Q: In Gal 1:1-6, what is so different about Paul’s greeting here vs. Paul’s other epistles?

A: Paul’s letters always start off warm, usually with grace and peace. Paul typically praises his brothers, saints, or fellow laborers, and thanks God for their love, endurance, and faith that they share. But You see none of that here. In Galatians 1:2, there is a deliberate lack of warmth that is in the other epistles. Paul is not welcoming of many Galatians, who might not even be saved because they are following a false gospel. In Galatians 1:6-9 Paul seems very agitated at what he heard about the Galatians. All his hard work in south Galatia, and his persecution and being stoned for Christ, look like they are in danger of all being swept away by Satan.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.589,590, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1003, John R. W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.21, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1200, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1875 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.427 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:1-6:18, are there any passages that are similar to other parts of the Bible?

A: Yes. While the exact words are different, the logical argument of Galatians 4:3-7 and Romans 8:2-17 are similar. In fact, some have gone so far as to say that Galatians served as sort of a shortened version or “rough draft” of Romans. This is too over-simplified though, as Galatians also has a lot on Judaizers and legalism that is not in Romans. See the Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary on Romans 1-8 by Douglas Moo p.542-543 (Moody 1991), The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.587, and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1873 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:1 and Acts 13:30, did God the Father raise Jesus from the dead, did Jesus raise Himself, or did the Spirit raise Jesus?

A: All of the above are true. Even humans can work together jointly. The three in the Trinity worked together even more in this wonderful miracle. Here is what scripture says.

1. The Father was involved (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Acts 3:26).

2. Jesus was involved in raising Himself (John 2:19-21; 10:18).

3. The Spirit was involved (Romans 8:11).

4. God did. (Acts 17:31; 2:32; 3:10; Hebrews 13:20).

5. Father and/or Spirit (2 Corinthians 4:14).

Q: In Gal 1:1-2, what are false gospels that have been preached since then?

A: There have been numerous false gospels preached, but most of them fall into one or more of three categories.

Subtractors: It is fine to ignore some parts of the New Testament or the Bible, especially parts deemed unpleasant. Or some parts have been so radically mis-defined that they are rendered almost completely meaningless.

Adders: To really be spiritual you need to follow one form of legalism or another.

Innovators: In addition to the Bible, you need to follow on the same level as the Bible, other books or teachings.

Q: In Gal 1:2, when and to whom was the Book of Galatians written to?

A: Christian scholars disagree on this. First some historical background, then two views, and finally which view seems more likely. Who it was written two greatly narrows down when it was written.

Southern view: Paul wrote to the churches he and Barnabas visited, i.e. in the southern part of the Roman Province of Galatia. When Paul mentions Barnabas in Galatians, he says nothing introducing him, implying that they all already knew who Barnabas was.

This would make Galatians the earliest letter Paul wrote, around 48-50 A.D., before the Acts 15 Jerusalem Council. Given the problem with Judaizers, one would think Paul would have referred to the Jerusalem Council that said Gentiles did not have to become Jews before becoming Christians. The answer, in the Southern view, is that the Jerusalem Council had not yet occurred. This view was first championed by Sir William Ramsay, and is the dominant view today.

Northern view: Since Paul wrote to “Galatians” it was the descendents of the Galatian Gauls, not the southern part that did not have any “Galatians” in it. This would mean Paul wrote to churches we have no record of, to a people he had never visited. Why would Paul visit them if he was going towards Europe, and he only tarried in Galatia due to an illness in Galatians 4:13. This would make Galatians written later, around 53-56 A.D. This view was championed by German scholars and The New Geneva Study Bible p.1845.

The most likely Answer: It is not completely certain either way, but the southern view has a preponderance of evidence. But either way, Christian doctrine and evidence of the authenticity of the book are not affected.

   See Carson, Moo, and Morris’s An Introduction to the New Testament p.290-292, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1873-1874, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1198, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.587-588, The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.125-127,136, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.412-417, The NIV Study Bible p.1781, the New International Bible Commentary p.1415-1416, and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1000 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:4, why is this present world evil, since it is actually a good and wonderful place?

A: First of all, the best this world has to offer is impoverished and trifling compared to the wonderful things of Heaven. Second, this world that God created does have good and wonderful aspects. However, people from Sudan, Somalia, World War II German and Japanese concentration camps, and Cambodia are not as naive as some Americans today. In fact, in the Buddhist religion, the first point of the eightfold path is that life is full of pain and suffering. Apart from the natural disasters, many fundamentalist Muslims and dedicated Communists sincerely believe it is their duty to invade and kill people who were not at war with them.

   The world is definitely not all good and wonderful. We live in a fallen creation (Romans 8:19-22), and people have evil inside of them (Romans 3:23). God is not so interested in improving the world, or making people comfortable in it, but in delivering people from it.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1875 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:6-7, Paul is essentially calling many Galatians “Christian deserters”. How are there Christian deserters today, and what should be out attitude towards them?

A: The Greek word here metatithemi, does NOT mean just turning aside or turning away. It means “to transfer one’s allegiance, as in soldiers who revolt, desert, or in general change sides. In Acts 15:1f, the Judaizers summed up their message as, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

   For people like this today, we should still pray for them, because a genuine Christian can be a deserter and then return. But we should not accept their false teaching or let them poison others. As painful as it sounds, we should also not harbor the illusion that, if they do not return to the faith, they will go to heaven. Note that Paul is Not just saying he has a difference of opinion, or even that they are deserting the truth or the true faith. Rather, here, Paul is saying they are deserting Him, meaning God.

   See John R. W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.21-22 and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1876 and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1005 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:6-7, why are some in the church so willing to accept error like the Galatians were?

A:There are at least two reasons.

a)  Many Christians do not have a good idea about differences in doctrine that are within the bounds of orthodoxy and which ones are soul-perishing heresies. Others have tried to distinguish the two with somewhat arbitrary criteria. Basically if someone denies a primary teaching, directly taught in the Bible, that is a different matter than Christians disagreeing on implied teaching, deductions, and ramifications that some Christians see one way and others a different way.

b) Many Christians do not understand that we are to separate from those who teach soul-perishing heresies. John tells us not to even invite them into our house or even greet them in 2 John 10. But we are to have unity in the Spirit with other believers who differ with us on secondary matters.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1876 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:6-7, what are some examples of Christian deserters in recent times?

A: Deserters are those who have made a profession of faith of orthodox Christianity and then turned away. In New Testament times, Simon Magus and Demas are two who appeared to some to be Christians but left the faith. In modern times, examples include Joseph Smith, Jr. (founder of Mormonism), Rev. Sun Myung Moon (founder of the Unification Church), Ted Turner, Charles Templeton (famous evangelist in the 1940’s and 50’s who became an atheist), and Martin Luther King, Jr. who denied the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

There are many Christian deserters, famous, and not, not on this list. But the point is, Christian deserters have been common and will continue to be so.

Q: In Gal 1:7, why does God allow His gospel to be perverted?

A: Two points to consider in the answer.

Not lost: God’s Gospel is not perverted in the sense of being lost. God’s word will never depart from God’s people, as Isaiah 59:21 says.

Some perverted versions: However, God permits some people to teach a perverted version of the Gospel. Even in Jesus’ time the Sadducees denied angels and the resurrection of the dead, as Mt 22:23-32 and Acts 23:8 show.

Q: Does Gal 1:8 show the early church became so apostate that [put any name here], was needed to restore the church almost 2,000 years later?

A: No. Paul is speaking just to the Galatian church, not to all churches. For example, after the letter of Galatians was written, Jesus Himself in the book of Revelation 2:8-11 and 3:7-13, had only good things to say about the churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia. When Cultists Ask p.248 mentions that Mormons say that God needed to restore the church through Joseph Smith. Rev. Moon also taught the need for restoration, as did others.

Q: In Gal 1:8,9, Paul does not sound very loving to curse people. Should we follow Paul’s example here?

A: Paul is not saying they have a little error here; Paul is serious about showing just how serious their false gospel is. Paul is not cursing them, but Paul is calling them cursed. Furthermore, Paul is even including himself and the holy angels, saying: “if we or an angel from heaven…” He wants others to clearly recognize them as cursed and not to follow, recommend or even acquiesce to their teaching. Today, we should be careful not to give the impression we recommend as teachers any that preach a false gospel that sends people to Hell. See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.630-632 and John Chrysostom’s Commentary on Galatians p.8-9 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:9, what exactly is it Paul said he “already said”?

A: There are two views:

1. John Chrysostom and others say Paul is deliberately reiterating verse 8. (Commentary on Galatians p.8)

2. Dr. Gross Alexander and others say this cannot be, since the Greek word is plural, not singular. Also the Greek word marks a greater distinction in time. See The Nicene and post-Nicene Fathers First Series vol.13 p.8 for more info.

   Assuming the second view is correct, there is a lesson we can learn here from this very minor point. Greek grammar was complex, and even Greek-speaking Christians were not perfect in interpreting the grammar of the Bible.

Q: In Gal 1:10-24, what about a person who says they believe Jesus but reject Paul?

A: Paul is establishing his credentials as coming from God. Paul’s defending His calling is the focus of chapter 1 and one of the two main points in the first half of Galatians. A person who says this is either a) rejecting God’s appointment of Paul as an apostle, or b) recognizing that Paul was an imposter and the entire Christian church throughout the ages was falsely putting Paul’s words as scripture. Paul is so direct here that he leaves us no other choice. If you reject Paul as an apostle, please don’t say you and I have the same faith, because we don’t.

   Theologian C.H. Dodd once write, “Sometimes I think Paul is wrong, and I have ventured to say so.” (The Epistle to the Romans in the Moffet New Testament Commentary, 1032 p.xxxiv,xxxv). Quoted form John R. W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.15.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1875.

Q: In Gal 1:10, why do Christians try to please men? Why did even Paul try to be all things to all men in 1 Cor 9:19-22?

A: 1 Corinthians 19:23 answers that Paul tries to relate to all men “for the sake of the gospel.” Paul (and we) try to be agreeable, relate to people, and present the timeless truth in a way to which people of our time can relate. However, Paul (and we) are not to compromise our teaching or practice of truth. It is interesting that the Epistle to the Galatians is all about liberty, and Paul frequently emphasizes that he is a slave of Christ.

   Paul’s wanting to be all things to all men for the sake of the gospel was misinterpreted by some that he was just trying to please everyone.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.430-431 and The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.153 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:11-12, did Paul contradict himself in 1 Cor 15:3-8 as the Jesus Seminar claimed?

A: No. In Galatians 1:11-12 Paul says he did not receive the gospel from any man, but he received the gospel by revelation from Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 Paul said, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:…”. Notice that 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 does not specify how Paul received the gospel. Paul received the gospel form God and passed it down to us.

   See The Resurrection of Jesus p.378 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:11-24, when should we take the time to thoroughly defend our Christian witness or ministry?

A: The Judaizers were telling others not to trust Paul by casting doubt on his credentials. Paul defended his credentials, his independence. The reason he did not focus on the Jewish law was certainly not because he was somehow ignorant of it. In verses 1:23-23 Paul’s point was that He was an apostle appointed by Jesus Christ himself, not a “derivative apostle” that came from the other apostles and was under them. On the other hand, Paul was accepted by them.

      See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1876-1877, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1004-1005, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1202, the New International Bible Commentary p.1418, and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.591 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:14-16, why did Paul emphasize his prior zeal so much?

A: No one with that much zeal would be persuaded by ordinary people. It would take something special, and God provided it by having Jesus Himself appear to Paul.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.433, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.31-32, and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1201 for more info.

Q: Do Gal 1:15-16 and Jer 1:5, teach that the heresy of reincarnation, or at least pre-existence, is true?

A: No. Hebrews 9:27-28 shows that reincarnation is false, and no verse shows that pre-existence is true. God setting apart someone from birth, or even before they were conceived means that God had planned for them to serve Him in a special way. Psalm 139:16 shows that every day of our lives was written in God’s book before one of them came to be. In other words, before our first day of existence, God had everything planned for us. God is not limited. We did not have to exist first for God to be able to plan something for us.

   It would be reaching desperately to say that since God knew about us before we were born, that God was unable to know the future about us unless we existed then.

   See the discussion on Hebrews 9:27-28, When Cultists Ask p.83 and Now That’s a Good Question p.180-181 for more info.

Q: In Gal 1:18, 2:1, what is Paul’s chronology here?

A: In Galatians 1:7 Paul says he went up to Jerusalem after three years. John Chrysostom thought that Paul went there to evangelize the Arabians, but it is more likely that Paul went there to learn from God. Just as the other apostles were three years with Jesus, Paul was three years in Arabia. Then in Galatians 2:1 after 14 years he went to Jerusalem again.

   It is unclear whether the 14 years is after his conversion (coinciding with the three years), or after the three years. However, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.438 says it would appear that Paul is dating the fourteen years for his conversion, but it says it is most probably that it is at the end of the three years.

