Lesson 1
Introduction


Who Is Paul Writing To (1:1-2)?

Paul does something in Galatians that he doesn’t do with any other epistle. It involves who he is writing to and is found in 1:2. What is this unique characteristic or fact?


When Did Paul Write This?

There Are Three Dates

The Early Date = Before The Jerusalem
Council

The Middle Date = Just After The Jerusalem
Council

The Late Date = After Paul’s 3 rd Journey

Gal. 1:13-14 = Paul As A Zealous Jew
Jesus Killed and Resurrected (Passover)
The Church Started (Pentecost)
Gal. 1:15-17 = Paul’s Conversion (A.D.34)

Gal. 1:15-17 = Paul’s Conversion (A.D. 34)
Paul Goes To Arabia and Back To
Damascus (How Long? Why?)
• 2 Cor. 11:32-33; Acts 9:23-25
3 Years Later To Jerusalem (A.D. 37)
• Gal. 1:18-20; Acts 9:26-30
Paul Goes Home (Syria and Cilicia)
• Gal. 1:21-24; Acts 9:30

Barnabas Brings Paul To Antioch
• Acts 11:19-26
2 nd Jerusalem Visit – Famine Relief
(A.D. 44)
• Acts 11:27-30
1 st Missionary Journey – Galatian
Churches Started (A.D. 47-48)
• Acts 13
Early Date
14 Years Later Paul Returns To
Jerusalem a 3 rd Time (A.D. 48-49)
• Gal. 2:1-10 Middle Date
• Appears To Be The Jerusalem Council


The Middle Date Is Best

Has To Be Soon After Their Conversion (Gal. 1:6).

Paul Describes The Jerusalem Council Visit In Gal. 2.

Paul Mentions Barnabas Who Was Only With Him For
The 1 st Journey (2:1,13).

The Book Is About The Same Problem As The Jerusalem
Council.

Best Argument For Early Date = Paul Does Not
Mention The Jerusalem Council Letter.


Why Did Paul Write This Letter? In Other Words,
There Was A Problem. What Was The Problem?

Major Problem = Judaizing Heresy

1:6-9

3:1-5

3:23-25

Similar To 2 Corinthians, Romans, Hebrews

Lesson 2
Ch. 1:1-9


What Comes First In Ancient Letter Writing?

The Author = Paul
 An Apostle

Paul’s Companions = ?

Cephas (1:18)
 James (1:19)
 Titus (2:3)
 John (2:9)
 Barnabas (2:13)


Audience = Churches of Galatia

Greeting

Grace = Charis

Gentile Greeting

Peace = Shalom

Jewish Greeting

From God and Jesus Christ

Paul Begins The “
” of the Letter

What Is The First Problem Paul
Addresses?

Who Were These “Gospel Changers?”


Taught Gentiles Could Not Be Christians.

They Had Their Own Apostles (2 Cor. 11:13).

They Would Try To Take Over Churches After
Paul Left (Gal. 2:4-5; Col. 2:4, 8, 11,16,; 2 Cor.
11:4ff).

They Would Make False Charges To Discredit
Paul (2 Cor. 10:10; 12:12-13, 19).

Paul Begins The “
” of the Letter

What good lesson(s) do you learn from
Paul’s answer to this problem?

If a man claimed to be a prophet or a church claimed to be a revealer of God’s word, how could you tell that they are telling the truth?


Rev. 22:18-19

Deut. 4:2; 12:32

Prov. 30:5-6

Eccl. 12:13

Gal. 3:15

1 Cor. 4:6

1 Pet. 4:11; Jude 3

Matt. 15

Lesson 3
Ch. 1:10-24

(1:10-12)

What made Paul different from the
Judaizers?

Possible Charge: Paul is a Man-pleaser. Proof:
Paul Doesn’t Make The
Gentiles Obey The Law.

(1:13-24)

CHALLENGE QUESTION:
What is Paul’s main purpose in relating some of his personal history?

How many trips to
Jerusalem does Paul record in his personal history?

(1:13-24)

Why is Paul emphasizing that he only saw Cephas when he went to Jerusalem and that he was unknown by the brethren in Judea?


Paul Was Converted IN Damascus.

Paul Left Damascus For Arabia.

Paul Then Went To Jerusalem.

Paul Went To Tarsus of Cilicia.
Paul Went Back To
Damascus

Barnabas Brought Paul To Antioch (Syria).

Paul Went To Jerusalem a 2 nd Time To Discuss

Paul Went Back To Antioch and Then Began His 1 st
Journey.

Paul Went To Jerusalem a 3 rd Time To Discuss Circum.

