GALATIANS 2: 1-10
THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL
[Acts 15:1-30]
There are always those in the world who would change the gospel. This is to be expected since the gospel is a judgment against the world system which refuses to recognize God, His condemnation of sin, and His redemptive purpose for all men.
The greatest danger to the Gospel though is not opposition from outside of Christianity but from within. The reason is because many attempt to change the Gospel because they don’t believe it is unalterable revelation. [In the preceding passage Paul imparted evidence that The Gospel is God’s Revelation and did not come from man. Here he demonstrates that despite the independence of the Gospel ministry it does not cause anarchy. The Gospel is not schismatic (cause division) or sectarian (for a certain group) but is the only true faith delivered to the church.]
I. CALL TO COUNSEL, 1-2.
II. CORRECTNESS CONFIRMED, 3-6.
III. COWORKER COLLABORATION CLARIFIED, 7-10.
Paul begins the next episode in his account of the gospel message in verse 1. Then after an interval of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas taking Titus along also.
Paul was converted around A.D. 35. The 14 years he mentions maybe calculated from the time of his conversion, or after his first visit to Jerusalem. Most likely, he made his first trip to Jerusalem around A.D. 38 (see Acts 9:26-30). The Jerusalem Counsel therefore occurred some time around 49-52 A.D.
Accompanying Paul on his second visit to Jerusalem as a Christian were his close friends Barnabas and Titus. Barnabas (son of encouragement) and Paul visited Galatia together on their first missionary journey (Acts 9:27; 11:22-30; 13:1ff). Faithful Titus was Paul’s disciple. He wrote a personal letter to him when Titus was establishing churches on the island of Crete (see the book of Titus).
After Paul’s conversion, he devoted many years preparing for the ministry to which God had called him. This preparation period included time alone with God (1:16,17), as well as time conferring with other Christians.
In their zeal new Christians often want to begin a full-time ministry without investing the necessary time studying the Bible and learning from qualified teachers. We need not wait to share Christ with our friends, but we may need more preparation before embarking on a special ministry, whether volunteer or paid. While we wait for God’s timing, we should continue to study, learn, and grow.
In verse 2 Paul gives the reason he went to Jerusalem at this time. It was because of a revelation that I went up; and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but I did so in private to those who were of reputation, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.
God told Paul, through a revelation, to confer with the church leaders in Jerusalem about the message he was preaching to the Gentiles, so they would understand and approve of what he was doing. [Acts recounts a number of ways by which revelations came to Paul: by dream visions
(16:9; 18:9-10; 23:11; 27:23-24), by ecstatic trances (22:17-21; cf. 2 Cor 12:2-4); by signs given by the Spirit in some manner (13:2; 16:6,7;20:22-23; 21:4), and by signs given by a prophet (11:28; 21:10-11). [Word Biblical Com. Vol. 41. Galatians; by Richard Longnecker, 47.]
The essence of Paul’s message to both Jews and Gentiles was that God’s salvation is offered to all people regardless of race, sex, nationality, wealth, social standing, educational level, or anything else. Anyone can be forgiven by trusting in who Christ is and in what He has done (see Romans10:8-13). God saves by His life altering grace through faith in the Gospel message.
Paul was a man who gave authority it’s due respect. He did not go his own way and do his own thing. He submitted Himself to God and went to talked with the leaders of the Church to iron out any disagreements. He respected them and treated them with courtesy.
II. CORRECTNESS CONFIRMED, 3-6.
Verse 3 states that there was no pressure to circumcise Titus. But not even Titus who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.
Circumcision was at the heart of the controversy. When Paul took Titus, a Greek Christian leader to Jerusalem, the Judaizers (false brothers) said that Titus should be circumcised. Paul adamantly refused to give in to their demands. The Apostles agreed that circumcision was an unnecessary rite for Gentile converts.
Several years later, Paul would circumcise Timothy, another Greek Christian (Acts 16:3). Unlike Titus, however, Timothy was half Jewish. Paul did not deny Jews the right to be circumcised. He was simply saying that the gospel did not ask Gentiles to become Jews before becoming Christians. Paul did not appose national or racial rites or customs. He just did not want them to be applied as part of the gospel.
