Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians and Philippians

7/29/2019 Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians and Philippians

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Recap!

Growth of the New Testament

Stage 3: New Testament Writings

includes4 gospels

Letters to Various Communities

A chronicle of the early church (acts)A Highly symbolic work (Revelation)


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Letter to Various Communities

The New Testament, there are twenty-one (21) documentsthat take the form of letters or epistles.

Wherein, fourteen of these have been traditionally attributed toPaul.

Captivity Epistles

(Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon)

Pastoral Epistles(1-2 Timothy and Titus)

Catholic Epistles


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Letter of St. Paul to the GalatiansJustification by faith alone

Letter of St. Paul to the PhilippiansRemaining faithful to Christ


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Letter of St. Paul to the

Galatians


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Galatia

Is an ethnic reference to a Celtic peopleliving in northern Asia minor but mostagree that it is a geographical reference tothe roman province in central Asia Minor

Settled by immigrant Celts in the 270s B.Cand retain Gaulish features of culture and

language in Pauls day part of the country that we now call

Turkey.


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Churches of Galatia

Antioch in Pisidia

Iconium

Lystra Derbe

were founded by Paul

Composed mainly of converts from

paganism


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Purpose of Writing

The Churches in Galatia were formed

partly of converted Jews and partly of

gentile converts Paul asserts his apostolic character and

the doctrines he taught, that he might

confirm the Galatian churches in the faithof Christ

Especially with respect to the important

point of justification by faith alone.


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Thus, the subject is mainly the same as

that which is discussed in the epistle to the

Romans, -- that is Justification by faith alone

However, in this epistle (Gal.) Theattention is directed to the point that men

are justified by faith without the works of

the law of Moses


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Galatians was not an essay in

contemporary history.

It was a protest against corruption of thegospel of Christ

The essential truth of Justification by faith

had been obscured by the judaizersinsistence

That believers in Christ must keep the law

if they expected to be perfect before God


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When Paul knew that this false teaching

had begun to penetrate the Galatian

Churches and alienated them from theirheritage of liberty,,

Paul wrote the impassioned remonstrance

contained in this epistle


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Who wrote it?

Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians along

with all the brothers with me.


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To whom was the letter to the

Galatians written?

The letter to the Galatians was written to

the members of the churches in Galatia

Pauls converts, most likely among thedescendants of Celts

New Christians that were converts from

paganism


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When was it written?

Probably written around A.D 54 or 55

Most likely during his third missionaryjourney


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Where was it written?

Probably from Ephesus; possibly in

Antioch since this was his home base


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Parts of the letter to the

Galatians


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Greetings

Paul, an apostle not from human beings nor through ahuman being but through Jesus Christ and God the Father whoraised him from the dead, and all the brothers who are with me,

to the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from Godour father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for oursins that he might rescue us from the present evil age in accordwith the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory foreverand ever,Amen

(New American Bible, Gal. 1:1-5)


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Loyalty to the Gospel

(Gal. 1:6-10)

I am surprised at you! In no time at all you are deserting the onewho called you by the grace of Christ, and are accepting anothergospel. Actually, there is no other gospel, but I say this becausethere are some people who are upsetting you and trying to change the

Gospel of Christ-Good News Bible in Todays English version,

Gal. 1:6-7

Distortion of the Gospel of Christ Sacrificing their faith in Christ in order to fall

back into the slavery of the old law


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Pauls Defense of his Gospel

Authority (Gal. 1:11-2:21)

Life of St. Paul before the call from God (v.

13-17)

Pauls First Journey to Jerusalem as aChristian (v. 18-24)

Incident in Antioch involving Kephas and

persons from James (2:11-14)


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Pauls Defense of his Gospel

Authority (Gal. 1:11-2:21)

Heart of the letter

Indeed, we are Jews by birth and not Gentilesinners, as they are called. Yet we know that a person

is put right with God only through faith in Jesus Christ,never by doing what the law requires. We, too, have

believed in Christ Jesus in order to be put right with Godthrough our faith in Christ, and not by doing what theLaw requires. For no one is put right with God by doingwhat the Law requires


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If then, as we try to be put right with God by ourunion with Christ, we are found to be sinners, asmuch as the gentiles are does this mean that

Christ is serving the cause of sin? By no means!(Gal. 2:17)

If I start to rebuild the system of Law that I toredown, then show myself to be someone who

breaks the Law I am dead killed by the Lawitself in order that I might live for God. I havebeen put to death with Christ on his cross (2:18-19)


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So that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ wholives in me. This life I live now, I live by Faith in the Son

of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. I refuse

to reject the grace of God. But if a person is put right with

God through the Law, it means that Christ died for

nothing! (Gal. 2:20-21)

Documents

Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians and Philippians