Author: Rich Nelson

3If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more:
⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 

⁷ Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. ⁸ More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith.
¹⁰ I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death,
¹¹ if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 

¹² Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³ Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. ¹⁶ Only let us hold fast to what we have attained. 

¹⁷ Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. ¹⁸ For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. ²¹ He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. 

Exhortations

4Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved. 

² I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. 

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. ⁵ Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

⁸ Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you. 

¹⁰ I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. ¹² I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me. ¹⁴ In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What is Paul talking about in this passage? Who is he comparing himself with? What “credentials” does he mention? Is he really boasting here?

2. What does he say about his assets and credits? How valuable are they? What image does he use? Why does he believe they are worthless? What is the real value he seeks? How did he accomplish this?

3. What does he say about his own situation regarding this goal? Who gave him this goal? What is he doing to get closer to the goal? How does his past relate to this goal?

4. What does he urge the Philippine believers to do? Who does he suggest as an example to follow? How do you suppose they reacted to this idea? How do you react?

5. What personal matter does Paul mention? What does he hope will happen? What does he encourage the believers to do? What attitude does he want them to have? How does he want them to be known by others? What does he tell them to think about?

Get Personal

How is your “pressing on” going lately? How about your “worrying about anything”? How has God helped you to live like he really will take care of things for you?

3:4. Confident in the flesh — Paul is not boasting when he says “I have more” – even though he has more “credentials” than most Jews [vv. 5-6], they are worthless in gaining a relationship with God.
3:7. Everything as loss — Paul sees all his former assets and successes as “rubbish” or food only a dog would enjoy (and his culture did not regard dogs as worthy).
3:9. Righteousness — the only thing that matters to Paul is his relationship with God – and that exists not because of Paul’s checklists, but because of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.
3:10. Know — the Greek word means “know by experience” – this is heart knowledge, not head knowledge.
3:12. Press on — ironically this is the same

word Paul used for his persecution of the church. Paul knows he has not reached the point where he is a “perfect” Christ-follower, and neither have the Philippians.
3:17. Imitate me — Paul was never afraid to set himself as a good example to follow, [check 1 Cor 4:16, 1 Thes 1:6 and 2:10, 2 Thes 3:7-9].
3:19. Their god — Paul often criticized believers who focused on satisfying their earthly desires (gluttony, lust, deceit), rather than serving others as Jesus did.
4:2. Euodia – Syntyche —these two women, who had worked with Paul in his ministry, had a disagreement that was affecting the church.
Loyal companion — this person is not identified further, nor is Clement.

2You were dead through the trespasses and sins ² in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. ³ All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us ⁵ even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— ⁹ not the result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life. 

¹¹ So then, remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision”—
a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands— ¹² remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ¹⁴ For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. ¹⁵ He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶ and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. ¹⁷ So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; ¹⁸ for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. ¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God,
²⁰ built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; ²² in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What is Paul talking about in this section? How does he describe his readers’ situation? Who is affected? 

2. What has God done in response to our dilemma? Why has he done this? How has this affected our situation? 

3. How does Paul describe God’s actions? What does he say about our response? What was God’s purpose in all this?

4. What does Paul address in the next section? How does he begin this subject? What does he say about this situation? What has changed about their condition? 

5. What has Christ done for Gentiles and Jews? How did he do this? How does this affect us today? What image does Paul use for believers? 

Get Personal

How has God helped you appreciate his grace recently? How has he helped you see the “whole structure”?

2:2. Ruler of the power of the air — Satan – Jews believed only they were not subject to his authority in this world (not that they acted as if they were subject to God’s).
2:3. We were by nature — the comedian, Flip Wilson, often used the excuse: “The devil made me do it.” Paul did not view every “sin” as caused by a demon, but by our human condition of being separated from God.
Wrath — often used to refer to God’s response to sin: it is not the human emotion of anger – since God is holy he must reject any connection with sin; with no connection with God we are “dead.”
2:4-7. But God . . . — Paul expands on the Jewish belief that God chose them: For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession. It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the Lord set his heart on you and chose you—for you were the fewest of all peoples. It was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, [Deut 7:6-9]. Paul expresses the same idea in Romans: All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, [3:23-24].
2:5. Made us alive — God offers a relationship with him – “life” – through Christ. Paul expresses this central tenant of our faith throughout his letters [check Rom 6:8-11 and Col 2:12-13].
2:6. Raised us up with him — for Paul this is a done deal. Christians experience the new life in Christ when they accept him as their savior.

