The questions are based on the NET Bible.
CH 1:
Q1. The greeting of a Paul’s letter hints what he is going to say in the letter. In v1-5, words and expressions other than ‘From Paul, … to the churches of Galatia, grace and peace to you from God and Jesus’ are extra. And these extra words allude the themes of this letter. What would be the extra words and the alluded themes?
An apostle not by human, but Father-> Paul will defend about His apostleship.
Rescue from this evil age -> Paul warns that the false gospels adhere worldly success
Jesus gave Himself, according to the will of God
Our God and Father (three times): Paul will emphasize our new relationship with God, our Father.
Q2. Why is Paul upset? What would be the purpose of this letter?
There so quickly deserted the gospel and followed the fake gospel.
Q3. “the gospel I preached is not of ( ) origin. For I did not receive it or learn it from any ( ) source; instead I received it by a ( ) of Jesus Christ.”
Human, human, revelation
Q4. Summarize the three arguments, of showing contrast, that Paul uses to claim that his gospel was not from man but from God. (V13-16, V16-17, V18-21)
V13-16: Paul used to persecute the church. It was God who made me a preacher of the gospel.
V16-17: After that, I didn’t get any advice from human beings
V18-21: I didn’t get any influence from other apostles.
CH 2:
Q1. Paul’s message, “one doesn’t need to be circumcised to be a Christian,” was so radical to the viewpoint of Jewish Apostles. Why did Paul share his gospel to the apostles in private? (2-3)
To make sure his ministry for the Gentiles not to be ruined by a Jewish prejudice that the Gentiles believers should keep the Jewish tradition like circumcision.
Q2. Why did Paul not make Titus to be circumcised? (3-5)
Not to surrender to the claim of the false teachers: the necessity of circumcision.
By doing that, Paul wanted to make the truth of the gospel clear to them.
Q3. How different is Paul’s ministry from Peter’s ministry? (3, 7, 8)
Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, as Peter was to the Jews.
Q4. How did Peter and John come to accept that Paul’s gospel is authentic? (7,8,9)
They saw God’s grace in Paul and his ministry.
Q5. Why did Peter leave the table while he was eating with Gentiles?
He feared an accusation by Jewish visitors of eating with the Gentiles.
Q6. What message could be given to Gentile Christians who were eating with Peter when he left the place of eating?
The Gentile believers would be compelled to belong Jewish community by keeping circumcision and Jewish tradition.
They must have felt humiliation.
Q7. Why is Peter’s departure a hypocrite behavior?
Peter didn’t keep Jewish traditions but behaved as if he had done so when Jewish visitors came. He concerned more about the human critics than the gospel truth.
Q8. What do you think made Peter not behave according to faith?
Seeking of human glory.
Q9. Verses 15 and 16 can be paraphrased as this. We Jews are pious since birth. However, as we know that no one is justified by ( ) unless through ( ), we have come to believe in Christ Jesus. Therefore, being more like ( ) doesn’t give you anything to boast on.
( the works of the law) ( the faith of Jesus Christ), (a Jew)
Q10. V17 and v18 tell two common mistakes that come from misunderstanding of the salvation by faith. What are two kinds of misbehavior? (Hint: Carefully read first halves of two verses)
As we see ourselves still sinning as we believe in Jesus, we would have two misunderstandings followed by two misbehaviors.
“It is OK to sins”: Jesus encourages sin (v17) -> Keep sinning without guilt.
“make a list of dos and don’ts” “we should still keep the law” (v18) -> go into slavery once again.
Q11. Now, v19-v21 explain right understanding about “justification by the faith (or faithfulness) of Jesus Christ.” Having died to the law means that you admit that you are ( ) as the law points out and that you died on the cross together with ( ) as the penalty of your sins. Though you still lives in sinful ( ), you could live to ( ) because of the faith (or faithfulness) of ( ). In Jesus, you are dead to flesh and the law and alive to God.
( a sinner ) ( Jesus ) ( flesh ), ( God ) ( the Son of God ).
Q12. Write 2:20 here.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. SO the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself or me.” (NET)
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (ESV)
CH 3:
Q1. Why are they foolish to Paul’s eyes?
They had began with the Spirit but tried to finish by human efforts. Accepting Jesus = the Spirit’s work. Living with Jesus should be also the Spirit’s work. But they relied on human efforts.
If you know inferiority of human flesh, you would not try to complete your salvation which you have started by the Spirit.
Q2. Why do you think the author does mention Abraham’s faith here? (hint: For them was an important issue who Abraham’s descendant, the heir of the promise, were) (v7,9)
True descendants of Abraham are not of flesh and blood, but of faith. It was God’s intention when He promised to Abraham.
Q3. What was God’s plan when He promised to Abraham “all the nations will be blessed in you”? (3:8) In other word, what is God’s way to bless the Gentiles to fulfill His promise?
Through faith. Through those who follow the way of Abraham’s faith.
Q4. Why are we under a curse? (v10-11)
Because we don’t keep everything in the law.
Q5. What was the reason Jesus was crucified? (v13)
To bear the curse for us.
Q6. How was the Abraham’s promise fulfilled to us? (v14) In other words, what is the blessing that God promised?
HOW? In Jesus Christ,, by faith
What? (the promise of) the Spirit
Q7. Why could the law given through Moses not invalidate the promise given to Abraham?
