Galatians

Background on Galatians:

Paul catches word that some in Galatia had been convinced by “Judaizers” that since Christ was a Jew then they had to live and look like a Jew (and be circumcised). This enraged Paul because it goes right back against the Grace bought in Christ’s crucifixion. Jews could not keep the law, so they atoned for sins at the temple. But in the diaspora period many Jews could not make the trip to the Temple and were not able to atone, so, the Pharisees came about and their purpose was to create the Synagogue which served as locations where the scriptures could be studied in the hopes that Jews would find the strength to keep the laws. One approach was to enforce dietary restrictions and dress codes that made it obvious to Gentiles that these Jews were set apart. In short, the Pharisees created more laws to try and help Jews keep the old laws.
Judaizers were more conservative Christian-Jews that likely gave the impression of being superior in some sense over Gentile-Christians because of their Jewish 'inheritance' which could be confirmed by their circumcision and likely impetus for the topics of inheritance and circumcision so thoroughly being covered in the letter Paul wrote to Galatia.

Other Pearls & Notes:

Peter (Cephas) brought the Gospel to the Circumcised and Paul brought the Gospel to the Gentiles (uncircumcised Gal 2:9). Paul’s rebuke to Peter was that he had pulled away from Gentiles for fear of the “circumcision faction”, that apparently came from James (Christ’s brother)-Gal 2:12.

“if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing” (Gal 2:21)

Abraham did not have the law but was counted as righteous.

All were under a curse since it was written that those that did not live by the law, or rely on the works of the law, were cursed -and since no one lived up to this measure, thus all were cursed. (Gal 3:10). Paul calls out some contradictions, saying (3:11-12) “The one who is righteous will live by faith”. But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law will live by them”. Thus if you are living by the law you cannot be living by faith and therefore cannot be righteous.

Paul then asserts that Christ redeemed us with a curse because it was a curse to be hung on a tree in order that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ, …so that we might receive the blessing of the Spirit through faith.(3:14) Needs more thought and explanation...

In verses 3:15-18 Paul asserts that the promise given to Abraham is not nullified by the Law, which came 430 years after God’s promise to Abraham. “For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise” (3:18) So Paul sets the stage with something like; the law cannot abolish the promise.

Verses 19-29 address; what then is the purpose of the law? Paul asserts in verse 19 that it was added because of transgressions until Christ would come to those whom the promise had been made. In verses 21-22 Paul details how the scripture, the law, ‘has imprisoned all things’ in sin, so that belief in Christ Jesus whom was promised could rescue from sin those that had failed to keep the law (which was everybody). Paul even goes as far as to call the law “our disciplinarian” until justified by faith and that since faith has finally come “we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian“ i.e. ‘The Law’.

Paul also makes the point that there is no longer the dividing labels; male, female, fee, slave, Greek, or Jew because all are one in Christ which makes all who believe Abraham’s heirs according to the promise. (The topic of inheritance)

Paul likens the Law to guardians and trustees that oversee minors that will inherit an estate or land, but tells the Galatians that adoption is also possible through faith in Christ and thus they are children and heirs too. Essentially the law kept a people intact until the time of the one who would come to free them all from sin, one who would be born under the law, and who would not abolish the law but fulfill or satisfy the law.

4:22-24 Paul comments that Abraham’s two sons, Ishmael & Isaac, one born of the flesh and the other born through the promise (Isaac). Ishmael through Hagar to Mount Sinai to slavery, bearing children to slavery corresponds with contemporary Jerusalem and Sarah corresponds to the Jerusalem above (the promise), “she is free, and she is our mother”. This is again talking on inheritance and how it is given to those of faith.

In verse 29 Paul talks about how Ishmael born of the flesh persecuted Isaac born according to the Spirit is like the people of Galatia now, and that the child of the slave will not share the inheritance of the child of the free woman… This passage was written over half a millennia before Islam was founded, and would suggest that Muslims would not share in the inheritance even though they did not yet exist. One could make the adoption argument and still redeem Muslims like the Gentiles but, Paul’s whole point is that the promise is fulfilled in faith in Christ, not faith in the Koran. In defense of Islam their tradition asserts that earlier surahs can be superseded by later surahs, and thus Muhammad's revelations could supersede St. Paul's in accordance with this precedent. 

In chapter 5 Paul encourages the Galatians not to return to the yoke of slavery. It gets interesting because Paul urges them to no be circumcised because if they do then they will be 'obliged to obey the entire law'. Which clearly implies that the law is void if we deduce that they do not have to obey if if they remain uncircumcised. He also says that the status of circumcision does not count for anything "the only thing that counts is faith working through love". So it is more likely that he means if they are convinced to take upon them circumcision then they rest of the customs are likely to follow and they will have missed the whole point of having faith in Jesus.

Paul speaks to immoral behaviors and attributes them to the flesh then to moral behavior as the fruit of the Spirit. There seems to be particular emphasis on competing with each other, stating in verse 14 that the whole law can be summed up by a single command to "love your neighbor as yourself". Which again ties into circumcision as a measure of inheritance, or a source of competition or division.

He continues in chapter 6 to encourage the community to share in each other's burdens, but "test your own work not the work of others" a warning against false pride. We must assess our own inequity and failure only. Paul advises them to work for the good of all, especially believers. He closes by re-visiting the subject of circumcision, against the previous comments we get the sense that the outward measure of circumcision is a potential source of the false pride and a path to measuring each other up, or to be boastful. Nothing is worth boasting except the 'cross of Jesus Christ (6:14)'

In verse 17 Paul looks to not be troubled saying that he carries the "Marks of Jesus Christ, branded upon my body" (NSRV), "for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus" (NIV) -is this the first account of the stigmata? I wonder if such a thing was verified? In the context of being 'marked' as circumcision did it is likely more a comparative point that Paul wanted to make against circumcision. Paul also made references to sharing in Christ's crucifixion and so marked 'spiritually' is likely more the truth of it.

These are just my notes from my own reading and study, and does not conclude a review of all the content of this letter of Paul's.