became more heated. When Peter returned to Jerusalem from his groundbreaking work among Gentiles in Caesarea, he faced immediate criticism and pressure from Jewish compatriots who opposed his eating with uncircumcised Gentiles. He answered with an account of the Spirit’s work, which temporarily stilled the criticism (Acts 11:1-18 ^e).
Some Jewish Christians continued to believe that Gentiles should practice Judaism in order to be Christians. Those who believed this are often referred to as “Judaizers.” Some of these Judaizers went to Galatia and began claiming that Paul’s teaching about the Good News was inadequate. They denigrated Paul’s status as an apostle, declaring that he had learned the Good News from the “real” apostles in Jerusalem. They asserted that Paul had changed the message, and that his version of the gospel had never received the apostles’ sanction. The Judaizers argued that Paul’s law-free gospel was incomplete, and they claimed that the real gospel required Gentiles to be circumcised and to keep other aspects of the law. Largely in response to the challenge brought by the Judaizers, Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians.

Summary
After briefly identifying himself and greeting his recipients (Gal 1:1-5 ^f), Paul launches directly into his thesis: The Good News that he preaches is the only true Good News (1:6-7 ^g), he is a genuine apostle of Christ (1:1 ^h, 10 ⁱ), and his opponents will suffer God’s judgment for their false message (1:8-9 ^j). The rest of the letter centers around these assertions.
Paul first demonstrates that he is a genuine apostle of Christ, preaching the true Good News (1:11–2:21 ^k). To this end, Paul reminds the Galatians of the kind of person he used to be (1:13-14 ^l) and recounts his conversion experience and his calling by God (1:15-16 ^ma). Paul received the Good News as a direct revelation from Christ (1:11-12 ⁿ) rather than from the other apostles in Jerusalem (1:16-24 ^o). Still, the other apostles recognized Paul’s apostleship and message (2:1-10 ^p), and they had nothing to add or change. Further, Paul displayed his genuineness in an instance when Peter and some others compromised the Good News contrary to their own principles (2:11-21 ^q).
Paul then makes an argument that his presentation of the Good News is scriptural and true (3:1–5:12 ^r). The Galatians had experienced the Spirit by faith (3:1-5 ^s), so they—like all who have faith in Christ—would experience the same blessing that Abraham received (3:6-9 ^t). By contrast, trying to be righteous by keeping the law only brings a curse (3:10-12 ^u). Christ rescued us from that curse and made God’s blessing available to all who have faith in him (3:13-14 ^v). God’s promise to Abraham shows that the promise is given on the basis of faith, not law (3:15-18 ^w). God’s demand for righteousness was fulfilled by Christ, not by keeping the law, and those who have faith in Christ become recipients of God’s promise to Abraham.
The law’s purpose is not to make people righteous or to make them recipients of God’s promises. Instead, it brings awareness of sin and points to Christ and faith in him (3:19-22 ^x). Now that Christ has come, those who have faith in him are God’s children and heirs of his promises (3:23–4:7 ^y). In light of this, the Galatians’ return to trusting in the law was a dreadful return to slavery (4:8-11 ^z), so Paul personally appeals to them to reconsider (4:12-20 ^aa). He draws an analogy between Hagar and Sarah and the old and new covenants, showing that Christ brings freedom, not slavery (4:21-31 ^ab). God’s people must live in freedom (5:1 ^ac), reject a reliance on obedience to the law for salvation (5:2-4 ^ad), and live by faith (5:5-6 ^ae), because a message of salvation through the law is not from God (5:7-12 ^af).
Finally, Paul shows the Galatians that Christian freedom is not a license to sin, as some might claim. Instead, it is the only way to overcome sin, to live in Christ’s love, and to experience the Spirit’s power (5:13–6:10 ^ag). Freedom provides an opportunity to love rather than to sin (5:13-15 ^ah), and the only way to overcome sin is to live by the power of the Holy Spirit (5:16-18 ^ai). Living by human effort cannot overcome sin, because the sinful nature can produce only sinful actions (5:19-21 ^aj). By contrast, living in the power of the Holy Spirit produces good fruit (5:22-23 ^ak). Paul gives several examples of the Spirit’s leading in the lives of God’s children (5:24–6:10 ^al).
Paul ends his letter with a postscript in his own hand (6:11-18 ^am). He appeals again to the cross of Christ, reiterates his central message, bestows God’s mercy and peace on those who follow his teaching, reasserts his apostolic authority, and closes with a benediction that extends “the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ” to the recipients of his letter.

