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Week 2

Spring 2000

Encourage:

Don't be frustrated. You're not going to get everything in the first week. It takes time to learn a book and it takes time to learn a new way of studying. So, please bear with it. You will be rewarded. If you stick with learning how to study this book, God will grant you fresh insight on this material, your ministry will be enhanced and you'll grow closer to Him.

Again, interpretation is an art. We will disagree. It is the nature of interpretation.

Audience: Where are we?

Situation: What's happening here?

Acts 15:5 "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to direct them to observe the Law of Moses." Who are these guys? Pharisees.

What was Paul before his conversion? "Advanced in Judaism beyond his contemporaries, being more extremely zealous…" (Gal 1:14). Paul was way beyond these guys. These guys probably knew of Paul when he was a Pharisee. Paul was trained by the chief Pharisee Gamaliel (Acts 22:3).

What is Paul's argument in this long section? Claim?

"My gospel is not from men.."

Why the chronology?

I didn't pirate the message from the apostles.

I am not below the apostles. "This Paul is a second rate Apostle who doesn't rank with the Jerusalem apostles. He modified the message!"

Why doesn't Paul simply refer to the letter the Apostles wrote from Acts 15?

It hadn't happened yet. Council of Jerusalem occurs at about 49 AD. This letter is apparently written just before this council, probably from Antioch.

Chronology:

Event	Date
Crucifixion/Resurrection	30/33 AD
Paul's Conversion	33-34 AD
First Jerusalem Visit	35-36 AD
Antioch	45 AD
Second Jerusalem Visit	46-47 AD (famine relief under Claudius, Acts 11:27-30, Gal. 2:10 "remember the poor")
First Missionary Journey	47-48 AD
Epistle to Galatians	48-49 AD
Council at Jerusalem	49 AD

If you read this letter with the understanding that it was written before the Jerusalem council, it tells you something about Paul's convictions. He was no democrat. He was not waiting for the results from some council to tell him what God's will was. He knew what the gospel was about because he got it from God's revelation. He knew the gospel would prevail at the council and he was determined to see that happen.

Why does it appear in the New Testament after Romans and Corinthians?

Galatians 1:11-2:10 What is going on in this section?

Claim:

My gospel is not from men (vs 11 General theme, conclusion indicator "For I would have you know brethren")

Supports:

1. I received it from Christ (12 "For" = because)

2. Formerly a Jewish persecutor (13 "For" = because Paul's previous life in Judaism is in stark contrast with the gospel.)

• more zealous than most (14)

3. I did not consult others (16 all of the chronology which follows goes to support the theme that his gospel is not from men but              Christ. The "but" in verse 15 calls our attention to a change in direction.)

    Chronology

• God called me to Gentiles (15 "But" indicates a contrast between his "calling" and his former life)
• Not visit Apostles (17)
• 3 years preaching before saw Peter (:18-20)
• On to Syria, Cilicia (:21)
• Unknown to Judean churches (:22-24)

4. Consulted apostles 14 years later [post conversion] (2:1-2 "But" occurs in each verse from 3-7 NASB to reinforce the fact that even though I submitted to them, no change required)

• Submitted my preaching because of revelation (:2)
• No circumcision required (2:3)
• Battled false brethren (2:4-5)
• Apostles added nothing (:6)
• Differentiated ministry spheres (:7-9)
• Remember the poor (:10)

Define:

"false brethren", probably refers to why Paul went to Jerusalem (ref. Acts 15:1-2) and not those present at the council of Jerusalem.

Meaning:

Paul sets out to defend his apostleship/gospel as coming directly from Christ by 1) giving a chronology of his early movements--it's not from men, 2) showing that the apostles contributed nothing and even conceded a separate sphere of ministry for Paul. The truth of the gospel is not dependent upon man.

Parallel:

Acts 9:1-31, 11:27-30, 13:1-14:28

Application: How did you go about applying this passage?

The gospel is absolute. It stands on its own as revelation. If it is not from men, as Paul claims, then we have no right to add to it or subtract from it. It belongs to God. If we're going to alter it, we'll find ourselves opposing God.

