Download discussion questions: Galatians 1:9-17
Seven Questions – Inductively From Galatians
Calvary Institute – Fall 2018 Index
Making Disciples
One of the reasons for the existence of Calvary Institute at Restoration Church is to “make joyful, passionate disciples who make joyful, passionate disciples…” A quotation from a seventeenth-century Puritan is a good reminder:
The mind of man is capable of receiving continual supplies in the increase of light and knowledge, if they are improved unto their proper end in obedience unto God. But without this the mind will be quickly stuffed with notions, so that no streams can descend into it from the fountain of truth. [1]
Owen was writing about our individual obedience to God as we learn more about Him. The danger of becoming “stuffed” applies to our relationships with others as well. When truth is kept to ourselves and not passed on to others, it can become stale even to us. That stuffed staleness is an obstacle to the “streams from the fountain of truth.” Pouring into others makes room for our own growth
Triads
After ten minutes looking at the passage individually, we divided into groups of three, with family members in different triads. The topic of discussion was, “What was the most interesting or most puzzling part of this passage for you?” The other instruction was to practice intentional listening, be curious about what was being shared.
Several suggestions came from the brief triad time. Paul used questions (v. 10) to stimulate thinking in his audience. Another person mentioned a possible parallel between Paul’s calling from his mother’s womb (v. 15) and the response of the pre-born John the Baptist (Luke 1:44) leaping in Elizabeth’s womb at the approach of Mary.
Then we talked about the listening part of the assignment. Several shared that listening can be especially difficult when you have something you want to contribute to the conversation. When we hear something that stimulates a new thought of our own, we put more energy into trying to remember that idea than into intentional listening. Sometimes we listen specifically for something that will enable us to respond with what we want to say.
Instead of listening for what others might say, we need to recover the art of listening to others. If you have ever been on the receiving end of the listening for conversation, you know what this feels like.
When we simply listen for what another person is saying, we reduce that person down to a stereotype that we already have in our mind. This kind of listening is not really listening. It is merely argument formulation masquerading as listening.[2]
Listening to another person is about more than just the content of what he or she is saying.
Discussion
Looking at the passage as a whole, we started with the contrast Paul made. What were the things he was not doing or had not done, and what were the things that he had done? He was adamant about being independent of human sources (“not according to man,” v. 11, “not taught it,” v. 12). Those denials continue what he started in the first line of the letter (“not from men nor the agency of a man,” Galatians 1:1). He also denied any motivation to be a people pleaser (v. 10). Instead, Paul insisted that his goal was to please God and be a bond-servant of Christ (v. 10) by preaching only the revelation he received (v. 12).
On the other hand, Paul goes to great lengths to remind them of his “former manner of life” as a pious, passionate Jew intent on destroying the Christian movement (v. 13-14). Only then does he return to the positive outcome of God’s work enabling him to preach the gospel to Gentiles (v. 15-16a). He immediately returns to his continuing theme of independence from human sources, not going even to the authority of the apostles themselves (v. 16b-17).
Dependence on Revelation
With all of Paul’s denials about learning from others, the natural “application” question might be, “Should we not listen to other Christians and their opinions about the gospel and the life of faith? Should we be as independent as Paul was?”
Someone in our group commented that Paul’s insistence was that his message did not originate from a human source, but rather from God’s revelation. Our first week of this series began with Paul’s exhortation to mutual dependence, to “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). That passage continues with instructions for teachers and those taught (6:6). Clearly, Paul was not encouraging an isolated faith.
His emphasis was on the revelation from God. For us, that revelation is found primarily in the Bible. The work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts might be considered revelation, as long as the leading is consistent with the written revelation in Scripture. (Some people would make the distinction that the present work of the Spirit is “illumination,” reserving the special significance of “revelation” for God’s written Word. We won’t wrangle about the terms.)
We should follow Paul’s adamant example of separating Scripture from human opinions. One writer[3] suggests that many Christians depend on “hearsay impressions”[4] for what they believe and how they should live. Emotional appeal and second-hand (or later) attitudes substitute for clear Biblical teaching. Paul wanted to make clear to his Galatian readers that his source was firsthand, from God’s own self-revelation. In last week’s passage, we discussed Paul’s astounding confidence in his message (“…even if an angel from heaven should preach a different gospel…”, Galatians 1:8). Perhaps that confidence was from his confidence in God’s revelation.
