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For more great commentaries on Galatians check:
Commentaries on the Epistles, Commentaries on the Whole New Testament
& Whole Bible Commentaries
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Order of Contents 45+
Best 14
Commentaries 25
Early & Medieval 14
General 1
Northern vs. Southern Galatia 7
Chapters 2
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On the Galatian heresy:
“Circumcision or Christ – not circumcision and Christ.”
John ‘Rabbi’ Duncan
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The Best Commentaries on Galatians
Reformers
Luther, Martin – Commentary on Galatians Reformer
One exception that may be taken to this work is Luther’s teaching that Christ Himself became sin (that is: sinful) on the cross in order to make the Atonement. On the contrary the sacrifice must be pure, righteous and without sin in order to be effectual. There is a legal imputation of sin, but not an infusing thereof. See John Murray on “The Imputation of Adam’s Sin” for a corrective to Luther on this point.
*** “‘I prefer this book of Martin Luther’s (except the Bible) before all the books that I have ever seen, as most fit for a wounded conscience.’ – Bunyan. This is a great historic work, and is beyond criticism, on account of its great usefulness. As a comment its accuracy might be questioned; but for emphatic utterances and clear statements of the great doctrine of the Epistle it remains altogether by itself, and must be judged per se.” – Spurgeon
Calvin, John – Sermons… upon… Galatians (d. 1564; London: 1574) 685 pp. ToC
*** – Spurgeon
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1600’s
Dickson, David – ‘…Galatians Analytically Expounded’ in An Exposition of All St. Paul’s Epistles… (1659), pp. 92-106
Dickson was a prominent Scottish covenanter.
*** – ‘Dickson is a writer after our own heart. For preachers he is a great ally. There is nothing brilliant or profound; but everything is clear and well arranged, and the unction runs down like the oil from Aaron’s head. In this volume the observations are brief.’
Fergusson, James – ‘Exposition of… Galatians’ in A Brief Exposition of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians & the Thessalonians (1656-1674; London: Ward, 1841), pp. 11-116
Fergusson was a Scottish covenanter.
*** – ‘He who possesses this work is rich. The author handles his matter in the same manner as Hutcheson and Dickson, and he is of their class–a grand, gracious, savory divine.’
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Simple & Non-Technical 1700’s
Boston, Thomas – A Paraphrase upon the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians in Works, 6:240-77
Riccaltoun, Robert – Notes & Observations on the Epistle to the Galatians in The Works (d. 1769; Edinburgh: Gray, 1772), vol. 3 480 pp.
Riccaltoun was one of the leading Marrow men.
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Intermediate
1800’s
Bayley, E. – A Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, with Sermons upon the Principal Topics Contained in it (London: Nisbet, 1869) 416 pp. ToC
*** “Upon each portion there is a commentary, a paraphrase and a sermon and thus the author conveys a considerable amount of instruction. He is thoroughly evangelical and his style is clear.” – Spurgeon
Brown, John, of Edinburgh – An Exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians (Edinburgh: Oliphant, 1853) 480 pp. ToC Foreign languages are kept to the footnotes for the most part.
Brown, the grandson of John Brown of Haddington, was an eminent professor in the Scottish Secession Church.
“Perhaps one of the most satisfactory commentaries for the expository preacher.” – Cyril J. Barber
Lange’s Commentary – Commentary on Galatians by Otto Schmoller
*** – Spurgeon
Lightfoot, J.B. – Galatians, Revised Text with Introductions, Notes and Dissertations (1870) Foreign languages are for the most part kept to the footnotes.
Lightfoot was a mid-1800’s, conservative Anglican Bible scholar though he had some liberal tendencies.
*** – The Spectator says: ‘There is no commentator at once of sounder judgment, and more liberal, than Dr. Lightfoot.'” – Spurgeon
“An important study which cannot be overlooked or ignored. Without question on one of the greatest commentaries on the Greek text of this epistle. The essays included in each work are always important.” – Cyril J. Barber
MacGregor, James – The Epistle of Paul to the Churches of Galatia, with Introduction and Notes in eds. Dods & Whyte, Hand-Books for Bible Classes (1881)
MacGregor was a professor in the Free Church of Scotland.
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1900’s
Machen, J. Gresham – Notes on Galatians Buy
Machen was one of the leading founders of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and Westminster Seminary.
