Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons

Spring Quarter 2005

by Jarl K. Waggoner

 

 

Lesson 1 – Romans 1:16-20; 3:9-20

 

Background – Romans was written by Paul during his second visit to Corinth in A.D. 56 or 57 (cf. Hoyt, 14-15; Bruce, 13-14).

 

1:16 – “power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” – “Power” is dunamis, from which comes the word dynamite.  The power of the gospel “resides in its meaning, and that meaning is centered in the person of Christ” (Hoyt, 33). But the gospel is the power of God only to those who believe. “To the man who receives the gospel and has the right attitude toward it, it will bring the life of the eternal God into his soul” (McClain, 57).

 

1:16 – “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” – The Jewish people were privileged as God’s chosen to receive the gospel first.  Only then was it presented to the Gentiles (“Greeks”).  This was true regarding Jesus’ ministry (cf. Matt. 10:5-6; 15:24), as well as Paul’s (cf. Acts 13:44-48).  Neither Jesus nor Paul ignored Gentiles, but the focus of their ministry was first to the Jews.

 

1:17 –  "righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith" - "This is Paul's way of saying that there is a righteousness of God that is available to men which meets all the requirements of God for full and complete salvation. The present tense of the verb 'is revealed' indicates that there is a progressive unfolding of this experience in every life. From the moment of the initial act of faith, the believer moves out of one dimension of faith into another, continuously appropriating the righteousness of God to meet every need" (Hoyt, 34). Note the NIV translation "a righteousness that is by faith from first to last."

 

1:17 –  "The just shall live by faith" - This is a quotation of Habakkuk 2:4 (cf. Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38). The "just" is the one who has been declared righteous. Bruce translates it, "It is he who is righteous (justified) through faith that will live" (76).

 

1:18 – “wrath of God is revealed” – The verb is in the present tense, indicating that this is a present and continuing revelation of God’s wrath, or anger.  His wrath is presently revealed in his giving people over to sin and to sin more wickedly (cf. vv. 21-28).

 

1:18 – “hold the truth in unrighteousness” – The verb means to “hold down,” or “suppress” the truth (cf. NIV; NASB). 

 

1:19 – “Because that which may be known of God is manifest” – The wrath of God is deserved because these people have rejected what God has made “plain” (NIV). 

 

1:20 – “the invisible things of him . . . are clearly seen . . . so that they are without excuse” – God’s eternity, power, and Godhead are revealed in his creation to everyone.  Thus there is in this natural revelation a testimony to him even to those who do not possess the special revelation of Scripture.  Therefore all are without excuse for rejecting God.

 

3:9 – “Are we better than they?” – Prior to this Paul had dealt separately with Gentiles and Jews.  Now he brings the two together to declare that “all [are] under sin.”  The following verses prove the total depravity of mankind by pointing to the pervasiveness of sin in man’s character, speech, and conduct.

 

3:10-12 – “There is none righteous . . . ” – Romans 3:10-12 is a quotation from Psalm 14:1-3 used to prove the depraved character of all people.

 

3:13-14 – “they have used deceit . . .” – Paul quotes here from Psalm 5:9; 140:3; and 10:7.  “Corruption, deceitfulness, uncharitableness, and blasphemy are all exhibited in the speech of mankind” (Hoyt, 56).

 

3:15-17 – “swift to shed blood . . .” – Isaiah 59:7-8 is quoted here.  These verses stress the depraved conduct of mankind, which includes bloodshed, indulging in destruction and misery, and an absence of peace.

 

3:18 – “There is no fear of God” – This is a quotation of Psalm 36:1.  “Fear of God (i.e., reverencing Him by worship, trust, obedience, and service) is the essence of a godly person . . . So for a Jew not to fear God was the height of sin and folly” (BKC, 450).

 

3:19 –  "the law saith" - Since this seems to be a reference to the quotations in the verses immediately preceding, "law" here probably means the Old Testament as a whole, for the quotations are from Psalms and Isaiah (WBC, 1191). The whole Old Testament declares that there is no defense to be made for sin. The whole world stands condemned before God.

 

3:20 – "deeds of the law" - Here the narrower sense of the Mosaic law may be in view. The works prescribed by the Mosaic law cannot justify; they only make one aware of his sin (WBC, 1191). However, "law" here does not have the definite article; thus McClain argues that the meaning is that law of any kind (whether the law of Moses, the law of Christ, etc.) cannot justify (99).

 

3:20 – "Therefore" - This is better translated "because" as in NASB. (Robt., 4:346).

 

 

Lesson 2 – Romans 2:1-16

 

2:1 – “Thou art inexcusable, O man” – Having indicted pagans, Paul now turned to another group—those who considered themselves moral.  Some believe he was addressing the Jewish people here (WBC, 1186; Stifler, 36), though they are not specifically addressed until verse 17.  Others believe so-called “moralists” are being addressed, whether Jewish or Gentile, though perhaps primarily Jewish (BKC, 444; McClain, 69-70).  These people were not condemned simply for judging but for judging others while doing the same things themselves.

 

2:1 – “judgest another” – Here to judge (krino) refers to unfavorable judgment of another.  Such an attitude no doubt was common among Jews as they looked upon pagans.  Yet by God’s standards, even “moral” people stand condemned before him.

 

2:2 – “according to truth against them” – NASB translates, “we know the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.”

 

2:4 – “Despiset thou the riches of his goodness” – “God’s goodness in not bringing immediate punishment is no evidence that the Lord is indifferent to the sin.  Far from it!  By divine goodness he wants to lead men to a new way of life” (WBC, 1188).  God’s patience does not suggest that those who see themselves as morally superior will escape God’s judgment.

 

2:4 – “repentance” – Here, as occasionally is the case, “repentance” is equated with saving faith.  Repentance is an inward change of mind and attitude that, “when accompanied by faith in Jesus Christ, results in an outward turning from sin to God” (EDT, 1012).

 

2:5 – “treasurest up . . . wrath against the day of wrath” – A stubborn refusal to repent, thus determining to continue in one’s rejection of God, causes one to store up the wrath of God’s judgment, which will be fully revealed in the future day of judgment.  This explains why God’s turning people over to sin more grievously (Rom. 1:21-32) can be considered divine judgment.  It also points to the varying degrees of punishment in hell.

 

2:6 – “according to his deeds” – The final judgment will be according to people’s deeds (cf. Rev. 20:12).  Stifler (38) notes that judgment according to truth (v. 2) “and a judgment according to works or ‘deeds’ are practically the same thing.  The former is abstract; the measure applied in the judgment will be reality.”

 

2:7 – “To them who by patient contuance in well doing . . . eternal life” – Clearly this does not suggest that eternal life is the reward for well doing (cf. Rom. 3:20; 4:5).  “A person’s habitual conduct, whether good or evil, reveals the condition of his heart. . . . A person’s doing good shows that his heart is regenerate” (BKC, 445).  “The reward of eternal life belongs to those whose good deeds result from their hope in God.  Paul is simply portraying the motivation and tenor of the life of faith that will culminate in eternal fellowship with God. . . . The good works . . . attest to the salvation they have received by faith” (NIVBC, 531).

 

2:9 – “to the Jew first” – Even as there is priority in salvation for the Jew, there is also priority in judgment (Griffith-Thomas, 80; McClain, 76).  Jews cannot look down on pagan Gentiles, for as long as they reject God, they will suffer the same fate.

 

2:11 – “no respect of persons” – NIV’s “God does not show favoritism” is better.

 

2:12 – “perish without law” – Paul here begins to elaborate on the principle set forth in verse 11.  God will judge every person according to the light available to him (Hoyt, 44).  Gentiles will “perish by unfaithfulness to a law which they possess, namely, the law of nature; not to a law of which they have never heard, namely, the law of Moses” (Griffith-Thomas, 80).

 

2:13 – “not the hearers . . . but the doers of the law shall be justified” – Clearly this is directed to Jews, who seemed to think that mere possession and hearing of the law was sufficient for justification.  Paul is stating the standard of judgment for the Jews.  They will be judged according to whether or not they have kept the law—and this is a standard that no person can meet.

 

2:14 – “not having the law, are a law unto themselves” – Gentiles do not have the written law of God; however, some “do instinctively the things of the law” (NASB).  This, Paul said, proves they do have a standard of righteousness and are “a (lit. ‘the’) law unto themselves.”

 

2:15 – “law written in their hearts” – NIV has “they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts.”  “The Gentiles did not receive the law in written form.  But in some remarkable way God has written it on their hearts.  The law of conscience will be the method of measuring their deeds when they come for judgment.  Failing to live up to what they know will be the issue held against them” (Hoyt, 44).

 

2:15 – “hearts . . . conscience . . . thoughts” – While “conscience” originally referred to

“‘consciousness of right or wrong doing,’” Paul used it here “in the sense of an independent witness within” (Bruce , 86).  The Gentile thus “had a court within himself . . . the law was written on his heart; his conscience sat as a judge; and the thoughts of the man accused or excused him” (McClain, 78).

