Lesson Passage: Galatians 2:1-10
This lesson is a continued defense of the Apostleship of Paul as he describes some more of the history of his Apostleship.
Quotation:
The fundamental note of the Old Testament, in other words, is revelation. Its seers and prophets are not men of philosophic mind, who have risen from the seen to the unseen and, by dint of much reflection, have gradually attained to elevated conceptions of Him who is the Author of all that is. They are men of God whom God has chosen, that He might speak to them and, through them, to His people. Israel has not, in and by them, created for itself a God: God has, through them, created for Himself a people.
... Benjamin B. Warfield (1851-1921)
This is very clearly not just Old Testament but the action of Paul in the New Testament.
Read Galatians 2:1-5
NIV
Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also. I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain. Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek. This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.
ESV
Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.2:1
fourteen years.
Either after his conversion or after his first visit to Jerusalem.
again to Jerusalem.
If, as some scholars believe, Galatians was written after Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13; 14) but before the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15), then the journey spoken of here is the Acts 11 journey, and the Acts 15 journey has not yet occurred. Five visits (Acts 9:26; 11:30; 15:2; 18:22; 21:15).
Probably Acts 15 – Therefore you get two points of view; Luke’s and Paul’s. Could also be Acts 11:30.
Barnabas.
A native of Cyprus and an early Christian of stature (Acts 4:36). Barnabas's name means in Aramaic "Son of Encouragement," and his appearances in Acts demonstrate that he lived up to his name (Acts 4:36, 37; 11:22-24, 30).
Titus.
Although not mentioned in Acts, Titus was one of Paul's trusted companions and messengers. See 2 Cor. 2:12, 13; 7:6; 8:6; Titus 1:4, 5.
2:2
by revelation.
If this is the Acts 11 visit, the revelation may have been the prophecy of Agabus (11:28). If not, it was probably similar to other special revelations that Paul received from God (Acts 9:4-6; 16:9; 18:9, 10; 2 Cor. 12:1-6).
in vain.
While the Jerusalem leaders were not the source of Paul's authority, his efforts to preach the gospel would have been hindered if these influential men had opposed him. How could he succeed with all the opposition he already had if the other Apostles opposed him.
2:3
compelled to be circumcised.
See 5:12 and Acts 15:1. Circumcision was the distinguishing mark of the Jew, and the final step in the conversion of a male Gentile to the Jewish religion. Some Jewish Christians believed that Gentiles also had to accept circumcision and thus become Jews before they could be Christians and belong to God's chosen people. Paul was vehemently opposed to this teaching and maintains throughout Galatians that we are justified by faith in Christ alone.
2:4
false brethren.
Paul considered the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone to be so important that he excluded from the church all who did not hold to it (1:8, 9; 5:2-4). Note that he didn’t call these guys brothers … they were false brothers. They rejected sola fidae and Paul taught that that disqualified them from being brothers.
liberty.
The freedom of the believer is not freedom to sin, but freedom from the curse the law pronounces on sin (3:10-14; 5:1, 13).
bondage.
Probably bondage to sin and to the curse that the law pronounces on those who sin but also a bondage to the ritual law. That was fulfilled in Christ. Think of what an offense it is (to God) to take something given to point to Christ and practice it for righteousness sake. If someone said I was unrighteous because I did something or didn’t do something (adiaphorous) then I could take offense but I’d probably just ignore their comments (I’ve drunk coffee in front of Mormons). However, the real issue is that they consider that they have done or not done something that, in part, results in their salvation. They add to the work of Christ in Justification.
We constantly walk between the errors of antinomianism and legalism. Here Paul is fighting against legalism. If we pursue legalism, we take a sinful pleasure (consider ourselves to have acquired merit) in our conformity to a particular set of behaviors that may or not have a biblical basis.
Someone who is legalistic will frequently display an “enforcement mentality”. They have their rules and everyone must obey them to be righteous. The legalist can have a surface veneer of a homemade righteousness but it is an offense to God.
Quotation:
I am persuaded that some have scarce any better or more forcible argument to satisfy their own minds that they are in the right in religion than the inclination they find in themselves to hate and persecute them whom they suppose to be in the wrong.We are not really “bound” by the moral law. In fact, our obedience to the moral law is a natural outgrowth of the Spirit working and living within us. Rather than bound, I am free to express the work of the Holy Spirit in my life. The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in me, and He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead gives life to my body through His Spirit who dwells in me. I’m no longer a debtor to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. I’m subjecting myself to the Spirit to put sin to death. Since I’m led by the Spirit of God I am a son of God. I did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear. I’m not in bondage, however, I have received the Spirit of adoption as a son and I cry “Abba! Father!” (Ro 8:11-15).
... John Owen (1616-1683)
2:5
truth of the gospel.
Entrance into the community of God's covenant people (the church) comes only by faith that is graciously given to the believer by God (1:6, 15; Eph. 2:8). Any attempt to add entrance requirements, such as circumcision, is a denial of the sufficiency of faith in Christ's merits for satisfying God's justice, and therefore is a perversion of the gospel.
Galatians 2:6-10
NIV
As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message. On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles. James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
ESV
And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.2:6
personal favoritism.
Just as the external mark of circumcision does not define the boundary of God's people, so worldly prestige is not important to God (1 Sam. 16:7; Rom. 2:25-29).
2:7
the uncircumcised.
circumcised … to Peter. Peter was apparently the chief spokesman of the early Jerusalem church (Acts 1-12). Only with great reluctance did he respond to God's command to associate with the Gentile Cornelius (Acts 10). Although Peter recognized the necessity of including Gentiles within God's people (Acts 10:34, 35; 11:17; 15:7-11), he evidently felt God's call to preach the gospel specifically to Jews.
2:9
James, Cephas, and John.
See notes on v. 7; 1:18, 19. These three men had special authority in the early Jerusalem church. Peter and John are frequently seen together (Acts 3; 4), and James was prominent in the Jerusalem church (Acts 12:17; 15:13; 21:18). "Pillars" was used as a metaphor in Greek as in English for persons in important leadership positions.
grace … given to me.
Regarding Paul's conversion and call, see 1:15 and note. Paul frequently referred to his call as God's grace, given to him (Rom. 1:5; 12:3; 15:15, 16; 1 Cor. 3:10).
we should go to the Gentiles.
Barnabas, like Paul, was chiefly a missionary to the Gentiles (Acts 13; 14; 15:36-41).
2:10
remember the poor.
Some refer these words to the purpose of Paul's second visit to Jerusalem (Acts 11:27-30). On that visit, Paul and Barnabas were commissioned to take an offering from Antioch to the Christians in Judea who were suffering because of a famine. In this case, the poverty of which Paul speaks would be literal poverty. Others believe that these words refer to Paul's collection for the Jerusalem saints (Acts 24:17; Rom. 15:26; 1 Cor. 16:1-3; 2 Cor. 8; 9), to which the Galatians contributed (1 Cor. 16:1).
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