by Jen | Jan 20, 2026 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hi—thanks for checking in with me today!
Last Week’s Work
LESSON(S) LEARNED
Over the last seven weeks, Paul taught me I have a choice: I can choose the salvation of God’s unfailing, unending grace and look forward to forever in heaven with Him by believing Jesus Christ was God’s Son who willingly gave His earthly life to redeem me. Or I can opt to always act in accordance with every condition of God’s law. I can’t do either of these perfectly, but the risk manager in me realizes that grace covers me even when my belief is small as a mustard seed. I choose grace.
CONVICTION
I am reminded that my actions always reflect what I believe. And, unfortunately, that fluctuates. Many times, I let fear take over when faith should lead. I speak or act based on what I’m afraid of because my confidence in Jesus isn’t strong enough to overcome the worry.
CORRECTION
In this study, two cross-references caught my eye: He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:33 ESV); and Luke’s version: And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened” (Luke 13:20-21 ESV). These two are the only instances where leaven is used as a positive influence: a woman working with this hidden substance successfully impacts a whole batch of flour.
For good (or bad), my faith impacts my behavior. But I know it’s also true that action impacts my belief. About the time I was saved, I read a book called Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. To the best of my recollection, it was more self-help than scriptural, but I believe the title is an excellent reminder of what faith looks like: it’s acknowledging I need God’s help for a successful journey but taking the first step anyway.
ACTION PLAN
Going forward, I want to stop allowing fear (unbelief) to hold me back from doing what I believe God has prepared for me to do: studying His Word and helping other women do the same. I want to grow my faith by taking the first step in whatever form it appears and continually reminding myself that He is with me all the way.
Our Next Study
Next week, I’m excited to begin a study of Psalm 23, the Scripture that saved my life thirty years ago and—because God is like that—ties right into what I discovered here in Galatians 5!
This upcoming study kicks off a new series called God Who? where we’ll examine passages that feature several of His names. I can’t wait to explore the treasure to be found there, and I hope you’ll join me to learn more about our awesome God!
by Jen | Jan 13, 2026 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! Let’s dig right into what I found in my review of cross-references, other translations, and relevant commentaries.
Last Week’s Work
CROSS-REFERENCES
These references stood out this week:
- Matthew 16:6-12. Jesus told his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which, He explained, meant they needed to be wary of what those Jewish leaders taught. Depending on which commentary you follow, it seems Paul might have used the proverb that way also (see below).
- Luke 12:1-3. In Luke’s version, Jesus calls out specifically the Pharisees’ hypocrisy as the leaven he warns against.
- 1 Corinthians 5:6-8. Here, Paul chastises the Corinthian congregation for tolerating sexual immorality and arrogance, exhorting them to clean out the old leaven of malice and evil and, instead, be like the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
OTHER TRANSLATIONS
The first thing I noticed in this comparison was punctuation in the New International Version and the Good News Translation: both included quotation marks around this statement. I interpreted that as an indication this statement didn’t originate with Paul; it was likely a proverb he quoted. In fact, the GNT version even adds as they say at the end of the verse to make that clearer.
The Amplified Bible went a little further into an explanation, identifying possible comparisons Paul might have intended his audience to consider: A little leaven [a slight inclination to error, or a few false teachers] leavens the whole batch [it perverts the concept of faith and misleads the church]. Though it doesn’t stay true to the actual verbiage of the verse, based on my research and review of other commentaries on this verse, I think it does the best job of stating what Paul probably intended his audience to hear: that the church should strictly adhere to the gospel as Paul proclaimed it to them and not listen to those who argued salvation also required compliance with all law.
COMMENTARY
This time, I first narrowed the list of commentaries to those applicable to my focus verse (Galatians 5:9). Then, I searched for my key term from that verse: leaven (Hint: pressing Ctrl+F on your Windows keyboard—or Command+F on Apple—enables a word search box where you can enter any terms you want to locate on the page).
After focusing my review on the sections of commentary featuring that word, I made these observations:
- Not all the commentators I reviewed agreed on what Paul intended leaven to represent in this context: some suggested it was doctrinal error (for example, you’re saved by grace, but you still need to keep the whole law, too), and others thought it referred to false teachers (though there might only be a few of these pseudo leaders, their influence spread enough confusion to taint the whole community). Some even felt it might represent both—or any other type of influence that threatened to lead the Galatians astray or dilute the gospel.
- Regardless of who or what leaven represents, though, they agreed that the gospel (the way of grace) and the (way of) law are incompatible: one cannot be saved by grace if he chooses to depend on his own works for salvation.
