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BIBLE STUDY
Galatians
1:1-9
Verse 1
Notes
* Paul gives his credentials. This is his attempt to demonstrate his authority
to speak for God.
* “Apostle” means “one who is sent. This is from the Greek
apostellw
(apostello) which means “to send.”
Luther
“But what does Paul intend by this bragging? I reply: This doctrine has as
its purpose that every minister of the Word should be sure of his calling. In
the sight of both God and man he should boldly glory that he preaches the Gospel
as one who has been called and sent. Thus the king’s emissary boasts and
glories that he does not come as a private person but as the emissary of the
king. Because of this dignity as the king’s emissary he is honored and given
the position of highest honor, which he would never receive if he were to come
as a private person. Therefore let the preacher of the Gospel be sure that his
calling is from God. It is perfectly proper that he should follow Paul’s
example among the people. In the same way the king’s emissary elevates his
office and calling. To glory this way is not vain but necessary; for he does
not glory in himself but in the king who has sent him and whose authority he
seeks to have honored and elevated. When, in the name of the king, he wants
something to be done by his subjects, he does not say, ‘We request,’ but, ‘We
command, we want this to be done.’ But as a private person he says, ‘We
request.’”
Discussion
Questions
1. Where does Paul get his authority?
2. Where does the pastor get his authority?
3. What responsibilities does that place on him?
4. Should the pastor give personal opinions?
Verse 2
Notes
*
ekklesias (ecclesias) -
churches, places where the church is present, local congregations
Discussion
Questions
1. In what sense is the local congregation part of the church?
2. In what sense does the local congregation represent the whole church?
3. Does the bible distinguish between the two?
Verse 3
Notes
*
eirhnh (eireinei) peace,
the Hebrew shalom means “completeness, wholeness, well being”. It is
always used for what the Messiah brings.
*
caris (charis) grace,
undeserved favor
“The
apostle’s greeting is new to the world and had never been heard before the
proclaiming of the gospel. Grace and peace - these two words embrace the whole
of Christianity. Grace forgives sin, and peace stills the conscience. The two
devils who plague us are sin and conscience, the power of the Law and the sting
of sin (1 Cor. 15:56). But Christ has conquered these two monsters and trodden
them underfoot, both in this age and in the age to come. The world does not
know this; therefore it cannot teach anything sure about how to overcome sin,
conscience, and death. Only Christians have this kind of teaching and are
equipped and armed with it, so that they may overcome sin, despair, and eternal
death. It is a teaching that is given only by God; it does not proceed from
free will, nor was it invented by human reason or wisdom.” Martin Luther
Discussion
Questions
1. What has God, by grace, done for you?
2. How do you, or should you, respond to that grace?
3. How does the peace of God affect your daily walk?
“This is
why Paul makes such a frequent practice of linking Jesus Christ with God the
Father, to teach us what is the true Christian religion. It does not begin at
the top, as all other religions do; it begins at the bottom. It bids us climb
up by Jacob’s ladder; God Himself leans on it, and its feet touch the earth,
right by Jacob’s head (Gen. 28:12). Therefore whenever you are concerned to
think and act about your salvation, you must put away all speculations about the
Majesty, all thoughts of works, traditions, and philosophy - indeed, of the Law
of God itself. And you must run directly to the manger and the mother’s womb,
embrace this infant and virgin’s child in your arms, and look at him - born,
being nursed, growing up, going about in human society, teaching, dying, rising
again, ascending above all the heavens, and having authority over all things.
