Chapter Two
Paul was Accepted by the Apostles
2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 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. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.
After fourteen years, Paul returned to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas and Titus, God had shown him that it was time to go there. While there, he had a private meeting with the church leaders and shared the message he had been preaching to the Gentiles, to make sure everyone was on the same page. He had worried that his work was in vain and that he was chasing after an empty goal. But those worries soon faded as they supported him and didn’t even ask Titus to be circumcised, even though he was a Gentile.
2:4 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—
Paul notes that some “false brothers” came among them, who he describes as slipping in stealthily amongst them to spy (see also Jude 1:4). Those ‘spies’ saw the freedom believers had in Christ Jesus and attempted to pull them back to comply with the law which would bring them back under bondage to sin.
Jesus Himself warned that the devil does not want the gospel preached as he will attempt to “snatch away” any “gospel seeds” planted (see Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23) and sow weeds among the good seed (see Matthew 13:24-30), since he is a deceiver (see John 8:44), and the father of lies. The enemy’s goal is to counter any progress regarding the gospel.
2:5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.
Paul says they did not succumb to the enemy’s efforts, not even for a brief period of time, so that the truth of the gospel would be preached and continue to be taught to them.
2:6 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.
In meeting the other apostles and church leaders, Paul noted that he wasn’t awe struck by their ‘celebrity’ status, since, as he points out, God shows no partiality, as all believers are viewed by God the same (He shows no favoritism). He further noted that they could not add anything to what he already knew.
2:7 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 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 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. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
They accepted Paul as an equal as they saw how God gave him the primary mission to the Gentiles (the uncircumcised) in the same way God gave Peter (here Paul uses the Greek Petrō instead of the Aramaic Cephas) was given the mission to evangelize to the Jews. And when the three “pillars” of the church, James, Cephas (Paul went back to Peter’s name in Aramaic), and James saw the favor and gifting given to Paul by God, they extended the right hand of fellowship and encouraged both him and Barnabas to continue preaching to the Gentiles while they will continue reaching out to the Jews. Their only advice was to keep helping the poor, which he has always been eager to do.
Paul Confronts Peter
2:11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.
Paul retells this confrontation with Peter not to brag or otherwise elevate himself over Peter, it’s to demonstrate just how easy it is for someone to revert to former ways, even by a leader, that can be observed by others and affect their thinking as well. As this issue of countering the false teaching of Judaizers is one of the primary reasons he wrote this epistle. The Greek words translated here as condemned are kategnōsmenos (to perceive and know something wrong or bad) and ēn (to be), Paul is blaming Peter, not that he was condemned to hell (although not accepting the true gospel message can result in actual condemnation for eternity), but that he made a mistake.
2:12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
Paul notes that the behavior of Peter prior to being visited by men sent from James, that he had no problem eating with Gentiles, but as soon as the men showed up, he stopped, since he feared the Jewish party. And that separation was observed and mimicked by others including Barnabas. But since that conduct was contrary to the true gospel, Paul, in front of everyone said, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Paul pointed out to Peter the hypocrisy of what he was doing.
The phrase “to live like Jews,” is one Greek word, Ioudaizein, which means to Judaize, and is only seen in the Bible this one time here in verse fourteen. It is the root word for the term ‘Judaizer’, a title given to those that believed and taught that Jewish protocols were still necessary for salvation. Though not all of them taught the same requirements, Paul ran into them often, and they were also addressed by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:1-35).
Considerations
Judaizers
Consider for a moment a person who was trained from childhood how to do something and then one day someone tells them they were wrong and to do that something differently. Like eat something that was previously forbidden, work on a day that was previously set aside for rest, or perhaps to pray a different way. Understanding from that perspective, it’s not hard to see the potential resistance a Jew might have when Jesus offered a new covenant with what is perceived as “new rules.” In the early church Judaizers were people who combined God’s grace with human effort. While most were insistent that the entire law of Moses and other Jewish traditions were to be followed, there were some that embraced partial compliance. But still emphasizing that God’s grace only partially covered one’s salvation and that there was still a need for a person to do something (some level of effort). This concept discounts what Jesus did on the cross, as He paid the full price for our redemption. All we have to do is accept the gift. Sadly, there are several groups today that call themselves “Christian” but yet teach that human effort is still needed for salvation.
