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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!