’S EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS
A five-session Bible Study
Session One: Galatians 1
Overview of Galatians by Luther:
? “The Epistle to the Galatians is my epistle, to which I am betrothed. It is my Katie von Bora.”
?Distinction of Christian righteousness (faith, grace, mercy, forgiveness of sins) from all other forms of righteousness: (a) political (rulers, lawyers); (b) ceremonial (human traditions, ecclesiastical traditions); and (c) the Law/Decalog.
?Passive righteousness (from Christ) vs. active righteousness (from the Law—“The Law cannot bring comfort to a terrified conscience…. Therefore the afflicted conscience has no remedy against despair and eternal death except to take hold of the promise of grace offered in Christ, that is, this righteousness of faith.”)
?We need to be set free from the condemnation of the Law. This does not diminish the Law, but actually raises it to all its critical work for which the Gospel then shines the promises of Christ for afflicted (even in conscience) sinners.
?no middle ground. “Therefore he who has strayed away from this Christian righteousness will necessarily relapse into the active righteousness; that is, when he has lost Christ, he must fall into a trust in his own works.”
?The distinction of the two forms of righteousness (Law and Christ) is easier to speak about than it is to exercise and practice. “For in the hour of death or in other conflicts of conscience these two kinds of righteousness come together more closely than you would wish or ask.” “Exercise yourselves by study, by reading, by meditation, and by prayer, so that in temptation you will be able to instruct consciences, both your own and others, console them, and take them from Law to grace, from active righteousness to passive righteousness, in short, from Moses to Christ.”
Salutation (1:1-4)
1:1-2: The nature of authority in the church—an affirmation of calling and a rejection of those who assert their calling over those called; setting of human authorities and traditions over against the gospel. The divine “we” that is the church. (Cf. Nicene Creed). Note: still called “the church”—the nature of what makes the church holy.
1:3-5: “Grace and peace—these two words embrace the whole of Christianity. Grace forgives sin, and peace stills the conscience.” (Luther) Christ gave himself—not for gain, but for our sins. Present evil age = the world (the whole world, including especially ourselves), in all its denial of God. Two kingdoms. Christ’s work of our deliverance is the will of God the Father, who is to be worshipped (v. 5)
Introduction to the Problem and Solution for the church (1:6-10)
Paul’s treatment of the Galatians problem is one of astonishment. Why? Though he could have been angry at their apostasy, he addresses them with great gentleness and mildness: “I am astonished.” (Fascinating!)
The treatment of the false apostles will be much harsher (1:8-9; 5:10, 12), but here he shows remarkable restraint. Paul had worked hard to found the church upon the gospel, but false apostles proclaiming a gospel contrary to the good news of Christ overthrew it—and “so quickly”, pointing to the feebleness of the faith of the Galatians (and ourselves). The falseness of the gospel is the mixing of Law with Promise (i.e., legalism). Not the approval of human beings, but of God. The latter is served, not the former.
Paul Received the Gospel by Divine Revelation, not Human Tradition (1:1-12)
The central proposition of the chapter. Cf. Acts 9.
From Paul’s Birth to the Mission in Asia Minor (1:13-24)
Pharisaical Judaism is the tradition in which Paul was raised. Of this tradition, he became zealous to the point of persecuting the church. In other words, he was an advocate of the Law, not the Gospel.
By grace he was saved (by faith!—cf. Romans 4, etc.), and did not confer with human authorities, but trusted God’s grace in Christ, preaching the message to the Gentiles (v. 16). Consider how Paul sees his roots tied to that of those who are in need of promise.
Note the emphasis on staying away from Jerusalem and even the Jerusalem church, staying instead in the land of the Gentiles. It is as if this is no longer adiaphora (a normally “indifferent” teaching) for him in light of the problem in Galatia. His honesty and integrity is tied to the gospel, and the gospel for the Gentiles!
Session Two: Galatians 2
Paul’s Visit to Jerusalem (2:1-10)
2:1: Note, this is Paul’s second visit to Jerusalem. The first one was brief and alluded to in ch. 1. This visit corresponds with the council reported in Acts 15 (read Acts 15, though note the nuances from what Paul accounts here in Galatians). 14 years would correspond to about 48 AD (Paul was converted in 32 AD, first visit to Jerusalem in 34/35 AD).
2:3: Titus not circumcised, yet a believer—a test case of the working of the Holy Spirit among the Gentiles.
2:4-5: Not in the council, but in Galatia, reports of a confrontation with the “false brethren” (Jewish-Christian legalists)—and the refusal to submit; in statu confessionis here as throughout.