 

2:16 – “In the day” – KJV puts verses 13-15 in parentheses; thus verse 16 picks up the thought from verse 12.  NIV puts verses 14-15 in parentheses, thus continuing the thought of verse 13.  Others (NRSV; NASB) have no parentheses and thus see verse 16 as continuing the thought of verse 15. 

 

2:16 – “by Jesus Christ according to my gospel” – Jesus Christ is the agent of God’s judgment.  While Jews acknowledge a coming judgment and Gentiles admitted it implicitly by the “very process of reasoning that either accused or excused their conduct . . . they did not know . . . that God will judge ‘through Jesus Christ (Jn 5:27; Ac 17:31)” (NIVBC, 532).  Christ will judge according to the “gospel.” This may mean that “the righteous judgment of God is an essential ingredient of the gospel Paul preached” (BKC, 446), that God’s principles of judgment are consistent with the gospel Paul preached (NIVBC, 532), or that the gospel is the standard of judgment because it makes one’s relation to Christ the “chief factor in the judgment” (Stifler, 44).

 

 

Lesson 3 – Romans 5:1-11, 18-21

5:1 – "justified by faith, we have peace" – Justification is the act of God's declaring one righteous (cf. EDT, 643-44).  Peace with God is the first of the blessings listed here that result from justification.  Whereas previously believers were enemies of God, now they enjoy peace with him.

5:2 – “we have access . . . into this grace” – “Access” denotes entering through the assistance or favor of another (Vine’s, 7), especially into the presence of someone of high station.  “Here Christ is viewed as ushering believers into their new state of grace and acceptance before God” (Bruce, 116).

5:2 – "rejoice in hope" – Literally, this reads, "keep on rejoicing" (Robt., 4:355). "Our joy lies in the hope that we shall shortly be conformed to the image of Christ, who is the glory of God (Rom. 8:29; John 1:14)" (Hoyt, 69).

5:3 – "glory in tribulations" – "Glory" is the same word translated "rejoice" in verse 2. The Christian can rejoice in trials because of what they produce in him (cf. Jas. 1:2-3).

5:4 – "patience, experience; . . . hope" – “Patience” (hupomeno) is the “ability to remain under difficulties without giving in” (BKC, 456).  Stifler comments, "Justification does not give patience, constancy, or endurance; this quality does not come at the hour of conversion, but the trials and buffetings of the way thereafter serve to evoke it" (89). "Experience" is translated "character" in NIV and "proven character" in NASB. The word describes "the effect of proving, approval" (Vine's, 218). The meaning is "You enter into tribulation and that tribulation makes you steadfast, and your steadfastness becomes an experience, or a proof that you are a child of God" (McClain, 128). Proven character results in hope, or confidence that God will see the believer through (BKC, 456).

5:5 – “not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost” – Christian hope (cf. “hope of the glory of God”; v. 2) will never bring shame or disappointment because it is accompanied by the “love of God.”  “God’s love, so abundant in believers’ hearts . . . encourages them on in their hope” (BKC, 456).  The love here is God’s love for the believer.  The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit “is the pledge of that glory for which the believer hopes” (Bruce, 117).

5:6 – “without strength” – Here Paul begins to describe the love of God he has just mentioned (v. 5).  God’s love is demonstrated in the death of Christ.  This took place when we were “without strength.”  This refers to “the inability for us to work out any righteousness for ourselves” (NIVBC, 544).  It is essentially equated with “the ungodly.”

5:7 – “for a good man some would even dare to die” – There is little difference between a “righteous man” and a “good man” (Bruce, 117).  The point is that it is rare for a person to be willing to die even for an upright person, though some would in fact lay down their lives for another.

5:8 – "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" – Having introduced God's love in verse 5, Paul now describes that love in contrast to the highest of human love (v. 7). Some people might even sacrifice their lives for a "good" person. Christ, however, demonstrated God's love by dying for ungodly sinners.

5:9 – "justified by his blood" – "Blood" here "denotes his sacrificial death" and stands parallel to the phrase "by the death of his Son" in verse 10 (Bruce, 117).

5:10 – "reconciled to God by the death of his Son" – Reconciliation refers to the "removal of enmity that stands between people and God" (BKC, 457) so that unity can be restored (cf. EDT, 992-3).  Christ’s death was God’s means of accomplishing this.

5:10 – “we shall be saved by his life” – This speaks of the future aspect of salvation.  He died for us when we were enemies; now that we are his, he will see us through to the end.  McClain (129) suggests that it could be understood as “We shall be kept safe by His life.”  Jesus’ life here refers not to his earthly life but to his present resurrection life (Bruce, 118).  As our great high priest who intercedes for us (Heb. 7:25), he is “able to insure the complete and final salvation of believers (BKC, 457).

5:11 – "atonement" – This is the noun form of the word translated "reconciled" in verse 10. NIV, NASB, NKJV, NRSV, and NJB all translate "reconciliation."

5:18 – "offence of one . . . righteousness of one" – Adam's "offence" refers to his initial sin that affected the whole human race. The "righteousness of one" refers to Christ's sacrifice and is translated "one act of righteousness" in NASB and NIV. 

5:18 – “came upon all men unto justification of life” – Jesus’ sacrificial death resulted in “justification that brings life for all men” (NIV).  Since the first “all” in this verse clearly refers to the entire race, the second “all” would most naturally have the same force.  It does not suggest universal salvation, however, just that the “provision in the one righteous act, . . . is potential and it comes to the entire human race as the offer and opportunity” (BKC, 460).  As Stifler (101) points out, the “all” is in reality limited by the previous verse to those who “receive abundance of grace.”

5:19 – “by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” – This repeats the thought of verse 18, with “many” replacing “all” and carrying the same meaning.

5:20 – "that the offence might abound . . . grace did much more abound" – The law resulted in sin abounding, for it brought consciousness of sin (cf. Rom. 3:20). "Only where sin is seen in its maximum expression can divine grace truly be appreciated" (NIVBC, 548). “Wherever sin flourished, grace exceeded it (v. 20). Though sin has exercised a rule to death, grace overcame it and reigned through righteousness to eternal life (v. 21)" (Hoyt, 71).

5:21 – "sin hath reigned unto death" – Death here refers to both physical and spiritual death, both of which are the result of sin (cf. 5:12; LBC, 2231; BKC, 458).

 

Lesson 4 – John 20:1-10; Romans 6:1-11, 13

John 20:1 – “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene” – For a harmony of post-resurrection events, see BKC (91) or Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord (192-195).  Mary Magdalene had been a devoted follower of Jesus for some time, for he apparently had cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2).  Her name suggests she was from the town of Magdala.  Mary and some other women came to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1-2; Luke 24:1). John focuses on Mary’s encounter with the risen Christ (John 20:11-18) and thus mentions only Mary in his account.

 

20:2 – “They have taken away the Lord” – Mary saw the stone had been removed from the tomb (Mark 16:1-4; John 20:1) and assumed the body had been stolen. She left to inform Peter and John, the “disciple, whom Jesus loved” (John 20:2), without looking inside the tomb as the other women did (Mark 16:5-8).

 

20:6 – “Peter . . . went into the sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes” – Though he left for the tomb first (v. 3), John arrived first and looked into the tomb but did not enter (vv. 4-5).  When Peter arrived he immediately entered the tomb and saw the same “linen clothes” that John did.  These were the graveclothes, which consisted of a long cloth that was wrapped around the body (UBD, 432). 

 

20:7 – “napkin . . . wrapped together in a place by itself” – The “napkin” was a separate cloth used to cover the head of the deceased (cf. John 11:44).  This was “wrapped” or “rolled up” (NASB) separately from the graveclothes.  As Morris says, “This has often been taken to mean that the grave clothes were just as they had been when placed round the body.  That is to say, Jesus’ body rose through the grave-clothes without disturbing them.  This is not inconsistent with the language, but it should be borne in mind that John does not say this” (John, 833).  Whether the arrangement of the graveclothes indicated that Jesus’ body had passed through them, they certainly pointed to something miraculous.  A grave robber would have no reason to remove the clothes or to lay them out neatly in the tomb. 

 

20:8 – “he saw, and believed” – Upon seeing the graveclothes, John “believed.”  What exactly he believed is not clear.  Most commentators think he believed Jesus had risen from the dead, though verse 9 perhaps casts some doubt on this.  It may mean that John believed Mary’s story that the tomb was indeed empty.  Or it may be that “John’s meaning is that, though he did not attain to a knowledge of the resurrection, he did attain some sort of faith.  Whatever had happened in the tomb had been wonderful” (Morris, 834).

 

20:9 – “as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again” – NIV puts this verse in parentheses and translates, “They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.”  This may suggest that even though John might have indeed believed in Jesus’ resurrection, he and Peter still did not connect it with Scripture, even after all Jesus’ teaching.  What Scripture John had in mind when writing this is not clear, though Psalm 16:10-11 and Isaiah 53:11-12 are possibilities. 

 

Rom. 6:1 – “continue in sin, that grace may abound?” – Paul is raising a question that emerges from his statement in 5:20, that where “sin abounded, grace did much more abound.”  Does this mean that one should sin more so that grace will abound more? 

