NT Lessons 117-118 2 Cor 10-13 and Gal 1-4

https://www.lds.org/manual/new-testament-seminary-teacher-manual?lang=eng

Lesson 117: 2 Corinthians 10–13

Introduction

The Apostle Paul taught about the spiritual war that the children of God are engaged in. He defended himself against those who opposed him. He recounted how he was caught up into the third heaven and described how his weaknesses proved to be a blessing. Before ending his epistle, Paul exhorted the Saints in Corinth to examine themselves and prove their faithfulness.

I. 2 Corinthians 10–11  Paul writes about spiritual warfare, Satan’s deceptions, and his own tribulations

---Write the word war on the board.

• In what ways are we engaged in a war against Satan?
• What are some of the most difficult battles we face in this spiritual war?

---Invite a student to read 2 Corinthians 10:3–6 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Paul taught we must do to be successful in this war against Satan.

• What must we do to be successful in this war against Satan?
• What do you think it means to bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ”? (verse 5).
• What principle can we learn from verse 5 about how to be successful in the war against Satan? (After students respond, write the following truth on the board: As we control our thoughts in obedience to Jesus Christ, we will be more successful in the war against Satan.)
• What can we do to control our thoughts? (Among other things, we can pray, memorize scriptures, and sing or memorize hymns.)

---You may want to share an experience that illustrates how controlling your thoughts in obedience to the Savior has helped you overcome Satan’s influence. Consider inviting students to share their own experiences as well. Invite students to set a goal to better control their thoughts in obedience to the Savior.

---Invite a student to read aloud the following summary:

---In 2 Corinthians 10:7–18 we learn that Paul gloried in the Lord and taught that his own weaknesses should not be used to justify not listening to him. In 2 Corinthians 11 we read that Paul mentioned additional ways Satan seeks to corrupt our thoughts and lead us away from Jesus Christ, including the use of false Christs and false apostles. Paul recounted the suffering he had endured as a true Apostle of the Savior.

II. 2 Corinthians 12  Paul recounts being caught up into heaven and teaches how acknowledging our weaknesses can benefit us

---Bring a thorn to class, or draw a picture of one on the board similar to the one shown. Invite students to consider times when they have been hurt by thorns.

• In what ways can thorns make life difficult?

---Paul used the concept of a thorn to symbolize a trial or weakness he experienced.

---Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen and consider what kinds of trials or weaknesses they or their loved ones have experienced:

“Some have lost a loved one to death or care for one who is disabled. Some have been wounded by divorce. … Others have crippling physical or mental impairments. Some are challenged by same-gender attraction. Some have terrible feelings of depression or inadequacy. In one way or another, many are heavy laden” (“He Heals the Heavy Laden,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006, 6).

---Invite students to look for truths as they study 2 Corinthians 12 that can help them as they experience trials and weaknesses.

---Invite a student to read 2 Corinthians 12:1–4 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for a vision Paul had. (Explain that these verses refer to Paul in the third person.)

• What do you think it means that Paul was “caught up to the third heaven”? (verse 2). (He had a vision of the celestial kingdom.)

---The phrase “whether in the body … or whether out of the body, I cannot tell” (verse 2) means that Paul did not know whether he had been taken to the celestial kingdom or had seen a vision of it.

---Invite a student to read 2 Corinthians 12:5–6 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how Paul responded to this vision.

• How did Paul respond to this vision?
• What did Paul worry might happen if he gloried of himself? (Paul was concerned that others might think too highly of him when he still had mortal struggles to overcome.)

---Invite a student to read 2 Corinthians 12:7–8 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how the Lord helped Paul remain humble. You may want to explain that to “be exalted above measure” (verse 7) means to be prideful.

• How did the Lord help Paul stay humble?
• How many times did Paul pray to have this “thorn in the flesh” removed?

---Point out that in spite of Paul’s prayers, it seems that the Lord chose not to remove Paul’s “thorn in the flesh.”

• What can we learn from Paul about why the Lord may allow us to experience weaknesses and trials? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following truth: The Lord may allow us to experience weaknesses and trials so we can learn to be humble. Write this truth on the board.)

---Invite students to read 2 Corinthians 12:9–10 silently and look for truths Paul learned that helped him endure his weaknesses. Ask students to write in their class notebooks or scripture study journals the truths they identify.

• What truths did Paul learn that helped him endure his weaknesses? (Students may identify several truths, such as the following: The grace of Jesus Christ is sufficient to strengthen us in our weaknesses. The Lord does not always remove our challenges, but He will strengthen us as we endure them faithfully.)