2:6-10: Paul and the other authorities in Jerusalem—his unwavering commitment to the authority of the gospel, and his acknowledgement of their blessing in the ministry to the Gentiles. Note remembrance of the poor (not in Acts 15; a concession, but one which strengthens the gospel).
The Conflict at Antioch: Paul’s Confrontation with Peter (2:11-14)
2:11: Cephas = Peter (rock). Antioch is located in Galatia.
212: Peter changed his theological convictions for political ones.
2:13: Additional fallout: Barnabas (Paul’s companion and former mentor) to fall away.
2:14: The confrontation with Peter
The Proposition of Galatians: Justified by Faith and not by Works of the Law (2:15-21)
2:15-16: How we are justified: by faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of the law (cf. Romans 3:20; also cf. Matt. 9:10-13; Luke 15).
2:17: An argument against the Torah, one that Paul’s critics were essentially arguing against the Gentile Christians (i.e., the claim that we are never really right until we have submitted to the Torah)—which earns Paul’s me genito (by no means)!
2:18: the legal critique of the argument by Paul for justification by faith.
2:19-20: At the heart of Paul’s passion; (1) I have died to the Torah (19a); (2) I have been crucified with Christ (19b; cf. Romans 6:1-10), (3) Christ lives in me, replacing the old man with the new (20a); (4) so not I live by faith in Christ “who loved me and gave himself for me” [on the cross, into death for our sins].
2:21: that’s grace! What are you going to do about the fact that the Son of God died on a cross?! Paul refuses to let it go to waste.
Session Three: Galatians 3
Spirit of faith vs. Law of flesh (3:1-5) (first argument: experience of the Spirit)
1: intended to be friendly, but also biting. They know better. They were “bewitched” by legalistic arguments.
2: rhetorical question
3: again, foolish refers to giving up on the truth of the gospel
4: was it in vain? All the Spirit, enthusiasm, miracles?
5: rhetorical, again, like v. 2, but includes the elements of v. 3.
Abraham’s faith (3:6-14) (second argument: Abraham and the law)
6: Gen. 15:6 (Cf. Romans 4)
7: descendants are descendants by faith
8: Gen. 12:1-2, 17:4-6
9: all who believe are these descendants.
10: under the law leads to curse; Deut. 27:26
11: faith is that which really justifies; Hab. 2:4
12: But the law does not rest in faith; Lev. 18:5
13: Christ redeemed us from the law by himself becoming a curse (chief of sinners); Deut. 21:22-23
14: So Christ is the blessing for the nations, as per Abraham, and through whom we receive the promise of the Spirit by faith
The Seed of Promise (3:15-18) (third argument: human experience and covenant)
15: a will is a contract in human life; the nature of covenant
16: Gen. 17:7, singular (seed, sperma)
17: the Torah did not come to Moses until 430 years later (Ex. 12:40)
18: summary of 15-17
The Law as Disciplinarian prior to Christ, but NOW no longer! (3:19-25)
19: law given for transgressions, for controlling criminal acts, to stop injustice; ordained through angels as mediators of the law—given not directly but by mediator (Moses), until the offspring comes.
20: mediators are contrasted with the oneness of God
21: is the law opposed to the promises of God? me geneto Paul is not agreeing with his critics, but he is upping-the-ante
22: what the law does is imprison, so that what comes to those who believe in Jesus Christ comes by faith.
23: before faith, we were imprisoned, guarded, kept under the law.
24: law was our disciplinarian (slave—often a rough and rude person by many people’s perception—who accompanied the school boy back and forth to school, to protect the child from any molestors)
25: faith means we are no longer under a slave; cf. also Eph. 2:11-22.
The meaning of baptism (3:26-29) (fourth argument: baptismal tradition)
26-27: Baptism as childship; the only explicit reference to baptism in Galatians
28: socially and politically revolutionary; no more religious or social distinctions; no more slavery; no more social or biological distinctions; the playing field is equal for all in Christ
29: this is what it means to be Abraham’s offspring (with Christ)!
Session Four: Galatians 4
Being a Child of God (4:1-7)
1-2: legal heirs and guardians—not quite the same as the earlier reference to pedagogues, but similar; guardians held the trust of children until they reached a certain age. Should anything happen to the child, the guardian inherited their belongings—they (the child) were like slaves; note reference in v. 2 to “until the date set by the Father”; this is not quite accurate to legal realities, but points to the similar reference in v. 4.
3: elemental spirits—forces beyond our control, controlling us.
4-5: first, redeemed for those “under the law” (sub lege) by the subjugation of the Son “born under the law,” to claim us as children, not slaves.