   However, three years, in Jewish thinking could be one full year plus parts of two other years, three full years, or anything in between.. So three years is between just over one to three years. Likewise, 14 years is just over twelve to 14 years.

Paul was converted between 32 to 35 A.D. and went to Arabia. (The skeptical Asimov’s Guide to the Bible p.1021 says between 32-36 A.D.) Paul escaped from Antioch in a basket and went to Jerusalem the first time in Acts 9:23-30, around 35-36 A.D.. Then Paul returned home to Antioch. Then Paul went on his first missionary journey,  which began around 47 A.D,. There was a great famine, which has been historically dated to 46 A.D. Paul returned to Jerusalem to give the money for that (Acts 11:27-30). Paul then went to Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-30), in 49 A.D. Paul also went ot Jerusalem at the end of the second missionary Journey in Acts 18:22. Paul’s final time in Jerusalem was when he was imprisoned in Acts 21:15-23:24. Jews usually went to Jerusalem at least once a year, so Paul might have gone to Jerusalem other times too.

    See John Chrysostom’s Commentary on Galatians p.12-13 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers First Series vol.13 by Gross Alexander), The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.593, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.435.438, the New International Bible Commentary p.1419-1420, The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.155-156, and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.34,36 for more info

Q: In Gal 1:21-22, did the churches in Judea not know Paul, or did Saul persecute the churches in Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1-3) (Jesus, Interrupted p.56)

A: They would have certainly known the reputation, though not the face, of Saul of Tarsus. However, after he became a Christian (and changed his name to Paul), he was not personally known to the churches in Judea. Galatians 1:22 does NOT say the Judean churches never heard of Saul. Rather the Greek says, “I was unknown by face” to the churches of Judea. A second factor, mentioned in The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.156, is that after 17 years or so, Paul “was becoming unknown” to many Christians.

   See The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.157 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:2, why did Paul say he was afraid he might have run his race in vain?

A: First what is not the answer, and then the answer.

Not the answer: Paul most likely was not afraid that he was teaching the wrong gospel, because he emphasized that he had received it from God in Galatians 1:11-12.

The answer: Paul was afraid that his effort, his “race” to see people come to Christ would all be undone if he and the apostles did not speak with one voice. Paul saw that their making the wrong decision could have truly terrible consequences. Paul probably brought Titus, a Gentile, along as a “test case” to show in person Gentile fruit.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.438-439 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.593 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:3-5, what is unusual about Paul’s writing here?

A: Paul is a good writer of Greek, but here the sentences are choppy, and as Bishop Lightfoot said, this paragraph as “this shipwreck of grammar”. Apparently Paul was writing with strong emotions rather hastily.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.43, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.439, and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1007 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:6 when should we defer to someone to “seems to be something” and when should we not?

A: We are to respect authority when authorities are acting within their proper authority. But we are not to place ourselves under spurious authorities. Perhaps Paul was unclear on the role of James the Lord’s brother, bishop of the church in Jerusalem, who seemed to have similar authority as the apostles, but was not an apostle, and did not even follow Jesus until after His resurrection. If people questioned Paul’s authority, not being one of the twelve disciples, then these Judaizers should also question the authority of James. The Judaizers came from “James’ party”, but scripture does not say that they actually had James’ endorsement, as The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.447 and The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.162 say.

   Paul is making two points simultaneously here. First, these authorities recognized Paul’s authority, and second, they did not commission or otherwise give Paul any authority that he did not already have.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.595 and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1008 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:7, St. Paul speaks about “the gospel of the uncircumcision” and “the gospel of the circumcision”. What’s the difference between them?

A: Circumcision and uncircumcision refers to two groups of people: Jews and Gentiles. Galatians 2:7 in the NIV says, “On the contrary the [the apostles] that I [Paul] had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews.” There is only one gospel, but Paul went primarily to Gentiles while Peter to Jews.

Q: In Gal 2:11-14, how could the apostle Peter be a bad example?

A: Peter sinned, and he was fallible in his thinking and example. Peter probably did not change what he believed, but he changed his behavior to please these Judaizers from Jerusalem. God’s words, including those spoken through the apostles, were without error. That does not mean every one of the apostles own words were without error, or that the apostles were sinless. Peter did not need correction as one who did not know. Rather he needed rebuke because Peter for certain knew better, because of the vision God gave him, and Peter sitting down to eat with Cornelius and the other Gentiles in Acts 10, and especially Acts 11:3-4. Peter also ate with Gentiles in Antioch, but hypocritically stopped Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem.

   See the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1008-1009, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.446, and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.51-52 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:11-14, one could try to argue that Paul, for the sake of unity, should have just quietly gone along with Peter’s hypocrisy on this small issue. Why would this be wrong?

A: First of all, this was not a small issue; it meant relying on doing Jewish rites as essential for salvation in addition to Christ.

   Paul probably would have gone along, if he had thought that unity in Christ was the highest goal. But it was not to Paul, and it should not be for us. Peter was actually the one who first broke the unity of believers here, not Paul. We should strive for unity in the Spirit according to Ephesians 4:3, but loving, obeying and glorifying God should be our highest priority instead. Preserving unity should be just one means of us doing the highest priorities.

   There was actually not one problem here, but three. The first was Peter dividing from other believers because they were Gentiles. The second was his hypocrisy of only doing that when Jewish believers were present; what would Gentile think of Peter’s fellowshipping with them after the Jewish Christians left? The third problem was that Peter was in such great a position of authority that this would seem to legitimize other Christians acting this way, and others would fall too, including even Barnabas.

   Paul was trying to compromise with weak brethren, not false brethren. However, when Peter himself set this bad example, Paul could not compromise on this. Often when someone sins you should talk with them privately first. However, since Peter did this publicly, Paul needed to rebuke Peter publicly, in the same scope as the bad example happened. If Paul had done nothing, either Christianity would have stagnated as a Jewish sect, or there would have been “two Christianities” a Jewish one and a Gentile one.

   See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1203, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1878, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.43,44,51-54, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.446, and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.595 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:11-14, what are some clever rationalizations some have made of this passage?

A: This does not cast a good light on Peter/Cephas. It shows that is make mistakes and does wrong things like the rest of us. Clement of Alexandria suggested this might be a different Cephas than Peter the apostle. However, there is no indication that Paul was not talking about the apostle. The strange teacher Origen, and later Jerome, thought that this was just a staged plot between Peter and Paul to highlight the importance of grace. Augustine and others refuted this though.

   See The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.162 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:11-14, how should we handle things when a respected church leader says or does things that are a bad witness for Christ?

A: First of all, realize that these are not isolated incidents. This happened here with Peter, it has happened with the bishops Zephyrinus of Rome from 198-217 A.D. It happened with many other bishops before and after then, all throughout western Europe in the Middle Ages, and it happens with Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Charismatic leaders today. So this is something we frequently have to deal with.

   This could happen a) because of genuine Christians who have gotten off track, or b) they were not Christians at all. As an example of the second, Pope Formosus of Rome, who is agreed by all to have been a heretic. Seven months after he died, his body was dug up and put on trial for heresy. Now pretend you were a Christian at that time, and try explaining why that happened to a non-believer.

   Basically we need to emphasize that we look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), not to any fallible human. Peter was not infallible in his example, and neither are other leaders. Peter had abandoned salvation by works, but now he was going back to it. Yes, it is disappointing when a Christian falls, or Christians unwisely let a non-Christian become their leader. We are to submit to good Christian leaders, though realizing that none of them are perfect. But while they can be helpful to us, we should turn away from those who seem to be leading Christ’s church but are ungodly, as 2 Timothy 3:1-5 commands us.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1879-1880 for more info.

Q: In Gal 2:11-14, if Peter was once a bad example, does this mean that a Catholic Pope who was a bad example is not disqualified as Peter’s successor?

A: I supposed someone else could argue that if a Pope burned Christians at the stake, he was not willing to sit down and eat with them, but I think the two situations are fundamentally unlike. There is a world of difference between not sitting down with genuine Christians, and ordering them to be burned at the stake for the crime of reading the Bible. The unintentional sin of Peter’s confusion does not excuse a lifetime of flaunted wickedness, murder, immorality, drunkenness, and luxurious living of the offerings of others. Also, Peter repented of his hypocrisy, and the Roman Catholic popes did not.

   Pope Julius (1504-1513) had his armies destroy and loot entire Italian cities to add to his empire of the Papal States. According to Austin’s Topical History of Christianity p.148, after 904 A.D. was the so-called “pornocracy” in which prostitutes had relations of power and sexual intimacy with various popes, including Popes Sergius III, Anastasius III, Lando, and John XII. People bought the office of Pope as Gregory VI and Alexander VI did. Men became Pope by the previous Pope being murdered (Boniface VII, Leo V, and Stephen VII all killed). There were periods of two and even (once) three popes at a time (Ursinus and Damasus (366-384), (Gregory VI, Benedict IX, and Sylvester III). Popes were sometimes deposed unwillingly, which makes the concept of papal succession very intriguing. Pope Stephen VII 896-897) had the body of Pope Formosus dug up and condemned for heresy at a mock trial.

   Some Catholics might agree there is a possibility that at least one of the preceding popes was not in the center of God’s will. Actually, “Papal succession”, if it ever existed, was made meaningless in the Middle Ages by the lack of papal succession.

   One hand, it should be pointed out that if one can find a Catholic who is a rotten, ungodly person, that does nothing to prove Catholicism wrong. On the other hand, if millions of Catholics loyally obey the wicked desires of someone who is like, this, even when they know he is ungodly, there is something very wrong.

Q: In Gal 2:16-21, is Paul implying the Old Testament Law was evil, as Gnostic heretics taught?

A: Not at all. As John Chrysostom (392-407 A.D.) put it, “he does not say they had abandoned the Law as evil, but as weak.” See the discussion on 1 John 1:1 for more on the Gnostics.

Q: In Gal 2:16-21 and Gal 3:11; since righteousness could not come by the law, how come those who read the Old Testament were taught this error?

A: The Old Testament does not teach this error. However, people have an uncanny ability to interpret things to be what they want them to mean, and to add to God’s word. Some people took all that God said about His mercy, and made their obedience to God’s Law, not God, their hope. Even today, some Christians can be unbalanced, and care about some good aspect of Christianity, such as spiritual experience, Bible study, helping the poor, or religious ceremonies, as more of a focus on their life than God Himself. Some can love religion more than they love God.

Q: In Gal 3:1, can some Christians be bewitched?

A: No, Paul is not saying that. Paul is hypothetically asking if they were, because of his surprise at how quickly many Galatians were turning to a different and false gospel. The Greek word for who, tis, is singular, not plural, and so refers to Satan, and NOT a group of people. A fool in the Bible is not someone who is unintelligent or uneducated; it is someone who is naïve of or else hardened against spiritual wisdom.

   The Greek language was multiple words for foolish. The word used here differs from what Jesus used in the parables. The word here is anoetus, which means a person who can think but chooses not to do so.

   As a side note, in the religion of Islam, one thing Christians and Sunni Muslims can agree on is that, at least at one time, Mohammed was under an evil spell and Mohammed said things that were false. You can read the Bukhari Hadith (vol.4 book 53 ch.33 no.400 p.267, vol.4 book 54 ch.10 no.490 p.317, and vol.8 book 75 ch.59 no.400 p.266) for a complete account of how it says that Mohammed was at one time bewitched by an evil spell. Muslims in general think Mohammed recovered.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.453, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1881 and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1204-1205.for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:1, what are some ways people can be diverted to something lesser, instead of what they ought to focus on?

A: People often are better at gathering information than prioritizing what they should do with the information. In making purchasing decisions for a company, it sometimes seems like people tend to decide to go with the last salesperson they talked with. We can have serious biases in our decision-making depending on how much discussion we have on something and how recently we looked at an aspect. Our eyes are too easily diverted. In our quiet time with God, not only should we study the word and pray, but we should also meditate and reflect? Are we really keeping the most important things the most important things? Or, paradoxically, are we just too busy to stop and figure out what we ought to be doing?

Q: In Gal 3:2-3, it seems that throughout history there has been almost an overpowering urge for people to add to the gospel. Why do you think that is?

A: A person can think the gospel has truth, but not think it is complete. If you don’t think that there are many ways people try to add to the gospel, allow me to disabuse you of that view. Various people have said that in addition we need the following.

All of the Jewish law (some Hebrew Roots movement)

Circumcision and other parts of the Jewish law (Seventh-Day Adventist)

Water baptism of people instead of circumcision (Church of Christ)

Baptism (sprinkling) of cars, pets, and even military tanks (Russian Orthodox)

An additional book of rules (Tyconius),

Additional Scripture (Mormons, Unification Church)

Combination with Islam (C5 “Christians”, and Chrislam in Nigeria)

Combination with Hinduism (Some Indians in Kerala)

Combination with Greco-Roman gods (Hermetic Gnostics)

Combination with additional secret teaching (other Gnostics)

An organization to tell us what to believe because the Bible can be dangerous (Jehovah’s Witnesses)

Saints interceding for us

Violent revolution (Liberation theology)

Praying to pictures or statues of saints

Faith plus works (Roman Catholicism)

Icons (primarily Eastern Orthodox churches)

“Calvin’s works weren’t scripture, but they should have been”

Progress of theology: We need the theological advancement through the ages to really be a Christian that is “up to snuff”.

