Galatians 1
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Galatia was not a city, it was a province in what is today Turkey. Paul first visited there on his first missionary journey. The churches that Paul was writing in this epistle were those of Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and (Pisidian) Antioch (cf. Acts 13-14). The term Galatia is derived from Gaul (“Gaul-atia”)
Written from Antioch of Syria in about A.D. 48-50 just before the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).
The Judaizers - The term Judaizer originates as a transliteration via the Latin of the Greek verb ioudaizein (ioudaizō). The normal meaning of the verb was “to live as a Jew in accordance with Jewish customs.” They taught that Gentiles must become Jews by circumcision before they could become Christians and that all Christians, must obey the Mosaic laws, regulations, and ceremonies (see 2:3-5,11-14; 3:3-5; 4:8-11, 21-31; 5:1-4; 6:12-13). And like the super-apostles in Corinth, they also tried to undermine Paul’s authority.
Chapter 1
1 Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—2and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: – He is an apostle sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father. The word Christ is used 529 times in the N.T. Of those, 379 are used by Paul.
The resurrection was accomplished : by the Son: John 2:19, 10:18; by the Father: Rom 6:4; Gal 1:1 by the Spirit: Rom 8:11
3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ – typical Pauline greeting. Paul uses the word “grace” (charis)100 times. In the rest of the N.T. in only appears 55 times.
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – The word quickly (ταχέως tacheōs) is where we get our word tachometer.
9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! – Anathema; eternally condemned. Cf. Matt 23:15.
11 I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up – Literally, ‘the gospel that I gospelled to you.”
12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ – Cf. Acts 9.
“Paul did not receive instruction from Ananias. Paul had already been called, enlightened, and taught by Christ in the road. His contact with Ananias was merely a testimonial to the fact that Paul had been called by Christ to preach the gospel.” (Martin Luther)
15 But when God, who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased – Cf. Ephesians 1:4-5.
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus – Arabia extended all the way to the city of Damascus and was known as Nabatea.
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