GALATIANS
(Answers)
(Updated
02/2024)
CHAPTER 1
- The Galatians had tuned from
following the simplicity of the gospel of Christ.
- The people were being taught
a doctrine to go along with the gospel (likely to uphold the Mosaic Law of
circumcision (Galatians 2) along with the gospel of faith).
- Jesus met Paul on the road to
Damascus made known to him that the truth of the gospel.
- Paul conferred with no one
immediately. It was three years before he met with Peter. Paul was lead
and taught by the Spirit.
CHAPTER 2
- Paul was compelled to go to
the apostles and communicate to them the substance of his labor and
teachings of the gospel to the Gentiles.
- a. Paul and Titus avoided
being circumcised. b. They wanted to show the freedom they had in the
gospel from the rituals of the law.
- The apostles put no Mosaic
burden on the Gentiles but asked only to remember the poor saints.
- Peter was hypocritical
because he would eat with the Gentiles who were uncircumcised, but not
when the "pillars" (the leaders of the Jews) would be present.
- The Mosaic Law and its
rituals would not justify anyone but having faith in Jesus Christ and the
atonement that came from His sacrifice would justify them.
CHAPTER 3
- The Holy Spirit will enter us
after we hear the word and believe in it.
- The Gentiles had fallen to
practicing the law and circumcision.
- Abraham believed God through
faith while uncircumcised (430 years before the law).
- The law identified sin and
guided and cleansed them until Jesus would come who would give atonement
for sins and send the Spirit to guide us.
- Moses was mediator of the law
and Jesus was the mediator of the Spirit.
- God and Israel were the
parties in the first mediation. (God and the world in the second. The law
was the tool between God and the Jews. The Spirit is the helper between
God and people of all nations).
CHAPTER 4
- The Holy Spirit by whom we
are guided in the faith is our guardian.
- God knows us by our faith in
His son and by His Spirit who is in us.
- a. The people had turned to
the rituals of the law and observing days and seasons, etc. b. Paul was
afraid he had labored in vain because the law could not save them. Only
faith in the gospel could save them.
- Here, Paul’s infirmity may be
referring here to his lost eyesight. Because of this event he began
preaching the gospel. (In 2 Corinthians 11:30-33 Paul’s infirmity seems to
be his small stature).
- Isaac was the child of the
free woman. Ishmael was the child of the bondwoman. Those of the faith of
Abraham and Isaac are free from the works of the law. Those who hang onto
the law are still in bondage.
- The physical Jerusalem in the
time of Paul was still in bondage to the law. The spiritual Jerusalem is
of above in those who have faith in the gospel.
CHAPTER 5
- The Galatians were trying to
uphold the law of circumcision. They are in bondage to the whole law to do
all things it requires.
- They fell from the freedom
they had in Jesus. Jesus did away with the sacrifices of the law and all
its seasonal and ritual observances.
- We are free from the law but
not its virtues and restraints to indulge in the passions of the flesh. We
should love and serve one another.
- Love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are
characteristics of walking in the Spirit.
- If we are Christ’s we must
crucify the corrupt passions and selfish desires of the flesh.
CHAPTER 6
- a. We must restore those who
are in sin in a spirit of gentleness. b. We must consider that we too can
fall into the same sin and would want to be restored by a loving and
forgiving spirit.
- We should not form an
improper opinion of ourselves but examine our works and character against
the word of God.
- a. Fulfilling your soul of
worldly desires, corrupt passions, and selfish desires is sowing to the
flesh. b. Sowing to the flesh reaps things that are temporal and will
perish including your soul at the judgment.
- Circumcision was being
promoted by some to gain converts and for the approval of men so they
could boast in their zeal for their religion (though they may not be pure
in it) and to avoid persecution for the cross by the prominent Jews.