Paul continues his defense and points out that

the Gentiles issue was resolved

Galatians 2

Paul’s trips to Jerusalem

1:18 After 3 years (from his conversion), Paul spent 15 days in Jerusalem and saw Peter & James

2:1 After 14 years, Paul, Barnabas and Titus go to Jerusalem– Is this 14 years after the 3 years?

Or 14 years after Paul’s conversion?– Is this the Jerusalem trip of Acts 11:30?

Or is it the Jerusalem conference of Acts 15?

Events in Paul’s Life

Paul’s conversion (A

cts 9)

33 35 43 46 47 49

1st Jeru

salem visit (9:26)

Barnabas brings Paul to

Antioch (1

1:26)

2nd Jerusalem visit (11:30)

1st Journey (Acts 13-14)

In TarsusJerusalem council

(Acts 15)

14 years from Paul’s conversion

Letter to Galatians

written

When was Galatians written?

Problems with Galatians 2 occurring with Acts 15

• In giving his defense, Paul would have skipped one of his trips to Jerusalem (Acts 11)– Paul told the Galatians that about these things “before God, I do

not lie” (1:20)

• No mention in Galatians of the Jerusalem conference agreement

• No mention in of any disagreement in Acts 15 between Paul & Peter

• Peter’s reasoning in Acts 15 parallels the reasoning of Paul in Galatians 2

Acts 15

The controversy of Paul & Peter in Gal 2 must have occurred before Acts 15

This Jerusalem visit (Acts 11)

• Went up by revelation – Agabus had prophesied of the famine (Acts 11:27-28)

• Paul was delivering food to the poor in Jerusalem (Acts 11:30)

• Paul talked privately with Peter, James and John (Gal 2:9) [“those who were of reputation” may be a phrase of the Judaisers in Galatia to degrade Paul]

• Titus (a Greek) was not compelled to be circumcised (2:3)

The intentions of the false Brethren

• They were secretly brought in (2:4)• Spied out Paul’s liberty in Christ Jesus

– Pretended to agree with Paul so they could find out his weaknesses

• Wanted to make Paul, Barnabas and Titus comply with circumcision and the Law– Wanted Titus circumcised!

God had divided up the work!

• God used Peter to carry the gospel to the circumcised (Jews)

• God used Paul to carry the gospel to the uncircumcised (Gentiles)

Notice how Paul brought God’s will into the picture. Good

strategy for us when dealing with problems today!Everyone shook hands on this understanding - Paul and Barnabas

should go to the Gentiles

Remember the Poor• Jerusalem under a major famine• Apostles realized this was a great way

to help Jews appreciate Gentiles, and for Gentiles to show their love for their Jewish brethren (probably understood God had provided a mechanism to unite the ecclesias)

• Paul spent the next 8 years of his life collecting for the Jerusalem poor fund, hoping it would unite the Jews and Gentiles [collection of all the Gentile ecclesias was delivered in Acts 20]Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I

have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each

one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. And when I come, whomever you approve

by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. (1 Cor 16:1-3)

Success in controversies

• Look for what God is doing in the situation

• Talk face to face, not by writing letters, emails, and text messages

• Work things out in private whenever possible, without the influence of those who are too emotionally or too politically involved

• I’m sure they used their Bibles too!• May be possible to accommodate both sides

– Circumcised and uncircumcised• Shake hands on the agreement and commit to faithfully

follow it

Paul’s confrontation with Peter at Antioch (2:11-21)

• Peter may have come to Antioch from Caesarea (Acts 12:19) after God released him from Herod’s prison

• Men from James may have come to let Peter know Herod had died and Peter could return to Jerusalem (Acts 12:23)

• Peter may have been afraid that if the men from James reported Peter’s association with the Gentiles in Antioch, it would hinder his work with the circumcised in Jerusalem.

Pressure on Peter• Intimidation of men from James

– James probably did not tell them to challenge Peter’s acceptance of Gentiles

• Peter feared those of the circumcision (12)• Possibility of ruining his opportunity to

return to Jerusalem and work with the Jews• Rest of the Jews and even Barnabas were

influenced (13) – he had spent over a year working with Paul in Antioch!

Paul understood the importance of this moment! He could not give in or his

God-given commission among the Gentiles would be in vain.

Paul’s handling of the issue

• Rebuked Peter publicly because this was such a major issue that needed to be publicly resolved (14)– Most issues are not this critical!

• Reminded Peter that he did not currently keep the whole Law (he lived as a Gentile), so how can he make Gentiles live like Jews? (14)

• We Jews know that a man is not justified by the works of the Law (we cannot keep it), but we are justified by faith in Christ Jesus (16)

“For by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (16)

Paul’s reasoning• Just because we sin while in

Christ and receive forgiveness, doesn’t mean Christ is a minister of sin (17) [like Rom 6:1 – shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?]

• If I go back to teaching salvation by law, which I destroyed, I become a sinner (18)

• Law condemned to death (“ministry of death” 2 Cor 3:7), Paul now lives to God (19)

I have been crucified with Christ

• Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (Luke 9:23)

• Christ lives in me (“to reveal His son in me” 1:16)• The motivating power to live for God – “I live by faith in the

Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (20) – If this doesn’t motivate us to live for God, nothing will

• Paul will not give in on the issue of the grace of God – if righteousness could come by law then Christ’s death was worthless!

And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and

desires. (Gal 5:24)

Living as crucified with Christ

• We take up our cross daily (Lk 9:23)• We join him in his death to sin (Rom 6:1-6)• We now live by faith in the son of God who loves us and

gave himself for us (Gal 2:20)• By the grace of God, we are forgiven of all our mistakes

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose

again. (2 Cor 5:14-15)

Isaiah 49 in GalatiansWhile preaching in Antioch of Psidia in Acts 13:47,

Paul quoted Isa 49:6 and applied the messianic passage to himself and Barnabas – Jews hated it!

Called me from the womb (1)

In whom I will be glorified (3)

I have labored in vain (4)

Separated me from my mother’s womb and called me (1:15)

They glorified God in me (1:24)

I might run, or had run in vain (2:2)

Isaiah 49 Galatians 1-2

Paul’s mission was to continue the work of Jesus Christ among the Gentiles, so the

prophecy of Isaiah 49 was to some extent fulfilled through him!

In Galatians 3 we will examine

the power of faith verses the weakness of law