Christ Has Set Us Free

Studies On The Book Of Galatians

By Eduardo C. Ma, Jr
Tuao Church of Christ
Minister

Instruction and Requirements for

Level III Students
The following assignments must be completed and turned in by the final test. Failure to meet
all requirements could result in not passing the course or being dropped to a Level II student.
Courses completed satisfactorily may be transferable to the resident school.
Reading:
Read the book of Galatians six times during the course of this study. At least one reading
must be in a modern speech Bible. Each time you read the book do so at one sitting. You are
also required to read all of the book Freed for Freedom by Ed Wharton and Galatians commentary from
other author Write a page evaluation of each chapter of the that commentary in comparison to our
lesson & Ed Wartons book.
Memory Verses:
You will have sixty-five (65) verses to memorize in your study of Galatians. These are to
be done as you go through the study. Write out your memory verses, correct them with a
different colored ink, and turn them in with your mid-term and final test. Please indicate
which Bible version you are using. Galatians 1:6-8; 11-14; 2:14-16, 20-21; 3:6-29; 4:1-6;
5:1-4, 16-24; 6:1-10.
Due by the mid-term test: (36 verses)
Galatians 1:6-8, 11-14, 20-21; 3:6-29
Due with the Final test: (29 verses)
Galatians 4:1-6; 5:1-4, 16-24; 6:1-10
3. Add to your Study Guide (or make a notebook) notes from the taped lectures and other
material gained in this study.
4. You must complete all the "Self Exam" questions in your Course Guide and you must
complete the Mid-term and Final tests with a grade of 70% or over to receive your certificate.
Grade Value Percentage
Reading the book of Galatians six (6) times 5%
Reading the two (2) commentaries 10%
Evaluation paper on one commentary 5%
Memory work (65 verses) 10%
Self Exam Questions 5%
Two Tests
65%
Total grade possible 100%

The Letter of Paul to the Galatians

THE NEW OXFORD
ANNOTATED BIBLE
STUDY NOTES
WITH THE APOCRYPHAL/DEUTEROCANONICAL BOOKS
THIRD EDITION Editor MICHAEL D. COOGAN

Introduction
By the middle of the first century CE, although the early Christian movement was still connected to Judaism, an
increasing number of its members were Gentiles. The tireless missionary activity of Paul, who saw himself as
the apostle to the Gentiles (1:16), had fostered this development. The relationship between these new, nonJewish converts and Jewish Christians, and between the emerging Christian movement and Judaism, created
major challenges. One critical issue concerned the law of Moses. Should Gentile Christians convert to Judaism
in the process of becoming Christians? Were they required to observe the Jewish law, at least in part?
The Letter to the Galatians advocates for Pauls solution to this controversy and articulates a view of the Jewish
law that would have farreaching consequences. The date of the letters composition is not given. It was written
some time between the late 40s and early 50s CE. Paul would develop his views on the law further in the Letter
to the Romans. Although Galatians follows the form of a letter to specific churches, there are no references to
individuals and little information about Pauls mission in the region. Rather, the letter is Pauls defense of his
Gentile mission as a whole and the understanding of the law on which it is based.
The addressees are an unspecified number of the churches of Galatia (1:2), a Roman province in central Asia
Minor where, according to Acts, Paul had preached (Acts 13:1414:23; cf. 16:6; 18:23).
The letter falls naturally into three parts.
In the first, after an opening greeting (Gal 1:15), Paul reviews his life (Gal 1:62:14): his missionary
relationship to the Galatians (Gal 1:612); his past, including his own call (Gal 1:1324); and his relationship
with the Jerusalem church and the other apostles (Gal 2:114).
The second section (Gal 2:155:1) is a complex and densely argued presentation of Pauls vision of the gospel:
the opposition between faith and works of the law (Gal 2:1521); the conversion of the Galatians (Gal 3:15);
the promise to Abraham and his inheritance (Gal 3:618); the purpose of the law (Gal 3:1925); baptism (Gal
3:2629); the inheritance of the children of Christ (Gal 4:17); the danger of slipping back into bondage (Gal
4:811); the close relationship of Paul and the Galatians (Gal 4:1220); and an allegorical argument based on
the story of Hagar and Sarah (Gal 4:215:1).
The third section (Gal 5:26:18) presents the practical application of Pauls view: reasons against the
requirement of circumcision (Gal 5:212); true Christian liberty (Gal 5:1326); moral exhortation (Gal 6:110);
and a postscript (Gal 6:1118). Paul does not discuss the status of the law of Moses for Gentile Christians in the
abstract. Prior to writing Galatians, Paul had been involved in discussions of Gentile observance of the law with
the leaders of the Jerusalem church (Gal 2:110). This meeting may be identical with the council at Jerusalem,
reported in Acts 15:129. Pauls account of his visit to Jerusalem is very different from the one in Acts. In
Galatians Paul insists that no demand was made for Gentiles to observe the law. Subsequently, a conflict in
Antioch ensued over table fellowship of Jews and Gentiles (Gal 2:1114). Paul names as his opponents in
Antioch certain people from James (Gal 2:12), the brother of Jesus (Gal 1:19) and leader of the Jerusalem
church, and the circumcision faction, but it is unclear whether the two groups are the same. Nonetheless, they
persuaded the rest of the Jews, including Peter and Barnabas, to break off table fellowship with Gentile

