Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Week 6: Galatians: Justification Through Faith Alone In Christ Alone
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Week 6: Galatians: Justification Through Faith Alone In Christ Alone
Galatians 4:12-31 Associate Pastor Nathan George
Galatians 4:12-31 Handout
Galatians 4:12-31 — From Slaves to Sons[1]
Reminder
Paul is astonished (1:6). He’s surprised that his friends in Galatia would want to live under the law so quickly after being set free (3:3). He’s wondering if his labors were in vain (4:11). He’s perplexed (4:20)! Are they really that fickle? They were running well (5:7). But now they are bewitched (3:1)!
Review
The first week we learn there is no other Gospel and that Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ (ch.1). Then we saw that he was so bold as to even confront Peter (ch.2). We also learned that the righteous live by faith, and that living by the law is the opposite of this (ch.3). Last week we were reminded that we are no longer slaves, but sons. Instead, our hearts cry Abba! Father! The church has grown up from slaves to sons. The weak and worthless, elementary principles (perfectly ‘natural,’ man-made ideas about earning the right to become sons) no longer hold sway over us. Now we know God, and the truth shall set you free. (John 8:31–32) So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (ch.4)
Loved or Despised — Read Verses 12-20
Vs. 11: Paul fears he has labored in vain. Mark his tone (vs.20). Is Paul all head and no heart? No. Intellect is never divorced from affection, nor can it be. Paul is moved almost to exasperation because he knows these folks! His tone is tense because he knows how they began! Now, he’s flabbergasted!
In our first lesson it was pointed out that the tone this letter is altogether different than the other Epistles. Paul seems harsh, unfeeling, and desperate. But, Luther takes Paul’s as kind and concerned. Notice vs.12 “brothers” or vs.19 “little children.” His very direct comments are like caring father who might plead with his son to avoid the dangers of seductive world - much like teacher of Proverbs. (Listen my son…)
In Gal. 1-3 we have been listening to Paul the apostle, Paul the theologian, Paul the defender of the faith; but now we are hearing Paul the man, Paul the pastor, Paul the passionate lover of souls.”—John R. W. Stott[2]
Vs.12: “Become like me.” In what sense? Afflicted like Paul? Or free like Paul? Probably the latter. Paul expressed a similar sentiment in Acts 26:28-29. “I like you.” In what sense? Paul certainly had the clout to set himself apart. He was learned, skilled, and powerful. But, he did the opposite. See 1 Cor. 9:19-23. How does this apply to the priesthood of believers? Can we say with Paul, “I became like you, so you become like me?”
Vs.13-16: “Bodily ailment.” (Gal. 4:13, Acts 23:1-5, Gal. 6:1) Some guess that he ended up in Galatia as a way to rest from sickness. But, they, rather than scorning him, overlooked what must have been an obvious physical problem, and received the gospel. He recounts their concern and love for him in vs. 15. They even received him as an angel of God, as Jesus Christ. When crowds tried to worship him in Lystra, he tried to stop them (Acts 14), but here they are caring for him. They receive the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) as Jesus (Mt 10:40). But, now their ears are being tickled by other teachers, and Paul is feeling like the enemy for speaking the truth.
Vs.17-20: What is Paul’s tone here? Why is he perplexed? Use: We love to hear what we love to hear, and what we don’t love we ignore. It is impossible to not want what we want. But, we should not be selective in what we want to hear from the Word of God. Shall we pay more attention to the NT or the OT?
View all episodes
By Parish Presbyterian Lectures
4.9
88 ratings
Galatians 4:12-31 Associate Pastor Nathan George
Galatians 4:12-31 Handout
Galatians 4:12-31 — From Slaves to Sons[1]
Reminder
Paul is astonished (1:6). He’s surprised that his friends in Galatia would want to live under the law so quickly after being set free (3:3). He’s wondering if his labors were in vain (4:11). He’s perplexed (4:20)! Are they really that fickle? They were running well (5:7). But now they are bewitched (3:1)!
Review
The first week we learn there is no other Gospel and that Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ (ch.1). Then we saw that he was so bold as to even confront Peter (ch.2). We also learned that the righteous live by faith, and that living by the law is the opposite of this (ch.3). Last week we were reminded that we are no longer slaves, but sons. Instead, our hearts cry Abba! Father! The church has grown up from slaves to sons. The weak and worthless, elementary principles (perfectly ‘natural,’ man-made ideas about earning the right to become sons) no longer hold sway over us. Now we know God, and the truth shall set you free. (John 8:31–32) So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (ch.4)
Loved or Despised — Read Verses 12-20
Vs. 11: Paul fears he has labored in vain. Mark his tone (vs.20). Is Paul all head and no heart? No. Intellect is never divorced from affection, nor can it be. Paul is moved almost to exasperation because he knows these folks! His tone is tense because he knows how they began! Now, he’s flabbergasted!
In our first lesson it was pointed out that the tone this letter is altogether different than the other Epistles. Paul seems harsh, unfeeling, and desperate. But, Luther takes Paul’s as kind and concerned. Notice vs.12 “brothers” or vs.19 “little children.” His very direct comments are like caring father who might plead with his son to avoid the dangers of seductive world - much like teacher of Proverbs. (Listen my son…)
In Gal. 1-3 we have been listening to Paul the apostle, Paul the theologian, Paul the defender of the faith; but now we are hearing Paul the man, Paul the pastor, Paul the passionate lover of souls.”—John R. W. Stott[2]
Vs.12: “Become like me.” In what sense? Afflicted like Paul? Or free like Paul? Probably the latter. Paul expressed a similar sentiment in Acts 26:28-29. “I like you.” In what sense? Paul certainly had the clout to set himself apart. He was learned, skilled, and powerful. But, he did the opposite. See 1 Cor. 9:19-23. How does this apply to the priesthood of believers? Can we say with Paul, “I became like you, so you become like me?”
Vs.13-16: “Bodily ailment.” (Gal. 4:13, Acts 23:1-5, Gal. 6:1) Some guess that he ended up in Galatia as a way to rest from sickness. But, they, rather than scorning him, overlooked what must have been an obvious physical problem, and received the gospel. He recounts their concern and love for him in vs. 15. They even received him as an angel of God, as Jesus Christ. When crowds tried to worship him in Lystra, he tried to stop them (Acts 14), but here they are caring for him. They receive the foremost of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) as Jesus (Mt 10:40). But, now their ears are being tickled by other teachers, and Paul is feeling like the enemy for speaking the truth.
Vs.17-20: What is Paul’s tone here? Why is he perplexed? Use: We love to hear what we love to hear, and what we don’t love we ignore. It is impossible to not want what we want. But, we should not be selective in what we want to hear from the Word of God. Shall we pay more attention to the NT or the OT?