---Remind students that grace is the “divine means of help or strength” made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ (Bible Dictionary, “Grace”).

• What does it mean that the Savior’s grace is sufficient to strengthen us in our weaknesses? (Through the strength we receive from the Savior, we can do all that He asks us to do.)

---Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder Dallin H. Oaks:

“The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ—whether it removes our burdens or strengthens us to endure and live with them like the Apostle Paul—is available for every affliction in mortality” (“He Heals the Heavy Laden,” 8).

• How can the truths we identified in verses 9–10 help us as we experience weaknesses and trials?
• When have you or someone you know been strengthened by the Savior? (Remind students not to share anything that is too private or personal.) How was that experience a blessing to you or them?

III. 2 Corinthians 13 Paul exhorts the Saints to examine themselves and prove their faithfulness

---Remind students that there were false teachers among the Corinthian Saints who challenged Paul and his authority as an Apostle.

• What are some examples of how people today might challenge those who are called to leadership positions in the Church?

---Invite a student to read 2 Corinthians 13:3 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what some Church members in Corinth were seeking proof of.

• What were some Church members in Corinth seeking proof of?

---Invite a student to read 2 Corinthians 13:5–6 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Paul exhorted the Corinthian Saints to do rather than question whether the Lord spoke through him as an Apostle. Explain that a reprobate is a corrupt or immoral person.

• According to verse 5, what did Paul exhort the Corinthian Saints to do? (You may want to encourage students to mark the verbs examine, prove, and know in this verse.)
• What did Paul say these Saints needed to examine about themselves? (Explain that to “be in the faith” [verse 5] means to be faithful to the Lord’s Church.)
• What principle can we learn from these verses about what we should do instead of criticizing Church leaders? (Students should identify a principle similar to the following: Rather than criticizing Church leaders, Church members should examine their own faithfulness.)

---Invite a student to read aloud the following statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith:

“[If a man] rises up to condemn others, finding fault with the Church, saying that they are out of the way, while he himself is righteous, then know assuredly, that that man is in the high road to apostasy; and if he does not repent, will apostatize, as God lives” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 318).

• What will happen if we criticize our leaders instead of examining our own faithfulness?

---To help students examine their faithfulness and their attitude toward their Church leaders, provide them with copies of the following questions. Give students sufficient time to read and answer the questions silently.

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1. On a scale of 1–10 (10 is perfectly), how well do you follow the counsel of Church leaders?
2. What is one standard taught by prophets and apostles that you could follow more faithfully?
3. On a scale of 1–10 (10 is every opportunity you have), how often do you express gratitude for your Church leaders, either in person or in prayer?
4. What could you do to show more appreciation for the sacrifice and effort your leaders make on your behalf?

© 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

---After sufficient time, ask:

• What blessings can come from regularly doing a spiritual self-examination such as this?

---In 2 Corinthians 13:7–14  Paul exhorted the Saints to avoid evil and strive for perfection.

---Testify of the truths you have discussed in this lesson. Invite students to write down a specific goal of how they will apply one of these truths in their lives.

Scripture Mastery Review

Students’ understanding of scripture passages will increase as they create their own questions about those passages. Divide the class into two (or more) teams. Invite the teams to write clues that point to specific scripture mastery passages. (You may want to select a group of passages that you would like students to learn or review.) Encourage students to not make their clues too challenging. After sufficient time, invite the teams to take turns reading their clues aloud to see if the other team can identify the correct passage.

Note: If you do not have time to use this activity as part of this lesson, you may use it on another day. (The following lesson is fairly short. You may have time to use this activity then.) For other review activities, see the appendix at the end of this manual.

Commentary and Background Information

2 Corinthians 12:4. “Not lawful for a man to utter”

Like Paul, who “heard ‘unspeakable words’ that were ‘not lawful for a man to utter’ when he was caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2, 4), we too may have spiritual experiences that we should share only when directed to do so by the Spirit. President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

“‘I have come to believe … that it is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the Spirit itself prompts you to use them to the blessing of others’ [‘The Candle of the Lord,’ Ensign, Jan. 1983, 53]” (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 407).

2 Corinthians 12:7. What was the “thorn” that troubled the Apostle Paul?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles suggested that Paul’s thorn might have been “some unnamed physical infirmity, apparently a grievous one from which the Apostle suffered either continuously or recurringly” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 2:448).

