The country in Asia Minor was called Gaul, whose principal cities were "Ancyra, Pessinous, and Tabion," and which was distinguished from Phrygia, Pisidia, and Lycaonia, which later, together with certain other parts of Asia Minor, formed the Roman province of Gaul. The Apostle visited this country for the first time during his second apostolic journey, when "he passed through Phrygia and the country of Gaul" (Acts 16:6) and was received by the Galatians with enthusiasm and with exceptional manifestations of affection and respect (Galatians 4:13 ff.).

But after this visit of Paul to Galatia, Judaizing false teachers entered the newly established Church there, who proclaimed that the observance of the ceremonial provisions of the law, and especially circumcision, was necessary for salvation. In order to succeed in spreading these errors, they attempted to undermine Paul's apostolic authority by slander and devilry, asserting that he was not a true Apostle like the great Apostles Peter, John, and James, who were considered pillars of the Church. The Apostle most likely verbally exposed these slanders and falsehoods during his second visit to the Churches of Galatia, which took place during the third apostolic journey, shortly before he arrived in Ephesus, where he remained for three years (Acts 18:23 and 19:1-20). But even after this verbal refutation, by which the Galatians seemed for the moment to be convinced, the false brothers entered again and caused great unrest among the Christians. Following this, the divine Paul addresses this letter a short time after his arrival in "Ephesus, that is, around the end of 52 AD.