INTRODUCTION TO GALATIANS
(March 7, 2010)
KEY VERSE – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1) SECONDARY THEME VERSES: “A man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal. 2:16); “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:21).
Legal Righteousness: We are justified by faith in Christ (Gal. 2:16). Moral Righteousness: Immediate Moral Change at conversion (Gal. 6:15); Gradual Moral Change through the fruit-growing work of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) which requires our cooperation (Gal 5:16-17, 25, 6:8). We cooperate by using CCRC (Concentration, Choice, Reflection, Confession/Thanksgiving. Key verse, “By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Heb. 10:14).
TEACHING GOAL: Provide a general understanding of the background for the Letter to the Galatians.
INTRODUCTION TO GALATIANS
1. A Short Test on Galatians
2. The Importance of Galatians for the Church Today
3. Location of Galatia
4. Paul and Barnabas in Galatia
5. Dating for the Epistle to the Galatians
I. A SHORT TEST ON GALATIANS
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE LETTER TO THE GALATIANS?
1. When was the last time you read the whole letter to the Galatians?
2. How many chapters in Galatians? (6)
3. What is your favorite verse in Galatians?
4. Where is Galatia located? Explain the best you can. (South Central Turkey)
5. What NT characters visited Galatia in order to share the Gospel message? (Paul and Barnabas)
6. List the names of two key cities in Galatia that are listed in Acts where the Gospel message was proclaimed. (Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe)
7. Who wrote the letter to the Galatians? (Paul)
8. What OT Bible Characters are listed in Galatians? (Abraham, Hagar)
9. State the main theme of Galatians in no more than six words. Liberty from Law, Justification by Faith
10. What New Testament letter has a theme similar to that of Galatians and thus could be called a ‘sister epistle’? (Romans)
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF GALATIANS FOR THE CHURCH TODAY
Oct. 27, 1516 – March 13, 1517 as a Catholic Agustinian Monk and University Professor Martin Luther gave his first lectures on the Letter to the Galatians at the University of Wittenburg. We have a student’s notebook recording those lectures. (JLM, 35)
Oct. 31, 1517 — Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg, Germany on Oct. 31, 1517. This is considered the start of the Protestant Reformation.
Luther said, “The epistle to the Galatians is my epistle. To it I am, as it were, in wedlock. Galatians is my Katherine [the name of his wife].” (MacArthur, Introduction, Pg. six)
Luther and Calvin virtually based their whole doctrine of Justification by Faith on Galatians and Romans.
1533 – Martin Luther published his “Commentary on Galatians.”
1677 – John Bunyan wrote Pilgrim’s Progress, considered one of the most significant works of English literature. It has been translated into 200 language and has never been out of print. John Bunyan found a battered old copy of Martin Luther’s commentary on Galatians translated into English and was surprised how old it was but was more surprised by the contents. Bunyan wrote, “I do prefer this book of Martin Luther upon the Galatians (excepting the Holy bible) before all the books that ever I have seen, as most fit for a wounded conscience.” (GRB, 11)
1738 – Charles Wesley was converted at a reading of the Preface of Martin Luther’s Commentary on Galatians. The section that struck Charles Wesley is this: “Why, do we then nothing? Do we working nothing for the obtaining of this righteousness? I answer, Nothing at all.” (Luther’s Commentary on the Galatians, pg. xv)
Of course John and Charles Wesley were key in initiating “The Great Awakening” which swept hundreds of thousands into the Kingdom of God, both in the British Isles and Colonial America between 1730-1755).
Galatians has been called the “Magna Carta of Spiritual Liberty,” the “Battle Cry of the Reformation,” the “Christian Declaration of Independence.” It is clearly the Holy Spirit’s charter of spiritual freedom.
Without the Letter to the Galatians Christianity could easily have become another small Jewish sect focused on keeping God’s OT Law instead of understanding the message of Grace as proclaimed in the Gospel.
III. LOCATION OF GALATIA
Who were the Galatians, where did they come from?
Diachronic distribution of Celtic peoples:
Core Hallstatt territory, by the sixth century BC maximal Celtic expansion, by the third century BC Lusitanian area of Iberia where Celtic presence is uncertain the “six Celtic nations” which retained significant numbers of Celtic speakers into the Early Modern period areas where Celtic languages remain widely spoken today.
The Celts originated in Central Europe and enter history around 400 BC. They captured Rome in 387 BC and Rome was not again captured until 410 AD by Alaric and the Visigoths.
The Celts spread all over Europe and today the true ancestors of the Celts are the Scots, Irish, Welsh and those in Brittany in France. In 275BC the Celts (Gauls) invade modern day Turkey and establish a state in north central Turkey.
A major debate has gone on among Bible scholars and commentators for the last two centuries over the destination of Paul’s Letter. When he used the term “Galatians” was he talking about the tribal Gauls that lived in north central Turkey or was he talking about the Roman province of Galatia.
Most American and British scholars say that “Galatia” is referring to the province just as Paul used “Macedonia” to refer to the province and that he is writing to churches Paul established in the southern area of Galatia. There may have been some Celts / Gauls in these churches but most of the members were of Jewish, Greek and other tribal backgrounds.
IV. PAUL AND BARNABAS IN GALATIA
CHRONOLOGY of PAUL’S EARLY YEARS
2 A.D. Born in Tarsus
12-15 Jerusalem as a student (Acts 22:3)
32 Martyrdom of Stephen (Acts 7:58-8:1)
33 Saul’s conversion (Acts 9)
33-36 In Arabia and Damascus
36 Visits Peter and James in Jerusalem (Gal. 1:18-19)
36-40 Paul in Tarsus
40 Barnabas asks Paul to come to Antioch (Acts 11:20-22)
41-43 Paul / Barnabas serve in Antioch
44 Paul / Barnabas bring famine relief to Jerusalem (Acts 11:30)
44-46 Paul / Barnabas visit Galatia for first time (Acts 13:13-14:25)
46-49 Paul / Barnabas stay in Antioch (Acts 14:26-28)
48 Paul writes Letter to the Galatians
49 Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15)
SO WHAT???
1. The Reformation has greatly influenced Western civilization and the teaching of Galatians is foundational to the Reformation.
2. God determines the times set for peoples and the exact places where they should live (Acts 17:26) and so he planned for some Celtic tribes to settle in north central Turkey hundreds of years before Paul visited the area.