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Galatians
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Lesson OneEpistles (First Few Verses Of Each Pauline Epistle)25 Activities
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: The First Few Verses Of Each Pauline Epistle
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In | Reading Someone Else's Mail
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In | Workbook: Reading Someone Else's Mail
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In | Introduction to Paul's Epistles
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In | Formal Features of Ancient Letters
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In | Workbook: Commendation and Condemnation
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In | Implications of Theological Ideas
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In | Workbook: Theological Ideas and Practical Implications, Part 1
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In | Workbook: Theological Ideas and Practical Implications, Part 2
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Behind | Formal Letters in Roman Antiquity
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Behind | Types of Epistles in Ancient Times
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Behind | Letter Writing in the First Century, Part 1
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Behind | Letter Writing in the First Century, Part 2
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Behind | Letter Writing in the First Century, Part 3
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Behind | Workbook: The Length of Paul’s Letters Compared to Other Ancient Letters
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Behind | Workbook: How Long Did it Take Paul to Write His Letters? Part 1
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Behind | Workbook: How Long Did it Take Paul to Write His Letters? Part 2
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Behind | How Long Did It Take Paul to Write His Letters? Part 3
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In Front | Epistles as Occasional Documents
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In Front | Workbook: Reading Paul Contextually
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In Front | Epistles as Distance Education
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In Front | Workbooks: Maintaining Relationships at a Distance
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In Front | Blended Learning
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson TwoOverview of Galatians19 Activities
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Galatians
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In | Workbook: A Dispute Between Peter and Paul
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In | Paul, Peter and the Judaizers
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In | Judaizing in Acts and Galatians
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In | Workbook: True and False Gospels
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In | Workbook: Miracles in Paul’s Letters
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In | Workbook: Paul and the Prophetic Tradition
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Behind | A Mixed Reception in Galatia
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Behind | Onsite: Pisidian Antioch - Facing Jewish Resistance
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Behind | 360 View: Pisidian Antioch
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Behind | The Jerusalem Council
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Behind | Covenantal Pillars and Identity
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Behind | Heresies and Paul's Opponents
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Behind | North and South Galatian Theories, Part 1
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Behind | North and South Galatian Theories, Part 2
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In Front | The Tension Between Truth and Love
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In Front | Workbook: The Tension Between Truth and Love
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson ThreeWorks-Righteousness as Slavery19 Activities|2 Assessments
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Galatians Review
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In | Workbook: What Does Paul Mean by Slavery?
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In | Works-Righteousness
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In | Recovering an Ancient Faith
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In | "Works" and "Faithfulness"
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In | Paul's Arguments
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In | Argument 1: Abraham, Faith and the Gentiles
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In | Participation in Christ, Part 2
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In | Argument 2: The Law and the Seed of Abraham
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In | New Exodus: Slavery to Sonship
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Behind | Pedagogue: Disciplinarian or Guardian?
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Behind | Gentiles and the Torah
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Behind | Covenants, Inheritance, Adoption
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In Front | Two Approaches to the Law, Part 2
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In Front | Jews, Gentiles and the Law: Dr. Dan Juster
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In Front | Workbook: Slavery and Freedom
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In Front | Living out the Gospel in Missions: Bob Osborne
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson FourFaith, Life, and the Spirit13 Activities|1 Assessment
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Galatians Review
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In | Workbook: Opposition to the Spirit
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In | Opposition to the Spirit
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In | Fruit of the Spirit and the Law
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In | Workbook: The Spirit and the Flesh in Galatians
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In | Flesh: A Baseline Understanding
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Behind | Lessons from the Vine
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Behind | The Marks of Jesus
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In Front | Fruitful Christian Living
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In Front | Workbook: Living a Fruitful Life
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In Front | The Gospel Is for Believers: Bob Osborne
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Lesson FiveAuthor and Audience17 Activities|2 Assessments
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Getting Started
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Lesson Text: Galatians Review
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In | Workbook: Authorship - The Scroll and the Scribe
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In | Authorship: The Scroll and the Scribe
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In | Paul's Sarcasm and Concerns
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In | The Old Testament in Galatians
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In | Pauline Figures of Speech
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Behind | Types of Roman Rhetoric
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Behind | Workbook: A Peroratio in Galatians
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Behind | A Peroratio in Galatians
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Behind | Purpose of Galatian Arguments
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In Front | Peter, James, Paul ... and Us
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In Front | Onsite: Peter and Paul in Conflict - Antioch of Syria
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In Front | Paul’s Independence and Solidarity in Galatians
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In Front | Workbook: Paul’s Independence and Solidarity in Galatians
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In Front | Workbook: Guiding Questions - Galatians
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Wrap-Up
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Getting Started
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Course Wrap-UpCourse Completion1 Activity|1 Assessment
Participants 21
Lesson 1, Activity 16
Behind | Workbook: The Length of Paul’s Letters Compared to Other Ancient Letters
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Grab your Workbook Journal!
[Record your answers in the workbook provided at the beginning of this course.]
While the form of Paul’s letters is often typical of ancient letters, the length of his letters is not. On average they are more than 25 times longer than typical personal letters in antiquity. The average length of a private letter in Greco-Roman antiquity was 87 words. Pauline epistles average 2,495 words apiece.
Dr. Richards notes that while literary figures like Seneca and Cicero wrote longer letters than the average citizen, their letters also fall far short of the Pauline average, as shown in the table below.
Table quoted from: E. Randolph Richards, Paul and First-Century Letter Writing: Secretaries, Composition and Collection, 2004, p. 163.
- Why do you think Paul’s surviving letters are so much longer than the average?