Intro - the Galatians question
A question I’ve often heard in my own return to Torah observance is, “haven’t you ever read Galatians?” The implication is that Galatians contains a new direction or new gospel that opposes observance of the Law of Yahweh. As I’ve begun a deeper study of this epistle, I’ve come across arguments about the authorship and inspiration of Galatians. You’re welcome to consider with me and come to your own conclusions. I welcome comment and counter-argument as I do in all my articles.
In this series of articles we’ll look at Galatians compared to other Bible books and investigate some concerns about the circulation of letters in the first century and ultimate canonization of the Bible as we know it today.
Preface - bible translations
Growing up in Christian culture I received belief that the documents contained in the canon of scripture (aka The Bible) are inerrant and true (whether from church society or parents I cannot say). It was a belief based at the time in no study of my own - I couldn’t well defend the idea if challenged. Still, the conviction that Yahweh’s Word is true and unchanging has served me well. Could it be that there are words in the Bible that are not Yahweh’s Word? Absolutely! Anyone with a study bible has words in there that are from a man’s analysis (whether inspired of the Holy Spirit or not). A student of scripture may know already or at least note that there are in fact inconsistencies in Bibles that are primarily translational (from Hebrew and Greek into English and other languages) and include commentarial additions or subtractions (such as parenthetical / bracketed / italicized verbiage). These inconsistencies, when conveniently cherry picked, can result in some beliefs that are inconsistent with the full weight of scripture. In other words, we fail to do our diligence to, “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Th 5:21).
From the historical perspective, it is clear that multiple documents are missing from the canon of scripture. Consider the verses that reference documents we don’t find in the Bible today:
“After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans and that you in turn read the letter from Laodicea.” - Colossians 4:16
There is no Laodicean letter in canon - and Paul mentions both churches ought to hear the words in one another’s letters, so why didn’t this one make the cut of the early councils?
“I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.” - Galatians 5:21
“Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do.” - 1 Corinthians 16:1
It appears there’s another former letter to the Galatians (a fair possibility, considering we have multiple to other churches in canon) or some version of the Galatian letter with a mention of specific instructions about collections that is not found in the copy we have today
I could go on about a number of other missing references; gratefully, someone took the time to put a number of them on a Wiki Page - Non-Canonical Books Referenced in the Bible
Spurious Letters
Paul recognized there was some nefarious activity going on in the communication of letters in his time, warning believers not to be deceived by them (see 2 Thess 2:1-3). It’s evident that Paul often had a scribe write letters for him due to his poor eyesight, as Tertius did (see Rom 16:22). However, Paul would often write the final greeting and salutations (as in 1 Cor 16:21, Col 4:18) in order to leave his distinguishing mark (similar to a wax seal on old letters with the signet of a king / ruler that was unique):
I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the DISTINGUISHING MARK in all my letters. THIS is how I write. - 2 Thessalonians 3:17
With as many copies of ancient texts that we have today, it’s likely (and I do not honestly know) that Paul’s distinguishing mark has been lost to the pages of history. Still I wonder if we were to ask a graphologist to assess the handwriting of these original letters circulating in the first century, what would be discovered with regard to the Galatian epistle compared to others.
Peter wrote of those who twisted the words of Paul and other scriptures:
Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which IGNORANT AND UNSTABLE PEOPLE DISTORT, AS THEY DO THE OTHER SCRIPTURES, to their own destruction. 17Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the ERROR OF THE LAWLESS and fall from your secure position. - 2 peter 3:15-17
Mainstream Christians today believe Paul was teaching converts to turn away from the Law of Yahweh (and much of their proof referencing is founded in Galatians). Yet we are warned continually in scripture to not be carried away by the errors of the LAWLESS! Paul was accused of the very thing mainstream Christianity today denies (adherence to the Law):
Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews HAVE BELIEVED, and ALL OF THEM are ZEALOUS FOR THE LAW. 21They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs. 22What shall we do? They will certainly hear that you have come, 23so do what we tell you. There are four men with us who have made a vow. 24Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. THEN EVERYONE WILL KNOW THERE IS NO TRUTH IN THESE REPORTS ABOUT YOU, but that YOU YOURSELF ARE LIVING IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LAW.” - Acts 21:20-24
In verse 26 Paul proves the reports false, ensuring everyone there was NO TRUTH in the reports they had heard about him. This brings up more than a few questions on some verses in Galatians.
In Part 2 we’ll look at a few sections of Galatians and evaluate the authorship of the letter. Is this letter really written by Paul?
Continued in Galatians - part 2: A fabricated letter?