In this way you can shake off all terrors and errors, as the sun dispels the
clouds. This vision will keep you on the proper way, so that you may follow
where Christ has gone.” Martin Luther
Discussion
Questions
1. How difficult, or easy, is it to understand the majesty of God?
2. How do we best understand God?
Verse 4
Notes
*
dontos (dontos) - to give
(Himself)
*
exelhtai (exeleitai) that
he might deliver
*
qelema (theleima) will
“The
main knowledge and true wisdom of Christians, then, is this: to regard as very
serious and true these words of Paul, that Christ was given over to death, not
for our righteousness or holiness but for our sins, which are real sins - great,
many, in fact, infinite and invincible. Therefore you must not think of them as
minor or suppose that your own works can remove them. Nor must you despair on
account of their gravity if you feel them oppressing you either in life or
death. But you must learn from Paul here to believe that Christ was given, not
for sham or counterfeit sins, nor yet for small sins but for great and huge
sins; not for one or two sins but for all sins; not for sins that have been
overcome - for neither man nor angel is able to overcome even the tiniest sin -
but for invincible sins. And unless you are part of the company of those who
say ‘our sins,’ that is, who have this doctrine of faith and who teach, hear,
learn, love, and believe it, there is no salvation for you.” Martin Luther
Discussion
Questions
1. What great thing has Christ done for you and why was this necessary?
2. What would we be like if Christ had not done this?
3. What is the will of God referred to in this verse?
4. For whom does God will this and what does that mean to us?
Verse 5
Notes
* doxa
(doxa) glory, fame, renown,
honor
Discussion
Questions
1. How much glory does God deserve and what does that mean to us?
2. How do we glorify God as He deserves?
3. What is eternity like?
Verse 6
Notes
*
metatiqesqe (metatithesthe)
fall away, become prostrate, to transform (in this case: in the process of
transforming, falling away)
* en
cariti (en chariti) by
means of grace
“The
genuineness of the gospel is so vital because the true gospel is the one and
only means by which Christ calls us, transmits his grace to us, in a word,
delivers us from this wicked world. The substitution of a fake gospel loses us
this call, grace, deliverance, does so whether we are aware of the fact or
not.” R. C. H. Lenski
Discussion
Questions
1. Is there any other way to salvation than by the grace of God in Christ?
2. What other ways are believed?
3. How dangerous are these other ideas within the church? Why?
4. What are the consequences of these other “ways”?
Verses 7-9
Notes
* (v7)
estin
(estin) is exists “There exists no other”
* (v7)
tarrasontes
(tarrasontes) those who
stir up, unsettle, throw into confusion
* (v7)
metatreyai
(metatrepsai) for the purpose of turning around
* (v9)
euaggelizetai
(euangelizetai) preach to
you to the good news
* (v9)
anaqema
(anathema) a curse, doomed
to destruction
Discussion
Questions
1. Can anything but the gospel be called a gospel? Why or why not?
2. How do people pervert the gospel today?
3. How are you to know the truth about salvation?
4. Should you rely on the word of the pastor? Why or why not?
5. What should our attitude be about false teachers?
6. What is the purpose of Paul’s repeating this?
Galatians
1:10-24
Verse 10
Notes
*
areskein
(areskein) to make amends, please, appease
Discussion Questions
1. In what
ways do people try to appease men in the church?
2. How do we respond to such efforts?
3. What does Paul say of us if we try to appease men?
Verses 11-12
Discussion Questions
1. Is it
proper to say that the Gospel originated with men? Why or why not?
2. In what
sense are the biblical writers considered the authors and how should that be reflected in our references to them and their works?
3. Where does Paul claim to get the Gospel? How did that happen?
Verses 13-14
Notes
* uperbolhn
ediwkon (huperbolein
edioken) I persecuted to extreme or excess
“By ‘my
ancestral traditions’ Paul refers to the traditions of the Pharisees, that whole
hedge of 613 human commandments which the rabbis had built around the law, and
which the Pharisees made the business of their party to maintain at all costs.
Here we should recall all the virulent clashes of Jesus with the Pharisees, for
instance, the climax in Matthew 23:13, etc. Paul’s violence against the
Christians was so excessive because the church meant the death of Pharisaism. A
converted Jew and a Pharisee might live in the old Jewish way and freely choose
to observe parts of the Mosaic law; but he would certainly give up the
traditions of the elders as being mere useless and dangerous ‘commandments of
men.’ These very traditions were the apple of Paul’s eye; for them he wished to
tear the church of God to pieces.” R. C. H. Lenski
Discussion Questions
1. What is
Paul referring to in these verses?
