Galatians

Thomas R. Schreiner, Clinton E. Arnold

• Publisher: Zondervan Academic
• Year: 2011
• eBook ISBN: 9780310492160
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

Concentrate on the biblical author’s message as it unfolds.

Designed to assist the pastor and Bible teacher in conveying the significance of God’s Word, the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament series treats the literary context and structure of every passage of the New Testament book in the original Greek.

With a unique layout designed to help you comprehend the form and flow of each passage, the ZECNT unpacks:

• The key message.
• The author’s original translation.
• An exegetical outline.
• Verse-by-verse commentary.
• Theology in application.

 

While primarily designed for those with a basic knowledge of biblical Greek, all who strive to understand and teach the New Testament will benefit from the depth, format, and scholarship of these volumes.

In this volume, Thomas R. Schreiner offers pastors, students, and teachers a focused resource for reading Galatians. Through the use of graphic representations of translations, succinct summaries of main ideas, exegetical outlines and other features, Schreiner presents Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians with precision and accuracy. Because of this series’ focus on the textual structure of the scriptures, readers will better understand the literary elements of Galatians, comprehend the author’s revolutionary goals, and ultimately discover their vital claims upon the church today.

Commentary on Galatians

Chapter 1. Galatians 1:1–5

Chapter 2. Galatians 1:6–10

Chapter 3. Galatians 1:11–17

Chapter 4. Galatians 1:18–24

Chapter 5. Galatians 2:1–10

Chapter 6. Galatians 2:11–14

Chapter 7. Galatians 2:15–21

Chapter 8. Galatians 3:1–5

Chapter 9. Galatians 3:6–9

Chapter 10. Galatians 3:10–14

Chapter 11. Galatians 3:15–18

Chapter 12. Galatians 3:19–25

Chapter 13. Galatians 3:26–29

Chapter 14. Galatians 4:1–7

Chapter 15. Galatians 4:8–11

Chapter 16. Galatians 4:12–20

Chapter 17. Galatians 4:21–5:1

Chapter 18. Galatians 5:2–6

Chapter 19. Galatians 5:7–12

Chapter 20. Galatians 5:13–15

Chapter 21. Galatians 5:16–24

Chapter 22. Galatians 5:25–6:5

Chapter 23. Galatians 6:6–10

Chapter 24. Galatians 6:11–18

Chapter 1

Galatians 1:1–5

Literary Context

Most Greco-Roman letters consisted of an opening, a body, and a closing. Paul’s letters have the same elements, but the body of the letter is much longer in the Pauline letters than the typical Greco-Roman letter. Galatians begins with the typical Pauline structure: (1) identification of author (“Paul,” 1:1); (2) the recipients (“the churches of Galatia,” 1:2); and (3) the salutation (“grace and peace,” 1:3). The usual salutation in Greco-Roman letters was “greetings” (χαίρειν). The use of the term “grace” (χάρις) by Paul represents an adaptation of the typical style, and in using the word “grace,” he introduces a prominent theme in his gospel. The term “peace” (εἰρήνη) probably hails from Jewish letters that used the word “peace” (2 Macc 1:1; 2 Bar 78:3) in the greeting.

In most instances in the Pauline letters the initial greeting is remarkably brief (1 Cor 1:1–3; 2 Cor 1:1–2; Eph 1:1–2; Phil 1:1–2; Col 1:1–2; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1–2; 1 Tim 1:1–2; 2 Tim 1:1–2; Phlm 1–3), but the initial greeting in Galatians is a bit longer. The unique features in the greeting are particularly crucial, for the distinctive elements foreshadow important themes in the letter:1

1. 1. Paul’s apostleship derives from God rather than from human beings (1:1), so that he is defending himself against the objections of the opponents.
2. 2. Other believers concur with the Pauline gospel (1:2).
3. 3. The new age of salvation has broken into time by Christ’s death and resurrection, which has delivered believers from this present evil age (1:1, 4).
4. 4. The Pauline gospel brings glory to God (1:5).

1. I. Introduction: Desertion from Paul’s Gospel Is Desertion from the Gospel (1:1–2:21)
   1. A. Greeting: Paul’s Apostolic Authority (1:1–5)
   2. B. Problem Explained: Desertion from the Gospel (1:6–10)
   3. C. Paul’s Gospel Derived from God, Not People (1:11–2:21)

Main Idea

The main point in the opening of the letter is Paul’s desire for the Galatians to enjoy grace and peace. He was called as an apostle so that they would enjoy such blessings, and Christ died and has been raised from the dead so that grace and peace would be theirs.

Translation

Structure

Galatians, though it has a unique opening in some respects, has the three main elements of letter openings: (1) Paul identifies himself as the author; (2) the recipients of the letter are specified (the Galatians); and (3) Paul utters a prayer wish.

(1) The letter opens with Paul identifying himself as the author, but he immediately adds that his apostleship is not from or through human beings. Rather, he was called as an apostle through Jesus Christ on the Damascus road and through God the Father, who is identified as the one who raised Jesus from the dead. The letter is not from Paul alone, but also represents the views of all the fellow believers who are with him.

(2) The recipients of the letter are identified as those who are in “the churches of Galatia.”

