The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  In chap. 2, Paul described his visit to the Jerusalem Council of Acts 15 (see note on 2:1), so he must have written Galatians after that event. Since most scholars date the Jerusalem Council about A.D. 49, the most likely date for Galatians is shortly thereafter.

  Background and Setting

  In Paul’s day, the word Galatia had two distinct meanings. In a strict ethnic sense, Galatia was the region of central Asia Minor inhabited by the Galatians. They were a Celtic people who had migrated to that region from Gaul (modern France) in the third century B.C. The Romans conquered the Galatians in 189 B.C. but allowed them to have some measure of independence until 25 B.C. when Galatia became a Roman province, incorporating some regions not inhabited by ethnic Galatians (e.g., parts of Lycaonia, Phrygia, and Pisidia). In a political sense, Galatia came to describe the entire Roman province, not merely the region inhabited by the ethnic Galatians.

  Paul founded churches in the southern Galatian cities of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 13:14-14:23). These cities, although within the Roman province of Galatia, were not in the ethnic Galatian region. There is no record of Paul’s founding churches in that northern, less populated region.

  Those two uses of the word Galatia make it more difficult to determine who the original recipients of the epistle were. Some interpret Galatia in its strict racial sense and argue that Paul addressed this epistle to churches in the northern Galatian region, inhabited by the ethnic descendants of the Gauls. Although the apostle apparently crossed the border into the fringes of ethnic Galatia on at least two occasions (Acts 16:6; 18:23), Acts does not record that he founded any churches or engaged in any evangelistic ministry there.

  Because neither Acts nor Galatians mentions any cities or people from northern (ethnic) Galatia, it is reasonable to believe that Paul addressed this epistle to churches located in the southern part of the Roman province, but outside of the ethnic Galatian region. Acts records the apostle’s founding of such churches at Pisidian Antioch (13:14-50), Iconium (13:51-14:7; cf. 16:2), Lystra (14:8-19; cf. 16:2), and Derbe (14:20, 21; cf. 16:1). In addition, the churches Paul addressed had apparently been established before the Jerusalem Council (2:5), and the churches of southern Galatia fit that criterion, having been founded during Paul’s first missionary journey before the Council met. Paul did not visit northern (ethnic) Galatia until after the Jerusalem Council (Acts 16:6).

  Paul wrote Galatians to counter judaizing false teachers who were undermining the central NT doctrine of justification by faith (see note on Rom. 3:31). Ignoring the express decree of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:23-29), they spread their dangerous teaching that Gentiles must first become Jewish proselytes and submit to all the Mosaic law before they could become Christians (see 1:7; 4:17, 21; 5:2-12; 6:12, 13). Shocked by the Galatians’ openness to that damning heresy (cf. 1:6), Paul wrote this letter to defend justification by faith, and warn these churches of the dire consequences of abandoning that essential doctrine. Galatians is the only epistle Paul wrote that does not contain a commendation for its readers—that obvious omission reflects how urgently he felt about confronting the defection and defending the essential doctrine of justification.

  Historical and Theological Themes

  Galatians provides valuable historical information about Paul’s background (chaps. 1, 2), including his 3-year stay in Nabatean Arabia (1:17, 18), which Acts does not mention; his 15-day visit with Peter after his stay in Arabia (1:18, 19); his trip to the Jerusalem Council (2:1–10); and his confrontation of Peter (2:11–21).

