Editing Epistle to the Galatians (section)

=== Audience ===
Paul's letter is addressed "to the churches of Galatia",<ref>{{bibleref|Galatians|1:2|9}}</ref> but the location of these churches is a matter of debate. Most scholars agree that it is a geographical reference to the Roman province in central Asia Minor, which had been settled by immigrant Celts in the 270s BC and retained Gaulish features of culture and language in Paul's day. [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]] records Paul traveling to the "region of Galatia and [[Phrygia]]", which lies immediately west of Galatia.<ref>{{bibleref |Acts|16:6}} and {{bibleref|Acts|18:23}}</ref> Some scholars have argued that "Galatia" is an ethnic reference to ''[[Galatians (people)|Galatians]],'' a [[Celt]]ic people living in northern [[Asia Minor]].

The New Testament indicates that Paul spent time personally in the cities of Galatia ([[Antioch of Pisidia]], [[Iconium]], [[Lystra]] and [[Derbe]]) during his missionary journeys.<ref>{{bibleverse|Acts 13:13; 14:1; 14:8|multi=yes}}; {{bibleverse|Galatians|1:6; 4:13; 4:19||9}}</ref> They seem to have been composed mainly of Gentile converts.<ref>{{bibleref|Galatians|4:8|9}}</ref> After Paul's departure, the churches were led astray from Paul's trust/faith-centered teachings by individuals proposing "another gospel" (which centered on salvation through the [[Mosaic Law]], so-called [[Legalism (theology)|legalism]]), whom Paul saw as preaching a "different gospel" from what Paul had taught.<ref>{{bibleref2|Galatians|1:6–9|9|Galatians 1:1–9}}</ref> The Galatians appear to have been receptive to the teaching of these newcomers, and the epistle is Paul's response to what he sees as their willingness to turn from his teaching.<ref name=":1" />

The identity of these "opponents" is disputed. However, the majority of modern scholars view them as Jewish Christians, who taught that in order for converts to belong to the [[People of God]], they must be subject to some or all of the Jewish Law (i.e. [[Judaizer]]s). The letter indicates [[Circumcision controversy in early Christianity|controversy concerning circumcision]], [[Biblical Sabbath|Sabbath observance]], and the [[Biblical law in Christianity|Mosaic Covenant]]. It would appear, from Paul's response, that they cited the example of [[Abraham]], who was [[Religious male circumcision|circumcised]] as a mark of receiving the [[Covenant (biblical)#Abrahamic covenant|covenant blessings]].<ref>{{bibleref|Genesis|17|9}}</ref> They certainly appear to have questioned Paul's authority as an [[apostle]], perhaps appealing to the greater authority of the [[Early centers of Christianity#Jerusalem|Jerusalem church]] governed by [[James (brother of Jesus)]].{{Sfn | Betz | 2007}}

====North Galatian view====
The North Galatian view holds that the epistle was written very soon after Paul's second visit to Galatia.<ref>{{bibleref|Acts|18:23|9}}</ref> In this view, the visit to [[Jerusalem]], mentioned in [[Galatians 2#Verses 1–10|Galatians 2:1–10]],<ref>{{bibleverse|Galatians|2:1–10|9}}</ref> is identical with that of [[Acts 15]], which is spoken of as a thing of the past. Consequently, the epistle seems to have been written after the [[Council of Jerusalem]].  The similarity between this epistle and the epistle to the Romans has led to the conclusion that they were both written at roughly the same time, during Paul's stay in [[Macedonia (Roman province)|Macedonia]] in roughly 56–57.<ref name= "evans">{{cite book| last= McDonald|first= Lee Martin|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=oP3k4TNiDWMC&pg=PA462 | series =The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary | title = Acts–Philemon | volume = 2 |date= 2004|publisher=Victor|isbn= 978-0-78144006-6 |editor-last=Evans|editor-first=Craig|editor-link=Craig A. Evans|location=Colorado Springs, Colorado|page=462|chapter= Introduction to Galatians}}</ref><ref>{{bibleref2|Acts|20:2–3|9|Acts 20:2–3}}</ref>

This third date takes the word "quickly" in {{bibleverse|Galatians|1:6|9|Gal. 1:6}} literally.<ref name= "evans" /> [[John P. Meier]] suggests that Galatians was "written in the middle or late 50s, only a few years after the Antiochene incident he narrates".<ref>{{cite book|last1= Brown |first1= Raymond E.|author-link1=Raymond E. Brown |title= Antioch & Rome: New Testament Cradles of Catholic Christianity |last2= Meier |first2= John P.|author-link2=John P. Meier|date=1983|publisher= Paulist Press|isbn= 978-0-80912532-6|location=New York|page= 113}}</ref> Eminent biblical scholar [[Helmut Koester]] also subscribes to the "North Galatian Hypothesis". Koester points out that the cities of Galatia in the north consist of Ankyra, Pessinus, and Gordium (of the [[Gordian Knot]] fame of [[Alexander the Great]]).<ref>{{cite book |last= Koester |first=Helmut|authorlink=Helmut Koester|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=thXUHM5udTcC&pg=PA114 |title=Introduction to the New Testament | volume = 2|date=2000 |publisher= Walter de Gruyter|isbn= 3-11-014693-2 |location=Berlin |page= 114}}</ref>

