Pauls letter to the GALATIANS: By the middle of the first century, while the early Church of Christ was still connected to Judaism, an increasing number of sympathizers were Gentiles. In his confrontation with James, Peter, Barnabas and their circumcision faction at Antioch, he had held that the demands of the Jewish law were an unnecessary burden for Gentiles when even Jewish Christian - among them even Peter himself- had ceased to observed them (2:11-14). Some people had come to oppose Paul in Galatia, a Roman province in Asia Minor. They still claimed that one must also observe the Law of Moses in order to be right with God. Such initial opposition to the educated Roman citizen Paul, would force him to defend himself and his own mission – before the Gentiles – which would provide the basis for a whole Christianity independent of its Jewish roots. He had said, “Must a person obey the Law of Moses in order to become a true follower of Christ? Are you required to observe the Jewish law, even in part? – No, the only sound basis for life in Him is faith, by which gift God puts all of us right.” He argues that the observance of the Jewish law by Gentiles is in itself incompatible with acceptance of the gospel (2:15-21) Style: Right after the introduction, he divides his letter in three parts. He begins by defending his right to be called an apostle. He insists that his call came not from any human authority, but directly from the grace of God. Having talked about the law as a provisional measure, a means to discipline those who would inherit Abrahams promise during their religious infancy (3:24; cf. 4:1-6), then he discusses the controversial issue not in the abstract; instead, facing a concrete situation in a particular place: with his allegorical argument based on the story of Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31) he now seems to propose that the Sinai covenant and the community of Israel based upon the observance of the law is drastically at odds with the authentic Israel, the community united with Jesus Christ, the one true heir of Abraham (3:16) He argues passionately that his own view is crucial both to the survival of his work in Galatia and elsewhere. He adds that he was especially called to a mission on behalf of the non-Jews. (1:16) Then he explains freedom and responsibility, and concludes showing that our conduct as true followers of Jesus the Christ flows naturally from the love that results from faith in Him. Note: Paul would develop his views on the said law further in his Letter to the Romans (9-11); yet accepting that James and Peter were “entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised.”
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 07:13:05 +0000
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