The term Galatia was originally used in an ethnic manner, referring to north Central Asia Minor settled by the Gauls.  Later Galatia was used referring to the Roman province that included the cities south of the Gaulish territory: Lystra, Derbe, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch.   Geographically speaking the region of Galatia is known to us today as Modern Day Turkey.

The churches in Galatia were formed somewhere around AD 47-AD 49.  The letter to the Galatians is thought to be written sometime between AD 49 and AD 53.  The letter to the Galatians is widely considered to be the first of the Pauline letters and the first letter written in the New Testament.  

You can find a corresponding account of the things Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians in Acts chapters 9-15.  There’s a lot of insight in Acts as well as in Paul’s other letters that helps to understand what was going on when Paul came to Galatia and preached the gospel and what was going on when Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians.  

For example we see in Acts that much of Paul’s ministry in Galatia occurred after he was stoned and left for dead.  That’s why Paul talks about the Galatians not despising him for his appearance in Galatians 4.  

In 2nd Timothy 3 Paul talks about the persecution he suffered while preaching the gospel in Galatia.

Acts 15 talks about the judaizers coming to Galatia and teaching the Gentile people they must be circumcised and perform the works contained in the law of Moses. 

The judaizers came to Galatia teaching righteousness was found in the strength of the flesh to perform the works of the law.  They taught godliness was contained in the strength of people to produce a good life through their own works.  They tried to combat the message Paul preached by attacking his apostleship.

Paul refers to the judaizers in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians as a thorn in his flesh.  Paul goes with Barnabas to Jerusalem to talk with the apostles and stand in defense of the message of liberty given in Christ.  James says he didnt send the judaizers to Galatia to tell the Gentiles they must be circumcised.  Peter stands up and says God who knows the heart, gave the Gentiles the Holy Spirit, even as He did with us, purifying their hearts by faith.  How can we tempt God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the gentiles, speaking of the need to perform the works of the law, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear.  Paul then writes his letter to the Galatians to follow up with the people there.

In Paul’s letter to the Galatians he establishes his apostleship and his authority as one sent to teach the mystery of Christ and God’s gospel, to refute the claims made by the judaizers.  He gives a line upon line doctrinal explanation of the gospel message and what it is and how we can know thats what it is; that righteousness is found through the grace that is contained in the faith that came to us in Christ, and not in performing the works of the law(the strength of the flesh to perform principles).

1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 
1:2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:
1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.  

1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 

V.1  An apostle is one sent by God, and the message they are sent with is not learned from man but it is learned by revelation of Jesus Christ.  An apostle was someone who received their doctrine directly from Christ himself.  It was not taught to them by man.  

“Not of man”. Cant have schools that train up apostles and prophets,  gifts given by the Holy Spirit. 

The judaizers attacked Pauls message by questioning his apostleship.  They said Paul didnt walk with Jesus.  They said he wasnt taught of Jesus himself but he learned his doctrine from man.  

Paul says he wasn’t sent by man and neither was his message given by man.  He says he wasnt made an apostle recklessly through the drawing of straws, or by his own desire.  Remember in Acts 1 the 11 apostles had people draw straws to see who would replace Judas.  

Paul says he was made an apostle by God the Father revealing Christ Jesus to him.  He says He was sent forth with his message when the Father revealed Christ Jesus to him.  That’s why Paul goes on to describe his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus later in the letter.  

Act 9:15  But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 

Act 1:26  And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. 

1:2 And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia:

V.2 Paul says this letter is from me and all the brethren with me.  Now remember Paul writes this letter to the Galatian churches after going to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and stand in defense of the message he was preaching in Galatia and the surrounding areas.  Acts 15 says they sent letters to the churches in Galatia and surrounding areas confirming the message Paul delivered them concerning the grace that is in Christ.  

Paul says the letter is from him, and all the brethren in Jerusalem are standing with him.  He wants the Galatians to know Peter and James and John and all the other apostles stand with him in the doctrine he is about to layout in this letter.  

Paul continues to build on this thought later in Galatians 2:9 when he says the apostles perceived the grace that was given him to preach the gospel to the uncircumcision, and extended to him the right hand of fellowship.  

1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

V.3   Paul says the Father poured out of Himself towards us His Grace and Peace through His anointed One, Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

To call Jesus Lord is to believe you are a citizen of the government that is upon the shoulders of Jesus’ indestructible life.  It means your life is under the reign of Jesus’ indestructible life.  The realm in which your life is held and exists is Jesus’ indestructible life, not the world and the life its systems of rule and governance produces.  

1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

V.4 Jesus gave himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God the Father.(connected to Gal 6:14 Paul says through Christ he is dead to the world and the world to him)

The wages of sin is death.  Jesus took our death into himself so our lives could be liberated from being held by this world and be hid with the Father in his resurrection and his ascension to the right hand.

This present evil world is the age where their is still sin and death in the earth and in creation.  The evil age is the world Adam founded when he sowed death into the earth.  The present evil age is the world thats built upon a corruptible life that is perishing. 

When Paul says Jesus gave himself for our sin he isnt referring to our bad behavior.  The word sin there is not talking about the works of the flesh.  Its talking about mankind having missed the mark of eternal life, and not partaking with God in His eternal life, on account of us having trusted in the works of our own hands to bring forth life instead of walking in the good work of God to decorate us with His life as a gift.

Jesus gave himself to deliver us from the death thats in the world on account of the sin of Adam.  Jesus took the death that was reigning over us into his body on the cross so that we might be delivered from the corruption in the world on account of sin and death.  

2nd Peter 1:4 says we escape the corruption in the earth, meaning we escape the death that is in the earth, on account of mankind lusting after life through the strength of the flesh, by God making us partakers with Him in His divine nature through Jesus.  We were translated from death to life.  We were braided together with God and His life and that causes us to overcome the world and the death thats in the world.

Paul says it is the Father’s will we be delivered from the death thats in the world.  The Father and the Son are of one accord in this.  Jesus is the manifestation of the grace and peace that is in the Fathers heart towards mankind.  The Father has poured out of Himself onto mankind of His grace and His peace through Jesus offering himself for our sin.  

God wasnt willing to let us perish.  2nd Cor 5 says God was unwilling to let the wages of our sin be imputed to us.  He’d rather take our death upon Himself than let it come upon us.  

God saw us suffering on account of the death in the earth and it grieved His heart.  He was dissatisfied with us being in a state of death.  He refused to bless our union with death.  He could see death was stinging us.  He saw His people being bruised and tormented by death, and He was grieved in the deepest part of His being.  So He sent Jesus to curse our union to death.  

V.5   1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.  

God will forever be magnified in our hearts on account of the great love wherewith He loves us ..... His goodness towards us to care for our lives and gift us with the incorruptible life we’ve always desired will be seen for all eternity.  Our mouths will forever speak well of God because of the riches of His Grace poured out on our lives.