Pipa, Joey – Galatians: God’s Proclamation of Liberty Buy 2010 272 pp.
Dr. Pipa has been the president of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.
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Advanced
1800’s
Eadie, John – Commentary on Galatians
Eadie was a renowned, Scottish professor in the United Presbyterian Church.
*** “This is a most careful attempt to ascertain the meaning of the Apostle by a painstaking analysis of his words. The author is not warped by any system of theology, but yet he does not deviate from recognized evangelical truth. As a piece of honest grammatical exegesis the value of this commentary is very great, though there is room to differ from it here and there.” – Spurgeon
“Expositions on several of Paul’s letters to the churches of the New Testament era followed [by Eadie], and it is significant that Dr. C.J. Ellicott considered them to be superior to anything in England up to that time.” “Scholarly, practical, and designed for those with a knowledge of Greek.” – Cyril J. Barber
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1900’s
Bruce, F.F. – The Epistle to the Galatians: a Commentary on the Greek Text in The New International Greek Testament Commentary Buy (1982) 280 pp.
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Commentaries on Galatians
1500’s
Bray, Gerald – Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Galatians, Ephesians Buy
Prime, John – An Exposition & Observations upon St. Paul to the Galatians, Together with Incident Questions Debated & Motives Removed (1587)
Prime (1550-1596) was reformed.
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1600’s
Perkins, William – A Commentary or Exposition upon Galatians 1-5 (d. 1602; Cambridge: Legat, 1604) 662 pp. ToC Common Places Index: Subject, Scripture
** “Perkins was justly esteemed by his contemporaries as a master in theology. This commentary is deeply theological, and reads like a body of divinity: truth compels us to confess that we find it dull.” – Spurgeon
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Simple, Brief & Devotional
1800’s
Hawker, John – Bible Thoughts in Quiet Hours: St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians Ref
** “These ‘thoughts’ are sound and edifying. The book does not profess to be a thorough exposition.” – Spurgeon
Pearson, Samuel – Sermons on the Epistle to the Galatians (London: Clarke, 1874) 182 pp. ToC
** “Discourses worthy of the successor of [T.] Spencer [from Hoxton] and [T.] Raffies [from Homerton].” – Spurgeon [For a short biographical sketch of both of these English preachers, see here.]
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1900’s
Girdlestone, Robert Blair – St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians: a Devotional Commentary Buy (1928) 190 pp.
Harrison, Norman – His Side Versus Our Side, Galatians: God’s Great Antithesis Ref Buy (Harrison Service, 1940) 128 pp.
“A brief devotional exposition.” – Cyril J. Barber
Hamilton, Floyd E. – Epistle to the Galatians: a Study Manual Buy (1954)
Rev. Hamilton was reformed. He graduated from Princeton Seminary in 1919 (Th.B.) and 1926 (Th.M.), was ordained and served as a missionary to Korea.
Hamilton was a founding member of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, but transferred his credentials into the Presbyterian Church, U.S. (aka, Southern) in 1955 and served his last pastorate, 1964-1969, in a Reformed Presbyterian, General Synod church in Indianapolis.
“A helpful, brief study manual.” – Cyril J. Barber
Strauss, Lehman – Devotional Studies in Galatians & Ephesians Ref Buy (Loizeaux Brothers: 1957) 256 pp.
“Well-outlined devotional messages aimed at expounding the text and edifying believers. Practical, evangelical, and Christ-centered.” – Cyril J. Barber
Packer, J.I. – ‘Galatians’ in ed. Carl Henry, The Biblical Expositor: The Living Theme of the Great Book with General & Introductory Essays & Exposition 1 vol. ed. (1960; A.J. Holman, 1973), pp. 1,076-86
This little known commentary set by leading evangelicals (many of which were reformed) is brief (think airplane view) but helpful.
