Galatians Answers - Chapter 2

Galatians 2  Yesterday, in Galatians chapter 1, we read about how Paul became an apostle directly by the Lord and not through men (Gal.1:1). Paul explained that God had set him apart from his mother's womb (vs.15), but it was later in life when God revealed His Son Jesus to Paul. When Paul became a Christian and an apostle, he did not immediately consult with flesh and blood (vs.16), but he went away to Arabia and returned once more to Damascus (vs.17). Three years later, he went up for the first time to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas (aka Peter). He stayed with him for 15 days. (vs.18.) Now, in Chapter 2, we see another time phrase given. There has been an interval of 14 years since that time. There is not a record of what he was doing during those years, but we will see from this point forward, he will be going out on his first missionary journey with Barnabas and Titus. (Acts 13:1-3) Who went to Jerusalem this time with the apostle Paul? vs. 1 Barnabas and Titus. Why did Paul go to Jerusalem at this time? vs.2a It was because of a revelation that he went up. What did Paul submit privately to the leaders of the church in Jerusalem at that time? vs. 2 It appears that he would have felt it was in vain to go to the Gentiles with this knowledge if he did not have the approval of those who were apostles before him. (vs.2) 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. At that time I placed before them exactly what I was preaching to the non-Jews. I did this in private with the leaders, those held in esteem by the church, so that our concern would not become a controversial public issue, marred by ethnic tensions, exposing my years of work to denigration and endangering my present ministry.  [MSG] What were the false brethren trying to compel Titus to have done because he was a Greek and not a Jew? vs.3-5 But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. Did Paul and Titus submit to their pressure to follow Jewish law? vs. 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 didn’t give them the time of day. We were determined to preserve the truth of the Message for you. [MSG] Who was Paul entrusted with to preach the Gospel to? vs. 7 Paul had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised. Who was Cephas (aka Peter) entrusted to preach the Gospel to? vs. 7 Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised. Who effectually worked for both Paul and Peter in their sharing of the Gospel? vs. 8 He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles. He - God (1 Cor 12:6) - There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. Peter and Paul would both preach the same Gospel, and the same Lord would be at work in and through them (Gal. 2:8 ), but they would minister to different peoples. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Ga 2:6). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books. What did the pillars of the Jerusalem church (James, Cephas (Peter), and John) recognize in Paul that convinced them to give him the right hand of fellowship and the right to minister to the Gentiles? vs. 9 They recognised the grace that had been given to Paul. What was the only thing they asked them to remember? vs. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do. What did Paul do when Cephas (aka Peter) came to Antioch? vs. 11 Paul opposed Cephas (Peter) to his face, because Cephas (Peter) stood condemned. Later, when Peter came to Antioch, I had a face-to-face confrontation with him because he was clearly out of line. [MSG] What did Cephas (aka Peter) do that Paul called hypocrisy and confronted him about it? vs. 12 -14 For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.  The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.  But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? Paul knew that he and the others were Jews by nature and not Gentiles, but that did not make them justified before God. Works of the Law do not justify a man before God. How are we made just in God's eyes? vs.16 A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; We know very well that we are not set right with God by rule-keeping but only through personal faith in Jesus Christ.  Convinced that no human being can please God by self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good.  [MSG] Will the works of the law ever justify a person? vs. 16 By the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. Paul said he had died to the law in order to live to God; if he tries to rebuild what he had destroyed (or died to), he would only prove himself to still be a transgressor (not justified). What had Paul done to cause his own death? vs. 20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; What kind of life does Paul live in the flesh now that he has been crucified with Christ? vs. 20 The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Paul is determined not to nullify (cancel out) the 'grace' of God by trying to keep the law for justification. What does Paul say of Christ's death on the cross 'if' he must keep the law to be righteous? vs. 21 “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. [MSG] Extra Notes: (Gal. 2:1–2) Paul and Barnabas had returned to Antioch from their first missionary journey, excited about the way God had “opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27). But the Jewish legalists in Jerusalem were upset with their report; so they came to Antioch and taught, in effect, that a Gentile had to become a Jew before he could become a Christian (Acts 15:1). Circumcision, which they demanded of the Gentiles, was an important Jewish rite, handed down from the days of Abraham (Gen. 17). Submitting to circumcision meant accepting and obeying the whole Jewish Law. The true Christian has experienced an inner circumcision of the heart (Col. 2:10–11) and does not need to submit to any physical operation (Phil. 3:1–3). When Paul and Barnabas confronted these men with the truth of the Gospel, the result was a heated argument (Acts 15:2). It was decided that the best place to settle the question was before the church leaders in Jerusalem. Paul did not go to Jerusalem because the church sent him; he “went up by revelation” —that is, the Lord sent him (compare Gal. 2:1 and 1:12). And the Lord gave him the wisdom to meet with the leaders first so that they would be able to present a united front at the public meetings. What was the result of this private consultation? The Apostles and elders approved Paul’s Gospel. They added nothing to it (Gal. 2:6b) and thereby declared the Judaizers to be wrong. But this private meeting was only the beginning. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Ga 2:1). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books. (Gal. 2:19–20).  We are saved by faith in Christ (He died for us), and we live by faith in Christ (He lives in us). Furthermore, we are so identified with Christ by the Spirit that we died with Him (see Rom. 6). This means that we are dead to the Law. To go back to Moses is to return to the graveyard! We have been “raised to walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4); and since we live by His resurrection power, we do not need the “help” of the Law. Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Ga 2:14). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books. Prayer: Jesus, I thank You that You loved me enough to give Yourself up for me.  I thank You that I can live by faith because You live in me.  Thank You for bringing me out of my old life and into a new life with You.  Amen. ‘I have decided to follow Jesus... The world behind me, the Cross before me... Though none go with me, I still will follow... No turning back, no turning back’ (Mission Praise, 272).

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