What's the big deal about eating with Gentiles?

Who are these men from James? Is James opposed to Paul?

James is up in Jerusalem leading the church there while Peter is doing ministry around Judea. We don't really know who they. Are they the same as the "party of the circumcision"? Probably not as James disavows the disturbers in Acts 15:24. They may have simply been warning Peter that his eating with the Gentiles was causing a stumbling block for Jews who were not Christians. Hence the letter from the Council at Jerusalem in Acts 15.

The "Party of Circumcision"

Salvation is through Grace and following the Law. Therefore Gentile believers must be circumcised and follow the Jewish dietary laws. In other words, it is necessary for the Gentiles to become Jews before they become Christians!

Claim:

Justified by faith not Law (2:16 General theme, conclusion indicator--"nevertheless". This passage also functions as the theme of the book, therefore Paul presents strong evidence to support his thesis--he went so far as to rebuke the apostle Peter over this issue.)

Supports:

1. I opposed Peter’s hypocrisy (2:11 "but when" Paul's argument flows from the preceding paragraph. The apostles not only failed to add anything to his gospel, but came to need correction.)

• Aloof from Gentiles bc Judaizers (:12, for—by way of exlanation of the previous statement.)
• Others joined hypocrisy (:13, and—coordinates with previous)

2. We don’t follow Law, why should they? (2:14, but—returns thought to first point.)

3. Return to Law is contrary to faith (2:17-18 "But" contrasts justification by faith with our own sinfulness.)

• I died to Law through Christ (2:19-20 "For" explains why returning to law contradicts faith which is summarized in the next verse.)

• return to Law nullifies grace (2:21)

Theology

Define:

"faith" is defined as belief in Jesus Christ for salvation (justification) in contrast to good works.

"Justified" = dikaiow, this word is used five times in the passage. It is a legal term meaning the opposite of being guilty. It is to be declared innocent or righteous. It is to be imparted the standing of Christ’s perfect life; to obtain the standards of God or to live up to God’s character. We have been acquitted by God but more than that, we have been given righteousness or the standard of the perfection of Christ’s life. (This is why the idea of our current actions somehow implicating Christ becomes important for Paul, v.17. See also v.20.)

Meaning:

Parallel:

Romans 4-6; Acts 9

Application

Our right standing with God is through faith in Christ and has nothing to do with our behaviors. If I stumble into sin it is not Christ who sins, but it is I who sin. Our Christian life continues to be lived out of faith in Christ and not based on our deeds.

This book has changed the course of church history and not only in the first century. It was the book of Galatians that caused the Reformation. Martin Luther was sitting in some German monastery doing an inductive study on Galatians when he realized the folly of Roman Catholicism! Catholicism had added good works to the message of grace and removed justification by faith alone from the gospel. Imagine the result if the Gospel had not prevailed in Galatia and in Jerusalem. The church would be re-enslaved to the Law. We would deny Christ's finished work by adding our works.

Luther writes about the "justification" in Gal 2:16:

"This is the truth of the gospel. It is also the principal article of all Christian doctrine, wherein the knowledge of all godliness consisteth. Most necessary it is, therefore, that we should know this article well, teach it unto others, and beat it into their heads continually." (Stott, Galatians)

To add anything to this doctrine of justification by faith alone is to deny or nullify Christ's work. I can add nothing to Christ's work. If I were able to add to His work, it would reduce His work. What Christ did is so beyond me that I am able to contribute nothing. (It would be like adding to infinity. Christ supplies infinity and I come along with 17 good works. You can't add to what is already infinite or what is already perfect.)

Our actions need to be in line with the truth of the gospel. Peter was in hypocrisy, not because of his teaching but his behavior. He denied the truth of the gospel by compelling Gentile Christians to behave like Jews. We cannot add conditions to the gospel whether they are religious or social or racial. The gospel has a radically equalizing effect on Christians. We are all on the same level in Christ--Paul will spell out this point more clearly later.

Galatians 3:1-5 (should it be :1-9?)

What do you notice about each of these sentences?

They are all rhetorical questions.

But Paul is making a series of points here so in order to see what he's saying let's strip away the question and state the point directly.