  As already noted, the central theme of Galatians (like that of Romans) is justification by faith. Paul defends that doctrine (which is the heart of the gospel) both in its theological (chaps. 3, 4) and practical (chaps. 5, 6) ramifications. He also defends his position as an apostle (chaps. 1, 2) since, as in Corinth, false teachers had attempted to gain a hearing for their heretical teaching by undermining Paul’s credibility. The main theological themes of Galatians are strikingly similar to those of Romans, e.g., the inability of the law to justify (2:16; cf. Rom. 3:20); the believer’s deadness to the law (2:19; cf. Rom. 7:4); the believer’s crucifixion with Christ (2:20; cf. Rom. 6:6); Abraham’s justification by faith (3:6; cf. Rom. 4:3); that believers are Abraham’s spiritual children (3:7; cf. Rom. 4:10, 11) and therefore blessed (3:9; cf. Rom. 4:23, 24); that the law brings not salvation but God’s wrath (3:10; cf. Rom. 4:15); that the just shall live by faith (3:11; cf. Rom. 1:17); the universality of sin (3:22; cf. Rom. 11:32); that believers are spiritually baptized into Christ (3:27; cf. Rom. 6:3); believers’ adoption as God’s spiritual children (4:5-7; cf. Rom. 8:14-17); that love fulfills the law (5:14; cf. Rom. 13:8-10); the importance of walking in the Spirit (5:16; cf. Rom. 8:4); the warfare of the flesh against the Spirit (5:17; cf. Rom. 7:23, 25); and the importance of believers bearing one anothers’ burdens (6:2; cf. Rom. 15:1).

  Interpretive Challenges

  First, Paul described a visit to Jerusalem and a subsequent meeting with Peter, James, and John (2:1-10). There is a question to be resolved in that text, as to whether that was his visit to the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), or his earlier visit bringing famine relief to the Jerusalem church (Acts 11:27-30). Second, those who teach baptismal regeneration (the false doctrine that baptism is necessary for salvation) support their view from 3:27. Third, others have used this epistle to support their attacks on the biblical roles of men and women, claiming that the spiritual equality taught in 3:28 is incompatible with the traditional concept of authority and submission. Fourth, those who reject the doctrine of eternal security argue that the phrase “you have fallen from grace” (5:4) describes believers who lost their salvation. Fifth, there is disagreement whether Paul’s statement “see with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand!” refers to the entire letter, or merely the concluding verses. Finally, many claim that Paul erased the line between Israel and the church when he identified the church as the “Israel of God” (6:16). Those challenges will be addressed in the notes to the appropriate passages.

  Outline

  I. Personal: The Preacher of Justification (1:1-2:21)

  A. Apostolic Chastening (1:1-9)

  B. Apostolic Credentials (1:10-2:10)

  C. Apostolic Confidence (2:11-21)

  II. Doctrinal: The Principles of Justification (3:1-4:31)

  A. The Experience of the Galatians (3:1-5)

  B. The Blessing of Abraham (3:6-9)

  C. The Curse of the Law (3:10-14)

  D. The Promise of the Covenant (3:15-18)

  E. The Purpose of the Law (3:19-29)

  F. The Sonship of Believers (4:1-7)

  G. The Futility of Ritualism (4:8-20)

  H. The Illustration from Scripture (4:21-31)

  III. Practical: The Privileges of Justification (5:1-6:18)

  A. Freedom from Ritual (5:1-6)

  B. Freedom from Legalists (5:7-12)

  C. Freedom in the Spirit (5:13-26)

  D. Freedom from Spiritual Bondage (6:1-10)

  E. Conclusion (6:11-18)

  The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the

  GALATIANS

  Galatians 1

  Greeting

  1Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but athrough Jesus Christ and God the Father bwho raised Him from the dead),

  2and all the brethren who are with me,

  To the churches of Galatia:

  3Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,

  4cwho gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us dfrom this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

  5to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

  Only One Gospel

  6I marvel that you are turning away so soon efrom Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,

  7fwhich is not another; but there are some gwho trouble you and want to hpervert1 the gospel of Christ.

  8But even if iwe, or an angel from heaven, pr
each any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be 2accursed.

  9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you jthan what you have received, let him be accursed.

  10For kdo I now lpersuade men, or God? Or mdo I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

  Call to Apostleship

  (cf. Acts 9:1–25)

  11nBut I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man.

  12For oI neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came pthrough the revelation of Jesus Christ.

  13For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how qI persecuted the church of God beyond measure and rtried to destroy it.

  14And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, sbeing more exceedingly zealous tfor the traditions of my fathers.

  15But when it pleased God, uwho separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace,

  16vto reveal His Son in me, that wI might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with xflesh and blood,

  17nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

  Contacts at Jerusalem

  (cf. Acts 9:26–31)

  18Then after three years yI went up to Jerusalem to see 3Peter, and remained with him fifteen days.

