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Galatians Chapter Two
Paul Accepted by the Apostles
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1) Fourteen years later, where did Paul go
again, who went with him, why did Paul go to Jerusalem, what did he set before
the leaders, and for what reason did Paul do this privately to those who seemed
to be leaders?
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Paul was converted around A.D. 35. The 14
years he mentions are probably calculated from the time of his conversion.
Therefore, this trip to Jerusalem was not his first. Most likely, he made his
first trip to Jerusalem around A.D. 38 (see Acts 9:26-30), and other trips to
Jerusalem in approximately A.D. 44 (Acts 11:29, 30; Galatians 2:1-10), A.D.
49/50 (Acts 15), A.D. 52 (Acts 18:22, where the church refers to the
church in Jerusalem), and A.D. 57 (Acts 21:15ff). Paul probably visited
Jerusalem on several other occasions as well.
Barnabas and Titus were two of Paul's close friends. Barnabas and Paul
visited Galatia together on their first missionary journey. Paul wrote a
personal letter to Titus, a faithful believer and church leader serving on the
island of Crete (see the book of Titus).
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Barnabas's Profile
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Every group needs an "encourager," because
everyone needs encouragement at one time or another. However, the value of
encouragement is often missed because it tends to be private rather than
public. In fact, people most need encouragement when they feel most alone. A
man named Joseph was such an encourager that he earned the nickname "Son of
Encouragement," or Barnabas, from the Jerusalem Christians.
Barnabas was drawn to people he could encourage, and he was a great help
to those around him. It is delightful that wherever Barnabas encouraged
Christians, non-Christians flocked to become believers!
Barnabas's actions were crucial to the early church. In a way, we can
thank him for most of the New Testament. God used his relationship with Paul
at one point and with Mark at another to keep these two men going when
either might have failed. Barnabas did wonders with encouragement!
When Paul arrived in Jerusalem for the first time following his
conversion, the local Christians were understandably reluctant to welcome
him. They thought his story was a trick to capture more Christians. Only
Barnabas proved willing to risk his life to meet with Paul and then convince
the others that their former enemy was now a vibrant believer in Jesus. We
can only wonder what might have happened to Paul without Barnabas.
It was Barnabas who encouraged Mark to go with him and Paul to Antioch.
Mark joined them on their first missionary journey, but decided during the
trip to return home. Later, Barnabas wanted to invite Mark to join them for
another journey, but Paul would not agree. As a result, the partners went
separate ways, Barnabas with Mark and Paul with Silas. This actually doubled
the missionary effort. Barnabas's patient encouragement was confirmed by
Mark's eventual effective ministry. Paul and Mark were later reunited in
missionary efforts.
As Barnabas's life shows, we are rarely in a situation where there isn't
someone we can encourage. Our tendency, however, is to criticize instead. It
may be important at times to point out someone's shortcomings, but before we
have the right to do this, we must build that person's trust through
encouragement. Are you prepared to encourage those with whom you come in
contact today?
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Barnabas's Strengths and
Accomplishments
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1) One of the first to sell possessions to
help the Christians in Jerusalem
2) First to travel with Paul as a missionary team
3) Was an encourager, as his nickname shows, and thus one of the most
quietly influential people in the early days of Christianity
4) Called an apostle, although not one of the original 12
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Barnabas's Weakness and Mistake
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1) With Peter, temporarily stayed aloof from
Gentile believers until Paul corrected him
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Lessons from Barnabas's Life
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1) Encouragement is one of the most effective
ways to help
2) Sooner or later, true obedience to God will involve risk
3) There is always someone who needs encouragement
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Barnabas's Vital Statistics
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1) Where: Cyprus, Jerusalem, Antioch
2) Occupations: Missionary, teacher
3) Relatives: Aunt: Mary. Cousin: John Mark
4) Contemporaries: Peter, Silas, Paul, Herod Agrippa I
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Key Verses
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"When he arrived and saw the evidence of the
grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord
with all their hearts. He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith,
and a great number of people were brought to the Lord" (Acts 11:23, 24).
Barnabas's story is told in Acts 4:36, 37;
Acts 9:27-15:39. He is also mentioned in 1st Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 2:1,
9, 13; Colossians 4:10. |
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After his conversion, Paul spent many years
preparing for the ministry to which God had called him. This preparation period
included time alone with God (1:16, 17), as well as time conferring with other
Christians. Often new Christians, in their zeal, want to begin a full-time
ministry without investing the necessary time studying the Bible and learning
from qualified teachers. We need not wait to share Christ with our friends, but
we may need more preparation before embarking on a special ministry, whether
volunteer or paid. While we wait for God's timing, we should continue to study,
learn, and grow.
God told Paul, through a revelation, to confer with the church leaders in
Jerusalem about the message he was preaching to the Gentiles, so they would
understand and approve of what he was doing. The essence of Paul's message of
both Jews and Gentiles was that God's salvation is offered to all people
regardless of race, sex, nationality, wealth, social standing, educational
level, or anything else. Anyone can be forgiven by trusting in Christ (see
Romans 10:8-13).