People have been very creative on what we need in addition to the gospel. But creativity is not always a good thing.

   There are probably many different reasons why so many people have believed so many different things are important in addition to the gospel, but most of them can be lumped into at least one of four categories: convention, fear, pride, and desire.

Convention: Winning athletic competitions, good grades in school, raises at work, and most things in life we have either earned or at least think we have earned. Why should spiritual things, which are more important to try hard at, be any different? If we did not earn it, then why would people try?

Fear: They are still holding on to what they see as the “good” in a competing world view or religion, and they are afraid of missing out if they don’t accept that also. It is thought to better be safe and do this other thing too in addition to the gospel just to make sure all the bases are covered.

Pride: God did great, giving us His word, but they can, and think they need to, improve upon it.

Desire: they see (perhaps correctly) that life in this world would be so much easier if they could say there are something else too, besides being a Christian. Persecution would be less, business opportunities might be more, and they just have a desire to continue in their old ways too.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.99 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:3,21, what are some ways that people try to add to something to make things better, but end up wrecking the core of what they were trying to improve?

A: When you change the core so that it is no longer the same core, then you have gutted the gospel, to better accommodate with others by having a fundamentally different message.

   In Chinese there is a slang phrase for this idea: “putting legs on a snake”, i.e. being the first to draw a snake in a snake drawing context, and then drunkenly putting legs on it and disqualifying your drawing.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1886 and the New International Bible Commentary p.1422 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:3,21, what are ways today people effectively teach that Christ died for nothing?

A: If you can get to heaven by being a good person, then Christ wasted his time. Of course, if someone can define a good person whoever they feel, then it becomes rather arbitrary what a good person is. But if you can get to heaven by following a specific set of rules, then again, Christ’s death on the cross was unneeded. Did Christ really have to die for our sins, and is it crucially important to believe that? If you believe so, then share with people like you believe it.

   See the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1011 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:8, what is the point of bringing in Abraham and Moses?

A: As John R.W. Stott says, Paul surveyed the whole Old Testament, like a mountain range, with Abraham and Moses being two of its highest peaks. But the Mt. Everest is Jesus Christ. Abraham and the promise made to him is the first peak, and it is not negated by the second great peak, Moses and the Law. Paul is very respectful of the Law, and wants to emphasize that there are only peaks, but there is also a third.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.92,95 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:10,13 how are people under the law cursed?

A: Deuteronomy 28:1-13 speaks of the blessings for the Israelites, who know the law, and keep it. But Deuteronomy 28:15-68 speaks of the many curses for the Israelites, who know the law, and turn away from it.

   As for being cursed, that is an apt description to describe people who are trying to meet a standard that they cannot keep, never realize it, and yet refuse to follow the one way to get to Heaven who has kept the impossible standard for them? “Under a curse” seems an apt description.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1882 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.598 for more info.

Q: How do Gal 3:11; Rom 1:17; 3:28 relate to Hab 2:4?

A: In Habakkuk “righteous” seems to refer to those in a right relationship with God. In these New Testament verses, righteous can refer to those who have been pronounced righteous, and thus are in right relationship with God.

   Paul also quoted from Habakkuk 1:5 in Pisidian Antioch in Acts 13:41, or Habakkuk was definitely on Paul’s mind.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.455 and the New International Bible Commentary p.1422 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:13, was Jesus cursed, or was He blessed as Ps 72:17 says?

A: Both aspects are true. Christ was blessed by God the Father, and Christ voluntarily took upon Himself God’s curse for our sins at the cross. In Revelation 5:12, Christ will be blessed in Heaven. See When Critics Ask p.473 for a chart of how Christ was blessed and cursed. See Haley’s Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible p.115 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.598 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:13, do Christians worship and follow someone they even admit was cursed by God?

A: Yes we do, and we make no apologies for it. It is not just that Jesus was under a curse, it is rather that Jesus choose to be under a curse, for your sake, and for mine. Jesus willingly took upon Himself our curse, punishment, and shame by dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus did not become sinful Himself, but people’s sins were placed on Him.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1883 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:16 (and Acts 3:25) vs. Gen 12:7, etc, “seed” is a collective singular noun, (as is the word “offspring”), so why does Paul say it could refers to just one?

A: In English we might say “people”, “offspring” or “going to seed” without meaning just a single one. The point here is that Paul is reminding the Jews that their scriptures (the Old Testament) taught that the promises made to Abraham’s descendants would come through the Messiah, which both the Jews and Christians acknowledged as one person.

   See the New International Bible Commentary p.1423, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.463, and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1883 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:17, did Moses receive the law only 430 years after Abraham?

A: The Israelites lived in Egypt for 430 years; they were slaves in Egypt for only 400 years. Paul was especially reminding Judaizer readers that Moses received the law just after this 430-year period of time. Of course, since it was more than 430 years, then it is a true statement that it was 430 years after this. See Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties p.403, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.463, When Critics Ask p.473-474, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.598-599, and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1884 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:17, what does this say about the Abrahamic dispensation being made obsolete by the Mosaic dispensation?

A: Regardless of whether or not you look at history in terms of dispensations or not, they verse proves that the time the Mosaic Law was given did not invalidated what was promised earlier. Certainly the Mosaic Law was a new dimension on top of God’s covenant with Abraham, but did not make everything said to Abraham worthless. Today, the relationship between the New Covenant, in Christ, and the Old Covenant, under Moses, is a bit different. Many things under the Old Covenant have in fact passed away, such as animal sacrifices, dietary laws, etc. However, who God is has not changed, and the precepts taught in the Old Testament are still true today.

   See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1206-1207 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:17, why did Paul not give the precise number of years?

A: Before giving two probable reasons, it is important to explain the difference between accuracy and precision. If a bucket contains exactly 1,056 balls, and someone says it has 2,000 balls, or only 500 balls, both statements are inaccurate (and false). If someone says it has a thousand balls, that is accurate (and truthful) but imprecise. If someone says it has more than 500 balls, that is also accurate and truthful, but not precise and not comprehensive. The Bible is all true in its original manuscripts, but it is often imprecise, and not comprehensive. Here are two reasons we can see for imprecision, here.

1) God did not see a need to inform Paul (or anyone else) the exact number of years between Abraham and the Exodus. God had the Bible written to be completely true, and to have all the precision we need to understand what God wanted to communicate about Himself, man, getting saved, growing in Christ, and serving God. God apparently did not see a need to have the Bible written with greater precision than was required, and He did not see a need to have it preserved with a greater precision than required.

2) Paul wanted to use the most conservative number. If Judaizers wanted to improve the precision, that only emphasizes Paul’s point of the long period of time.

Q: In Gal 3:21, what exactly did the law do for us?

A: It did not purify us or do anything to make us better; rather it showed us how bad we are. As Tony Evans says, the law is like a mirror. It shows us that we need to comb our hair, wash our face, and straighten our clothes, but it can’t do any of those things for you.

   See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1207 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:24, should it say, “our tutor to Christ” or “our tutor to bring us to/unto Christ”?

A: In both the KJV and NKJV, the words “bring us unto” and “to bring us to” are in italics and not in the Greek. So while they interpreted the meaning for us, to their credit, they distinguished by italics between what Scripture said and their interpretation. Without the italicized words it can mean bring us up to Christ, more than converting us to Christ. The Greek word here does not have an exact correspondence in English. It means more than tutor. A pedagogue was not actually a teacher. It meant a combination of chaperone, and strict disciplinarian, who took charge of a son from six to 16 years old.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.467, The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.173, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.600, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.97, and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.185 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:26, is everyone who reads Galatians a child of God? Is universalism true?

A: No. The Gospel is offered to all, but those who choose to reject God are free to do so, - and face the consequences. See the discussion on Colossians 1:20.

Q: In Gal 3:27, since all who are baptized have put on Christ, are all who are baptized going to Heaven? What about Simon Magus in Acts 8:13,18-20?

A: Water baptism does not save you; it is Christ who saves you. God commands all Christians to be baptized with water as a pledge of their good conscience toward God, as 1 Peter 3:21 says.

Q: In Gal 3:28, since there is no male or female in Christ, why are there are different roles in the church in 1 Tim 2:11-18 and 1 Cor 15:34-37?

A: Interestingly, this is the oldest known historical document that says men and women are equal. Christians disagree on women roles in church today, but all should agree on three points.

1. At all times, for men and women there is no difference in value to God, and there should be no difference in value to us.

2. All Christians must agree that equal value does not prove there should never be a difference in role, because, at least at that time, women were not to be in authority over men in church, as 1 Timothy 2:11-13, 1 Corinthians 11:3-9, and 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 show.

3. If one does limit a New Testament verse as “only for that time”, they should have good Biblical reasons as to why only that verse is limited to that time, and not every other verse with which you might happen to disagree.

Q: In Gal 3:28, how seriously should we take the command that we are all to be one in Christ Jesus?

A: Galatians 3:28 seems to be the direct opposite of a prayer by Jewish men “I thank God You have not made me a Gentile, a slave, or a woman”. Of course it is easy to say we should take this seriously. But on the other hand, there might be a temptation to downplay this when it might seem more fruitful to win people to Christ. However, this is wrong, as if a person does not submit to God’s authority, then we should question if they are really saved. The famous Christian missionary William Carey refused to baptize anyone who claimed to be Christian but still followed the Indian caste system.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.469 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.600 for more info.

Q: In Gal 3:28, how did Greek culture view women and marriage?

A: Here are some quotes from Greek writers taken from The Great Quotations compiled by George Seldes.

“Marriage, to tell the truth, is an evil, but a necessary evil.” -Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) quoted by Diogenes Laertius (p.67)

“Woman may be said to be an inferior man” Menander (342?-291? B.C.) (p.486)

   It is not good to take our views of marriage from pagan Greek writers.

Q: In Gal 4:3, what exactly are the “elements” or “elementary principles” people were in bondage to?

A: The word in Greek, stoicheia, is a general word that can mean elements. First what is not the answer, and then two possible answers.

Not the answer: evil spirits or idols. Since the law is not bad, some have thought demons or idols were the “elementary things” in view here. However, the verses from Galatians 3:23 to 4:3 speak of the law as our tutor, and the verses from 4:4 to 4:7 speak of the law. The only verse giving support for this view here is Galatians 4:8 speaks of them serving unspecified things that are not gods. This could refer to idols, but then this says the Galatians were considering returning to these things in Galatians 4:9, and they were in danger of returning to follow Judaism, not idols.

Not the answer: physical elements. Many Greeks, including Christians, thought of the physical world as made up of four elements: air, earth, fire, and water, hence Paul’s use of the word “elements”. Paul is in fact speaking of things known to them from the world, but there is no hint, here or anywhere else in the New Testament, of someone having a problem revering or turning back to “air”, “earth”, “fire”, or “water”.

The specific answer: The law. All of Galatians up to this point has a consistent message, don’t give up relying on Christ additionally rely on the law. “Elements” here are the elementary principles, which Jewish people would learn from childhood about the law. Paul is not saying the law should be followed anymore, nor is Paul saying the law is bad. Rather, Paul is saying the place of the law was like rules that little children needed before they grew up. The law was given by God, but the Pharisees’ preoccupation with the laws, more than the love of God, was used by Satan to bind people.

A general answer: Another way to paraphrase stoicheia would almost be “the ABC’s”, except that this does not reflect the disciplinary aspect of the law. In addition to the law, which Jews had learned from childhood, this applies to religious teaching that a person had previously learned prior to their new birth in Christ, that they were relying on or trusting in instead of or in addition to Christ. Perhaps these can even include false philosophy they learned in the past, as Colossians 2:8 mentions. The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.601 advocates this view. While this verse can apply to any previous religions “history” a person had before coming to Christ, the immediate context in view for the Galatian audience was the Jewish law.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.104-105, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1886, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1014-1015, and the New International Bible Commentary p.1423-1424 for more info.

Q: In Gal 4:4 and Tt 1:3, since the Father sent Jesus “in the fullness of time”, why was Jesus sent at that time, and not earlier or later?

A: This scripture simply says that Jesus was sent at the right time, without saying why, -but it is still fun to speculate. There are at least four factors we can see.

Language: From about 200 B.C. to 250 A.D., much of the area of the Roman Empire spoke Greek. After that, they spoke Greek in the east and Latin in the West. One language greatly helped the spread of Christianity.

