The Gospel: God’s Grace Through Christ (Galatians 1)

Scripture reading – Galatians 1

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* Please note that words and phrases in brackets are the author’s amplification.

Today’s second Bible study brings us to Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians. Ancient Galatia, in modern-day Turkey, lay north of the island of Cyprus in the heart of Asia Minor and was a thriving Roman province in the 1st century. The region took its name from the Greek word Galatai, the same people the Romans called “Gauls” (Latin Galli). They were Celts, descendants of tribes that migrated from Europe into Asia Minor in the 3rd century B.C. Major cities in southern Galatia included Antioch of Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. Paul and Barnabas had established churches in those cities during their first missionary journey (Acts 13-14).

Galatians 1

Paul’s Defense of His Apostleship

The subject matter of the Epistle to the Galatians suggests that false teachers had infiltrated the churches. Those heretics questioned Paul’s credibility and authority as an apostle and undermined the doctrine of grace, central to the Gospel. Paul had two objectives in writing the Epistle to the Galatians: to defend his apostleship and to defend and declare the Gospel of Christ (Galatians 1:7).

Paul began the letter by introducing himself as its author and boldly declaring that his apostleship was “not of men, neither by man” (Galatians 1:1b). In other words, he did not look to a council of men for his office. He proclaimed that his apostleship was from God and wrote: “Paul, an apostle… by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised [having raised] him [Jesus Christ] from the dead” (Galatians 1:1c).

Four Qualifications of an Apostle (Galatians 1:1-2)

Scripture reveals that a man had to meet four qualifications to be an apostle. First, he had to have seen the Lord after His resurrection (Acts 1:22; 9:3-5; 22:6-8; 1 Corinthians 9:1). Second, he had to receive his calling directly from Christ Himself (Luke 6:13; Acts 9:6; 22:10; Galatians 1:1). Third, his teaching had to be divinely inspired (John 14:26; 16:13; Acts 9:15; 22:14; Galatians 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). Finally, he had to demonstrate the power to perform miracles as a sign of his apostleship (Mark 16:20; Acts 2:43; 14:8-10; 16:18; 19:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:8-11; 2 Corinthians 12:12).

Paul met the four requisites of a man divinely appointed as an apostle. Not only had he been commissioned “by Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:1b), but he was also called by “God the Father, who raised him [Christ] from the dead” (Galatians 1:1c). Paul also said he had the witness of “all the brethren which are with me” (Galatians 1:2), the men who labored alongside him. Though they are not named, the believers in Galatia were no doubt aware of the men who labored with Paul.

The Recipients of the Epistle (Galatians 1:2b) 

In keeping with the conventions of formal letters of his day, Paul introduced himself as the author and addressed the letter’s intended recipients: “unto the churches [assemblies or congregations] of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2b). The letter served as a general message to the believers in “the churches of Galatia.” It was likely read aloud and passed from one assembly of believers to the next.

The Historical Context (Galatians 1:6-9)

After formally greeting the Galatian believers, Paul addressed the issue that prompted the letter, stating: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (Galatians 1:6). Like a loving shepherd, Paul was concerned that some believers had been so easily led astray. Not only had some lost confidence in his authority as an apostle, but some had even turned away to follow “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6b). Yet it was not another gospel at all; it was a perversion of the gospel Paul preached (Galatians 1:7a).

Who were those false teachers? They were known as Judaizers, men of Jewish descent who “trouble[d]” the congregations and would “pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7b). They taught, “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1; cf. 15:5). Paul was not opposed to Jewish believers observing their customs (Acts 16:3; 21:26; 1 Corinthians 9:20) or to the Jerusalem council’s requirements for Gentile believers (Acts 15:20, 29). However, he passionately opposed any teacher who made keeping the law a condition of salvation, for “by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16). Paul declared, “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9).

Paul’s Spiritual Authority and Biography (Galatians 1:10-24)

We have followed Paul’s life in the Acts of the Apostles: from his zeal as the church’s persecutor (Acts 8:1-4; 9:1-2) to his dramatic encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus and his salvation (Acts 9:3-22). Galatians 1:11-17 fills in the gaps in Paul’s testimony. He was not taught the gospel by man but received it “by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:12). After his conversion, Paul “went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus” (Galatians 1:17). Three years later, he went up to Jerusalem. He writes, “Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother” (Galatians 1:18-19).

Closing thoughts (Galatians 1:20-24)

Rather than looking to man for authority, Paul looked to the Lord and to the authority of His Word. The first chapter of our study concludes with Paul’s transformation from persecutor of the Church to one of its greatest preachers (Galatians 1:21-24). From Jerusalem, he went into “the regions of Syria and Cilicia” (Galatians 1:21). Though he remained “unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea,” his reputation preceded him, for they had heard “that he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed” (Galatians 1:22-23).

Paul’s life and transformation inspired believers, as Paul testified, “they glorified [magnified] God in me” (Galatians 1:24).

Study Questions

1) Why was it important for Paul to defend the source of his authority, and what did the false teachers hope to gain by questioning it? (Galatians 1)

2) What happens to the gospel of grace when anything is added to faith in Christ? How do people “add” to the gospel today? (Galatians 1:8-9)

3) How does a transformed life bear witness to the power of the gospel? (Galatians 1:23-24)

Copyright © 2026 – Travis D. Smith 

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