Considering this, it seems to me humans can never succeed in keeping the whole law—the standard of behavior is just too high for us to clear. But faith is something we can manage with the help of the Spirit (who will also help us manifest love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control, according to v22). Thank God for the Holy Spirit!
Dig-In Challenges
This coming week, let’s wrap up our study of Galatians 5 and align with what we’ve discovered here:
- PRAY: Read the prayer created in Step 1.
- ALIGN: Review our study notes and other work, focusing specifically on what we’ve learned in this study.
- ALIGN: Then, considering those “lessons learned,” think about how the Spirit has convicted us through this study. In other words, where has He shown us misalignment between what we’ve discovered and how we practice our faith?
- ALIGN: Next, let’s look to God’s Word for guidance to correct that misalignment. This is often—but not always—a verse from the study text or from one of the cross-references.
- ALIGN: And finally, reflect on how we can change thoughts or actions to align more closely with what we’ve discovered here. To make this work, I commit to change something and do my best to act on that commitment every day for at least three weeks.
If you haven’t been able to work through everything with me in the last seven weeks, I encourage you to read through my previous posts in this series and ask the Holy Spirit to work with you on steps 3-5 above. I know the Lord will bless your efforts to understand and apply His Word!
GO TO WEEK 8 >
by Jen | Jan 6, 2026 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello again! I just realized I’ve been posting DISO study discoveries online since March 2019—almost seven years now! The process has changed over time, and I have as well. God’s Word has a way of doing that to us, doesn’t it? It’s one of the main reasons I’ve devoted my post-retirement life to digging into Scripture. I’m so glad you’re joining me today as I unpack what I discovered this week researching Galatians in general and verse 9 of Galatians 5. Let’s get to it!
Last Week’s Work
WRITING TYPES
From Galatians 1:1, this is a letter from Paul, the apostle, to the churches of Galatia. Like many of Paul’s letters, it contains instructions and comparisons, which leads me to conclude it’s instructional text and generally intended to be interpreted literally. As I dug deeper into the meaning of verse 9, though, I believe this statement about leaven is figurative, symbolizing how seemingly small, insignificant factors can have great influence (for good or bad) over the whole.
LITERAL CONTEXT
Reading through chapters 1-4 in Galatians, the Holy Spirit helped me see other references to someone or some group who seemed to be pressuring the Galatians to accept and conform to Jewish law tradition (i.e., circumcision) in addition to professing their faith in Christ. For example, Galatians 1:7 mentions some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. Paul also talks about certain men who intimidated Peter into reverting to traditional eating rules (see also Acts 10:9-16) and how Paul set him straight (Galatians 2:11-14).
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The churches of Galatia likely refers to several churches Paul founded during his first missionary journey (see Acts 13-14), and the purpose of this letter was to encourage these new Christians to stay focused on the simple truth of the gospel: that they are saved purely through faith in Jesus Christ. According to the ESV Introduction, Galatia was a Roman province which other sources locate in modern-day Central Turkey. The same source indicates this letter was written about 48 AD, though a timeline I found on blb.org suggests a bit later, during Paul’s second missionary journey. It’s likely the congregation Paul addresses is mostly non-Jewish, since he mentions “receiving circumcision (v2).” I think this infers they were agreeing, as adults, to submit to the practice, but Jewish law affirmatively required this operation no later than the eighth day after a male child was born (Leviticus 12:3). Also, my conclusion about their identity is consistent with Paul’s stated commission to bring the gospel to Gentiles (see Galatians 2:7-8).
INTERLINEAR RESEARCH
My interlinear research focused on the two leavens mentioned in v9. First, the noun, zymē, G2219, refers to a substance used in both Jewish and Greek baking to cause dough to “rise” or enlarge (over time), producing a lighter and fluffier baked product. I was reminded of my mom teaching me to make homemade bread: kneading the dough to work the yeast through it, putting it in a towel-covered bowl in the warmest spot in the kitchen, then coming back to find it had grown exponentially!
I also looked at the verb form of leaven, in Greek, zymoi, G2220, meaning to rise as described above. The Biblehub.com resource I consulted indicated verse 9 might have been a proverbial expression (also used in the gospels and by Paul again in 1 Corinthians 5:6) in which the leaven represented a thorough, utterly complete change agent affecting itself and others [for good or bad]. Given my experience with yeast dough, I can see why biblical teachers like Jesus and Paul used leaven as a memorable way to talk about influence.