believers. Paul repeats his accusation against Peter that Peter himself no longer observed Jewish law and
customs, yet he could be pressured to impose them on Gentiles. Now, facing a concrete situation in churches he
had founded, Paul argues passionately that his view is crucial both to his mission in Galatia and, more
important, to Christianity generally. In the confrontation with Peter, Paul had held that the demands of the
Jewish law were an unnecessary burden for Gentiles when even Jewish Christians did not always observe them
(Gal 2:1114). Now he argues that the observance of the Jewish law by Gentile Christians is incompatible with
acceptance of the gospel (Gal 2:1521). Paul does not address the question of whether Jewish Christians should
still keep the law. In an allegorical argument based upon the story of Hagar and Sarah (Gal 4:2131; see Gen
16; 21:121) Paul suggests that the Sinai covenant and the community based upon the observance of the law is
at odds with the authentic Israel, the community united with the one true heir of Abraham, Jesus Christ (Gal
3:16). Earlier in the letter Paul spoke about the law as a provisional measure, a means to discipline those who
would inherit Abrahams promise (Gal 3:24; cf. 4:16). These passages imply that Judaism is redundant,
perhaps even an obstacle to Gods plan for human salvation. Paul does not draw this conclusion, and in Romans
911 he explicitly rebuts it. Paul agrees that Peter and James are entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised
(Gal 2:78), and observance of the law was preserved at this time in Jewish Christian communities. The context
of Pauls formulations was a bitter struggle with opponents in Galatia. The content and sharp polemics of the
letter were worked out in reply to what Paul knew of his opponents teaching and of their attacks upon him.
Despite the efforts of scholars to identify and reconstruct the arguments of Pauls opponents, they remain a
shadowy group. Most commentators describe them as Judaizers because they insisted on circumcision. Whether
they belonged to the same opposition that Paul had faced in Antioch or during his visit to the Jerusalem leaders
(the false believers in Gal 2:4) cannot be decided from Pauls letter. We also have no evidence that they were
missionaries sent by the Jerusalem church and representing James, notwithstanding Pauls earlier conflict in
Antioch. Nevertheless, the effect of their controversy with Paul is unmistakable. The opposition forced him to
develop a defense of his mission to the Gentiles which would provide the rationale for a Christianity
independent of its Jewish roots.

Chapter 1
Paul, an apostlesent not from
men nor by man, but by Jesus
Christ and God the Father, who
raised
him from the dead 2 and all the
brothers with me,
To the churches in Galatia:
3 Grace and peace to you from
God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who
gave himself for our sins to
rescue us from the present evil
age, according to the
will of our God and Father, 5 to
whom be glory for ever
and ever. Amen.
6 I am astonished that you are so
quickly deserting
the one who called you by the
grace of Christ and are
turning to a different gospel 7
which is really no gospel
at all. Evidently some people are
throwing you into confusion and
are trying to pervert the gospel
of Christ.
8 But even if we or an angel from
heaven should preach
a gospel other than the one we
preached to you, let him
be eternally condemned! 9 As we
have already said, so
now I say again: If anybody is
preaching to you a gospel
other than what you accepted, let
him be eternally condemned!
.

Chapter 1
Pauls Greetings & Defense of his Apostleship
(Galatians 1:1-5)
1. How did Paul become an apostle compare it to The 12 Apostles?
2. Who were the Galatians? What are the issues the addressee of the letter
to the Galatians?
3. What is the significance of the greeting Grace & Peace to you...?
4. Give the work and ministry of the Lord Jesus stated in these verses.
5. What does it mean to be rescued from the present evil age?
6. Reflect: Can you name the brothers & sisters who have been always
with you?