 

6:2 – “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” – “To live in sin is to be under its sway (vv. 1-14) and to practice it (vv. 15-23).  Paul with vigorous language repels the thought that a justified man can remain in this enslaving service” (Stifler, 105). Those who are dead to sin cannot continue in sin.

 

6:3 - "baptized into his death" - This speaks of the spiritual reality of the believer's union with Christ in his death, burial, and resurrection. "The spiritual reality Paul spoke of is that by faith believers are 'baptized (placed) into Christ' and thereby are united and identified with him. This spiritual reality is then graphically witnessed to and pictured by believers' baptism in water. The one baptism (by water) is the visible picture of the spiritual truth of the other baptism (identification with Christ)" (BKC, 462).

 

6:4 - "newness of life" - "This is the new mode or quality of life which results from the impartation of Christ's risen power to the believer" (Bruce, 130). "Newness" speaks of freshness or newness of quality, not of time (Vine's, 431).

 

6:5 – “in the likeness of his resurrection” – Many believe this refers to the future bodily resurrection, which is guaranteed by the believer’s union with Christ (cf. WBC, 1200-1201; Bruce, 130).  Others take this as a reference to the believer’s spiritual resurrection to new life as suggested by Romans 6:4 and Ephesians 2:6 and Colossians 2:12 and 3:1 (cf. NIVBC, 552).

 

6:6 - "old man is crucified" - The old man is all that we were before salvation (McClain, 144). NIV translates it "old self." The person the believer once was has been (in the past) crucified by identification with Christ.

 

6:6 - "body of sin might be destroyed" - Stifler (109) says the "body of sin" is almost the same as the "old man." Bruce (131) identifies it with the "flesh." McClain (144) regards it as the physical "body we have, in which sin finds an instrument . . . Sin finds it source in the will, but uses the body as an instrument. Because we were crucified with Christ the body of sin is actually powerless in our lives." "Destroyed" means to render powerless, not to eradicate (BKC, 462; Vine's, 3 [abolish]).

 

6:7 - "freed from sin" - Literally, this reads "is justified from sin" (Robt., 4:362; Bruce, 131).  One who has “died” with Christ is justified, or declared righteous.

 

6:8 – “we shall also live with him” – This essentially restates the truths of the previous verses.  If we have died with Christ (vv. 3, 5), we share in his resurrection life (vv. 4-5).

 

6:9 – “death hath no more dominion over him” – Having been raised from the dead, Christ cannot die again.  “When He went to the cross, He paid the debt in full.  And when the debt is paid in full, the creditor has no more power over the debtor.  We are in Him, therefore death hath no more dominion over us” (McClain, 145).

 

6:10 – “he died unto sin once” – Christ died “unto,” or in reference to, sin.  “Once” emphasizes the finality of the sacrifice of Christ.  In his death he dealt effectively and conclusively with sin” (Bruce, 132).  “With sin and death defeated, he could live for God with these experiences behind him” (WBC, 1201).

 

6:11 – “Likewise, reckon . .. yourselves to be dead . . . alive” – Here Paul applies to believers the significance of what he has just said regarding Christ.  “What is true of Jesus Christ in reality and experience, believers who are identified with Him by faith are commanded to reckon true for themselves” (BKC, 463).  To “reckon” means to take into account, or consider (BAG, 476-7).  Believers are to consider true for themselves what God has declared is true—that, like Christ, they are dead to sin but alive to God.  “We are to know this truth and then continually, . . . we are to reckon it to be so. . . . You did die—you were buried with Him, raised with Him.  That is the secret of a holy life” (McClain, 145).

 

6:13 – “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God” – The “members” here are parts of the body (cf. v. 6).  This is a more particular statement of what Paul said in verse 12 about the whole body.  This is an “appeal to accept and make one’s own by faith all that state which is brought about by union with Christ. . . . Not until a man sees himself sinless in Christ by death and resurrection has he found the right approach toward sinlessness in life” (Stifler, 112).  This requires an understanding of our union with Christ, as well as yielding, or presenting, ourselves to God rather than to sin.  The verb tenses indicate that our not yielding to sin is to be continuous, while our yielding to God is a singular event (LBC, 2233; McClain, 145).

 

 

Lesson 5 – Romans 8:1-16

 

8:1 – “no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” – To be “in Christ” is to be identified with him through faith—to be saved.  Such people are no longer under condemnation, or punishment (BKC, 469; Bruce, 149).  Thus, there is “no reason why they should go on in a life of penal servitude, bound to carry out the dictates of the tyrannical law of sin and death” (Bruce, 149).

 

8:1 – “walk not after the flesh” – Everything after “Christ Jesus” in verse 1 is not found in many manuscripts and is not considered original by many scholars and recent translations (cf. NASB; NIV).  “Flesh,” however, is a major concept in this chapter and the phrase is found in verse 4.  See under verse 4 for its meaning. 

 

8:2 – “law of the Spirit of life . . . law of sin and death” – The “law of the Spirit of life” is the “principle upon which the Holy Spirit works” (LBC, 2238).  This is the reason why there is now no condemnation.  “Union with Christ brings the believer into vital relation to a new power, the

rule of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit gives life, and life that is infinite in power and is able to control the sinful nature” (Hoyt, 87).  The “law of sin and death” is either the universal principle of sin, which leads to death (NIVBC, 560) or a reference to the Mosaic law (Bruce, 151), which is clearly mentioned in verse 3.  The verse is similar to 2 Corinthians 3:17.

 

8:3 – “the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh” – “Having stated the fact of freedom, Paul then explained how it is achieved” (BKC, 469).  First, he stated that the law could not free, for it “was weak through the flesh.”  NIV translates, “it was weakened by the human nature.”  Sinful humans could not fulfill the demands of the law.

 

8:3 – “in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh” – “Likeness” indicates that Jesus came in human flesh but was not a sinful man (WBC, 1206).  As truly man, he came “for sin,” that is, for an offering for sin (cf. NASB; McClain, 165), and thus condemned it, or “passed a judicial sentence on it” (BKC, 469).

 

8:4 – “righteousness of the law might be fulfilled” – This means the “righteous requirements of the law” (NIV).  The demands of the law are fulfilled not by us, but in us through the work of Christ.

 

8:4 – “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” – See Bruce (42-44) for various uses of the word “flesh.”  “Flesh” here refers to the sin nature, or propensity to sin, which still resides in believers.  The contrast is between believers and unbelievers.  Unbelievers walk in accord with their own sinful natures; believers walk in accord with the Spirit (McClain, 166; WBC, 1206).  This thought is reiterated in verse 5.

 

8:6 – “to be carnally minded is death” – A better translation is “the mind set on the flesh is death” (NASB) or “the mind of sinful man is death” (NIV).  Such a mind-set leads to spiritual death.  The connection is so close that it is equated with death here.

 

8:7 – “enmity against God: . . . not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” – “Enmity against God” defines the death of verse 6 (Stifler, 138).  One who is controlled by his sinful mind-set clearly is not subject to God’s law.  Indeed, an unbeliever is utterly unable to please God.

 

8:9 – “not in the flesh” – This means not “controlled ... by the sinful nature” (NIV).

 

8:9 – “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” – This affirms the presence of the Holy Spirit from the moment of conversion in every person who trusts Christ.  “Since only the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life, a person cannot be related to Christ apart from the Spirit” (BKC, 470).

 

8:10 – “the body is dead … but the Spirit is life” – The body is “dead” in that it is subject to physical death.  “Spirit” is either the spirit of the believer, in which case Paul is contrasting the spirit with the body: the “spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Hoyt, 90); or it is the Holy Spirit: the one who gives life (NIVBC, 562).

 

8:11 – “the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus . . . shall also quicken your mortal bodies” – The Spirit here is the Holy Spirit (NIVBC, 562; LBC, 2240).  The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to believers’ “mortal bodies.”  This refers to future bodily resurrection rather than a spiritual resurrection to “newness of life” as in Romans 6:4 (McClain, 167; NIVBC, 562; LBC, 2240; Griffith-Thomas, 211; Hoyt, 90-91; Stifler, 140).

 

8:13 – “live after the flesh … mortify the deeds of the body” – Living after the flesh, allowing it to control oneself, “demonstrates that one does not belong to the family of God, and such a course of life will end in death” (Hoyt, 91).  By contrast, one who puts to death the “deeds of the body” gives evidence that he is spiritually alive.  The “flesh” is not put to death, but by the power of the Spirit the “deeds” of the flesh, those acts that give expression to the old nature, can be (cf. Rom. 6:11).

 

8:14 – “as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” – Being led by the Spirit is a confirmation of one’s relationship to God.  Stifler (141-2) says being led by the Spirit is the exact equivalent of putting to death the deeds of the body.  The leading of the Spirit thus refers primarily to his direction in holy living.

