Commentary on Galatians -- General Comments
by Dave Brown
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Galatians 1-3
Galatians 4-6
General Comments
Paul writes to the several churches of Galatia who were plagued at this time with false teachers who questioned his apostleship and were trying to move the churches back under the Old Testament law. It is clear that they were doing this in order to promote their own positions within the churches, positions that they probably enjoyed in the synagogues prior to the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In addition to addressing these problems, Paul also goes on to give illustrations of both bad behaviors that Christians should reject, and good behaviors that are the fruits of the Spirit.
The timing of the writing is clearly after Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13-14), and the events of Acts 15, since this in all probability reflects the intent of Gal. 2:1. We read of a first visit of Paul to Galatia in Acts 16:6, and a second in Acts 18:23. It would seem that shortly after this second visit that Paul is shocked to find them so quickly departing from the clear teachings of the gospel, as we see in Galatians 1:6. This would place Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19), where he stayed for about three years (Acts 20:17,31) after leaving the brethren at Galatia.
Go to Galatians 1-3
Galatians 1-3
Galatians 4-6
General Comments
Paul writes to the several churches of Galatia who were plagued at this time with false teachers who questioned his apostleship and were trying to move the churches back under the Old Testament law. It is clear that they were doing this in order to promote their own positions within the churches, positions that they probably enjoyed in the synagogues prior to the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In addition to addressing these problems, Paul also goes on to give illustrations of both bad behaviors that Christians should reject, and good behaviors that are the fruits of the Spirit.
The timing of the writing is clearly after Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13-14), and the events of Acts 15, since this in all probability reflects the intent of Gal. 2:1. We read of a first visit of Paul to Galatia in Acts 16:6, and a second in Acts 18:23. It would seem that shortly after this second visit that Paul is shocked to find them so quickly departing from the clear teachings of the gospel, as we see in Galatians 1:6. This would place Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19), where he stayed for about three years (Acts 20:17,31) after leaving the brethren at Galatia.
Go to Galatians 1-3