2:8. You have been saved — this verse, together with verse 9 is the foundation statement of Christian belief, Here again, Paul uses the past tense for a completed action.
2:9. Not the result of works — our “works,” whether good or bad, have no effect – in favor or against – our salvation.
2:10. Created in Christ Jesus — God’s grace through Christ is consistent with his other saving actions – it is intended to lead to the “good works which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life,” (God rescued the Israelites from Egypt before he gave Moses the commandments, [check Exodus 20:1]).
2:12. Strangers to the covenant — in Paul’s time this was literally true; non-Jews could not even enter the Temple; they could only go as far as the Court of the Gentiles. (Paul was arrested in Jerusalem because some Jews thought he had taken a Gentile into the Temple [the story is in Acts 21:28-29].)
2:13. Brought near — Paul may have been thinking about God’s promise to Isaiah: For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel, says: I will bring others, too, besides my people Israel, [56:8]. Peter repeated the promise in the first Christian sermon [check Acts 2:38-40].
2:14. Dividing wall — there was an actual wall separating the Court of the Gentiles from the Temple proper (there was also a separate court for women), even though the original Temple separated only the priests from the rest of the Jews [details are in 1 Kings 8:41-43].
2:16. One body — Paul uses this image often [check Galatians 3:28-29, 5:6; Colossians 3:11].
2:18. Note how Paul captures the Trinity: God is the center, Christ is the cause and the Holy Spirit is the provider.
2:20. Cornerstone — the image comes from Psalm 118: The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone, [v.22]. In architecture, then as now, the cornerstone determined the location and orientation of the entire building.

3You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! ² The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? ³ Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? ⁴ Did you experience so much for nothing?—if it really was for nothing. ⁵ Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? 

⁶ Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” ⁷ so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. ⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.” ⁹ For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. 

¹⁰ For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.”
¹¹ Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” ¹² But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.”
¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— ¹⁴ in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 

¹⁵ Brothers and sisters, I give an example from daily life: once a person’s will has been ratified, no one adds to it or annuls it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it does not say, “And to offsprings,” as of many; but it says, “And to your offspring,” that is, to one person, who is Christ. ¹⁷ My point is this: the law, which came four hundred thirty years later, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. ¹⁸ For if the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham through the promise. 

¹⁹ Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring would come to whom the promise had been made; and it was ordained through angels by a mediator.
²⁰ Now a mediator involves more than one party; but God is one. 

²¹ Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law. ²² But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 

²³ Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, ²⁶ for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. ²⁷ As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. ²⁸ There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹ And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. How does Paul begin this section of the letter? What question does Paul pose to the Galatians? How does he answer it? Why is he focusing on their experience so much? What is his next question? What is the answer this time?

2. Who does Paul bring up as his prime example? What is significant about him [See Notes]? What does Paul say about his children? How does Paul support his position on faith and the promise?

3. What is the difference between the promise and the law? Why does one carry a blessing and the other a curse? Who is subject to the curse? Why is this a “no win” situation? How has God dealt with the seemingly impossible situation? 

4. Where does Paul go next in his discussion? How does Paul use the current culture to support his argument [see Notes]? How does he conclude his argument about faith versus the law?

Get Personal

We have all lived in a world where when we do something right we receive a reward, whether it’s grades in school or pay at work. How has God helped you accept the promise of his Spirit as the free, unearned gift that it is?