Justified by Faith
2:15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
Paul uses the example of Peter’s poor judgment to introduce the definition of the true gospel message. He starts with a statement that can be somewhat confusing. Paul seemingly contrasts those born a Jew versus Gentile sinners. Paul is pointing out that even the Jews who live by the law and the Gentile sinner (understanding that the Jews referred to Gentiles as ‘sinners’ not necessarily from a behavior sense, but primarily that Gentiles did not have any law to guide them as to how they could please God) that both people groups (all humans) can only obtain salvation through faith in Jesus. Not even through works as outlined and specified by the law, since no one can be justified (Greek dikaiōthēsetai, to be made righteous) by their own works or actions (see Ephesians 2:8-9).
2:17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God.
Beginning with verse fifteen, it is clear that Paul is directing his attention to fellow Jewish believers, and now he asks them that if their desire to be made right with God through faith in Christ would result in them being found guilty of violating the law and that Christ led them into sin? Certainly not! Paul notes that if he were to rebuild what he tore down, he would be guilty. In other words since he has been teaching that Jesus fulfilled the law, and there was no longer any need to continue compliance with the law, that by him reversing that teaching now, he would be a transgressor himself. Paul further notes that when he tried to keep the law, it ultimately condemned him, he stopped complying, so that he can now live for God. Paul points out that if the Judaizers were right then Jesus was wrong, they can’t have it both ways!
2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Paul makes a bold statement that is true for every believer, he claims that he was crucified with Christ! All believers have been bought out of bondage of sin by the blood of Jesus (see Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 7:23; 1 Peter 1:18-19). We no longer belong to ourselves in sin, we all belong to Him. The aim of life in the flesh (being alive on earth) is now to have faith in Jesus, who loves us and we can say with Paul that He gave His life to redeem us. Paul tells us that he does not nullify the grace of God (treat it as being worthless), that if righteousness was obtainable through the law, then Jesus died for no reason.
Considerations
The Role of the Law Today
The law of Moses is called that because it was given to Moses on Mount Sinai shortly after God brought the Israelites out of Egypt. The entire law is found throughout the first five books of the Bible and is often divided into three main categories: Moral Law, Ceremonial Law, and Civil Law, which are further broken down to 613 commandments (248 positive, things that should be done, and 365 negative, things that should be avoided, click here for an Introduction to God’s Law).
Compliance to the law was the requirement for the Mosaic covenant (a conditional covenant given to Moses) between the people of Israel and God, who promised protection, prosperity, and other blessings while they lived in the Promised Land. But if they failed to comply they would not be allowed to stay in the land. And as the Bible tells us they did break the covenant and were expelled from the land. So what does the law mean for us today?
First of all, the law provides insight as to what pleases God and what does not please Him. To live contrary to the law would be considered sin (missing the mark), so the law defines for us what is a sin. But it won’t take long to see that continued ongoing compliance is impossible for any human being, so we see that there is nothing we can do to save ourselves. Plus, when we read that we are born in sin (see Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12, 19; Ephesians 2:3), we can understand that since we started out as a sinner and can’t redeem ourselves from sin, we are condemned per the law (remember, all it takes is to be guilty of one sin to be a sinner). Sounds unfair, but that is why God the Father sent His Son so that we can have eternal life with him (see John 3:16). Which is why the only way to salvation is through Jesus! Second, the law provides the necessary framework to understand the redemption process and how through Jesus living a sinless life, suffering, died, and rose to life again, is able to save someone through faith. Therefore, the law is still important to understand and know.
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2, ESV)