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3 Steps for Bible Study: Observe: What does it say? Interpret: What does it mean?

Learn about the book of Galatians in three steps - Observe, Interpret, and Apply. Discover when and where Paul wrote Galatians, who he wrote it to, why he wrote it, and what key topics he covers.

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3 Steps for Bible Study: Observe: What does it say? Interpret: What does it mean?

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  1. 3 Steps for Bible Study: • Observe: What does it say? • Interpret: What does it mean? • Apply: What should I do?

  2. GALATIANS

  3. When did Paul write Galatians?

  4. Considerations: • When did Galatians 1:18-24 happen? • When did Galatians 2:1-10 happen? • How do we relate these to Acts 15?

  5. Conclusions: • Galatians 2:1-10 does not seem to be describing the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. • Paul never mentions the Council in the book of Galatians, which seems like a big omission. • The visit of Galatians 2:1-10 is more likely to be identified with Acts 11:29-30. • This places Galatians shortly before the Jerusalem Council in AD 49.

  6. Where did Paul write Galatians from?

  7. Considerations: • Paul seems to have written prior to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, but after his missionary efforts in Galatia. • Thus he likely wrote from Antioch, during the time described in Acts 14:28.

  8. Who did Paul write Galatians to?

  9. Considerations: • Paul wrote to multiple churches in the region of Galatia (1:2) • Galatia was a region in modern-day Turkey, and included such biblical cities as Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:14-50), Iconium (13:51-14:7), Lystra (14:8-19), and Derbe (14:20-21).

  10. Why did Paul write Galatians?

  11. Considerations: • Men known as “Judaizers” had infiltrated the Galatian churches. • They preached a different gospel (1:6-7). • They attacked Paul’s apostleship and his gospel message (1:10-12). • They were teaching that all Christians must not only believe in Jesus, but keep the Old Testament law of Moses as well.

  12. What did Paul write about in Galatians?

  13. Outline: • Personal: Paul and his gospel (chs. 1-2) • Greetings and a rebuke (1:1-9) • Paul’s self-defense (1:10-2:21) • Doctrinal: What it means to be justified (chs. 3-4) • Paul’s defense of justification (ch. 3) • Paul’s illustrations explaining justification (ch. 4) • Practical: Living out our justification (chs. 5-6) • Freedom in Christ (5:1-15) • Life in the Spirit (5:16-25) • Loving one another (ch. 6)

  14. What are some key terms Paul uses in Galatians?

  15. Justification: “an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight” – Wayne Grudem –

  16. Circumcision: • A physical act performed by Jews to identify as God’s covenant people. • Traces its origins to God’s dealings with Abraham in Genesis 17:9-12. • Used in Galatians to signify one’s desire to keep the whole law (5:3).

  17. Allegory: • A text intended to convey a meaning other than its literal one. • Paul uses this in Galatians 4:24. • He is not saying that the text itself is an allegory, but that he is building an allegory based on the text.

  18. Three More: • Gospel: A proclamation of good news, esp. of how we can be saved • Law: The Old Testament, especially the first five books of the Bible • Gentiles: Non-Jews

  19. Tips for reading…

  20. Read slowly • Read prayerfully • Read multiple times if necessary • Ask questions • Don’t forget the steps: Observe-Interpret-Apply • Each day, write down something you learned, or something that confused you, or something that encouraged you—just write down something. • Persevere. Remember, Galatians is a tough book. If you get through it, you can get through anything Paul wrote!

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