Paul, Jerusalem, and the Judaisers: The Galatian Crisis in I...

This scholarly work offers a comprehensive analysis of the crisis addressed in the Epistle to the Galatians, situating it within the broader historical and theological context of early Christianity. It posits that the conflict arose from a group of Judaizing opponents who, acting under the authority of the Jerusalem church, promoted a Law-observant gospel among Gentile converts. The study traces the origins of this controversy to early disputes between Hellenists and Hebrews, as depicted in Acts, leading to the establishment of the Antiochene community. By examining events such as the Jerusalem Council (Galatians 2:1–10; Acts 15:1–35) and the Incident at Antioch (Galatians 2:11–14), the work reconstructs the sequence of events that culminated in the Galatian crisis. Employing mirror-reading techniques, it endeavors to uncover the message and origins of Paul's opponents, arguing that the conflict in Galatia was a continuation of earlier disputes and had significant implications for Paul's subsequent interactions with communities in Corinth and Philippi.