GALATIANS/ROMANS STUDY QUESTIONS

We will be dealing with Galatians only briefly in class, and spend most of our time on Romans.  I’d recommend skimming Galatians and reading Romans more carefully. As you read, pay careful attention to how Paul deals with potential conflicts between Jewish and gentile believers.  Be sure to record at least some of your thoughts in your Early Church journal.

If I have not already looked at your journal recently, you might bring it by my office.  

QUESTIONS ON GALATIANS:

1.   What does Paul suggest is his own motivation in writing to the Galatians?  What particular problems is he addressing?  Why does he give the rather lengthy account of his own religious background?

2.  What is the motivation of those who want to see the Gentiles circumcised?

3.  Why does Paul, a circumcised Jew himself, insist so strongly that gentile believers should not be circumcised?

4.  According to Paul, what was the purpose of the Old Testament law?  To what extent does Paul consider the law valid?  Are gentiles to keep the whole law?  Part of the law? None of the law?  What about Jewish believers?

5.  What happens to ethics if there is no law?  Can a man do whatever he wants and still be saved?

6.  What ethical standards does Paul set for Christian believers?  How do these differ from the standards of the law?

QUESTIONS ON ROMANS:

7.  Why does Paul write to the church at Rome?  What particular problem is he addressing?  

8.  What does Paul mean when he talks about sin?

9.  How does Paul treat the law in Romans?  Does this differ at all from his treatment of the law in Galatians?

10.  What does Paul mean when he talks of salvation by grace through faith?

11.  What is Paul's attitude toward the Jewish people?  How does he explain the failure of many Jews to accept Christianity?  What does he see as the particular fault of the Jews?  Does he see any virtues in these people?