Now that we know that Paul was writing to the South Galatian region, read Acts 13 and 14. Record your observations about what Barnabas and Paul encountered when they founded these churches on their first missionary journey.
First, the Jewish leaders allow Paul and Barnabas to speak in the synagogue (v.14-15). At this point in Christian history, the Jews were friendly to the open teaching of the gospel. Thus, Paul, a Jewish rabbi, was invited and even encouraged to speak.
Second, Paul recaps the story of Israel, and he presents Jesus as the final culmination of the story (v. 16-41). Paul gives the story of Jesus from the Old Testament Scriptures, and he portrays Christ as the culmination of this story. Paul saw the story as seamlessly being fulfilled in Jesus.
Third, the ‘God-fearing’ Gentiles were excited to hear that they were a part of the God’s plan in human history. This is what incited the Jewish contingent to become jealous and angry. Later in Romans 11, Paul writes that the salvation of the Gentiles would cause jealousy in the Jews, but this would hopefully draw them to faith in Jesus (Rom. 11:11, 14).
Fourth, Barnabas is the “encourager,” who gets Paul to speak. Barnabas’ name means “the son of encouragement.” Without an encourager like Barnabas, Paul might not have been the powerful speaker that he became.
Fifth, Paul is “sent” at Antioch. In Galatians 1:1, Paul says that he was not sent from men. In Acts 13:1-2, we read that it was the Spirit of God who publicly called him forward to serve. Paul got a private calling directly from Jesus in Acts 9; he got a public calling directly from the Holy Spirit in Acts 13.
First, the Jewish religious leaders chased Paul and Barnabas to the next city, because they were jealous of their influence. Paul understood this, because he himself had done this before he came to Christ (Acts 9).
Second, the Jewish people were jealous because the Gentiles were coming to faith. This also matches with Galatians, where we discover a controversy between the Jews and Gentiles. The Jews resisted Paul and Barnabas’ message (v.2).
Third, the Galatians were largely a Gentile church plagued by opposing religious teachers. We learn that this was a church that was filled with Greeks (v.1).
In the Acts 13, many Jewish people were upset that the God-fearing, uncircumcised Gentiles were able to come to faith. This, of course, is the major controversy in Paul’s letter to the Galatians. After Paul leaves the Galatian churches, the false teachers enter, and try to get the Gentile believers to become circumcised. Paul gets word of this false teaching, and he is furious! This is the setting of Galatians: A battle for grace!
James is an elder at Dwell Community Church, where he teaches classes in theology, apologetics, and weekly Bible studies.