(3) The main and second point of the opening is relayed in the prayer wish, where Paul prays that the Galatians will know God’s grace and peace that come from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. After mentioning Christ, Paul identifies him in a confessional statement as the one who gave himself for sins, and the purpose of his atoning work was to rescue believers from the present evil age. Christ’s redemptive work has been carried out by the Father’s will, and hence Paul closes with a doxology emphasizing that all the glory for the salvation accomplished goes to him.

Exegetical Outline

1. I. Introduction: Desertion from Paul’s Gospel Is Desertion from the Gospel (1:1–2:21)
   1. A. Greeting: Paul’s Apostolic Authority (1:1–5)
      1. 1. Sender: Paul and fellow believers (1:1–2)
      2. 2. Prayer wish (1:3)
      3. 3. Purpose of Christ’s death (1:4)
      4. 4. Glory to God (1:5)

Explanation of the Text

1:1a Paul, an apostle (Παῦλος ἀπόστολος). One of the most important themes in Galatians is Paul’s apostolic authority, and he affirms it from the outset. Paul regularly, though not always (cf. Phil 1:1; Phlm 1), affirms his apostolic authority at the beginning of his letters (Rom 1:1; 1 Cor 1:1; 2 Cor 1:1; Eph 1:1; Col 1:1; 1 Tim 1:1; 2 Tim 1:1; Titus 1:1). Paul was called as an apostle on the Damascus road when the Lord Jesus appeared to him (Gal 1:12; 1 Cor 9:1; cf. Acts 9:1–7). He was particularly called to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles (Rom 11:13; Gal 1:16; 1 Tim 2:7; cf. Acts 9:15). His apostleship was verified by the churches he established (1 Cor 9:2) and by the signs he performed (2 Cor 12:12).2

1:1b-c Not from human beings neither through human beings (οὐκ ἀπ’ ἀνθρώπων οὐδὲ δι’ ἀνθρώπου). Paul emphasizes, somewhat surprisingly, that his apostleship does not have a human origin. The defensive statement regarding his apostleship indicates that he responds to charges about the legitimacy of his apostleship.3 Such an apologetic is not found in any of the other Pauline letter openings. Indeed, Paul anticipates a major theme of the first two chapters in defending his apostleship.4 Apparently some opponents doubted the credibility of Paul’s apostleship, arguing that his gospel had a human origin. We should probably not press the distinction between “from” (ἀπό) and “through” (διά), for the two prepositions emphasize that Paul did not derive his gospel from any human source.5

1:1d-e But through Jesus Christ and God the Father (ἀλλὰ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ θεοῦ πατρός). Paul’s apostleship does not stem from human beings, but he was called as an apostle through Jesus Christ and God the Father. We have confirmation here that the prepositions should not be unduly pressed, for Paul uses “through” (διά) but not “from” (ἀπό). It is unlikely that Paul intends to say that his apostleship was “through” Jesus Christ and God the Father, but not “from” them. Rather, the general point is clear. Paul’s apostleship derives from Jesus Christ and God the Father.

His is a divine appointment and a divine commission, and hence the gospel he proclaims is authoritative and true. The text also suggests that Jesus Christ and the Father are both divine beings, for Paul was not called merely by human beings.6 To say that Jesus Christ is divine, of course, does not deny that he was also human. Indeed, the name “Jesus” points to his humanity, as does the title “Christ.” It is common in scholarship to say that the title Christ bears no significance in Paul, but this common view is almost certainly mistaken.7

1:1f Who raised him from the dead (τοῦ ἐγείραντος αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν). Paul often notes that it was God’s will that he serve as an apostle, but only here in an introduction does he mention that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. What is the significance of the resurrection here? The resurrection signifies that the new age has dawned (cf. Isa 26:19; Ezek 37:1–14; Dan 12:1–3), in which God will fulfill all his saving promises to Israel and to the entire world.8 One of the major themes of the letter emerges here. The Galatians were turning the clock back in salvation history by submitting to circumcision and the Mosaic law. Since Jesus has been raised from the dead, believers are no longer under the Mosaic covenant. Once again Paul anticipates one of the central themes of the letter (the fulfillment of God’s eschatological promises).

1:2 And all the brothers with me, to the churches of Galatia (καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πάντες ἀδελφοὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῆς Γαλατίας). The letter is not sent by Paul alone but also comes from fellow believers who are with Paul. By “brothers” Paul could be referring to fellow Christian leaders who traveled with him,9 but more probably he refers to the fellow believers who are with him as he writes the letter. Paul’s gospel cannot be dismissed as idiosyncratic, as if he were the only one who proclaimed it. On the contrary, the brothers with him affirm the very gospel Paul proclaims,10 and that gospel does not include the requirement to be circumcised.11 The letter was written to not only one church but to all the churches in Galatia (cf. 1 Cor 16:1, 19; 2 Cor 8:1; Gal 1:22; 1 Thess 2:14). As argued in the ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• A Note about Translation Outlines in this eBook
• Series Introduction
• Author’s Preface
• Abbreviations
• Introduction to Galatians
• Select Bibliography
• Commentary on Galatians
• Themes in Galatians
• Scripture Index
• Subject Index
• Author Index