Dig-In Challenges
I’m anxious to learn more about this proverb, so this week my research will include more refining steps. If you want to dig deeper, too, here’s my plan:
- PRAY, of course.
- REFINE: Consult a concordance or online cross-reference study tool [I’ll be starting here] to find and read through the available cross-references for your focus verse(s) and log what the Spirit shows you.
NOTE: for your study, follow the above link, then use the Prev or Next buttons below the verse text to go to your focus verse(s).
- REFINE: Next, compare at least a few other translations of your focus verse(s) and write about what you find in your study journal. I’ll be comparing ESV, AMP, NIV, NLT, and GNT starting with this biblehub.com page. After following this link, you can navigate to your verse(s) by entering the reference in the Enter Reference or Keyword box at the top of the page and clicking the spyglass icon there.
- REFINE: Last, I plan to check a few commentaries on Galatians 5:9. If you already have a favorite study Bible or commentary, feel free to review it, too. If you don’t, I recommend bibleref.com if you’re new to the Bible or Bible study: it’s easy to following and you can find information about the whole book and this passage.
If you’re looking for something with more detail, try checking the commentary section of StudyLight.org. There, you can access verse-by-verse commentaries on Galatians 5 by clicking the box for your focus verse, then clicking the name of the commentary listed immediately under the text of the verse you chose. I recommend you review more than one commentary and listen to the Spirit’s guidance on them.
I encourage you to do what you can this week to dig deeper into God’s Word. I know you’ll find immense treasure there. And I hope you’ll check in with me again next week!
GO TO WEEK 7 >
by Jen | Dec 30, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back!
Last Week’s Work
COMPARISONS
This time, my study focused on two main contrasts:
Freedom of faith in Christ with the Spirit vs. slavery to the law (vv1-6; 13-18):
I discovered that belief in Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for all sin means we don’t have to depend on obedience to the law (for example, circumcision requirements) to be considered sin-free and acceptable to God. Our faith alone is enough. That faith also brings our Helper, the Holy Spirit, into the picture to enable us to understand God’s Word and do His will. Under the law, though, God requires higher behavior standards than any human can reach. Nothing we do will be enough to save ourselves from sin and death.
Listed works of the flesh vs. listed fruit of the Spirit (vv19-23):
Works are the result of human effort. Since the fall of mankind, though, works can never be good enough to please God. And fruit is part of the natural reproduction process, ultimately successful only when God chooses, irrespective of human effort. As I looked at the two lists, it occurred to me so many of the works seem to be corruptions of the fruit. Isn’t that fitting of human attempts to appropriate God’s sovereignty? Where positive, beautiful things make up the fruit of the Spirit, the works of the flesh describe warped, destructive versions of the same.
CAUSES/MOTIVATIONS
How did the Spirit work with you as you examined causes in this text? I felt Him emphasizing the connections in verse 1 (which were a little challenging in the ESV, huh?) and verses 4-6. Here’s how I worked through them:
Verse 1
Action: Christ has set us free
Connector: for (because)
Reason: freedom
Christ set you free for freedom’s sake. This relates to Paul’s argument in Galatians 4:21-31 that the Galatians inherited freedom through Abraham and Sarah.
Reason: Christ has set us free
Connector: therefore (because Christ has set us free)
Action: stand firm and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery
Remember, with therefore, the reason comes first. Paul says they should stand firm and not submit to slavery [to the law] because Christ had set them free. Paul wanted them to fully benefit from the freedom that faith in Jesus brings.
Verses 4-6
Action: You who would be justified by the law are severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace (v4)
Connector: for (because)
Reason: through the Spirit, by faith, we… eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness (v5).
Those who embrace the law have fallen away from grace because mankind can’t obey the law well enough to obtain the necessary righteousness. It only comes through the Spirit and by faith in Christ.
Action: through the Spirit, by faith, we … wait for the hope of righteousness (v5)
Connector: for (because)
Reason: in Jesus, [the law (i.e., circumcision) doesn’t count]; only faith working through love counts for anything (v6). We wait for righteousness by faith through the Spirit because faith working through love is the only thing that gets us there.
CONDITIONS/METHODS
In this exercise, the Spirit drew my attention to repetition I didn’t even notice before:
- Through love in verse 6 (how the Spirit and our faith work to bring about the hope of righteousness) and verse 13 (how Paul wanted the Galatians to serve each other). In other words, the Spirit, Christian love, and faith work together for our righteousness, so we don’t need to earn it by keeping every jot and tittle of the law.
- With that in mind, Paul advises them to walk by the Spirit and avoid the works of the flesh (v16). He also says being led by the Spirit frees them from the law (v18); and if we live by the Spirit, we should keep in step with the Spirit.