Author
Galatians has always been recognized as a genuine letter of Paul. It harmonizes well with the account of Paul’s mission in Acts and the other letters, and it authentically reflects Paul’s conflict with Jewish Christians who sought to make keeping the Jewish law a necessary element of Christian faith for Gentiles. Galatians has a message similar to that of Romans, but as an earlier letter, Galatians gives us a glimpse at the early stages of this intense, personal conflict. Here we feel the heartbeat of Paul’s care for the church.

Recipients
Some biblical scholars believe that Paul wrote to an ethnic group called “Galatians,” who lived in north central Asia Minor and were related to Gauls and Celts. Others believe that the recipients of Paul’s letter were groups of churches within the Roman province of Galatia, a much larger area than ethnic Galatia. The Roman province included in its southern districts a number of cities that Paul visited on his first missionary journey (Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe).
Paul does not seem to have spent extended time in ethnic Galatia to the north (see possible references in Acts 16:6 ^an; 18:23 ^ao), whereas we do have record of extensive and repeated missionary activity by Paul in the southern part of the Roman province of Galatia (Acts 13:13–14:25 ^ap; 16:1-5 ^aq). The available evidence suggests that the Galatians to whom Paul wrote this letter were most likely those whom Paul evangelized on his first missionary journey.

Date
Paul wrote Galatians either shortly before the council at Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-29 ^ar) in AD 49 or 50, or sometime after the council, perhaps during his third missionary journey (AD 53–57).
Traditionally, scholars saw 2:1-10 ^as as Paul’s description of the council at Jerusalem. However, close examination reveals serious differences between ch 2 ^at and Acts 15:1-41 ^au. It is hard to reconcile Paul’s account of two visits to Jerusalem (2:1 ^av) with the fact that the council in Acts 15:1-41 ^aw was really his third visit. Neglecting to mention his second visit (Acts 11:30 ^ax; 12:25 ^ay) would seriously weaken Paul’s argument that he had minimal contact with the apostles in Jerusalem. Furthermore, if this letter were written after the council, it would be hard to imagine why Paul doesn’t mention the council’s decision, which directly addresses the issue in Galatians. After the council, in fact, Paul gladly carried news of its decision to the churches he visited (Acts 16:4 ^az). It is thus difficult to believe that Galatians 2:1-10 ^ba describes Acts 15:1-41 ^bb and that Galatians was written after the council at Jerusalem.
By contrast, there are relatively few difficulties in identifying the occasion described in Galatians 2:1-10 ^bc with Acts 11:30 ^bd and 12:25 ^be. This would suggest that Paul wrote Galatians shortly before the council, perhaps in AD 48 or 49, right at the time when the controversy over circumcision was escalating in the church (see Acts 15:1-2 ^bf).

Meaning and Message
The problem that arose in Galatia was a familiar one in the first-century church, and it remains a problem in the church today. Are we truly saved by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross, or is something more necessary on our part?
Paul’s letter to the Galatians establishes the completeness of the Good News—that salvation is available to all purely by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and not by observing the law. It also establishes the unity of God’s people: No division exists between Jews and Gentiles or between other classes of people. We all come to God and gain new life by the same means: through faith in Christ. Galatians establishes our liberty in Christ: We fulfill Christ’s law not by human effort but by living in faith and love by the Holy Spirit. Finally, the letter establishes our need for the grace of God, which rescues us from the curse of sin, gives us new life and the promised Holy Spirit, and makes us God’s children, empowered to fulfill Christ’s law of love.

Summary for Gal 1:1-2:21: 1:1–2:21 ^bg Paul’s opponents had questioned his integrity and authority as an apostle, so he opens his letter by defending his apostleship.
Summary for Gal 1:1-5: 1:1-5 ^bh As in all his letters, Paul identifies himself and greets the recipients. This greeting is notable for (1) Paul’s strong assertion of his apostolic authority (1:1 ^bi); and (2) the lack of thanks, prayer, or praise, which are replaced by rebuke (1:6-10 ^bj). 1:1 ^bk Paul, an apostle: Apostles were commissioned representatives having authority delegated by a sending agent, often a church body or council (e.g., 2 Cor 8:23 ^bl; Phil 2:25 ^bm). But Paul was not made an apostle by the Jerusalem church. Rather, he was directly commissioned by Jesus Christ himself and had Christ’s authority (Acts 9:1-15 ^bn; 26:12-20 ^bo; see also Rom 1:5 ^bp), which gave him equal authority with the other apostles.