Peace: This was a time window of peace. This was after the many wars of the Seleucids, Ptolemies, and Persians, which mostly stopped by 141 B.C.. Pompey conquered Phoenicia in 64 B.C. This window of relative peace was before 161 A.D. when the Parthians invaded Syria and 220 A.D. when the Goths invaded Asia Minor. By 350 A.D. the northern Europeans, Huns, and Persians were fighting Rome. Since there was relative peace, the Romans were able to eliminate much of piracy that often plagued the Mediterranean by 69 B.C., enabling people in Paul’s time to have fewer encounters with pirates. In general, peace was a great help in Christians moving about to spread the Gospel.

Roads: The Romans built over 42,000 miles of extensive roads that connected their vast empire together. This aided people such as Paul travelling relatively safely and easily to a great number of places.

Jewish synagogues: There were Jews teaching monotheism, and Jewish synagogues from Persia to Ethiopia to Lyons, France by this time. This could facilitate Gentiles understanding there was just one God.

Finally prophecy: The Messiah would come during the fourth kingdom prophesied in Daniel 7:1-10.

   The results were amazing. Within 300 years, Christianity had peacefully blossomed out to Ethiopia, India, Georgia, England, Spain, and North Africa. The only two major world beliefs that had a faster initial spread were Islam and Communism, and both of them spread fundamentally by military conquest.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.601 and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1208 for more info.

Q: In Gal 4:5 and 3:13, what are the two things Christ redeemed us from?

A: Christ redeemed us from the curse of disobeying the law in Galatians 3:13. But Christ did more. He also redeemed us from the slavery of the law in Galatians 4:15.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.601 for more info.

Q: In Gal 4:6-7, what is significant about the word Abba in this verse?

A: The word here can be translated as “daddy”. No mere slave, who is not a son or daughter, would ever call their master daddy. This word was used by Jesus in Mark 14:36 and later by Paul in Romans 8:15.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1887 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.601 for more info.

Q: In Gal 4:7, Rom 8:17; Eph 3:6; Heb 1:2; 1 Pet 3:7, how do you pronounce the word “heir”?

A: This is pronounced identically to “air”; there is no “h” sound.

Q: In Gal 4:9,21, why do some people desire to be in bondage?

A: It can be from fear, hope of reward, being more comfortable that way, or in some cases even an addition.

Q: In Gal 4:12-20, why did Paul change his tone here?

A: Paul has been severe and strict throughout this book, but here Paul speaks to them tenderly. Paul is appealing to their hearts to continue in the same course they were in. One could read up until chapter 4 and see, intellectually, how wrong the Galatians were. They could also read Paul warning them of the severity of their error. But they could not have read how much Paul actually cared for them. Paul is showing that here. When we need to rebuke someone, we should show them why they are wrong and the seriousness of them being wrong on a major point. But we should not neglect to also communicate how much we care for them. But then, in Galatians 4:15-20, Paul is basically asking if they still have any heart for him, and why they were so fickle.

   Remember, southern Galatia, specifically Lystra, was where people want to sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas as divine beings in Acts 14:11-18, before Paul and Barnabas stopped them. The believers there esteemed Paul and His words as those of Christ; so how could they change and feel like his enemy now?

   See the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1015 and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.111-114 for more info.

Q: In Gal 4:13, since Paul could heal others, why was Paul himself sick?

A: This valuable verse demonstrates that the healing power was with God, not with the apostle. Some cultic groups, such as Christian Science and a few strange Charismatic groups, teach that obedient, spiritual Christians will never get sick, and Christians should not take medicine. However, Paul being sick here, and Paul’s concern over the near-fatal illness of Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:26-27 and prescribing a remedy for Timothy’s stomach problems in 1 Timothy 5:23 show that even the best of obedient, spiritual Christians can get sick. That does not necessarily mean they have a lack of faith, or that God is punishing them.

   John Chrysostom (392-407 A.D.) in Concerning the Statues homily 1 v.14 gives a more involved answer concerning situations like Timothy’s stomach illnesses in 1 Timothy 5:23. John Chrysostom says God allows this situation to happen to Christians. Here is a paraphrase of his eight numbered reasons.

1. To keep them from being proud by the greatness of their good works and miracles.

2. The others might not have too high an opinion of them.

3. That it is clear it is the power of God that is being made manifest, not the power of the men.

4. The endurance of godly men under their trial or illness might be an example for others.

5. That when we see a godly men die of illness, we are reminded of the resurrection of all.

6. When we fall into suffering, we can have consolation that others before us have endured similarly.

7. When we are told to be imitators of Paul or others, we do not shrink back thinking they are of a higher nature. The have the same nature and weaknesses as other people in general.

8. We may learn that a godly person’s blessedness does not come from the circumstances of his health.

   Chrysostom then goes on for more than seven pages to elaborate and prove each of these points from scripture.

Q: In Gal 4:14, what did Paul mean by they did not despise my trial/illness?

A: Paul was suffering from a sickness when he was with the Galatians. We don’t know if it was a bout with malaria, an eye problem, or something else. Paul is pointing out that even though he was not healthy when he was with them, they did not look down on that at all.

Q: In Gal 4:22-31, what is the point of the four sets of twos?

A: Paul is first recounting history to make an allegorical point to apply to us. There are two sons, two women, two covenants, and two cities. Ishmael, Hagar, the Old Covenant, and the Old Jerusalem represent the old, slave-like way of the laws. Isaac, Sarah, the New Covenant, and the New Jerusalem represent the new way of promise. As Ishmael and Hagar could not say with Isaac and Sarah, whom they made fun of and despised, living for the law cannot remain with living with the promise of God’s grace through faith.

   See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1209, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.122-126, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1015-1016, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.603-604, and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1889 for more info.

Q: In Gal 4:25, was Mt. Sinai in Arabia, or was it in the Sinai Peninsula as the Torah indicates?

A: Both, understanding that “Arabia” here is not the modern country of Saudi Arabia. It is the Roman Province of Arabia. The Roman Province of Arabia was the Sinai Peninsula, and the northwestern portion of modern-day Jordan, and a small part of Syria. See either The Roman World p.107 or Encyclopedia Britannica under Roman History for a map proving this. As a side note, the Romans never conquered near Mecca or Riyadh.

Q: In Gal 4:30, why does Paul conclude this way?

A: Hagar believed in God, but Hagar and Ishmael, by their despising and mocking, were not compatible with Sarah and Isaac, the child of promise. They had to leave according to Sarah. Abraham did not want them to leave, but God told Abraham to listen to Sarah on this. Likewise the idea that you can follow Christ in the freedom of grace and still be in bondage to the law has to go. Finally, Paul is saying that the people who teach that you have to be in bondage to the law have to be put out of the church also.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.604 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:1, when Paul says we should stand fast in liberty, what exactly is the bondage we are to keep from?

A: This is a transition verse; this verse serves equally well as a summary of Galatians 4, and the start of Galatians 5:1-13. There are three possible answers.

Sin: Those who sin are slaves to sin, and we have been set free from that. Romans 6 goes into more detail about that.

The Mosaic Law: While the previous is correct, sin and flesh are only mentioned in Galatians 5:1-15 in one place: Galatians 5:13. In contrast to this, law/circumcision is mentioned six times. We are to serve God without being in bondage to the law. Jews spoke of “taking the yoke of the law upon himself”.

Both: In the mindset of law and sin, either “I am such a sinner for breaking the law”, or “I am such a great person for keeping the law.” Whether a person is on one side of the seesaw or the other, the emphasis is the same: “I”. Rather, our focus should be on the One who is important: God, and not ourselves. We live holy lives because we are in a loving relationship with God and want to please Him, not just because we want to escape punishment, get rewards, or consider ourselves better people.

   We live holy (though not sinless) lives because we are from the bondage and addictions of sin, and free from the yoke of the law. The yoke of the law served a good purpose, to constrain people’s sinning. But we don’t need the Mosaic Law anymore, and we are instead constrained from sinning by the love of God.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.486, the New International Bible Commentary p.1425, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1209, and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1016 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:2, does circumcision somehow limit Christ’s power or work?

A: Not at all. Just as never believing in Christ means that Christ’s sacrifice is of no value to a person, trusting in circumcision and rejecting Christ likewise means that Christ’s sacrifice is of no value to the person, and they will go to Hell. See Hard Sayings of the Bible p.632-633 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:2, in Old Testament times and New, what would be the difference between legalism and following the Mosaic Law?

A: What would you call a person who took very seriously following the Law of Moses, and focused on trying to please God mainly by obeying the law? – if they lived before Christ, you might call them a godly Jew.

Before Christ, Jews were supposed to try to follow the Mosaic Law as completely as possible. A legalist back then would be someone who was more concerned about the law than they were about God. They loved their traditions and law-keeping more than they loved the Lord. Like the Pharisees, they trusted in their own righteousness rather than having faith in God who forgives.

After Christ died for our sins, the definition of a legalist has “moved”. It also includes someone who trusts in the law and their own works, instead of, or else in addition to Christ. You believe that Christ’s salvation through His blood is essential, - good!. But do you also believe that it is complete, that Christ finished doing all that was needed to be done? If a person does not, then they have a “divided trust” issue, where they trust that Christ saved us partway, and partway something else is needed.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1890-1891 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:2-3, since Christ profits not those who are circumcised, can Christ profit the many baby boys circumcised today? Should they be debtors to the law, too?

A: No, for two reasons.

1. Galatians 5:2-3 only talks of men who let themselves be circumcised, not baby boys.

2. The general meaning refers to those who choose to be circumcised for the purpose of fulfilling the Old Testament Law. They demonstrate they are not relying on Christ to save them, apart from the Law.

Q: In Gal 5:2-4, what would you say to someone who says “I fully trust in Christ’s blood for my complete salvation” but I just want to make extra sure, so I will follow the Jewish law too?

A: You words are contradicting themselves. You are not fully trusting in Christ’s blood for your complete salvation, or you would not rely on something else too. Paul had strong words for people who thought that way; Paul is saying it is either/or, one or the other. Circumcision is just one example of doing something to safeguard something valuable (salvation) that ends up negating what you were trying to safeguard.

   In Galatians 5:6 Paul says neither circumcision nor non-circumcision really matter. Paul even circumcised Timothy in Acts 16:3. Rather, what Paul is so strongly against is the theology that trusts in Christ plus something else.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.487-488, The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.184, and the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1016 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:4, how can we fall from grace?

A: Paul is directly addressing seriously mixed-up Christians who have stopped relying on God’s grace in Christ. Paul is also talking to unsaved legalists. How do you tell the difference between a seriously mixed-up Christian and an unsaved legalist? Often you cannot, but you can warn them regardless of which they are.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1891 and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1210 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:4, what are the various views Christians have of what is meant here?

A: First the Greek, then four views, and then a conclusion.

The Greek word katergethete means “…any destruction of growth and life, physical or spiritual, beneficial or deleterious”, according to the Expositor’s Greek Testament p.184. This word is also used in Romans 7:2 for annulment by death of a wife’s obligation to her husband, and spiritual death in Romans 7:6. There are four main views.

1. Losing salvation is equated with falling away from grace. The Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1891 says this view is unsound because it is NOT talking about people who fall into sin and unbelief. Rather it is talking of moral people who think their own works will help get or keep them saved. It also sees it as ironic that some who want to use this verse to support losing salvation are legalists similar to what Paul is talking against.

2. A believer leaving grace for a system of legalism, but not losing salvation. This is not falling out of salvation into unbelief or willful sin, but falling from grace into legalism. Is it a paralysis of spiritual life by severance of union with Christ has a deadening effect on the whole spiritual nature, and results in craving for legal justification. See Expositor’s Greek Testament p.184, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.488, and Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.605 for more info. However, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1891 says this view is wrong because it does not describe Christians who seek sanctification, but unsaved people who attempt to be justified by the law.

3. Counterfeit Christians who seek to be justified by the law. The Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1891 espouses this view, saying they had to choose between two saviors: either Christ or the Law. Calvin thought that they were not trying to choose the law instead of Christ, but the law in addition to Christ, and believing any part of salvation is by works is not believing it is all by grace through faith.

2+3. Both foolish believers who renounce grace for legalism, and “apparent” Christians who permanently abandon the Gospel and never were saved. See the New Geneva Study Bible p.1865 for more info on this view.

   In the early church, this verse is not actually discussed. John Chrysostom teaches on this verse, saying it mentions the most severe of penalties, but without specifying anything more than that.

Conclusion: On one hand Paul is addressing the same people in Galatians 5:4 as the sons of God in 3:26; brothers he is addressing in Galatians 3:15; 4:12,28; 5:13; 6:1,18 who were running a good race in Galatians 5:7.

   Yet on the other hand Paul is concerned that his efforts were wasted on them (Galatians 4:11), and they might be among the eternally condemned who preached a different gospel in Galatians 1:8,9.

