In addition to defending his apostleship, what else does Paul emphasize in his opening greeting to the Galatians? Compare Gal. 1:3–5 with Eph. 1:2, Phil. 1:2, and Col. 1:2. One of the unique features of Paul’s letters is the way he links the words grace and peace in the greetings. The combination of these two words is a modification of the most … Continue reading –>
Though Paul’s epistles generally follow the basic format of ancient letters, Galatians contains a number of unique features not found in Paul’s other epistles. When recognized, these differences can help us better understand the situation Paul was addressing. Compare Paul’s opening salutation in Galatians 1:1, 2 with what he writes in Ephesians 1:1, Philippians 1:1, and 2 Thessalonians 1:1. In what … Continue reading –>
Read 2 Peter 3:15, 16. What do these verses tell us about how the early church viewed Paul’s writing? What does this teach us about how inspiration works? When Paul wrote to the Galatians, he was not trying to produce a literary masterpiece. Instead, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul was addressing specific situations … Continue reading –>
Bible students know from Paul’s own testimony that he was well educated. “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel” (Act 22:3 NKJV). Luke also has this comment concerning Gamaliel, “Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Pet. 3:15, 16; Galatians 1; Phil. 1:1; Gal. 5:12. Memory Text: “For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10, NKJV). Students at a university built a center on their campus … Continue reading –>
Papa greeted his daughter, Tamara, as she entered his home. During her visit she noticed an invitation to a Christmas program in another church in their city. She was curious and asked her father to go with her to the concert. Papa was an elder in the Molokan church, an evangelistic, Bible-centered church in their … Continue reading –>
For the relationship between personal conversion and the church, read Ellen G. White, “Individual Independence,” pp. 430–434, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3. For a helpful map of the early life of Paul and commentary on his conversion, see The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 6, pp. 226–234. “Paul had formerly been known as a zealous defender of the Jewish … Continue reading –>
Imagine it. Lights and a voice, and you’ve been knocked to the ground blinded by the flash. And then you hear this voice, powerful and deep: “Why have you been persecuting Me?” Bewildered, frightened and not a little bit worried, you look up. You can’t see. You muster the courage to speak. “Who are you?” … Continue reading –>
Of course, nothing human is perfect, and it wasn’t long before trouble began within the early community of faith. For starters, not everyone was pleased with the entry of Gentile believers into the early church. The disagreement was not over the concept of a Gentile mission, but over the basis on which Gentiles should be … Continue reading –>
October 1, 2011 Key Thought: God changed Saul’s opposition to the young church resulting in a strong ministry to the Gentiles.. 1. Have a volunteer read Acts 6:9-15. A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is. B. What was Stephen being accused of? Were these … Continue reading –>
I was introduced to Galatians in Bible class many years ago. “Pauline Epsitles” was the name of the teaching unit. The lecturer was a theological academic and the students were a bunch of third and fourth-year undergraduate science students studying for London BSc Part 2 examinations. It was an interesting time. Anybody who has studied … Continue reading –>
Where was the first Gentile church established? What events caused the believers to go there? (Acts 11:19–21, 26). What does that remind you of from Old Testament times? (See Daniel 2.) The persecution that broke out in Jerusalem after Stephen’s death caused a number of Jewish believers to flee three hundred miles north to Antioch. As capital of the Roman … Continue reading –>
During Saul’s encounter with Jesus, he was blinded and then instructed to go to the house of a man named Judas and to wait there for another man, Ananias. No doubt Saul’s physical blindness was a powerful reminder of the greater spiritual blindness that led him to persecute the followers of Jesus. The appearance of … Continue reading –>
This map (produced in Bibleworks maps) shows the general area of Galatia, the setting of this quarter’s lessons, in what is now the country of Turkey. It is a region that forms a high plateau over 3000 ft (1000 m) in elevation and would have been more comfortable for Paul than Tarsus would have been … Continue reading –>
“And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads’”(Acts 9:5, NKJV). Although Saul’s persecution of the early church begins rather inconspicuously (as he only holds the coats of Stephen’s executioners), it quickly intensifies (see Acts 8:1–3; 9:1, 2, 13, … Continue reading –>
Saul of Tarsus first appears in Acts as one involved in the stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:58) and then in connection with the more wide-scale persecution that broke out in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1–5). Peter, Stephen, Philip, and Paul play a significant role in the book of Acts because they were involved in events that led to the spread of … Continue reading –>