• Paul traced his commission to God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead. The resurrection made Paul’s commission possible.
1:2 ^bq the brothers and sisters here join me: Paul probably wrote from Antioch of Syria. Antioch was the hub of Paul’s ministry and the earliest center of Gentile Christianity (see Acts 11:20-26 ^br). Paul did not stand alone (as his opponents in Galatia might have suggested), but in fellowship with a significant New Testament church.

• The churches of Galatia were probably founded by Paul during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:4–14:26 ^bs; see Galatians Book Introduction, “Recipients”).
Summary for Gal 1:3-5: 1:3-5 ^bt Paul followed the usual practice for first-century letters, including this greeting and wish of well-being as well as introducing the main topic, the Good News. 1:3 ^bu May God ... give you grace and peace: This typical greeting by Paul (see also study note on 1 Cor 1:3) uses elements of Greek and Hebrew greetings: “grace” (Greek charis), is similar to “greetings” (Greek chairein); “peace” mirrors Hebrew shalom. Thus Paul included both Jewish and Gentile Christians (cp. Gal 3:28 ^bv). The Galatians were at risk of losing God’s grace and peace (3:1-4 ^bw; 5:1-4 ^bx).
Summary for Gal 1:4-5: 1:4-5 ^by This summary of the Good News is the basis for the rebuke that follows (1:6-10 ^bz). This might be a creed or confession of faith that Paul used to remind the Galatians of the message they had earlier embraced. 1:4 ^ca Because Jesus completely rescued us from our sins, there is no place for efforts to save ourselves.

• Christian faith rescues us from this evil world in which we live (see 4:8-12 ^cb; 5:13-26 ^cc).
1:5 ^cd All glory must go to God for salvation, because it is his work alone.
Summary for Gal 1:6-10: 1:6-10 ^ce I am shocked: In most of his letters, Paul followed his greeting with gratitude for his readers and a prayer for them (e.g., Rom 1:8-10 ^cf; 1 Cor 1:4-5 ^cg; Phil 1:3-6 ^ch; Col 1:3-5 ^ci; 2 Thes 1:3-12 ^cj), but he found nothing to praise in the Galatian church. 1:6 ^ck The Galatians were turning away ... from God by rejecting the Good News Paul proclaimed and looking instead to the law. God called them to himself through the loving mercy of Christ, not through the law (2:16 ^cl).

• God, who called you: Cp. 1:15 ^cm; Rom 8:30 ^cn; 9:24 ^co; 11:29 ^cp.

• a different way that pretends to be the Good News: Some were teaching that Gentile Christians had to be circumcised to be considered members of God’s family. Paul rejected any requirement besides faith in Jesus (cp. Gal 5:2-4 ^cq).
1:7 ^cr The “different way” (1:6 ^cs) was a distortion, not the Good News of salvation at all. The only way to be saved is by faith in Christ. Adding any requirements makes the message no longer the Good News.

• those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ: The Judaizers knew they were changing the Good News to fit their views.
Summary for Gal 1:8-9: 1:8-9 ^ct Let God’s curse fall on anyone (literally Let that person be anathema): The Greek word anathema was often used to translate the Hebrew kherem, which in the Old Testament means something dedicated to God for total destruction (see Lev 27:28-29 ^cu; cp. Rom 9:3 ^cv; 1 Cor 12:3 ^cw; 16:22 ^cx). Paul was invoking God’s strongest wrath on those who distort the Good News (Gal 1:7 ^cy).

• including us or even an angel from heaven: No one is authorized to change the Good News (cp. 2:6-10 ^cz, 11-14 ^da).
1:9 ^db The Good News ... you welcomed was precisely the message Paul had preached to them (1:8 ^dc; cp. 2 Thes 2:15 ^dd).
1:10 ^de The tone and content of this letter make it clear that trying to win the approval of people was not Paul’s goal. Paul was probably criticized by the Judaizers for trying to please people by presenting only the part of the Good News pertaining to faith and grace, and not what they perceived to be the whole message including the law.