Lesson 4
Ch. 2:1-10


Why did Paul go to
Jerusalem? (there could be more than one answer)

2:2 = A Revelation

2:4 = The False Brethren


Paul says that Titus was with him when he went to
Jerusalem. Do we know when and where Titus joined Paul? What do we know about Titus?


1 st Mention of Titus.

He Was A Greek Gentile.

Was Sent To Corinth By
Paul During His 3 rd Journey
(1 Cor. 8:16ff; 2 Cor. 7:6-7).

Later Paul Sent Him To
Crete (Titus 1:5).
Then To
Dalmatia (2 Tim 4:10).
Never Mentioned
In Acts


Gal 2:3
“But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a
Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.”

Acts 16:3
“Paul wanted this man (Timothy) to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”


Who did Paul talk to in
Jerusalem?

2:2, 6-9

What was Paul asked to do at the end of his time there?

Lesson 5
Ch. 2:11-21


Why did Paul rebuke
Peter? In other words, what was wrong with Peter?


What was the motivation for Peter doing this?


CHALLENGE QUESTION: What did Paul mean when he asked
Peter, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like
Jews?” How was Peter living like a Gentile?


CHALLENGE QUESTION:
Why did Paul rebuke Peter in public rather than trying to correct him in private like Jesus taught in Matt
18:15ff?

Gal. 6:2; 1 Cor. 9:21
The Law

No Justification

Made Sinners.

Requires Death To
Itself.

If Salvation
Comes…Then Why
Did Christ Die?
Faith

Justification

Saved, Not Perfect.

Requires To Live For
Christ.

This Is What Was
Needed For
Salvation.

Lesson 6
Ch. 3


Who Bewitched The Galatians?

Foolish = Luke 24:25

The Judaizers

Paul Continues The Diatribe He Started In
Chapter 2.

Question 1 = Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith (3:2)?
Question 2 = Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh
(3:3)?

Question 3 = Did you suffer so many things in vain — if indeed it was in vain (3:4)?
Question 4 = Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith (3:5)?

Abraham (6-12)

What makes you a son of Abraham?

When God told Abraham that all nations would be blessed through him, He said this to indicate He was going to justify who?

Abraham (6-12)

Those Who are of Faith are BLESSED with Abraham.

Those Who are of the (works) Law are CURSED.

Why is everyone cursed who tries to be justified by the Law?

Christ (13-14)

How was the curse removed?

Deut. 21:23

Jesus Removed the Curse by Becoming a
Curse.

This Happened so that the Blessing of
Abraham Could Come to the Gentiles.

The Covenant (15)
CHALLENGE QUESTION (15-18) – What is the apparent charge that Paul is answering concerning the promise to Abraham and the
Law of Moses?

The Covenant (15)

The Covenant With Abraham Was Made Before or
After Circumcision?

The Covenant With Abraham Was Made Before or
After the Law?

Judaizers = The Law Changed The Previous
Covenant With Abraham.

Not Even Man Changes A Ratified Covenant.

The Seed (16-18)

The Promise of Blessing Came Through One
Seed − Christ!

Interpretation = Those Blessed in Abraham are
Those in CHRIST!

The Blessing is Based on a Promise Not on the Law.

Why the Law? Is It Contrary To The Promise (21-29)?
• Kept Jews In Custody
• Shut Jews Up To Faith
• Brought Faith (Fulfilled the Promise).
• Became the Jew’s Tutor
• When Christ Came
There Was No Need
For The Tutor (Law)
• Made the Gentiles Sons of Abraham…Through
Faith!

The Promise
“Beforehand”

To Abraham
(8)

Because of Faith
(6)

Works of Faith
(5)

Sons of Abraham

Jews and Gentiles

Vs. 8-9, 26-29
The Law


Nullify
(19-20)
Works of the Law
(5)

Jews Only

What is Still Practiced in the “Church” Today
From the O.T.?

The Sanctuary

The Priesthood & Garments

Music

Mediation

Incense

The Altar

Lesson 7
Ch. 4


The first illustration Paul uses in this chapter is of slaves and children. Before Christ came, men (children) were held in bondage under what?

How did men go from being slaves to sons?


Before becoming sons, the Galatians were slaves to what?

4:1-12 - These Verses Illustrate the Point Paul
Made at the End of Chapter 3.

Illustrations:
 Tutor/pupil

Sons/slaves


3:22 = “Shut up all men under sin”

3:23 = “Kept in custody under the Law”

3:23 = “Being shut up to faith”

4:2 = “The son is kept under guardians”

4:3 = “Held in bondage to the elemental things”

4:7 = “A slave”


We Have the Same Temptation Today. What
Do We Turn Back To That is Weak and
Worthless?

