The Book of Galatians – background to the controversyA Bible study prepared by the Rev Roland Kubke Presented Sunday, September 27, 2009 The Book of Galatians is a little different from most of the rest of the books of the Bible. Like all the rest, it concerns itself with our sin and our salvation. It points out problems and it assures us that God offers forgiveness and guidance to see us through. In one way, Galatians is different on the same level as the other letters of Paul. While the books of the Prophets and the Gospels talk about sin and salvation in general terms or make a call to very personal responses, the letters of Paul usually speak to specific communities. Where Galatians is unique is that those communities are not so much on the level of the congregation as on the level of ethnic and religious backgrounds. It speaks specifically to the tensions between Christians who were formerly Jews and Christians who were formally pagans, that is, people who worship idols. Essentially, the issue is that God blessed the work of reaching out with the Gospel, but those blessings resulted in problems. The Christians of Jewish origin found it very difficult to integrate the “new” people, and to accept them fully into Christian fellowship on God’s terms.
I. The Call to Reach Out A. The Other Sheep Even in Old Testament times, God’s grace was not supposed to be just for the Jews. The most famous example of God’s call to reach out beyond the Jewish people is found in the Book of Jonah. 1. Jonah 1:1-2. What was God’s command and what was Jonah’s response?
2. Jonah 3:1-3. What was God’s command and Jonah’s response after Jonah’s big fishing trip?
3. Jonah 3:10. How did the citizens of this pagan city respond and what did God do about it?
4. Jonah 4:1-3. What was Jonah’s reaction to this? Do you think that this was his own personal issue or could it have anything to do with his cultural environment?
B. The attitude in Jesus’ day 1. Luke 3:8 How important was a direct physical connection to Abraham as far as these people were concerned?
2. John 8:39. How far did these people go when it came to relying on their heritage as descendants of Abraham?
3. Luke 10:29. What was the issue behind this question?
4. John 10:16. In the context of the above discussion, what is Jesus referring to by these well-known words?
5. Galatians 3:28. What does this say about the proper relationship betwen ethnic or racial heritage and saving faith?
II. The Challenge to Distinguish Between Religion and Custom A. When religion becomes custom. 1. Mark 7:3-4. How do you know that the ceremonial washing became more here than following a religious directive? 2. Acts 11:1-10. a. What was the tension between religion and custom in this situation?
b. How did Peter resolve the tension?
3. Acts 15:5-11 How did Peter resolve the tension between custom and religion in this case?
4. Ephesians 2:11-13. Which shedding of blood really matters when it comes to saving faith? Now we are ready to look at the specific controversy dealt with in Galatians: a church culture that was not only excluding people whom God Himself had called to believe, but was distorting the Word of God for the sake of custom and national pride. |