 

8:15 – “the spirit of bondage again to fear” – Paul here assures “us that the Spirit’s leadership does not involve a new bondage in which fear ruled one’s life (cf. Heb. 2:15)” (NIVBC, 563).  The bondage here is the bondage of sin.  “of the bondage of sin the Law cannot free us.  It can only force us, through the fear of the impending Judgment, to do its demands (outwardly)” (Luther, Romans, 121-2).

 

8:15 – “Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” – Spirit here may be taken as either the Holy Spirit or as “disposition” in accord with the previous phrase (Stifler, 142).  NIV translates “Spirit of sonship.”  “Adoption” (huiothesia) literally means “placing of a son.”  It “signifies the place and condition of a son given to one to whom it does not naturally belong” (Vine’s, 13-14).  The believer has been placed in God’s family and given all the rights and privileges of sonship.  Thus he can cry out “Abba,” which is the “familiar term by which children address their father” (Bruce, 157).  See Mark 14:36 and Galatians 4:6.

 

8:16 – “Spirit beareth witness with our spirit” – Many commentators see this as an inner testimony of the Holy Spirit, confirming the believer’s sonship (Bruce, 158; LBC, 2240).  Others note, however, that the Spirit bears witness with our spirit and suggest that this is a double testimony.  “The Spirit of God bears witness to God alongside of our own spirit’s witness.  We look up to God and call Him Father while at the same time, the Holy Spirit Himself bears witness to God to the same effect that we are God’s children” (Griffith-Thomas, 216; cf. Hoyt, 92; BKC, 471).

 

 

Lesson 6 – Romans 10:5-17

10:5 – "shall live by them" – Paul was quoting Leviticus 18:5. The meaning is that the one who seeks righteousness by the law is "obligated to keep all of the law, all of the time, and each item must be kept perfectly" (Hoyt, 113). Since this was impossible, the one who sought to be righteous by the law was condemning himself.

10:6-7 – "the righteousness which is of faith . . . who shall ascend . . . who shall descend?" – Paul here contrasts the righteousness that is by faith with the righteousness that is by law (v. 5) by quoting phrases from Deuteronomy 30:12-14. Unlike the demands of the law, the righteousness that comes by faith requires no impossible acts or conditions for its reception. No one is required to ascend into heaven to bring Christ down, for he has already come. No one is required to descend into the deep to bring Christ up, for he has already been resurrected (cf. BKC, 480; Hoyt, 113).

10:8 – "The word is nigh thee" – Paul is stressing the fact that the message of God's righteousness, the gospel Paul preached, is accessible to the Jews. "In thy mouth, and in thy heart" may simply mean close at hand. LBC (2251), however, suggests the gospel was in their mouths and hearts by virtue of Paul's preaching in the Jewish synagogues and the Jews' subsequent discussion of it.

10:9 – "confess with thy mouth . . . believe in thine heart" – "Since Christ has already come down from above, has died, and has been raised from the dead, nothing remains for the Jew or for anyone else to do but to confess it with his mouth and believe it in his heart" (Stifler, 177). "The confession is an acknowledgment that God has been incarnated in Jesus (cf. v. 6), that Jesus Christ is God. Also essential is heart-faith that God raised Him from the dead (cf. v. 7).  The result is salvation. The true order is given in verse 10" (BKC, 481).

10:10 – "believeth unto righteousness … confession is made unto salvation" – Belief, or faith, brings “righteousness.”  NIV has “with your heart you believe and are justified. Confession is the evidence of faith in the heart.  There is no real difference here between righteousness and salvation (Bruce, 192).

10:11 – “Whosoever believeth” – This is a quote from Isaiah 28:16.

10:12 – “the same Lord over all” – The Lord sees not distinction between Jews and Gentiles in regard to the offer of salvation.  This makes it clear that the “whosoever” of verse 11 is universal.  The riches of his grace extend to all (cf. Titus 2:11).

10:13 – "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord" – Paul here quotes from Joel 2:32, which supports the universality of the gospel offer.

10:15 – "How beautiful are the feet" – This is a quotation from Isaiah 52:7. The reference in Isaiah is probably to those who carried the news to Jerusalem that the Babylonian Captivity was over (LBC, 2252). The beauty of the feet of gospel messengers may refer to their eagerness to carry the good tidings (WBC, 1215) or to how they are welcomed by those who receive the message (Stifler, 180).

10:16 – "report" – The quote is from Isaiah 53:1. "Report" refers to a message one has heard. "A message heard" might be a better translation. The same word (akoe) is translated "hearing" in verse 17 (McClain, 192-93; TDNT, 1:221).

10:17 – "by the word of God" – "Christ" is the preferred reading in most modern translations (cf. NIV; NASB; NRSV). "Word" is rhema, which denotes that which is spoken (Vine's, 683), i.e., it is the word, or message, about Christ that produces faith (cf. Robt., 4:390). There is not a great distinction here from the written Word of God since that is the source of the message about Christ.

 

Lesson 7 – Romans 12:1-2, 9-21

12:1 – “I beseech you therefore … by the mercies of God” – “Therefore” may point back to 11:30-36 and equate those mercies with the “mercies of God” (Stifler, 204).  It may, however, point to all that proceeded in the letter, which describes what God has done for man in justification, sanctification, preservation, and integration” (Hoyt, 136; cf. Robt., 4:402).

12:1 – "present your bodies" – "Bodies" here represents "the totality of one's life and activities, of which his body is the vehicle of expression" (BKC, 487).

12:1 – "reasonable service" – This can be translated "spiritual service of worship" (NASB) or "spiritual act of worship" (NIV). The word can mean "reasonable"; thus "the service of obedient lives is the only reasonable or logical response to the grace of God." However, many commentators believe that here it means "spiritual worship" in contrast to the external rites of Israel's religion (Bruce, 213). Robtertson (Robt. 4:402) says the phrase means "'worship rendered by the reason (or soul)'." See also NIVBC, 882; Vine's, 509.

12:2 – "be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind" – The force of the first imperative is "stop being conformed, or fashioned" (Robt. 4:402). "World" is not kosmos but aion, meaning "age" (cf. Vine's, 685). "Transformed" translates the Greek word from which we get our word metamorphosis. It refers to a complete change, which finds expression in character and outward conduct (Vine's, 639; cf. McClain, 208). "The key to this change is the 'mind' (noos), the control center of one's attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and actions (cf. Eph. 4:22-23). As one's mind keeps on being made new by the spiritual input of God's Word, prayer, and Christian fellowship, his lifestyle keeps on being transformed" (BKC, 487).

12:2 – "prove" – To prove (dokimazo) means to prove by testing with the expectation of approving (Vine's, 495). "It refers to spiritual discernment, which is the inevitable result of inward transformation" (Griffith-Thomas, 327). One who is consecrated to Christ (v. 1) and transformed (v. 2) will know and approve of God's perfect will.

12:9 – "Let love be without dissimulation" – "Without dissimulation" is "without hypocrisy" (NASB), and thus "sincere" (NIV). "Hypocritical or pretended love is no love at all" (Robt. 4:404).

12:10 – "kindly affectioned" – This is translated "devoted" in both NIV and NASB. It describes the mutual love of parents and children (Robt., 4:404), or "family affection" (BKC, 489)

12:11 – "Not slothful in business" – KJV stands alone in translating "business." Even NKJV translates, "not lagging in diligence" (cf. NIV; NASB; NRSV). The context of serving the Lord, however, suggests to some commentators that the idea is "not lacking in zeal or diligence in the business of the church" (McClain, 213; LBC, 2260; cf. NJB).

12:11 – "fervent in spirit" – "Spirit can refer here to either one's inner, human spirit (Stifler, 210) or the Holy Spirit (Bruce, 216).

12:12 – "continuing instant in prayer" – This can be translated "devoted to prayer" (NASB) or "continuing steadfastly in prayer" (NKJV).

12:14 – "Bless them which persecute you" – See Matthew 5:44. Blessing our enemies involves doing good to them and praying for them (cf. NIVBC, 587).

12:16 – "mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate" – NASB is clearer: "Do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly."

12:17 – "Provide things honest" – The idea is "see to it that all your life is such that you do not awaken the prejudice or contempt of men; let your conduct commend itself to them" (Stifler, 212; cf. NASB; NIV).  See 1 Peter 2:12.

12:19 – "Avenge not yourselves" – God has promised to avenge his children (Deut. 32:35), and such vengeance should be left to him; that is, we are to give place to God's wrath.

12:20 – "heap coals of fire on his head" – This is a quotation from Proverbs 25:21-22. The meaning is debated. The two primary interpretations are: (1) This reflects an Egyptian ritual in which one who was truly repentant expressed his repentance by carrying a pan of burning charcoal upon his head. Thus the idea is that doing good to an enemy will bring about a change of attitude or even repentance (cf. BKC, 490; Bruce, 217-218). (2) The burning coals "refers to a sense of shame, punishment, or remorse which is engendered in the mind of our enemy when we show kindness to him" (LBC, 2262; cf. McClain, 216; NIVBC, 587; Griffith-Thomas, 347).

12:21 – "evil" – The word here is kakia, which refers to the "evil habit of mind" (Trench, Synonyms of the NT, 38), as opposed to poneros, which is "the active outcoming of the same."