Dig-In Challenges
This week, I’ll start refining my understanding of this passage:
- PRAY. Of course!
- REFINE my understanding of this text by skimming Galatians to determine which of the following types of writing appears most often there: instruction, law, letter, narrative, poetry, or prophecy. Then I’ll reread chapter 5 to see what (if any) other types are in use. I’ll note the types I find and from that determine whether the text should be interpreted literally.
- REFINE: Next, I’ll research the book’s historical context by referencing an introduction to the book of Galatians. Many bound Bibles have an intro section immediately before Galatians 1, but I’m going to use the ESV online intro to Galatians. This reference, written by Bible publishers, provides historical details like who wrote the book, to whom, and when. It often also contains a summary of the book’s content. If you’re working along with me, note any relevant or interesting facts you uncover in your review of these materials. Based on what you discover about writing type and in the introduction, should Galatians 5 be interpreted literally?
- REFINE: Last, I’ll be looking up the meaning of a few words and phrases from my focus verse using an interlinear Bible tool. I like Biblehub.com’s Greek tool for this research. To use it, follow the link above. You can scroll to the verse(s) you want to examine by clicking the blue arrow to the right of the verse citation (“Galatians 5:9”) for higher-numbered verses or the arrow to the left to view verses 1 through 8. Once you locate the verse, click the number in the Strong’s column that corresponds to the English word or phrase you’re researching. Note anything the Spirit highlights for you in the information provided.
I encourage you to use these tools and dig as much as you can this week. I pray the Spirit will bless your efforts, my friend!
GO TO WEEK 6 >
by Jen | Dec 23, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Hello again. Here’s what the Spirit helped me find this week:
Last Week’s Work
REPETITION
I noticed six emphasized terms in my review for repetition:
- free/freedom in v1 (twice) and v13 (twice).
- love in vv6, 13-14, 22.
- circumcision/uncircumcision in vv2-3, 6, 11.
- the law in vv3, 4, 14, 18, 23.
- desires in vv13, 16-17, 24.
- the flesh in vv17, 19, 24.
Paul tells the Galatians they were called to freedom, and it’s the reason Christ set them free. He cautions them not to abuse freedom by prioritizing obedience to law (which I suspect circumcision represents) over love. Nor should they succumb to the desires of the flesh. He points out love of neighbor fulfills all law and emphasizes love as the first listed fruit of the Spirit.
SPECIAL STATEMENTS:
I noticed several of these:
Six commands:
- stand firm (v2)
- do not submit … to a yoke of slavery (v2)
- do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh (v13)
- through love serve one another (v13)
- you shall love your neighbor as yourself (v14)
- walk by the Spirit (v16)
Three promises:
- the hope of righteousness (v5).
- in Christ Jesus … only faith working through love counts (v6).
- if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (v18).
Three curses:
- those who seek justification by the law are severed from Christ and have fallen away from grace (v4).
- the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty (v10).
- those who do [works of the flesh] will not inherit the kingdom of God (v21).
Six warnings:
- if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you (v2).
- every man who accepts circumcision … is obligated to keep the whole law (v3).
- this persuasion isn’t from him who calls you (v8).
- a little leaven leavens the whole lump (v9) (though I don’t yet know what he means by this).
- if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another (v15).
- those who do [works of the flesh] will not inherit the kingdom of God (v21).
Two requests:
- let’s keep in step with the Spirit (v25).
- let’s not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another (v26).
LISTS
The fifteen listed works of the flesh (vv19-21) are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, plus a catchall phrase, things like these.
Then he listed nine fruit(s?) of the Spirit (vv22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Next week in my comparison notes, I’ll comment more about the contrasts I see between these lists.
Dig-In Challenges
This week, let’s wrap up Step 3 by:
- PRAYING: Use the prayer we wrote for Step 1.
- MINING: Read through the passage again looking for comparisons in or related to your focus verses. These may be statements of similarity featuring key words such as like, as, or so; qualitative comparisons indicating how one item is more or less than another; and/or contrasts that highlight or discuss how one concept differs from another.
- MINING: Next, look for causes or motives by focusing on key words or phrases I call cause connectors. In this study text, look for four connectors: therefore, for (where it means the same as because), that (where it means so that), and to (where it means in order to). Then check the text surrounding the connector for an action and the reason or explanation for that action. For example: in the sentence, I went to the store, for I was out of milk:
the action = I went to the store for [because] the reason = I was out of milk.