Claim:

You are deceived/foolish ( 3:1 General theme, repetition)

Supports:

1. You began by faith. (3:3 Example)

• Spirit given by faith (3:2 Example)

2. You Suffered for faith (3:4 Example)

3. You experienced miracles of the Spirit by faith (3:5 Example)

Define:

"publicly portrayed", refers to a public writ posted by Roman officials to publicly declare some worthy piece of news or law.

Meaning:

Doesn’t the fact of the Spirit in your lives and His miracles in your midst prove to you that the law is unnecessary? The law is not only unnecessary to faith it is contrary to it. This passage is difficult to analyze, structurally, because it is simply a list of rhetorical questions,  the sum force of which leads to the conclusion that the Galatians have been deceived. The subordination of points that occurs is conceptual instead of grammatical. They are each subordinated because they are examples.

Parallel:

2 Cor. 11:3 "…led astray to the simplicity of devotion to Christ."

Application

This passage is a great example of the occasional nature of epistles; it wasn't written to us. But does this mean it doesn't apply to us?

We should walk in the same way that we came to Christ, that is, with empty hands. Our approval before God as Christians continues in the same way that it began. Faith.

We need to "publicly portray" Christ as crucified to the world around us. You do not need to see Christ in order to believe in Him. It is enough to paint a vivid picture before people's eyes for them to understand His work. And we need to keep this picture before our eyes, "Jesus Christ and Him crucified." This is the gospel.

Claim:

Faith inherits the Abrahamic blessing/sonship (Conclusion indicator, repetition 3:7,9)

Supports:

1. Abe made right through faith (3:6 Example: "even so" provides an illustration through Scripture of the previous statement while introducing Paul's thesis.)

2. Promise to Abraham for Gentiles (3:8 Example)

3. Law is a curse (:10 series of OT illustration, citations. "For" has the force of "because" in order to explain why faith is a blessing. The Law is no blessing rather it… )

• Demands perfection (3:10b Example)
• None achieve justification (3:11 Example)
• Law does not achieve faith (3:12 Example)

4. Christ freed us from its curse (3:13-14 Example)

• We can receive Abe’s blessing (Paul returns to the main point which is indicated by "in order that". Christ freed us from the law for the purpose of receiving Abe's blessing.)
• We receive Spirit through faith

Define:

"righteousness", same root word as justification. It is the result or personal effect of being justified or what is given to the one justified. God’s character of perfection demonstrated in Christ.

Meaning:

Why does Paul appeal to Abraham? Because his opponents appeal to Moses and we all know that Abraham was the father of Israel. Therefore, Paul one-ups his opponents by appealing to a greater authority. Abe gained righteousness before the circumcision and the Law had been given.

Abraham was considered righteous by his faith and so are we. Paul argues that what makes a person a son of Abraham is a faith that is of the type of Abraham. Paul's church was convinced that they needed to be Israelites, sons of Abraham, so Paul demonstrates what it really means to be a son of Abraham. Paul supports this point by an appeal to the OT; the reason that all nations will be blessed in Abraham is because he is the father of faith.

This is in contrast with the law that is not a blessing but a curse and in stark contrast to faith. Christ freed us from this curse in order that we might be blessed with Abraham. According to the Old Testament, Christ died under the curse of God (Deut. 21:23) because He was hung on a tree.

Parallel:

Romans 4, Gen. 12:3, 15:6, Deut. 21:23, 27:26; Hab. 2:4

We are all under a curse. Our attempts to be "good enough" won't cut it. (Romans 3:23) We can never do it on our own; we must come before Christ and put our faith "into" Christ as Paul and Peter did in order to be right with God.

The law is an all or nothing proposition that only brings condemnation. We cannot pick and choose what to live up to. It's a package deal and it is one that we cannot fulfill. We can never live up to the law in the way it was meant to be lived, the ideal. It is a contract that we can never honor. This is what most of the world attempts.

Christ honored the impossible contract for us by becoming a curse, literally by undergoing the condemnation of God for us. Christ's payment then enables us to receive the Spirit and become true descendants of Abraham, which means to be God's people.

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