Galatians 5:7–5:15 A little leaven causes a whole lump of dough to rise. It only
takes one person to infect all the others. Legalists reveal their
hypocrisy, for they fail to keep the whole law. They look upon
the Old Testament law the way a customer surveys the food in
a cafeteria line: they choose what they want and leave the
rest. The spirit of ... Read more
Galatians 5:1–5:6 Christ died to set us free from sin and from a long list of laws
and regulations. He came to set us free but not free to do
whatever we want because that would lead us back into
slavery to our selfish desires. Paul said to stand fast in our
liberty in Christ (v. 1). He often told believers to “stand fast”
(firm) for the cause of Christ ... Read more
Galatians 4:27–4:31 It is written that a barren woman, who has not given birth to
children should break forth with a joyful shout, because of not
feeling birth pangs, in comparison to the desolate woman who
has many more children than she who has a husband (v. 27).
This quotation from (Isaiah 54:1) says Israel before her
Babylonian Captivity was ... Read more
Galatians 4:21–4:26 Paul addresses those who want to be under the law (v. 21). In
his argument he takes the Galatians back to events in the Old
Testament that actually happened but he uses them as an
allegory. He takes them back to the life of Abraham and his
two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Gen. 21:2,9), who were born to
two different wives (legal in that ... Read more
Galatians 4:12–4:20 Paul knew how to balance rebuke with love. Within this text he
shows through sentimental argument how he is genuinely and
passionately interested in the Galatians personally. He turns
from “spanking” to “embracing” as he reminds them of how
they have loved him and how he loves them (vv. 12-15). He
commends the Galatians ... Read more
Galatians 4:1–4:11 The way of the Galatian Christians was not much different
than many Christians today who get involved in various
legalistic movements hoping to achieve certain goals. Children
who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though
everything their parents own will someday be theirs (v. 1).
This is because children are ... Read more
Galatians 3:23–3:29 Paul continues his logical argument by spilling out
briefly and clearly the purpose of the Law. First of all
he says that before Christ we were kept under the
Law which gives the idea of being surrounded and
protected by prison guards (v. 23). He goes on to
explain how the Law did not give life to Israel but it
regulated life. He used ... Read more
Galatians 3:15–3:22 The Judaizers thought they had Paul backed into a
corner. If salvation does not involve the law, then
why was the law given in the first place? Our faith is
a logical faith and can be defended on rational
grounds. The law cannot change the promise (vv.
15-18). The Judaizers had been saying that the law
was given and this changed ... Read more
Galatians 3:10–3:14 In today’s passage, Paul tells us three things about
those who rely on the law for salvation & three
things about those who rely on Jesus ... Read more
Galatians 3:1–3:9 Paul rebukes these Galatian believers for backsliding
into false teaching. They had turned from the Gospel
of Grace and were following the path of legalism.
The key to verses 1-5 is the word suffered (v. 4),
which can be translated “experienced.” To begin the
personal argument Paul asks, “Have you
experienced so many things in ... Read more
Galatians 2:15–2:21 The basis of salvation is the issue in this passage. Is
salvation through Christ alone or does it come through
Christ and adherence to the law. If observing the Jewish
laws cannot justify us, why should we still obey the ten
commandments and other Old Testament laws? Paul
says we are Jews by ... Read more
Galatians 2:11–2:14 Apparently sometime after the conference described in
the previous verses, Peter came from Jerusalem to
Antioch (v. 11). At first, he mingled freely with the
Gentiles, enjoying their fellowship. Then some men
from Jerusalem arrived who were following strict Jewish
traditions ... Read more
Galatians 2:1–2:10 False teachers seemed to follow Paul everywhere he
went. No sooner had he given out the gospel and
people believed, than false teachers tried to discredit
Paul’s message and challenge his authority. Paul’s
coworkers in the Gospel were Barnabas, a circumcised
Jew who was a great ... Read more
Galatians 1:18–1:24 Three years after Paul’s conversion he went to
Jerusalem and visits with Peter. This was his first visit to
this city as a Christian. He stayed fifteen days and only
saw Peter and James (vv. 18-20). The Apostles were
suspicious of him, and he had a tough time getting into
the church fellowship! ... Read more
Recent commentaries
Love Fulfills The Law
Galatians 5:7–5:15
A little leaven causes a whole lump of dough to rise. It only takes one person to infect all the others. Legalists reveal their hypocrisy, for they fail to keep the whole law. They look upon the Old Testament law the way a customer surveys the food in a cafeteria line: they choose what they want and leave the rest. The spirit of ... Read more