2 Corinthians 12:9. “My strength is made perfect in weakness”

Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles drew from his personal experience with physical challenges to explain how the Savior’s grace can make us strong in weakness:

“In the past two years, I have waited upon the Lord for mortal lessons to be taught me through periods of physical pain, mental anguish, and pondering. I learned that constant, intense pain is a great consecrating purifier that humbles us and draws us closer to God’s Spirit. If we listen and obey, we will be guided by His Spirit and do His will in our daily endeavors.

“There were times when I have asked a few direct questions in my prayers, such as, ‘What lessons dost Thou want me to learn from these experiences?’

“As I studied the scriptures during this critical period of my life, the veil was thin and answers were given to me as they were recorded in lives of others who had gone through even more severe trials. …

“On a few occasions, I told the Lord that I had surely learned the lessons to be taught and that it wouldn’t be necessary for me to endure any more suffering. Such entreaties seemed to be of no avail, for it was made clear to me that this purifying process of testing was to be endured in the Lord’s time and in the Lord’s own way. It is one thing to teach, ‘Thy will be done’ (Matt. 26:42). It is another to live it. I also learned that I would not be left alone to meet these trials and tribulations but that guardian angels would attend me. …

“The experiences of the last two years have made me stronger in spirit and have given me courage to testify more boldly to the world the deep feelings of my heart” (“The Covenant of Baptism: To Be in the Kingdom and of the Kingdom,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 6).

Supplemental Teaching Ideas

2 Corinthians 12:9. Video presentation—“My New Life”

After inviting students to share when they have seen someone strengthened by the Savior, you may want to show a Mormon Messages video such as “My New Life” (8:20), which can be found on LDS.org. This video shows a burn victim’s struggles and triumphs as she fulfills her roles as a mother and wife with the Lord’s help.

Play

2 Corinthians 13:1. “Two or three witnesses”

Ask students to think about examples of the number three within the gospel. (Some examples include the Godhead, the First Presidency, and the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon.)

Invite a student to read 2 Corinthians 13:1 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for how God establishes His words.

• •

How does God establish all of His words? (Help students identify the truth that the Lord establishes every word by two or three witnesses.)

• •

In what ways is it helpful to have two or three witnesses of truth instead of only one?

Point out that Paul was planning to visit Corinthian Saints for the third time as a third witness to them of his teachings. At times we may need to witness or testify of truths many times to others before our witness is received.

© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Invite students to testify

You can encourage students to testify of gospel truths by asking questions that invite them to share their experiences and beliefs. As students testify of gospel truths, the Holy Ghost can often lead them to a deeper testimony of the very things they are expressing. Through the power of the Spirit, their words can also have a significant impact on the hearts of their peers.

Lesson 118: Galatians 1–4

Introduction

The Apostle Paul rebuked the Galatian Saints for following after false teachings and taught that they could become heirs of God by having faith in and following Jesus Christ.

I. Galatians 1–2  Paul rebukes the Saints for following false teachers and encourages them to return to the gospel

---Invite students to imagine that one of their siblings or friends has expressed that he or she is no longer sure that the teachings of the Church are true. As a result, this person has stopped attending church and is no longer living the gospel. Ask students to write in their class notebooks or scripture study journals what they would say to this sibling or friend to help him or her know that the Church’s teachings are true.

---Invite students to look for a truth as they study Galatians 1 that can help them know how to recognize true teachings.

---Galatia was a region in north-central Asia Minor that included many cities Paul visited during his second and third missionary journeys (see Acts 16:6; 18:23). (You may want to invite students to locate Galatia on Bible Maps, no. 13, “The Missionary Journeys of the Apostle Paul.”) Invite a student to read Galatians 1:6–7 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for a problem that existed among the Galatian Saints.

• Why were many of the Galatian Saints falling away from the true gospel?

---Those who were troubling the Galatians and corrupting gospel teachings were raising doubts (see Galatians 1:7, footnote a) about Paul’s teaching that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. These false teachers were Jewish Christians who claimed that the Galatian Saints had to be circumcised (see Bible Dictionary, “Circumcision”) and observe the rituals of the law of Moses in order to be saved.

---Invite a student to read Galatians 1:8–9 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Paul said about those who preached a gospel contrary to the one he preached as an Apostle of the Lord. Ask students to report what they find.

---Invite a student to read Galatians 1:10–12 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for who was the source of Paul’s teachings.

• According to verse 12, who was the source of Paul’s teachings?
• What truth can we learn from Paul’s words in verses 10–12 about true doctrine? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following truth: Jesus Christ reveals true doctrine to His prophets.)
• How can remembering this truth help us when we have questions about the prophets’ teachings?

---Because Jesus Christ reveals true doctrine to His prophets, He can also reveal to us the truthfulness of a prophet’s teachings.

