Who was Paul writing to in this epistle and what were the Judaizers trying to do to the Gentile believers?
Paul was writing to the churches in Asia Minor, Gentile congregations he had established on his missionary journeys. Judaizers were deluging these believers, attempting to bring them under the law and legalism, and thereby tempting them away from the gospel Paul had preached among them.
Les explains that Paul is writing to the churches in Asia Minor, which were being deluged with Judaizers. These Judaizers were trying to bring the Gentile believers under the law, that is, legalism. Paul had already been up into Asia Minor on his missionary journeys and had established Gentile churches. When he got word that they were being tempted with legalism, he hurriedly wrote this little epistle. His concern was that the Judaizers would pull these Gentile believers away from the gospel he had preached among them.