Recently the small group that meets in our home had a practical example of depending on revelation and avoiding hearsay impressions. Our weekly time together begins over a meal with a discussion of the previous Sunday’s sermon. But with a full table and no room for open Bibles, our conversations could flail around with vague memories of what the passage actually said and coming dangerously close to hearsay impressions. Printing “placemats” (plain 8-1/2×11 sheets with the sermon passage down one side) provides a simple solution to keep our discussion dependent on Scripture.
As we continue our methodical inductive study, may we, too, grow in our confidence to share God’s revealed message.
Understanding the Issue
If Paul was so confident in his message based on God’s revelation, why did he reminisce about his “former manner of life” (v. 13-14)? Wouldn’t that be a subject to avoid, having persecuted (and very likely killed) Christians? And why would the Galatian believers care about that history lesson?
A member of our discussion suggested that Paul wanted the Galatians to know that he was well versed in Judaism and knowledgeable about the Law and its requirements. This is the first hint of the specific complaint Paul has and why he was “amazed” at their departure from his teaching (Galatians 1:6). The gospel Paul had preached was quite different from the “ancestral traditions” (v. 14) that were his previous focus. Paul understood a passion for the Law and obedience to the requirements of Judaism. He was establishing his credibility to address the issue that he defines a little later in the letter.
Someone mentioned that even though Paul had a fearful reputation among Christians (cf. v. 23), he did not let his past hold him back. As another person suggested, it would be easy to imagine Paul completely withdrawing from shame and regret over his “former manner of life.” He could have chosen to avoid Christians, or at least to never speak of his violent past. Instead, he used those regrettable actions to gain credibility with people facing similar temptations.
Another person brought out a powerful dimension of Paul’s understanding. He understood the appeal, the attraction of following the Law. Human nature seems to thrive on fair play: If I follow the rules, I get the reward. Grace (v. 6, 15) that embraces us before we prove anything[5] is a foreign concept, maybe because we have no control over it. Grace can seem so vague, but checking the boxes for keeping rules is crystal clear. Rules and law-keeping dangle before us the lure that we can save ourselves. Paul had been fully drawn to that lure. Even in his frustrated astonishment, he had personal knowledge of what had turned the Galatians from the true gospel. In soul-care terms, we need to “think beneath” to understand the desires and passions of others in our conversations. We may not have Paul’s advantage of truly having “been there,” but we can try to understand the other person by intentional, curious listening.
…pleased to reveal His Son in me
Finally, we discussed a slightly surprising phrase. On a first reading, we might expect verse 16 to mention that God had revealed His Son “to” Paul. But the text actually reads that God “was pleased to reveal His Son in me.” Why would Paul express God’s work that way? What is the difference between God revealing to us and God revealing in us?
The consensus of our group was that “in” was a powerful expression of God’s work. As one person suggested, God didn’t just reveal the gospel “to” Paul’s head. God revealed Jesus “in” Paul’s heart and in his soul in ways that showed in his life. Another commented that because the gospel was “in” Paul, he was equipped, as the text says, “so that I might preach Him” (v. 16). God was not only revealing Christ “to” Paul for Paul’s personal benefit. God revealed Christ “in” him to communicate to the Gentiles through him. The gospel is not just about information or facts about what God has done. Christ revealed in us can show His character to others as we live and love like Jesus.
[1] John Owen, “The Causes, Ways, and Means of Understanding the Mind of God as Revealed in His Word, with Assurance Therein” in Complete Works, Book VI, Part II, p.111
[2] Christianity Today magazine
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2018/september-web-only/polarization-listening-can-you-hear-me-now.html
retrieved September 22, 2018.
[3] Andrée Seu Peterson, “Remember the signs,” World Magazine, July 27, 2013; https://world.wng.org/2013/07/remember_the_signs? .
[4] Michael Wiebe, “Hearsay Impressions”
http://www.goodnotsafe.com/remember-the-signs/hearsay-impressions/
[5] Ann Voskamp, The Broken Way, Audiobook CD, 2016.