   Paul, like us, did not know who the elect were. Consider this example: if someone who appeared to be a genuine Christian falls into great sin, are they: an elect person who will later repent, come back, and persevere, or a reprobate person who has permanently abandoned the truth they have heard? God knows; we do not, and we do not need to know. But we certainly do not have an assurance that they are saved when they do that. Likewise, if someone falls into serious doctrinal error as the legalistic Galatians did, were all of the ones Paul addressed genuine Christians who fell into heresy but will come back, or were all of them unsaved, hell-bound people who would never believe the gospel of grace, or could they be a mixture a wheat and tares, and not even Paul knew which was which, but Paul’s job was not to judge their souls, but to warn them of the consequences if they continued in their legalism. So the answer is “2 + 3”.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.488, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.605, and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1210 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:7, how is the Christian life like a race?

A: It is like a very competitive race, but Christians are not competing with each other. Rather, we are trying to go as fast as we can, despite slower runners or cars cutting in front of us and slowing us down.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.605 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:11 and 2 Cor 2:15-16, why did Paul preach the cross, since he knew the cross was offensive to people? Paul did not want to put a stumbling block in anyone’s way (2 Cor 6:3) or do anything to hinder the gospel in 1 Cor 9:12.

A: Like Paul, we do not want to do anything that makes people offended with us personally. However, when we share the Gospel, we do not want to hide or minimize the parts that some people find offensive. Some people are offended that God watches their every move, or that on their own they are inadequate, failures before God’s tribunal. Some are offended that someone would suggest that they do things bad enough to need saving. Offended or not, people need to know the truth of the Gospel.

Q: In Gal 5:12, why would Paul mention that men who cling to circumcision could emasculate themselves?

A: While this might sound strange to us, in Asia Minor there was a goddess named Cybele, and her priests were all men who had castrated themselves. So even the Judaizers who stressed circumcision were not as vehement about it as the priests of Cybele.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.136, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.606, The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.185, and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.491 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:13, what is the “opportunity of the flesh here”?

A: Paul is saying to be careful that under the guise of Christian freedom, you don’t use that as a cover for sinning. We have freedom from sin, but not freedom to sin. The Greek word for opportunity, aphorme, means an advantageous place to launch a military attack. So don’t let Satan use a rationalization of Christian liberty to give sin a foothold in your life.

   See the New International Bible Commentary p.1426, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.140, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1211, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1892-1893, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.492-493, and The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.186 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:14-15, what is Paul implying here?

A: Galatians 1:1-13, and Galatians 1:14-15 seem like somewhat separate topics, but actually Paul is imp[lying a connection here. Legalists who emphasize the law over God are divisive and quick to quarrel with others. If I think that spirituality is all about obeying all the laws as I understand them, and you are not following everything as I understand it, then I want you to get with the program – my program, that is!

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1893 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:16, how do we walk/live in the spirit? Does this mean that every second of the day no matter what I am doing I have to be praying to God while I’m doing it? Does it mean that I always have to be thinking of God? Talking to God? What does it mean to “walk in the Spirit” as Paul says? Does this mean that when I am walking to the store In my head I am saying “God every step I am taking is totally on your dependence, and I praise you for every breath I take”. I’m not saying that is silly or absurd I am just trying to find out if that is indeed what is meant by walking in the Spirit.

   If that is true, then it is really, really hard to always be walking in the spirit meaning I sin waay more than I thought I did. Thanks, God bless. P.S.-- Was I typing this email in the spirit since it was about God?

A: If you are seeking to draw near to God, the sinful desires of this world, (love of money, lust, pride, and other desires) will grow dim. As Christians, we are to battle evil within us, as well as without as Romans 7:7-25 shows. Fortunately we are not left on our own in waging this war, God is there to rescue us (Romans 7:24-25) and even do the work within us (Philippians 2:12-13).

   Instead of “walk”, the Greek word here, peripatite, can be translated “keep on walking”. So when you are walking with God, and you see a temptation that tempts you to stop, just keep on waking. Walking in the Spirit is not easy, because “always” is a very tough word. I think you basically understand though that it is having an awareness of God in whatever you do.

Experience

Paul says to be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

“always giving thanks to God the Father for each other in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20) (NET Bible)

[Love] “always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” 1 Corinthians 13:7-8a (NIV)

You can look in a concordance and find other examples of what we are commanded to “always” do.

Jesus said He was with us always in Matthew 28:20.

Rejoice in the Lord always in Philippians 4:4.

Paul’s Example

Paul constantly prayed for others in 2 Thessalonians 1:11

Paul thanked God everyone he remembered the Philippians in Philippians 1:3-4

Actions

Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do in word or deed do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (NET Bible)

Always be prepared to give an answer ... 1 Peter 3:15.

James 4:17 says, “So whoever knows what is good to do and does not do it is guilty of sin.” (NET Bible)

The Bible has many verses on perseverance, and we shouldn’t forget that important Christian virtue too.

Finally, I suggest starting off each day right by dedicating it to God. I learned this many years ago at a youth camp where Josh McDowell was the speaker.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament p.607, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.494, and Now That’s a Good Question p.65 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:19, are adultery and murders mentioned?

A: While “adultery” fits the list, it is not in any ancient Greek manuscript. “Murders”, phonoi, is almost the same Greek word as “envyings”, phthonoi, just one Greek letter shorter. Some Greek manuscripts have “murders” and some do not.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.496 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:19-21, can Christians do these things and go to Heaven?

A: It is possible for a genuine Christian to do one of these things and then repent. However, if a person habitually does one of these things, it looks suspiciously like he or she will go to Hell and was never eternally saved in the first place. In Brazil, it has been estimated that half of the people who claim to be Catholics also practice some form of witchcraft or other Spiritism, or believe in spending money to pay a witchcraft practitioner to curse someone. While a Roman Catholic can be a genuine Christian, and a person who practices witchcraft can be a Catholic, it does not appear as though these Catholics are genuine Christians.

Q: In Gal 5:19,22 why would it say, “works of the flesh” and “fruit of the Spirit” and not “fruit of the flesh” and “works of the Spirit”?

A: Works are done by human energy; fruit (singular, not plural) is what God grows within us. Regardless of whether someone has to work hard at the works (plural) of the flesh (and some work very, very hard), they work hard to try to reduce the consequences. Having fruit involves taking away the barriers to growth that might be in your life. The Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1894 gives the analogy that works of the flesh come from a factory, and the fruit of the Spirit come from a garden.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1894-1895 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.498 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:19-21, what are some characteristics of these seventeen listed works of the flesh?

A: The first four involve sexuality, the next two around religion, and eight are relationships and two are drinking. If you are not a peace with God, you are not at peace with others or at peace with yourself.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.496 and The Message of Galatians p.147 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:20, what is interesting about the word “hatred” here?

A: The Greek word, echtrai, is actually plural, so a better translation is “hatreds”. When people have one hatred or a person, truth, or God, is it usually alone, or do other hatreds pop up shortly after? If you do not root out any hatred that you have, it can spawn other hatreds. The only things we should have hatred of are sins. We are not even to have hatred of sinful people.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament p.607 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.496 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:20, what is the work of the flesh called wrath?

A: This is a strong Greek word, thymoi, does NOT just mean anger. It means losing your temper in a fit of rage. When you are no in control, and your anger controls you, remember James 1:20: the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament p.607-608 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:20, the thought that dissensions and factions/heresies are merely intellectual disagreements seems very far from Paul’s mind here. Why do you think these things are sandwiches with the others, like idolatry, sorcery, and murders?

A: Paul did not list every possible work of the flesh, only the more serious ones, and apparently dissensions and heresies are just as serious as the others. It can sap the faith of some, and destroy the faith of those who put their trust in a person or organization.

Q: In Gal 5:21, what does the Greek word pharmakeia (witchcraft/sorcery) precisely mean?

A: This word has a broad range of meaning. On one hand, it can mean sorcery, witchcraft, magic, or enchantment. On the other hand, it can also mean drugging, poisoning, and even dispensing good medicine, as our English word “pharamacist” means. In general in this passage Paul is warning against the fruit of immorality, hatred and fighting, drugs and magic, and wild partying. You would almost think Paul knew of many modern movies!

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1894 and The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament p.607 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:21, what exactly is the last work of the flesh mentioned?

A: Some translations have revelries, and others have orgies. It can refer to wild partying, or riotous entertainment, at various levels. The Greeks and Romans had parties dedicated to the god of wine, Bacchus/Dionysius, from which we get our word bacchanalia. Bacchanalias were so wild, that the Roman Senate banned them (for a while at least) in 186 B.C.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament p.608 and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1894 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:22-23, if nonbelievers show the fruit of the Spirit, will they go to Heaven, too?

A: Only if wearing a wool sweater makes you a sheep. Having some of the outward works without the inward transformation does not help.

   Non-believers do not show the fruit of the Spirit. They can do some of these good things, and even do them from commendable motives. However, if the Spirit of Christ is not inside them, and they are not doing these things for Jesus’ sake, then their actions are not the fruit of the Spirit done for the love of the God who gave us the Bible.

Q: In Gal 5:24, what is important about the verb here?

A: It is active, not passive. In other words, crucifying the flesh, with its desires, is not something done to us. Rather it is something done by us. As John R.W. Stott points out, crucifixion in the ancient world was pitiless, painful, and decisive. When se self-crucify our flesh, it is the same way. Paul uses this as passive in Romans 6:6 and Galatians 2:20, but here Paul is emphasizing what we believers are to do.

   See The Message of Galatians p.150-151 and The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.499-500 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:24-25, what would you say to a Christian who thinks we should only passively let the Spirit do what He wants in our life and not take any initiative or decisions on our own?

A: The Christian is half-right and half-wrong. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to do what He wants in our life and not throw up any obstacles. But Galatians 2:25 if also says we are to walk (or march) in step with the Spirit’s leading. This does Not mean making our own decisions to feed our ambition, and independent of what God wants us to do. But we are to take initiative, and deliberately purpose to make decisions in  line with what the Spirit is leading us.

   See The Message of Galatians p.153 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:26, what does it mean to provoke someone?

A: It does not mean to get angry or otherwise strongly react to someone or something. Rather, it means to say or do something to get someone else angry or to strongly react. It would be done deliberately, or unintentionally. If something is unintentional, that does not necessarily mean innocent though. It could be due to apathy or lack of caring and love towards the other person or people. It can be thought of as throwing down a challenge to combat.

   See The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.,3 p.188 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:15,26, what exactly is the difference between bringing up and discussing a disagreement, which the other party might strongly believe, and crossing the line and causing strife?

A: Probably almost everyone who is wrongly causing strife thinks they are just bringing up where they disagree, so be careful, because the frequency of self-deception is very high. There are at least three different aspects to causing strife versus bringing up a disagreement. Falling into any one of the three is causing strife.

Motive – Are you saying or doing this solely because you want to please God and you want the best for them and any of hear of this? Or are there also other motives, such as “putting them in their place” or other forms of jealousy. Is there a “getting back at them” or other forms of revenge. Is there a “do you know who I am”, showing how smart or experience you are, or other forms of pride? You need to make sure your motives are right before you go talk to someone else. When someone does something with bad motives involve, often others can see those bad motives before the person is aware that they are “telegraphing” their bad motives.

Method – Jesus gave an example of a measure approach in Matthew 18:15-17. Jesus also had examples where He “let them have it” without any intermediary steps, such as Chorazin and Bethsaida in Matthew 11:21, the Sadducees in Matthew 22:23-32. Is their going to be “collateral damage”, or negative consequences that you did not desire? What can you do to focus the message, or limit the audience, to reduce the fallout of “friendly fire” or collateral damage.

Magnitude – If you can win over the other party, and people listening to the disagreement, then great, - maybe. Are you willing to consider that perhaps they disagree because it is you who have the wrong viewpoint? That might not be true that it is you who have the wrong viewpoint, but it you are unable to even ask the question, that is a red flag. But let’s say you are sure that you are right, and yet they do not change their mind? Once you have made your view known, what will you do? Will you a) drop it since they know, b) bring two or three others with you, or bring this before ethe entire church, c) if no one takes the side of truth (as you see it) will you leave, shaking the dust from your feet as you do so, d) before leaving try to snatch as many other people from the “fire” while you can, e) also work to warn the world of this error that they hold and specifically mention the people by name? Which should you do?

   Each of these five responses is the correct answer, depending on the doctrine or practice involved. Responses c, d, and e are causing strife. There are times when we are to cause strife, fighting against soul-perishing error, but there are times when we should not. Romans 14:1-15:7 are some examples of when we should not. Galatians 1:6-10, 2 John 9-10, and 3 John 9-10 are examples of when we should stand for truth even when it can cause strife. Jesus even predicted that strife would occur specifically because of obedient Christians in Matthew 11:21-23,34-37. But we should not cause strife that God does not want us to cause.

Q: In Gal 5:16,22-23, what are three grouping of the listed fruit of the Spirit?

A: Three aspects of walking in the Spirit is allowing God to have His way, “spiritual breathing” or staying in constant communion with him, and make holy decisions.

