"THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE GALATIANS"

Who wrote it. — This is another epistle whose genuineness is scarcely disputed. Its main topic — the relation of Christians to the ceremonial law of the Jews — would lead us to fix its composition at a period anterior to the destruction of Jerusalem, when the question was practically set at rest.

Its character and style are inconsistent with the idea 0J forgery, (1) The picture which it gives of the state of the Galatian Church is too lifelike, and the play of feeling it exhibits on the part of the apostle is too subtle for the inventive power of an age so little skilled in that kind of fiction. (2) Its representation of facts, as regards the relations of Paul with the other apostles, is too candid to have been got up in the interests of Church unity, and on the other hand is too moderate in its tone to have been framed in the interests of any known party in the Church. (3) A comparison of the personal and historical allusions in the epistle with statements in the Book of Acts and some of the other epistles ascribed to Paul, shows a substantial harmony, along with an occasional diversity that betokens independence — the epistle furnishing details of many incidents in Paul's life that are only mentioned in a general way by the author of the Book of Acts.¹ (4) There is in several respects a strong resemblance between this epistle and those to the Corinthians and the Romans (see p. 74).

With regard to external evidence there are the usual echoes and reflections in the Apostolic Fathers and the apologetic writers of the first two centuries; while many direct quotations are to be found in the writings of the Fathers about the end of the second century. The epistle is also included in the Canons and Versions of the second century.

To whom written. — "Unto the churches of Galatia." In the time of the apostle, Galatia might either be understood to refer to the recently created Roman province of that name in Asia Minor, or be used in the older and more popular sense, to designate a broad strip of country in that province, about two hundred miles long, running from south-west to north-east. It is m this latter sense that the term "Galatia " is usually understood here, in accordance with the usage in the Book of Acts. It was inhabited by a mixed race of Phrygians, Greeks, Celts, Romans, and Jews, who had successively obtained a footing in it l^ different means and with varying degrees of success. Of these elements of the population it was the Celtic invaders from Western Europe that had made their influence most strongly felt. They found their way into the country in the third century B.C.; and after them and the Greek immigrants who were there before them the country was called Gallo-Graecia, So deep and lasting was their influence, that even in the end of the fourth century A.D. Jerome was able to trace a strong resemblance between the language of Galatia and that spoken on the banks of the Moselle and the Rhine; and modem travellers have been struck with the fair hair and blue eyes that mark an affinity between the pastoral tribes of Galatia and the peasantry of Western France.

Confining ourselves to the Scriptural evidence on the subject, we can see how the enthusiasm, as well as the fickleness and love of novelty, which have been characteristic of the Gauls both in Europe and Asia, left their mark on the early history of the Galatian Church (i. 6; iii. 1-3; iv. 13-16; v. 7). We may also discern traces of the superstition, drunkenness, avarice, vanity, irascibility, and strife that sometimes impair the charm of the Celtic character (v. 15, 21, 26; vi 3, 4. 6).

The preaching of the Gospel in Galatia by Paul seems to have been due to his detention in that country on his way to the more promising field of proconsular Asia, caused by an attack of the painful and humiliating malady to which he was liable — probably an aggravated form of ophthalmia (iv. 13-16, cf 2 Cor. xii. 7-10). This visit to Galatia, which took place in the course of his second missionary journey, about 51 A.D., is alluded to in the Book of Acts in the most general terms (xvi. 6); but from some passages in this epistle already quoted, it would appear that his faithful and energetic preaching of Christ crucified (iii. 1, 2) had excited great enthusiasm and affection. A second visit to Galatia is recorded in Acts xviii. 22, 23, during the apostle's third missionary journey, about 54 A.D., when he "went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, stablishing all the disciples." From this language we may infer that not a few congregations had been formed in the district; but it would seem that their feelings towards the apostle and his Gospel had in the meantime undergone a change, and that he had, on this second occasion, to speak to them iv tones of warning (i. 9; v. 21; iv. 16-20).

