Introduction to Galatians
Recently, I have begun teaching through the book of Galatians in my Sunday school class at Kosmosdale Baptist Church. Below are the notes from the first lesson:
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through a man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead), 2 and all the brothers who are with me:
To the churches of Galatia,
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ 4 who gave himself for our sins so that he might rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom is the glory forever and ever.
– Amen.
The human author [“Paul, an apostle”]: In writing to the Galatians, Paul must begin with an assertion of his apostolic authority, which was under question by the heretical teachers that had disturbed the Galatian churches. Paul asserts that his apostolic authority comes from God, not from Man. This assertion will be defended in the first two chapters of Galatians.
The recipients [“To the churches of Galatia”]: Churches in southern cities of the Galatian province (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe) planted by Paul during his first missionary journey, as recorded in Acts 13-14.
The greeting [“Grace to y’all and peace”]: The word for “grace” is cariV, which is a form of the common Greek greeting carein, but Paul invests this word with theological significance. “In fact, ‘grace’ and ‘peace’ seem to be Paul’s (and the NT’s) shorthand way of epitomizing the essence of the gospel, with particular reference to its cause and effect” (Longenecker, 7).
Justification by faith alone: Paul’s teaching in Galatians is intended to protect the Galatian churches against the errors of the Judaizers– those teaching that Christians must submit to circumcision in order to become right with God. The Judaizers taught that only those belonging to the covenant of Abraham would inherit the promises of God and that circumcision (as further defined by the Mosaic Law) was how a person entered into the covenant of Abraham. Paul countered that Abraham was made right with by faith and that those with faith are Abraham’s true descendents.
Date: This letter was written after Paul’s first missionary journey and prior to the Jerusalem Council, which occurred in A.D. 50.
Introduction to Galatians (1:1-5)
1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through a man but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead), 2 and all the brothers who are with me:
To the churches of Galatia,
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ 4 who gave himself for our sins so that he might rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom is the glory forever and ever.
– Amen.
The human author [“Paul, an apostle”]: In writing to the Galatians, Paul must begin with an assertion of his apostolic authority, which was under question by the heretical teachers that had disturbed the Galatian churches. Paul asserts that his apostolic authority comes from God, not from Man. This assertion will be defended in the first two chapters of Galatians.
The recipients [“To the churches of Galatia”]: Churches in southern cities of the Galatian province (Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe) planted by Paul during his first missionary journey, as recorded in Acts 13-14.
The greeting [“Grace to y’all and peace”]: The word for “grace” is cariV, which is a form of the common Greek greeting carein, but Paul invests this word with theological significance. “In fact, ‘grace’ and ‘peace’ seem to be Paul’s (and the NT’s) shorthand way of epitomizing the essence of the gospel, with particular reference to its cause and effect” (Longenecker, 7).
Justification by faith alone: Paul’s teaching in Galatians is intended to protect the Galatian churches against the errors of the Judaizers– those teaching that Christians must submit to circumcision in order to become right with God. The Judaizers taught that only those belonging to the covenant of Abraham would inherit the promises of God and that circumcision (as further defined by the Mosaic Law) was how a person entered into the covenant of Abraham. Paul countered that Abraham was made right with by faith and that those with faith are Abraham’s true descendents.
Date: This letter was written after Paul’s first missionary journey and prior to the Jerusalem Council, which occurred in A.D. 50.
Labels: Bible study
posted by Andrew Lindsey | 12:04 PM
2 Comments:
Andrew,
I'm enjoying reading the stuff on Galatians. It's nice to see bloggers posting some Biblical exposition. GET-R-DONE!!!!
in Christ
Thanks for the encouragement, Joe!
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