3:1. Foolish Galatians — Paul’s questions may be rhetorical, but his frustration with their actions regarding the law is very real.
3:3. Ending with the flesh — the Galatians began their new life with the Holy Spirit; but trying to follow the law is a work of the “flesh.”
3:5. Miracles — the Galatians had experience of the Spirit’s work in their community – before they knew anything about the Jewish law.
3:6. Abraham believed — the quote is from Genesis 15:6 – well before he gave the law to the Jews, God counted Abraham “righteous.”
3:7. Descendants — Paul refers to Abraham’s spiritual children, not his biological descendents. 
3:8. Beforehand — Paul uses another well-known passage [Gen 12:3]. God’s promise of blessing precedes the law and has no conditions.
3:10. Under his curse — God’s curse is on everyone who fails to follow all the law [Deut 27.26].
3:11. Through faith — from Habakkuk 2:4.
3:12. Does not rest on faith — Paul paraphrases Leviticus 18:5: 
3:13. Redeemed us — Paul sees Christ’s crucifixion (hanging on a tree) as the necessary fulfillment of the law’s demands, [from Deut 21:23].

3:14. Promised Holy Spirit — in his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul said, The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised, [1:14].
3:15. An example — Greek law actually prohibited any change to a will once it had been filed; Paul applies the same principles to the “agreement” between God and Abraham; the law cannot undo God’s promise of the blessing.
3:17. 430 years — from Exodus 12:40. It was actually more time because 430 years does not include the time between the promise to Abraham and Jacob’s travel to Egypt.
3:19. Why? — having shown that the law is not necessary to receive God’s blessing, Paul now offers a rationale for the law.
Through angels — Jewish tradition held that the law came to Moses through angels.
3:22. Scriptures declare — contemporary Jewish teaching agreed that all people are sinners. Paul will deal much more thoroughly with this argument in his letter to the Romans [3:10-18].
3:28. All of you are one — Paul concludes by stressing the unity of believers “in Christ Jesus,” a theme in almost every one of his letters.

4Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we do not lose heart. ² We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.
³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake.
⁶ For it is the God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

⁷ But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. ⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. ¹¹ For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you. 

¹³ But just as we have the same spirit of faith that is in accordance with scripture—“I believed, and so I spoke”—we also believe, and so we speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵ Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure,
¹⁸ because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. 

Living by faith

5For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ² For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling— ³ if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. ⁴ For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 

⁶ So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— ⁷ for we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. ¹⁰ For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is responsible for Paul’s ministry? How does this affect his attitude toward the work? How does it affect his presentation of the Gospel? How is this different than other speakers?

2. What image does Paul use for his message? Why is this an appropriate metaphor [see Notes]? How does this affect peoples’ response to the Gospel?

3. What image does Paul use for himself and other evangelists? Why is this an appropriate image? What does it show about God? About Paul? How does it affect Paul’s response to his current situation?

4. How does Paul describe his speaking? Who is really behind Paul’s message? What is Paul’s ultimate purpose in preaching? Why does Paul remain confident in his work? How does he view hardship and setbacks? 

5. What image does Paul use for his physical body? Why does he prefer the new body? Why is there sometimes confusion about which body we prefer [see Notes]?

Get Personal

How do you respond to “speed bumps” in your daily life? How do you deal with hardship in your walk with Christ? How does God help you understand and trust him for growth in your faith?

4:2. Shameful things . . . cunning . . . falsify — some professional orators were more concerned with the style of their speech than the substance. Paul declares (again) that he speaks only God’s truth about Jesus.
4:3. Veiled — Paul returns to the image in 3:12, referring to the Jews who still don’t realize who Jesus really is.
4:4. God of this world — Satan, who deceives people to seek money and power, not Christ.
4:5. We proclaim Jesus Christ — Jesus wants us to be witnesses to his glory, not to ourselves.
4:7. Clay jars — were inexpensive and easily replaced – it’s wet dust, after all. The great irony is the God has put the most valuable message of salvation in such a cheap and frail container: humans (we are dust, also).
4:8. We are . . . — Paul uses his own life as an example of God’s power: in spite of attacks he delivers God’s message, and God’s spirit produces believers, who have Jesus’ life [v. 12].
4:13. I believed, and so I spoke — Paul refers to Psalm 116:10: I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted,” as another example of witnessing even when it brings hardship and suffering to do so.
4:16. Outer nature . . . inner nature — many 