• What can we do to receive revelation from the Lord so that we can know for ourselves that the prophets’ teachings are true?

---Remind students of the scenario you introduced at the beginning of the lesson. Invite a few students to explain to the class how they would use the truth they have just identified about revelation to respond to the person who is questioning Church teachings.

---Testify that we can recognize true doctrine as we study the prophets’ teachings and seek revelation from the Lord.

---In Galatians 1:13–2:21  Paul recounted his conversion and initial missionary journeys. He also explained that salvation was not in the law of Moses, but rather we are forgiven, or justified, through faith in Jesus Christ.

II. Galatians 3–4  Paul invites the Galatians to obtain all the blessings promised to Abraham through Jesus Christ

---Read aloud the following scenarios. After reading each one, ask students to explain why the individual in the scenario may feel at a disadvantage in receiving all of the Lord’s blessings compared to others in the Church who had been faithful to the gospel from an early age.

1. A young man grew up in a less-active family and was not taught the gospel when he was young. His family is now returning to activity in the Church and is beginning to learn and live the gospel.
2. A woman criticized the Church for many years. She recently experienced a change of heart and was baptized.

---Invite students to look for a truth as they study Galatians 3–4 that can help us understand what blessings are available to everyone, regardless of his or her circumstances and past choices.

---Many of the Galatian Saints were Gentile converts to Christianity and so were not literal descendants of Abraham, to whom all of God’s blessings were promised. Invite a student to read Galatians 3:7–9 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Paul taught about those who “are of faith” (verse 7), or who believe, in Jesus Christ.

• What did Paul teach about those who believe in Jesus Christ?
• According to verse 8, what did the Lord promise Abraham?
• According to verse 9, what will happen to those who have faith in Jesus Christ?

---To be “blessed with faithful Abraham” refers to being a beneficiary of the covenant God made with Abraham that through him all people could enjoy the blessings of the gospel (see Abraham 2:11).

---In Galatians 3:10–25 Paul taught that the law of Moses was intended to help the Israelites come unto Jesus Christ and be justified by faith in Him.

---Invite a student to read Galatians 3:26–27 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what we must do to receive the blessings promised to Abraham.

• What must we do to receive the blessings promised to Abraham?

---Write the following incomplete statement on the board: All those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ and enter the gospel covenant will become …

---Invite a student to read Galatians 3:28–29 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for words or phrases they could use to complete the partial principle statement on the board.

• According to verse 28, what do different individuals become when they enter the gospel covenant?
• According to verse 29, what do those who are numbered among Abraham’s seed through Jesus Christ also become?

---An heir is someone who is entitled by law to receive the estate, or belongings, of another.

---Invite a student to read Galatians 4:7 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for whose heirs we can become.

• Whose heirs can we become? (Using students’ words, complete the principle statement on the board so that it conveys the following truth: All those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ and enter the gospel covenant will become one in Christ and heirs of God.)
• Why is it important to know that God promises these blessings to everyone who enters the covenant, regardless of his or her circumstances?

---Testify that Heavenly Father’s promises are for anyone who enters into the gospel covenant. Encourage students to be faithful to the covenants they have made.

---In Galatians 4:8–31  Paul invited the Galatian Saints to return to Christ and to escape the bondage that comes from adherence to the law of Moses.

Commentary and Background Information

Galatians 1:8–10. “An angel from heaven”

Paul’s teachings recorded in Galatians 1:8–10 are sometimes used erroneously to argue against visions of angels and preaching a restored gospel. However, Paul did not teach that all manifestations of angels are to be rejected, for the scriptures show that angels would indeed come in the last days to preach the gospel anew (see Revelation 14:6). Rather, Paul taught that if an angel were to come to divert people away from the true gospel, then that angel should be rejected (see also Alma 30:53). The true gospel today, as in Paul’s day, is administered by authorized prophets and apostles (see Ephesians 2:19–20; 4:11–14) and grounded in “the grace of Christ” (Galatians 1:6; see also 2 Nephi 2:8; 10:24).

Galatians 2:11–16. Paul’s confrontation with Peter

For additional information regarding the disagreement Paul had with Peter while Peter was visiting the Saints in Antioch, see New Testament Student Manual (Church Educational System manual, 2014), 413.

Galatians 3:10–14. “The curse of the law”

As recorded in Galatians 3:10, Paul taught that those who seek to be justified by the law of Moses are obligated to obey all of it. “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them,” Paul said. This impossible requirement leaves all who seek justification through the law also under “the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13). Paul explained further that Jesus Christ suffered for “the curse of the law” by “being made a curse for us” through His Atonement (Galatians 3:13). Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, all can receive the blessings of Abraham by exercising faith in Jesus Christ and entering into the gospel covenant.

