Bernard Muller wrote: ↑Mon Mar 18, 2019 5:33 pm
Were they even Jews in Galatia ... ?
Josephus discussed Antiochus III (ca. 241-187 BCE) and the relocation of 2,000 Jewish families from Mesopotamia to the regions of Lydia and Phrygia in Asia Minor, and described the generous grants and benefits to allow them to become well-established ---
“Having been informed that a sedition is arisen in Lydia and Phrygia … it hath been thought proper to remove two thousand families of Jews, with their effects, out of Mesopotamia and Babylon … for I am persuaded that they will be well-disposed guardians of our possessions, because of their piety towards God … that thou remove these Jews, under a promise, that they shall be permitted to use their own laws. And when thou shalt have brought them to the places forementioned thou shalt give everyone of their families a place for building their houses, and a portion of the land for their husbandry, and for the plantation of their vines; and thou shalt discharge them from paying taxes of the fruits of the earth for ten years; and let them have a proper quantity of wheat for the maintenance of their servants, until they receive bread corn out of the earth; also let a sufficient share be given to such as minister to them in the necessaries of life …” (Josephus,
Antiquities, XII, chapter 3.4 in this link ---)
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text ... ant12.html
That relocation effort could have brought as many as 6,000 to 12,000 Babylonian Jews to regions in Asia Minor.
The ancient Lydian and Phrygian kingdoms had at various times dominated most areas of Asia Minor, along with Persian and Greek conquests. In the 3rd C. BCE, Celtic tribes migrated into areas once dominated by Phrygia. The ethnic Celts --- called Galatians --- dominated many portions of Asia Minor over various periods. Celtic archeological sites and place names --- from prior to and during Paul’s times --- are common throughout much of Asia Minor.
By the time of Paul, well-established communities of Babylonian Jews were likely rubbing elbows with communities of ethnic Galatians and other pagan peoples over large portions of Asia Minor.
Philo of Alexandria wrote that in his day there were many Jews in Asia Minor. (Don’t have time to find the specific citation).
The Encyclopedia Judaica describes the liberal attitude of Jews in Asia Minor toward the Gentile “God fearers” (but for Gentile "God-fearers" to claim that they could be full participants with the people of Israel without being circumcised would likely be a bridge too-far for most any Jew in those times) ---
Jewish customs became popular throughout the towns of Asia Minor. Josephus reports that the kindling of Sabbath lights was customary among Gentiles. Many attended synagogues on Sabbaths and festivals. A movement of worshipers of the Supreme God, "God fearers" (σεβόμενοι, φοβούμενοι τὸν θεόν) was very popular throughout Asia Minor, and many groups of pagans practiced the cult of the "Supreme God" without renouncing their own religions.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/asia-minor
Some of these accounts may not be entirely historically accurate. But the possibility that in Paul's time there were no Jews in the Province of Galatia or in some contact with ethnic Galatians is very unlikely.
This thread is about “Q”, and I’m going to move on now. I’ll leave the last words here to you should you wish to respond.