We can be glad for God using Paul to win this test case of Titus because had he been compelled to be circumcised, then other Gentile believers would be also. Since he was not, freedom from the ceremonial law was enacted.
In verses 4 and 5 Paul explains the crisis mentioned in verse 3. In verse 4 we learn of that false brethren were stirring up opposition. It was because of the false brethren secretly brought in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus in order to bring us into bondage.
Whoever these false brethren were, they used underhanded methods to try and get their way. With hostile intent they came to spy out Christian freedom in order to pervert it to their cause. To bring into bondage (êáôáäïõëþóïõóéí means “make us slaves”) in the sense of serving them or their cause instead of Jesus Christ.
Paul would not compromise the gospel of justification by faith as is seen in verse 5. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour so that the truth of the Gospel would remain with you.
We normally think of taking a stand against those who might lead us into immoral behavior, but Paul had to take a hard line against the most “moral” of people. We must not give in to those who make the keeping of man-made standards a condition for salvation, even when such people are morally upright or in respected positions.
One thing that we can never allow to be sacrificed or compromised is the truth of the gospel. God’s grace is everything, and is offered to everyone who would turn to Jesus Christ. To compromise these truths was and is unthinkable.
Even though God had specifically sent him to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15,16), Paul needed to discuss his gospel message with the leaders of the Jerusalem church (Acts 15). This meeting prevented a major split in the church, and it formally acknowledged the apostles approval of Paul’s preaching.
Sometimes we avoid conferring with others because we fear that problems or arguments may develop. Instead, we should openly discuss our plans and actions with friends, counselors, and advisers. Good communication helps everyone understand the situation better. Open communication between church leaders reduces gossip, and builds unity in the church.
Verse 6 helps us understand that Paul’s sole concern was the true gospel revelation. But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)–well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.
Paul is not disparaging those Christian leaders as God expects us to respect one another and acknowledge the position and grace He has given us. Paul was simply saying that no one is over the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It’s easy to rate people on the basis of their official status and to be intimidated by powerful people. But Paul was not intimidated by “those who seemed to be important” because all believers are equal in Christ. God doesn’t rate us according to our status; He looks at the attitude or condition of our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7). We should show respect for our spiritual leaders, but our ultimate allegiance must be to Christ. We are to serve Him with our whole being.
III. COWORKER COLLABORATION [CLARIFIED], 7-10.
The Jerusalem leaders not only endorsed his gospel, in verse 7, they also recognized his special mission to the Gentiles. But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. . . .
By the gospel to the uncircumcised he means, the gospel to the Gentiles, Paul was especially responsible for spreading the gospel to the Gentiles (Romans 1:5) and Peter to the circumcised, the Jews. God’s call to service may be different and the methods used to reach people may be different, but the gospel used to reach them is always the same.
The Jerusalem Apostles recognize a special effectual working of God in both Peter and Paul in verse 8. For He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles,
Paul in much fewer words than Acts 15 pictures the leaders conferring together and affirming God’s work through each another. See 1 Peter 4:10.
In verse 9 the church leaders recognize God has give a special gift of divine grace to Paul. And recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
The church leaders are called pillars because without them the work would fall. James, Peter, and John realized that God was using Paul to reach the Gentiles, just as Peter was being used so greatly to reach the Jews. After hearing Paul’s message and learning of his ministry, they gave Paul and Barnabas their approval (“the right hand of fellowship”) to continue working among the Gentiles. They saw themselves as co-labors in the cause of Christ. God expects to recognize the grace He has given to others and to encourage their ministry in what ever ways we should.
The only request the leaders had for Paul is given in verse 10. They only asked us to remember the poor- the very thing I also was eager to do.
The need for believers to care for the poor is a constant theme in Scripture. But often we do nothing for them because we are caught up in meeting our own needs and desires. Perhaps we don’t see enough poverty to remember the needs of the poor. The world is filled with poor people, here and in other countries. What should we do to help? What should you do to help?
CONCLUSION
Paul was a man conscious of a special calling to a specific task. He knew that God had given him a mission to accomplish and he would let neither opposition from without nor discouragement from within stop him from doing it. This will be the case with the man who has received God-given strength to carry out a God-given task.
