06- Galatians 1:21-24

Bible Study Time Galatians
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:open_book: Let’s read Galatians 1:21-24 (NLT)

21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.

Verse 21

After learning briefly under Peter and James, Paul headed out to preach the gospel of Jesus, far from Jerusalem or Judea, in the areas of Syria and Cilicia.

Verse 22

Paul takes a moment to clarify that he was personally unknown to the Christian churches in Judea. This is likely to emphasize, once again, that he didn’t learn of the gospel in Jerusalem but from Jesus Himself. Being “sent out” by Jesus qualified Paul as a true apostle.

Verse 23-24

Paul’s former reputation as Saul, the impassioned persecutor of Christians, was still well-known in Jerusalem and Judea. He reminds the believers in Galatia of how drastically this change had affected people who knew him from before.

This former persecutor was now telling people that their sins could be forgiven through faith in Christ. What good news! And the people responded positively, praising and glorifying God, which was one of Paul’s ultimate goals in life.

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:red_question_mark: Questions: Galatians 1:21-24

  1. Paul had to contend with his former reputation as a violent persecutor of Christians. Have you ever had a big change that caused people to double-take?
  2. Paul worked hard to combat the skepticism of the churches and build up his reputation as an apostle of Jesus. Have you ever had to “prove” yourself or your trustworthiness to those who heard rumors about you?
  3. Paul’s transformation was shocking to people, but that didn’t stop him from preaching the good news anyway. Do you ever feel like your past mistakes limit you and your opportunities?

:thinking: Things to Think About

How can we get over the idea that we have to be “perfect” before we can do anything for God’s kingdom? When you interact with non-Christian friends and family members, what kind of affect do you want to have on them? During a time of life when “fitting in” feels so important, how can you go against the world’s expectations to glorify God?

:speech_balloon: Share your thoughts on any of the questions above or add your own insights!