But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) —well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me. But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.
In this lesson, we pick up just after Paul stated that Titus was not compelled by the Apostolic leaders in Jerusalem to be circumcised. This was a victory for the gospel of justification by faith alone. There were, however, those “false brethren” who disagreed. Commenting on these Judaizers, Luther states:
Not satisfied with teaching an untrue gospel. The false apostles tried to entangle Paul. “They went about,” says Paul, “to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.” When Paul saw through their scheme, he attacked the false apostles. He says, “We did to let go of the liberty which we have in Christ Jesus. We routed them by the judgment of the apostles, and we would not give in to them, no, not an inch” ( Martin Luther, Luther’s Works, Translated by Theodore Graebner, [St Louis: Concordia 1963], p. 31).
Although the Jewish sector of the Apostolic church continued to practice circumcision, it seems clear that after Peter’s revelation and experience recorded in Acts 10 and 11, they understood that circumcision and all that it implied was not a requirement of the Christian faith. Paul’s trip to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus was a tipping point. There, Peter, James, and John fully accepted the “justification by faith alone” gospel proclaimed by Paul. This test case was a safeguard to the Galatian churches.
But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.
If Paul had yielded and allowed Titus to be circumcised, the truth of the gospel would have been lost. They would have had to go back to the Galatian churches and undo all they had taught, or there might have been a schism in the church.
There are principles here worth noting. At times Paul did not hesitate to accept circumcision. As we noted in a previous lesson, Paul circumcised Timothy. In writing to the Corinthians, Paul stated,
Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing (1 Cor. 7:19).
Later in Galatians, Paul states:
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love (Gal. 5:6).
There are times to “go along” with those who disagree, and there are times to take a firm stand. Two things must be considered. First, is the truth of the gospel being compromised? Second, what effect will the decision have on those we hope to win for Christ? Both of these principles are included in Paul’s statement above: (1) “the truth of the gospel,” (2) “would remain with you.”
If these false brethren would have had their way and Paul would have allowed Titus to be circumcised, the gospel of “faith alone” would have been overthrown right in the center of the mother church in Jerusalem. We can now see the importance of this “test case” and why God gave Paul a revelation to go to the Apostles in Jerusalem.
But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality) —well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.
Without fully understanding the context, this statement of Paul sounds very self-centered and even boastful. “Those of high reputation” simply means those Apostles in Jerusalem, whom the people held in high regard. “What they were (past tense) makes no difference to me.” The false apostles were saying that Paul was not present during the ministry of Christ. Therefore, he could not qualify as an Apostle. Paul, however, may have in mind here that these “men of high reputation” were at one time lowly, uneducated fishermen. He, however, from his youth was schooled under Gamaliel, the leading teacher of Israel. Paul then goes on to state a well-established truth, “God shows no partiality,” either to the disciples of Christ, now the Jerusalem leaders, or himself a person of distinguished education. Throughout history, men have judged each other by their looks, race, accomplishments, position, and wealth. Yet, as Peter learned in the home of Cornelius, “God is no respecter of persons.” This truth was revealed to Samuel.
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
It could be that the false teachers were comparing Paul’s looks with those formerly ruddy fishermen who walked with Jesus. As we mentioned in one of the first lessons, church tradition states that Paul was not much to look at physically. He was bald-headed, bowlegged, short of stature, and beset with bodily ailments. He was unimpressive to look at, not like the good-looking Apostles in Jerusalem.
The main point Paul is making is that the Jerusalem Apostles whom the people held in high regard added nothing new to Paul’s understanding of the Gospel. They agree that he received the gospel directly as a revelation from Jesus Christ.
But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised.
The way this is worded shows that the Jerusalem Apostles saw from the evidence of Paul’s successful ministry to the Gentiles, that he had been entrusted before this time, with the gospel to the Gentiles.
Look carefully again at the above text. Does it say there are two gospels? One for the Gentiles, and another one for the Jews? If so, how can Paul say that there is no other gospel than the one he is proclaiming?
As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Gal. 1:9).
If Paul is not writing about “another gospel,” then what does he mean? As we mentioned in Lesson 7, the record in Acts 21, late in the ministry of Paul, indicates that there were thousands of Jewish Christians who are called “believers” who were all zealous for the law.
And the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying God; and they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands there are among the Jews of those who have believed, and they are all zealous for the Law; and they have been told about you, that you are teaching all the Jews who are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. Therefore do this that we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law (Acts 21:18-24).
