Book Of Galatians
Galatians, more than any other single book, became the manifesto of freedom and revival of Biblical truth of the Reformation era: “the Magna Carta of spiritual emancipation.” Few books have had a more profound influence on the history of mankind than has this small tract, for such it should be called. Christianity might have been just one more Jewish sect, and the thought of the Western world might have been entirely pagan had it never been written. Galatians embodies the germinal teaching on Christian freedom which separated Christianity from Judaism, and which launched it upon a career of missionary conquest. It was the cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation, because its teaching of salvation by grace alone became the dominant theme of the preaching of the Reformers. — Merrill Tenney
Galatians, more than any other single book, became the manifesto of freedom and revival of Biblical truth of the Reformation era: “the Magna Carta of spiritual emancipation.”
Few books have had a more profound influence on the history of mankind than has this small tract, for such it should be called. Christianity might have been just one more Jewish sect, and the thought of the Western world might have been entirely pagan had it never been written. Galatians embodies the germinal teaching on Christian freedom which separated Christianity from Judaism, and which launched it upon a career of missionary conquest. It was the cornerstone of the Protestant Reformation, because its teaching of salvation by grace alone became the dominant theme of the preaching of
the Reformers.
— Merrill Tenney
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P a g e | 6
· Both were Hellenistic Jews and eminent in their respective localities; he may have
known him before.
28] And he was with them coming in {5734} and going out at Jerusalem.
29] And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the
Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
· “Disputed” (only here and 6:9 in Acts) with Hellenistic Jews.
· Saul picks up the ministry of Stephen, the very man to whose death he consented.
30] [Which] when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent
him forth to Tarsus.
· A vision sends him away. Acts 22:17-21.
[Direct: Sail from Caesarea North To Cydnus, the harbor for Tarsus; however, Galatians
1:21: “came into regions of Syria and Cilicia”: landed at Seleucia and proceeded by land
to Antioch, then North to Cilicia, ending in Tarsus.]
31] Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were
edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were
multiplied.
· Churches had “rest”:
· Emperor Caligula’s persistent determination to have an image of himself set up in the
Temple of Jerusalem; influential Jewish deputation continually attempted to prevent this
from happening. Petronius, who was the governor of Syria was ordered to make war on
the Jews to force them to put the image of Caligula in the Temple.
· Thousands implored him not to do this, offering up their own lives. Even Herod
Agrippa, who was very influential at the time, intercedes, but probably ineffectually.
· But for Caligula’s death, the measure would have succeeded.
· This whole distraction between the Jews and Caligula over the image issue may have
been part of why the church was a second priority for a while. Because the Jews were
fighting with Rome.
Peter’s Ministry:
· From here to Chapter 12 is Peter’s ministry.
· Paul’s ministry is in Chapters 13-28.
32] And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all [quarters], he came down also
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