The Message of Galatians

Only one way

John R. W. Stott

Rector Emeritus of All Souls Church, Langham Place, and President of the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity

Series editors: Alec Motyer (OT)

John Stott (NT)

Derek Tidball (Bible Themes)

InterVarsity Press

InterVarsity Press, USA

P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426, USA

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Email: email@ivpress.com

Inter-Varsity Press, England

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Email: ivp@ivpbooks.com

© John R. W. Stott 1968. Originally published under the title Only One Way.

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The Scripture quotations quoted herein are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Cover photograph: Robert Cushman Hayes

USA ISBN: 978-0-87784-288-4

UK ISBN: 978-0-85110-734-9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stott, John R. W.

The message of Galatians.

(The Bible speaks today)

Originally published under title: Only one way.

1. Bible. N.T. Galatians—Commentaries. I. Title.

BL2685.3.S86 1986 227´.4077 86-15173

ISBN 0-87784-288-4 (U.S.: pbk.)

Contents

Preface

Chief Abbreviations

The Apostle Paul’s Authority and Gospel (1:1–5)

False Teachers and Faithless Galatians (1:6–10)

The Origins of Paul’s Gospel (1:11–24)

Only One Gospel (2:1–10)

Paul Clashes with Peter in Antioch (2:11–16)

Justification by Faith Alone (2:15–21)

The Folly of the Galatians (3:1–9)

The Alternative of Faith and Works (3:10–14)

Abraham, Moses and Christ (3:15–22)

Under the Law and in Christ (3:23–29)

Once Slaves, but now Sons (4:1–11)

The Relation between Paul and the Galatians (4:12–20)

Isaac and Ishmael (4:21–31)

False and True Religion (5:1–12)

The Nature of Christian ...