Some Gaul History – Galatians (NIV)

Some Gaul History – Galatians (NIV)

I was reading about Galatia in my "Walk Thru the Bible" book I bought a million years ago. And I never realized that the Galatians weren’t originally Jews. I never really thought too much one way or another but assumed they were Jews given little statements in the letter from Paul.

In chapter 4, Paul asks "how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces?" I think things like that made me think they’re turning back to the Law. He references the "law" so much in chapter 3 that I made that connection. He talks about being "enslaved by them all over again" and "observing special days and months and seasons and years!"

The idea of being enslaved made me think of being a slave to sin and the special days, etc. made me think of festivals and the Year of Jubilee and such.

It kind of changes the letter to me in a meaningful way. He’s not talking to Jews struggling to let go of the old ways. He’s talking to Gentiles struggling with human nature.

This site has some interesting information about Galatia. Originally it was settled by Celtic Gauls which led to the name Galatia. They were made up of 3 (original) tribes: Tectosages, Trocmil, and Tolistogogii. They were Hellenized over time to where they were called the Greek-Gauls by some. And were conquered by Rome in 189 BC.

This process also converted their beliefs to those of their conquerors. The gospel turned them from Greek mythology with many gods to the one true God and salvation through Jesus. Their turning back would have been a relapse into idolatry.

Another interesting point brought up in some of these writings is the appeal of freedom. The Celtic Gauls had been under the rule of various leaders over time. They wound up in Asia Minor because Nicomedes I wanted their help to fight his brother for the throne of Bithynia. I don’t know all the details of why – maybe they had been defeated and were in service to him. They then settled in the area.

The point I’d make in this is that they seem to have gone from what may have been a self-governing potentially nomadic tribe of warriors to a settled down group passed between kings and their varying gods. The gospel concept of freedom would have a ready audience there.