Stott, John – The Message of Galatians: Only One Way in The Bible Speaks Today (1968; ) ToC
“A brilliant series of expository messages.” – Cyril J. Barber
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Intermediate
1800’s
Godwin, John – The Epistle of St. Paul to Galatians, a New Translation with Critical Notes & Doctrinal Lessons (1871)
** “A helpful translation, with good textual notes.” – Spurgeon
Haldane, James – An Exposition of Galatians, Showing that the Present Divisions Among Christians Originate in Bending the Ordinances of the Old & New Covenants (1848)
Haldane was a Scottish congregationalist, and, in later years, a baptist. The latter position underlies his hard contrast between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant in the book of Galatians (and in Hebrews), which was the primary reason for him writing these commentaries: to exposit an alternate view of covenant theology that was not shared in mainstream reformed theology.
** “This work has never been popular, because the author in the third chapter discusses the question of baptism. This is a fault of which we may say as the Papist said of venial sin: ‘It deserves to be forgiven.'” – Spurgeon
Olshausen, H. – Biblical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (1851)
Olshausen was a liberal.
** “Olshausen is mentioned by Alford as so rich in original material, that he has often cited him in his ‘New Testament for English Readers’. He is one of the most devout of the Germans, and a great scholar; but we are not enamored of him.” – Spurgeon
Pridham, A. – Notes & Reflections on the Epistle to the Galatians (1872)
** “Pridham is, we suppose, of the moderate Brethren school, but he is not carried away by any theory, being essentially a man of sober mind.” – Spurgeon
Schaff, Philip – Galatians in A Popular Commentary on the New Testament (1879)
Schaff (1819–1893), the famed Church historian and N.T. scholar, came from a German-Reformed background, though was also the lead proponent of the High-Church Mercersburg Theology.
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1900’s
Ramsay, William M. – A Historical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (1900)
Ramsay (1851–1939) was a Scottish archeologist, New Testament scholar and the foremost authority in his day on Asia Minor.
Ramsay was the one that first lighted upon and defended the ‘Southern Galatia View’, that the book of Galatians was written to churches primary in the southern political province of Galatia, rather than to churches in the northern geographical province of Galatia.
After a lifetime of research, from initially being skeptical of the early Church history recorded in Acts, he came to the conclusion that “it was written with such judgment, skill, art and perception of truth as to be a model of historical statement” and that “You may press the words of Luke [who wrote Acts] in a degree beyond any other historian’s and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment…”
“Surprisingly rich in background material and deals expertly with the geography, culture, and history of the times. Champions the South Galatia theory and, as such, deserves careful consideration.” – Cyril J. Barber
Williams, A. Lukyn – The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians, with Introduction & Notes (1914) 215 pp.
“A handy, helpful, exegetical study.” – Cyril J. Barber
Tenney, Merrill C. – Galatians, the Charter of Christian Liberty (1950) 193 pp. ToC
“Designed to help students of the Word grapple with the text firsthand. Approaches the epistle from synthetic, critical, biographical, and devotional points of view. Excellent.” – Cyril J. Barber
Cole, Robert Alan – The Letter of Paul to the Galatians: an Introduction & Commentary rev. ed. in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (1965; Inter-Varsity Press, 1989) 230 pp. ToC
“Readable, informative, and suggestive.” – Cyril J. Barber
Hendricksen, William – Exposition of Galatians in New Testament Commentary (1968; Baker, 1979) 560 pp. ToC
“Prefaced with an extensive introduction giving the arguments for both the North and the South Galatian theories. As always, the writer’s exposition is very complete, and applies the text in a meaningful and practical manner. Not all will agree with the ‘two covenants’ of Galatians 4:24. A conservative exposition which deserves a place on every pastor’s bookshelf. Reformed.” – Cyril J. Barber
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Advanced
1800’s
Bagge, Henry – St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, the Text Revised & Illustrated by a Commentary (1856)
** “Simply a revised text and critical notes.” – Spurgeon
Ellicott, Charles J. – A Critical & Grammatical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (1876) 290 pp.
“A critical and grammatical handling of the text, which retains its value and can be used by preachers who are able to work from the original text.” – Cyril J. Barber
Findlay, George – The Epistle to the Galatians (1893) 470 pp.
“A scholarly, succinct, and relevant exposition which may well be regarded as one of the more important treatments.” – Cyril J. Barber
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1900’s
Burton, Ernest DeWitt – A Critical & Exegetical Commentary on the Epistles to the Galatians in The International Critical Commentary (1921) 645 pp.
Burton was a liberal, American Biblical scholar at the University of Chicago, known for his Greek grammar.
