Jerusalem Council Series

Galatians 2:1-5

“Jerusalem Council”

• Vs. 1

• Time

o 14 years after his first trip to Jerusalem

• Reason

o Acts 13:42-49 (Began to preach to the Gentiles)

o Isaiah 49:6; Luke 2:25-32

o Acts 15:1-4

• Companions

o Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37; 9:26-27)

o Titus

• Vs. 2 Paul makes a pointed note that even though many in the church wanted him to make this trip, it was ultimately because he was told to do so by a revelation of God.

• Paul, even though he was an apostle on equal ground with the rest, out of respect kept it a private matter, preserving the work he had accomplished for the gospel of Christ. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

• Vs. 3 Titus vs. Timothy

o Acts 16:1-3

o Why was Paul compelled to have Timothy circumcised and not Titus?

o 1 Corinthians 8:9-11

o The mature have a responsibility to remove stumbling blocks for the weaker brother in Christ.

• Vs. 4 “False brethren”  fake Christians or unbelievers (Acts 15:5)

• “Spy out”  lying in wait ready to ambush.

• “Bondage”  enslave them.

• Connecting vv. 3 & 4.

• Vs. 5 Paul said they stood firm(didn’t even give in for 1 hour), so that the truth of the gospel would “continue” or become a permanent fixture in their lives.

• Mark Dever in his book The Deliberate Church made this statement: “What you win them with is what you win them to.”

• That becomes our challenge as Christians, having that balance of putting others first but remaining steadfast in the truth of God’s word.

• Illustration: We don’t tear down our entire house in order to paint the kitchen.

• 1 Corinthians 3:11-13