• Being Christ’s servant requires fidelity to Christ, regardless of how people respond (cp. Acts 5:29 ^df; Eph 6:5-6 ^dg; 1 Thes 2:3-6 ^dh).
Summary for Gal 1:11-2:21: 1:11–2:21 ^di The Judaizers who had come to Galatia preaching faith plus circumcision questioned Paul’s apostleship and attempted to discredit his message. Paul defended his apostolic authority, demonstrating from past events that his message was the true Good News. 1:11 ^dj the gospel message I preach: Paul’s message was that people are made right with God by grace through faith, not by obeying the law (see 2:16-17 ^dk; Rom 10:9-13 ^dl; Eph 2:8-9 ^dm).
1:12 ^dn no human source ... no one taught me: Jewish scholars primarily depended on teachers. The Judaizers argued that Paul had received his commission and message from the other apostles, but then had unfaithfully changed the message.

• I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ: See 1:17 ^do; Acts 9:3-15 ^dp; 26:12-18 ^dq. Paul’s unique experience gave him distinctive authority and insight. But he learned other matters, such as the life of Christ, from others (e.g., Gal 1:18 ^dr; 1 Cor 11:23-26 ^ds; 15:3-11 ^dt).
Summary for Gal 1:13-14: 1:13-14 ^du To prove that his message did not come from human reason (1:11 ^dv), Paul describes what he was like before he encountered Christ: He was a highly successful Jew (see Acts 8:1-3 ^dw; 22:1-5 ^dx; 26:4-5 ^dy; Phil 3:4-7 ^dz). His antagonism to God’s church and strict adherence to Judaism demonstrated his faith in the law before Christ confronted him (Gal 1:15-16 ^ea).
1:14 ^eb zeal for the traditions of my ancestors: Cp. Mark 7:6-13 ^ec.
Summary for Gal 1:15-16: 1:15-16 ^ed even before I was born: Cp. Jer 1:5 ^ee; see also Ps 139:13-16 ^ef; Isa 49:1-6 ^eg; Rom 9:10-13 ^eh.

• God chose me and called me: For the account of Paul’s conversion, see Acts 9:1-19 ^ei; 22:1-21 ^ej; 26:9-23 ^ek.

• Paul’s calling was specifically to proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles (Gal 2:7 ^el), and he even educated other apostles in what that means (e.g., 2:11-21 ^em).

• to reveal his Son to me (or in me): This might refer to Paul’s encounter with Christ (Acts 9:1-19 ^en; cp. 1 Cor 9:1 ^eo; 15:8 ^ep); in me might also suggest an internal revelation (cp. Gal 2:20 ^eq; 4:6-7 ^er) and implies that Paul’s changed heart revealed Christ to others.
Summary for Gal 1:16-20: 1:16b-20 ^es Paul was taught by the Lord directly and did not ... consult with any human being, even the other apostles. Paul was independent from the other apostles yet in harmony with them (2:1-10 ^et).
1:17 ^eu those who were apostles before I was: Paul put his own apostleship in the same category as the original disciples (see 1 Cor 9:1 ^ev; 15:5-9 ^ew; cp. Acts 1:22 ^ex; 10:41 ^ey).

• Paul’s trip to Arabia is not mentioned elsewhere; his understanding of the Good News was apparently formed during that time. Paul knew the Scriptures (see Acts 22:3 ^ez), the claims of the first Christians (see Acts 8:1 ^fa), and what others had told him since his conversion.
Summary for Gal 1:18-20: 1:18-20 ^fb Peter and James had fifteen days to talk with Paul about his message, which was clearly in harmony with theirs. Paul did not receive a commission from the Jerusalem church—his apostleship did not derive from Jerusalem. 1:18 ^fc three years later (or in the third year): Either three years after Paul’s conversion or after his return from Arabia. This event is probably the visit recorded in Acts 9:26-30 ^fd.

• to get to know Peter: Peter had something Paul did not: deep personal acquaintance with Jesus during Jesus’ earthly ministry.

• Fifteen days was much too short a time for Paul to become dependent on Peter as his mentor, but plenty of time for the content of each man’s preaching to be thoroughly discussed.
1:20 ^fe I declare before God: Paul here takes an oath to emphasize the truthfulness of his account of his trip to Jerusalem.
Summary for Gal 1:21-22: 1:21-22 ^ff Paul was not working under the supervision of the apostles in Jerusalem nor of the churches ... in Judea.
Summary for Gal 1:23-24: 1:23-24 ^fg Paul’s conversion was a source of rejoicing in the Jerusalem church. This change (cp. 1:13-14 ^fh) and his message were both the work of God (cp. Acts 9:31 ^fi). Paul was not out of sync with the church in Jerusalem.