 

Lesson 8 – Romans 14:1-13; 15:5-6

14:1 – "him that is weak" – These people are probably to be identified "with the Jewish element in the church, those who had avoided certain foods because of the dietary laws of the OT" (NIVBC, 591). McClain comments, "These men are not men who are morally weak. . . . These men . . . were exceedingly sensitive to sin. They were so sensitive to sin that they picked out indifferent things, things that were neither moral nor immoral" (229). They were "not yet mature enough to grasp that all kinds of food are equally kosher ('fit'), all days equally holy" (Bruce, 231).

14:1 – "receive [him] but not to doubtful disputation" – He is to be received but not "for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions" (NASB). "A believer with certain scruples is not to be welcomed into the fellowship with the intent of changing his views or opinions by quarreling with him about them" (BKC, 492).

14:2 – "eateth herbs (vegetables)" – It may have been that the vegetarian diet was adopted in order to avoid eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols (cf. 1 Cor. 8). However, the motive is not addressed, only the action (cf. BKC, 492).

14:3 – "despise . . . judge" – Because God has received both groups in the church, they should not "despise" or "judge" one another. "Despise" means "to treat as nothing and so with contempt" (Robt., 4:412). To "judge" here has a similar idea. It means to condemn or simply criticize in an unloving way (Robt. 4:412; Vine's, 337).

14:4 – "Who art thou that judgest another's man's servant?" – Each Christian is a servant of the Lord, and his master will judge him. Fellow Christians have no right to.

14:4 – "God is able to make him stand" – "Even if a believer despises the scruples of another Christian, God can defend the second person" (BKC, 492). "A servant was bound to the master for life; and even if he failed to do his best, the master did not fire him. He retained him and initiated such means to bring his service up to commendable level. In the same way, . . . Christ works in His servants to perform all the good pleasure of His will (Phil. 2:13)" (Hoyt, 162).

14:5 – "one man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth every day alike" –  The idea is that "one man picks out a certain day [presumably the Sabbath] and gives honor to it. The other man [the 'strong' one] says, 'They are all holy'" (McClain, 234). Both, however, are motivated by a desire to honor the Lord and thus should not be judged by the other. It is a matter of personal conscience, not a moral matter. Note that "alike" is not in the original text.

14:7-8 – "none of us liveth to himself . . .we live unto the Lord" – Life and death encompasses all of one's existence. Each Christian's life is lived out in the Lord's presence as his servant and is accountable to him. However, "each Christian's life affects his fellow-Christians and his fellow-men and women in general; therefore he should consider his responsibility to them, and not consult his own interests only" (Bruce, 232). Thus there seems to be two thoughts here:  First, each believer is accountable to the Lord and so should not be judged by other believers with regard to such things as eating; second, each believer’s actions affect his fellow believers, so care should be taken not to cause others to stumble.  This is a theme Paul would develop later in the chapter (vv. 13, 19-23).

14:10 – “set at nought” – NKJV’s “show contempt for your brother” is better. 

14:10 – "we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ" – Because all believers will stand before Christ at the judgment seat to give an account of himself (v. 12), there is no room for Christians to pass judgment on one another. "God" rather than "Christ" is probably the reading here (cf. NASB; NIV), though there is no real difference (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10). This is a judgment of believers only (1 Cor. 3:10-15), not to be confused with the judgment at the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15). At the judgment seat, it is the believer's service and faithfulness that is in view, not his salvation. See Ryrie, Basic Theology, 512-13.

14:11 – "every knee shall bow" – This is a quotation from Isaiah 45:23 and points to the fact that all people, saved and unsaved, will stand before God and acknowledge Him as Lord. Even unbelievers who are judged at the great white throne will be forced to acknowledge Him (cf. Phil. 2:10-11). Christians, who stand before the judgment seat of Christ, will willingly confess Him.

14:13 – "judge . . . but judge rather" – The first "judge" means to condemn; the second is used in the sense of "make up your mind" (cf. NIVBC, 593).

14:13 – "stumblingblock . . . occasion to fall" – The two words are synonyms. "Stumblingblock" (proskomma) refers to something one trips over; "occasion to fall" (skandalon) is something that causes stumbling; a trap, or snare. See Vine's, 441 ("offence," numbers 1 and 2), for distinction.  This introduces what follows in Romans 14 and speaks particularly to the stronger believers, urging them not to “enticing fellow believes to do what for them would be sinful (cf. v. 23)” (NIVBC, 593).

15:5 – “likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus” – NIV has “spirit of unity” rather than “likeminded.”  “This does not mean … that they will come to a common view on meats and wine, but to unanimity in loving intercourse, … They may be divided in their dietary views; … but they must not be divided in their worship and praise of God” (Stifler, 234).

15:6 – “with one mind … glorify God” – Paul’s desire that in spite of differences a unity would prevail that would result in God being continuously glorified.  “This is the final purpose of Christians individually and of the church corporately” (BKC, 495).

 

Lesson 9 – Galatians 1:1-12

1:1 – “an apostle, not of men, … but by Jesus Christ” – As at the beginning of other books, Paul refers to himself as an apostle, literally, “sent one.” His commission came through Jesus Christ and specifically involved carrying the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:13).

1:2 - "churches of Galatia" - Galatia was a province in Asia Minor. Commentators are divided on whether the churches Paul wrote to were in Northern Galatia or Southern Galatia. Most modern scholars prefer the Southern Galatia theory (cf. BKC, 587-88; NIVBC, 703-706; Kent, 15-19). The date of the epistle is also debatable and depends on several factors, including whether Galatians 2:1-10 is identified with the council in Acts 15. It could have been written as early as A.D. 49. See commentaries above.

1:4 – “gave himself for our sins” – “Here Paul initiates the theme which the rest of the epistle will elaborate—that sins were cared for in their entirety by Christ, not partly by a system of human law-keeping.  An understanding of this truth cuts the ground from beneath all legalism” (Kent, 31).

1:6 – “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him” – NASB translates, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him” (cf. NIV; NRSV).  The Greek present tense indicates that the desertion of Christ is not yet complete but ongoing.  “Already some were observing Jewish religious festivals (4:10), but none of them had as yet adopted circumcision” (Kent, 32).  The middle voice of the verb stresses that it was the Galatians themselves who were responsible for this.  Though the Judaizers were promoting the teaching, the Galatians were willingly listening to them.

1:6-7 - "another gospel: which is not another" - Two different words (heteros and allos respectively) are translated "another" here. Some scholars see no difference at all in the meaning of the two words and thus see Paul saying that the whole idea of another gospel is absurd. There is no other gospel (cf. Ridderbos, 48). Others, however, see the traditional distinction between the two terms maintained here. Heteros meant another of a different kind; allos meant another of the same kind. Thus Paul was saying that the Galatians were embracing a totally different gospel, not just another of the same sort (cf. Kent, 33-34). See Kent (23-24) for a description of the agitators in Galatia. NIVBC (703) says, "Jewish teachers who were legalizers had arrived from Jerusalem . . . and had begun to teach that Paul was wrong in his doctrine. They contended that Gentiles had to obey the law of Moses to be saved. To the grace of Christ must be added circumcision."

1:8 – “we, or an angel from heaven” – Faithfulness to the gospel, not the impressiveness of the messenger is the test of one’s ministry.  Any teaching that is contrary to the gospel Paul first delivered is to be rejected, even if it were (hypothetically) delivered by Paul himself and his associates (“we”) or an angel from heaven.

1:8 - "accursed" - The Greek word is anathema. It is translated "eternally condemned" in NIV. The idea is that of being delivered up to divine wrath (TDNT, 1:354-55).

1:9 – “If any man preach any other gospel” – Here the condition is no longer hypothetical but assumed true—some are preaching a different gospel (Kent, 36). 

1:10 – “do I now persuade men, or God?” – “Persuade” (peitho) here probably has the sense of gaining favor or the approval of (cf. NIV; NASB; Ridderbos, 56).  The rhetorical question seems to be a response to some criticism.  In this case, Paul is probably answering those who charged him with “changing his message to win the favor of whatever audience he chanced to have at the time” (Kent, 39-40).  Clearly, his strong criticism of the Judaizers proved that he was not trying to ingratiate himself to people “now” but was seeking to please God as Christ’s servant.

1:11 – “not after man” – NIV has “not something man made up.”  Paul here is affirming the divine origin of the gospel he preached.

1:12 – “neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ” – Paul affirms that he did not receive the gospel from man, either by oral instruction (“received”) or by academic instruction (“taught”) (Ridderbos, 58).  Rather it came through direct revelation from Jesus Christ (cf. Acts 9:1-8; 2 Cor. 12:1-11).

 

Lesson 10 – Galatians 2:15—3:5

2:15 – "We who are Jews by nature" – Paul is here speaking of Jewish Christians such as himself and Peter. They were Jews "by nature," that is, by birth, and not sinners, which is here equated with the Gentiles.

