Commentary on Galatians preface

The Letter to the Galatians is said to have been sent by the Apostle from the city of Ephesus; and for that reason some put that letter first and arrange this one to follow it. The sum of this letter is this: that the Galatians err in adding Judaism to the gospel of faith which is in Christ, observing with a bodily understanding the sabbath and circumcision, and likewise the other works which they had received from the law. Moved by these things, Paul writes this letter, wishing to correct them and call them back from Judaism, so that they may keep faith in Christ alone and have from Christ the hope of salvation and of his promises: namely, that no one is saved by the works of the law. To refute, then, what they are adding, he wishes to confirm his gospel. And to give authority to his gospel, he sets down first principles, saying that he is an apostle not from men nor through man. By these divisions—that he received the gospel by revelation while a Jew, and a zealous Jew; that after three years he came to Jerusalem to Peter; that he was with him fifteen days; that he returned to Jerusalem after fourteen years—by all these he shows that he learned nothing from them, whether because of his brief presence or because of his long absence. Having confirmed his authority, then, that he received the gospel from God, our Lord Jesus Christ, he adds the precepts themselves, that is, that the bodily understanding of Judaism must not be joined to it; and he says that he showed and did this long ago, when he acted even against Peter. Then he follows out this very point, asserting that the gospel he taught is one, and that those who add the precepts and observance of Judaism are far astray. How he treats these matters we shall divide in their place; meanwhile let us return to the beginning of the letter.