Galatians 2:1-10 =February 23

Never Give In

Paul’s Apostleship Recognized In Jerusalem,                        2:1-10

Synopsis:         Fourteen years after the first Jerusalem visit, Paul went to Jerusalem and took Barnabas and Titus with him. He met privately with the leaders of the church. He told them what he had been preaching.  The apostles and elders of the church in Jerusalem gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship.  Titus, who was a Greek, was not compelled to be circumcised.  There was no yielding to those who would pervert the gospel.  It was agreed Paul should go to the Gentiles with the gospel.  They urged Paul to remember the poor, which he readily agreed to do.

Situation
The non-Jewish Galatians had put their faith in Christ, but were subsequently being told that they must adhere to Jewish laws to insure God’s approval. Paul has admonished the Galatians for turning away from the truth of the gospel. The truth they originally embraced, and then rejected, came from his lips! So Paul pointed out in chapter 1 that he got this truth from God Himself, not from human authorities.  To underscore the authority of his message, Paul describes his contacts with those in the early church recognized as authorities. (LCS, 37)

Central Idea
Paul steadfastly defends the freedoms found in Christ by establishing the authority for the gospel he preaches and his calling as an apostle. When confronted by false teachers, Paul did not give in.

What We Learn About James, Peter, and John in Galatians
Peter, an apostle in Jerusalem, and James, the Lord’s brother, met Paul three years after Paul’s conversion (1:18-19). Peter is the preacher and apostle to the Jews (2:7-8). James, Peter, and John are pillars of the church (2:9). Peter came to Antioch and erroneously withdrew from Gentile Christians; his hypocrisy drew others into error with him (3:11-13). Peter was confronted by Paul on his hypocritical view (3:14f.).

Introduction(s)
WBC (61) – In his account of his [second] visit to Jerusalem after becoming a Christian, Paul lays emphasis on the following points (1) that there are no gaps in his narration of visits to Jerusalem, contrary to what the Judaizers of Galatia might have claimed; (2) that it was not until fourteen years after his conversion that he met with the body of apostles and leaders at Jerusalem, which hardly supports any claim for his dependence on them; (3) that his going to Jerusalem was in response to a divine revelation, not at the request of the Jerusalem apostles or to submit himself to them; (4) that the Jerusalem apostles accepted the validity of his Gentile mission, viewing it as parallel to their own Jewish mission; and (5) that the Jerusalem apostles asked only that the needs and circumstances of the Jerusalem church be kept in mind in any outreach to Gentiles. As Paul saw it, the “false brothers” of Jerusalem and the Judaizers of Galatia had the same agenda and a similar program, and so his addressees could learn from how he handled the former as to how they ought to respond to the latter. In both cases, however, their assertions were invalid. For though there were, indeed, differences between Paul and the Jerusalem apostles, principally as to the logistics of their respective missions, they were at one in the essentials of the gospel. 

NICNT (104) – The events of Paul’s second post-conversion visit to Jerusalem, like the events of his life both before and after his call by God, substantiate his claim that he received both his gospel and his apostleship directly from the risen Lord. If the earlier set of events supports this by showing that there was never a time when he was in a position to have derived his gospel and apostolic commission from the Jerusalem leaders, the events of the second visit support it by showing the full recognition given by those leaders to the gospel and apostolic office which already were his prior to the meeting of the two... A third major support will be furnished by the Antioch incident (2:11-21). 

NBC – There is good reason to believe that Paul is responding to a charge from the Judaizers that may have gone something like this: ‘Paul at one point in his ministry was required to attend a meeting in Jerusalem, submit in private to the Three (James, Peter and John), and agree to obey their instructions, as is proven by his willingness to collect funds for the Christians in Judea.’ If so, Paul may be dealing with this incident, not because he feels some obligation to record every contact he had with the Jerusalem apostles …, but rather because his opponents had brought it up and misused it. In other words, Paul needs to set the record straight. 

Inspiration

Christians … need to understand that there can be differences among true believers, and that such differences—particularly when involving differing understandings of redemptive logistics or differences of culture—need not tear us apart. Indeed, where there exists a basic agreement in the essentials of the gospel, Gal 2:1–10 sets before us a prototype of mutual recognition and concern for one another, despite our differences. It teaches us, in fact, something of how to distinguish between things that really matter and things of lesser importance…, where to stand firm and where to concede, and even when to defy people and pressures and when to shake hands and reciprocate with expressions of mutual concern. (WBC, 62)

Text Notes, Applications, and Questions

1          Then after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking Titus also with me.

Paul has already shown that his apostleship came from Jesus, not men; he proved his apostleship was fully endorsed by the other apostles.  

