Author: David McKay

Malcolm Ball

Sometimes what seems to be a local conflict can have wide-ranging implications – the issue at the heart of differences may be of great significance in a much wider sphere and to many people.  That has often been the case in history and in church history.  Thus an incident in Antioch involving Peter and Paul had major implications for the situation in Galatia and is still a crucial issue for the church.  We consider Galatians 2:11-16 Apostles in conflict.

1. The gospel threatened

If v1-10 present an encouraging picture, in v11 things suddenly change – ‘When Peter came to Antioch’.  The reason for his visit is unknown.  It possibly took place between the Council; of Jerusalem and Paul’s second missionary journey (see Acts 15).  The council had decided that Gentile Christians were not obliged to observe the Mosaic ceremonial law, and at first Peter ‘used to eat with Gentiles’ (v12).  This was consistent with gospel freedom.  But things had gone badly wrong as a result of the arrival of ‘certain men…from James’ (v12).  James, the Lord’s brother, was especially respected by Jews, but there is no evidence that these people were sent with a mission by James and their views contradict what James had said at the council.  Their view is noted in Acts 15:1 ‘Unless you are circumcised…you cannot be saved’.  Sadly Peter ‘began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles’ (v12) – totally inconsistent with the truths he professed.  Paul understands what is at stake – ‘they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, the one gospel for Jews and Gentiles.

2. The gospel preserved

In light of this serious threat to the heart of the gospel – the salvation of Jews and Gentiles solely by God’s grace through faith in Christ – Paul takes decisive action.  If Jewish rites are accorded a place in conveying salvation, the result will be ‘another gospel, which is really no gospel at all’ (1:6-7).  Because Peter’s sin is public, Paul’s response is public – ‘I said to Peter in front of them all…’ (v14).  Paul acts for the glory of God and the welfare of God’s people, including Peter.  Peter’s sin is ‘hypocrisy’ (v13) – believing Gentiles were free from the Mosaic law yet himself acting differently.  He was trying to force Gentiles ‘to follow Jewish customs’ (v14).  It is vital for the sake of the gospel that we believe and live consistently, and that hypocrisy is exposed courageously and lovingly.

3. The gospel defined

In God’s providence conflicts over doctrine and practice have often served to clarify and protect the truth.  This episode in Antioch is no exception.  The confrontation between Paul and Peter crystallised the truth as Paul states the grand principle at the heart of the gospel.  That is one reason why Galatians became so important for Luther and the Reformation.  Paul speaks as a Jew: ‘We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ’ (v16).  This is the great truth of justification by faith alone, expounded at length by Paul in Romans.  Note also Ephesians 2:8-9.  It is by faith we are justified, never by law-keeping.  We must never allow any ‘works’ to displace grace and faith, or we will have a false gospel.

Satan delights to cause division and disunity among Christians, so as to destroy fellowship and hinder gospel witness.  Above all, God is dishonoured by divisions among those who profess to be his people.  If leaders become divided, the damage can be great, hence the constant emphasis in the New Testament on unity in Christ and in the gospel.  We consider Galatians 2:1-10 Unity in the gospel.

1. Consultation

In 1:18-24 Paul emphasises that his mission and his message did not derive authority from other apostles.  His visit ‘after 3 years’ (1:18) was purely to get to know Peter – Paul did not require any kind of apostolic ‘authorisation’.  A further visit ‘14 years later’ (v1) was to deal with the vital issue of how the gospel relates to Gentiles.  It seems best to regard this as the occasion of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15).  Note he went ‘in response to a revelation’ (v2), showing how important the issue was.  The future of Paul’s ministry to Gentiles was at stake (v2).  He was not asking other apostles for correction or authorisation – God gave him his gospel and the authority to preach it – but if others did not agree, his ministry to Gentiles of preaching salvation solely through faith in Christ, free of Jewish ceremonies, would be fatally compromised.  If the church got this issue wrong, the Gentile mission would be finished.

2. Infiltration

Paul describes the situation the Galatian churches faced: ‘false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ and to make us slaves’ (v4).  These people opposed Paul’s approach to the admission of Gentiles to the church.  Often they are designated ‘Judaizers’ – their view was ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved’ (Acts 15:1).  At the Council the gospel itself was at stake.  Paul knew that grace and works could not be mixed in seeking salvation (Romans 11:6).  We are always called to preserve the purity of the gospel, adding nothing to God’s grace.  We hear the relief expressed by Paul at the Council’s decision – ‘not even Titus…was compelled to be circumcised’ (v3).  Titus was a full Gentile, but no burden of obedience to the ceremonial law was imposed on him.  The Council agreed with Paul – in future Gentiles would not be burdened with the Mosaic ceremonies.  According to Acts 15:20 only a few concessions were asked of Gentiles to avoid unnecessary offence to Jewish believers.

3. Confirmation

Paul continues to describe the results of the Jerusalem visit.  His calling them ‘those who seemed to be important’ (v6) is not denigrating them, but he rejects the undue exaltation of Jewish apostles by the Judaizers at Paul’s expense.  It is crucial that unity is expressed – they ‘gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognised the grace given to me’ (v9).  All realise they are one in Christ, serving the same Lord and preaching the same gospel.  The clarity of the gospel for Jews and Gentiles is preserved.  There is a place for distinctive spheres of labour (v9), not excluding some overlap.  A practical consequence is concern for the poor (v10, chiefly Jewish believers).  It is an example to the church in all ages.