2:16 – "a man is not justified by the works of the law, . . . even we have believed in Jesus" – The point Paul is stressing here is that "even Jewish Christians must depend on Christ alone for justification" (Kent, 72) and thus were no different from Gentiles in that respect.  Justification here, as in Romans, means to be declared righteous.  NIV translates “by the works of the law” with “by observing the law.”  This is not literal, but it conveys the meaning accurately.

2:17 – "if . . . we . . . are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin?" – Many different interpretations have been applied to this verse (cf. Lightfoot, 116-17). It seems to be a reply to those who charged that justification by faith promoted sin because it was an abandonment of the law, making one just like the Gentiles.  Kent offers perhaps the best explanation: "[Paul's] question means this: If Jews who believe in Christ for their justification then proceed to forsake their traditional adherence to all the rules of the Mosaic Law and begin living apart from it as did the Gentiles . . . was this actually a sin against God, and one which Christ had prompted them to commit? To Paul such a thought was monstrous, and he proceeds to show that it was the reverting to law which involved transgression, not the opposite" (74). See also BKC, 595.

2:18 – "if I build again the things which I destroyed" – Although Paul wrote in the first person, most commentators believe he had Peter's actions in mind here (cf. 2:11-14). The verse is closely related to verse 17. It can have either of two very slightly different meanings: (1) By returning to the law after being justified by faith, one is declaring that his initial departure from the law was sin (Kent, 74; Wiersbe, 55). (2) "If a believer would return to the Law after trusting Christ alone for salvation, that Law would only demonstrate that he was a sinner, a lawbreaker" (BKC, 595; cf. Ridderbos, 102-3).

2:19 – "dead to the law" – "The Law demanded death for those who broke it, but Christ paid that death penalty for all sinners. Thus the Law killed Him and those joined to Him by faith, freeing them to be joined to another, to live for God" (BKC, 596). The law has exacted the penalty and thus the law has been satisfied. "It has no further claim on Paul or any other believer" (Kent, 75).

2:20 – "crucified with Christ" – This is an elaboration of verse 19. The perfect tense of the verb indicates past action with continuing effects (Note NASB: “have been crucified”). Paul has died to the law (vs. 19) because of his union with Christ in his death and resurrection (cf. Rom. 6:4-8). "The resurrection life he is now living he is living through the presence of the Lord Jesus within him" (NIVBC, 719).

2:20 – “yet not I” – This does not suggest that “he no longer has any separate and conscious identity (for the rest of the verse uses ‘I live’ twice).  But he is insisting that the regeneration brought about by his identification with Christ involved a new life resulting from Christ living in him” (Kent, 76).

2:21 – “then Christ is dead in vain” – This means “Christ died needlessly” (NASB).  Paul here is drawing the obvious conclusion if the Judaizers are correct in their teaching that righteousness comes by keeping the law.

3:1 – “who hath bewitched you” – “Bewitched” means “ ‘to bring evil on a person by feigned praise, or mislead by an evil eye, and so to charm, bewitch” (Vine’s, 65).  Paul was astounded the Galatians had embraced a doctrine that “declared the death of Christ unnecessary” (BKC, 596).  It almost seemed that they had been “bewitched” by false teachers.  Paul did not mean this literally, of course, for he did not believe in such superstition and he went on to hold them accountable for what they believed.

3:1 –“before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth” – The Galatians’ “folly was all the more inexcusable because Christ had been so clearly and openly proclaimed before them” as the crucified Saviour (Kent, 82).  “Evidently set forth” is from prographo, literally, “to write before, or above.”  It was a “common word to describe all public notices” (Lightfoot, 134). 

3:2 – “Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” – Paul used this and the following rhetorical questions to illustrate and bolster his argument.  Here he pointed back to the time of the Galatians’ conversions.  He assumed they were saved and thus they knew that the Spirit’s presence had come into their lives when they trusted Jesus as Savior, not as a result of works.  The last phrase is translated “hearing with faith” by NASB and “believing what you heard” by NIV.

3:3 – “having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” – “They had begun their Christian life by the reception of the Holy Spirit, an experience which had come by faith, not by keeping the law of Moses.  Did they actually think they could be ‘bringing to completion in the flesh’ the process of sanctification which the Spirit had begun?” (Kent, 83).  “Perfect” can be either passive, “made complete,” or middle, “bringing yourselves to completion.”  In either case, it does not refer to sinless perfection but to completion of the work of sanctification.  “Flesh” is translated “human effort” by NIV, which accurately conveys the idea.

3:4 – “Have ye suffered … in vain?” – Paul was looking back to the persecutions the new believers in Galatia had suffered after their conversion.  “If they turned from grace to Law they would brand their former position in error and would than have suffered so much for nothing” (BKC, 597).

3:5 – “worketh miracles among you” – The “miracles” are probably those performed by Paul and Barnabas while in Galatia (Acts 14:3, 8-10; 15:12).  “Such displays had not been made by the Judaizers who insisted on the works of the law as a requirement for Christian living, but by the missionaries who had proclaimed a message which elicited faith from the hearers” (Kent, 84-85).  Some prefer the translation “in” rather than “among” (Lightfoot, 136; Wiersbe, 67).  In this case, the “miracles” might be miraculous gifts the Galatians had received or even the divine spiritual work in the believers’ lives. 

 

Lesson 11 – Galatians 3:19-29; 4:4-7

3:19 – “Wherefore then serveth the law?” – Paul had just used God’s dealings with Abraham to teach that justification is by faith (v. 6) and that it is those who are “of faith” (v. 7), not physical descendants, who are the true heirs of the promise that all the nations of the earth will be blessed (v. 8).  “This promise involved being justified by faith and having all the blessings of salvation (Gal. 3:6-9)” (Wiersbe, 76).  God’s covenant promises to Abraham and his seed (v. 16), made four centuries before the giving of the law, “found fulfillment in Christ and are in effect forever.  The blessing of justification by faith is therefore permanent and could not be changed by the Law” (BKC, 598).  Since the promise of blessing to all nations was on the basis of faith, not law, Paul raised the question of the law’s purpose.

3:19 – “it was added because of transgressions” – “because of” (charin) can mean either cause or purpose.  If it means cause, Paul was saying that the law was added to restrain sin (cf. BKC, 599).  If it means purpose, Paul was saying that the law was given to make transgressions manifest, that is, “to give sin the distinctive character of transgressions” (WBC, 1292).  Sin cannot be a transgression unless there is a law to transgress.  This second interpretation seems to be favored by most commentators (WBC, 1292; Ridderbos, 137-8; Lightfoot, 144-5; NIVBC, 725; Kent, 97).

3:19 – “till the seed should come to whom the promise was made” – The “seed” here is a reference to Jesus Christ (cf. v. 16).  The law thus is said to be temporary, lasting only until Christ. NIV’s “to whom the promise referred” suggests, correctly, that the law was fulfilled in Christ (Matt. 5:17).  Up until then the law had to “bring sin out more and more, and by reason of human wickedness, call it into existence.  Only in that way would the necessity of Christ’s coming and work be properly understood” (Ridderbos, 138).

3:19 – “ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator” – The law not only was temporary but also was mediated by angels (Acts 7:53; Heb. 2:2) and by Moses, thus making it inferior to the promise made directly to Abraham.

3:20 – “but God is one” – Whereas the presence of a mediator indicates one standing between two parties and thus a degree of remoteness, God acted directly, without a mediator in giving his promise to Abraham. 

3:21 – “Is the law then against the promises of God?” – NASB is perhaps better here: “Is the law then contrary to the promises of God?” Given that the law is so sharply contrasted with faith, it would be natural to raise the question of whether the two are opposed to one another.  Paul indicated that both the law and the promises are good; they just have different purposes.  He shows through a hypothetical situation that it is not the purpose of the law to provide salvation.

3:22 – “scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given” – Literally, this reads “Scripture has shut up all under sin” (Robt. 4:297; cf. NASB).  The same verb is used in verse 23. The law fulfills its function by “shutting all people up within the bounds of acknowledged sin.  It condemns them, with the result that they turn from trying to please God through legalism and instead receive the promise of God through faith in Jesus Christ” (NIVBC, 726).  Thus it works hand in hand with the promises, not in opposition to them.  “Faith of Jesus Christ” is better translated “faith in Jesus Christ.”

3:23 – "before faith came, we were . . . shut up" – "Faith" has the definite article the and should be understood here as the Christian faith (Kent, 103). Before this faith came in the person of Christ, we were "shut up" by the law. "Shut up" pictures the law as a jailer, keeping people "locked up and therefore out of trouble until Christ, the liberator, should come to set them free" (NIVBC, 726). The thought may include the idea of being locked in to the sin the law revealed. The law "imprisoned men so that they might find true liberty in Christ; it cuts off every other way of escape" (LBC, 2388; cf. JFB, 6:385).

3:24 – "our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ" – The "schoolmaster"(paidagogos) in reality "was not a schoolmaster, but a slave who had charge of children from the age of seven to about eighteen. He trained the child in general deportment, took him to school each day, … and was in almost total charge of the management of the boy. … Paul … was emphasizing the temporary character of the law and its inferiority. The law was Israel's guardian and trainer until Christ. When the Christian era arrived, justification by faith was made clear, and the inability of the law to provide justification was demonstrated" (Kent, 105).