2. Who were the Pharisees and what were they like?
3. Why was Christ so opposed to, and enraged by, the Pharisees?
4. Could Paul be a Pharisee and a Christian at the same time? Why or why not?
Verses 15-17
Notes
*
ek koilias
(ek koilias) before birth, when in the womb
“The
intentions of God’s good pleasure are not conceived at the time of their
execution but long before, so long in advance that he shapes and directs all
things toward the good end he has in view. How the divine and human factors are
combined in attaining the good outcome is beyond mortal insight. Speculations
are generally unsatisfactory. The point we should note is the full stress Paul
lays on the divine agency which made him the apostle he was. No one would have
believed that the babe born away off in heathen Tarsus, the child of the
strictest Pharisees, would come to be the apostle who fought this Pharisaism so
mightily.” R. C. H. Lenski
“In this
passage you hear what sort of doctrine was given and committed to Paul, namely,
the doctrine of the gospel, which is the revelation of the Son of God; as Psalm
2:11 says, ‘Kiss the Son.’ This is a doctrine different from all others. Moses
does not reveal the Son of God; he discloses the law, sin, the conscience,
death, the wrath and judgment of God, and hell. These things are not the Son of
God. Oh, if only one could distinguish carefully here and not look for the Law
in the Gospel but keep it as separate from the Law as heaven is distant from the
earth! In itself the difference is easy and clear, but to us it is difficult
and well nigh incomprehensible. For it is easy to say that the Gospel is
nothing but the revelation of the Son of God or the knowledge of Jesus Christ
and not the revelation or knowledge of the Law. But in the practice of
conscience and in practice it is difficult even for those who have a lot of
experience to hold to this for certain.” Martin Luther
Discussion Questions
1. Does God
decide things about us on the spur of the moment? (Defend your answer)
2. Who reveals God’s Son to us and how is that done?
3. Having been redeemed, what was Paul’s purpose in life?
4. What does that say to us?
Verses 18-22
Discussion Questions
1. Why does
Paul include these verses?
2. Was Paul’s purpose in going to Jerusalem to learn the gospel? Why or why not?
3. “Churches which were in Christ” (22) as opposed to what?
Verses 23-24
Notes
*
thn pistin
(tein pistin) the faith, that which one believes (as opposed to that by which
one believes)
*
en emoi
(en emoi) in me, because of me, for what they saw in me
Discussion Questions
1. What was
Paul’s major reputation in this area?
2. What was the rumor about him?
3. What was the reaction to his message?
4.
What is the meaning of this to us?
Galatians 2:1-10
Verses 1-2
Notes
*
aneqemhn
(anethemein) lay before, communicate, declare
*
dokousin
(dokousin) influential men, men of repute
“This does not mean that Paul was in doubt whether or not he had been,
or was, running in vain. For he had been preaching the gospel for
eighteen years now, and the text goes on to say immediately that he had
stood firm and sure all this time and had prevailed. It means rather
that there were many who supposed that Paul had preached the gospel for
so many years in vain because he had given the gentiles freedom from the
Law. In addition, the idea was continually gaining ground that the Law
was necessary for justification. When he went up to Jerusalem by
revelation, his purpose was to remedy this condition. This conference
was to make it clear to everyone that his gospel was not contrary in any
way to the doctrine of the other apostles, so that in this way he could
silence his opponents, who might otherwise be able to say that he was
running, or had run, in vain.” Martin Luther
Discussion Questions
1.
Who did Paul lay his gospel before, and why?
2.
Does the gospel need to be ratified by the church? Why or why not?
3.
Did Paul have doubts about his message? (defend your answer)
4.
Who thought he was running in vain, and why?
5.
Are men in the church charged with running in vain today, and why?
6.
How do people truly run in vain in the church?
Verse 3
Notes
“In the person of Titus the whole gospel as it was preached by Paul, by
Peter (Acts 11:1-18; 15:7-11), and by all the apostles came to be
embodied. That gospel would have crumbled and fallen if this man would
have been circumcised at the demand of the Judaizers. That is why he
was not circumcised, not even for minor, secondary, innocent reasons.
Once the Judaizers made their demand regarding Titus, they destroyed all
reasons for his ever being circumcised.” R.C.H. Lenski
Discussion
Questions
1.
What was at stake in Titus’ case?
2. To
what length are we to go to defend the gospel?
3.
What was the purpose of circumcision?
4.
Are Christians in any way subject to the covenant of circumcision? Why
or why not?
