Paul’s Epistle to the
Galatians
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”
Galatians 5:1
agenda
• Introduction and Background (50 minutes)
• Break (15 Minutes)
• The Reason for Writing (15 minutes)
• The Reasoning in the Writing (35 Minutes)
• Break (15 Minutes)
• The Reckoning of Righteousness (35 Minutes)
• Closing Thoughts (15 Minutes)
Introduction and
background
What events led to the writing of Paul’s epistle to the Galatians?
A Brief introduction
of Paul
Saul’s
Conversion
(AD 33)
Sent by
Antioch to
Jerusalem
14 Years
After His
Conversion
(with
Barnabas,
Titus)
Trip to
Jerusalem 3
Years Later
Journey to
Arabia
Returns to
Taurus
First
Missionary
Journey
with
Barnabas
(and Mark)
Discourse
with Peter
Paul’s first
missionary journey
• Departed Antioch in Syria with Barnabas and Mark
• Travelled via boat from port city of Seleucia to Salamis on
Cyprus (Acts 13:4)
• Paphos (Acts 13:6-12)
• Home of Aphrodite Temple
• Elymas the sorcerer is blinded at Paphos
• Proconsul Sergius Paulus is converted
Paul’s first
missionary journey
• Cyprus become a Christian stronghold
• Sailed to Perga in Asia Minor
• Known for worship of Artemis (Diana), goddess of nature and
“queen of Perga”
• Mark returns to Jerusalem
• Paul and Barnabas Continue to Galatia before returning
home to Antioch
galatia
• Galatia was named by the Gauls
who controlled the Halys River
valley in central Asia Minor during
the third century before Christ
• Pompey (64 B.C.) conquered this
land for Rome and it was renamed,
“Galatia”
Key Events in
Galatia
• Pisidian Antioch - Paul preaches;
Jewish leaders oppose The Gospel
(Acts 13:16)
• Iconium – Many believe,
persecution arises (Acts 14:1)
• Lystra – Paul and Barnabas called
gods; Paul stoned (Acts 14:8)
• Derbe – Paul continued on to
preach after being stoned
break
The reason for
writing
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the
grace of Christ unto another gospel:”
Galatians 1:6
• Paul preached the Gospel to the Galatians at great physical
cost to himself
• Upon returning to Antioch, he learns that many have
embraced a mixture of law and grace – “some other
doctrine”
• Paul had already fought against this on two other occasions:
• At the Jerusalem Council (Galatians 2:1-10; Acts 15:1-35)
• At a private meeting with Peter (Galatians 2:11-21)
• Cue the Judaizers
• It was not necessary to become a Jew to be saved
• Jews are sinners too
• Galatians 2:15: We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of
the Gentiles,
• Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the
works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have
believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith
of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of
the law shall no flesh be justified.
• Galatians 2:17: But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ,
we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the
minister of sin? God forbid.
• All are crucified with Christ
• Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me,
and gave himself for me.
• Galatians 2:21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if
righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
The reasoning in the
writing
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the
truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified
among you?”
Galatians 3:1
• Paul’s approach in dealing with the Judaizers was twofold
• Personal – Chapters 1 and 2
•
•
•
•
By his own testimony
By the example of Titus
By the shame of Barnabas
By the confrontation with Peter
• Doctrinal – Chapters 3 and 4
• O foolish Galatians
• Galatians 3:1: O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched
you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes
Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified
among you?
• Galatians 3:2: This only would I learn of you, Received
ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith?
• Galatians 3:3: Are ye so foolish? having begun in the
Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
• Galatians 3:29: And if ye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
• Abraham’s righteousness was not out of obeying the law,
but rather by believing God (Galatians 3:6)
• Judaizers taught that Gentiles could only be made
children of the covenant was through circumcision and
obedience to the Mosaic law
• Who is cursed?
• Galatians 3:10: For as many as are of the works of the
law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every
one that continueth not in all things which are written in
the book of the law to do them.
• Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
• Christ’s curse frees us from the curse of the law
• Galatians 3:13: Christ hath redeemed us from the curse
of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
• The true seed of Abraham was Christ
• Galatians 3:16: Now to Abraham and his seed were the
promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many;
but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
• The covenant was of promise
• Galatians 3:18: For if the inheritance be of the law, it is
no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by
promise.
• Heirs according to promise
•
•
•
•
The law is our schoolmaster
To bring us to Christ
To justify us by faith
Because faith is come, we are no longer under the law
• Neither Jew nor Greek
• All are one in Jesus Christ
• Galatians 3:29: And if ye be Christ's, then are ye
Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
• Servants to Sons
• Galatians 4:1: Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child,
differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;
• Galatians 4:2: But is under tutors and governors until the time
appointed of the father.
• Galatians 4:3: Even so we, when we were children, were in
bondage under the elements of the world:
• Galatians 4:4: But when the fulness of the time was come, God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
• Galatians 4:5: To redeem them that were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption of sons.
• Galatians 4:6: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth
the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
• Galatians 4:7: Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son;
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
•
A Tale of Two Sons
•
Galatians 4:22: For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the
other by a freewoman.
•
Galatians 4:23: But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the
freewoman was by promise.
•
Galatians 4:24: Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one
from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.
•
Galatians 4:25: For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which
now is, and is in bondage with her children.
•
Galatians 4:26: But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.
•
Galatians 4:27: For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry,
thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an
husband.
•
Galatians 4:28: Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.
•
Galatians 4:29: But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born
after the Spirit, even so it is now.
•
Galatians 4:30: Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her
son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.
•
Galatians 4:31: So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.
break
The reckoning of
righteousness
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
Galatians 5:1
• Stand fast
• Galatians 5:1: Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage.
• If you keep one, you must keep them all
• Galatians 5:2: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be
circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
• Galatians 5:3: For I testify again to every man that is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
• If you cling to the law, you are fallen from grace
• Galatians 5:4: Christ is become of no effect unto you,
whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen
from grace.
• This is not of Christ
• Galatians 5:6: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth
any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by
love.
• Galatians 5:7: Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye
should not obey the truth?
• Galatians 5:8: This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth
you.
• Galatians 5:9: A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
• The law is fulfilled in this
• Galatians 5:13: For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;
only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love
serve one another.
• Galatians 5:14: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in
this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
• Galatians 5:15: But if ye bite and devour one another, take
heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
• The works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit
• Galatians 5:19: Now the works of the flesh are manifest,
which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness,
• Galatians 5:20: Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance,
emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
• Galatians 5:21: Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as
I have also told you in time past, that they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
• Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
• Galatians 5:23: Meekness, temperance: against such there
is no law.
• Live and walk in the Spirit
• Galatians 5:24: And they that are Christ's have crucified
the flesh with the affections and lusts.
• Galatians 5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in
the Spirit.
• Galatians 5:26: Let us not be desirous of vain glory,
provoking one another, envying one another.
Closing thoughts
Galatians 6
• Be forgiving
• Galatians 6:1: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault,
ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of
meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
• Be compassionate
• Galatians 6:2: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil
the law of Christ.
• Be humble
• Galatians 6:3: For if a man think himself to be
something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
• Be focused
• Galatians 6:5: For every man shall bear his own burden.
• Be sober
• Galatians 6:7: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
• Be good
• Galatians 6:10: As we have therefore opportunity, let us
do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of
the household of faith.
• Be faithful
• Galatians 6:11: Ye see how large a letter I have written
unto you with mine own hand.
• Galatians 6:17: From henceforth let no man trouble me:
for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.
Fin