About Galatians
Christ has set us free from every form of spiritual bondage - we are justified by faith alone, and the Spirit produces the life that the law demanded but could never create.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free."
Galatians 5:1
Written
circa AD 48-55
Author
Paul
Genre
Epistle / Apologetic / Theological
Position
9th NT book - Paul's Letters
Authorship
The Apostle Paul, written in passionate urgency to churches he founded in the region of Galatia during his first or second missionary journey. Some scholars believe it is Paul's earliest letter.
Historical Context
After Paul planted the Galatian churches, Jewish-Christian teachers (Judaizers) arrived insisting Gentile converts must be circumcised and keep the Mosaic law to be fully saved. Paul is furious: adding anything to Christ for salvation is not a supplemented gospel but a perverted one.
Purpose
To defend the truth that justification is by faith alone in Christ alone - and that adding any requirement to Christ destroys the gospel completely.
Key Message
Christ has set us free from every form of spiritual bondage - we are justified by faith alone, and the Spirit produces the life that the law demanded but could never create.
Book Structure
Interesting Facts
Galatians is sometimes called the Magna Carta of Christian liberty - Paul's most uncompromising defense of grace.
The fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control - is probably the most memorized list in the NT.
Galatians 3:28 - Neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus - is one of the most radical equality statements in ancient literature.
Luther called Galatians 'my Katy von Bora' (his wife's name) - the letter he was most married to.