Not everyone in the Galatian churches was impressed by the ministry of Paul.  Some claimed he was not a genuine apostle, but a late-comer of inferior status (if an apostle at all), one who derived his gospel from the ‘real’ apostles.  They claimed his preaching should not be treated with respect and they presented a ‘different gospel’.  Paul must provide a strong response.  We consider Galatians 1:11-24 Commissioned by the Lord.

1. Basic principle

Paul gets to the heart of the controversy in Galatia: ‘the gospel I preached is not something man made up’ (v11).  This is clearly an accusation that was being made against Paul by opponents seeking to undermine his authority.  Despite the problems in the churches, Paul still addresses them as ‘brothers’.  He is angry but gracious.  He reaffirms, ‘I did not receive it from any man nor was I taught it’ (v12) – none of the normal human channels was used.  Instead ‘I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ’ (v12 ESV).  The gospel has its origin in God.  Note ‘of Jesus Christ’ – he is the Author of the revelation and also its content. 

2. Misplaced zeal

Paul seeks to establish the divine origin of his message and his apostleship.  He begins with his life before conversion – ‘in Judaism’, as a strict Pharisee (see Acts 26:5).  Not only that, but Paul was an outstanding example – ‘advancing beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers’ (v14).  This zealous lifestyle Paul later describes thus: ‘their zeal is not according to knowledge’ (Romans 10:2).  The root problem is their reliance on their own good works to satisfy God (as Paul had sought to do – Philippians 3:6 ESV).  Worst of all – ‘I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it’ (v13).  Only God’s grace could change such a man.

3. Sovereign grace

The key to his transformation: ‘But when God’ (v15).  The change in Paul can be explained only by God’s sovereign grace.  God ‘set [him] apart from birth’ and also ‘called me by his grace’ to salvation and to service.  Note God ‘was pleased to reveal his Son in me’ (v15-16) – the crucial realisation on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1ff) that Jesus is indeed the Son of God and the promised Messiah.  God’s purpose was ‘that I might preach him among the Gentiles’ (v16).  His mission and message flow from what God did once for all in his heart and life.

4. Independent service

Having been commissioned by the Lord, ‘I did not consult with any man’ (v16).  Paul’s gospel ‘is not something that man made up’ – all he records in v17-23 is designed to show his independence from other apostles, yet also his consistency with them.  First he went to Arabia and then Damascus – not mentioned in Acts – for spiritual retreat or evangelism?  After 3 years he goes to Jerusalem, but not to receive his gospel.  There is no conflict with the other apostles, but Paul has himself received God’s Word ‘by revelation’ (v12).

Imagine you have a very difficult letter to write, stating things you know the readers will not want to hear.  You would choose your words very carefully, trying to avoid unnecessary offence, yet making the critical points clearly.  That is the sensitive task that Paul undertakes in Galatians.  He has to deal with false teaching that strikes at the heart of the gospel.  Galatians was probably written to churches in South Galatia (Antioch, Iconium, etc) and may be Paul’s earliest letter.  We consider Galatians 1:1-5 Rescued from this present evil age.

1. Apostolic authority

The author is ‘Paul, an apostle’ (v1), but he adds to his usual introduction – ‘sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father’.  He is making a point to his readers: in the face of challenges to his authority in the Galatian churches he asserts the divine authority behind his apostleship and teaching.  Paul is to be heeded because his apostleship comes from God and confers authority as God’s spokesman.  He also mentions the resurrection – having seen the risen Christ was a qualification for apostles (1 Corinthians 9:1).  Note ‘all the brothers with me’ (v2) – his authority is recognised by many others.

2. Apostolic greeting

The usual salutation is used: ‘Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ’ (v3).  Here are reminders of the heart of the gospel that is under threat in Galatia, where some are ‘so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ’ (v6).  From the outset Paul is reasserting gospel fundamentals:

            (i).  Grace.  Without grace there is no salvation (Ephesians 2:1).  Only the action of God can give life and deal with sin.  In Galatia false teachers were compromising the exclusive agency of God’s grace in salvation.

            (ii).  Peace.  The chief blessing provided by grace: ‘we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  This is an objective, unchanging fact, but believers need a subjective experience of that peace day by day, along with peace among believers themselves.

3. Apostolic gospel

Paul expands his greeting in a unique way, with the focus on ‘the Lord Jesus Christ’ (v3).  He spells out key elements of his redemptive work called into question in Galatia:

            (i).  ‘who gave himself for our sins’ (v4).  At the centre of the plan of salvation there is the self-giving of the Son of God incarnate (see 2:20).  This is God’s once for all, unrepeatable act of grace (2 Corinthians 5:21).  The entire penalty of the sins of his people was laid on Christ – it is a substitutionary atonement.

            (ii).  ‘to rescue us from this present evil age (v4).  The gospel is about rescue – emancipation from bondage to sin, Satan and death.  Our enemies are summed up as ‘the present evil age’ – sinful society under the dominion of ‘the god of this age’ (2 Corinthians 4:4).  At the cross Christ defeated him completely, fulfilling Genesis 3:15.

            (iii).  ‘according to the will of our God and Father.  The planning of salvation is ascribed particularly to the love of Father, to whom a doxology is offered – all glory is his.