Letter to Galatians - Outline and Introduction

Galatians - Outline
This Letter by the Apostle Paul was written about 52-57 A.D. -
The key message is about legalism versus faith.
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OUTLINE

Chapter 1
vs. 1-2: Salutation
Vs. 3-5: Glory
vs. 6-9: Problem identified - a contrary gospel
vs. 10-12: Not needing Man's approval
vs. 13-21: Paul's personal history

Chapter 2
vs. 1-10: Paul's personal history, cont'd.
vs. 11-14: Conflict with Peter
vs. 15-21: Justified by Works, or by Faith?

Chapter 3
vs. 1-3: Foolish Galatians
vs. 4-14: Law versus Faith - Abraham
vs. 15-29: Law versus Faith

Chapter 4
vs. 1-8: Slaves vs. Children-Heirs
vs. 9-10: God knows You
vs. 11-20: I Am not Your Enemy
vs. 21-31: Allegory - Sarah & Hagar

Chapter 5
vs. 1-6: Circumcision or Faith
vs. 7-9: You were doing so well
vs. 10-12: Confidence In you
vs. 13-15: Called to Freedom
vs. 16-18: Walk by the Spirit
vs. 19-21: Deeds of Flesh
vs. 22-26: Fruit of the Spirit

Chapter 6
vs. 1-5: Bear one another’s burdens
vs. 6: Share with the teachers
vs. 7-10: Sowing and reaping
vs. 11: By my own hand
vs. 12-18: Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision

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Background & Summary

Written by: the Apostle Paul
Written to: Christian churches in Galatia region
Written for: to combat encroaching legalism

“Galatia” is a region in the area we now call Turkey, also known as “Asia Minor”. Turkey is about three times larger than the state of Oregon. It is a peninsula, with the Mediterranean Sea on the southwest edge, the Aegean Sea on the west, and the Black Sea with the Dardanelles and Straits of Bosporus on the north.

Paul covered most all of the larger area in his three missionary journeys. The first Journey started at Tarsus (a port city of Syria), on the NE corner of the Mediterranean Sea, travelled to the island of Cyprus, then north to Antioch located almost in the middle of Asia Minor. He retraces his ‘steps’ back to Tarsus. His second and third journeys go north overland and more inland than the first journey; they also take him all the way across this area to the Aegean Sea and to Greece. Paul referred to all of Turkey as Galatia, where were many of the first churches he started. Paul considered the Galatian churches as his ‘home church’.

Paul is writing to combat false gospel teachings which lean toward legalism. Particularly, new believers were taught they had to be Jews in order to be saved. Paul gets fired up and perhaps this is the reason this letter is intense - much more than his other letters. Paul is harsh in his opinions about these teachers. He strongly defends his authority as an apostle.
The points Paul makes are as follows:

• The Old Testament is the foundation for the New Testament gospel.
• Abraham’s sons are a picture of our relationship to God.
• The Law is a good thing; However, the Law cannot solve the problem of our sin and God’s perfect justice.
• The best the Law can do is prepare you to see Christ as the way to God.

This may be one of the first letters Paul wrote to the new Christians. One of the early controversies to be resolved by the apostles was Judaism and Christianity. Did you have to be a Jew to be a Christian? Paul was in the middle of this discussion, and made a strong case for salvation by faith in Jesus Christ alone - nothing else is required.

Note: My intent was to have each verse of the chapter included usually in italics, with discussion following. Significant phrases or words are discussed individually, and are highlighted by “quotes and underlined.”
Please forgive fractured grammar, and partial sentences. These were notes written as I thought and prayed during the study. The truncated written thought was fully developed in my mind, or so I like to believe.