  19But zI saw none of the other apostles except aJames, the Lord’s brother.

  20(Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)

  21bAfterward I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.

  22And I was unknown by face to the churches of Judea which cwere in Christ.

  23But they were dhearing only, “He who formerly epersecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”

  24And they fglorified God in me.

  Galatians 2

  Defending the Gospel

  (cf. Acts 15:1–21)

  1Then after fourteen years aI went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me.

  2And I went up 1by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but bprivately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means cI might run, or had run, in vain.

  3Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

  4And this occurred because of dfalse brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our eliberty which we have in Christ Jesus, fthat they might bring us into bondage),

  5to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that gthe truth of the gospel might continue with you.

  6But from those hwho seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; iGod 2shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something jadded nothing to me.

  7But on the contrary, kwhen they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised lhad been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter

  8(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the mcircumcised nalso oworked effectively in me toward the Gentiles),

  9and when James, 3Cephas, and John, who seemed to be ppillars, perceived qthe grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, rthat we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

  10They desired only that we should remember the poor, sthe very thing which I also was eager to do.

  No Return to the Law

  11tNow when 4Peter had come to Antioch, I 5withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed;

  12for before certain men came from James, uhe would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing 6those who were of the circumcision.

  13And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

  14But when I saw that they were not straightforward about vthe truth of the gospel, I said to Peter wbefore them all, x“If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, 7why do you compel Gentiles to live as 8Jews?

  15y“We who are Jews by nature, and not zsinners of the Gentiles,

  16a“knowing that a man is not 9justified by the works of the law but bby faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not cby the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

  17“But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found dsinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not!

  18“For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

  19“For I ethrough the law fdied to the law that I might glive to God.

  20“I have been hcrucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh iI live by faith in the Son of God, jwho loved me and gave Himself for me.

  21“I do not set aside the grace of God; for kif righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died 10in vain.”

  Galatians 3

  Justification by Faith

  (cf. Rom. 4:1–25)

  1O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you 1that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed 2among you as crucified?

  2This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, aor by the hearing of faith?

  3Are you so foolish? bHaving begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by cthe flesh?

  4dHave you suffered so 3many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

  5Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—

  6just as Abraham e“believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

  7Therefore know that only fthose who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

  8And gthe Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, h“In you all the nations shall be blessed.”

  9So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

  The Law Brings a Curse

  10For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, i“Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”

  11But that no one is 4justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for j“the just shall live by faith.”

  12Yet kthe law is not of faith, but l“the man who does them shall live by them.”

  13mChrist has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, n“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”),

  14othat the blessing of Abraham might come upon the pGentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive qthe promise of the Spirit through faith.

  The Changeless Promise

  (cf. Gen. 12:1–3)

  15Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: rThough it is only a man’s covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.

  16Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as of many, but as of sone, t“And to your Seed,” who is uChrist.

  17And this I say, that the law, vwhich was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God 5in Christ, wthat it should make the promise of no effect.

  18For if xthe inheritance is of the law, yit is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

  Purpose of the Law

  19What purpose then does the law serve? zIt was added because of transgressions, till the aSeed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was bappointed through angels by the hand cof a
mediator.

  20Now a mediator does not mediate for one only, dbut God is one.

  21Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.

  22But the Scripture has confined eall under sin, fthat the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

  23But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, 6kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed.

  24Therefore gthe law was our 7tutor to bring us to Christ, hthat we might be justified by faith.

  25But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

  Sons and Heirs

  26For you iare all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

  27For jas many of you as were baptized into Christ khave put on Christ.

  28lThere is neither Jew nor Greek, mthere is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all none in Christ Jesus.

  29And oif you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s pseed, and qheirs according to the promise.

  Galatians 4

  Sons and Heirs Through Christ

  1Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all,

  2but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.

  3Even so we, when we were children, awere in bondage under the elements of the world.

  4But bwhen the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, cborn1 dof a woman, eborn under the law,

  5fto redeem those who were under the law, gthat we might receive the adoption as sons.

  6And because you are sons, God has sent forth hthe Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 2“Abba, Father!”

  7Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, iand if a son, then an heir 3of God 4through Christ.

  Fears for the Church