Itty Bitty Bible Study – Galatians 1:11-24; 2:1-10

Galatians 1:11-24 & 2:1-10

My thoughts for the Itty Bitty Bible Study group on Facebook. (join if you’d like to get these in fb!)

The Itty Bitty Bible Study on Galatians 1:1-10 addressed some WHO issues.

Now, we are addressing some WHY or HOW.
Galatians 1:11-24

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.
12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Block quote
13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born,[d] and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to[e] me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;[f] 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

There are several points that Paul wants the Galatians to know before he goes any further.

The gospel he preached was not made up by man
Nor did he receive it by man
Proof is in his past, as a very prominent Jewish leader, turned believer in Christ
Called by grace – not of himself
Sent not to the jews, but to the heathen…gentiles..non jewish world
He separated himself to seek God while in arabia
Went to talk with peter – for 15 days, and the only other he met was James(the brother of Christ)
His relationship with god prevents him from lying
In judea and cilicia, he was known only by his witness and testimony that went before him
All to the glory of God.

It is by his testimony that he declares his path.
The HOW and WHY that he is an Apostle and has this Gospel.

Chapter 2:1-10

2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.
2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain.
3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.
4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—
5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.
7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised
8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles),
9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Here Paul talks about how he went back to the desert, so to speak, to spend time with the Lord for 14 years.
Somewhere in here, he picks up Barnabas and Titus.
And they head back to Jerusalem.
Here’s his points:

He goes to the leaders of the Christian movement, and shares with them the gospel that he has been preaching to the gentiles.
HIS MESSAGE WAS THAT OF LIBERTY IN CHRIST.
Not liberty to sin – but freedom from the curse and works of the LAW!
“Those that seem to be influential”, this seems to be speaking of those that were the leaders.
They didn’t add to what Paul was preaching, as a statement that he was preaching the correct gospel.
They recognized the grace given to him, and the message to the Gentiles, just like the message that was given to PETER to the Jews.
Gave him the right hand of fellowship!
Told him to care for the poor.

The pillars of the Christian movement, the Apostles who had walked with Jesus, gave Paul the go ahead, and confirmed his representation of the gospel! He mentions James, Peter(Cephas) and John.
What is the Gospel of the Apostles?
It was compiled into what we now know as the Apostle’s Creed.

The Apostles Creed is explained on

Wikipedia,
The Christian Reformed Church –
The Catholic Church –
This is a beautiful musically backed spoken version –
Billy Graham Ministries explains the Apostles Creed
Rich Mullins, singing Creed – with a great explanation of Christianity in the Intro.

For the Christian Faith – this is the basic statement of belief.
It is this creed, and maybe the Nicene Creed -, that is the basis for sharing our faith.
Neither of these was written by the Apostles.
Yet, this is the basic idea for why Paul went to Jerusalem.
He was double checking to make sure that HIS revelation was lining up with those that had walked with Christ in real life!

The Bereans kept Paul honest, so to speak –

Acts 17:11
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

The Apostle John, who was one that Paul conferred with, said this:

1 John 4:1-3
4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

There is much more that John said that proved who a Christian is…but, he was warning that there were false prophets.

Paul is addressing those that specifically denounce his position, in order to bring the Galatians into bondage.
In this vein, he even spoke to Peter, when Peter was having difficulty with peer pressure – but that’s Chapter 2:11-21.

Blast from the Past
Itty Bitty Bible Study in 2009 for Galatians 1
Itty Bitty Bible Study in 2009 for Galatians 2

Thanks for joining me in this journey,
In His hands and under His wings,
~Christi
Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

“The Lord does not give me rules, but He makes His standard very clear.
If my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without hesitation.
If I hesitate, it is because I love someone I have placed in competition with Him, namely, myself.” – from My Utmost for His highest

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