Paul continues his defense and points out that the Gentiles issue was resolved

1
Paul continues his defense and points out that
the Gentiles issue was resolved

• Galatians 2

2
Pauls trips to Jerusalem

• 118 After 3 years (from his conversion), Paul
  spent 15 days in Jerusalem and saw Peter James
• 21 After 14 years, Paul, Barnabas and Titus go
  to Jerusalem
• Is this 14 years after the 3 years?
  Or 14 years after Pauls
  conversion?
• Is this the Jerusalem trip of Acts 1130?
  Or is it the Jerusalem conference of
  Acts 15?

3
Events in Pauls Life
Barnabas brings Paul to Antioch (1126)
Pauls conversion (Acts 9)
2nd Jerusalem visit (1130)
1st Jerusalem visit (926)
1st Journey (Acts 13-14)
Jerusalem council (Acts 15)
In Tarsus
33 35 43
46 47 49
14 years from Pauls conversion
Letter to Galatians written
4
When was Galatians written?
5
Problems with Galatians 2 occurring with Acts 15
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 (120)
• No mention in Galatians of the Jerusalem
  conference agreement
• No mention in of any disagreement in Acts 15
  between Paul Peter
• Peters reasoning in Acts 15 parallels the
  reasoning of Paul in Galatians 2

The controversy of Paul Peter in Gal 2 must
have occurred before Acts 15
6
This Jerusalem visit (Acts 11)

• Went up by revelation Agabus had prophesied of
  the famine (Acts 1127-28)
• Paul was delivering food to the poor in Jerusalem
  (Acts 1130)
• Paul talked privately with Peter, James and John
  (Gal 29) 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 (23)

7
The intentions of the false Brethren

• They were secretly brought in (24)
• Spied out Pauls 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!

8
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 Gods 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
9
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 161-3)
10
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
• Im 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

11
Pauls confrontation with Peter at Antioch
(211-21)

• Peter may have come to Antioch
  from Caesarea (Acts 1219) after God released him
  from Herods prison
• Men from James may have come to let Peter know
  Herod had died and Peter could return to
  Jerusalem (Acts 1223)
• Peter may have been afraid that if the men from
  James reported Peters association with the
  Gentiles in Antioch, it would hinder his work
  with the circumcised in Jerusalem.

12
Pressure on Peter

• Intimidation of men from James
• James probably did not tell them to
  challenge Peters 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.
13
Pauls 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)
14
Pauls reasoning

• Just because we sin while in
  Christ and receive forgiveness,
  doesnt mean Christ is a minister
  of sin (17) like Rom 61 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 37), Paul now lives to God (19)

15
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 923)
• Christ lives in me (to reveal His son in me
  116)
• 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 doesnt 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
  Christs death was worthless!

And those who are Christ's have crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires. (Gal 524)
16
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17
Living as crucified with Christ

• We take up our cross daily (Lk 923)
• We join him in his death to sin (Rom 61-6)
• We now live by faith in the son of God who loves
  us and gave himself for us (Gal 220)
• 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
514-15)
18
Isaiah 49 in Galatians

• While preaching in Antioch of Psidia in Acts
  1347, Paul quoted Isa 496 and applied the
  messianic passage to himself and Barnabas Jews
  hated it!

Isaiah 49 Galatians
1-2
Called me from the womb (1) In whom I will be
glorified (3) I have labored in vain (4)
Separated me from my mothers womb and called me
(115) They glorified God in me (124) I might
run, or had run in vain (22)
Pauls 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!
19
In Galatians 3 we will examine the power of faith
verses the weakness of law
20
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