THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS
Introduction:
The persons to whom this epistle is written were not such who made up a single church only, in some certain town or city, but were such of which several churches consisted, in a region or country called Galatia, as is evident from Galatians 1:2 and the members of these churches seem to be chiefly, if not altogether Jews, since the apostle includes them with himself; as having been under the law, under tutors and governors, and in bondage under the elements of the world, and to whom the law had been a schoolmaster, though now they were no longer under it as such, Galatians 3:23-25; 4:1-3 or however, though some of them might have been originally Gentiles, yet, previous to their conversion, had become proselytes to the Jews, and now were returning to Judaism again, as appears from Galatians 4:8-10. — John Gill’s Expositor.
This epistle has been called by some writers “The Magna Charta of the Church.” The main argument is in favor of Christian liberty in opposition to the teachings of the Judaizers. These false teachers insisted that the observance of the ceremonial law was an essential part of the plan of salvation.
Writer: The apostle Paul.
Date: Probably between 55 and 60 A.D.
To Whom Addressed: To the churches in Galatia, a district in Asia Minor, the exact boundaries of which are uncertain.
Main Themes:
1) A Defense of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith.
2) Warnings against Returning to Judaism.
3) A Vindication of Paul’s Apostleship.
Key Text: Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Emphatic Words: “Faith,” “Grace,” “Liberty,” “The Cross”
Outline of the Book:
I. The salutation and introduction, Galatians 1:1-9.
II. Paul’s Experiences Supporting His Claim to True Apostleship.
A. The gospel which he preached came directly by revelation from Christ, while he himself was a zealous Jew persecuting the church, Galatians 1:10-16.
NOTE: “Probably this took place during the three years, in part of which he sojourned in Arabia (Galatians 1:17-18), in the vicinity of the scene of the giving of the law; a fit place for such a revelation of the Gospel of grace, which supersedes the ceremonial law (Galatians 4:25).” — Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.
B. For years he was away from the church at Jerusalem and labored independently of the other apostles, Galatians 1:17-23.
NOTE: Paul finally left Damascus “to see Peter,” “to make the acquaintance of” (Greek) Peter. Paul stayed only 15 day, a short time when you consider the three years he labored independently for the LORD in Damascus. “The plots of the Jews prevented him staying longer (Acts 9:29). Also, the vision directing him to depart to the Gentiles, for that the people of Jerusalem would not receive his testimony (Acts 22:17-18).” — Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.
C. He was under divine direction in his work among the Gentiles, and in the case of Titus, the Greek, had insisted that he should be free from the observance of the ceremonial law, Galatians 2:1-5.
D. The church at Jerusalem indorsed his apostleship, and work among the Gentiles, Galatians 2:7-10.
NOTE: “To each apostle was assigned the sphere best suited to his temperament: to James, who was tenacious of the law, the Jerusalem Jews; to Peter, who had opened the door to the Gentiles but who was Judaically disposed, the Jews of the dispersion; to Paul, who, by the miraculous and overwhelming suddenness of his conversion, had the whole current of his early Jewish prejudices turned into an utterly opposite direction, the Gentiles. Not separately and individually, but collectively the apostles together represented Christ, the One Head, in the apostleship.” — Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.
E. He had not hesitated to rebuke Peter, Barnabas and other Christian Jews, when he saw that they were yielding to ritualistic tendencies, Galatians 2:11-14.
III. Paul’s Defense of the Doctrine of Justification by Faith Apart from the Works of the Law.
A. By Showing the Folly of Christian Jews Abandoning their new faith and light, and returning to the old legalism, Galatians 2:15-21.
B. By Appealing to the Former Spiritual Experience of the Galatians, Galatians 3:1-5.
C. By Showing that Abraham was Justified by Faith, Galatians 3:6-9; Romans 4.
D. By Showing that the Law had NO Redeeming Power, but brought a curse upon the disobedient, from which Christ redeemed believers, Galatians 3:10-14.
E. By Proving that the Law could NOT Disannul the Covenant of Salvation by Faith, Galatians 3:15-18.
F. By Indicating the Purpose of the Law as a Schoolmaster to prepare the way for Christ, Galatians 3:19-25.
G. By Showing the Losses of Those Who Surrender their faith in Christ, and Relapse into Legalism.
1. They lose the blessing of their inheritance as children of God, and return to the bondage of Ceremonialism, Galatians 3:26-4:11.
