John 15, Tues, 8/4

Theology of the Vine in OT
•Who is the true vine? Who is the vine grower?
-PS 80: 9-20, Jer 2:21, Ezek 15,17,19
•How does Is 4:2-4 shed light on OT understanding of the vine?
•Basing on the understanding above, How are the Gentiles able to partake of the vine?
-CCC 60

1-5
•Who is the true vine?
•Who is the vine grower?
•Who are the branches?
•What is the fruit?
•What does Jesus mean by “pruning”? How does God prune the branches?

6-8
•What is the difference between pruning and throw away?
•Who are the thrown out branches?
-CCC162
•What are things that can cause us to be cut off?
-CCC1033, 2089
•What are the fire?
-CCC1033-1037

9-11
•What does Jesus mean by “remain in my love”?
-CCC787
•How does Jesus continue to love and remain in us?
-CCC1380,1406
•Do you think relationship between Jesus and the church are more intense now or when walked on earth?
-CCC788

12-13
•How can we show this love in practical ways?
-CCC2447

14-16
•What is the difference between a slave and a friend?
-CCC1972
•Who is the only character in OT been called the “friend of God”?
•What are the benefits of being “friend of God”?
-CCC142, 1972
•What prerequisite is required to be considered a friend of God?

Galatians 6, Tues., 7/21

1-2
•What is “law of Christ”?
•Is “personal relation with Jesus” enough for Christian Faith?
-CCC 2030

3-5
•Comparing with vs. 5. Is Paul contradicting what he just said in vs. 2? What does he mean? Why did he mention this here?

6-8
•What two ways of life does Paul contrast? Why?

9-10
•What is the threat Paul anticipates to the work of sowing to the Spirit?

11-13
•What does Paul suspect is the reason the Judaizers are so eager for the Gentiles to be circumcised?

14-16
•What does “new Creation” refer to?
-CCC 1214
•In vs. 14, Paul says he will only boast in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. What kind of boasting can one do about the Crucifixion?
•In Vs 16, what “this rule” refers to?

17-18
•Why should “the marks of Jesus” on Paul’s body serve to silence his opponents?

Advance Questions

•Summarize this chapter.
•Does this chapter deliver us up to despair over our falling into sin after baptism? How would you describe the tone of this part of Paul’s letter?
•Summarize St Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians.

Galatians 5, Tues., 7/7

1-4
•Why does Paul make a comparison between receiving circumcision and submitting to a “yoke of slavery”?
-CCC 1741
•For those who seek to be justified by the law, what will become of their relationship with Christ?
•There are some who say that a person cannot fall from grace, that “once saved, always saved.”. How would you use this section of Paul’s letter to refute that idea?

5-6
•Why did Paul mean by “wait for the hope of righteousness”?
•What are important to Christ?
-CCC162, 1814

7-10
•In Vs7, Why do you suppose he uses the word “following” rather than the word “believing”?
•What hope does Paul express for his friends in vss. 8-10?

11-12
•Paul has used strong language to describe the problem the Galatians are experiencing. Does all this provoke any questions in you?

13-15
•How is Christian freedom different from the world’s idea of freedom?
•What impact has this controversy over circumcision had on the love the Galatians have for one another? Why would this worry Paul?

16-18
•What tension will everyone who seeks to “walk by the Spirit” face in this life?
-CCC 2515
•Why they are against each other?
•What did Paul mean by “not under the law”?

19-21
•Look carefully at each word in the list of works of the flesh. Does anything surprise you about this list?

22-23
•Any surprise here?

24-26
•Paul says that “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” Does this mean that we are no longer troubled by them?
•In vs. 26, why do you suppose Paul is concerned about these particular problems?

Advance Questions
•Did Paul teach “Faith alone”?
•Did Paul promote Gnostic thoughts?
-CCC 41, 285
•How can we successfully walk by the Spirit and not cave into the works of the flesh?