* the grace.
  Ro 16:20,24  2Co 13:14  2Ti 4:22  Phm 1:25  Re 22:21 



        CONCLUDING REMARKS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS.

 The Galatians, or Gallograecians, were the descendants of Gauls,
 who migrated from their own country, and after a series of
 disasters, got possession of a large district in Asia Minor,
 from them called Galatia.  (Pausanias, Attic. c. iv.)  They are
 mentioned by historians as a tall and valiant people, who went
 nearly naked, and used for arms only a buckler and sword; and
 the impetuosity of their attack is said to have been
 irresistible.  Their religion, before their conversion was
 extremely corrupt and superstitious;  they are said to have
 worshipped the mother of the gods, under the name of Adgistis;
 and to have offered human sacrifices of the prisoners they took
 in war.  Though they spoke the Greek language in common with
 almost all the inhabitants of Asia Minor, yet it appears from
 Jerome that they retained their original Gaulish language even
 as late as the fifth century.  Christianity appears to have been
 first planted in these regions by St. Paul himself, (ch. 1:6;
 4:13;) who visited the churches at least twice in that country,
 (Ac 16:6; 18:23.)  It is evident that this epistle was written
 soon after their reception of the gospel, as he complains of
 their speedy apostasy from his doctrine, (ch. 1. 6;) and as
 there is no notice of his second journey into that country, it
 has been supposed, with much probability, that it was written
 soon after his first, and consequently about A.D. 52; or 53.  It
 appears that soon after the Apostle had left them, some
 Judaizing teachers intruded themselves into the churches;
 drawing them off from the true gospel, to depend on ceremonial
 observances, and to the vain endeavour of "establishing their
 own righteousness."  It was in order to oppose this false gospel
 that St. Paul addressed the Galatians, and after saluting the
 churches of Galatia, and establishing his apostolic commission
 against the attacks of the false teachers, he reproves them for
 departing from that gospel which he had preached to them, and
 confirmed by the gift of the Holy Ghost;--proves that
 justification is by faith alone, and not by the deeds of the
 law, from the example of Abraham, the testimony of Scripture,
 the curse of the law, the redemption of Christ, and the
 Abrahamic covenant, which the law could not disannul;--shows the
 use of the law in connection with the covenant of grace;
 concludes that all believers are delivered from the law, and
 made the spiritual seed of Abraham by faith in Christ;
 illustrates his inference by God's treatment of the Jewish
 church, which he put under the law, as a father puts a minor
 under a guardian; shows the weakness and folly of the Galatians
 in subjecting themselves to the law, and that by submitting
 themselves to circumcision they become subject to the whole law,
 and would forfeit the benefits of the covenant of grace; gives
 them various instructions and exhortations for their Christian
 conduct, and particularly concerning the right use of their
 Christian freedom; and concludes with a brief summary of the
 topics discussed, and by commending them to the grace of Christ.