Galatians 1 Questions

Galatians

Last updated on November 19th, 2018 at 06:01 am

Here Are Questions Related to Chapter 1:

From Shaun E.

  • What were some of your most cherished traditions growing up?

  • What were some of your least cherished traditions growing up?

  • What are some things that we do that make following Jesus unnecessarily resistable?

  • Why is it important that Paul has to state up front in his letter to the Galatians, “Paul, an apostle – sent not from men nor by a man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead”?

  • Read 1 Timothy 4:1-5: How does this relate to the discussion of people trying to add things to the gospel?

  • Read Galatians 1:6-7.  Paul is expressing his astonishment that the believers in the church he started in Galatia would mix and match the old testament laws with the good news regarding the new covenant Jesus established with mankind through his death and resurrection.  What practices do you think Paul is talking about?

  • Read Galatians 1:8-9.  Paul is clearly upset. Do you think he had a right to be upset?  What was he so afraid of? Paul was upset with Judaizers, but Judaizers were just trying to honor their Jewish traditions, which were mandated under the old testament.  Doesn’t the old testament have value for Christians?

  • Read Galatians 1:10.  Paul’s making a point that if he cared more about getting the approval of others, he wouldn’t be doing what he’s doing now.  As a Pharisee, Paul had power, prestige, the ear of the people, respect of his peers. He was a Jew’s Jew. He would have it good.  Instead, he suffered beatings and prison in order to preach the gospel to the Galatians (see Acts 13-14). Are there things in our lives that we do or refrain from in order to maintain the respect of our peers, but don’t necessarily reflect the truth and love of God?

  • Galatians 1:11-12.  Paul calls out here a rebuke to those who might say that Christianity is a man-made religion.  Paul isn’t using Christianity to set a new bar of moral behavior or a new set of practices that Jews ought to practice.  He was talking about a new relationship that the world, both Jews and Gentiles, had with the Father through Jesus Christ.  And the message wasn’t given through experience, or by culture, or by performing a social survey of all the available good ideas and writing them down.  The gospel was given directly to Paul from Jesus, beginning on the Damascus road. Do you think people see Christianity as a relationship with God or just a set of good principles to follow?

  • Galatians 1:13-14.  Paul is demonstrating his credentials as a former fervent Jewish man.  Imagine that when Paul was younger, he was at the top of his class, the best of the best.  He must have heard a thousand times how good of a person he was because of his zeal for Jewish laws and traditions.  He had something to be proud of. Unfortunately, his pride would also be the thing that allowed him to reconcile rounding up early Christians and killing them.  Do you ever find yourself thinking little of others who don’t measure up to your standard? Who are people in your life who you don’t feel are worthy of your love and respect?

  • Galatians 1:15-24.  Notice that Paul did not go back to his fellow Pharisees to reconcile what Jesus is saying to him with what the Law and the Prophets say.  He knew that what Jesus was preaching meant he would have to turn his back on everything he previously stood for. “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”  And it was a blessing to everyone around him. Is your life a blessing to others, or is our view of Christianity a burden?