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Introduction to Galatians
Part 1: General Introduction
Outline of the Book of Galatians
- Paul declares his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ; he says that he is surprised by the false teachings that the Christians in Galatia have accepted from other people (1:1-10).
- Paul says that people are saved by trusting in Christ alone, not by keeping the law (1:11-2:21).
- God puts people right with himself only when they trust in Christ; the example of Abraham; the curse which the law brings (and not a means of salvation); slavery and freedom compared and illustrated by Hagar and Sarah (3:1-4:31).
- When people are joined to Christ, they become free from having to keep the law of Moses. They are also free to live as the Holy Spirit guides them. They are free to refuse the demands of sin. They are free to bear each other's burdens (5:1-6:10).
- Paul warns the Christians not to trust in being circumcised and in keeping the law of Moses. Instead, they must trust in Christ (6:11-18).
Who wrote the Book of Galatians?
Paul from the city of Tarsus was the author. He had been known as Saul in his early life. Before becoming a Christian, Paul was a Pharisee. He persecuted Christians. After he began to trust in Jesus Christ, he traveled several times throughout the Roman Empire telling people about Jesus.
It is uncertain when Paul wrote this letter and where he was when he wrote it. Some scholars think Paul was in the city of Ephesus and wrote this letter after the second time he traveled to tell people about Jesus. Other scholars think Paul was in the city of Antioch in Syria and wrote the letter soon after the first time he traveled.
What is the Book of Galatians about?
Paul wrote this letter to both Jewish and non-Jewish Christians in the region of Galatia. He wanted to write against the false teachers who said that Christians need to follow the law of Moses. Paul defended the gospel by explaining that a person is saved by believing in Jesus Christ. People are saved as result of God being kind and not as a result of people doing good works. No person can perfectly obey the law. Any attempt to please God by obeying the law of Moses will only result in God condemning them. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/goodnews, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/save, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/faith and rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lawofmoses and rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/works)
How should the title of this book be translated?
Translators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, "Galatians." Or they may choose a clearer title, such as "Paul's Letter to the Church in Galatia." (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-names)
Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts
What does it mean to "live like Jews" (2:14)?
To "live like Jews" means to obey the law of Moses, even though one trusts in Christ. The people among the early Christians who taught that this was necessary were called "Judaizers."
Part 3: Important Translation Issues
How did Paul use the terms "law" and "grace" in the Book of Galatians?
These terms are used in a unique way in Galatians. There is an important teaching in Galatians about Christian living. Under the law of Moses, righteous or holy living required a person to obey a set of rules and regulations. As Christians, holy living is now motivated by grace. This means that Christians have freedom in Christ and are not required to obey a specific set of rules. Instead, Christians are to live a holy life because they are thankful that God has been so kind to them. This is called "the law of Christ." (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/righteous and rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/holy)
What did Paul mean by the expressions "in Christ," "in the Lord," etc.?
This kind of expression occurs in 1:22; 2:4, 17; 3:14, 26, 28; 5:6, 10. Paul meant to express the idea of a very close union with Christ and the believers. At the same time, he often intended other meanings as well. See, for example, "when we seek for God to justify us in Christ" (2:17), where Paul spoke of being justified by means of Christ.
Please see the introduction to the Book of Romans for more details about this kind of expression.
What are the major issues in the text of the Book of Galatians?
- "Foolish Galatians! Who has put a spell on you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly displayed as crucified" (3:1). The ULB and the other modern versions have this reading. However, older versions of the Bible add, "[so] that ye should not obey the truth." Translators are advised not to include this expression. However, if in the translators' region there are older Bible versions that have the passage, the translators can include it. If it is translated, it should be put inside square brackets ([]) to indicate that it is probably not original to Galatians. (See: rc://en/ta/man/jit/translate-textvariants)