Luke #45: True Blessedness, the Sign of Jonah, The Light in You—11:27–36

Mark presents four events in the early stages of Jesus’ ministry that begins with John’s baptizing, Jesus’ baptism by John, followed by a demonic temptation, and then Jesus sets out on His work.

Who is Mark? When was the Gospel written and to whom? Why no story of the birth of Jesus? Then the opening statement of Mark and his quote from the Prophet of Isaiah.

Paul urges the Galatian Christians to “walk by the Spirit” rather than focus on keeping of the Law of Moses, including circumcision. Rather they are to turn away from the works of the flesh and rather be led by the Spirit.

In the Galatian churches, which Paul had established, there were those who demanded that the Gentiles there should be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses. Paul presents salvation by grace and not by works of the Law.

Paul looks back to the Book of Genesis to show that Isaac, the second son of Abraham but the one God promised to him by Sarah, would be born of the promise of the Messiah. This promise was to come through Isaac and not from Ishmael, the son of Hagar.

Paul urges the Galatian believers in Jesus to stop following the Mosaic Law, since trying to keep it would undermine their trusting in the work of the Son for salvation.

Paul brings the argument that the Law of Moses was not the promise that was to come but was only serving until the coming of Jesus the Messiah, so that we would be saved by means of grace and not the keeping of the Law.

Paul confronts the Galatian Christians and asks whether they received the Spirit of God by keeping the Law or by faith. He then instructs them that those counted as righteous and forgiven will live by faith alone and not by the keeping of the Law.

When Peter came to Antioch Paul directly opposed him, because he had sided with Judaizers, those Jewish believers who believed the Law of Moses must be kept by all. Paul stated that salvation was by faith alone and not by the keeping of the Law.

After 14 years had passed since Paul’s conversion, he traveled to Jerusalem with Barnabas and met with Peter and the other elders, who affirmed Paul’s work and gave the two the “right hand of fellowship.”