Galatians Letter Essay, Research Paper
Paul’s Letter to The Galatians When Paul attended the Jerusalem Conference, a
decision was made that gentiles would be allowed to become Christians without
becoming Jews first. Paul defended the gentile’s right to be Christians and
became the apostle to the gentiles. My question is, why would Paul, a Jew, want
to be an apostle to gentiles? You would think why Paul, someone who grew up in a
"good" Jewish family, would not follow in the footsteps of Jewish
Christian Missionaries, and require Christian converts to become Jews first.
Paul uses scripture to explain why gentiles should not be required to be
circumcised, or obey Jewish law. Paul had to fight to have his belief accecpted.
Paul tried to follow the example of the original apostles by "converting
the multitudes." Paul understood human nature better then any other
apostles preaching circumcision to the gentiles. Paul’s major problem confroted
in his letter to the Galatians is the preachings of the Judaziers. Paul begins
the letter by defending his credibility as an apostle. He writes a brief
autobiographical history, stressing that he once persecuted Christians, and
converted when Jesus appeared to him. Also, he tells the outcome of the
Jerusalem Conference, probably to convince them that oter apostles have accepted
his theology. Next, Paul writes that "obedience to the Law could not earn
approval by God; approval is possible only through faith in Christ"
(Perrin, 184). Then Paul uses an allegory of The Two Covents. Abraham’s child of
a slave woman represents Jerusalem living under the law, and the child of the
free woman represents Jerusalem being free. This is common preaching styles,
probably taught to him by Peter when he spent time with him. Paul also tries to
appeal to the Helenistic enthusiasm in Christianity in Gal 3:1- 5.
"Although Paul makes some very convincing arguments in favor of his
beliefs, I cannot agree with his interpertation of Christ Jesus
Christianity". Paul argues his position only up to Gal. 5:12, after that,
he contradicts his preaching untill 6:10, where he ends the letter. The problem
of acceptance of Jewish law, is the split in Christianity. Catholicism
represents Paul’s view of Christianity, while Seventh Day Adventist Christians
keep Jewish law. If Paul had preached the law, I don’t believe that Christianity
would even be present today. Gentile Christianity became a religion of Paul,
rather than a religion of Jesus.