Even though God had specifically sent him to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15, 16),
Paul needed to discuss his gospel message with the leaders of the Jerusalem
church (Acts 15). This meeting prevented a major split in the church, and it
formally acknowledged the apostles' approval of Paul's preaching. Sometimes we
avoid conferring with others because we fear that problems or arguments may
develop. Instead, we should openly discuss our plans and actions with friends,
counselors, and advisers. Good communication helps everyone understand the
situation better, it reduces gossip and it builds unity in the church.
2) Who did Paul say was not compelled to be
circumcised, even though he was a Greek, for what reason did some false brothers
infiltrated the ranks, and for what reason did Paul and the others not give in
to them?
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When Paul took Titus, a Greek
Christian, to Jerusalem, the Judaizers (false brothers) said that Titus should
be circumcised. Paul adamantly refused to give in to their demands. The apostles
agreed that circumcision was an unnecessary rite for Gentile converts. Several
years later, Paul circumcised Timothy, another Greek Christian (Acts 16:3).
Unlike Titus, however, Timothy was half Jewish. Paul did not deny Jews the
right to be circumcised; he was simply saying that Gentiles should not be asked
to become Jews before becoming Christians.
These false brothers were most likely from the party of the Pharisees (Acts
15:5). These were the strictest religious leaders of Judaism, some of whom had
been converted. We don't know if these were representatives of well-meaning
converts or of those trying to pervert Christianity. Most commentators agree
that neither Peter nor James had any part in this conspiracy.
We normally think of taking a stand against those who might lead us into
immoral behavior, but Paul had to take a hard line against the most "moral" of
people. We must not give in to those who make the keeping of man-made standards
a condition for salvation, even when such people are morally upright or in
respected positions.
3) How does God not judge, and what did Paul
say those men added to his message?
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It's easy to rate people on the basis of their
official status and to be intimidated by powerful people. But Paul was not
intimated by "those who seemed to be important" because all believers are equal
in Christ. We should show respect for our spiritual leaders, but our ultimate
allegiance must be to Christ. We are to serve him with our whole being. God
doesn't rate us according to our status; he looks at the attitude of our hearts
(1Samuel 16:7).
4) What did these men see that Paul was
entrusted with, who was Peter entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel
to, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, also at
work in the ministry of Paul, who was reputed to be pillars, whom did they give
to Paul when they recognized the grace given to him, and what did they believe?
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The church leaders
("pillars")-James, Peter, and John-realized that God was using Paul to reach the
gentiles, just as Peter was being used so greatly to reach the Jews. After
hearing Paul's message, they gave Paul and Barnabas their approval ("the right
hand of fellowship") to continue working among the Gentiles.
5) What was the only thing the "pillars" of
the church asked of Paul that he was eager to do?
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The apostles were referring to the
poor of Jerusalem. While many Gentile converts were financially comfortable, the
Jerusalem church had suffered from the effects of a severe famine in Palestine
(see Acts 11:28-30) and was struggling. So on his journeys, Paul gathered funds
for the Jewish Christians (Acts 24:17; Romans 15:25-29; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4;
2 Corinthians 8). The need for believers to care for the poor is a constant theme
in Scripture. But often we do nothing, caught up in meeting our own needs and
desires. Perhaps we don't see enough poverty to remember the needs of the poor.
The world is filled with poor people, here and in other countries. What can you
do to help?
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Paul Opposes Peter
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6) For what reason did Paul opposed Peter to
his face, before certain men came from James, who was Peter to eat with, when
the men arrived, why did Peter begin to draw back and separate himself from the
Gentiles, who joined him in his hypocrisy, and by their hypocrisy, who was lead
astray?
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Antioch in Syria (distinguished from Antioch
in Pisidia) was a major trade center in the ancient world. Heavily populated by
Greeks, it eventually became a strong Christian center. In Antioch the believers
were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). Antioch in Syria became the
headquarters for the Gentile church and was Paul's base of operations.
The Judaizers accused Paul of watering down the gospel to make it easier for
Gentiles to accept, while Paul accused the Judaizers of nullifying the truth of
the gospel by adding conditions to it. The basis of salvation was the issue-is
salvation through Christ alone, or does it come through Christ and
adherence to the law? The argument came to a climax when Peter, Paul, the
Judaizers, and some Gentile Christians all gathered together in Antioch to share
a meal. Peter probably thought that by staying away from the Gentiles, he was
promoting harmony-he did not want to offend James and the Jewish Christians.
James had a very prominent position and presided over the Jerusalem council
(Acts 15). But Paul charged that Peter's action violated the gospel. By joining
the Judaizers, Peter implicitly was supporting their claim that Christ was not
sufficient for salvation. Compromise is an important element in getting along
with others, but we should never compromise the truth of God's Word. If we feel
we have to change our Christian beliefs to match those of our companions, we are
on dangerous ground.
Although Peter was a leader of the church, he was acting like a hypocrite.
