SHARPING THE SWORD SERIES

Galatians Bible Study: Questions

Read Galatians 4:1-7
1) A child doesn’t differ from whom? (1)
2) Even though… (1)
3) The child is still under whom? (2)
4) Until when? (2)
5) The Jews were in what? (3)
6) God sent His Son how? (4)
7) To do what? (5)
8) What did they receive because of this? (5)
9) Since they are the sons, who did God send? (6)
10) Crying out what? (6)
11) Because of this we are no longer what? (7)
12) But what are we? (7)

Paul uses an analogy of the old law as being a child, who is no different from a slave, yet the time, will come when the child will be master of all. The old law had its purpose but when Jesus came the old law was redeem for something better. Since they were baptized into Christ, since they put on Christ they are no longer in bondage (a slave) but we are now a son. How did we become heirs of God? Through Christ Jesus.

Read Galatians 4:8-20
13) What did they do when they didn’t know God? (8)
14) Now that they know God (and known by God) where did they turn? (9)
15) And this would put them back where? (9)
16) What were they observing? (10)
17) Did this concern Paul? (11)
18) If they were doing this how did he labor to them? (11)
19) What was Paul urging them to be? (12)
20) Why is that? (12)
21) Why did Paul preach to them first? (13)
22) Did they accept the things that Paul preached to them? (14)
23) How did they receive Paul? (14)
24) What were they willing to do if possible (15)
25) But now how did they treat Paul? Why? (16)
26) They (the Jews) court them for what reason? (17)
27) Why did they (Jews) exclude them? (17)
28) What should they (we) be zealous for? (18)
29) And should they do it all the time? (18)
30) What would Paul like? (20)
31) What would he like to change? (20)
32) Why? (20)

The Jews, turn Christian now were turning back to their old ways, the Jewish ways. They were observing those things on the Jewish calendar and Jewish customs. Paul had become fearful that he had labored with them in vain. When they first heard the gospel the received Paul warmly, but now he was becoming like an enemy to them because he was telling them the gospel truth. The Jews were now excluding them so that they would be zealous toward the Jews. This is why Paul wanted to be there in their presence.

Read Galatians 4:21-31
33) If they desire to be under the law, do they not, what? (21)
34) How many sons did Abraham have? (22)
35) By whom? (22)
36) The baby by the bondwoman was through what? (23)
37) The freewoman through what? (23)
38) These are symbolic; the one covenant is from where? (24)
39) And who is the bondwoman? (24)
40) And she is in? (25)
41) And corresponds to? (25)
42) And is now where with her children (25)
43) But the Jerusalem above is what? (26)
44) And she is the mother of whom? (26)
45) We are now what, like Isaac? (28)
46) What do the Scriptures say about this? (30)
47) If we are not children of a bondservant then who are we? (31)

Paul then talks about one of the heroes of the Jews, and a great man of faith, Abraham. God had promise Abraham that he would have a son, the seeds of many nations. This was a promise from God. Abraham, after a while didn’t see a son and had one with his made servant Hagar. Yet that wasn’t what God had promise. When he had Isaac the promise was fulfilled. Paul uses that as an example, a child born under bondage another under the promise. If we are God’s children we are part of the promise, the free. This is what was so heart breaking for Paul to see them going back to the old way and not the way of the free.

Chapter 4 Answers