“A most extensive, satisfactory commentary based on the Greek text.” – Cyril J. Barber
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The Early Church on Galatians
Compilations
ed. Edwards, Mark – Ancient Christian Commentary: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians (IVP Academic, 2007) 350 pp. ToC
Catena
ed. Cramer, J.A. – Catena on Galatians trans. Bill Berg Ref (2015) 180 pp. Greek at Patristic Bible Commentary
Chrysostom, Mopsuestia, Severian, Eusebius of Emesa – Paul’s Letter to the Galatians: A Fourth-Century View: [J.A.] Cramer’s Catena of Commentary from John Chrysostom, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Severian of Gabala & Eusebius of Emesa trans. Bill Berg Buy (2015) 180 pp.
Severian of Gabala (before 380; d. after 408, but probably before 425); Eusebius of Emesa (c. 300 – c. 360)
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Individuals
Marius Victorinus – Commentary on Galatians in Oxford Early Christian Studies Pre Buy (Oxford University Press, 2005) 405 pp. ToC Latin
Victorinus (fl. 300’s)
Ambrosiaster
Commentary on Galatians in Commentaries on Galatians-Philemon trans. Gerald Bray in Ancient Christian Texts Pre Buy (IVP Academic, 2009), pp. 1-34
Questions & Answers on Galatians (chs. 2-6) at Patristic Bible Commentary
Ambrosiaster (fl. 366-384)
Chrysostom – Commentary on Galatians ToC in Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians & Homilies on the Epistle to the Ephesians… in A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (Oxford: John Henry Parker, 1840), pp. 1-97 HTML
Chyrsostom (c. 347 – 407)
** ‘Enough of solid truth and brilliant utterance will be found here to justify this father’s title of ‘Golden Mouth’; but still all is not gold which fell from his lips, and to modern readers Chrysostom is not so instructive as he was to his own age [A.D. 349-407].’ – Spurgeon
Jerome – Commentary on Galatians trans. Andrew Cain in The Fathers of the Church (Catholic University of America Press, 2010) 310 pp. ToC
Jerome (c. 342–347 – 420)
Theodore of Mopsuestia
‘On Galatians’ in Theodore of Mopsuestia: The Commentaries on the Minor Epistles of Paul trans. Rowan Greer in Writings from the Greco-Roman World Pre (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2010), pp. 3-170
Theodore (c. 350 – 428) was a bishop of Mopsuestia and is also known as Theodore of Antioch, from the place of his birth and presbyterate. He is the best known representative of the middle Antioch School of hermeneutics.
‘Selections from Theodore’s Commentaries on the Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians & Colossians’ in The Early Church Fathers Pre (Routledge, 2009), pp. 118-25
Augustine
Commentary on Galatians: Introduction, Text, Translation & Notes trans. Eric Plumer in Oxford Early Christian Studies (Oxford University Press, 2003) 260 pp. ToC HTML Here is a review.
Augustine (354–430)
Several Sermons
Sermons 163-164A ToC in Sermons III/5 (148-183) on the New Testament trans. Edmund Hill in The Works of Saint Augustine: a Translation for the 21st Century (Hyde Park, NY: New City Press, 1990), pp. 169-200
Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament by S. Augustine in A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (Oxford: John Henry Parker, 1839), pp. 816-35 ToC
sermon 113, on Gal. 5:16
sermon 114, on Gal. 6:2
Theodoret of Cyrus – Commentary on the Letters of St. Paul, vol. 2: Galatians–Hebrews Ref (Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2007)
Theodoret (c. 393 – c. 458/466) was an influential theologian of the School of Antioch, biblical commentator and bishop of Cyrus.
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The Medieval Church on Galatians
Compilation
ed. Levy, Ian Christopher – The Letter to the Galatians in The Bible in Medieval Tradition (Eerdmans, 2011) 275 pp. ToC
Includes sections from: Haimo of Auxerre, Bruno the Carthusian, Peter Lombard, Robert of Melun, Robert Grosseteste and Nicolas of Lyra.
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Individuals
John of Damascus – On Galatians 1-2 at Patristic Bible Commentary
John (c. 675 or 676 – c. 749)
Nicholas of Lyra – Literal Commentary on Galatians trans. Edward Naumann Pre Buy (Teams, 2016) 125 pp. ToC
Lyra (c. 1270 – 1349) was a Franciscan teacher among the most influential practitioners of biblical exegesis in the Middle Ages.