Eph. 4:22ff

Col. 3:5

1 Pet. 4:3

“You Observe Days, Months, and Seasons, and
Years.”


Under what circumstances did Paul preach the gospel to the Galatians the first time? How did the Galatians react to Paul’s condition?

“Educated Guesses”

The After Effects of Stoning (Acts 14:19-21).

An Eye Disease (Gal. 4:14; 6:11).

Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-9).


Paul Brings This Up Because Something Had
Changed. Paul Was Now Their Enemy.

What Caused This Change?

In verse 17, Paul mentions “them.” Who do you think he is talking about and what are they doing?


Paul’s Reputation Was Unjustly Damaged By
The Judaizers. We Need To Be Careful We
Don’t Do the Same to Others!

Prov. 22:1

James 3:5


Paul ends the chapter with an allegory of Hagar and Sarah. What does…

Hagar represent?

Sarah represent?


Bondwoman

Not Barren

Son = Ishmael

Born of the Flesh

Old Covenant

Mt. Sinai

Present Jerusalem

Slaves (Bound)

Free Woman

Barren (Isa. 54:1)

Son = Isaac

Born of the Promise

New Covenant

Canaan
(Land of Promise)

New Jerusalem

Free


Ishmael Persecuted Isaac (Gen. 21)
Likewise

The Jews are Persecuting The Children of
Promise.

Ishmael and Hagar were Cast Out and Not to be Heirs with Isaac.
Likewise

The Law Needs to be Cast Out.

Lesson 8
Ch. 5


How would the Galatians subject themselves to a yoke of slavery again?

Binding the Law Upon Themselves as The Law of
Salvation.

This Verse Appears To Be A Closing Remark of the
Hagar/Sarah Analogy.


The Law = Slavery (Bondage, Custody)

Faith = Freedom

We are not tempted to be enslaved to the
Law today, but what are tempted to be enslaved to?

Look at verse 19.


Paul Makes It Personal…“I Paul”…“I Testify
Again”

What does it mean to receive circumcision?

If a man receives circumcision then he has to do what?


When you receive circumcision the following happens…
1.
2.
3.
4.
Christ Is No Benefit To You.
You Are Obligated To Keep The Whole
Law…To Be Justified By It.
You Are Severed From Christ.
You Fall From Grace (So It Is Possible).


Instead, We are to be Waiting for the
Hope of Righteousness…

We Wait…

Through The Spirit .

By Faith .


Circumcision means nothing in Christ.
What does have meaning in Christ?

Faith Working Through Love.

Who Can Have That? Jews and Gentiles.


Paul Talks About The Judaizers As One Man.

CHALLENGE QUESTION : Looking at the first
10 verses, Paul is basically telling the
Galatians that they should do what to the
Judaizers.


Question = Who Was Accusing Paul of
Preaching Circumcision Still?

Possibility # 1 = The Judaizers Were Accusing
Paul of Inconsistency.

Possibility # 2 = The Judaizers Were
Claiming That Paul Does Preach Circumcision.

Proof?
…
 He Had Timothy Circumcised


The whole Law can be summed up how?

What is the new problem Paul brings up now?

Paul talks about them biting and devouring one another. We all know that it takes two to Tango.
It is most likely that which two parties were involved in fighting one another?


What is the source of their fighting and quarrels? What can keep us from fighting with others?


5:18, Paul talks about the Galatians being led by the Holy Spirit.

What can you conclude about being led by the
Holy Spirit from this context?

It is one’s choice to be led.

Being led is the same thing as
“walking by the Spirit.”

Requires you to crucify the flesh.

Deeds of the Flesh
•
They Are
Evident…Visible.
•
They Are Opposite
The Fruit of the Spirit.
•
Those Who Practice
Them Will Not Inherit
The Kingdom.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Deeds of the Flesh
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Immorality
Impurity sensuality, idolatry,
Sorcery
Enmities strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger
Disputes
Dissensions factions,
Envying
Drunkenness
Carousing and things like these.
The Fruit of the Spirit
1.
Love
2.
3.
4.
5.
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
6.
7.
8.
9.
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness self-control

Lesson 9
Ch. 6

Fighting
•
Bear Burdens
(2).
•
Do Good To All
Men (10).
Boasting
•
Don’t Think
Highly (3)
•
Examine Your
Work (4)
•
Bear Your Own
Load (5)
Sin – Flesh
•
Forgive &
Restore (1)
•
Sow To The
Spirit (8).