Verses 4-6
Notes
* v4
pareisaktous
(pareisaktous) secretly brought
in, smuggled in
* v4
yeudadelfous
(pseudadelphous) false brother,
false brethren
“It
was only the circumcision of Titus - many short sighted and weak kneed
preachers would have yielded and then perhaps justified themselves by a
reference to love. But Paul and Barnabas and their associates saw that
in this one case ‘the truth of the gospel’ itself was at stake, its very
heart was at stake. If the pseudo-brethren gained their point, ‘by
faith alone’ would be overthrown right in the mother church in
Jerusalem. What was that bound to do to the other churches?” R.C.H.
Lenski
Discussion Questions
1.
Who were these men and what was their purpose?
2.
What would have been the result of believing their message?
3.
How does this apply to the church today?
4.
What would some suggest be done in the name of love?
5.
Why didn’t Paul do that?
6. Is
stubborn refusal to yield ever an act of love? Why or why not?
7.
Who is Paul referring to in verse 6?
8. Is
respect for social position good?
9.
Does God show it?
10.
Did the men of reputation add to Paul’s gospel? Why or why not?
Verses 7-9
Notes
“This does not indicate a
difference in the contents of the gospel. It is identical for all
nations and all times. The idea that our modern times need a different
gospel, or that in mission work the gospel should be changed for this or
that nation is unwarranted. Any change loses the gospel to the extent
that the change attempted. The gospel is fixed and permanent in the
scriptures, in particular in the New Testament. These men naturally had
nothing to lay before Paul just as he had nothing to lay before them.”
R.C.H. Lenski
Discussion Questions
1.
Were Peter and Paul’s gospel different? Why or why not?
2. Do
we change the gospel to speak to a different culture? Why or why not?
3. Do
we disregard certain passages of scripture because of social change? Why or why not?
4.
Should we sometimes alter how we present the gospel to different
cultures? Why or why not?
5. No
matter what their particular mission, in what were these men united?
Verse 10
Notes
* espoudasa
(espoudasa) to make haste, be zealous
Discussion Questions
1.
What request did they make of Paul?
2.
What was his attitude about it?
3.
How does this apply to us?
Galatians 2:11-21
Verses 11-12
Notes
*
kategnwsmenos (kategnosmenos)
condemn, blame
“For the issue here is nothing trivial for Paul; it is the principle
doctrine of Christianity. When this is recognized and held before one’s
eyes, everything else seems vile and worthless. For what is Peter?
What is Paul? What is an angel from heaven? What is all creation in
comparison with the doctrine of justification? Therefore if you see
this threatened or endangered, do not be afraid to stand up against
Peter or an angel from heaven. For this cannot be praised highly
enough. But those men look at Peter’s high prestige; they admire his
social position and forget the majesty of this doctrine. Paul does the
opposite. He does not attack Peter sharply; he treats him with due
respect. But because he sees that the prestige of Peter is endangering
the majesty of the doctrine of justification, he ignores the prestige,
in order to keep this doctrine pure and undefiled. And we do the same
thing, for it is written (Matthew 10:37): ‘He who loves father or mother
or his own soul more than Me is not worthy of Me.’” Martin Luther
Discussion Questions
1.
What did Peter do to receive this condemnation?
2.
Did Peter make a defense?
3.
What was at stake here?
4.
What application does this have for our lives?
Verse 13
Notes
*
sunupekriqhsan (sunupekritheisan)
join in pretending a part, join in playing the hypocrite
Discussion Questions
1.
What effect did Peter’s action have on the others?
2.
What similar things happen in the church and what effect do they have?
3.
How do we avoid these problems?
Verse 14
Notes
“Paul puts this rebuke into the form of a question. He throws the onus
of the answer on Peter Himself. No legitimate answer can be given save
one by which Peter condemns himself. Peter stood as having been
condemned (v11), not by Paul and what Paul now says, but by the
Jerusalem conference in which Peter had taken a leading part. Paul
Merely asks Peter whether that is not the fact. The moment he asks
this, Peter saw it, had to see it, and all the rest who were present
likewise saw it.” R.C.H. Lenski
Discussion Questions
1.
What was Paul accusing Peter of?
2.
Was it right for him to confront Peter publicly? Why or why not?
3.
What sins, if any, should be addressed publicly?
Verses 15-16
Discussion Questions
1.
What was the real issue in all of this?