Aquinas, Thomas – Commentary on Galatians at Isidore
Aquinas (1225 – 1274)
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On Galatians Generally
Mauro, Philip – Our Liberty in Christ: a Study in Galatians (n.d. early 1900’s) 210 pp.
Mauro gives chapters on 18 themes through Galatians.
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Northern vs. Southern Galatia
Intro
The traditional view from the early Church up through the late-1800’s was that the Letter to the Galatians was written to the churches in the geographic region of Galatia in Asia Minor, including the northern part.
In the late-1800’s William Ramsay, a noted archaeologist of Asia Minor, put forward a full defense of the view (which had precedents earlier in the century) that the letter was written primarily to the churches in the Roman province of Galatia which resided in the south of the larger geographical territory, and included the major cities thereof.
No doctrinal teachings are affected in taking either view, though it does affect in a small degree, besides the intended audience of the letter, its date, place of composition and how that synthesizes with Paul’s various missionary journeys and the events recorded of in Acts.
Both sides are competent positions, though the majority of N.T. scholars today have been persuaded by the Southern viewpoint (though that viewpoint is not without its difficulties). For a comprehensible (though not always easy) survey of the issues and arguments involved, see Daniel Wallace’s article below.
For more resources to look at on the topic, see our webpage section, New Testament Survey and Introduction, which works give background material (including the audience, date and composition) of each book of the N.T.
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The Northern Galatia Viewpoint
(in the order of shortest to most detailed)
Olshausen, Hermann – Introduction: §1. Of the Province of Galatia, as also of the Time & Place of the Composition of the Epistle to the Galatians in Biblical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians & Thessalonians (1851), pp. 1-7
Moffatt, James – Galatians, §4. The Destination in An Introduction to the Literature of the New Testament (1911), pp. 90-101
Lightfoot, J.B. – Introduction: II. The Churches of Galatia in St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, a Revised Text, with Introduction, Notes & Dissertations (1870), pp. 25-41 There is also information on the topic in chapter 1, starting at p. 15.
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The Southern Galatia Viewpoint
(in order of shortest to most detailed)
Wallace, Daniel – ‘I. Introduction’ 31 paragraphs in ‘Galatians: Introduction, Argument & Outline’ (2009)
Wallace, a N.T. professor at Dallas Theological Seminary is known for his excellent grammar on the Greek of the New Testament.
Eadie, John – Introduction: I. The Province of Galatia in A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians (1869), pp. xiii-xxvii
Zahn, Theodore – III. The Three Oldest Epistles of Paul: §11 Galatia & the Galatians in Introduction to the New Testament (1917), pp. 173-93 Relevant information is also found in the preceding section: §10 The Historical Presuppositions & the Occasion of the Epistle to the Galatians, pp. 164-73
Ramsay, William M. – ‘Historical Introduction: Society & Religion in Central Asia Minor in the Time of St. Paul’ ToC in A Historical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (1900), pp. 1-235
Ramsay (1851–1939) was a Scottish archaeologist, New Testament scholar and the foremost authority in his day on Asia Minor.
Ramsay was the one that first lighted upon and defended the ‘Southern Galatia View’, that the book of Galatians was written to churches primary in the southern political province of Galatia, rather than to churches in the northern geographical province of Galatia.
After a lifetime of research, from initially being skeptical of the early Church history recorded in Acts, he came to the conclusion that “it was written with such judgment, skill, art and perception of truth as to be a model of historical statement” and that “You may press the words of Luke [who wrote Acts] in a degree beyond any other historian’s and they stand the keenest scrutiny and the hardest treatment…”
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On Chapters in Galatians
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Galatians 2-3
Torshell, Samuel – The Three Questions of Free Justification, Christian Liberty, The Use of the Law, Explicated in a Brief Comment on St. Paul to the Galatians, from 2:16 – 3:26 (1632)
Torshell (1604-1650) was English and reformed.
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Galatians 5
Barclay, William – Flesh & Spirit: an Examination of Galatians 5:19-23 (Abingdon, 1962) 125 pp. ToC
“A valuable series ably contrasting the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit.” – Cyril J. Barber
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