Christ Died to Set us Free
Galatians 5:1–5:6
Christ died to set us free from sin and from a long list of laws and regulations. He came to set us free but not free to do whatever we want because that would lead us back into slavery to our selfish desires. Paul said to stand fast in our liberty in Christ (v. 1). He often told believers to “stand fast” (firm) for the cause of Christ ... Read more
A Comparison Between The Two Sons of Abraham
Galatians 4:27–4:31
It is written that a barren woman, who has not given birth to children should break forth with a joyful shout, because of not feeling birth pangs, in comparison to the desolate woman who has many more children than she who has a husband (v. 27). This quotation from (Isaiah 54:1) says Israel before her Babylonian Captivity was ... Read more
The Difference Between Law (slave) and Grace (free)
Galatians 4:21–4:26
Paul addresses those who want to be under the law (v. 21). In his argument he takes the Galatians back to events in the Old Testament that actually happened but he uses them as an allegory. He takes them back to the life of Abraham and his two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Gen. 21:2,9), who were born to two different wives (legal in that ... Read more
Building up People in Their Faith
Galatians 4:12–4:20
Paul knew how to balance rebuke with love. Within this text he shows through sentimental argument how he is genuinely and passionately interested in the Galatians personally. He turns from “spanking” to “embracing” as he reminds them of how they have loved him and how he loves them (vv. 12-15). He commends the Galatians ... Read more
Why Go Back Into Slavery?
Galatians 4:1–4:11
The way of the Galatian Christians was not much different than many Christians today who get involved in various legalistic movements hoping to achieve certain goals. Children who are under age are no better off than slaves, even though everything their parents own will someday be theirs (v. 1). This is because children are ... Read more
The Law is Not Contrary to The Promise
Galatians 3:23–3:29
Paul continues his logical argument by spilling out briefly and clearly the purpose of the Law. First of all he says that before Christ we were kept under the Law which gives the idea of being surrounded and protected by prison guards (v. 23). He goes on to explain how the Law did not give life to Israel but it regulated life. He used ... Read more
The Law Was Temporary
Galatians 3:15–3:22
The Judaizers thought they had Paul backed into a corner. If salvation does not involve the law, then why was the law given in the first place? Our faith is a logical faith and can be defended on rational grounds. The law cannot change the promise (vv. 15-18). The Judaizers had been saying that the law was given and this changed ... Read more
Salvation is by Faith and Not by Law-Keeping
Galatians 3:10–3:14
In today’s passage, Paul tells us three things about those who rely on the law for salvation & three things about those who rely on Jesus ... Read more
Freedom From The Law
Galatians 3:1–3:9
Paul rebukes these Galatian believers for backsliding into false teaching. They had turned from the Gospel of Grace and were following the path of legalism. The key to verses 1-5 is the word suffered (v. 4), which can be translated “experienced.” To begin the personal argument Paul asks, “Have you experienced so many things in ... Read more
Salvation is Not of The Law
Galatians 2:15–2:21
The basis of salvation is the issue in this passage. Is salvation through Christ alone or does it come through Christ and adherence to the law. If observing the Jewish laws cannot justify us, why should we still obey the ten commandments and other Old Testament laws? Paul says we are Jews by ... Read more
Paul Confronts Peter About Hyprocrisy.
Galatians 2:11–2:14
Apparently sometime after the conference described in the previous verses, Peter came from Jerusalem to Antioch (v. 11). At first, he mingled freely with the Gentiles, enjoying their fellowship. Then some men from Jerusalem arrived who were following strict Jewish traditions ... Read more
Paul Goes to Jerusalem
Galatians 2:1–2:10
False teachers seemed to follow Paul everywhere he went. No sooner had he given out the gospel and people believed, than false teachers tried to discredit Paul’s message and challenge his authority. Paul’s coworkers in the Gospel were Barnabas, a circumcised Jew who was a great ... Read more
Paul explains his conversion
Galatians 1:18–1:24
Three years after Paul’s conversion he went to Jerusalem and visits with Peter. This was his first visit to this city as a Christian. He stayed fifteen days and only saw Peter and James (vv. 18-20). The Apostles were suspicious of him, and he had a tough time getting into the church fellowship! ... Read more