The only other intercourse between Paul and the Galatian Church, of which we have any record in the New Testament, is that mentioned in 1 Cor. xvi. 1-6, concerning the collection for the poor of the Church at Jerusalem. From this passage it appears that the apostle had held communication with Galatia some years after his second visit — possibly while he was at Ephesus; and in this way the news may hare reached him of his converts' lapse from the truth.

Their falling away had evidently been connected with an attempt on the part of Judaising teachers to take advantage of the ritualistic tendencies which, as Caesar tells us, were characteristic of the Gauls, and which had been fostered by the worship of the Phrygian Cybele, with its "wild ceremonial and hideous mutilations" — the object of these teachers being to persuade to an observance of the ceremonial law of Moses (iii. 1-3; iv. 10, 11, 21; v. 2-4, 7, 12; vi. 12, 13).

Although the Galatian Christians were mainly converts from heathenism (iv. 8; v. 2; vi 12), some of them had doubtless been connected with the Jewish synagogues, either as members or as proselytes. Numerous Jews had been attracted to the cities of Galatia by the commercial advantages which these afforded; and of their privileges, Josephus tells us, a monumental record existed in the temple of Augustus at Ancyra, the ancient capital of the district. The existence of this Jewish element in the Church explains the frequent allusions to the Old Testament and the influence gained over the impressible and impulsive Galatians by the Judaising Christians of Jerusalem, who were zealous of the law," and desired to make the Gospel tributary to the synagogue and the temple (i. 7). They had taken advantage of Paul's absence to undermine his character as an apostle, and had endeavoured only too successfully to cause a reaction, in the minds of the superstitious Galatians, from the simplicity and spirituality of the Gospel. It was an attempt to recover the ground which they had lost at Antioch and elsewhere (ii. 4, 5, 11, 14; Acts xv. 1, 23-29).

Where and when written. — From what has been already said as to the allusions in this epistle to the apostle's second visit to Galatia, we may infer that its composition was subsequent to 54 A.D., the date of the visit referred to. The expression "so soon" (i. 6—R.V. "so quickly") has been thought to imply that the epistle must have been written very shortly afterwards. But it is their calling or conversion, that the apostle had in view, and the language would be equally appropriate whether an interval of five or of ten years had elapsed.

A comparison of this epistle with 2 Cor. and Rom. brings out its striking resemblance to both of these — to the former in the writer's tone of feeling regarding his apostleship and the attacks made upon him; to the latter, in language, reasoning, and general cast of doctrine. It was manifestly written previous to Romans, being to it as "the rough model to the finished statue"; and it appears also to have been written when the tension of the apostle's feelings was less severe than when he wrote 2 Cor. With great probability, therefore, we may place its composition in the period of transition between these two epistles towards the close of the year 57 A.D. It may have been written on the apostle's journey from Macedonia to Achaia (Acts xx. 2), for the expression " all the brethren which are with me " (i. 2) would be more likely to be used by the apostle while he was the centre of a travelling party, than if he had been residing at the seat of a congregation.

Its Character and Contents. — From first to last the epistle is marked by a conspicuous unity of purpose — its main object being to counteract the Judaising process that had been going on for some time in the Galatian Church. An important factor in that process had been the denial of Paul's apostolic authority on the ground that he had never seen the Lord, and that he owed his knowledge of the Gospel to the apostles who had their headquarters at Jerusalem- On the question of circumcision and the observance of the law it was allied that he was particularly to be distrusted, as a renegade from the religion of his fathers.

Without a word of his usual praise and thanksgiving, the apostle begins with a bold assertion of his apostolic office as directly conferred upon him by the Lord. This is followed by an account of his intercourse and relations with the other apostles after his conversion, showing that he owed his conception of the Gospel not to them, but to influence exerted on him from above (e.g. in the solitudes of Arabia, i. 17). His ministry had been Acknowledged by the reputed pillars of the Church (James and Cephas and John) as having the same Divine sanction for the' Gentiles, as their preaching had for the Jews. Since that time he had consistently maintained the freedom of his converts from the bondage of the Law, having even gone so far on one occasion as to rebuke Peter for his dissimulation, when he would have withdrawn from fellowship with the Gentile Christians at Antioch (i. 18-ii.)