He knew better, yet he was driven by fear of what James and the others would
think. Proverbs 29:25 says," Fear of man will prove to be a snare." Paul knew
that he had to confront Peter before his actions damaged the church. So, Paul
publicly opposed Peter. Note, however, that Paul did not go to the other
leaders, nor did he write letters to the churches telling them not to follow
Peter's example. Instead, he opposed Peter face to face. Sometimes sincere
Christians, even Christian leaders, make mistakes. And it may take other sincere
Christians to get them back on track. If you are convinced that someone is doing
harm to himself/herself or the church, try the direct approach. There is no
place for backstabbing in the body of Christ.
7) What did Paul say Peter was forcing
Gentiles to do, in what way did Paul say man was justified, and how will no one
be justified?
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If observing the Jewish laws cannot
justify us, why should we still obey the Ten Commandments and other Old
Testament laws? We know that Paul was not saying the law is bad, because in
another letter he wrote, "The law is holy" (Romans 7:12). Instead, he is saying
that the law can never make us acceptable to God. The law still has an important
role to play in the life of a Christian. The law: (1) guards us from sin by
giving us standards for behavior; (2) convicts us of sin, leaving us the
opportunity to ask for God's forgiveness; (3) drives us to trust in the
sufficiency of Christ, because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly.
The law cannot possibly save us. But after we have become Christians, it can
guide us to live as God requires.
8) What did Paul say about, if while we seek
to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners,
does that mean that Christ promotes sin, in what way did Paul say he proves he
is a lawbreaker, what did Paul do through the law, and why did Paul say he died
to the law?
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Through studying the Old Testament
Scriptures, Paul realized that he could not be saved by obeying God's laws. The
prophets knew that God's plan of salvation did not rest on keeping the law.
Because we have all been infected by sin, we cannot keep God's laws perfectly.
Fortunately, God has provided a way of salvation that depends on Jesus Christ,
not on our own efforts. Even though we know this truth, we must guard against
the temptation of using service, good deeds, charitable giving, or any other
effort as a substitute for faith.
9) Who did Paul say he has been crucified
with, who did Paul say lives in him, how does Paul live the life he lives in the
body, and what reason did Paul give for saying he does not set aside the grace
of God?
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How have we been crucified with Christ?
Legally, God looks at us as if we had died with Christ. Because our sins
died with him, we are no longer condemned (Colossians 2:13-15). Relationally,
we have become one with Christ, and his experiences are ours. Our Christian life
began when, in unity with him, we died to our old life (see Romans 6:5-11).
In our daily life, we must regularly crucify sinful desires that keep us
from following Christ. This too is a kind of dying with him (Luke 9:23-25).
And yet the focus of Christianity is not dying, but living. Because we have
been crucified with Christ, we have also been raised with him (Romans 6:5).
Legally, we have been reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:19) and are free
to grow into Christ's likeness (Romans 8:29). And in our daily life, we
have Christ's resurrection power as we continue to fight sin (Ephesians
1:19,20). We are no longer alone, for Christ lives in us-he is our power for
living and our hope for the future (Colossians 1:27).
Believers today may still be in danger of acting as if Christ died for
nothing. How? By replacing Jewish legalism with their own brand of Christian
legalism, they are giving people extra laws to obey. By believing they can earn
God's favor by what they do, they are not trusting completely in Christ's work
on the cross. By struggling to appropriate God's power to change them
(sanctification), they are not resting in God's power to save them
(justification). If we could be saved by being good, then Christ did not have to
die. But the cross is the only way to salvation.
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The Marks Of The True Gospel And Of False
Gospel
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Marks of a false gospel:
2:21...Treats Christ's death as meaningless
3:12...Says people must obey the law in order to be saved
4:10...Tries to find favor with God by observing certain rituals
5:4...Counts on keeping laws to erase sin
Marks of the true gospel:
1:11, 12...Teaches that the source of the gospel is God
2:20...Knows that life is obtained through death; we trust in the God who loved
us and died for us so that we might die to sin and live for him
3:14...Explains that all believers have the Holy Spirit through faith
3:21, 22...Declares that we cannot be saved by keeping laws; the only way of
salvation is through faith in Christ, which is available to all
3:26-28...Says that all believers are one in Christ, so there is no basis for
discrimination of any kind
5:24, 25...Proclaims that we are free from the grip of sin and that the Holy
Spirit's power fills and guides us
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Answers Galatians Chapter Two
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1) Jerusalem... Barnabas and Titus...in response
to a revelation...the gospel that I preached among the Gentiles...for fear that
I was running or had run my race in vain
2) Titus...to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us
slaves...so that the truth of the gospel might remain in with you
3) by external appearance...nothing
4) The task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles...the Jews...God...James,
Peter, and John...Barnabas...that Paul and Barnabas and Paul go to the Gentiles
and Peter James and John go to the Jews
5) Remember the poor
6) Because he (Peter) was clearly in the wrong...the Gentiles...because he was
afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group...the other
Jews...Barnabas
7) to follow Jewish customs...by faith in Jesus Christ...by observing the law
8) Absolutely not...if I (Paul) rebuilds what I (Paul) have destroyed...I died
to the law...so that I might live for God
9) Christ...Christ...by faith in the Son of God...for if righteousness could be
gained through the law, Christ dies for nothing
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Taken from the NIV Life Application Study Bible,
Zondervan Publishers
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