Galatians for the week of 9/11/2018
This week we’ll cover Paul, an apostle through Christ and God the Father, to preach the one and only true “good news” of Christ. At this point, we’ve established God’s authority through Christ to Paul and ultimately to us.
Paul was positioning himself as a member of the community, conceding the authority to God but allowing God to use him as a channel to preach truth.
This week, we’ll see how Paul models himself as an example to the Galatian community then drives home the value of relying on the gospel as truth.
Read Gal 1:11-2:14.
Galatians 1:11–2:14
esv
Paul Called by God
11 For u I would have you know, brothers, that v the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.3 12 w For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it x through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of y my former life in Judaism, how z I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely a zealous was I for b the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he c who had set me apart d before I was born,4 and who e called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to 5 me, in order f that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;6 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then g after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James h the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, i before God, I do not lie!) 21 j Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to k the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.
Paul Accepted by the Apostles
2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those l who seemed influential) the gospel that m I proclaim among the Gentiles, n in order to make sure I was not running or had not o run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, p was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 q Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who r slipped in to spy out sour freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, t so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that u the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those v who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; w God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential x added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been y entrusted with z the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, v who seemed to be a pillars, perceived the b grace that was given to me, they c gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, d the very thing I was eager to do.
Paul Opposes Peter
11 But e when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him f to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, g he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing h the circumcision party.1 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their i conduct was not in step with j the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas k before them all, “If you, though a Jew, l live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
u 1 Co 15:1
v Ro 2:16
3 Greek not according to man
w Ga 1:1 1 Co 11:23 1 Co 15:3 Ac 22:14
x Ga 1:16 1 Co 2:10 2 Co 12:1
a Php 3:6 Ac 21:20
b Je 9:14 2 Ti 1:3 Mt 15:2
c Ac 13:2 Ro 1:1
d Is 49:1 Is 49:5 Je 1:5 Lk 1:15
4 Greek set me apart from my mother’s womb
e Ga 1:6
5 Greek in
f Ga 2:9 Ac 9:15
6 Greek with flesh and blood
g Ac 9:22 Ac 9:23
h Mt 12:46 Ac 12:17
i Ro 1:9 Ro 9:1
j Ac 9:30 Ac 11:25 Ac 11:26 Ac 13:1
k 1 Th 2:14
l Ga 2:6 Ga 2:9
m 1 Ti 3:16
n Ga 4:11 1 Th 3:5
o Php 2:16
p Ac 16:3
q Ac 15:24 2 Co 11:26 Ga 5:12
r 2 Pe 2:1 Jud 4
s Ga 5:1
t Ga 4:3 Ga 4:9 Ga 4:24 Ga 4:25 2 Co 11:20 Ro 8:15
u Ga 2:14 Ga 4:16 Ga 5:7 Tt 1:14 2 Jn 1
v Ga 2:2 Ga 2:9 Ga 6:3 Ac 5:36 1 Co 3:7
w Dt 10:17
x Co 11:5 2 Co 12:11
y 1 Th 2:4 1 Ti 1:11 1 Co 9:17
z Ga 1:16 Ac 9:15
v Ga 2:6
a Je 1:18 Re 3:12
b Ro 1:5
c 2 Pe 3:15
d Ac 24:17
e Ac 15:1 Ac 15:35
f Job 21:31
g Ac 11:3 Ga 2:14 Ac 10:28 Lk 15:2
h Ac 11:2
1 Or fearing those of the circumcision
i Heb 12:13
j Ga 2:5
k 1 Ti 5:20
l Ga 2:12
What are your thoughts on these verses?
First, where is the gospel from?
God revealed the gospel to Paul
Gal 1:12 & 16,
Galatians 1:12
12 wFor I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it xthrough a revelation of Jesus Christ.
w
Ga 1:1 1 Co 11:23 1 Co 15:3 Ac 22:14
x
Ga 1:16 1 Co 2:10 2 Co 12:1
Galatians 1:16
16 was pleased to reveal his Son to5 me, in order fthat I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;6
6 Greek with flesh and blood
Mat 16:17,
Mat 16:17,
17 And Jesus answered him, e“Blessed are you, fSimon Bar-Jonah! For gflesh and blood has not revealed this to you, hbut my Father who is in heaven.
