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Preface |
3 |
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Table of Contents |
4 |
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Reprint Guidelines |
8 |
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References and Abbreviations |
9 |
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Introduction to Galatians |
11 |
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Acceptance in the Early Church |
11 |
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Location of the Galatian Churches |
11 |
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Dating of Galatians |
14 |
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Occasion and Purpose of the Letter |
16 |
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1. No Other Gospel (1:1-10) |
18 |
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Salutation (1:1-5) |
20 |
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Paul, an Apostle Sent Directly from Christ and God (1:1-2) |
20 |
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Christ’s Rescue Mission (1:3-5) |
20 |
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No Other Gospel (1:6-9) |
22 |
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Another “Gospel” (1:6-8) |
22 |
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Paul’s Pure Motivation (1:10) |
24 |
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2. The Independence of Paul’s Gospel (1:11-2:10) |
26 |
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Revelation from Jesus Christ (1:11-12) |
26 |
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Authoritative Sources |
27 |
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Zeal as a Rabbinical Student (1:13-14) |
28 |
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Paul’s Calling and Revelation (1:15-16) |
29 |
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Not Influenced by the Jerusalem Church (1:16c-17) |
31 |
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Paul’s Contact with the Jerusalem Church (1:18-21) |
32 |
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Paul’s Time in Tarsus and Antioch (1:21) |
32 |
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Paul and Barnabas Go to Jerusalem (2:1-2) |
33 |
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The Decision Concerning Titus (2:3) |
34 |
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Paul Distances Himself from the Jerusalem Leaders (2:2, 6, 9) |
35 |
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James, Peter, and John Approve Paul’s Message (2:6-10) |
36 |
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3. Justified by Faith in Christ (2:11-21) |
38 |
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Jewish Separatism |
38 |
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Jewish Christians from Jerusalem Cause a Schism (2:11-13) |
39 |
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The Background of Peter and Barnabas |
40 |
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Paul Challenges Peter (2:11, 14) |
41 |
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The Missiological Issue |
43 |
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Both Jews and Gentiles Are Justified by Faith (2:15-21) |
44 |
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Christ’s Death for Sin Levels the Playing Field (2:17-18) |
45 |
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Dying to the Law (2:19) |
46 |
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I Have Been Crucified with Christ (2:20) |
47 |
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The Primacy of God’s Grace (2:21) |
50 |
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4. Faith Is the Key, not Law (3:1-25) |
52 |
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Argument 1. Receiving the Spirit through Faith (3:2-5) |
53 |
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Argument 2. Abraham’s Justification by Faith (3:6-9) |
55 |
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Argument 3. Redeemed from the Curse of the Law (3:10-14) |
56 |
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Argument 4. An Enduring Covenant vs. a Temporary Law (3:15-18) |
58 |
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Argument 5. A Mediated vs. Unmediated Covenant (3:19b-20) |
59 |
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The Law is Good, only Weak (3:21-22) |
60 |
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The Law as a Custodian (3:23-25) |
61 |
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5. By the Spirit We Cry, ‘Abba, Father’ (3:26-4:7) |
63 |
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Sons of God (3:26) |
63 |
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One in Christ (3:28-29) |
64 |
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Slavery to the Basic Principles of the Kosmos (4:1-3) |
65 |
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When the Time Had Fully Come (4:4) |
67 |
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Born of a Woman, Born under Law (4:4) |
69 |
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To Redeem Those under the Law (4:5a) |
69 |
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Adoption or Instatement as Sons (4:5b) |
70 |
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The Spirit of His Son Crying ‘Abba, Father’ (4:6-7) |
71 |
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6. Freedom from the Law by the Spirit (4:8-5:12) |
74 |
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The Slavery of Their Gentile Past (4:8-9) |
74 |
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The Legalism of Observing Special Days (4:10) |
75 |
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Paul’s Frustration with the Galatians (4:11) |
76 |
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Paul’s Personal Appeal to the Galatians (4:12-15) |
76 |
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The Problem with Zeal (4:16-18) |
77 |
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The Agony of Childbirth (4:19-20) |
78 |
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Allegory of Hagar and Sarah (4:21-31) |
79 |
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Mount Sinai vs. Heavenly Mount Zion (4:24-27) |
80 |
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The Two Jerusalems (4:25b-26) |
80 |
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Son of the Slave Woman (4:28-29) |
81 |
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Set Free for a Purpose (5:1) |
81 |
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The Yoke of Slavery (5:1b) |
83 |
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Submitting to Circumcision Alienates You from Christ (5:2-4) |
83 |
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Faith Expressed through Love (5:5-6) |
84 |
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The Value of Circumcision (5:6) |
85 |
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The Judaizers Are Spoilers (5:7-10) |
86 |
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The Penalty for Hurting the Church (5:10) |
87 |
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The Accusation that Paul Is Preaching Circumcision (5:11a) |
88 |
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The Offense of the Cross (5:11b) |
88 |
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Paul’s Final Frustration (5:12) |
90 |
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7. The Spirit and the Flesh (5:13-21) |
91 |
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We’re Not Freed to Sin (5:13) |
91 |
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The Flesh as the Sinful Nature in Paul’s Writings |
92 |
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Using Freedom with Restraint (5:13-14) |
93 |
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Destructive Behavior in the Church (5:15) |
94 |
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Walking in the Spirit (5:16-18) |
94 |
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1. Released by the Spirit from Bondage to the Flesh (5:16) |
95 |
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2. Restrained by the Spirit from the Flesh’s Dominance (5:17-18) |
96 |
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The Works of the Flesh, the Sinful Nature (5:19-21) |
98 |
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Failing to Inherit the Kingdom (5:21b) |
100 |
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8. The Spirit and Character (5:22-26) |
104 |
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The Fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23) |
104 |
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1. Love |
105 |
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2. Joy |
105 |
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3. Peace |
106 |
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4. Patience or Forbearance |
107 |
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5. Kindness |
108 |
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6. Goodness |
109 |
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7. Faithfulness |
110 |
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8. Gentleness |
110 |
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9. Self-Control |
111 |
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Crucifying the Flesh (5:24) |
112 |
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The Ugliness of Pride (5:26) |
114 |
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Keeping in Step with the Spirit (5:25) |
114 |
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Cooperating with the Holy Spirit |
115 |
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9. Sowing to the Spirit (6:1-18) |
117 |
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Restoring a Fallen Brother (6:1-2) |
117 |
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Carry Each Other’s Burdens (6:2) |
119 |
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Beware of Being Condescending (6:3-5) |
120 |
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Sharing with Your Teachers (6:6) |
123 |
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A Warning against Self-Deception (6:7) |
123 |
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Sowing and Reaping (6:7b-9) |
125 |
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Don’t Become Weary (6:9) |
126 |
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Doing Good (6:9-10) |
127 |
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Paul’s Handwriting (6:11) |
128 |
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The Judaizers’ True Motivation (6:12-13) |
128 |
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The Offense of the Cross of Christ (6:12, 14) |
129 |
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Boasting in the Cross (6:14) |
130 |
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Law vs. the New Creation (6:15) |
131 |
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The Church and the Israel of God (6:16) |
132 |
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The Marks of Jesus (6:17) |
133 |
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Final Benediction (6:18) |
134 |
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Appendix 1: Handouts for Group Participants |
136 |
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Appendix 2. Chronology of St. Paul’s Ministry |
162 |
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Appendix 3: Songs and Hymns from Galatians |
163 |
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