2. They have lost the sense of appreciation for labors performed in their behalf, Galatians 4:11-16.
3. They were acting like the children of Abraham after the flesh, instead of the children of promise, Galatians 4:19-31.
4. They would not only lose their spiritual liberty, but make Christ’s sacrifice of no avail for them, Galatians 5:1-6.
NOTE: “ye are fallen from grace;” that is, either from that grace which they professed to have; for there might be some in these churches, as in others, who were only nominal Christians, and formal professors; who had declared they saw themselves lost and undone sinners, destitute of a righteousness, and professed to believe in Christ alone for righteousness and strength, but now trusted in themselves, and in the works of the law: or from the scheme of grace in the whole of man’s salvation, which will admit of no mixture of works; either it is one or the other, it cannot be both;..” — John Gill’s Expositor.
IV. Warnings, Instructions, and Exhortations.
A. Warnings in regard to false teachers, and the misuse of liberty, Galatians 5:7-13.
B. Exhortations concerning the spiritual life.
1. The Conflict between the Flesh and Spirit, Galatians 5:17-18.
2. The Works of the flesh which exclude from the kingdom of God, Galatians 5:19-21.
3. The fruits of the Spirit which should be manifest in Christian life, Galatians 5:22-26.
NOTE: “Paul changes the figure from works (erga) in verse 19 to fruit as the normal out-cropping of the Holy Spirit in us. It is a beautiful tree of fruit that Paul pictures here with nine luscious fruits on it: Love, 1 Corinthians 13; Joy, the Holy Spirit gives the joy in the midst of the tribulations as Paul learned (Romans 5:3); Peace, (eirhnh), is more than the Hebrew shal“m so common in salutations. One recalls the “peace” that Christ leaves to us (John 14:27) and the peace of God that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7)” —A.T. Robertson; longsuffering, 1 Corinthians 13:4, opposed to a hastiness to revenge, and inclining us patiently to bear injuries; Gentleness or “kindness,” “a very rare grace, often wanting in many who have a considerable share of Christian excellence. A good education and polished manners, when brought under the influence of the grace of God, will bring out this grace with great effect.” —Adam Clarke’s Commentary. Goodness, The perpetual desire and sincere study, not only to abstain from every appearance of evil, but to do good to the bodies and souls of men to the utmost of our ability; faithfulness, Same word as “faith” in Greek text, “here used for fidelity—punctuality in performing promises, conscientious carefulness in preserving what is committed to our trust, in restoring it to its proper owner, in transacting the business confided to us, neither betraying the secret of our friend, nor disappointing the confidence of our employer;” — Adam Clarke’s Commentary. meekness, “A person is meek when he is not quick to get angry. Many things occur in daily life to provoke a person’s anger, but the Christian gets over his anger by meekness;” —Luther. Temperance, one holding control or holding in; the Greek root implies self-restraint as to one’s desires and lusts; Against such—not persons, but things, as in Galatians 5:21; no law—confirming Galatians 5:18, “Not under the law” (1 Timothy 1:9-10). The law itself commands love (Galatians 5:14); so far is it from being ‘against such.’” — Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.\
C. The characteristics of the spiritual life:
1. Charitableness, and burden bearing, Galatians 6:1-2.
NOTE: If ye, legalists, must “bear burdens,” then instead of legal burdens (Matthew 23:4), “bear one another’s burdens,” literally, “weights.” Distinguished by BENGEL from “burden,” Galatians 6:4 (a different Greek word, “load”): “weights” exceed the strength of those under them; “burden” is proportioned to the strength. — Jamieson, Fausset, Brown.
2. Humility, self-examination, self-reliance and benevolence, Galatians 6:3-6.
3. The law of sowing and reaping holds good in the moral realm, Galatians 6:7-9. “God does not suffer Himself to be imposed on by empty words: He will judge according to works, which are seeds sown for eternity of either joy or woe.” — Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Commentary.
D. The Contrast between the Doctrine of the False Teachers (Judaizers) and that of the Apostle Paul, Galatians 6:12-17; 2 Corinthians 5:12.
1. The doctrine of the false teachers: glory in ceremonial rites and the marks in the flesh, Galatians 6:13, “For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.”
2. The doctrine of the Apostle Paul: in the cross, and the marks of the Lord Jesus.