GALATIANS 2:1-10

The traditional view relates this passage to the events in Acts 15. Read Acts 15:1-6, 19-21.

In both, Paul & Barnabas go to Jerusalem, an account of their ministry is given, “false brothers” are involved (identified in Acts as being Pharisees), the same Jerusalem leaders are present, and the major issue is roughly the same.

Problems with this view

a. Titus is not mentioned in the Acts account.

b. “Went up by revelation” in in the Galatians account vs. being appointed by elders

c. slightly different conclusion to meeting & possible contradiction to Paul's account that nothing was added (However, the Western text of Acts omits “things strangled”, the only specifically Jewish stipulation).

d. Paul seems to ignore his visit in Acts 11:30 in Galatians 2:1 when he says then.

Resolution: (a) Paul was distorting the facts to make his point or (b) Acts is unhistorical. But there is another possibility.

The “Modern” view relates this passage to Acts 11:27-30.

The contribution sent by way of Paul from Antioch church to Jerusalem was a result of a revelation to Agabus (Acts 11:27-30).

While there, Titus was not required to be circumcised (This sets a future precedent: It is not necessary to be circumcised to be a Christian). Separate ministries are recognized (Galatians 2:1-10).

As a result of this visit, Gentiles and Jews have table fellowship at Antioch until this practice is criticized by some (Galatians 2:11-14).

Barnabas and Paul are commissioned for the first missionary journey where they visit Galatia, among other places.

When returning to Antioch, questions about their ministry arise.

The Epistle to Galatians is written after Paul receives disturbing news about them (first or second epistle of his that we possess).

Paul and Barnabas travel to Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Conference (Acts 15) to determine whether a Gentile after conversion must live according to the Jewish laws, keeping feast days and dietary laws.

The Jerusalem Council takes place, ending in certain social decrees for Gentiles to follow so as not to hinder fellowship with Jewish Christians.

Paul writes I & II Corinthians and Romans concerning some of the same issues and as a corrective to false interpretations of Epistle to Galatians.

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1. This is the third time then is used (1:18, 21). Paul is keeping close track of events. It implies that he had no other contact with the Jerusalem church in between. Earlier Paul pointed out that his gospel came from no human being, and then that it was not influenced by the Judean churches. Now he demonstrates his independence from the Jerusalem leaders. The timing of 14 years is probably after Paul's initial conversion, not after his previous visit. Notice that 14 years had elapsed after his conversion and he still hadn't taken his first missionary journey!! This should provide encouragement for us: Don't concentrate on past lost opportunities, but on what God has been preparing you for all along. An example of God's perfect timing.

What were the roles of the three travelers? Barnabas was the leading representative of the Antioch church (so it was really a conference of two churches), and Titus was an example of the fruit of the gospel to the Gentiles and a living object lesson. There is no mention of Titus in Acts. Thus, it has been suggested that he was Luke's brother since Luke also doesn't mention his own name). He probably belonged to the Antioch church. Barnabas takes a rather minor role in this account because the emphasis is on Paul's revelation, not Barnabas'.

2. “Those of repute” probably is quoting the words of Paul's enemies. He will repeat variations on this phrase throughout the section (It is not necessarily ironic since the designation is found outside the Bible without an ironic intent). Judaizers were name-dropping James, Peter and John as their authority (Do we do the same thing today?); Paul only uses God. This is the third time in Paul's memoirs that he has mentioned God's leading in the events: (see 1:12, 1:16 for “reveal/revelation”).

Guthrie: Paul was most concerned to transmit the content of the message he had been preaching. “In modern times...all too little interest has been shown by congregations at missions gatherings to the character of the gospel being preached.” Often the presentation is little more than a gloified travelogue.

This appears to have been mainly an open church meeting followed by a private meeting with the leaders. This is perhaps a pattern for today of public presentation followed by private discussions over controversial items. Galatians 2:14 was an emergency situation.

“Running in vain” does not express any personal doubts on Paul's part regarding the truth of his gospel (especially in light of his statements in 1:8). Instead, it is more a matter of (a) the policy of the Antioch church in sponsoring missionaries to the Gentiles, or (b) the fear that the church might be split over this issue. The very unity of the Christian church was at stake.

3. This verse could read, “Not even Titus was compelled to be circumcised.” But more likely, “Not even Titus was compelled to be circumcised.”

4. There is an underlying drama behind these verses. It is not quite clear where the spies came from: either those from Antioch who followed Paul to Jerusalem, Pharisees from Jerusalem who inserted themselves into the conversation, or later opposition at Antioch such as we see in the next story (This understanding sees vv. 4-5 as a “parenthesis within a digression.”) This sentence has been called a “grammatical shipwreck” reflecting Paul's emotional state when talking about them. The presence of spies present a negative element not present in the first story. This prepares the way for the next story where the opposition is now more organized, and by implication the happenings in the Galatian church itself.

