Editing Epistle to the Galatians (section)

==== Date ====
A majority of scholars agree that Galatians was written between the late 40s and early 50s,<ref>[[Michael Coogan|M. Coogan]], ed. ''The New Oxford Annotated Bible'' ([[Oxford University Press]]: New York, 2001), 309 NT.</ref> although some date the original composition to {{circa|50–60}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/galatians.html |title=Galatians |website= Early Christian Writings}}</ref> Jon Jordan notes that an interesting point to be made in the search for the dating of Galatians concerns whether or not it is a response to the [[Council of Jerusalem]] or a factor leading up to the Council. He writes, "did Paul's argument in Galatians flow out of the Jerusalem Council's decision, or did it come before the Jerusalem Council and possibly help shape that very decision?"<ref>{{Cite book|last1= Jordan |first1=Jon R.|title= From Law to Logos : reading St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians|date=2016 |publisher= Wipf & Stock| last2 = Still | first2 = Todd D. |author2-link=Todd D. Still |isbn= 978-1-4982-8971-9 |location= Eugene, [[Oregon|ON]] |oclc= 975120128}}</ref> It would have been enormously helpful to Paul's argument if he could have mentioned the decision of the Council of Jerusalem that Gentiles should not be circumcised. The absence of this argument from Paul strongly implies Galatians was written prior to the council. Since the council took place in 48–49 AD, and Paul evangelized South Galatia in 47–48 AD, the most plausible date for the writing of Galatians is 48 AD.<ref>{{Cite book|chapter=Introduction to the Book of Galatians|title=ESV Study Bible|publisher=Crossway|date=2008|isbn=978-1433502415}}</ref>