1) Love, joy, and peace, are relationships. Love, towards God and others, is a right relationship, as it ought to be. Joy is contentment and happiness in our present circumstances, both in things that we like and things that we dislike. Peace, with God, others, and our own situation, is unshakeable tranquility even in the midst of storms.

2) Patience, kindness, goodness are attitudes we should have towards each other. Patience, makrothumia in Greek, can mean putting up with others. Kindness includes modeling the kindness towards others that God has shown to us. Goodness has many aspects, and we should model all of them.

3) Inner life is faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  The first word does not mean having faith or believing something. It means being a trustworthy person that people can count on to do what you say you will do. In a society back then that valued strength, power, and sometimes ruthless, it was counter-cultural to say that we in contrast should excel in gentleness. In some places in the world today the same is true. Self-control does not seem to be highly valued in society today, but it is key to developing other aspects of the fruit of the Spirit.

   The first three parts of the fruit are things for us to discover, the middle three are things to decide to do, and the last three we are to choose to depend on the Holy Spirit for.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament p.608 and the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1893, 1895, the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1018, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.498, and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1211 for more info.

Q: What is Gal 5:25 saying about walking here?

A: This Greek word, stoichumen, is different than the word for walking in Galatians 5:16, peripatite. This Greek word in Galatians 5:25 means to walk or march in step, as a soldier would do. We want the guidance of the Holy Spirit to show us in general where He wants us to be. But this verse emphasizes the Holy Spirit direct us on how to get there too, every step of the way.

   See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1213 for more info.

Q: In Gal 5:26, why do people, who perhaps were not conceited before, become conceited? What can we do to stop that in ourselves?

A: There are at least two parts of this. The first is a consuming self-focus. Sometimes it might come from asking “What’s in it for me”, or it could be trying to keep up with others, or just learning from the bad example of others. The second part is believing you are better than somebody else, or else most people, in a certain way. The truth of the matter is, every one of us is probably better than another person in one way. That is not a big deal though, because each of us is probably also worse than the other person in some way too. At the root it is disobeying Philippians 2:3f, where we are to value others as better than ourselves.

   While some people want to be around others who have the same sin, conceit is typically the opposite of that. A conceited person often can’t stand another conceited person. You envy someone else if you think they are better than you in an area (and you care about that). And you show conceit towards someone else if you are better than them in an important way, or at least, important in your own eyes.

   See The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1213 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:1, why do you think Paul discusses a believer being trapped in a sin right after the fruit of the Spirit?

A: It would seem like an abrupt change, but it actually makes sense. One aspect of growing the fruit of the Spirit is that a believer has power; power to overcome their addictions.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.501 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:1, how should a church restore a fallen believer?

A: The person should not be restored until they have repented. But once they have said they repented, and it appears that they have, they should be taken back. Sometimes, when a person repents they will not do that sin anymore. Other times, especially with some addictions, the tendency and desire can still be present, and assuming the person has the intention of living a life free from that addiction, Christians might need to walk besides them encouraging them and holding them accountable to be there in their weak moments. Paul especially says here that we are to do it with gentleness.

   Hopefully when a Christian falls, they are going to a good church, where there are good people to help. If you are physically sick you don’t want a bad doctor. Likewise, spiritually you don’t want someone who gives unbiblical spiritual advice.

   The Greek word for restore here, katarizō, is the same word used in setting a broken bone or mending a net. Many times, though not always, a broken bone needs external intervention, another person, to reset it. Then the limb needs to have restrictions around it, a cast or a splint, so that it will not get out of place. A person needs to be careful with it as it is healing, so that it will not be re-broken again. Finally, the splint or cast comes off, the bone is as strong as before, or sometimes even stronger. The muscles will be weak though, and gradually the muscle strength will need to be built back up.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.160, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.500-501,502 and The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1213 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:2, are we to bear another’s burdens, or just our own as Gal 6:5 says?

A: The Greek word for bearing, bastazo, is the same in both verses, but the word for burden is different. In Galatians 6:2 the Greek word is barē, which means crushing load. In Galatians 6:5 the word is phortion, which could be a pack worn by a marching soldier. This verse implies that almost everyone has burdens, and it also implies that we are not always to carry our own burden alone by ourself. Tony Evans compares this to a spotter who helps lift a weight if the weightlifter has more than he can currently push up.

   We are to take responsibility for our own actions. However, we also are to help others, as well as let others help us. We are responsible for bearing our own load, but it is often easier if other believers help us. And we should be eager to help other believers too, whether it be for cheering them up, encouraging them to stand against the devil’s snares, materially, or other things.

   As To Walk and Not Grow Weary p.17 says, “the word translated ‘carry’ has the inherent meaning of support. Also, the word ‘burden’ in verse 2 is vastly different from the word ‘load’ in verse 5. ‘Lord simply refers to something being carried, but ‘burden’ designates the effects of something pressing upon our resources.”

   See also Now That’s a Good Question p.361-362, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.502, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.610, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.159, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1213-1214, and When Critics Ask p.474 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:2, what can keep Christians from being better at bearing each others’ burdens?

A: There can be at least five things.

Perceived self-importance of the person who can help. Sometimes a person thinks they have much more important things to do than to help a particular individual. None of us have the time, individually, to help everyone in the world, so does that mean we should help no one? – of course not. But if everyone help some of the people around them, then collectively, everyone could be helped.

Fear of confessing to someone that you need help. This is just as prideful as the previous reason, but it is a very different form of pride. You might be frequently comparing yourselves to others, or think others do that to you. You don’t want to admit you struggle in an area, or you are not even struggling, just failing in an area. You might think people will not respect you, or love you if they only knew.

False humility can be genuine, or just a smokescreen a person says to themselves to cover up the previous reason. I should be over this addiction, and I ma not, so I need to solve this alone, or just me and the Lord. The other people have too many important things going on to spend time with something as unimportant as me.

Known to do a lousy job counseling someone. When Job was struggling, his three friends came to help him, and at one point Job said their friendly help was worthless. There are different times for different things. There is a time to rebuke, and a time to know when not to rebuke, such as when the person admits they are doing wrong and wants to repent. There are also times to be correcting, and times to be encouraging.

Lack of love by the counselor. At least Job’s friends did not have lack of love for him, but Jonah did towards the Ninevites. Not only are we to love our brothers (1 John 4:11,20) but Philippians 2:3 says that we are to esteem others as more important than ourselves.

    See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.502 and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.159 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:2, Since Paul said we are free from the law, why are we supposed to “fulfill the law of Christ”?

A: We are free from the Law of Moses, but we are not free to sin. Rather, we are under the law or “rule” in Galatians 6:16 of Christ. In the Old Testament we are not to have graven images, idolatry, stealing, adultery, false witness, murder, coveting, and other things. While we are free form the Law of Moses, with the law of Christ (which is serving in the Spirit and not just the written code), we are commanded not to do those things either.

   See the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1018 for more info.

Q: Does Gal 6:3 show a saint can bear other people’s burdens like the Roman Catholic church teaches?

A: No. Apparently, this was thought of in Old Testament times, and if any saint could bear another’s sins, certainly Noah, Daniel, and Job could. Yet Ezekiel 14:14,20 15:1 clearly says that they could only save themselves, not others, by their righteousness.

   See When Cultists Ask p.249 for more info.

Q: Why does Gal 6:6 mention money in this spiritual section?

A: First of all, this shows that being a Christian teacher paid to minister is fine; there were paid teachers even in Paul’s day. Even though Paul was a tentmaker, other apostles and teachers were not, and that was fine with Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:3-15. But more important than that, your money follows where you heart is leading. If you are really concerned about evangelism, building the church, missions, or other things, you will want to wisely donate to those things.

   In contrast to this, Jews paid the temple tax for their priests and Levites. Pagans also paid fees and paid vows to support their temples. John R.W. Stott notes that historically, the Roman Catholic Church expected large donations from wealthy churchgoers to pay for the lavish lifestyles of some clergy.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.503, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.610, the New International Bible Commentary p.1426, and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.167 for more info.

Q: Does Gal 6:7-8 show that the law of karma, and thus reincarnation is true, as the Unity School of [so-called] Christianity teaches?

A: No. It simply says that a man reaps what he sows. According to the Bible, reaping for unbelievers does not primarily occur until the Last Judgment. See When Cultists Ask p.249-250 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:7, what two lies are counteracted in the first part of this verse?

A: God cannot be mocked, myktsērizetai from muktērizō in Greek, which literally means to sneer or “turn up your nose at” something or someone. The first lie is that our sin does not matter, because it does not have consequences. It actually might not have immediate consequences or only a temporary effect, but it can have long-term and permanently irreversible consequences.

   The second lie is that the good things we do don’t matter because we do not see any fruit right away. A boy that I taught in Sunday school, from sixth grade through high school, on and off for about six years, reminded me last week that teaching others can have fruit. He is now the senior pastor of a PCA church in Philadelphia. But there is a catch in Galatians 6:9, we have to not become tired of it and give up in the middle and throw in the towel.

   For both positive and negative ways, God will give back to you the fruit of what you do. However, sometimes a lot of good sowing can be undone by sin. And when we repent of the evil sowing of sin, sometimes, but not always, God can remove some of the fruit of that.

   People might be able to fool themselves into thinking they can sow wickedness, and not reap anything bad, or else sow little and expect much, but they cannot fool God.

   See the Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1214-1215, The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.189-190, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.504, the New International Bible Commentary p.1427 and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.161, and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.610 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:7,8f, what six things, positive or negative, can we see from sowing good things in these verses?

A: There are at least six things.

1) The right field: Are you sowing in the field of the Spirit or sowing in the field of the flesh?

2) The right crop: If you sow wild oats, do you expect to get wheat? It is not the reapers who decide what the crop will be, but the sowers. Job 4:8 says that is someone plows wickedness and trouble; they will reap the same. Hosea 8:7 says that if someone sows the wind, they will reap the whirlwind.

3) Have good seed: You don’t get much wheat if your seed is not good.

4) Don’t just sow good things sparingly: You don’t get much wheat if you only sow sparingly, with stinginess. We will discuss this one more later.

5) Sow with intentionality: You don’t get a good crop if you indecisively sow random seeds. This verse shows that you can intentionally decide what you want to sow and thus reap some time from now.

6) Internally affects you too: Every action to decide to do, good and bad, has not only external effects, but an internal effect on your character.

   To get a good crop, you have to sow the right seed, of good quality, and sow plentifully and persistently, in the field of the Spirit.

   “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson, paraphrased in John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 2 (2023))

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.165, 167, the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1896, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1214, and The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.190 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:7-8a, what can we see from sowing bad things in these verses?

A: Here are at least five things.

You reap the same thing you sow. Job 4:8 says that those who plow trouble reap the same. Psalm 7:15-16 says if you dig a pit, you will fall in the pit you made. Matthew 26:52 those who take the sword die by the sword, as Hosea 10:13-14 also shows.

Sow the wind and reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7) the harvest comes back much greater than what is sown. Proverbs 22:6 says that if you sow injustice you reap calamity.

It can unintentionally affect others: The effects can be both deliberate and accidental on others. If we sow seeds of poisonous plants, like poison ivy or nightshade, they can harm of kill us if we eat them. But they can harm others too. Even if the seeds of the plants are accidentally mixed in with good seed, it can still make the entire crop poisonous.

It can be gradual: A person does not one day become a drug addict, alcoholic, or addicted to porn or gambling. It is a gradual process, a reaping of what was sown over time. Usually a person who ends up in a desperate place had no idea they would end up that way when they first started to “experiment”. A beast could be caught when a trap is rapidly sprung. But this is different. It is a slow moving trap, but the bait is so enticing the victim just sits there, like a deer in the headlights, until the trap slowly but effectively closes.

No escape without forsaking the sin: Finally, the trapped person might see no way out, though everyone around them might think it is no problem just to stop. In Southeast Asia they had a novel way to catch monkeys, either as pets or to eat. They put a clay pot in the jungle, with a neck, and some candy at the bottom of it. Monkeys love sugary things, and they reach their hand in, grab the candy, and go their way. They keep doing this, with the necks successively getting narrower. One day the monkey puts his hand in, and once his hand is in a fist from holding the candy, the monkey cannot get it out. For the monkey to escape he would have to let go of the candy, and the monkey can’t bear to do that. So the monkey gives up his life of freedom, or even his life, solely for nothing more than a single piece of candy. Sin can be that way too.

   See the Believer’s Bible Commentary p.1896 and John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 4 (2023) for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:7 and Jms 3:5-6, what are some examples in the Bible of people reaping the bad things they sowed?

A: We will ignore examples of human judicial punishment, such as Simeon and Levi being dispersed in Israel, and focus on more far-reaching things.

Adam and Eve – Death to people

Cain killing Abel – Ground not yield its crop for him.

Abraham not leaving all his family but taking Lot with him. – Moabites and Ammonites were constantly Israel’s enemies.

