Why did Paul refer to Galatia when writing to the Corinthians about giving?

Answer 1

A:

In Galatians 2:10, 'Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do', Paul seems to be passing on and supporting a request by the Jerusalem brethren to send relief to the Judeans. 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 refers to the support of the Galatians for a collection to assist the poor of Judea, and asks very directly that the Corinthians contribute as well. The Corinthians may have needed some prompting, since the request was repeated at some length in 2 Corinthians.

There is no suggestion that the collection was an ongoing tithe, in fact there is a sense of some urgency and a recognition that the congregations would face difficulty in meeting what was demanded of them. So, Paul invested considerable effort and goodwill in solving a specific problem for the Jerusalem brethren. He mentioned the collection in Romans, listing only Macedonia and Achaia as contributing, to the obvious exclusion of the Galatians, as well as other churches with which he must have been in contact. Unless there was a leadership issue to explain their unwillingness to have anything further to do with Paul, the Galatians and others were unable to assist, having their own problems.

A reasonable inference is that Judea faced an economic crisis, and that the crisis affected all of the world in which Paul worked. Such a crisis was the famine that occurred between 44 and 48 CE. This famine would explain the Jerusalem brethren seeking assistance, the importance Paul placed on the collection and his comparative lack of success, particularly in Galatia.

Acts 11:28‑29 mentions this famine and actually talks of a collection for the poor in Judea, although it avoids giving any credit to Paul:

"And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea."

My view is that the author of Acts sought to transfer credit for the collection from Paul to Peter, consistent with a theme found throughout Acts that portrayed Peter as a greater apostle than Paul.