False teachers plagued Paul in his day as today. “They didn't rob Peter to pay Paul. However, they exalted Peter to rob Paul.” (Stott). There are those today who put Paul's teachings in opposition to Christ's or dismiss much of what he says as being culturally determined.

“False brothers” only occurs in the NT here and 2 Corinthians 11. Question: what about Jewish Christian groups today? How important is it for us as Gentiles to understand our Jewish roots? This verse reminds us of 2 Peter 2:1 (“But false prophets arose among the people secretly bringing in destructive heresies”) with its similar use of secret and false. Secrecy is incompatible with Christian behavior. In recent years, there have been stories of fake students secretly tape-recording professors' lectures at seminaries in order to turn them in for supposedly heretical comments.

5. There is a textual problem in this verse. It may read “We did yield to them for a moment.” If Titus was circumcised, it was not compelled, but a voluntary act.

This verse resumes the main thread of the story. Q-Why does Paul mention God showing no partiality? A-Either to bolster Paul's authority vs. Jerusalem leaders (He was a prime example of God showing no partiality) or to get to heart of the Jew-Gentile question. This is the last of three negatives in this section: Titus was not compelled to be circumcised (v. 3), Paul did not give in to the false brothers (v. 5), and leaders did not add anything to his gospel. Nothing added is emphatically mentioned to counter the enemies' claims that Paul's gospel was modified by Jerusalem church.

There are interesting implications to Paul's somewhat disparaging statements regarding the leaders of Jerusalem church. He acknowledges their position but not the ultimate authority with which the Judaizers had invested them. Barclay says, “Although in previous passages he stresses his independence, Paul was no anarchist,” which is why he stresses the confirmation he received at the Jerusalem church from its leaders. On the other hand, he does not want to play up the role of the Jerusalem leaders too greatly since (a) his revelation was independent and (b) his enemies were also claiming their authority.

They have a standing “in the flesh” since James was Jesus' brother (not one of the twelve, because the Apostle James had been martyred by this time) and the others had traveled with Jesus when he was alive. But this is similar to Paul's previous standing as a Jew among Jews. Paul had a commission directly from the risen Christ: What is our standing relative to that of the apostles? (“Even more blessed are those who believe not having seen.”)

7-8. Gospel is present only once in the Greek original. The same gospel to both people, not a different one. Peter's gospel to the circumcision (i.e., to the Jews) in v. 8 did not mean a gospel of circumcision. Churches and parachurch ministries should not see themselves in competition with each other (for members or supporters).

Peter is used only here:

a. It is a quote from a document signaling the agreement between the two churches.

b. The Western Text is correct (Peter in all cases).

c. The designation reflects a random usage by Paul

d. These verses are a later gloss by someone such as Titus.

e. Peter is his personal name and Cephas his official name as apostle to the Jews.

9. The order of church leaders in this verse is the same as the order of their epistles in the canon; it may be coincidence. For meaning of pillars, see Revelation 3:12. “The shaking of hands does not indicate merely that a sensible, political division of labor had been reached. It signifies, as we have seen, a common perception of God's activity.” (Martyn, Galatians) One commentator calls it a covenant. KJV has a poor translation: “gospel to the uncircumcised and gospel to the circumcised” since this implies two different gospels. The word gospel is not even present in the Greek. Grace brings the emphasis back to God in case anyone should be tempted to give Paul the credit for his ministry.

10. Having one mission or gift does not (a) excuse obligations to serve in other ways or (b) allow us to operate completely independently. This verse stresses the importance of physical aid as well as spiritual. (See Romans 15:25-27; I Corinthians 15:25-27; II Corinthians 9:5 for the collection for the poor in Jerusalem.) “Only they would have us” could be looked upon as a condition or command from the church such as the stipulations at the end of the Jerusalem Conference, but this is highly unlikely (read II Corinthians 9:5). However, not all issues were resolved at this meeting, as we shall see in the next chapter.

John Stott's conclusions:

1. The truth of the gospel is one and unchanging.

2. The truth of the gospel must be maintained.

Martin Luther quotes: “Wherefore, God assisting me, my forehead shall be more hard than all men's foreheads.” “Now as concerning faith, we ought to be invincible, and more hard, if it might be, than the adamant stone; but as touching charity, we must be soft, and more flexible than the reed or leaf that is shaken with the wind, and ready to yield to everything.”

There is an analogy to the ever-present church music controversy. It may be really a social preference elevated to the status of a theological imperative. Scot McKnight: “What we find in the worship style and music issue of today is that at times one group imposes its desire on another group, in the name of theology, and the result is social and theological: social division and theological justification.”

 What is our standing relative to the leaders of our church? What respect do we owe our spirtitual leaders?