‏ Galatians 2

Summary for Gal 2:1-10: 2:1-10 ^fj During Paul’s second visit to Jerusalem, the other apostles affirmed his message. Traditionally, this passage has been seen as a description of the church council (Acts 15:1-41 ^fk), but it is much more likely that Paul was talking about his previous visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:30 ^fl; 12:25 ^fm; see Galatians Book Introduction, “Date of Writing”). 2:1 ^fn Counting fourteen years from Paul’s conversion (1:15-17 ^fo), instead of from his previous visit (1:18 ^fp), fits well with Acts.

• That Barnabas was familiar to the Galatians suggests that the Galatians were evangelized during the first missionary journey (Acts 13:4–14:26 ^fq; see Galatians Book Introduction, “Recipients”).

• Titus: See profile for Titus at end of chapter.
2:2 ^fr If 2:1-10 ^fs correlates with the visit of Acts 11:30 ^ft, God might have revealed his will through Agabus’s prophecy and the church’s decision to send aid (Acts 11:27-29 ^fu).

• If Paul needed the endorsement of the leaders in Jerusalem, he would have met with them publicly; that they met privately indicates that no one thought he needed public endorsement.

• those considered to be leaders of the church: Paul’s tone downplays their importance, perhaps to counteract the false teachers’ undue regard for them.

• Paul shared his message with the apostles in Jerusalem, not for endorsement, but to ensure agreement, so that the church would not split into Jewish and Gentile factions.

• for fear that all my efforts had been wasted: A split between Jewish and Gentile Christians would undermine the fundamental unity that Christ had secured (Gal 3:28 ^fv).
2:3 ^fw The Jerusalem apostles affirmed Paul’s message without qualification. They stood together on the same Good News—that God’s grace comes through faith in Christ, not through keeping the law. Clearly the Jerusalem apostles did not think that circumcision was necessary for a Gentile like Titus.
Summary for Gal 2:4-5: 2:4-5 ^fx The false Christians entered the church there (either Jerusalem or Antioch) to subvert Paul’s message that Gentiles are free from Jewish requirements such as circumcision. 2:4 ^fy By labeling some so-called believers as false, Paul denied that they were Christians at all. They did not understand or truly receive the Good News, in contrast with the apostles in Jerusalem (2:3 ^fz).

• were secretly brought in: Paul implies that a larger group of Jewish “Christians” opposed his preaching (cp. Acts 15:5 ^ga) and stood behind the false teachers who entered the church.

• Requiring Gentile Christians to observe Jewish law would enslave them to regulations (see Gal 3:23–4:11 ^gb) and deny the Good News of Christ.
2:5 ^gc we refused to give in to them for a single moment: Titus was not circumcised (2:3 ^gd), and Paul did not require circumcision of Gentile Christians.

• to preserve the truth: The false teaching would destroy the gospel message by adding other requirements and impeaching the effectiveness of Christ’s death and God’s grace (cp. 2:11-21 ^ge).
Summary for Gal 2:6-10: 2:6-10 ^gf Paul’s message was in harmony with the Jerusalem apostles, but their affirmation was not the source of Paul’s authority (1:12 ^gg, 16-20 ^gh). 2:6 ^gi The Jerusalem apostles’ reputation as great leaders was probably derived from their personal acquaintance with Jesus’ earthly ministry, which did not give them greater apostolic authority than Paul had. What mattered most was Christ’s personal commission (see 1 Cor 9:1 ^gj; cp. 2 Cor 12:11-12 ^gk).

• God has no favorites: The Judaizers probably regarded the Jerusalem apostles’ earthly relationship with Jesus as an advantage. Paul argues that such favoritism is inconsistent with God’s character (cp. Lev 19:15-16 ^gl; Deut 1:17 ^gm; 2 Chr 19:7 ^gn; Job 13:10 ^go; Ps 82:1-2 ^gp; Prov 18:5 ^gq; Mal 2:8-9 ^gr).
Summary for Gal 2:7-8: 2:7-8 ^gs The apostles in Jerusalem saw that Paul and Peter had different scopes of ministry (for Peter’s, see Acts 1:1–5:42 ^gt; 9:1–10:48 ^gu; for Paul’s, see Acts 13:1–28:31 ^gv), but they both preached the same gospel.
2:9 ^gw James: See profile for James, Brother of Jesus at end of chapter.