NOTE A: the words for, to, and that don’t always connect an action and a reason. To determine if they do here, read the sentences containing each, substituting the original word with the synonymous word or phrase below:
For: substitute because
To: substitute in order to
That: substitute so that
If the sentence(s) created from this exercise make(s) sense and mean(s) the same as the original, note (1) the action statement (typically before the for, to, or that); and (2) the reason (after the for, to, or that).
NOTE B: In Galatians 5:1, the action-connector-reason order above may not apply depending on your translation. If you’re using my (ESV) Scripture study sheet, you’ll find both the actions and reasons before the for and therefore in that verse. It might be easier for you to use a different translation (for example, the New American Standard Bible) to search in verse 1.
- MINING: Finally, see if you can find any conditions that trigger action in this narrative and/or descriptions of how action happens or should happen.
– For example, does the text say if or when a certain condition exists, some action should or does take place?
And/or
– Does the author describe a particular method by which something happens? In other words, does he describe specific action(s) that achieve(s) something (e.g., in Romans 12:1, how does the author recommend the Romans accomplish spiritual worship)?
Or
– Does he indicate how action is accomplished more generally by or through attributes or actions, e.g., saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8)?
Finally,
– Does the text include any adverbs (typically words ending in ly) that describe how action happens?
These exercises are more involved, I know, but I’m confident you can do this with the Holy Spirit! Don’t forget to check your How to Dig Into Scripture Ourselves guide, and you can always reach out to me at [email protected] if you have questions.
GO TO WEEK 5 >
by Jen | Dec 16, 2025 | DISO studies, Galatians 5
NEW TO THIS STUDY? START HERE.
Welcome back! Where in Galatians 5 have you sensed the Spirit leading you to explore? Last week I mentioned why I felt His clear direction to dig deeper into verse 9, so this time, I was only going to discuss the setting of the passage (characters, locations, and timeframes). Except in my studies, I didn’t find any locations or timeframes in the text! That doesn’t mean the Spirit won’t show you something he didn’t reveal to me, though, so if you did find a location or timeframe, I’d love for you to share that at [email protected] or my contact page.
Last Week’s Work
WHO (CHARACTERS)
Here’s what I discovered about the main characters in this passage:
- Christ Jesus (him, the Lord): set us free (v1); accepting circumcision makes Christ of no advantage to you (v2), and it means you are severed from him (v4); in him, only faith working through love counts, circumcision doesn’t (v6); Paul has confidence in the Lord you will take no other view than the truth (v8); those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh (v24).
- Us (we ourselves, one another) [the writer and recipients of this letter]: have been set free by Christ (v1); eagerly await the hope of righteousness (v5); if we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (v25); let’s not become conceited, provoking or envying one another (v26).
- Paul [the writer]: he says if you accept circumcision, Christ is no advantage to you (v2), he testifies if you accept circumcision, you’re obligated to keep the whole law (v3); he has confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view (v10); If he still preaches circumcision, why is he still persecuted (v11); he wishes those who unsettle you would harm themselves (v12), he says walk in the Spirit and you won’t gratify the desires of the flesh (v16); he repeats a warning to you that those who do the works of the flesh will not inherit God’s kingdom (v21).
- You (brothers, your, yourself) [recipients of the letter]: in addition to statements about you recorded in other bullets here, I noted: you were running well (v7); Paul was confident the one who troubled you would bear the penalty (v10); you were called to freedom, but don’t use it as an opportunity for the flesh (v13); the whole law is fulfilled by loving your neighbor as yourself (v14); if you bite and devour one another, watch out you’re not consumed by each other (v15); the desires of the flesh and the desires of the Spirit are opposed to each other to keep you from doing what you want to do (v17); if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law (v18).
- The Spirit: in addition to statements about the Spirit recorded in the above bullets, I noticed: we wait for the hope of righteousness through the Spirit and by faith (v5); the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (v22).
Dig-In Challenges
Here’s my plan for this week:
- PRAY the prayer I wrote last week before I study. Then I’ll…
- MINE: Look for repeated words or phrases in this passage and check for synonyms or pronouns that refer to the same concepts.
- MINE: Locate any special statements (blessings, commands, curses, prayers, promises, requests, and/or warnings) in the passage.
- MINE: Note any lists (3 or more similar items) mentioned in Galatians 5.
- As always, record what the Spirit prompts so we can use it in Steps 4 and 5.
Remember, you can download this printable summary of the DISO process for more specific instructions.
I’ll share what I discover with you next week, so I hope you’ll join me then.
GO TO WEEK 4 >
