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Paul’s Letter to the Galatians

Another Gospel?

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“…and that’s the

parable of the

Pharisee and the

Publican.

“Now, let’s pray

to God and thank

him that we are

not like the

Pharisee.”

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Who were the Galatians?

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1st Journey – Acts 13 & 14

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Structure of Galatians 1:1-5 Introduction

1:6-4:11 Rebuke and Defence

1:6-2:14 Autobiographical defence

2:15-4:11 Biblical defence of his message

4:12-6:10 Appeal and Exhortation

4:12-5:12 Against Judaism

5:13-6:10 Against libertinism

6:11-18 Conclusion

I beg of you, brethren, become as I am for I also have become as you

are… (Gal 4:12)

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your

bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your

spiritual service of worship. (Rom 12:1)

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Gal 1:1 – Paul’s Apostleship

1) Not sent from men…

2) …nor through men

3) Through Jesus Christ…

4) …and God the Father

Judaizer’s Claims about Paul

Not an “original” apostle

Self-appointed, or appointed by man

His Gospel was second-hand and…

…Garbled/Incomplete – not consistent with the full

Gospel taught by original apostles

Other apostles taught circumcision required

Paul taught different Gospels depending on his

audience, to avoid persection

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Gal 1:4 – Atonement Summary

“the Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave himself

Christ volunteered

• Not under compulsion to law but a gift of himself.

• Judaism was all about compulsion.

for our sins It was for us

• Primary motivation of his death was to save us.

• Judaism’s focus is about saving self.

that He might deliver

us out of this present

evil age

It was to “deliver” or “rescue”

• Positive focus

• It was complete – not a partial rescue that

requires us to make up the deficiencies.

according to the will of

our God and Father”

It was according to God’s will

• It was not simply a human crime

• It was God’s plan from the foundation of the

world – declaring his righteousness

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“Troublers” to be “Accursed” 1Chron 2:7 Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the thing

accursed. (Both words in LXX are in Gal 1:7-8)

Josh 6:17-18;

7:1, 11-13

LXX – “Anathema” (used 12x)

• Used of things under the ban

• Achan = “Troubler”

“…so you would make the camp of Israel accursed and bring

trouble on it.” (Josh 6:18)

“Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this

day.’” And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned

them with fire…” (Josh 7:25)

Acts 15:24 …some of our number to whom we gave no instruction

have disturbed (troubled) you with their words

(Jerusalem Conference)

Gal 5:10 I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no

other view; but the one who is disturbing (troubling) you

shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

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Isaiah 49 Isa 49 Galatians

v1 The LORD called me

from the womb; from

the body of My mother

1:15 He…set me apart, even from my

mother's womb

v3 You are my servant, 1:10 a bond-servant of Christ.

v3 in whom I will show my

glory.

1:24 And they were glorifying God because of

me. (very similar in LXX)

v4 I have toiled in vain, I

have spent My strength

for nothing and vanity;

2:2

4:11

for fear that I might be running, or had run,

in vain.

perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

v6 I will also make you a

light of the nations…

Acts

13:47

2:8

the Lord has commanded us, 'I have

placed you as a light for the Gentiles…

…effectually worked for me also to the

Gentiles

v15-

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Motherhood theme 4:19

4:22-31

Paul gave birth to Galatians like a mother

Jerusalem – the mother of us all

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“To reveal his son in me” (1:16) 2:20 It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life

which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me.

3:1 …before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed

as crucified?

4:14 you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus

himself.

6:17 for I bear on my body the brand-marks of Jesus.

Col 1:24

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I

do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in

filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions.

1Cor 11:1 Be imitators of me, just as I am of Christ

Phil 3:17 Join in following my example, and observe those who walk

according the pattern you have in us

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Damascus

Mount Sinai

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