6: secondly, Spirit sent to cry out “Abba”
7: finally, made heirs.
Questioning of Galatians (4:8-11)
8: why, then, are you enslaved to beings that are “not gods”?
9: knowing God = known by God; two rhetorical questions
10: back to superstitious life; living in fear
11: contrasted with this is Paul’s ironic statement of “I am afraid”—for you!
Friendship (4:12-20) (fifth argument)
12: friendship—a quality among equals, no wrong done
13-14: Paul was accepted with a grave illness that in fact drove him to see this as an occasion to minister to the gospel; they welcomed and accepted him.
15: rhetorical question: what happened? At one time they would have given him their most valuable possession (e.g. eyes), but not now. Why?
16: again, rhetorical. Speaking the truth among friends does not you an enemy.
17-18: polemic against opponents; they seek to build a relationship, but not really. The Galatians are still second-class citizens, but will prey on the desire of others to be at their level. Why not this desire with Paul?
19: appeals to Galatians as children, himself as father of congregation (though with apparent maternal images).
20: sense of helplessness about the Galatians.
Allegory of Sarah and Hagar (4:21-31) (sixth argument)
21: let’s see what the law really says.
22-23: Abraham’s two sons, one a slave, the other free (social status of mothers); one by flesh, the other by promise (theological tradition about mothers).
24-25: Place of mothers. Hagar (Arabic: hadjar, rock) = Mt. Sinai in Arabia, place of law, “present Jerusalem”
26: by contrast, Sarah, mother of free promise, points to “Jerusalem above”
27: Isaiah 54:1 (Second Isaiah); reference to barren Sarah, given promise of God
28: you are children of promise through Isaac
29: persecution of Christians by Jewish law-bringers (cf. also Paul himself in his earlier life!)
30: Genesis 21:10 (from story of Sarah and Hagar); what is excluded is the law
31: conclusion: friends, you are born in freedom!
Session Five: Galatians 5 & 6
Paranesis (Exhortation/Advice/Council): Live Free in Christ (5:1-12)
1: “Freedom” as the word Paul chooses to summarize his epistle. It is Christ’s liberation, our participation in Christ’s death and resurrection, and it comes by faith. The “yoke of slavery” is the law and its attendant principles.
2-4: being circumcised is no longer just an adiaphora—it is a violation of the gospel; it is making the law the rule of life. Once the law becomes your justification, you are cut off from Christ and cut off from grace.
5-6: more positive appeals: waiting in hope; “faith working through love”—matter of controversy during the Reformation (OK for neighbor, not for salvation); faith and love go together.
7: illustration from stadium runners. What got in your way?
8: “persuasion” is similar to word for “who prevented you” in v. 7—it’s a continuation here of a similar thought from v. 7.
9: proverb, used also in 1 Cor. 5:6
10: a wavering of confidence—note contrast of Paul’s approach to the Galatians and “those who trouble them”
11: Paul’s clarifying of a rumor spread by his enemies.
12: intended as a joke, but certainly biting and sarcastic.
Paranesis: Love, freely, in Christ (5:13-26)
13: Free to love (cf. Luther’s Freedom of a Christian)
14: Lev. 19:18, the intent of love
15: sarcastic warning—lit., if you bite one another and tear each other to pieces, see to it that you are not consumed by one another”—acting like wild animals
16: the Spirit rules over the flesh
17: Spirit and flesh are dichotomized
18: led by the Spirit, you are not under the law
19-21: living by fleshy acts
22-26: living by the Spirit
Paranesis: Bear One Another’s Burdens (6:1-10)
1: a new point: restoring people in a spirit of gentleness; the temptation is either (a) self-righteousness and arrogance with regard to the wrongdoer or (b) can lead to works of the flesh. “Paul seems keenly aware that a self-righteous posture of prosecutors can cause greater damage to the community that the offense by a wrongdoer.” (Betz)
2: Bearing burdens, placing others’ loads ahead of your own.
3-5: testing of work that we do; value and place of responsibility and penance
6: teachers in Galatia; student-teacher relationship
7-8: you reap what you sow; either in the flesh or in the Spirit
9-10: the harvest of new days
Conclusion: Christ, Our One Boast (6:11-18)
11: letters in my own hand—it’s Paul’s handwriting (but it may also have been clumsy handwriting)
12:-13: attack against opponents; denounced not as heretics, but as morally inferior
14-15: if one is to boast, only the cross will save; and only the cross can bring about a new creation
16-18: final conclusions: a final blessing.
M. Hoy
July 2007