Galatians 3:24. “The law was our schoolmaster”

Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Seventy explained that many people in New Testament times misunderstood the purpose of the law of Moses:

“Many Jews, and even Jewish Christians, … had lost sight of the intent and proper position of the law. One reason for this was the unauthorized addition of requirements and traditions around the law that helped obscure its real intent. These additions and traditions were no longer a ‘schoolmaster … unto Christ’ (Galatians 3:24), ‘pointing our souls to him’ (Jacob 4:5), but rather were so burdensome and consuming that many Jews looked ‘beyond the mark’ (Jacob 4:14) and put the perverted law in place of the Lawgiver Himself” (“Responding Appropriately to Change” [address to Church Educational System religious educators, Feb. 8, 2013], 1, si.lds.org).

Galatians 3:28. “Ye are all one in Christ Jesus”

Sometimes people hesitate to be baptized or participate fully in the Church because they worry that they might have to give up their culture or because they may feel that they do not fit in. President James E. Faust of the First Presidency taught that the membership of the Church can be both diverse and united:

“We do not lose our identity in becoming members of this church. We become heirs to the kingdom of God, having joined the body of Christ and spiritually set aside some of our personal differences to unite in a greater spiritual cause. We say to all who have joined the Church, keep all that is noble, good, and uplifting in your culture and personal identity. However, under the authority and power of the keys of the priesthood, all differences yield as we seek to become heirs to the kingdom of God” (“Heirs to the Kingdom of God,” Ensign, May 1995, 62).

Supplemental Teaching Idea

Galatians 2:16–21. Paul teaches why it is not necessary to follow the law of Moses

Invite a student to read Galatians 2:16 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for why the Gentile Saints did not need to obey all the rituals of the law of Moses.

• •

Why did the Gentile Saints not need to obey all the rituals of the law of Moses? (The “works of the law” included a number of rituals designed to keep Israel separate from other nations and looking forward to the coming of Christ. Circumcision was among these works of the law. Because the law was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Saints in Galatia at that time needed to exercise their faith in Jesus Christ to be justified.)

• •

What does it mean to be justified? (“To be pardoned from punishment for sin and declared guiltless” [Guide to the Scriptures, “Justification, Justify,” scriptures.lds.org].)

Invite a student to read Galatians 2:18–20 aloud. Ask the class to follow along, looking for what Paul said would “make [him] a transgressor” (verse 18).

• •

According to verse 18, what action did Paul say would make him a transgressor? (To rebuild the things he had already destroyed, which means to return to his former beliefs and practices even though the law had been fulfilled in Christ.)

To help students understand Paul’s teachings in Galatians 2:18–20, fold three sheets of paper in half. Write the word beliefs on one paper and the word practices on another. Stand these two papers up next to each other to make a square. Place the other paper on top of the square to create a roof, as illustrated in the accompanying diagram. Explain that this house represents Paul’s life prior to his becoming a disciple of Christ.

• •

What did Paul destroy or leave behind in order to become a disciple of Jesus Christ? (His observance of the law of Moses. After students answer, knock down the house.)

• •

Why would Paul make himself a transgressor if he returned to his former way of life?

Point out the phrase “crucified with Christ” in verse 20, and explain that Paul used this phrase to describe the process he went through of leaving behind his old beliefs and practices and letting them die.

• •

According to verse 20, how did Paul live his life after his conversion? (He lived by faith in Jesus Christ.)

• •

What truth can we learn from Paul’s example about how to live by faith in Jesus Christ? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following principle: We exercise faith in Jesus Christ as we eliminate beliefs and practices that are contrary to His will and never return to them. Write this truth on the board.)

• •

What are some examples of beliefs or practices that someone might need to give up in order to live the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Ask students to think of someone they know who has put away old beliefs and practices to live a new and more godly life. Invite students to ponder how this person exercised faith in Jesus Christ.

Invite students to consider any beliefs or practices they might need to leave behind. Encourage them to live by faith in Jesus Christ by leaving those beliefs or practices behind.

© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.

Help students understand content

The content of the scriptures is the story line, people, events, sermons, and inspired explanations that make up the scriptural text. It gives life and relevance to the doctrines and principles found in a scripture block. Help students understand the content so they can identify eternal truths found in the text, but do not overemphasize such background and details to the degree that they become the core of the lesson.