There are two main ways that the above statements have been interpreted. First, it appears from the record in Acts that the Jewish Christians did indeed have somewhat of a different “gospel” from that which Paul proclaimed. The “James gospel” proclaimed justification by faith in Christ, but allowed for, or even encouraged, the keeping of the law of Moses.
A second way the appearance of “two gospels” has been understood deals with the differences in the sphere in which the gospel was to be proclaimed but maintains that there was but one gospel.
The gospel Paul preached was identical with the proclaimed by the primitive church at Jerusalem. Just as the leaders of that community recognized him and his unique role in the spread of the gospel, so too he elsewhere associated himself with them as a witness to the resurrection and gave thanks to God for how he had worked mightily through all of his apostolic colleagues: “Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preached, and this is what you believed” (1 Cor. 15:11). ( Timothy George, New American Commentary, Galatians, (Nashville, TN, B&H Publishing Group, 1994) p. 161.)
(for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles).
Here we see that the Holy Spirit worked effectually for both Peter and Paul. He makes no difference between them. We must, therefore, conclude, that the message the Jerusalem leaders proclaimed was a saving message which allowed for the Jewish Christians to continue observing, even promoting, at least some of the observances of Torah. However, these observances were more cultural and were not requirements of the true gospel of justification by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
And recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
Some have suggested that the “three pillars” of the Jerusalem church in Jewish thinking may correspond to the three Patriarchs of ancient Israel: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Nevertheless, it is clear that James, Peter, and John fully accepted Paul as equal to their office and ministry.
“The right hand of fellowship” is a term used nowhere else in Scripture. However, fellowship was a key aspect of the New Testament church:
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42).
What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 Jn. 1:3).
But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn. 1:7).
Christian fellowship is a wonderful thing. People from different backgrounds including age, social standing, education, wealth, or personal achievements, can come together as brothers and sisters united in worship and mission, each supporting the other. This, in essence, is what is conveyed to Paul’s readers. He and Barnabas received the “right hand of fellowship” from James, the Lord’s brother, Peter, and John. We note that Titus is not mentioned as one who was included in this act of fellowship. Doubtless, at this point in time, Titus was not considered to be a leader, but rather one of the Gentiles Paul had converted to Christianity. He came with Paul and Barnabas, not as a church planter, but one who would provide for Paul—and Christianity at large—a test case for securing the gospel of justification by faith alone.
They only asked us to remember the poor—the very thing I also was eager to do.
Taking care of the poor is not something added to the gospel in which a Christian may or may not participate. Rather, it is the very out-workings of the free grace given to each of us. In the ministry of Paul, we see a balanced emphasis. He promoted a clear and powerful gospel message of justification by faith alone not justification by faith plus giving offerings to the poor. He made a clear distinction between the two. However, the gospel, once accepted and internalized—the work of the Holy Spirit in rebirth—changes our attitudes and behavior, giving us the desire to share our God-given means with those who are in need.
Today, in the Christian world, some churches focus on the “social gospel.” Where the emphasis is on helping people here and now cope with the multitude of issues people must face in our fast-changing and eroding culture. Often these church groups spend little time proclaiming the true Pauline gospel of Justification by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Other churches focus on the gospel, giving an opportunity for people to respond, often at the close of each service, yet do little for helping those in need.
Like Paul, we can and should do both. Keep the gospel pure without adding works of any kind. At the same time, we can encourage the outworking of the gospel in meeting the needs of people in our church, community, and in the remotest part of the world.
Assignment
- Rate your church 1-5 (5 being the best) on each of the following.
a.______Proclaiming a pure gospel with no works attached.
b.______Helping the needy in your church and community. - Fill in the dates below.
a.______The last time I give money or goods to help someone in need.
b.______The last time I shared the gospel with an unbeliever.
Questions for discussion
- In each statement below, write “Yes” if you agree and write “No” if you disagree. Share with your discussion group why you answered as you did.
a.______It is OK to continue to worship on Sabbath as long as you believe in justification by faith alone.
b.______Acts 21, as mentioned in this lesson, shows that a person can keep and promote many of the laws of Torah and be a true, saved Christian.
c.______Sabbath keeping is OK because a true Christian will keep the Ten Commandments.
d.______Sabbath keeping is OK because a true Christian must keep the Ten Commandments. - ______True or ______False: The writer of Hebrews says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you (Heb. 13:17). Therefore, we should always submit to our pastor’s leadership. If they guide us wrong, they will be held to account, but we must follow their advice.
- List three circumstances when we should not abide by the counsel of our Pastor.
a._____________________________________________
b._____________________________________________
c._____________________________________________
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