2.
Did Peter see that we he began? Why or why not?
3.
What would have been the harm of having the Gentiles follow the
ceremonial laws?
4.
What application are we to make of this in our lives?
Verse 17
Discussion Questions
1. If
the Gentiles are sinners without the ceremonial law, what does that say
about Christ?
2. Do
the demands of the law have anything to do with our becoming righteous?
Why or why not?
3.
What is the proper distinction between law and gospel?
Verses 18-19
Notes
“Thus with the sweetest names Christ is called my Law, my sin, and my
death, in opposition to the Law, sin, and death, even though in fact He
is nothing but sheer liberty, righteousness, life, and eternal
salvation. Therefore He became Law to the Law, sin to sin, and death to
death, in order that He might redeem me from the curse of the Law,
justify me, and make me alive. And so Christ is both: While He is the
Law, He is liberty; while He is sin, He is righteousness; and while He
is death, He is life. For by the very fact that He permitted the Law to
accuse Him, sin to damn Him, and death to devour Him He abrogated the
Law, damned sin, destroyed death, and justified and saved me. Thus
Christ is a poison against the Law, sin, and death, and simultaneously a
remedy to regain liberty, righteousness, and eternal life.” Martin
Luther
Discussion Questions
1.
What is our relationship to the Law’s demands?
2.
What is our relationship to God as a result?
3.
What does the law convince us of? Is that good? Why or why not?
Verse 20
Notes
“But consider this price carefully, and look at this captive, the Son of
God. You will see then that He is greater and more excellent than all
creation. What will you do when you hear Paul say that such an
inestimable price was given for your sins? Will you bring your cowl or
tonsure or chastity or obedience or poverty? What are all these?
Indeed, what is the Law of Moses and the works of the Law? What are all
the works of all men and the sufferings of the martyrs? What is the
obedience of all the holy angels compared with the Son of God ‘given,’
and given in the most shameful way, into death, even death on the cross
(Phil. 2:8), so that all His most precious blood was shed - and for your
sins? If you looked at this price, you would take all your cowls,
tonsures, vows, works, merits of congruity, and merits of condignity,
and your would curse, defile, spit upon, and damn them, and consign them
to hell! Therefore it is an intolerable and horrible price, the death
and blood of the Son of God, one drop of which is more precious than all
creation.” Martin Luther
Discussion Questions
1.
How have we been crucified with Christ?
2.
How does Christ live in us?
3. Is
faith a part of our life or a way of life? Why?
4.
What is the object of our faith?
5.
How precious is that object? How is that expressed?
Verse 21
Notes
“These words of Paul should be pondered carefully, as follows. Is it
true or is it not that Christ died? Again, did He die to no purpose?
Unless we are obviously insane, we are forced to answer here that He did
die, that He did not die to no purpose, and that He died for us, not for
Himself. Therefore if He did not die to no purpose, then righteousness
is not through the Law” Martin Luther
Discussion Questions
1.
How could one “set aside the grace of God”?
2.
What is the ultimate proof against righteousness through the Law?
3.
Can you identify with Peter and Paul through all this? How?
4.
How would you summarize what Paul has said so far in this Epistle?
Jonah
2
Discussion Questions
1. The belly of the fish is a
most interesting prayer chapel. Where do you find yourself praying?
2. Jonah feels cast into
certain death by God, then a new sensation occurs, being inside the
fish. This is only slightly less terrifying. How is God’s plan of
salvation for Jonah a surprise? How is God’s plan of salvation for us a
surprise? How does that apply to our witness?
3. The belly of the fish was
Jonah’s great hour of need. It was also God’s answer to His greater
need. What is your belly of the fish?
4. In verse 2 his heart, by
faith, is determined to see and feel grace and goodness? This is a
common desire. Where do people tend to go? Where is the only place to
go and why?
5. Jonah talks about Sheol
closing in on him. This is a common feeling for the dying. What does
that call for in our ministry to the dying?
6. Jonah thinks of the Temple
and addresses his prayers there. Where do we address our prayers and
how is that similar to his prayer? What comfort is to be found there?
7. The fish vomits him on
shore. Talk about an answered prayer! Yet he is joyous. What is joy?
How do we express it when God’s answer is different from ours?
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