• they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers (literally they gave me and Barnabas a right hand of fellowship): This symbolic handshake showed full acceptance for Paul and Barnabas, their ministry, and their message.
2:10 ^gx The mention of helping the poor connects this narrative with Acts 11:30 ^gy; 12:25 ^gz. The Christians in Judea suffered years of deep poverty, and Paul was eager to have the Gentile churches alleviate some of that difficulty and build unity with the Jewish church (see Rom 15:25-27 ^ha; 1 Cor 16:1-4 ^hb; 2 Cor 8:1–9:15 ^hc).
Summary for Gal 2:11-21: 2:11-21 ^hd In Antioch, Peter and others compromised the Good News in contradiction of their own principles (this incident is not recorded in Acts). Paul’s rebuke of Peter showed that Paul’s apostleship was independent of Jerusalem and faithful to the Good News of Christ. 2:11 ^he when Peter came to Antioch: This occasion, not recorded in Acts, probably occurred following the return of Paul and Barnabas from their first missionary journey (Acts 14:26-28 ^hf). Paul probably wrote this letter soon afterward.

• what he did was very wrong (or he stood condemned): Peter’s actions were inconsistent with what he knew to be true—that God accepts Gentiles by faith, not by keeping the law (see Acts 10–11 ^hg).

• Paul had to oppose Peter to his face. Paul wanted to keep the Good News from being corrupted (Gal 2:21 ^hh), which required showing publicly that Peter’s own public action was wrong (cp. 1 Tim 5:20 ^hi).
2:12 ^hj That Peter ate with the Gentile believers was consistent with what God had shown him (Acts 10:9-16 ^hk, 34-35 ^hl).

• The friends of James wanted to reassert Jewish scruples and prevent the free communion between Gentiles and Jews from continuing.

• Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore: When Peter refused to share regular meals and the Lord’s Supper (cp. 1 Cor 11:20-22 ^hm, 33-34 ^hn) with fellow Christians, he divided the Jewish and Gentile Christians and implied that the Jews’ observances made them more acceptable to God. Peter’s example, if uncorrected, would have undermined the Good News of salvation by grace through faith.

• He was afraid: The friends of James intimidated Peter, who had previously withstood the same sort of criticism with power and eloquence (Acts 11:2-18 ^ho). Peter might have been trying to avoid creating a barrier for the evangelism of Jews, or he might have been concerned for the safety and well-being of the Jewish Christians in Judea, who experienced persecution from non-Christian Jews (cp. 5:11 ^hp; 6:12 ^hq). In any case, his actions were inexcusable.
2:13 ^hr Peter’s hypocrisy drew other Jewish believers into error regarding the Good News.
Summary for Gal 2:14-21: 2:14-21 ^hs The actions of Peter and the others implied that faith in Christ was not enough. Paul eloquently argues against such a compromise of the truth of the gospel message, showing that the law plays no role in defining a Christian’s position before God, which is by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9 ^ht).

• It is not clear where Paul’s public rebuke of Peter ends and his message to the Galatians resumes (see study note on Gal 2:16). While Paul was recounting his address to Peter, he was also speaking to the Galatians. His rebuke of Peter was also a rebuke of them (see 3:1 ^hu). 2:14 ^hv By living like a Gentile—eating with Gentiles and not observing Jewish food laws—Peter communicated God’s acceptance of Gentiles on equal terms with Jews, on the basis of faith in Christ (see Acts 10:34-43 ^hw; 11:17-18 ^hx).