3:25 – “no longer under a schoolmaster” – “The reign of Law has ended for faith in Christ has delivered believers from the protective custody of the prison and the harsh discipline of the pedagogue” (BKC, 600).

3:26 – "children of God" – Literally, this is "sons of God." Paul is making a contrast between children in verses 24-25 and mature sons in verse 26 (Kent, 106).

3:27 – "baptized into Christ" – Although some interpreters believe this is a reference to the rite of water baptism (cf. NIVBC, 727), it most likely refers to the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13), the work by which believers are identified with Christ and spiritually placed into the body of Christ. It is by virtue of this supernatural act that they "put on Christ" (Kent, 106; BKC, 600).

3:28 – "There is neither Jew nor Greek, … all are one in Christ" – While various distinctions remain (racial, sexual, etc.), of course, these earthly distinctions "have no significance as to the validity or quality of one's relationship with God. … All believers … are equally a part of one spiritual entity. … in a vital union with [Christ] whereby they share His life, His perfect righteousness, and prospect of participating in the promises He will receive as the Messianic Heir" (Kent, 107).

3:29 – "Abraham's seed" – Paul has already stated that Christ is uniquely Abraham's seed (v. 16). Those who are in Christ, therefore, are likewise Abraham's seed and heirs of the promises made to Abraham.

4:4 – “when the fulness of the time was come” – “Fulness” (pleroma) refers to “that which has been completed, the fulfilled” (Ridderbos, 154).  Christ came when the time was right, spiritually, politically, intellectually, and historically.

4:5 – "redeem them that were under the law" – That is, those who were under the law's bondage. "The emphasis is not on the penalty of the Law as in 3:13, but on its bondage. Since Christ redeemed and set free those who were under the Law, why should Gentile converts now wish to be placed under it?" (BKC, 601).

4:5 – "adoption of sons" – Christ's redemption enables all who believe in him to be treated as "sons of full age, no longer under a guardian. 'Adoption as sons' refers to the conferring of the rights of sonship. Here it describes the believer's installation as a full son after the period of childhood (represented by the law) was past" (Kent, 111). Cf. Vine's, 15-15.

4:6 – "sent forth the Spirit … crying Abba, Father" – The Holy Spirit is given to all who are "sons" and assures them of their sonship. The Spirit moves the believer to address God as "Abba," an Aramaic term of endearment often equated with our "Daddy" (BKC, 601).

4:7 – “no more a servant, but a son: … an heir of God” – Redemption through faith in Christ (v. 4) delivers people from subservience to the law and makes them sons (v. 5).  As sons they become heirs.  “Heir of God through Christ” is “heir through God” in NASB, following a different textual reading.  A believer becomes an heir of God’s promises “ ‘not by virtue of birth, or through merits of your own, but through God who adopted you’ ” (Lightfoot, 170).

 

Lesson 12 – Galatians 5:1-15

5:1 – "Stand fast … in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" – The command is to keep on standing or to stay free since Christ has set you free (Robt. 4:309). There are a number of textual variants here. See NASB, NIV, NRSV, which all follow the reading, "For this freedom Christ set us free."

5:1 – "the yoke of bondage" – The article is indefinite in Greek; thus "a yoke." Since most of the Galatian Christians were not Jewish, it "was not merely 'the yoke' of the Mosaic Law which must be avoided but 'a yoke'-that is, any legalistic system, whether Mosaic, pagan, or any other" (Kent, 142).

5:2 – "Christ shall profit you nothing" – Anyone who submitted to circumcision because he was seeking righteousness by it was adding works to faith and was not trusting Christ alone. 

5:2 – “I Paul say” – Paul may have been stressing his apostolic authority, or he may have been refuting Judaizers who had wrongly used his name to support their teaching (Kent, 143).

5:3 – "debtor to do the whole law" – If one is required to observe the law of circumcision, he is also required to keep the whole law (cf. Jas. 2:10); and thus he is condemned since no one can keep the law (Gal. 3:10).

5:4 – "whosoever … are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace" – "Are justified" here "depicts attempted action. The sense is 'whoever are trying to be justified by the law'" (Kent, 144). To fall from grace is "to fall into legalism. Or to put it another way, to choose legalism is to relinquish grace as the principle by which one desires to be related to God" (NIVBC, 736).

5:5 – "wait for the hope of righteousness" – This refers to the future time when God will publicly declare the believer righteous (Ridderbos, 189; Kent, 145) and he will "be completely conformed to all the requirements of God's will" (BKC, 605).

5:6 – “faith which worketh by love” – Neither circumcision nor non-circumcision has any spiritual value.  As NIV states it, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

5:7 – “Ye did run well; who did hinder you?” – Here Paul used the metaphor of running a race.  “Hinder” (enkopto)  means “to cut in on” and was used of “ ‘impeding’ persons by breaking up the road, or by placing an obstacle sharply in the path” (Vine’s, 305).  The Judaizers had “ ‘cut in’ on the Galatians as they were running the Christian race and tried to trip them or to turn them” (Robt. 4:310).

5:7 – “not obey the truth” – The verb form describes “the action as beginning (4:10), but not as proceeding yet as far as circumcision” (Kent, 148).  “Truth” is the truth of the gospel.

5:8 – “This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you” – “Persuasion” can be either active (the act of persuading), referring to the false teachers, or passive (the state of one persuaded), referring to the Galatians.  Kent (148) and Robertson (Robt. 4:310) prefer the active understanding; Lightfoot (206) prefers the passive.  God (cf. Gal. 1:6) was not the source of either the teaching or the resulting confusion.

5:9 – "a little leaven" – The danger in Galatia was that the false teaching, apparently somewhat contained at this point, would spread like leaven, or yeast, in bread dough.  Apparently, this was a familiar proverb (cf. Matt. 16:6; 1 Cor. 5:6).

5:10 – “none other minded” – Paul was confident of the genuineness of the Galatians’ faith and that they would ultimately agree with his views.

5:10 – “he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment” – Paul also was confident that the “leading false teacher, whose identity was unknown to Paul, would suffer his due judgment” (BKC, 606).  The singular pronoun may indicate a single false teacher or the leader of them, or it may be a general designation for all the Judaizers (Ridderbos, 192-3; Kent, 150).  Verse 12 uses the plural to refer to the false teachers.  The judgment here is divine judgment.  “Even though evil spreads, God will not permit it to triumph ultimately. … the false teacher(s) will suffer God’s judgment” (NIVBC, 737).

5:11 – "if I yet preach circumcision" – Apparently some charged that Paul advocated circumcision and law keeping. "The most likely explanation is simply that Paul's words are a reply to an accusation that he did preach circumcision when it suited him, however unfounded or unlikely that accusation was"(NIVBC, 737). He answered that if that were the case, why were the Judaizers—who advocated such things—persecuting him. 

5:11 – “then is the offence of the cross ceased” – If Paul preached the necessity of circumcision, this would have been promoting a works salvation, which would have made the death of Christ superfluous and the “offense … of the Cross would have ceased to exist in his ministry. But it had not because people still found the gospel message, which proclaims man’s total inability to contribute anything to his salvation, offensive” (BKC, 606).

5:12 – "cut off" – Paul expressed his desire that those who advocated circumcision as necessary to salvation be "cut off." This probably suggests mutilation. NASB says, "I wish that those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves." Castration was practiced in Galatia by the worshipers of Cybele. Paul was saying that if circumcision was so important, they should go all the way as their pagan neighbors did, for "in principle they were no different" (Kent, 151; cf. Lightfoot, 207).

5:13 – "use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh" – Whereas it is important to understand and to remain grounded in the liberty Christ gives and not fall back into legalism (v. 1), so it is also important not to let that liberty become license to sin. "Occasion" (aphorme) is literally "the starting-point or base of operations for an expedition" (BAG, 127).

5:14 – "all the law is fulfilled" – "Fulfilled" here means to perform, or complete (Lightfoot, 209). The entire law is summed up in the injunction to love one's neighbor as himself (cf. Lev. 19:18).  Love is the expression of faith (Gal. 5:6). "Regeneration by faith produces within the heart a love which desires to accomplish the very things that the law specified but could not produce" (Kent, 155). In essence, “love has replaced law” (Wiersbe, 128).

5:15 – “If ye bite and devour … be consumed” – The condition (first-class) in Greek suggests this strife, such as that of wild animals of prey, was a reality in the churches of Galatia (Kent, 155; Robt. 4:311).  Whether the strife was over the issue of the place of the law in the life of Christians is not certain, but it was certain that they needed the injunction to love one another.

 

Lesson 13 – Galatians 5:22—6:10

5:22 – “fruit of the Spirit” – The fruit of the Spirit stands in contrast to the “works of the flesh” (Gal. 5:19), which are characterizing marks of those who will “not inherit the kingdom of God” (v. 21).  “Fruit” speaks of “a natural product of the Spirit, made possible by the living relationship between the Christian and God through Christ” (NIVBC, 741).  It is not something man can do on his own. The singular form emphasizes the “unity and coherence of the life in the Spirit” (WBC, 1296) and may suggest that these qualities are one fruit, consisting of nine elements (LBC, 2399).

