Gleanings from Galatians 2

What was the issue in the churches at Galatia?

Word study sheds light on the issue that Paul is dealing with.  (This is my body of work and consulting the scholars is pending). 

• Gospel (euangelion) (1:6,7,11;2:2, 5,7,14) 7times,  to preach the gospel (euanggelizomai) (1:8a, 8b, 9,11,16,23; 4:13) 7 times, to fore-gospel (proeuangelisato)  (3:8)  totally 15 times 
• Faith (pistis) to believe (pisteuw)  (1:23; 2:16a, 16b, 16c; 3:2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9a, 9b, 11, 12, 14, 22, 23a, 23b, 24, 25, 26; 5:5, 22; 6:10) 22 times.
• Circumcision (peritomE), to circumcise (peritmethenai) (2:3,7,8; 5:2, 3, 6, 11; 6:12, 13a, 13b, 15) 11 times; Uncircumcion (akrobustia) (2:7; 5:6; 6:15  ) 3 times
• Gentiles (ethnE) – 10 times (2:2, 8, 9,12,14,15, 3:8, 14,) 8 times.
• to justify (dikaiow) (2:16a, 16b,16c,17; 3:8, 11,24; 5:4) 8 times; justification (dikaiosune)– (2:21, 3:6,21) 3 times; Righteousness (dikaiosunE), righteous (dikaios) – (2:21; 3:6,11,21; 5:5) 5 times;  totally 16 times)
• Law, law (nomos) – (2:16a, 16b, 16c, 19a, 19b, 21; 3:2, 5, 10a, 10b, 11, 12, 13, 17,18, 19a, 19b, 21,21b, 21c, 23, 24, 25;  4:4,5, 21a, 21b; 5:3, 4, 14, 23, 6:2,) 32 times
• Cross (stauros) crucified (staurow), crucifixion, tree  (2:20, 3:1, 13, 5:11, 24, 6:12, 14a, 14b)
• Free (eleutheros), freedom (eleutheria), to set free (eleutherow)  – (2:4, 4:22, 23, 26, 30, 31; 5:1a, 1b, 13a, 13b) 10 times
• Slavery(douleia), to enslave (katadoulow), slave (doulos), (2:4; 3:28;  4:1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 22, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31; 5:1) 14 times
• Grace (charis) – (1:3, 15; 2:9, 21; 5:4; 6:18)) 6 times

Truth of the Gospel in Galatians: 

Further we see that revealing the truth of the gospel is the intent of Paul as he mentiones it throughout the letter.  (This is my body of work and I have to check with other scholars for further light) 

“raised from the dead” (1:1);

“Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age” (1:4); “I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ” (1:12); 

“But God…set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me…” (1:15,16);

“a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, we too have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because, by observing the law no one will be justified” (2:16);

“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live for God.  I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (2:19-21);

“if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (2:21);

“Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified” (3:1)

“Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?” (3:2)

“Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?” (3:5)

“those who believe are children of Abraham” (3:7)

“The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith… “All the Nations will be blessed through you” (3:8)

“Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because “The righteous will live by faith”  (3:11)

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, “Curse is everyone who is hung on a tree.  He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” (3:13-14)

“The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ,” (3:16)

“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ” (3:26-27)

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (3:28-29).

“So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.  But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons (4:3-5)

“Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father” (4:6-7)

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (5:1)

“If you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all” (5:2)

“…who lets himself be circumcised..are trying to be justified by law, have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (5:3-4)

“For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value.  The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (5:6)

“If I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?  In that case, the offense of the cross has been abolished” (5:11)

“You, my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love.  The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (5:13-14)

“If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law” (5:18)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (5:24)

Do not be deceived; God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows” (6:7)

“Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised.  The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.” (6:12-13)

“May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (6:14)

Neither circumcision, nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is a new creation” (6:15)

…I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (6:17)