Mentoring Through New Testment SESSION 5A GALATIANS Ps Kim Taehoon May 14, 2016

Author The apostle Paul, joined by “all the brothers and sisters” with him (1:2) Date Probably AD 55 (although some think as early as 47-48). With no indication of place of origin

Destruction of the Temple and Jewish Response

Location of writing Probably in Ephesus (Asia Minor, today’s Turkey)

Recipients: Gentile believers in Galatia, either ethnic Galatians (whose territory in central Aisa Minor hand been earlier settled by people from Gaul [modern France] or those in the Roman province of Galatia, which also included peoples of Pisidia, Lycaonia, and Phrygia (Acts 13-14; 16)

Occasion: False teachers (Judaizers) came into the churches of Galatia and spread a perverted gospel of salvation by works of the Law (namely, circumcision), resulting in bondage (1:6-7; 2:4; 3:1; 4:9-10,17,20,21; 5:7-12; 6:12-13,17; see Acts 15:1,5,24) Paul defends the true gospel of freedom in Christ against this false teaching (2:4; 4:21-31; 5:1,13)

Emphases Paul’s apostleship and gospel come directly from God and Christ, not through human mediation; the death of Jesus has brought an end to ethnic religious observances; the Spirit produces the righteousness the law could not; the Spirit enables believers not to yield to sinful desires; one receives the Spirit through faith in Christ Jesus.

Comparison between Galatians and Romans regarding law and faith. GalatiansRomans Jewish heritage not be substituted for, or added as a necessary adjunct to, trust in God through Jesus Christ. Reliance on the Jewish heritage (law and circumcision) and trust in God through Jesus Christ (the gospel) are held to be mutually exclusive. Emphasized danger of placing too much reliance on Jewish heritage (law and circumcision) - Galatians 5:2-4 Jewish heritage of the Christian faith not be ignored by non-Jews who became Christian. Emphasized need to respect Jewish history underlying Jesus and the gospel. - Rome 1:2-5; 3:1-8; 3:31-4:22; ch9-11; 11:13-32.

Galatians balances James “Faith working through Love” (Gal 5:6) Liberals: Christ did it all, so I don’t need to do anything or change Judaisers: I must work to earn my salvation God has forgiven us in Christ. We follow Christ’s example & live for God and his family because of our love for them. James corrects this Galatians corrects this

Opening of Galatians differs from other Epistles Apparently Paul felt that he could not presume that those to whom he was writing would admit his legitimacy as an apostle. Paul does not include a prayer of thanksgiving. In every other Christian community to which Paul wrote, he could find something in his reader’s situation to thank God for. This can be another indication of how seriously Paul took the problem with which the Galatian Christians confronted him. This implies that Paul wrote this letter to correct a viewpoint that strikes so much at the heart of the gospel.

Outline of Galatians Letter opening (1:1-5) Letter body (1:6-6:17) Defense of Paul’s gospel (1:6-10) Defense of the legitimacy of Paul’s apostleship (1:11-2:10) Defense of the total sufficiency of trust in Christ as the way to obtain God’s blessing (2:11-21) Defense of the total sufficiency of trust in Christ over against reliance on the law (ch.3) The futility of returning to the old (4:1-5:12) The proper use of Christian freedom (5:13-26) Conduct in the church (6:1-10) The meaning of circumcision (6:11-17) Closing benediction (6:18)

Paul’s Opponents in Galatia Paul is not a real apostle: he was not a follower of the early Jesus and so is dependent on others for his knowledge of Jesus and for his commission as an apostle. Therefore, he is dependent on the disciples in Jerusalem for his gospel and for his commission as an apostle, and so is subordinate to them. Paul has misunderstood his secondhand Christianity. He has wrongly jettisoned the Jewish heritage (the law) because he himself was never a good Jew. Because God gave his promise to Abraham, only the heirs of Abraham will inherit that blessing (see ch.3). Hence one must be Jew to obtain God’s blessing. Therefore, the correct Christian position is not Christ or law but Christ and law (ch.5) This is the position Paul argues against in his letter to the Galatian churches.

A walk through Galatians Chapter 1 and 2 1:6-9 a Curse on the Agitators 1:10-2:14 in defence of the Gospel – Part1: Paul and Jerusalem 2:15-21 The Theological Propositions Set forth

Chapter 3:1-4:7 in Defence of the Gospel – Part2: Christ and the Law Who are the true children/seed of Abraham and thus true heirs of the promise made to Abraham? On what grounds are Gentile believers included in the people of God (=became part of Abraham’s seed?) Agitators: Based on Genesis 17:1-22, God establish circumcision as “an everlasting covenant” in a context where Abraham was again promised to be the father of “many nations.” Agitators would argue that Abraham believed God and then was given the covenant of circumcision, so the Gentiles who believe Christ need to be circumcised in order to become the true children of Abraham, and thus heirs of the promise.

Chapter 3:1-4:7 in Defence of the Gospel – Part2: Christ and the Law Paul: Adding a plus factor (circumcision, food law, Sabbath keeping etc.) to grace in fact nullifies grace Observing law cannot be selective because to be under law means that one must observe the whole law (3:10; 5;3; cf. 6:13) Spirit alone is sufficient for the kind of life in the present that reflects the likeness of Christ and stands over against the “desire” of “sinful nature,” which is precisely where the law failed

Chapter 4:8-20 Application and Appeal

Chapter 4:21-5:12 Once More: Argument, Application, Appeal

Chapter 5:13 – 6:10 In Defence of the Gospel – Part 3: The Spirit and Righteousness The Gospel of Freedom Applied (Gal. 5-6) Christians are free in Christ (free from sin and bondage by the perfect law of liberty), but are not free to live any way they want (5:1; Jn. 8:32,36; 2 Cor. 3;17; Gal. 2:4; 5:13; Jas. 1:25; 2:12; 1 Pet. 2:16). Christians must never be deceived by a false liberty (2 Pet. 2:19). A little leaven of error can cause a big problem in the church (5:9; Mt. 16:11-12; 1 Cor. 5:6-8). False teachers and error must be dealt with firmly and sternly, but in meekness (5:7-12; 2 Tim. 2:24-25; 2 Peter 2:1ff; Jude 5ff). Christians must not use their “freedom” in Christ as an excuse to engage in sin (5:13; 1 Pet. 2:16) Christian have “freedom” but they still must be “servants one to another” (5:13; Eph. 5:21; 1 Pet. 5:5) Practicing the works of the flesh will cause any person to be lost and left out of the kingdom of God (5:16-21,24; Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 6:10; 1 Pet. 2:11; 4:2; 2 Pet. 2:10,18; 1 Jn. 2:15-17)

Chapter 6:11-18 Conclusion Circumcision No, the Cross Yes

Topics for further discussion A Christian can quickly remove himself from the truth of the gospel if he is not careful (1:6). What kind of false teaching or false gospels we can find today? Galatians is a letter of freedom in a twofold way: it represent not only freedom from, but also freedom for. What we can find out “freedom from” in Galatians ch5? What we can find out “freedom for” in ch 5? What is the role of Holy Spirit in freedom from and freedom for in daily life?

Thank you