Download discussion questions:  Galatians 5:1-7
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Here is the passage for Sunday.  Click the “Download…” link above.

One of the reasonsI wanted us to study Galatians together was to see how Paul’s passionate defense of the gospel of grace (most of chapters 1-4) led into the application to relationships in the Galatian churches (chapters 5-6) – relational orthodoxy that makes disciples who make disciples.

In order to draw as much as we can from the remaining two chapters, I am planning to have us focus on shorter passages.  Hopefully that will give us more time for discussion of Paul’s words and more opportunityfor thinking and talking about application – how Calvary Institute can help us build that kind of community.

As we work through the end of Galatians, I hope to move toward one of the goals of Calvary Institute, that of finding practical ways to make disciples who make disciples.  With that in mind, note three new questions on the handout that can guide your approach to the passage:

How would you explore this passage?

• To understand it yourself?
• To explain it to someone?
• To lead others through it?

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 4:20 – 5:1
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

An Allegory

The most conspicuous feature of this passage is Paul’s extended allegory (“being taken figuratively” in CSB; allégoroumena, ἀλληγορούμενα).  The natural question is, “What is an allegory, and why is Paul using one here?”  We also discussed the question, “How would the new Galatian believers fresh out of paganism understand his figurative language if they were not familiar with the story the allegory is based on?” Continue reading →

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 4:20 – 5:1
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Here is the passage for Sunday.  Click the “Download…” link above.

Before looking at the discussion questions on the right side of the page, read through the passage itself once or twice.

• What questions do you have as you read?
• What parts of the passage would you like our group to discuss when we meet on Sunday morning?
• Is this passage more theological (like the first chapters of Galatians) or relational (like the later chapters)? Or would you put the passage into a different category?

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 4:8-20
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Meat and Bones

Being Thanksgiving weekend, a turkey illustration seemed appropriate.  Like turkey, some Biblical passages are a combination of meaty parts and bony parts.   Our discussion started with the question, “What parts of this passage are “bony” – not lending themselves to straightforward understanding?  Which parts are “meaty” – probably the writer’s main point? Continue reading →

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 4:8-20
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Here is the passage for Sunday.  Click the “Download…” link above.

Before looking at the discussion questions on the right side of the page, read through the passage itself once or twice.

• What questions do you have as you read?
• What parts of the passage would you like our group to discuss when we meet on Sunday morning?
• How does this passage follow what Paul has said before? What new ideas does he introduce?

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 3:23 – 4:11
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

We began our study of the passage with two main observations:

• Paul’s repeated (and varied) use of the pronouns “we/our” and “you.”
• “Transition words” that indicate purpose (“so that”; “because”) or explanation (“for” or “in the same way”) or contrasts (“but”; “although”), etc.

Continue reading →

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 3:23 – 4:11
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Here is the passage for Sunday.  Click the “Download…” link above.

Before looking at the discussion questions on the right side of the page, read through the passage itself once or twice.

• What questions do you have as you read?
• What parts of the passage would you like our group to discuss when we meet on Sunday morning?
• How does this passage follow what Paul has said before? What new ideas does he introduce?

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 3:15-29
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

A Human Illustration

In this passage, Paul seemed to intentionally change his strategy.  Earlier he had used theological explanations about justification by faith in Christ (e.g., Galatians 2:15-17) and living by the Spirit of Christ (3:2-5).  He pointed to history and the prime illustration of Abraham’s justification by faith (3:6-9).  He emphasized how Abraham was the prototype of God’s plan to bless all the nations (3:8, 14).  Now he shifts to more familiar territory, Continue reading →

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 3:15-29
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Here is the passage for Sunday.  Click the “Download…” link above.

Before looking at the discussion questions on the right side of the page, read through the passage itself once or twice.

• What questions do you have as you read?
• What parts of the passage would you like our group to discuss when we meet on Sunday morning?
• If you were leading the group, what questions would you ask to help others explore the passage?

Download discussion questions:  Galatians 3:1-14
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index

Review – Paul’s Letter So Far

We began our discussion with a review of the first two chapters of Paul’s letter to the Galatian churches.  Our starting-point question was, “How does this section (beginning in Galatians 3) fit into Paul’s thought process?  What is the flow of his argument?  Too often we follow chapter and verse divisions which were added hundreds of years after the original writing.  Those helpful, but artificial, interruptions partition our thinking, isolating parts of Scripture that originally were written and intended to form a whole.  Remembering that individual passages occur in a larger context is critical for understanding the author’s meaning. Continue reading →