Fourteen years (1) 

The “fourteen years” here probably refers to his previous visit to Jerusalem, about three years after his conversion; if the Council met around A.D. 48, Paul’s conversion may have occurred around A.D. 31, within perhaps a year of Jesus’ resurrection. (BBC, 522)
It is possible, though not certain, that Paul here means fourteen years after his first visit; but he could mean fourteen years after his conversion. Either way represents a considerable lapse of time. … There is no question about the gospel that he preaches being fully developed. (TNTC, 99)

Paul referred to the trip to Jerusalem fourteen years after he was converted.  This was the same trip that was described in Acts 15.  Paul did not say he went up the second time to Jerusalem. He said I went up again.  This expression allowed the second visit which was recorded in Acts 11:30.  The purpose of the second visit was to take help to the needy saints in Jerusalem.  The purpose of the third visit was to settle the problem of circumcision and the binding of the law of Moses on the Gentile converts (Acts 15).  The visit Paul described here agreed with Acts 15 both in purpose and in the chronology of Paul’s life.  Paul took Barnabas with him (Acts 15:2).  This trip to Jerusalem was after the first missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas. They returned to Antioch to report to the church at the close of the first missionary journey.  Paul took Titus to Jerusalem as the statement “and certain others of them” in Acts 15:2 allows.  For some reason Titus was never mentioned in Acts though other references show he was with Paul at various times (II Corinthians 2:13; 7:6, 13, 14; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18; II Timothy 4:10; Titus 1:4).  Titus was a Greek.  He had no Jewish blood.  Titus was a test case as to whether circumcision would be bound upon him and all Gentiles.  Paul had the gospel by revelation from Jesus; however, it was important for the cause of Christ for the church to know the apostles were in full agreement on this point.

2          And I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain.

Acts 15:2 states the church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem. In addition, Paul received a revelation from the Lord to go up to Jerusalem. This revelation was not recorded in Acts 15.  How this revelation was made to Paul was not given; however, Paul brought the revelation from Jesus to their attention to show it was the Lord’s will for him to go to Jerusalem at this time.  When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, he met with the leaders of the church and the apostles.  Paul presented the gospel he had been preaching (Acts 15:4, 12). Paul preached salvation was given to all men through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Anyone who believed and obeyed the gospel would be saved.  It was not necessary to be circumcised or to obey the law of Moses.  Them who were of repute referred to Peter, James and John. Paul was not putting down the leaders of the church in Jerusalem.  He used the language of those who opposed him and were accustomed to quote them in this way.  Paul compared what he preached with what the apostles preached.  Both Paul and the apostles had received their revelation from the Lord.  There was only one truth, one gospel (Ephesians 4:5).  They were in full agreement.  All men need to learn this lesson today.

3          But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:

Paul took Titus with him as a test case.  Titus was a Gentile.  Paul believed Titus should not be circumcised.  To demand circumcision for Titus would be to bind the law of Moses to the gospel and thus pervert the gospel. The apostles and elders agreed with Paul.  The law had been "nailed" to the cross. The law of Moses is not binding in the Christian age (Colossians 2:14-17).  One must believe and obey the gospel to be saved.  One does not have to keep the law of Moses in addition to the gospel to be saved.  The law must not be bound upon Christians.

4          and that because of the false brethren privately brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

The only ones who attempted to have Titus circumcised were the Judaizing teachers whom Paul referred to as false brethren because they had added to the gospel.  It was the purpose of the Judaizing teachers to bind the law of Moses on Christians and thus make an unbearable bondage (Acts 15:10).

5          to whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

Paul did not yield to the pressure of the Judaizing teachers at any time during his stay in Jerusalem. If Paul had yielded, he would have compromised the truth.  Paul wanted the truth of the gospel to remain in its purity.  The gospel must remain pure to be effective.  The same principle is true today. 

6          But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter of me: God accepteth not man’s person) - they, I say, who were of repute imparted nothing to me:

The leaders of the church in Jerusalem did not give Paul any new truth or seek to impose any thing else on him. The elders and apostles were in full agreement with the gospel that he preached. Paul referred to those who were reputed to be somewhat.  Peter, James and John did not make this claim; however, the Judaizing teachers used this language to put Paul down. Paul did not accept their insinuations.

7          but contrariwise, when they saw that I had been invested with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the gospel of the circumcision

When Paul related what he and Barnabas had been preaching to the Gentiles and the signs which God performed (Acts 15:4, 12), the leaders and the church in Jerusalem realized that Paul was an apostle commissioned to take the gospel to the Gentiles just as Peter was commissioned to take the gospel to the Jews.  Paul and the other apostles stood on equal ground with the same gospel. 

8          (for he that wrought for Peter unto the apostleship of the circumcision wrought for me also unto the Gentiles):

There was one God, one Lord and one gospel (Ephesians 4-6).  God was working through both Peter and Paul to reach both the Jews and the Gentiles.

9          and when they perceived the grace that was given unto me, James and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the Gentiles, and they unto the circumcision;

When Peter, James and John realized God was working through Paul in the same way he was working through them with exactly the same gospel, they gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship. "Clasped right hands" was the sign of friendship and trust.  It was a sign of mutual agreement and acknowledgment that was a staggering blow to the Judaizers and a vote of confidence for Paul.  The leaders of the church in Jerusalem recognized Paul was preaching the same gospel they preached.  That Paul would preach to the Gentiles was a matter of priority, not of exclusiveness.  Paul still went to the Jews first and then to the Gentiles (Romans 1:16).  Peter, James and John preached to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews.

10         only they would that we should remember the poor; which very thing I was also zealous to do.

The leaders and the church in Jerusalem and Paul were agreed and united. They urged Paul to continue to remember the poor.  Paul had brought a contribution to the poor on his second visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30).  Paul was eager to remember the poor. This epistle was written on the second missionary journey. Paul remembered the poor by collecting a contribution to take to the poor saints in Jerusalem on the third missionary journey (Romans 15:26, 27; Acts 24:16; II Corinthians 8 and 9).  The teachings of Jesus emphasized helping the poor (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:36; Luke 21:1-4; John 13:29; Galatians 6:2).  II Corinthians 8:9 is a great passage on this virtue.