5:22 – "love, joy, . . ." – "Joy" is an inner contentment that is not dependent on circumstances. "peace" speaks of an inner quietness; "gentleness" is best translated "kindness" (NIV; NASB); "goodness" is similar to "gentleness" but is a "more active term" (NIVBC, 741) that seems to emphasize generosity; "faith" is best understood as faithfulness here.

5:23 – "Meekness . . ." – "Meekness" combines the ideas of strength and gentleness (Kent, 162). It is translated "gentleness" in NIV and NASB. In secular Greek the word was used of taming wild animals (TDNT, 6:645).  “Temperance” is “self-control” (NASB).

5:23 – "against such there is no law" – This is an "understatement used for rhetorical effect" (NIVBC, 742). It is obvious that such behaviors do not need to be restrained by laws as do the works of the flesh (vv. 19-21), with which they are contrasted.

5:24 – "they . . . have crucified the flesh" – This is a past act. All Christians are identified with Christ in his death and thus their sinful nature is crucified with him. "This does not mean that their sin nature is then eradicated . . . but that it has been judged, a fact believers should reckon to be true" (BKC, 609; cf. Rom. 6:11-12; Gal. 2:19-20; 6:14). Victory over the sinful nature's "affections and lusts" has been provided in Christ. "It is our responsibility to believe this and act upon it" (Wiersbe, 132).

5:25 – "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" – The idea here is that since we (Christians) live in the Spirit (cf. v. 24), we are to conform our conduct to this new life (Lightfoot, 214). "Walk" (stoicheo) means to "walk in line," or in accordance with a standard (Vine's, 664). NIV translates, "let us keep in step with the Spirit."

5:26 – “desirous of vain glory … provoking … envying” – “Vain glory” is empty conceit or boastfulness.  Factions, such as those among the Galatians, often leads to people taking pride in their particular position.  “Such an attitude is provoking, challenging, precisely because the one is so eager to amount to more than the other.  The other side of the same thing is envy, jealousy.  The person who wants to be first cannot stand the success of another.  Self-glorification goes hand in hand with jealousy and provokes it” (Ridderbos, 211).

6:1 – “overtaken in a fault” – “Overtaken” (prolemphthei) means to be surprised.  This can be taken to mean he was suddenly overtaken, or surprised by a “fault” (paraptomati, transgression) and thus was not guilty of  “deliberate disobedience” (Wiersbe, 140).  This meaning is suggested by the KJV.  It can also be understood as meaning the offender was “surprised or detected in the transgression by someone else” (Kent, 168) and stresses the seriousness of the sin (Ridderbos, 212).  This meaning is suggested by the NASB and NIV rendering.

6:1 – "restore" – The word (katartizo) was used of mending nets (cf. Matt. 4:21) and of setting a broken bone (Vine's, 403; Lightfoot, 215). Thus the idea is "to straighten out the problem, repair the damage, and thus to equip the offender for renewed usefulness in the church" (Kent, 168). Those who are "spiritual" (plural) are the ones who walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16).  Both the offender and the restorers are Christians; thus the “spiritual” refers to more mature believers.  The plural suggests the restoration is the responsibility of the body of believers.

6:1 – “in the spirit of meekness” – The word for “meekness” here is the same one used in 5:23 and is translated “gentleness” in NASB.  This emphasizes that the restorers are those who exhibit the fruit of the Spirit.  “Considering thyself” switches to the singular, “for this was something each believer must do individually” (Kent, 168).  Even among the “spiritual” there is the potential for falling into sin, and perhaps particularly, the sin of pride.

6:2 – "Bear . . . one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" – While the principle here has broad application, the context indicates that here it refers to the "burdens" of temptation, spiritual failure, and remorse (BKC, 609; Kent, 169). The word for "burdens" is bare; the word used in Galatians 6:5 is phortion. See note on verse 5. "The law of Christ" refers to the law of love (Gal. 5:14; Jas. 2:8).

6:3 – “think himself to be something” – Paul returns to the thought initiated in 5:26 and 6:1 and warns against pride or conceit. This is one error that “might keep believers from fulfilling this role of mutual sympathy” (NIVBC, 744).  The implication is that “if Christians neglect or refuse to bear another’s burdens, it is because they think themselves above it.  But this is to be self-deceived, for, measured by God’s standards, no one amounts to anything” (NIVBC, 744).

6:4 – "prove his own work" – A second error that might keep believers from bearing the burdens of another Christian is to be always comparing themselves and their own works with others” (NIVBC, 744).  Paul thus warned against comparing oneself to another, especially one who has fallen into sin (v. 1). Every believer has his own work to do, and he must "prove" or test the quality of his work by God's standards.  He should take pride in his own work, not in the fact that he perceives himself as better than someone else.

6:5 – "bear his own burden" – Compare this statement to verse 2. Here the burden is the "work" of verse 4, or the "normal duty which falls upon every man" (Ridderbos, 215), or the "responsibilities of practical discipleship which our Lord expects His followers to accept" (Kent, 170). Cf. Matthew 11:30. Paul seemed to distinguish between the "burden" (bare) of verse 2 and the "burden" (phortion) of verse 5. There is no sharp distinction between the two words (cf. Lightfoot, 217; Robt., 4:315-16), but Paul apparently used different words to avoid a seeming contradiction. Many commentators see the difference in this context as being between a heavy, oppressive burden in verse 2 and a soldier's backpack in verse 5 (cf. NIVBC, 744; BKC, 610).

6:6 – “communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things” – “share all good things with the one who teaches him” (NASB) is more understandable.  This refers to the financial support of those who teach or preach.  This is “one responsibility of each believer” (BKC, 610).  It may have been stated here to guard against misunderstanding what Paul said in verse 5.  Bearing one’s own load did not mean that those who serve the church should always be expected to support themselves.

6:7 – "God is not mocked" – "Mocked" literally means to turn up the nose, and thus conveys the idea of contempt (BAG, 531).

6:7 – "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" – The principle is universal, but many see it as referring here primarily to the financial support of Christian teachers mentioned in verse 6 (cf. BKC, 610; Kent, 172). Others see the advice in verse 6 being "enlarged to benevolence in general, [by stating] the principle that ties everything together" (NIVBC, 744; cf. Ridderbos, 218).

6:8 – "corruption … life everlasting" – "Corruption" here speaks of "the physical and moral decay or rottenness that follows sins of the flesh" (Robt., 4:316). It is "the positive existence of grief and woe, temporal and eternal" (Ridderbos, 219). It is not normally used of eternal destruction, though here it stands in contrast to "life everlasting." Some see this verse as relating to Christians only (WBC, 1297-98); thus a "selfish Christian" can sow to the flesh. However, the contrast in Galatians 5:19-24 suggests that one who "sows to the flesh" proves by his life that he is not a Christian.

6:9 – "let us not be weary in well doing" – "Generous acts toward others do not always bring instantaneous commendation. At times Christians may suffer rather than prosper after doing good (I Peter 2:20). They must remember that the reaping of the spiritual harvest comes when God determines that the time is right" (Kent, 174).

6:10 – “especially … the household of faith” – Christians are obligated to do good for “all men,” but “believers are to have the priority.  As in a home, family needs are met first, then those of the neighbors” (BKC, 610).

 

Abbreviations

BAG --                         Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

BKC --                         Bible Knowledge Commentary

Bruce --                        F. F. Bruce. Romans

EDT --                          Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2d ed.

Griffith-Thomas --         W. H. Griffith Thomas. St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans

Hoyt --                         Herman A. Hoyt. The First Christian Theology: Studies in Romans

JFB --                          Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown.  Commentary on the Whole Bible

KJV --                          King James Version

Kent --                         Homer A. Kent, Jr.  The Freedom of God's Sons: Studies in Galatians

LBC --                          Liberty Bible Commentary (aka, KJV Parallel Commentary)

Lightfoot --                   J. B. Lightfoot.  Epistle of Paul to the Galatians

McClain --                    Alva J. McClain. Romans: The Gospel of God's Grace

Morris --                       Leon Morris.  The Gospel according to John

NASB --                       New American Standard Bible (Updated Edition)

NIV --                          New International Version

NIVBC --                      NIV Bible Commentary

NJB --                          New Jerusalem Bible

NKJV --                       New King James Version

NRSV --                       New Revised Standard Version

Ridderbos --                  Herman N. Ridderbos.  Epistle of Paul to the Churches of Galatia

Robt --                          A. T. Robertson.  Word Pictures in the New Testament (6 vols.)

Stifler --                        James M. Stifler. The Epistle to the Romans

TDNT --                       Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (10 vols.)

UBD--                          Unger’s Bible Dictionary

Vine's --                       W. E. Vine.  Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

WBC --                         Wycliffe Bible Commentary

Wiersbe --                    Warren W. Wiersbe.  Be Free (An Expository Study of Galatians)

 

 

 

 

 

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