THAT this Epistle may seeme to be the first that S. Paul wrote, was declared in the argument
of the Epistle to the Romanes; notwithstanding that in the second chapter it is euident to haue been
written. 14. yeares at the least after his Conuersion, and (as it is said) from Ephesus, belike at that
time of his being there, which is mentioned Act. 18.
The occasion of it were such false-apostles, as we read of, Act. 15. Et quidam descendentes, &c.
And certaine comming downe from Iewrie, taught the Brethren (that is the Christian Gentils at
Antioch) that vnles you be circumcised according to the manner of Moyses, you can not be saued. Such
commers also to the Galatians (whom S. Paul had conuerted Act. 16, as himself mentioneth Gal. 1. and 4)
did seduce them, saying, that al the other Apostles to whom they should rather harken, then to Paul (who
came they knew not from whence) did vse Circumcision: yea and that Paul himself, when he came among them,
durst doe none other. And to winne them more easily, they did not lay on them the burden of the whole Law,
but of Circumcision only.
Against these deceiuers, S. Paul declareth, that he receiued his Apostleship and learned the Ghospel that
he preacheth, of Christ himself after his Resurrection: and that the other Apostles (although he
learned nothing of them) receiued him into their societie, and allowed wel of his preaching to the
Gentils though themselues being Iewes, and liuing among the Iewes, had not yet left the ceremonies of
the Law: howbeit they did not put in them any hope of iustification, but in Christ alone without them.
He declareth moreouer, that the said False-apostles belyed him, in saying that he also preached
Circumcision sometimes. Againe, that they themselues in preaching no more but Circumcision, did against
the nature of Circumcision, because it is a profession to obserue the whole Law: finally,
whatsoeuer they pretended, that indeed they did it only to please the Iewes, of whom otherwise
they should be persecuted.
So that in this Epistle he handleth the same matter, which in the Epistle to the Romanes: but here
lesse exactly and more briefly, because the Galatians were very rude, and the Romanes contrariewise,
repleti omni scientia (Rom. 15) replenished with al knowledge.