====South Galatian view====
The South Galatian view holds that Paul wrote Galatians before the First Jerusalem Council, probably on his way to it, and that it was written to churches he had presumably planted during either his time in Tarsus (he would have traveled a short distance, since Tarsus is in Cilicia) after his first visit to Jerusalem as a Christian,<ref>{{bibleref|Acts|9:30}}</ref> or during his first missionary journey, when he traveled throughout southern Galatia. If it was written to the believers in South Galatia, it would likely have been written in 49.<ref name="evans" />

====Earliest epistle====
A third theory{{Sfn | Fung | 1988 | pp = [https://books.google.com/books?id=THYUsu7sLGEC&pg=PA16  16–22]}}<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.theologywebsite.com/nt/galatians.shtml|title= New Testament Study Helps: Galatians|website=Theology WebSite|access-date=2007-07-11 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070928170851/http://www.theologywebsite.com/nt/galatians.shtml|archive-date= 2007-09-28 |url-status= dead}}</ref> is that Galatians 2:1–10 describes Paul and Barnabas' visit to Jerusalem described in Acts 11:30 and 12:25. This theory holds that the epistle was written before the Council was convened, possibly making it the earliest of Paul's epistles. According to this theory, the revelation mentioned (Gal. 2:2) corresponds with the prophecy of Agabus (Acts 11:27–28). This view holds that the private speaking about the gospel shared among the Gentiles precludes the Acts 15 visit, but fits perfectly with [[Acts 11]]. It further holds that continuing to remember the poor (Gal. 2:10) fits with the purpose of the Acts 11 visit, but not Acts 15.{{Sfn | Fung | 1988 | p = [https://books.google.com/books?id=THYUsu7sLGEC&pg=PA19 19]}}

In addition, the exclusion of any mention of the letter of [[Acts 15]] is seen to indicate that such a letter did not yet exist, since Paul would have been likely to use it against the legalism confronted in Galatians. Finally, this view doubts Paul's confrontation of Peter (Gal. 2:11) would have been necessary after the events described in Acts 15. If this view is correct, the epistle should be dated somewhere around 47, depending on other difficult-to-date events, such as Paul's conversion.{{Sfn | Fung | 1988 | p = [https://books.google.com/books?id=THYUsu7sLGEC&pg=PA19 19]}}

[[Kirsopp Lake]] found this view less likely and wondered why it would be necessary for the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) to take place at all if the issue were settled in Acts 11:30/12:25, as this view holds.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lake|first= Kirsopp|authorlink=Kirsopp Lake|chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/thebeginningsofc05unknuoft/page/200 |title= The Beginnings of Christianity | volume = 5|date=1933|publisher= Macmillan |editor1-last=Foakes-Jackson|editor1-first= F. J.|editor-link=F. J. Foakes-Jackson|location= London |page= 201|chapter= The Apostolic Council of Jerusalem|editor2-last=Lake|editor2-first= Kirsopp}}</ref> Defenders of the view do not think it unlikely an issue of such magnitude would need to be discussed more than once.<ref>{{cite book |last=Marshall|first=I. H.|authorlink=I. Howard Marshall|title= The Acts of the Apostles|date=1980| series = [[Tyndale New Testament Commentaries]]| publisher = William. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company | location=Grand Rapids|page= 205}}</ref> New Testament scholar [[Joseph Lightfoot|J.B. Lightfoot]] also objected to this view since it "clearly implies that his [Paul's] Apostolic office and labours were well known and recognized before this conference."{{Sfn | Fung | 1988 | p = [https://books.google.com/books?id=THYUsu7sLGEC&pg=PA19  19]}}

Defenders of this view, such as [[Ronald Fung]], disagree with both parts of Lightfoot's statement, insisting Paul received his "Apostolic Office" at his conversion (Gal. 1:15–17; [[Acts 9]]). Fung holds, then, that Paul's apostolic mission began almost immediately in Damascus (Acts 9:20). While accepting that Paul's apostolic anointing was likely only recognized by the Apostles in Jerusalem during the events described in [[Galatians 2]]/Acts 11:30, Fung does not see this as a problem for this theory.{{Sfn | Fung | 1988 | p = [https://books.google.com/books?id=THYUsu7sLGEC&pg=PA19 19]}}