1. 1
Paul’s Letter to the Galatians
Another Gospel?

2. 2
“…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.”

3. 3
Who were the Galatians?

4. 4
1st Journey – Acts 13 & 14

5. 5
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)

6. 6
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

7. 7
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

8. 8
“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.

9. 9
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-
22
Motherhood theme 4:19
4:22-31
Paul gave birth to Galatians like a mother
Jerusalem – the mother of us all

10. 10
“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

12. 12
Damascus
Mount Sinai

13. 13