Greek philosophers distinguished between the physical body and its “wasting away,” and the soul with its permanence. Paul adapts this for his Greek believers to encourage living by faith. He continues this contrast with “this slight momentary affliction” and “an eternal weight of glory,” [v.17, also check Eph 3:16].
5:1. Earthly tent — Many cultures in the region called the body a tent, or vessel, or dwelling. Paul contrasts this earthly “tent” with a “building from God.” He expands this concept because the Greeks believed there was no physical resurrection – only the “soul” existed after death. He wants to strengthen the Corinthians’ confidence in God’s promise of a heavenly future [vv. 6-8].
5:7. Walk by faith, not by sight — in this world, with our limited earthly body, we cannot see (or touch or hear or smell) God – we experience God only spiritually, by faith. Paul implies that our resurrection body will be able to experience God.
5:10. Judgment seat of Christ — Paul uses the Old Testament image of judgment here. Even though believers have eternal life through God’s grace [Eph 2:8], Paul believed we are still accountable for our actions in this life: in his first letter he told the Corinthians, the work of each builder will become visible, [1 Cor 3:13].

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
² You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. ³ Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. 

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. 

One Body with Many Members

¹² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – Jews or Greeks, slaves or free – and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. 

¹⁴ Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many members, yet one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
²³ and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; ²⁴ whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, ²⁵ that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. 

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What is Paul’s subject in this chapter? How does he describe the Corinthians regarding this subject? What “test” does he give them? Is this still valid for us? 

2. How does Paul explain the different types of gifts? Where do they come from? What specific gifts does he mention? Who determines who gets which gift? 

3. What image does Paul suggest to help understand the differences among the gifts? How do you think his readers responded to this metaphor? How do you respond?

4. What parts of the “body” does Paul deal with in his explanation? What would happen if the body consisted of only one part? What about one part of the body being “more important” than other parts? What about parts of the body that some people think are less or “weaker” than other parts? Why must the body be a unified whole rather than just the sum of all the parts?

5. What gifts does Paul mention at the end? What gifts are “greater”? Why should we strive for them?

Get Personal

What spiritual gifts do you think God has given you? How has God helped you to use these gifts? Who has benefited from your spiritual gifts? How have they affected your walk with Christ?

12:1. Uninformed — evidently the Corinthian believers have been confusing their former, pagan beliefs (which included oracles – the ability to “see” the future) with Christian teaching about the work of the Holy Spirit.
12:3. I want you to understand — the clear test is whether the gift acknowledges “Jesus is Lord.”
12:4. Varieties . . . same — Paul stresses that spiritual gifts come in many different forms and actions, but all are given by the one God.
12:7. Common good — the purpose of every gift is to build up the church – the body of Christ [check Ephesians 4:11-14].
12:8. To one is given — Paul presents a list of different spiritual gifts: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, and interpreting speaking in tongues. NOTE: the list is not intended to identify every possible gift.
Discernment — the critical ability to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world,” [1 John 4:1].
12:11. As the Spirit chooses — the Holy Spirit determines who gets what spiritual gift – it is not a 

matter of us asking for a gift (like selecting one from a catalogue). NOTE: the Greek word for “gift” comes from the same root as “grace” – spiritual gifts are freely bestowed, they are not earned.
12:12. Body — a fairly common metaphor for the universe or the nation (in Paul’s time, Rome). Paul uses it in other letters as well: For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another, [Rom 12:4-5].
12:15. If the foot — Paul uses the metaphor of the body to point out the diversity of the gifts and the importance of each gift, even the gifts some might think are less important.
12:28. And God has appointed — Paul concludes this section with another (not exhaustive) list.
12:31. Greater gifts — those gifts that benefit and strengthen the whole church. (This actually is linked to Paul’s initial plea for unity among the Corinthian believers: that you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose, [1:10].)