Occasion of the letter (1:6-10)

1. What is the source of Pauls astonishment?
2. So, what is the true Gospel ? Compare it to the perverted Gospel
proclaimed by some to the Galatian brethren.
3. What are the usual messages given by the modern angelic appearances?
Can that be considered Gospel?
4. What can be considered as Perverted Gospel in our time?
5. Why cant there be more than one gospel? What would happen to the
church if there were more than one?
6. Reflect: What confuses you most about the Christian faith? How do
you deal with confusing thoughts?

7. Reflect: What are some of the different Gospels within church today? What has this done to the church?
What can you do about it?

Chapter 1
v10For am I now seeking the
approval of man, or of God?
Or am I trying to please man? If I
were still trying to please man,
I would not be a servant of Christ
v11For I would have you know,

Paul Proves His Apostleship & His Gospel

(1:10-2:14)

brothers, that the gospel that was

preached by me is not man's gospel.c
v12For I did not receive it from any

1. What is the difference between winning approval and pleasing?

man, nor was I taught it, but I

received it through a revelation of
Jesus Christ.
v13For you have heard of my former

Why cant a people pleaser be a servant of Christ?

life in Judaism, how I persecuted the

church of God violently and tried to
destroy it. 14And I was advancing in
Judaism beyond many of my own age
among my people, so extremely
zealous was I for the traditions of my
fathers. v15But when he who had set
me apart before I was born, and who
called me by his grace, v16was

2. What are the evidences that Pauls Gospel was from God and not men
according to these verses? Why is it important that Pauls Gospel not be
from man?
3. Why do you think Paul begins this letter with a defence of his
apostleship?
4. What are the highlights of Pauls spiritual journey?
5. Reflect: Write your own summary of your Spiritual Journey. What
have been three spiritually significant places for you?

pleased to reveal his Son toe me, in

order that I might preach him among
the Gentiles, I did not immediately
consult with anyone; v17nor did I go

6. Whom do you know who was once very hostile to Christianity but is
now a follower of Jesus? What brought about this change? What hope
that this give you ?

up to Jerusalem to those who were

apostles before me, but I went away
into Arabia, and returned again to
Damascus. v18Then after three years

7. Whom do you know who is hostile or indifferent to the gospel? What

could you do to help this person?

I went up to Jerusalem to visit

Cephas and remained with him
fifteen days. v19But I saw none of
the other apostles except James the
Lord's brother. v20(In what I am
writing to you, before God, I do not
lie!) v21 Then I went into the regions
of Syria and Cilicia. v22And I was
still unknown in person to the
churches of Judea that are in Christ.
v23They only were hearing it said,
"He who used to persecute us is now
preaching the faith he once tried to
destroy." v24And they glorified God
because of me.

8. What can we learn about the life of Paul in peoples conversion?

Chapter 2
Fourteen years later I went up again
to Jerusalem,
this time with Barnabas. I took Titus
along also. 2 I went in response to
a revelation and set before them
the gospel that I preach among the
Gentiles. But I did this privately to
those who seemed to be leaders,
for fear that I was running or had run
my race in vain. 3 Yet not even
Titus, who was with me, was
compelled to be circumcised, even
though he was a Greek. 4This
matter arose because some false
brothers had infiltrated our
ranks to spy on the freedom we have
in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.
5 We did not give in to them for a
moment, so that the truth of the
gospel might remain with
you.
6 As for those who seemed to be
importantwhatever they were
makes no difference to me; God does
not judge by external appearance
those men added nothing to my
message. 7 On the contrary, they
saw that I had been entrusted with
the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, c just as Peter had
been to the Jews.
8 For God, who was at work in the
ministry of Peter as an
apostle to the Jews, was also at work
in my ministry as
an apostle to the Gentiles. 9
James, Peter e and John,
those reputed to be pillars, gave me
and Barnabas the
right hand of fellowship when
they recognized the
grace given to me. They agreed that
we should go to the
Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10
All they asked was that
we should continue to remember
the poor, the very
thing I was eager to do.

Chapter 2
Pauls Apostleship & Gospel Recognized
By The Jerusalem Apostles
1. Why Paul needed to visit Jerusalem again with Barnabas and Titus
with him?
2. How did the decision about Titus confirm the validity of Pauls
Gospel?
3. What position did Peter, James, and John hold in the early church?
Of what importance is the approval Peter, James, and John to the
message of Paul?
4. Of all the things they can request for Paul why do you think they ask
him to remember the poor.
5. Compare v.5 of this chapter to Chapters 5:6 and 6:15. How can you
reconcile those verses?
6. Compare the attitude of Paul about these church issues here in the
Book of Galatians to the Book of Romans?
7. Who can be considered Pillars of the church today? How important
are they in our time?
8. Reflect: Who was the last poor person you helped? How do you
help him or her?
9. What are the plans or things you are eager to do for the church?