Abraham doubting God’s promise and having Ishmael – Many Arab Muslims have the blood of Ishmael in them.

Ishmael mocking or bullying Isaac, and then he and his mother being sent away.

Jacob tricking Esau, then getting tricked by Laban, and having to face up to Esau again. In Genesis 27, Jacob has to flee, and Rebecca would never see him again, and Jacob would be deceived by Laban.

Samuel not disciplining his sons – They would both die and the descendents would be cursed.

David numbering the Israelites – plague

Davd committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering Uriah – 2 Samuel 12:9-12. David on the run from Absalom.

Solomon loving foreign wives and building pagan temples – Half the kingdom taken away in his son’s time.

Jeconiah not heeding God’s words through Jeremiah – having no descendents to ever sit on the throne.

   In general James 3:5-6 says that the tongue is a fire that can set ablaze a forest.

   See John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 2,4 (2023) for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:7 and Jms 3:5-6, what are some examples in church history of believers sowing bad things that come to fruit?

A: There are number of things.

Constantine so valued people becoming Christians that he ordered his soldiers to march into the river so that they would be baptized. He non-violently closed all pagan temples, and many synagogues, so that people would come to church instead. Some say that European Christianity has never fully recovered from what Constantine did.

Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Besides the previous, from 325-381 A.D., under Shapur II the million or so Persian Christians suffered and diminished when their religion because the state religion of the country’s adversary.

60,000 Christian Lakhmid Arabs were killed by Persian Emperor Shapur II after their prior raids into Persia.

Zwingli gather an army to defeat a Catholic Canton in Switzerland. He won, but in a later battle his followers lost and he was killed.

Luther taught other to kill Anabaptists, until the last sermon he preached, when he changed his view. Within a generation was the Thirty Years War between Catholics and Lutherans, that killed about a quarter of the population of Germany.

Luther turned anti-Semitic after seeing that the Jews would not convert to Lutheranism. Four centuries after Luther preached to kill and stab them, most Germans were tolerant of the Nazis making 5 million Jews disappear.

John Wesley downplayed doctrine and doctrinal differences to focus on evangelism. The Methodist church rapidly veered into Christian liberalism.

Q: In Gal 6:7-8, what do we get from sowing well?

A: Psalm 11:18 says “But he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward. This is not just eternal life, but other rewards too. Regards can include the joy of bringing other people to the Lord. Hosea 10:12 says, “Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.” (Berean Bible)

   See The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 2 (2023) for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:7, how do people not reap what they don’t sow?

A: In Jesus’ parable of the four soils, you could also think of a fifth soil; nothing sprouted because nobody sowed any seed. Plants growing take time, and when they first sprout, they don’t look like much. There could be great works for God, blossoming after many years, that never happened because nobody did the work to sow and care for the seed.

   James 5:7-8 tells us that we need to be patient like the farmer. Don’t be like the little boy who was growing a bean plant for school. It never grew well, because every day he dug it up to see the progress it was making. Remember that we harvest in a different season than we sow.

   See John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 3 (2023) for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:6-8 and Matthew 6:21-33, what are five ways we can tell where we are sowing?

A: You can say one thing and be unaware that it is really something else. To check, there are at least five ways you can examine your life.

Your credit card statements and checkbook. From Matthew 6:19-20, where do you put your money? Your money can be thought of as seeds, whether to support church ministry or for other things.

Your heart. From Matthew 6:21, what hopes and dreams do you have, that you would like to have happen?

Your eyes. From Matthew 6:22-23, what do you look at all the time? Entertainment, the news, the stock market, or something else that consumes huge amounts of your time?

Your calendar. From Matthew 6:24,33, how are you spending most of your time? Are you spending it seeking the kingdom of God, or Mammon, or something else?

Your thoughts. What are you thinking about in moments when you don’t have anything you particularly have to think about? Are your thoughts godly, hateful or otherwise ungodly. Are your thoughts all about worry and anxiety, as Matthew 6:25-32,34 warns us against?

Q: How does Gal 6:9 relate to Gal 6:7-8?

A: This is not sowing for as day, but continuing to sow all during planting time, without growing weary. If you grow weary during planting time and only sow very little seed, it does not matter how hard-working you are the rest of the year, you will only get a very small crop.

Q: In Gal 6:9, 2 Cor 9:6 and Ecc 11:1-6, how do we reap in proportion to what we sow?

A: Proverbs 11:24-26 spells it out. A person who is generous, and even scatters extra will have extra crop and become rich (either materially or spiritually). But the one who withholds from others will come to poverty. We need to take seriously what Proverbs 22:9 says about being generous to others.

   You can try hard, persevere, and sow and nurture the seed for a good crop. Or you can do nothing at all. But there is also a third way: just to sporadically sow a little seed, convincing yourself that you are sowing, when you really are not doing much. Something you probably don’t know about me is that around 1985, after discussion with my stockbroker, I invested $5,000 in a company called Apple Computer. Despite the ups and downs of Apple and the market, it is worth about $4 million dollars today. Imagine, if I had put in 10 or 15 thousand!

   Anway, after a month or so, it had already risen some, and at the advice of my stockbroker, I sold it. Later on, my stockbroker advised me to buy $5,000 again, which I did. Then after it went up again in about a month or two, I sold it again. Instead of making $4 million, I probably made about $4,000. Did I sow? – technically yes. But was I serious about sowing in that particular stock? – no. Do we do ministry in a similar way. We play around at some good thing, and convince ourselves we are sowing, when we are really not doing much. How does it look when some people make $300 or $400 per year, and a missionary lives among them, at their income level, for decades. Then a group of people pay $1,200 or so per person to come for 8 days to do mission work. It is OK to do short-term things, but don’t think it is a substitute for long-term sowing.

   I once heard of an experienced, well-paid, Christian surgeon who was considering giving up her practice and going to Africa to perform surgeries there. But when she did the math, she realized she could continue to do surgeries in America, and from her income could pay for three African surgeons to do surgeries. So it was better economically for her to fund three surgeons than to go herself. So there is playing at sowing, persistent sowing, and then, in the surgeon’s case, smart, persistent sowing.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Galatians p.171-172 and John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 5 (2023) for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:6-9, how do some believers put self-imposed limitations on sowing well?

A: We can just get too busy. We can be too busy sowing other things, or else wasting time not sowing anything. As one pastor said, “Don’t let doing good things keep you from doing great things. We are too easily distracted by the world, politics, current events, news, commentary, movies, and a thousand other enjoyable things to have much time to serve God. Christians need to become “less”; that is, less of other distracting things, so that empty, we can be filled to overflowing with the Spirit.

   A second important way to both stop sowing good things, and even start sowing bad things, is to let unforgiveness remain in our heart. Matthew 18:21-22, when Peter asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive his brother, Jesus metaphorically replied 70 times 7.

   See John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Laws 2 and 5 (2023) for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:6,9-10, what is the context in time of these verses?

A: Paul was hounded by Jews who wanted to kill him. Paul also had to deal here with Judaizing Christians who would like to discredit him. Paul was in the process of collecting a large offering to give to the church at Jerusalem for famine relief. They would want to discredit Paul’s collection, either by casting doubt on the real need, how it would be used, or Paul’s motives. It would not be necessary to convince others that Paul was greedy, all they had to do was cast enough doubt and uncertainty that people would hesitate to give, and with only a scant offering Paul would have egg on his face.

   See the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1018-1019 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:9, what should you do if you fell you are starting to become weary of sowing good things?

A: Be more patient as you run your marathon. Stop looking at yourself; look up and look around instead. First of all, don’t beat yourself up for it because you are not alone. Paul, who is writing this, himself knew well what this felt like in 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. But like Paul facing many hardships for the church only to see the Corinthian church in danger of potentially slipping away 2 Corinthians, looked above and beyond himself. The results are in God’s hands. The power to minister is in God’s hands. The love to motivate you to minister is in God’s hands.

   We can suffer burnout when we try to serve God just on our own power, lighting our own way (Isaiah 50:11), building our own broken cisterns to hold water (Jeremiah 2:13), fighting battles with our own weapons (Matthew 26:51-54), and even being so sure of how smart we are that we give God our own advice (Matthew16:22-23).

   Your value in God’s work on earth is not in who you are, but rather how Christ shines through you. I’m so spiritual, so knowledgeable, so faithful and loving (and humble too!) so look at me, me, me, - instead of Christ. It is not about how great a believer you are (look at Esther and Mordecai), but rather what kind of channel for God that you are. The effectiveness of Christian ministry is not what you do, but what God does through you. So just do things in God’s power, not your own (Jeremiah 17:5-8), drawing near to Him in prayer (Luke 18:1), and rejoice in seeing God’s results.

   Finally, look around at the urgency. In John 4:35-36 and Luke 10:2 say the fields are white with harvest. We do not need to pray so much for having a harvest but rather that there would be more harvesters. Remember that your labor is not in vain, as 1 Corinthians 15:10,58 says.

   See The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.610 and John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 1 (2023) for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:9, why does Paul warn us against both not growing weary and not losing heart / fainting?

A: When sowing, it is important not to do either of two different things: grow weary, and do not faint (or give up). Plants are not ready for harvesting until about four months after you plant them. You only get the crop if you wait “in due Season and do not lose heart.” One might almost think Paul was also talking to himself here, with the trials he endured, where he was stoned to death for what was initially only a small amount of fruit in Galatia.

   In farming, the worker could be tempted to give up and quit early, or else not pace himself and faint from heat.

   Remember, as we are constantly taught, all problems and conflicts are resolved within one hour – ONLY ON TV.

   As John Brown (p.344) says, “Christians frequently act like children in reference to this harvest. They would sow and reap in the same day.” (quoted from John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.172

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.504, The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.190, John W. Lawrence’s The Seven Laws of the Harvest – Law 3 (2023), and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.158,171 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:10, should we do good to all, or should we not show hospitality to false teachers as 2 Jn 10-11 says?

A: Both. Welcoming false teachers into our homes gives the impression to both them and others that their teaching is acceptable to us, and that we think it is acceptable to God. We do not want to deceive people in this way. We are not doing good to false teachers or others when we welcome them. See Bible Difficulties and Seeming Contradictions p.245-246 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:11 why did Paul emphasize his large letters?

A: There are a number of theories, some far-fetched. Here is one unlikely one, and two likely ones.

a) Paul deliberately made the letters larger than he had to for emphasis. But if this were true, what exactly was Paul emphasizing?

b) Paul wrote in larger letters than the professional scribe.

c) Perhaps Paul had bad eyesight, or was going blind. If Paul had gotten an eye disease prior to visiting them, this might by why Paul said the Galatians “were willing to tear their eyes out for him” in Galatians 4:15. The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.190 has this view.

   See the Evangelical Commentary on the Bible p.1019, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.506, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary p.1215, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.175-176, and The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.610 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:12, why would being circumcised be a way to avoid persecution?

A: In Paul’s time (51-57 A.D.), it would help someone escape being persecuted by the Jews.

Q: In Gal 6:12, what does “make a good impression outwardly” mean?

A: In English that is a neutral phrase that could mean to make a good impression sincerely for good reasons, or insincerely for bad reasons. Not so in Greek. In Greek the word euprosōpēsai means to make a good impression insincerely, to mislead someone.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.506 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:14 and 1 Cor 1:17-2:2, are we to glory in the cross? Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslims believe it is wrong to do so.

A: Since our religion is to be the same as the apostles, we should do so. Paul would have made a very poor Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness in Galatians 6:14 and 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:2. For that matter, so would Thomas who called Jesus “my Lord and my God” in John 20:28. So would Stephen who prayed to Jesus in Acts 7:59. So would John, who saw with his own eyes people and angels praising and glorifying Jesus in Heaven in Revelation 5:8-14; 7:9-10. To top it all off, Jesus said all are to honor the Son just as they honor the Father, in John 5:23.

   Ignatius was a disciple of John the apostle who died either 107 or 116 A.D. In the Second Letter of Ignatius to the Ephesians chapter 13 says, “My spirit bows in adoration to the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those who do not believe, but is to you for salvation and eternal life.” (Ante-Nicene Fathers volume 1 p.102.) Let’s believe and practice what Ignatius was taught.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.179-180 for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:16, who is the “Israel of God”?

A: Christians have two views:

1. Since Christ’s death, the Israel of God is the church, regardless of whether a person is Jew or Gentile. This is the view of New International Bible Commentary p.1427 and John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.180.

2. This refers to Jewish people, either who do not yet believe in Christ but will, or else have already come to Christ. The Bible Knowledge Commentary : New Testament p.611 has this view.

   Hard Sayings of the Bible p.633-636 gives Greek grammatical arguments on both sides.

Q: In Gal 6:17, what were the marks on Paul?

A: Scripture does not say. One explanation is the scars and physical damage from the beatings, shipwrecks, and persecutions Paul endured. As a slave might be branded with his owner’s name in the Roman world, Paul was sort of branded with the name of Christ by the beatings and damage his body received.

