and therefore Celtic influence was strong in the land. The Celts, or Gauls, were considered a fierce, barbarous people, it having been said that they offered their prisoners of war as human sacrifices. They have also been described in Roman literature as a very emotional, superstitious people, given to much ritual, and this religious trait would likely influence them away from a form of worship so lacking in ritual as Christianity.

Even so, the congregations in Galatia may have included many who formerly had been like this as pagans, as well as many converts from Judaism who had not entirely rid themselves of scrupulously keeping the ceremonies and other obligations of the Mosaic Law. The fickle, inconstant nature attributed to the Galatians of Celtic descent could explain how at one time some in the Galatian congregations were zealous for God’s truth and a short time later became an easy prey for opponents of the truth who were sticklers for observance of the Law and who insisted that circumcision and other requirements of the Law were necessary for salvation.

The Judaizers, as such enemies of the truth might be called, apparently kept the circumcision issue alive even after the apostles and other elders in Jerusalem had dealt with the matter. Perhaps, too, some of the Galatian Christians were succumbing to the low moral standards of the populace, as may be inferred from the message of the letter from chapter 5, verse 13, to the end. At any rate, when word of their deflection reached the apostle, he was moved to write this letter of straightforward counsel and strong encouragement. It is evident that his immediate purpose in writing was to confirm his apostleship, counteract the false teachings of the Judaizers, and strengthen the brothers in the Galatian congregations.

The Judaizers were crafty and insincere. (Ac 15:1; Ga 2:4) Claiming to represent the congregation in Jerusalem, these false teachers opposed Paul and discredited his position as an apostle. They wanted the Christians to get circumcised, not seeking the Galatians’ best interests, but so that the Judaizers could bring about an appearance of things that would conciliate the Jews and keep them from opposing so violently. The Judaizers did not want to suffer persecution for Christ.​—Ga 6:12, 13.

To accomplish their objective, they claimed that Paul’s commission came to him secondhand, that it was only from some men prominent in the Christian congregation​—not from Christ Jesus himself. (Ga 1:11, 12, 15-20) They wanted the Galatians to follow them (4:17), and in order to nullify Paul’s influence, they had to paint him first as no apostle. Apparently they claimed that when Paul felt it expedient, he preached circumcision. (1:10; 5:11) They were trying to make a sort of fusion religion of Christianity and Judaism, not denying Christ outright but arguing that circumcision would profit the Galatians, that it would advance them in Christianity, and that, furthermore, by this they would be sons of Abraham, to whom the covenant of circumcision was originally given.​—3:7.

Paul thoroughly refuted the contentions of these false Christians and built up the Galatian brothers so that they could stand firm in Christ. It is encouraging to note that the Galatian congregations did remain true to Christ and stood as pillars of the truth. The apostle Paul visited them on his third missionary tour (Ac 18:23), and the apostle Peter addressed his first letter to the Galatians, among others.​—1Pe 1:1.

(galʹba·num).

A yellowish or brownish gum resin procured from certain Asian plants of the carrot, or parsley, family. There is uncertainty as to the precise kind of plant providing the galbanum used by the Israelites.

The milky fluid that hardens into galbanum exudes from the plant stem naturally or its flow is induced by means of an incision. Galbanum was one of the ingredients of the incense specified for exclusive use at the sanctuary. (Ex 30:34-38) When burned alone it is said to give off an offensive odor, but when combined with other aromatic substances, galbanum increases their fragrance and makes the fragrance last longer.

(Galʹe·ed) [Witness Heap].

The place in the mountainous region of Gilead E of the Jordan where the patriarchs Jacob and Laban concluded a covenant. (Ge 31:43-48) The later name of this region, “Gilead,” was probably drawn from “Galeed,” the name originally given to the spot where this event occurred about 1761 B.C.E.

In obedience to divine direction, and without giving notice, Jacob left Paddan-aram and the service of Laban, who was both his uncle and his father-in-law. (Ge 28:2) With all his belongings, and with his wives and children, Jacob crossed the Euphrates River and headed for the land of Canaan. After three days Laban, accompanied by his “brothers,” went in pursuit for the distance of