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1) Intro
A) In this lesson we will take a close look at Paul’s sermon.
B) It’s important because this sermon is Paul’s core message.
C) Map (Galatia). It is basically a short version of Galatians and Romans.
2) vv. 13-16 – “Men of Israel and you who fear God”
A) This might sound strange to us, but there were non-Jewish people connected with local synagogues.
1) 10:1-2 – Cornelius
2) 14:1
3) 17:1-4, 10-13
4) 18:4
B) Some pagan Gentiles had become profoundly disillusioned with civic paganism.
1) Their gods cheat on each other and murder each other.
2) There is no relationship with them. Only transactions (i.e. I’ll sacrifice this goat, and you will make my crops grow).
3) Zero connection between worship and morality.
4) Imagine that you are a good person in this environment, and you look over at the Jews who serve one all-powerful Creator God, with an ethical code of morality that is a part of who he is and what he demands from his people. That was attractive to some people.
5) Deut. 5:4-8
C) Sources
1) Philo of Alexandria (1st century Jewish philosopher) – The laws of Moses, “attract and win the attention of all, of barbarians, of Greeks, of dwellers on the mainland and islands, of eastern nations and western” (Vita Mosos 2.17).
2) Josephus
(a) “The multitude of mankind itself have had a great inclination of a long time to follow our religious observances… they attempt to imitate our internal concord, our liberality to one another, and our diligence in our trades” (Against Apion 2.39).
(b) Appeal of Sabbath rest – “There is not any city of the Grecians, nor any of the barbarians, nor any nation whatsoever, whither our custom of resting on the seventh day hath not come!” (Against Apion 2.39).
D) Many Gentiles were attracted to Judaism but were not willing to make a full conversion.
1) Adult circumcision
2) Dietary restrictions
3) Ritual purity rules and completely break your ability to function in society
4) It was easier just to show up to the synagogues and hear the teaching without jumping in and accepting all the consequences of full conversion.
E) POINT: They know the Old Testament, and they understand sin, and they know about a coming Messiah. Think Roman hardware with Jewish software.
3) Paul’s sermon
A) First, note Paul’s two main themes. This is not just a history lesson.
1) Make sure to hear “the grammar of grace”
(a) You might not hear it at first, but once you do you can’t miss it.
(b) Read vv. 17-22 and look at how God is the subject of almost every active verb.
(c) This is going to be major important in Paul’s main point. GOD is the one who does things, not us. He does not tell history as a list of human accomplishments, but as a list of what God has done.
2) Make sure see the theme of displacement.
(a) Israel was in Egypt, but God led them out.
(b) The Promised Land was filled with Canaanites, but God gave it to the Jews.
(c) There were judges until Samuel.
(d) Saul was king until David.
(e) vv. 23-25 – There was John the Baptist, but then Jesus.
(f) POINT: God has a clearly established pattern of replacing old things with new and better things.
B) vv. 26-31 – The good news (gospel) of Jesus Christ
1) Summary:
(a) v. 26 – It is a message of salvation.
(b) You can find Jesus in the OT Scriptures.
(i) v. 27 – Make sure you don’t miss it like your fathers did.
(ii) We will see some of these OT Scriptures next.
(c) He was crucified.
(d) Resurrection (The Jews and the Romans cast their vote against Jesus, and then God vetoed it.)
(e) He appeared to witnesses.
2) Old Testament support
(a) v. 33 = Ps. 2:7 – (vv. 6-8: God will make the nations the heritage of his son)
(b) v. 34 = Is. 55:3 (vv. 4-5 are about calling the nations)
(c) NOTE: Both Ps. 2 and Is. 55 refer to David or David’s promises, BUT neither are ultimately about David. Next quote.
(d) vv. 35-37 = Ps. 16:10
(i) “corruption”
(a) BDAG – the condition or state of rotting or decaying
(b) L/N – to rot or decay, in reference to organic matter
(ii) When God made his promises to David, he very clearly was NOT talking about David, because David was buried and decayed.
(iii) But not Jesus – his body did not see corruption.
C) vv. 38-39 – MAIN POINT
1) Through Jesus, you can be forgiven of your sins.
(a) cf. 2:38; 5:31; 10:43
(b) “forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to YOU (plural)”
2) Everyone who believes is freed / justified.
(a) Justification is a legal, courtroom word.
(b) It is not just a judge letting you off the hook with a warning or a slap on the wrist.
(c) It is the binding declaration that you are not guilty (justified) / righteous. You are cleared of all charges.
3) …from which you could not be freed / justified by the law of Moses.
(a) The law of Moses teaches you how to not be guilty in the first place. But once you are guilty of breaking a law, it doesn’t have a way (without Jesus) to make you not guilty.
(b) It’s not that there is a flaw in the system. It’s that the system was never meant to accomplish that.
(c) Think about the law of Moses like a ladder. The Jews had been trying to reach heaven by climbing the ladder, wrung by wrong. Paul comes along and says, “You will never get to heaven on this ladder.” The ladder can show you how far you have to go, but it doesn’t actually offer you way to get there.
(d) Paul comes along and tells the people about Jesus, who is like an elevator. You’re never going to climb your way into heaven, but if you will just (believer / i.e. put your faith in Jesus), he will take you all the way to the top floor.
(e) NOTE: Remember the grammar of grace above. Paul has already prepared us for this.
4) POINT
(a) The law of Moses tells you about your sin, and that you are guilty of your sin.
(b) But through Jesus, you can be forgiven of your sin and be right with God (justified).
(c) NOTE: This is what Galatians and Romans are about.
D) vv. 40-41 – Paul’s warning: “Beware”
1) Read Hab. 1:5 – Not in Acts: “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded.”
2) Key: Hab. 2:4 – “the righteous shall live by his faith”
(a) Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11
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