Do you know the occasion and purpose for the writing to the Galatians. Who were the opponents of Paul in Galatia? What was the nature of the opponents’ doctrine and how did Paul respond to it? This article will answer these questions and more.
In the face of Jewish opposition, the southern region of Galatia had been fertile soil for Paul’s ministry as he traveled with his companion, Barnabas, through cities recorded by Luke in Acts 13 and 14 (Carson, 2005, 465). However, after Paul left the area of Galatia he received news that some trouble-makers were agitating the believers (Longenecker, 2003, 64). Although Paul was not completely sure of the identity of his opponents (Galatians 5:10, New American Standard [NAS]), apparently a group of Jewish Christians, or possibly local Jews, were teaching that submission to the Jewish law was a requirement of salvation (Carson, 2005, 465-466). Paul’s letter to the Galatians was a result of the challenges the Galatians were facing, but also reflected a continuing debate regarding the applicability of the Torah in Jerusalem and Antioch in Syria (Boice, 1976, 410).
Paul’s opponents viewed nomism as an integral part of maintaining and, likely, procuring a relationship with God (Lea, 2003, 364). In order to further their agenda, the agitators attempted to undermine Paul’s authority, claim Paul’s gospel was not true, and charge that the gospel preached by Paul would lead to immorality (Boice, 1976, 410-411). Paul addressed the issues of the law with various arguments, however, one of his “finest deliberations on the subject was informed by a belief that cruciform existence is intrinsic to Christian identity and is the most intimate form of relationship with God” (Longenecker, 2003, 66).
The crucial language utilized by Paul arguing for the sufficiency of the Christian faith climaxes with “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 5:20, NAS) which naturally leads to the recognition that righteousness, which the Jewish Christians were attempting to accomplish through the futility of human effort, can only be realized by grace via faith. In other words, “Christ in me” imputes righteousness not the Law, otherwise, “Christ died needlessly” (Galatians 5:21-3:2, NAS). Longenecker (2003) identifies four significant Pauline points which decimate the opponent’s gospel which, of course, is no gospel at all (Galatians 1:6-7, NAS). First, paradoxically, Paul emphasizes that a morality is central to a cruciform existence (Longenecker, 2003, 67). The manifested righteousness frees believers from the need to acquire significance or justification from immoral idolatries such as human performance by realizing the very thing we are striving for already exists. Secondly, Paul explains the entirety of the Law is fulfilled in one word: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Galatians 5:14, NAS). In other words, through “service to others the expectations of the law are fully concretized in unrivalled fashion” (Longenecker, 2003, 68). Again, paradoxically, when a cruciform life is extended and death reigns to its own desires, self-giving is magnified completely fulfilling the Law in an unbridled extension of love for others. Next, Paul refers metaphorically to the purpose of the law as pedagogue (Galatians 3:24, NAS) which is “relieved of its duty once the child comes of age,” just as the function of the law terminated with Christ’s arrival (Longenecker, 2003, 69). Accordingly, Paul now directs us to “walk by the Spirit” not by the Law, for if led by the Spirit, we are not under the Law (Galatians 5:16-17, NAS). Finally, Paul plunges a dagger into the motivation of his opponents by accusing them of championing nomistic teaching for the purpose of self-promotion (Longenecker, 2003, 70; Galatians 4:17, NAS). For delighting in the Law can be extremely dangerous especially when “spiritual pride is added to that of mere ordinary pedantry and conceit” (Lewis, 1958, 57).
The letter to the Galatians was originally a response to disturbing news reaching an apostle who responded with a message of salvation by grace, believers united in love, and Holy Spirit directed living (Lea, 2003, 366) which culminated in a “classic expression of the meaning of justification by faith in Christ alone” (Carson, 2005, 468).
References
Boice, J. M. 1976. The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Ed. Frank E. Gaebelein. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Carson, D.A., & Moo, D. J. 2005. An Introduction to the New Testament. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Lea, T. D., & David Alan Black. 2003. The New Testament Its Background and Message. 2nd ed. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman.
Lewis, C. S. (1958). Reflections on the Psalms: The Celebrated Musings on One of the Most Intriguing Books of the Bible. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.
Longenecker, Bruce. 2003. The Cambridge Companion to St Paul. Ed. James D. G. Dunn. Cambridge: Cambridge University. DOI:10.1017/CCOL0521781558.005.
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