Chapter 2
11 When Peter came to Antioch, I
opposed him to his
face, because he was clearly in the
wrong. 12 Before certain men came
from James, he used to eat with the
Gentiles. But when they arrived, he
began to draw back
and separate himself from the Gentiles
because he was afraid of those who
belonged to the circumcision
group. 13 The other Jews joined him in
his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy
even Barnabas was led astray.
14 When I saw that they were not acting
in line with the truth of the gospel, I
said to Peter in front of them
all, You are a Jew, yet you live like a
Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it,
then, that you force Gentiles to follow
Jewish customs?
15 We who are Jews by birth and
not Gentile sinners 16 know that a
man is not justified by observing the
law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we,
too, have put our
faith in Christ Jesus that we may be
justified by faith in Christ and not by
observing the law, because by
observing the law no one will be
justified.
17 If, while we seek to be justified
in Christ, it becomes evident that we
ourselves are sinners, does that mean
that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely
not!
18 If I re-build what I destroyed, I prove
that I am a lawbreaker.
19 For through the law I died to the law
so that I might
live for God. 20 I have been crucified
with Christ and I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me. The life I live in the
body, I live by faith in the Son of
God, who loved me and gave himself
for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace
of God, for if righteousness could be
gained through the
law, Christ died for nothing!

Paul Saw That Jerusalem Apostles Conduct

Was Not In Step With The Truth Of The Gospel
(2:10-14)
1. What was the occasion in this passage?
2. What caused Peter to do what he did?
3. What were the implication of Jews withdrawing from fellowship
with the Gentiles?
4. What can we learn about this situation and attitudes showed by the
early apostles and disciples?
5. Why did Paul choose to tell this to the Galatians?
6. Reflect: When have you been pulled along by the crowd you were
with? How do you feel about this?
7. Who were the brethren do you clashed with recently? How did the
two of you resolve things? What else could you do to make this
relationship more harmonious?
8. When has someone corrected you for your beliefs or lifestyle? How
did the person do it? What did you learn from this experience?

PART TWO
JUSTIFICATION: NOT BY THE LAW BUT BY FAITH IN CHRIST
(2:15 - 3:25)

1. What is Justification? Why did Paul talk about this after telling the
event happened in Antioch?
2. How did the Jews know that a man is not justified by observing the
law?
3. What does Paul mean in verse 17 ...that Christ promotes sin ?
4. What is being rebuilt and destroyed in verse 18?
5. How can we harmonized what Paul said the he destroyed it to

Chapter 3
You foolish Galatians! Who has
bewitched you? Before your very eyes
Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as
crucified. 2 I would like to learn just
one thing from you: Did you receive
the Spirit by observing the
law, or by believing what you heard? 3
Are you so foolish?
After beginning with the Spirit, are
you now trying to attain your goal
by human effort? 4 Have you
suffered so much for nothingif it
really was for nothing? 5 Does
God give you his Spirit and work
miracles among you because you
observe the law, or because you
believe what you heard?
6 Consider Abraham: He believed
God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness. a 7 Understand, then,
that those who believe are children of
Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw
that God would justify the Gentiles
by faith, and announced the gospel in
advance to Abraham: All nations
will be blessed through you. b 9 So
those who have faith are blessed along
with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 All who rely on observing the
law are under a curse, for it is
written: Cursed is everyone who
does not continue to do everything
written in the Book of the Law. c 11
Clearly no one is justified before
God by the law, because, The
righteous will live by faith. d 12 The
law is not based on faith; on the
contrary, The man who does these
things will live by them. e 13 Christ
redeemed us from the curse of the
law by becoming a curse for us, for it
is written: Cursed is everyone who is
hung on a tree. f 14 He redeemed
us in order that the blessing given to
Abraham might come to the Gentiles
through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we
might receive the promise of the Spirit.

what Jesus had said in Matthew 5:17 Do not think that I have come
to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to
fulfill.
6. In what sense that Paul was crucified with Christ. How does
this release Gods power in his life?
7. Why would righteousness through the law nullify Christ death?
8. Reflect: How have you been crucified with Christ? How does
you life show that you live by faith?