Read carefully Acts 15, Galatians 2:1-21, as well as Galatians 3-5. Then read Bruce, pages 148-202.
Then answer the following questions (six pages).
- Explain the ritual of circumcision and its origin. Why it was such an important matter to the Jews of Paul’s day?
- What prompted the Jerusalem Council? Why did the Jews have an aversion to Gentiles?
- What was the point of the letter sent by the leaders of the Jerusalem church to the church in Antioch? What were the four points of abstinence, and in what way did these pertain to pagan religion?
- Discuss Paul’s disagreement with the Jerusalem leaders on this matter (as he explains in Galatians 2).
- Explain Paul’s view of the Law of Moses (see Galatians 3-5). Explain why he accused the Galatian Christians of following another gospel.
