‘Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also.' Having established that he was not dependent on either the Apostles or the Judean church for his authority or his teaching he now wants to stress that nevertheless, when finally his teaching was di... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And I went up by revelation and I laid before them the Gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run in vain.' Paul emphasises that the reason that he did what he did was because God had brought home to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.' ‘With me.' Titus was there as a companion of Paul and Barnabas. (‘With _me_ does not necessarily exclude Barnabas. Paul is simply describing a fact. He is talking to the Galatians about himself and speaks of Tit... [ Continue Reading ]
THE IMPORTANT RECOGNITION THAT NO RITUAL REQUIREMENT CAN EVER BE SEEN AS NECESSARY FOR SALVATION (GALATIANS 2:3). What follows may sound to be rather technical but it is in fact of the greatest importance to us today. For by it was laid down the principle that nothing must be required of a person f... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And that because of false brothers surreptitiously introduced, who came in surreptitiously to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they may bring us into bondage.' The pressure on Titus resulted not from the doubts of the leadership but from the sudden and unexpected introductio... [ Continue Reading ]
‘To whom we gave place in the way of subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might continue with you.' Paul stresses that he, Barnabas and Titus had had no doubts about the matter. There was no wavering of mind, for they knew that the whole basis of the Gospel depended on it.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But from those who were reputed somewhat, (whatever they were it does not matter to me, God does not accept a man's person); they, I say, who were of repute, imparted nothing to me, but on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter wit... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Only they would that we should remember the poor, which very thing I was always zealous to do.' The only conditions they had suggested had been charitable ones. This demonstrates how strong a feeling the early church had of the necessity for aid to be given to the poor, especially to fellow-Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But when Cephas came to Antioch I resisted him to his face because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James he ate with the Gentiles, but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews dissembled in the same... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL'S ARGUMENT WITH PETER WHEN PETER WAS INCONSISTENT (GALATIANS 2:11). The previous argument had a permanent importance for the church because it has laid down once for all what is basic to salvation, and what is not. It has stressed that any ritual requirements that anyone lays down are not to b... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly in accordance with the truth of the Gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you being a Jew live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, how do you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?' It was Paul who saw how crucial this event was.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘We being Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles.' This statement attaches to the following statement. It distinguishes between Jews and Gentiles in order that Paul might then make clear that regardless of which men and women were, the way of salvation for both was the same, believing in Je... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but only through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed on Christ Jesus in order that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law. For by the works of the Law shall no man living be justified.' And here w... [ Continue Reading ]
PAUL NOW DEALS WITH OBJECTIONS TO HIS STATEMENT AND STRESSES THAT THE LAW'S PURPOSE IS TO POINT TO CHRIST (GALATIANS 2:17). ‘But, if while we have sought to be justified in Christ, we also were found sinners, is Christ made one who serves sin? God forbid. For if I build up again those things which... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For I through the Law died to the Law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. Yet I live, and yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith which is in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.' Paul points out... [ Continue Reading ]
‘I do not make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the Law then Christ is dead in vain.' The suggestion from this verse is that others do make void the grace of God, for they insist that righteousness comes through the (impossible) strict observance of the Law and obedience to th... [ Continue Reading ]