The covenant (or promise) had been given before the law was given. The covenant was ratified by God’s name.
Q8. The law seemed useless for it couldn’t invalidate the promise but rather brought curses to the transgressors. Why was the law given? (two. v19-21, 22-24)
“Because of their transgression.” The law imprisoned everyone under the guilt of sin.
“The promise could be given to those who believe.” They would come to Jesus and believe, not themselves.
Note. A guilt shall be removed only through the forgiving grace of Jesus, not through excuses and blames.
Q9. “But now that ( ) has come, we are no longer under ( )” We get righteousness in Christ, which OT people had failed to get through the law. What does this righteousness mean? (hint: our new identity in Christ, v26-29)
Faith, a guardian.
Becoming Abraham’s descendants, the heirs of the promise.
CH 4:
Q1. From the analogy of the slave guardian, what do you think this guardian refers to?
The law
Q2. Why was Jesus born under the law? (v5)
To redeem those under the law.
Born under the law = born in flesh. To redeem = to die for their sins.
Q3. How do you know that you are a God’s child?
If you have the Spirit of His Son.
Q4. What had we been slaves to before we knew the Christ? (v8-10)
The weak and worthless basic forces. Days, Months, and rituals.
Being slaves to them: thinking keeping those rules will get God’s favor.
Q5. What situation does Paul imply in the saying, “my work for you may have been in vain”?
Paul preached the gospel of freedom by Jesus’ sacrifice and because of it suffered a lot by Jewish people. Galatians at first had accepted the gospel and then returned to the old rules of religion.
Q6. What is the purpose of false teachers being nice to the Galatians?
Those false teachers are so eager to win their favor by shut them off from Paul.
Q7. Why did Abraham make Hagar and Ishmael leave out? (Gen 21:1-14)
Because Ishmael bullied Isaac. Sarah asked Abraham to banish them.
Q8. “Hagar represents ( ) and corresponds to ( ), for she is in slavery with her children. But ( ) is free, and she is our mother.”
Mount Sinai, the present Jerusalem, the Jerusalem above.
Q9. What would be a life situation when you are persecuted by those born according to the flesh? (v29) What would be the remedy? (v30).
Situation: when someone accuses you of not keeping the law while you have followed God’s will at that moment.
Remedy: kick out the rules and policies as requirements for righteousness before God.
CH 5:
Q1. “For ( ) Christ has set us free. Stand ( ), then, and do not be subject again to the yoke of ( ).”
Freedom, firm, slavery.
If you adhere to the law, you are a slave to the law. If you ignore the law, you are a slave to sin.
Q2. If you try to be justified by the law, what are two consequences? (v3-4)
You are obligated to obey the whole law.
You are alienated from Christ and grace.
Q3. Once we have believed Jesus, what do we wait for? (v5)
The hope of righteousness.
Full realization of the righteousness we will have enjoyed through Jesus. Righteousness means right relationship with God. At that time, we will clearly see what the righteousness means and its benefits for us.
Q4. Faith tells us that we ought to wait for ( ) that will become tangible when Jesus returns. For now, faith is proven by works of ( ), not by religious works. However, the false teachers claimed that we should acquire righteousness by keeping certain religious works, like ( ).
The righteousness, love, circumcision.
Q5. Why do we need to love one another using our freedom? (two: v13-14, 15)
It will fulfill the law.
If you use your freedom to indulge your flesh, you will bite each other eventually and will die together.
Q6. Why do we need to live by the Spirit in order not to fulfill the desires of your flesh? (two: v16-17, 18)
Desires of the Spirit is opposite desires of the flesh. If you follow the Spirit, you won’t do the works of the flesh.
You won’t be under the law and thus won’t be accused by the law.
Q7. v19-26 tell us how to live by the Spirit. First, get out from a life of the flesh which is so ( ) as listed in v19-21. Then, we should seek to bear fruit of ( ) as in v22-23. No one can blame you as you bear such fruit. Christians are those who ( ) the flesh with its ( ) and desires and live in accordance with ( ) for they were born by ( ). As you grow in mature, you should be careful not to [ ] over others.
Obvious, the Spirit, crucified, passions, the Spirit, the Spirit, boast
CH 6:
Q1. When you see someone in the church sinned, what do you need to do?
You need to restore that person in a spirit of gentleness.
Pay close attention that you are not tempted too.
Carry that person’s burden
Q2. What do you think the law of Christ is?
Bear the burden of other’s sins. Sacrifice for others.
Q3. Verse 2 and verse 5 seem contradictory each other. However, they mean one message. How? (hint: ‘burden’ in v2 means burden and distress. ‘load’ in v5 means obligation and duty.)
Taking other’s burden is your duty.
For example. Father’s duty is to take care of his children.
Q4. “A person will ( ) what he ( ).” But Satan deceives us that we might get ( ) even though we live to satisfy our own ( ).
Reap, sows, eternal life, flesh.
Q5. What were the purpose of the false teachers? (three, v12-13)
A good showing in external matters
Avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ
Human glory through the flesh of the Galatians (obedience to their teachings)
Q6. “May I never boast except in ( ) of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which ( ) has been crucified to me, and ( ) to the world.”
The cross, the world, I.
Complete alienation from the world and to the world.