Ministry of Paul, Lesson 5
GALATIA: A Territory in Asia Minor Where Paul Established at Least Four Congregations
8 October 2012
Bob Kaylor, Saving Grace Lutheran Church
All quotations from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version c 2001
Note: In many lessons of this series we’re looking at cities. Today we’re looking at a region.
History of the region: Galatia is a territory located in north central Asia Minor which seems to have been inhabited since about 3000 B.C. It gets its name from having beendominated by the Gauls, a Celtic tribe famed for war-craft and cunning, from the third to the first century B.C. The Galatians had been a part of that great Celtic migration which invaded Macedonia about 280B.C.. They were invited by the king of Bithynia to cross over into Asia Minor to assist him in his wars. There they ultimately settled, and being strengthened by fresh accessions of the same clan from Europe, they overran Bithynia, and supported themselves by plundering neighboring countries. They were great warriors, and hired themselves out as mercenary soldiers, sometimes fighting on both sides in the great battles of the times. They were at length brought under the power of Rome in 189B.C., and Galatia became a Roman province 25B.C..
Biblical connections: The region of Galatia receives no direct mention in the Old Testament but the area was known to be controlled by the Hittites, who were of the Canaanite peoples first mentioned in Genesis 10:15 and who had an on-again-off-again relationship with Abraham and his descendants. The Galatians as a people arenot mentioned in the Old Testament either, butthat’s because they migrated into Asia Minor during the 400 silent years between the Prophet Malachi and the arrival of John the Baptist. The region or people are mentioned twice in each of the books of Acts and 2 Timothy, and once in each of the books of 1 Corinthians and 1 Peter. The book of Galatians is an epistle addressed specifically to these people. Four cities of the Galatians had Christian congregations mentioned several times in Acts and they are: Iconium, Lystra, Pisidian Antiochand Derbe, All but Derbe are also mentioned in 2 Timothy.
We catch up with Paul today in about A.D. 47. Barnabas has recruited him from his hometown of Tarsus and after some time in Antioch of Syria they set out on what we refer to as Paul’s first missionary journey. They head for the heart of Asia Minor.
Ro 15:20…and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”
Ro 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Two points are good to make as this journey begins. Missionary work had been done by others, but Paul and Barnabas intend to go places no one else has yet. Also, in each city that has one, the synagogue will be their starting point. They arrive in Asia Minor by ship via the island of Cyprus, and head inland. Their first stop in historic Galatia, though it is part of the Roman province of Pisidia, is Antioch. (There were fifteen other cities of that name, but Antioch of Syria and Pisidian Antioch are the two mentioned specifically in scripture.)
Ac 13:13Now Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John left them and returned to Jerusalem, 14but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent a message to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, say it.”
Synagogue worship had an order of service similar to our liturgy, where they had greetings, hymns (psalms), multiple scripture readings and prayers. It was not uncommon to invite visiting rabbis to deliver a commentary or sermon. Paul was essentially a PHD in Judaism and so he was invited, and he accepted.
Ac 13:16So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said: “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen. 17The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it. 18And for about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness. 19And after destroying seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance. 20All this took about 450 years. And after that he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’ 23Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised. 24Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’26Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. 27For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and for many days he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. 32And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, 33this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ 34And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ 35Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’ 36For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, 37but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. 38Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: 41‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”
In verse 16b Paul addresses both those of Jewish birth and converts to Judaism; he reiterates this in a more eloquent way in verse 26. Paul’s sermon can be outlined or summarized as follows:
1) Verses 17-22: A review of God's dealings with Israel.
2) Verses 23-26: A proclamation that Jesus is the promised Savior.
3) Verses 27-37: A review of Jesus' death and evidence for his resurrection.
4) Verses 38-39:A proclamation that salvation is now offered through Jesus.
5) Verses 40-41:A warning not to fulfill prophecy by rejecting God's work in Christ.
Paul includes a liberal sprinkling of Old Testament allusions and quotations from Joshua 14-19, Isaiah 11 and 55, Psalm 2 and 16, and Habakkuk 1, while attempting to show his audience that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. The sermon seems to have been very successful, at least at first.
Ac 13:42As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. 43And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. 44The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. 46And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. 47For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’48And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. Ac 13:50But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. 51But they shook off the dust from their feet against them and went to Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
So, the Gentiles beg for more and many of the Jews continue to listen, but a week later jealousy rears its ugly head and the Jews start resisting. Our missionaries then turn away from the Jews and quote Isaiah 49:6 as part of the reason. (If the Isaiah quote sounds a little familiar, its because the verse is alluded to in Simeon’s Song (Luke 2:29-32) which is a frequent part of our liturgy.) As persecution mounts, Paul and Barnabas depart. When they “shook the dust off their feet” it was a symbolic gesture much like when Pontius Pilate washed his hands (Matthew 27:24); it indicated a severance of responsibility. But good work had been done and converts made, so a departure for the next destination could be done joyfully.
Ac 14:1Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed. 2But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands. 4But the people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews and some with the apostles. 5When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6they learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country, 7and there they continued to preach the gospel.
Sounds like the reception at Iconium was about the same as it had been in Antioch. Once again they started at the synagogue with apparent success, but the town became divided and threatening. Paul and Barnabas moved on.
AC 14:8Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. 11And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.
Was there no synagogue in this city, or did things happen so fast they never made it there? We don’t know, but it is interesting that it isn’t mentioned. Paul was apparently preaching and some were coming to faith, but the appreciation shown by the crowd after the lame man walks is a purely pagan display. Where do our missionaries steer the worship headed their direction? To the true God, as they should. But, things are about to get worse.
AC 14:19But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21aWhen they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples…
Was the visit to Derbe free from unrest and threats, or did Luke leave it out of his account because he got tired of writing about the ugly side of things? I have an opinion. We’ll look at the rest of Derbe’s story later in the lesson. Anyway, it’s time for our missionaries to reverse course…
AC 14:21b…they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. 23And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. 24Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25And when they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia, 26and from there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled.
Visiting many of the same places on their return trip, Paul and Barnabas not only took the opportunity to continue teaching, but also to establishcongregational leadership. Back in Antioch of Syria about A.D. 49, Paul probably writes his epistle to the Galatians before setting out on his second missionary journey less than a year later. He also attends the Jerusalem Council during this time. Barnabas had been leader during the first missionary journey, but he and Paul part ways and Paul is leader for the second missionary journey. He was concerned about the churches established on the first journey and wanted to revisit them. While traveling through Galatia, he recruits another missionary.
Ac 16:1Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.2He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium. 3Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.
2Ti1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,2To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.
2Ti 3:15and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
They not only brought their own preaching and teaching to the churches, but also word from Jerusalem.
Ac 16:4As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.