• why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions? Both Jews and Gentiles would draw this conclusion from Peter’s actions.
2:15 ^hy Gentiles were ‘sinners’ in that they did not have the law and could not obey God’s commands. Paul was using the categories of Jewish thinking (cp. Matt 15:21-28 ^hz; 26:45 ^ia; Luke 6:32-34 ^ib; 18:9-14 ^ic) with strong irony in light of the sinful condition of all people (Gal 2:16 ^id; Rom 3:23 ^ie).
2:16 ^if Jews and Gentiles alike are sinners; the Good News requires both Jews and Gentiles to acknowledge that they are sinful (see Rom 2:1-5 ^ig; 3:1-20 ^ih) and in need of God’s grace (Rom 3:21-26 ⁱⁱ). Peter later demonstrated his agreement with this message (Acts 15:7-11 ^ij).
Summary for Gal 2:17-21: 2:17-21 ^ik The false teachers probably claimed that Paul’s law-free Good News would lead to lawlessness, that people would flaunt their sinfulness, and that Christ would thus be seen as leading people into sin (2:17 ^il). Paul shows that this is false, because those who place their faith in Christ are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live holy, God-honoring lives (see 5:13-26 ^im).
2:18 ⁱⁿ I am a sinner (or lawbreaker): Turning away from faith and back to the law brings a person under the jurisdiction of the law, where all stand under God’s judgment (Rom 3:10-12 ^io, 23-24 ^ip; see Heb 6:1-8 ^iq), and is itself a serious sin against Christ (Gal 5:2-4 ^ir; cp. Heb 6:4-6 ^is). See also study note on 2:19.

• if I rebuild: By insisting on keeping Jewish laws concerning food and circumcision (Gal 2:11-13 ^it).

• Christ tore down the system of law through his death (Eph 2:14-16 ^iu).
2:19 ^iv when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me: Attempting to gain acceptance with God through keeping the law inevitably leads to sin (5:2-4 ^iw; see Rom 7:5 ^ix, 8-11 ^iy), whereas living by the Spirit leads away from sin (Gal 5:16 ^iz, 22-24 ^ja).

• I died to the law: The NLT adds an explanation that this means I stopped trying to meet all its requirements. Those who trust in Christ participate in his death (2:20 ^jb); they are no longer under the law’s judgment (see Rom 6:2 ^jc, 10-11 ^jd; 7:2-6 ^je), and they stop seeing the law as a means of their salvation. Instead, Christians live for God in a new relationship with God through Christ (Gal 3:23–4:11 ^jf; see Rom 6:10-11 ^jg; 14:7-8 ^jh; 2 Cor 5:15 ^ji).
2:20 ^jj A law-free Good News does not lead to lawlessness, as Paul’s opponents argued (2:17 ^jk), because lawlessness is a response of the unredeemed. The redeemed Christian has been crucified with Christ. See also Col 2:11-14 ^jl, 20-23 ^jm. A Christian has laid aside the old self, which strove to achieve merit by keeping the law (cp. Rom 7:4-6 ^jn).

• It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me: Christians, having experienced Christ’s death and resurrection (Rom 6:1-14 ^jo), have new hearts (see Jer 31:31-34 ^jp; 32:38-41 ^jq; Ezek 11:19-20 ^jr; 36:24-31 ^js) by the indwelling power of the Spirit (see Rom 8:9-11 ^jt; Eph 3:16-19 ^ju; Col 1:27 ^jv; 3:1-17 ^jw).

• I live in this earthly body: Christianity does not teach that the body is evil or that we have to escape from this world to have fellowship with God. Instead, by trusting in the Son of God, we fulfill God’s purposes for our lives.

• who loved me and gave himself for me: Christ’s self-giving love makes new life possible (Gal 1:4 ^jx; Rom 8:32-39 ^jy; 2 Thes 2:16-17 ^jz).
2:21 ^ka Perhaps Paul’s opponents in Galatia suggested that his message would make God’s grace to Israel meaningless, since it was connected with the law (cp. Rom 3:1-2 ^kb, 31 ^kc). Instead, it was Paul’s opponents who treated the grace of God as meaningless by voiding the need for Christ to die.