Having thus disposed of the personal aspect of the question, he passes to its more doctrinal aspect by appealing to the spiritual blessing which the Galatians had experienced under his ministry when he preached the Gospel to them without any mixture of Jewish ritual. He proves that the Law has been superseded by the Gospel, the latter being the full assertion of that principle of faith that had always lain at the foundation of men's acceptance with God, even in the time of Abraham. He shows that the Law given by Moses could only create a sense of sin without providing a remedy. It was but a temporary means of training God's people for the enjoyment of their privileges as His children — standing in the same relation to the Gospel, as the children of Hagar the bondwoman did to Isaac the child of promise (iii.-iv.) In v.-vi. the apostle warns them against the abuse of their spiritual freedom, setting before them the true principles of Christian morality, and exhorting them to several duties of which they had need to be reminded. He concludes with a postscript in his own handwriting (vi. 11-18), in which he sums up the argument with an emphasis and decision that contrast strongly with the hesitation apparent in some of the earlier passages, where he b trying to vindicate his conduct without casting any unnecessary reflections on the other apostles. He exposes the unworthy motives of his opponents, reaffirms the supreme importance of the Cross of Christ and of regeneration in Him as essential to the true Israel of God, and appeals to the marks which he bears of recent persecution, as the seal of his apostleship and the token of his renewed devotion to the Saviour. "From henceforth let no man trouble me, for I bear branded on my body the marks of Jesus."² Finally he invokes the Divine blessing on his converts in terms specially fitted to lift them above the thought of carnal ordinances — "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren."

The whole epistle is marked by a force and vehemence that strain the apostle's power of expression to the utmost. It has done more than any other book of the New Testament for the emancipation of Christians, not only from the yoke of Judaism, but from every other form of extemalism that has ever threatened the freedom and spirituality of the Gospel. It was Luther's favourite epistle, to which he was "wedded," as he said; and from it he largely drew his inspiration in his conflict with the Church of Rome.  

1) For proofs of independence, cf. i. 15-18, Acts ix. 19-26; ii. 1-20 Acts xv. 1-21; ii. 11-14 (which has nothing; corresponding to it in Acts, although corroborated in some of its circumstances by xi. 25, 26; xiv. 26, xv. 1-24, xxi. 18-25). For fulness of detail in this epistle see ii.; i.  17-19, Acts ix. 25-28, xxii. 18; vi. 13-14,  cf 2 Cor. xii. 7-9; vi. 1, cf. 2 Cor. ii. 6-8; vi. 11, cf. Rom. xvi. or 2 Thess. iii. 17.

2) With this we may connect the fact that in the very next epistle which he writes Paul styles himself " the bondservant of Jesus Christ " (Rom. i. 1, R.V. margin), being the first time, so far as we know, that he ever so designated himself.

NOTE A. — While the majority of scholars have hitherto agreed in giving to Galatia the narrower interpretation that is assumed in the foregoing chapter, there are an increasing number who hold that the name is to be taken in its wider meaning as a designation for the Roman province, which included several other districts besides that of the Asiatic Celts. Recently a careful and elaborate argument in favour of this view has been advanced by Professor W. M. Ramsay, who brings to the discussion of the question a rare knowledge of the archaeology and topography of Asia Minor. He maintains that the Churches to which the Epistle was addressed were no other than those of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, which were planted by Paul in his first missionary journey, and of which we have an account in Acts xiii. xiv. For an analysis of Professor Ramsay's argument see the demy 8vo edition of this book, pp. 138-141, or Guild Library vol., pp. 89-93