15 Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” ² And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. ³ So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers.
⁴ When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. ⁵ But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.” 

⁶ The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. ⁷ After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. ⁸ And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; ⁹ and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. ¹⁰ Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? ¹¹ On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” 

¹² The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. ¹³ After they finished speaking, James replied, “My brothers, listen to me. ¹⁴ Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. ¹⁵ This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, 

¹⁶ ‘After this I will return,
and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen;
from its ruins I will rebuild it,
and I will set it up, and I will set it up, 
¹⁷ so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called.
Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things ¹⁸ known from long ago.’
¹⁹ Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, ²⁰ but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. ²¹ For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.” 

²² Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, ²³ with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. ²⁴ Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds,
²⁵ we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: ²⁹ that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.” NRSV

Get into the Word

1. How does this dispute get started? Why do you suppose the “men from Judea” went to Antioch first? What is the issue these men are raising? Why would this be so important to the men? Why would it be important to Paul and Barnabas? [see Notes]

2. How is the argument resolved? Why do you think the Antioch church decided to go to Jerusalem for a decision? 

3. What happens when the delegation arrives in Jerusalem? How do you suppose Paul and Barnabas felt at first?

4. Who raises the circumcision question? Why would these people be concerned? What happens next? How do you think Paul and Barnabas felt at this point? How would you have felt?

5. How does Peter respond to the question about circumcizing the Gentile Christians? What is the basis for his position? How does the council react to his remarks?

6. How does James respond to Peter’s argument? Do you think this may have surprised people in the meeting? Why?What must Gentile Christians avoid? Why did the Council include these and not others? How did they communicate their decision?

Get Personal

How do you deal with questions regarding your faith? What authorities do you rely on? Who do you look to for clarification or interpretation? How does God help you live out your beliefs each day?

15:1. Circumcision — actually more than a “custom,” circumcision was the physical sign of being part of the covenant God made with Abraham: This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised, [Gen 17:10-11,14]. The Judaizers based their argument that Gentiles must be circumcised on the requirement regarding Passover, [Ex 12:48-49].
15:4. Whole church — this meeting, called the “Jerusalem Council,” was held in 49 or 50 A.D.
15:5. Pharisees — the religious [and political] party in Israel that insisted on strict adherence to Mosaic Law — and to the many interpretations, additions and rituals that had grown alongside the law over time. 
15:7-10. Peter is referring to the conversion of Cornelius’ household in Acts 10:34-46.

15:10. Yoke — a harness, usually wooden, that allowed two animals to work together pulling a wagon or plow. The term was often used as a metaphor for a burden or responsibility.
15:13. James — Jesus’s brother, who became a Christian after Jesus’s death. He became the leader of the Jerusalem church and is considered the author of “James” in the New Testament.
15:16-18. James is combining several Old Testament passages in his remarks: Amos 9:11, Psalm 22:27, Isaiah 49:6, and Joel 2:32. 
15:20-21. Abstain — the four things Gentile Christians should avoid are all rooted in Mosaic Law [idols: Ex 20:3-4 and Ex 20:23; blood: Lev 3:17 and Lev 17:12; strangled animals: Ex 22:31; and fornication (sexual immorality): Lev 18]

9Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
³ Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” ⁵ He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ⁶ But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” ⁷ The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 

¹⁰ Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; ¹⁶ I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷ So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,
¹⁹ and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, ²⁰ and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” ²¹ All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” ²² Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. 

²³ After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; ²⁵ but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. 

²⁶ When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.
²⁸ So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him.
³⁰ When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. 

³¹ Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. NRSV

Get into the Word:

1. What is Saul doing as the story opens? Why does Saul want to go to Damascus? What happens to him during the trip? How does Saul respond? How do the people with him react? How might you have reacted?

2. What happens to Saul next? Why do you think he was blind and didn’t eat for three days?

3. Who does God choose to go to Saul? What is his initial reaction? Why is he reluctant? How does God deal with this situation? What rationale does God give for selecting Saul?

