Galatians Blog 1

The book of Galatians was written by Paul and nearly all scholars are in agreement on its authorship. Paul wrote Galatians around 57 AD, the NISB says that it was written closer to 55 AD (Matera 2079), to the region of Galatia from Ephesus or Macedonia. Galatians is an epistle that has some elements of apologetics, but Paul is more focused on “‘deliberative rhetoric,’ the kind of argumentation ancient speakers wand writers used to persuade people to change their behavior” (Keener 517).

The reason that Paul was prompted to write this letter was because Judaizers had come to the churches of Galatia and told them that all of the males needed to be circumcised and follow the Mosaic Law, along with belief in Jesus, in order to be saved. Craig S. Keener says this about the Judaizers, “Some Judean Christians were now arguing tha tone must become culturally Jewish to become a full Christian, fully righteous; after all, the Bible itself made this requirement for one who wished to belong to God’s people (Gen 17: 10-14)” (518). Paul is stating that if following the law was enough, then Jesus died for nothing (Gal 2:21). In chapter three, Paul states that to live by the letter of the law makes a person cursed by that law (Gal 3:10).

Paul says in Galatians that faith is the requirement. He asks in chapter three “The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by dong the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?” (3:2-5). The next few verses talks about how Abraham was justified by faith in what God said and not through the works of the law. Genesis 15:6 says “And [Abraham] believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as rightousness.”

I have spent hours on this book this semester because the church that I am attending has gone through this book this semester. Also, I am taking the class, Interpreting the Bible and my New Testament exegesis paper was on Galatians 3:5-10. For the past two weeks I have spent hours researching and writing the paper that was turned in on November 20th, 2008. My “aha” moment(s) have come in the past three weeks.

One night I sat at Park Church listening to Pastor Brian speak on Galatians 5:1-12. As I sat in the pew, I realized things that have little to do with the purpose of this blog. One thing that does is the inclusion of the Gentiles into God’s plan. I thought that it was interesting that God was speaking along with the pastor, yet what God was saying to me was relatively different than what the pastor was saying. Both were relevant to hear that week. It was a strong message! Pastor Brian talked about how when a person begins working to keep the law s/he has alienated his/herself from the grace of God. At the same time God was saying that while I am not Jewish, He does not make that distinction as something discriminating. Rather, God makes that distinction in me only to more fully embrace who I am.

The following day my New Testament class talked about Galatians. The information presented was mostly facts about the letter. To read those, just reread the first part of this blog. However what was going on in my head was completely different. This is not to say that I was not paying attention in class. No, on the contrary, I think I was probably pondering too deeply everything that was happening around me. What does that have to do with Galatians? It has everything to do with how I had read Galatians the previous Saturday night. Chapter three had been my favorite and I could not stop thinking about verses 1-14. The Spirit was given to the region of Galatia by belief in the Gospel message. Not only was the Spirit present, but it was moving and the miraculous was being seen. What is CCU missing? Oh wait, that looks like a question for blog number two.

For the next two weeks I researched for my exegesis paper and spent hours organizing my thoughts. Combine that with my favorite documentary, Finger of God Film and suddenly there is a whole new passion for God churning inside of me!
WORKS CITED

Keener, Craig S. “Galatians,” Pages 517-537 in The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Matera, Frank J. “The Letter of Paul to the Galatians” Pages 2079-2080 in The New Interpreter’s Study Bible with the Apocrypha. Edited by Walter J. Harrelson et al. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2003.