   A second explanation, that it was “stigmata” is not as likely, as the early church was apparently unfamiliar with the concept. If you are unfamiliar with the concept of stigmata, see the next question for more info.

   See The Expositor’s Bible Commentary vol.10 p.508, John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.182, and The Expositor’s Greek Testament vol.3 p.191a for more info.

Q: In Gal 6:17, could the marks on Paul have been “stigmata”?

A: -Probably not. Stigmata are open wounds that have appeared on some Catholic mystics on their hands and side for no known physical reason. Padre Pio, who lived at the time of the Reformation, was one person. He later died a natural death, which Padre Pio said was a sacrifice for the sake of the unity of the church. From what I can tell of history of that time, the Popes were either totally unaware or else totally unconcerned with Padre Pio’s sacrifice being a reason to hound and kill Protestants any less.

   There have been at least 321 claims of stigmata up to the beginning of the twentieth century, according to John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.181.

   Some say the stigmata is a psychological phenomenon, and others say it is a miraculous sign from God. One important point is concerning the hands. The Greek word “hand” includes the wrist, and we know today that in crucifixion the nails were in the top part of the victim’s wrist, where the bone would hold the nail. If the nails had been in the palms of the hands, they would have been ripped out. Stigmata appears on the palms of the hands.

   See John R.W. Stott’s The Message of Acts p.182 for more info.

Q: In Gal, how do we know Paul wrote the book of Galatians?

A: There are at least two reasons.

1. Paul says so in Galatians 6:11. We trust this is correct because no one in the early church ever questioned this. God promised to preserve His word in Isaiah 55:10-11; Isaiah 59:21; Isaiah 40:6-8; 1 Peter 1:24-25; Matthew 24:35.

2. Early church evidence. See the next question part 4 for the writers who referred to the book of Philippians.

Q: What evidence do we have that the book of Galatians should be in the Bible?

A: There are at least four reasons.

1. Paul wrote it, and He was an apostle. Peter attested that Paul’s words were scripture in 2 Peter 3:15-16.

2. Paul himself said he was apostle in 1 Timothy 1:1; 2:7, Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 9:1, 2 Corinthians 1:1, 11:5; Galatians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1; 2 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:1.

3. Evidence of the early church. See the next question for some of the writers who referred to verses in Galatians.

4. Early manuscripts of Galatians

Here are early Church writers who referred to Galatians.

Epistle to Diognetus (c.130 A.D.) ch.4 p.26 alludes to Galatians 4:10 in “observing months and days”

2 Clement ch.2 p.251 (120-140 A.D.) quotes both Isaiah 54:14 and Galatians 4:27

Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians (100-155 A.D.) quotes one-fourth of a verse of Galatians “God is not mocked” (3 out of 14 Greek words).

Epistle of Diognetus (c.130-200 A.D.) ch.4 p.26 alludes to Galatians 4:10 “to their observing months and days”

The Muratorian Canon (c.190-217 A.D.) mentions Paul wrote to seven churches in his epistles, Corinthians (2 letters), Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Galatians, Thessalonians (2 letters), Romans. Paul wrote Philemon, Titus, two letters to Timothy.

Irenaeus of Lyons (182-188 A.D.) quotes Galatians 4:4-5 as by Paul writing to the Galatians. Irenaeus Against Heresies book 3 ch.16.3 p.441

The Passion of the Scilitan Martyrs (180-202 A.D.) mentions the writings of Paul without identifying any specific books.

Clement of Alexandria quotes Galatians 3:19,23,24 as by Paul in the Stromata (193-202 A.D.) book 1 ch.27 p.338

Tertullian (198-220 A.D.) quotes 1 Corinthians 8:2 and Galatians 1:7 and 5:7 as being by the apostle in On Prescription Against Heretics ch.27 p.256.

Tertullian (198-220 A.D.) mentions Paul being the author of Galatians, Corinthians, Philippians, Thessalonians, Ephesians, Romans, and John being the author of the Apocalypse (Revelation) in Against Marcion book 14 ch.5 p.350.

Tertullian 207 A.D. said that Paul wrote to the Galatians in Tertullian Against Marcion book 14 chapter 5 p.350. It was a book “that comes down from the apostles, which has been kept as a sacred deposit in the churches of the apostles.”

Theodotus the probable Montanist (ca.240 A.D.) alludes to Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6 in ch.19 p.45

Hippolytus (222-235/6 A.D.) quotes half of Galatians 1:1 as by Paul Treatise on Christ and Antichrist ch.8 p.206. He quote of Galatians 3:20 Fragment from Commentaries on Numbers p.169

Origen (wrote 225-253/254 A.D.) refers to Galatians 2:12 as by Paul in the Letter to the Galatians. Origen Against Celsus book 2 ch.1 p.429

Novatian (250/254-257 A.D.) quoted Galatians 1:1 and 1:12 as by Paul. Treatise on the Trinity ch.13 p.622

Cyprian of Carthage (c.246-258 A.D.) “Paul to the Galatians” and from “Galatians” in Treatises of Cyprian Treatise 12 the third book 3,9,64 among other places. He also quotes Galatians 5:17-22 say this is by the Apostle Paul in Treatise 4 ch.16 p.452.

Firmilian of Caesarea to Cyprian Letter 74 ch.12 p.393 (256 A.D.) quotes half of Galatians 3:27

Seventh Council of Carthage p.566 (258 A.D.) Nemesianus of Thubunae quotes Galatians 5:19-21 as by the apostle.

Adamantius (c.300 A.D.) Adamantius says that Paul wrote to the Galatians Dialogue on the True Faith (808a) p.44

Methodius (270-311/312 A.D.) quotes Galatians 15:22,23 as by the apostle. Banquet of the Ten Virgins discourse 10 p.340

Alexander of Alexandria (313-326 A.D.) quotes Galatians 1:8,9 as by “the blessed Paul” in Letters on the Arian Heresy ch.1.13 p.296

Athanasius of Alexandria (c.318 A.D.)

Eusebius of Caesarea (318-325 A.D.)

After Nicea

Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History (323-326 A.D.) book 3 ch.3 p.134 (Implied) He says, “Paul’s fourteen epistles are well known and undisputed.” Then he says some dispute whether Paul wrote Hebrews or not. He also says in book 3 ch.25 p.155 that the letters of Paul are scripture. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers Second Series vol.1 p.155.

Asterius the Sophist (after 341 A.D.)

Aphrahat (337-345 A.D.) Select Demonstrations

Hegemonius (3d century) quotes part of Gal 4:3 as by Paul the apostle. Disputation with Manes ch.13 p.188. He also quotes Galatians 1:6-8 Disputation with Manes ch.36 p.209

Eusebius of Emesa (c.359 A.D.)

Victorinus of Rome (after 363 A.D.)

Athanasius of Alexandria (367 A.D.) lists the books of the New Testament in Festal Letter 39 p.552

Hilary of Poitiers (355-367/368 A.D.)

Synopsis Scripturae Sacrae (350-370 A.D. or 5th century) mentions Paul’s Letter to the Galatians as part of the New Testament. It quotes all but the last phrase of Galatians 1:1.

Marcellus of Ancyra (c.374 A.D.) refers to Galatians 1:11

Ephraim the Syrian hymn-writer (350-378 A.D.)

Basil of Cappadocia (357-378/379 A.D.) quotes Galatians 4:7 as by Paul. On the Spirit ch.5.10 p.7

Synod of Laodicea (in Phrygia) (343-381 A.D.) canon 60 p.159 lists the books of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Canon 59 p.158 says only the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments may be read in church.

Ambrosiaster (after 384 A.D.)

Cyril of Jerusalem (c.349-386 A.D.)

Ambrose of Milan (370-390 A.D.)

Gregory of Nanzianzen (330-391 A.D.)

Pacian of Barcelona (342-379/392 A.D.)

Gregory of Elvira (after 392 A.D.)

Gregory of Nyssa (c.356-397 A.D.)

Didymus (398 A.D.)

The schismatic Lucifer of Cagliari, Sardinia (361-c.399 A.D.)

Ammon (4th century)

Epiphanius of Salamis (360-403 A.D.)

Rufinus’ Commentary on the Apostles Creed (374-406 A.D.)

Gaudentius (after 406 A.D.)

John Chrysostom 392-407 A.D. wrote a commentary on Galatians, which we have today.

Chromatius (407 A.D.)

Severian (after 408 A.D.)

Niceta of Remesianus (414 A.D.)

Jerome (373-420 A.D.)

Council of Carthage (218 bishops) (393-419 A.D.)

Augustine of Hippo (388-8/28/430 A.D.)

The semi-Pelagian John Cassian (419-430 A.D.)

Nilus (c.430 A.D.) refers to Galatians 6:10

Marcus of Eremita (after 430 A.D.)

Vincent of Lerins (c.434 A.D.)

Socrates’ Ecclesiastical History (c.400-439 A.D.)

Alexandrinus manuscript (A) (c.450 A.D.)

Hesychius of Jerusalem (after 450 A.D.) refers to Galatians 6:2, and no other verses in Galatians

Council of Chalcedon vs. Monophysites (451 A.D.)

Council of Constantinople II (c.153 present) (May 453 A.D.)

Quodvultdeus (c.453 A.D.)

Theodoret of Cyrus (bishop and historian) (423-458 A.D.)

Pope Leo I of Rome (440-461 A.D.)

Prosper of Aquitaine (foe of Cassian) (426-465 A.D.)

Varimadum (445/480 A.D.)

Macarius/Symeon (4th or 5th century)

Speculum (5th century)

Theodotus of Ancyra (5th century A.D.)

Proclus (412-485 A.D.)

Evidence of heretics and spurious books

The heretic Marcion according to Tertullian and Adamantius

Manichaean heretic Faustinus of Milevis/Milevum (4th century)

The heretic Priscillian (killed 385 A.D.) refers to Galatians 3:28

The Donatist Tyconius (after 390 A.D.) refers to Galatians 3:28 and other verses.

The heretic Pelagius (416-418 A.D.)

Nestorius’ Bazaar of Heracleides (451/452 A.D.)

The Pelagian heretic Theodore of Mopsuestia (425 A.D.)

Much of this is according to Aland et al. fourth revised edition, Adamantius : Dialogue on the True Faith in God, and The Books of Steps : The Syriac Liber Graduum.

Q: In Gal, how do we know that Scripture today is a reliable preservation of what was originally written?

A: There are at least three good reasons.

1. God promised to preserve His word in Isaiah 55:10-11; Isaiah 59:21; Isaiah 40:6-8; 1 Peter 1:24-25; Matthew 24:35.

2. Evidence of the early church. Early church writers up to the Council of Nicea I (325 A.D.) quoted from Galatians about 182 times, not counting allusions. They quoted 59% of the Book of Galatians, counting fractional verses as fractions. That is 87.4 out of 149 total verses.

See the previous question for writers who referred to verses in Galatians.

3. Earliest manuscripts we have of Galatians show there are small manuscript variations, but zero theologically significant errors.

p46 Chester Beatty II 100-150 A.D. contains 140 verses of Galatians, as well as other verses. Specifically it has Galatians 1:1-8; 1:10-2:9; 2:12-21; 3:2-29; 4:2-18; 4:20-5:17; 5:20-6:8; 6:10-18 and other parts of Paul’s letters and Hebrews. The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts has a photograph of part of p46 on p.192. It also says on p.197-198 that the quality and the stichiometric marks show that a professional scribe wrote this. A quite readable photograph of the page of the Chester Beatty papyrii of Galatians 6:10-18 and the start of Philippians is in Paul : Apostle of the Heart Set Free.

First half of 3rd century - 1936 - Frederic G. Kenyon according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.

2nd century, 200 A.D. - 1935 - Ulrich Wilken according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.

200 A.D. - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament.

81-96 A.D. - 1988 - Young Kyu Kim according to The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts.

About 200 A.D. - 1975 - Aland et al. third edition.

About 200 A.D. - 1998 - Aland et al. fourth revised edition.

Early to middle 2nd century - 1999 - The Complete Text of the Earliest New Testament Manuscripts. This is based in part on the handwriting being very similar to Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 8 (late first or early second century) and Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 2337 (late first century).

p51 (=Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 2157) Galatians 1:2-10,13,16-20 c.400 A.D.

c.400 A.D. - 1968 - The Text of the New Testament and - 1975 - Aland et al. third edition and - 1998 - Aland et al. fourth revised edition

Vaticanus [B] 325-350 A.D.

Sinaiticus [Si] 340-350 A.D.

Bohairic Coptic [Boh] 3rd/4th century

Sahidic Coptic [Sah] 3rd/4rth century

Gothic [Goth] 493-555 A.D.

See www.BibleQuery.org/Galatians Manuscripts.html for more on early manuscripts of Galatians.

For more info please contact Christian Debater™ P.O. Box 144441 Austin, TX 78714. www.BibleQuery.org