4. What does Ananias do? What happens to Saul as a result? How does Saul respond to this development?

5. How long does Saul wait to put his zeal to work for Christ? What did he do? How did the Jews in Damascus react to the “new” Saul? Do you think Saul was aware of the effect he was having on his former allies?

6. How does Saul avoid the Jews who want to kill him? Where does he go after he escapes? How do the believers in Jerusalem respond to him? How do you think you would have felt? Who intercedes for Saul? How did he help Saul gain acceptance by the church leaders?

Get Personal

There is a difference between “knowing about Jesus” and actually “knowing him.” How has Jesus revealed himself to you? How has this affected your walk with him?

9:1. Saul — was born in Tarsus, the capital city of Cilicia in Asia Minor. His father was a Roman citizen and his mother was Jewish. Just as he had a Jewish and Roman heritage (he was a member of the tribe of Benjamin), he had Jewish (Saul) and Roman (Paul) names. He studied under Gamaliel, the most respected rabbi of his time and his Jewish heritage was clearly more important to him. 
9:2. Damascus — continues as the capital of Syria. In fact, it is credited with being the oldest continually-inhabited city in the world, and is mentioned in connection with Abraham’s journey to Canaan. Because of its location at the junction of major trade routes it was a cosmopolitan city then and now.
Letters — Saul wanted letters of extradition so he could force the Christians in Damascus to renounce their faith or return to Jerusalem for trial.
The Way — an early name for Christianity.

9:9. Three days — it is not uncommon that a person who experiences a traumatic shock also experiences temporary physiological effects, such as loss of sight or hearing. Saul’s meeting with Jesus reversed every aspect of his life prior to that moment.
9:17. Hands — here is another instance of a person’s touch being involved with receiving the Holy Spirit. 
9:25. Opening — probably a window in a room adjacent to the city wall. Saul is not the first Biblical hero to leave a city in this fashion: Then she let [Joshua and Caleb] down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the outer side of the city wall, [Josh 2:15]; and, So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled and escaped, [1 Sam 19:12].
9:27. Barnabas — now a leader in the Jerusalem church [Acts 4:36-37], he is able to pave the way for Saul to join with the believers in Jerusalem.

2When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. ³ Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. 

⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each.
⁷ Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” ¹² All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” 

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ¹⁵ Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning.
¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 
¹⁷ ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams. 
¹⁸ Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy. 
¹⁹ And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 
²⁰ The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. 
²¹ Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 

²² “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— ²³ this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. ²⁴ But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. . . . 

³² This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. ³³ Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 
³⁵ until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ ³⁶ Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.” NRSV

Get into the Word

1. What is significant about the day of this incident? What were the apostles doing? Where were they?

2. How does Luke describe what happened to the apostles? What happened to them spiritually? How do you think they felt at first? How did they respond to the situation? Who was really at work here?

3. Why do you think Luke lists all the different countries? What was happening to the people in the crowd? How did they react? What did some people say was the reason for the Apostles’ speech? What difference did this make to the apostles?

4. How does Peter begin his message to the crowd? Why did he go to the Old Testament? Why did he choose this particular passage? What point is he trying to make about the tongues? Do you think the crowd understood?

5. What does Peter say about Jesus? How does he demonstrate who Jesus really is? What aspects of Jesus’s story does he focus on? What message about God is he trying to convey? What message about Jesus?

Get Personal

How does the fact of Jesus’s resurrection affect your life today? How is he Lord in your life? How is he exalted in your life today?

2:1. Pentecost — originally the Feast of Weeks, because it takes place seven weeks after the Sabbath of Passover. It was also called the Feast of Harvest because it involved bringing the first fruits to the celebration.
2:4. Other languages — Jesus alerted the disciples to this event when he told them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues,” [Mark 16:15-17].
2:9-11. Parthians . . . Cretans and Arabs — Luke’s list of peoples and countries demonstrates the reach of the Holy Spirit. People had come from as far away as the Persian Gulf (Mesopotamia), the Caspian Sea (Parthia), the Black Sea (Cappadocia and Pontus), and modern Lybia (Cyrene).
2:18. Servants — Joel’s prophesy [2:28-32] describes a major difference between the former covenant when only leaders had received God’s Spirit, and the new covenant when all people will receive the Holy Spirit.