1Cor 2:9-13,
1Cor 2:9-13,
9 But, as it is written,
l“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has mprepared nfor those who love him”—
10 these things oGod has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even pthe depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts qexcept the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now rwe have received not sthe spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this tin words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, uinterpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.4
Eph 1:17-18,
Eph 1:17-18,
17 that pthe God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, qmay give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 rhaving the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is sthe hope to which he has called you, what are tthe riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Eph 3:5-10
Eph 3:5-10
5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is1 that the Gentiles are xfellow heirs, ymembers of the same body, and zpartakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
7 aOf this gospel I was made ba minister according to the gift of cGod’s grace, which was given me dby the working of his power. 8 To me, ethough I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, fto preach to the Gentiles the gunsearchable hriches of Christ, 9 and ito bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery jhidden for ages in2God, kwho created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold lwisdom of God mmight now be made known to nthe rulers and authorities oin the heavenly places.
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What is Paul’s life like before the revelation of Christ to him?
Gal 1:13-14,
Gal 1:13-14,
13 For you have heard of ymy former life in Judaism, how zI persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely azealous was I for bthe traditions of my fathers.
see Acts 22:3-5 Acts 22:3-5
3 y“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated zat the feet of aGamaliel2 baccording to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, cbeing zealous for God das all of you are this day. 4 eI persecuted fthis Way gto the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as hthe high priest and ithe whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to jthe brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
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and Acts 26:4-5,
Acts 26:4-5,
4 p“My manner of life from my youth, spent from the beginning among qmy own nation and in Jerusalem, is known by all the Jews. 5 They have known for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that raccording to the strictest sparty of our treligion I have lived as ua Pharisee.
then Isa 29:13
Isa 29:13
13 And the Lord said:
“Because uthis people vdraw near with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
while their hearts are far from me,
and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,
Isa 57:12
Isa 57:12
12 I will declare your righteousness and your deeds, but they will not profit you.
What is the key difference in Paul’s understanding of God’s desires before and after the revelation?
Traditions and laws requiring obedience before and life and liberty and love for the saved and a need to preach to the lost after
Where does he learn the ways of the Torah?
In the school of being a Pharisee and a strict Jew
See Acts 22:3,
Acts 22:3
3 y“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated zat the feet of aGamaliel2 baccording to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, cbeing zealous for God das all of you are this day.
who is Gamaliel?
He was Paul's teacher in the school of being a Pharisee
Notice how Paul uses “I” and “me” prior to the revelation!
(Acts 22:3-5
Acts 22:3-5
3 y“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated zat the feet of aGamaliel2 baccording to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, cbeing zealous for God das all of you are this day. 4 eI persecuted fthis Way gto the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as hthe high priest and ithe whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to jthe brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
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and Acts 26:9-10)
Acts 26:9-10)
9 b“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of cJesus of Nazareth. 10 dAnd I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority efrom the chief priests, but fwhen they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
How long was it before Paul visits with the other apostles?
three years
Gal 1:18
Gal 1:18
18 Then gafter three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days.
How would you characterize Paul before and after the revelation?
Unteachable and militant about persecuting Christians before and waiting on Jesus to get the green light to go up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas for three years after.
How would you characterize your life in Christ?
Jesus is my teacher and savior and the one who guides my life and my decisions.
What happens 14 years later?
after fourteen years Paul went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with himself.
Gal 2:1
Gal 2:1
Paul Accepted by the Apostles
2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
Why?because of a revelation in order to make sure he was not running or had not run in vain
Gal 2:2
Gal 2:22 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those lwho seemed influential) the gospel that mI proclaim among the Gentiles, nin order to make sure I was not running or had not orun in vain.
Why do you think Paul mentions” running, or had run, in vain”
How does Paul confirm he was not running in vain?
Gal 2:3-4
Gal 2:3-4
3 But even Titus, who was with me, pwas not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 qYet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who rslipped in to spy out sour freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, tso that they might bring us into slavery—
Why does Paul challenge Cephas?
because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, Peter was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.1 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when Paul saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, he said to Peter before them all, “If you, though a Jew live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Gal 2:11-14
Gal 2:11-14
Paul Opposes Peter
11 But ewhen Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him fto his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, ghe was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing hthe circumcision party.1 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their iconduct was not in step with jthe truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas kbefore them all, “If you, though a Jew, llive like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Finally, how does modeling Paul’s character support the dialog to the Galatians??
How should it support the dialog to us?
Appendix Bibliography
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| Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. |
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