Session V, The Letter to the Galatians

 Opening Prayer

Theme hymn                 Let Us Break Bread Together, v. 1

Let us break bread together on our knees;

Let us break bread together on our knees;

When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun,

O Lord, have mercy on me.

We are seeking a deeper understanding of God’s grace in our lives.

 General introduction to Galatians

1. This letter deals with the issue of whether Gentiles must become Jews before they become Christians.

2.  General background:

Paul’s missionary activity to this area is described in Acts 15, 16, & 18.

Believed written around 50 CE., possibly the earliest of Paul’s letters.  During Paul’s third journey.

 Galatians, Chapter One

We will find considerable biographical material about Paul here, more than in any other source.  Chapter 1:11-24.

 Vv. 1-5 – Salutation.  Much like the salutations of other NT letters.  The author identifies him/herself.  Here Paul begins by listing his qualifications, which will come into play later in the letter.  Note v. 4 sets out a short form of the gospel.

Compare the openings of other letters in the NT to this one.

Question #1.  What is the point of a salutation in a letter, or even a greeting on the street? 

 Vv. 6-10 – Paul cuts right to the chase.  Here the issue is the different “gospel” that others are proclaiming.  This will be spelled out in more detail in chapter 3.

Question #2.  How important is it to us to please others?  Does our pleasing others ever get in the way of our pleasing God?

 Vv. 11-24 – Paul establishes his credentials.  He is probably responding to challenges to his authority etc. as his opponents had undoubtedly tried to discredit him, the better to win people to their side

Question #3. According to his little “autobiography” in verses 11-24, Paul made a radical conversion, going from persecuting the church to being an evangelist.  What other conversion stories like this are you familiar with?

 Engaging activity. During this class we will undertake to write a letter similar to Galatians, but in a modern context.  Assume someone has asked you about your faith, what you believe, why you believe it.  You have undertaken the responsibility to correspond with that person, following the model of Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

For today, think first about what you would say in a salutation.

What might you say about your own faith journey, as Paul does in Vv. 11-24?  What are the significant times and places in your faith journey?  Who are significant people in your faith journey?