Preface | 3 | |
Table of Contents | 4 | |
Reprint Guidelines | 8 | |
References and Abbreviations | 9 | |
Introduction to Galatians | 11 | |
Acceptance in the Early Church | 11 | |
Location of the Galatian Churches | 11 | |
Dating of Galatians | 14 | |
Occasion and Purpose of the Letter | 16 | |
1. No Other Gospel (1:1-10) | 18 | |
Salutation (1:1-5) | 20 | |
Paul, an Apostle Sent Directly from Christ and God (1:1-2) | 20 | |
Christ´s Rescue Mission (1:3-5) | 20 | |
No Other Gospel (1:6-9) | 22 | |
Another “Gospel” (1:6-8) | 22 | |
Paul´s Pure Motivation (1:10) | 24 | |
2. The Independence of Paul´s Gospel (1:11-2:10) | 26 | |
Revelation from Jesus Christ (1:11-12) | 26 | |
Authoritative Sources | 27 | |
Zeal as a Rabbinical Student (1:13-14) | 28 | |
Paul´s Calling and Revelation (1:15-16) | 29 | |
Not Influenced by the Jerusalem Church (1:16c-17) | 31 | |
Paul´s Contact with the Jerusalem Church (1:18-21) | 32 | |
Paul´s Time in Tarsus and Antioch (1:21) | 32 | |
Paul and Barnabas Go to Jerusalem (2:1-2) | 33 | |
The Decision Concerning Titus (2:3) | 34 | |
Paul Distances Himself from the Jerusalem Leaders (2:2, 6, 9) | 35 | |
James, Peter, and John Approve Paul´s Message (2:6-10) | 36 | |
3. Justified by Faith in Christ (2:11-21) | 38 | |
Jewish Separatism | 38 | |
Jewish Christians from Jerusalem Cause a Schism (2:11-13) | 39 | |
The Background of Peter and Barnabas | 40 | |
Paul Challenges Peter (2:11, 14) | 41 | |
The Missiological Issue | 43 | |
Both Jews and Gentiles Are Justified by Faith (2:15-21) | 44 | |
Christ´s Death for Sin Levels the Playing Field (2:17-18) | 45 | |
Dying to the Law (2:19) | 46 | |
I Have Been Crucified with Christ (2:20) | 47 | |
The Primacy of God´s Grace (2:21) | 50 | |
4. Faith Is the Key, not Law (3:1-25) | 52 | |
Argument 1. Receiving the Spirit through Faith (3:2-5) | 53 | |
Argument 2. Abraham´s Justification by Faith (3:6-9) | 55 | |
Argument 3. Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (3:10-14) | 56 | |
Argument 4. An Enduring Covenant vs. a Temporary Law (3:15-18) | 58 | |
Argument 5. A Mediated vs. Unmediated Covenant (3:19b-20) | 59 | |
The Law is Good, only Weak (3:21-22) | 60 | |
The Law as a Custodian (3:23-25) | 61 | |
5. By the Spirit We Cry, `Abba, Father´(3:26-4:7) | 63 | |
Sons of God (3:26) | 63 | |
One in Christ (3:28-29) | 64 | |
Slavery to the Basic Principles of the Kosmos (4:1-3) | 65 | |
When the Time Had Fully Come (4:4) | 67 | |
Born of a Woman, Born under Law (4:4) | 69 | |
To Redeem Those under the Law (4:5a) | 69 | |
Adoption or Instatement as Sons (4:5b) | 70 | |
The Spirit of His Son Crying `Abba, Father´(4:6-7) | 71 | |
6. Freedom from the Law by the Spirit (4:8-5:12) | 74 | |
The Slavery of Their Gentile Past (4:8-9) | 74 | |
The Legalism of Observing Special Days (4:10) | 75 | |
Paul´s Frustration with the Galatians (4:11) | 76 | |
Paul´s Personal Appeal to the Galatians (4:12-15) | 76 | |
The Problem with Zeal (4:16-18) | 77 | |
The Agony of Childbirth (4:19-20) | 78 | |
Allegory of Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31) | 79 | |
Mount Sinai vs. Heavenly Mount Zion (4:24-27) | 80 | |
The Two Jerusalems (4:25b-26) | 80 | |
Son of the Slave Woman (4:28-29) | 81 | |
Set Free for a Purpose (5:1) | 81 | |
The Yoke of Slavery (5:1b) | 83 | |
Submitting to Circumcision Alienates You from Christ (5:2-4) | 83 | |
Faith Expressed through Love (5:5-6) | 84 | |
The Value of Circumcision (5:6) | 85 | |
The Judaizers Are Spoilers (5:7-10) | 86 | |
The Penalty for Hurting the Church (5:10) | 87 | |
The Accusation that Paul Is Preaching Circumcision (5:11a) | 88 | |
The Offense of the Cross (5:11b) | 88 | |
Paul´s Final Frustration (5:12) | 90 | |
7. The Spirit and the Flesh (5:13-21) | 91 | |
We´re Not Freed to Sin (5:13) | 91 | |
The Flesh as the Sinful Nature in Paul´s Writings | 92 | |
Using Freedom with Restraint (5:13-14) | 93 | |
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Destructive Behavior in the Church (5:15) | 94 |
Walking in the Spirit (5:16-18) | 94 | |
1. Released by the Spirit from Bondage to the Flesh (5:16) | 95 | |
2. Restrained by the Spirit from the Flesh´s Dominance (5:17-18) | 96 | |
The Works of the Flesh, the Sinful Nature (5:19-21) | 98 | |
Failing to Inherit the Kingdom (5:21b) | 100 | |
8. The Spirit and Character (5:22-26) | 104 | |
The Fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23) | 104 | |
1. Love | 105 | |
2. Joy | 105 | |
3. Peace | 106 | |
4. Patience or Forbearance | 107 | |
5. Kindness | 108 | |
6. Goodness | 109 | |
7. Faithfulness | 110 | |
8. Gentleness | 110 | |
9. Self-Control | 111 | |
Crucifying the Flesh (5:24) | 112 | |
The Ugliness of Pride (5:26) | 114 | |
Keeping in Step with the Spirit (5:25) | 114 | |
Cooperating with the Holy Spirit | 115 | |
9. Sowing to the Spirit (6:1-18) | 117 | |
Restoring a Fallen Brother (6:1-2) | 117 | |
Carry Each Other´s Burdens (6:2) | 119 | |
Beware of Being Condescending (6:3-5) | 120 | |
Sharing with Your Teachers (6:6) | 123 | |
A Warning against Self-Deception (6:7) | 123 | |
Sowing and Reaping (6:7b-9) | 125 | |
Don´t Become Weary (6:9) | 126 | |
Doing Good (6:9-10) | 127 | |
Paul´s Handwriting (6:11) | 128 | |
The Judaizers´True Motivation (6:12-13) | 128 | |
The Offense of the Cross of Christ (6:12, 14) | 129 | |
Boasting in the Cross (6:14) | 130 | |
Law vs. the New Creation (6:15) | 131 | |
The Church and the Israel of God (6:16) | 132 | |
The Marks of Jesus (6:17) | 133 | |
Final Benediction (6:18) | 134 | |
Appendix 1: Handouts for Group Participants | 136 | |
Appendix 2. Chronology of St. Paul´s Ministry | 162 | |
Appendix 3: Songs and Hymns from Galatians | 163 |