Profile: Titus
Titus was a Gentile convert who served as one of Paul’s trusted assistants. One of Paul’s last letters was addressed to him, when Titus was helping to consolidate the church at Crete. Titus is an example of the Gentile converts who were so deeply touched by the Good News of Christ that they left their homes and devoted their lives to assisting Paul in the proclamation of the Good News.
We know nothing about Titus’s background or conversion; his name is not mentioned in Acts. We first hear of him as a Gentile believer who accompanied Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem (Gal 2:1 ^kd). Significantly, Paul emphasized that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised (Gal 2:3 ^ke).
Later, as a trusted member of Paul’s team, Titus was sent on special assignments. He was the one sent by Paul to Corinth to deal with a difficult situation there (apparently carrying the demanding letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4 ^kf, 9 ^kg; 7:8-9 ^kh). This task required both tact and strong leadership (Titus’s personality seems to have been stronger than Timothy’s; see 1 Cor 16:10-11 ^ki; 2 Cor 7:13-15 ^kj; 2 Tim 1:6-7 ^kk). When Titus returned to Paul with good news (2 Cor 7:6-7 ^kl, 13-15 ^km), Paul sent him back to Corinth carrying the letter we call 2 Corinthians to encourage the believers to complete their money-raising project for the poor believers in Jerusalem. It was an assignment he eagerly accepted because of his love for the Christians in Corinth (2 Cor 7:15 ^kn; 8:6 ^ko, 16-17 ^kp). Paul speaks of him as a person of integrity and as one who is similar to Paul himself (2 Cor 8:23 ^kq; 12:18 ^kr).
A few years later, following Paul’s first trial in Rome and subsequent release, Paul left Titus on the island of Crete to help consolidate the church. While Titus was there, Paul wrote his letter to Titus, giving him advice on choosing church leaders and encouraging him to teach and model godly behavior. Paul then asked Titus to meet him at Nicopolis (in Achaia), where Paul hoped to spend the winter (Titus 3:12 ^ks). Later, shortly before Paul was killed in Rome, he wrote that Titus had gone to Dalmatia (along the Adriatic coast, northwest of modern-day Greece), probably for ministry there (2 Tim 4:10 ^kt).
The church historian Eusebius refers to an early tradition that Titus eventually settled on Crete, serving as the bishop there until he was quite old (Eusebius, Church History 3.4.6).

Passages for Further Study
2 Cor 2:13 ^ku; 7:6 ^kv, 13-14 ^kw; 8:6 ^kx, 16-17 ^ky, 23 ^kz; 12:18 ^la; Gal 2:1 ^lb, 3 ^lc; 2 Tim 4:10 ^ld; Titus 1:4 ^le; 2:1 ^lf

Profile: James, Brother of Jesus
James, one of Jesus’ brothers (Matt 13:55 ^lg; Mark 6:3 ^lh; Gal 1:19 ^li; cp. Jude 1:1 ^lj), became the recognized leader of the church in Jerusalem shortly after Jesus’ resurrection. He is traditionally recognized as the author of the book of James.
Though Jesus’ brothers were initially skeptical of his claims (John 7:2-5 ^lk), they later became believers (Acts 1:14 ^ll). James’s personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus (1 Cor 15:7 ^lm) might have helped convince him. Two of Jesus’ brothers (James and Jude) are known to have played significant roles in the early Christian community. James quickly rose to the position of leader of the church in Jerusalem. At the council in Jerusalem, James was instrumental in getting the Jewish church leaders to accept Gentile believers without requiring that they be circumcised—a decision of major importance for Paul and the early mission to Gentiles (Acts 15:13-21 ^ln). Paul visited James in Jerusalem after his third missionary trip (Acts 21:18 ^lo), just as he had done earlier, following his conversion (Gal 1:19 ^lp).
Like most Jewish Christians, James continued to observe the law of Moses. He emphasized the need for believers to observe certain key laws when among Jews (Acts 15:20-21 ^lq; 21:18-25 ^lr). James acknowledged the validity of Paul’s missionary calling and emphasis on salvation by faith alone (Gal 2:6-9 ^ls), but many Jewish Christians did not. These Jewish believers—whom Paul does link with James on one occasion (see Gal 2:12)—demanded that Gentile converts be circumcised and observe the law of Moses in order to join the Christian community.
James’s Jewish background is reflected in his letter, which is full of wise, practical advice for living, much of it in line with the traditional wisdom teaching of Jewish Scripture. One paragraph of his letter (Jas 5:1-6 ^lt) reads very much like the work of the Old Testament prophets (e.g., cp. Amos 5:21-24 ^lu; 6:1-7 ^lv).
James, titled “the Just” by his contemporaries, was apparently put to death for his faith by Jewish priests in Jerusalem (Josephus, Antiquities 20.9; Eusebius, Church History 2.23.4–18).

Passages for Further Study
Matt 13:55 ^lw; Mark 6:3 ^lx; Acts 12:17 ^ly; 15:13-21 ^lz; 21:18-25 ^ma; 1 Cor 15:7 ^mb; Gal 2:9 ^mc, 12 ^md; Jas 1:1–5:20 ^me; Jude 1:1 ^mf