2:22. Miracles, wonders and signs — the Apostles began to realize the spiritual significance of Jesus’s miracles, which verified his claim to be the Messiah. John wrote his Gospel so people “may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name,” [20:31].
2:23. Foreknowledge — Peter makes it clear that Jesus’s crucifixion was part of God’s “definite plan” of salvation; he was not just aware that it would happen. Peter’s goal is to make it clear to his Jewish audience that Jesus’s death and resurrection, as well as the presence of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues, is part of the same history the Jews had celebrated for centuries.
2:25-31. David’s prophecy regarding Jesus.
2:36. Lord and Messiah — the central point of the apostles’ teaching was that God raised Jesus from death and exalted him as both Lord (ruler) and Messiah (“God’s anointed”). It was not what the Jews were expecting, but it is what God did.

14 ¹⁵ If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. ¹⁷ This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.

¹⁸ “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. ¹⁹ In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. ²⁰ On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹ They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” ²² Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” ²³ Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. 

²⁵ “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.
²⁸ You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe. ³⁰ I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; ³¹ but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us be on our way. 

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. ² He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. ³ You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. ⁷ If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. ⁹ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. ¹⁷ I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another. NRSV

Get into the Word

1. Who is Jesus talking about here? Why would he introduce another “person” at this point? How do you think the disciples felt about this “Advocate?”

2. How does Jesus describe the Holy Spirit? What seem to be the important attributes of this member of the Trinity? What links the disciples to the Trinity? 

3. How does Jesus attempt to prepare the disciples for the immediate future? What gift does he leave with the disciples? What does he say about the larger picture?

4. What image does Jesus use next in describing the disciples? Why do you think he chose this image [see Notes]? 

5. How does Jesus describe the relationship between the disciples and himself? What does he tell the disciples to do? What will happen to those who do as Jesus says? To those who do not?

6. What is the relationship of love and Jesus’s commandments? How does this affect the disciples’ relationship with Jesus? With each other? 

Get Personal

How do you feel about being Jesus’s friend? How does this affect your daily walk with Jesus? How does this affect your relationship with other believers? With people who may not be believers? How does this affect your testimony about Jesus?

14:16. Advocate — the Greek word is also translated “Counselor,” “Helper,” “Encourager,” and “Comforter.” This verse is also one of the first descriptions of the Trinity: Jesus, the human manifestation of God, says he will ask “the Father,” who will give another Advocate: “the Holy Spirit.” There clearly are three “persons” involved (or soon to be involved) with the disciples.
14:27. Peace — which comes from trusting in Jesus’s promises about our ultimate future.
15:1. Vine — vineyards, grapes and wine are common Old Testament images for Israel.
15:2. Removes . . . prunes — Jesus uses two different words here – those who bear no fruit (because they do not have Christ’s spirit) are cut off; but those who do bear fruit (because they do have his spirit) are pruned so they can continue to be fruitful.
15:3. Cleansed by the word — when we accept the Gospel we are cleansed of our sin and purified for our relationship with God through Christ.

15:4. Abide — we must be integrated into Christ and he must be an integral part of every aspect of our life.
15:9. As the Father has loved me — Jesus is not offering a discounted or “second label” love; his love for believers is the same complete and total love that the Father has for the Son.
15:12. Love one another as I have loved you — loving another person is a decision, not an emotion – the disciples were definitely not “likeable” at times, but Jesus still loved them. Jesus calls us to make such a decision about other people: to support, encourage, teach, admonish, guide, grow – and pray for them.
15:15. You are my friends — in Jesus’s time a rabbi’s disciples often were treated as slaves. At the same time Greek and Roman culture placed considerable emphasis on friendship, including loyalty, equality and intimacy (which Jesus underscores by saying he told the disciples “everything that I have heard from my Father”).