Galatians, Chapter 2
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Galatians,
Chapter 2
Galatians 2:1 Then
fourteen years after I went up again to
We live in an "instant" society.
All too often, we look at the past as if it
were part of our time period.
Paul was patient. He spent several years in
study, meditation, and preaching Christ.
After fourteen years Paul went back to
Jerusalem to report on his work among the Gentiles.
Barnabas and Titus went with him.
Why would it take the Holy Spirit 14 years to
consolidate and refine the teaching of Grace within Paul?
If you read Paul’s letters to the
Thessalonians, which were his first letters, you will not find a great emphasis
on grace.
While it is true that all the original
Apostles were successful in their areas of expertise, it is also true that none
was a theological giant.
Paul was a trained theologian.
He was also the add-on Apostle.
Paul studied under the greatest Jewish teacher
of his day.
He was a Pharisee of Pharisees.
We do not just have his word for his
excellent reputation among the Jewish elite.
The complete and utter hatred of Paul among
even the Jews of today makes it apparent that Paul was the "fair-haired
boy" of his generation who, according to Judaism, deserted the Jews to
proclaim Christ Jesus!
To this day, most Jews consider Paul to be
the founder of Christianity.
I have gone among Jews, and worshipped with
Jews.
On any given Sabbath you can hear Jesus quoted,
almost with pride, by Rabbis.
Among many Rabbis, Jesus is a respected
rabbinical teacher.
It took Paul years to replace the dead
orthodox rabbinical understanding with a living reliance on the crucified and
resurrected Christ and the teaching of grace.
Paul had to first establish the teaching of
grace in his own heart and mind.
Paul met with the Church elders in Jerusalem
(Acts 15), and submitted the gospel of grace to them.
If you read Acts 15, you will learn that the
Their ignorance of grace is still prevalent
within many Churches!
Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation,
and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but
privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or
had run, in vain.
The New Revised Standard Version translates
the opening words of this verse as, "I went up in response to a
revelation".
That reflects the path of Paul’s life as a
follower of Christ.
The Spirit led Paul. The Spirit also leads
us.
If the Holy Spirit does not lead you, you are
not His!
Rom
8:14 For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Paul went to declare the gospel of grace to
the Apostles in
Even though Peter was the first to preach
Christ specifically to Gentiles (Acts 10:34-48), the first Apostles had no
concept of grace for Gentiles.
At the meeting in
As we will learn later in Galatians, their
testimony was not received by all.
Galatians 2:3 But neither Titus, who was
with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:
It is very important that you understand this
point!
The Apostles did not put Gentiles under the
Levitical law.
The rules of conduct for Gentile Christian
were few.
Acts 15:20-21
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and
from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in
the synagogues every sabbath day.
At that time, Christianity was still a
segment of Judaism.
There was no humanly approved "New
Testament."
And, Christians were expected to attend
Sabbath meetings.
Galatians 2:4-5
4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ
Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth
of the gospel might continue with you.
However, some "false" brothers
(pretenders) sneaked into Church fellowship.
They came to spy on Church members because of
the liberty they had in Christ Jesus.
Even today, some seek in to turn grace into
license.
Others seek in to bring to the
"bondage," or slavery to the law.
Sin is slavery!
Bondage to the Law is satanic slavery!
5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no,
not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
Are you under subjection to freedom in
Christ, bondage under the Law?
Christ died to bring us freedom, not
bondage.
Christians respect the Law, but we are
subservient to it.
Galatians 2:6 But of these who seemed to
be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no
matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for
they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:
Have you ever met someone who was a legend in
his/her own mind?
Paul was confronting some of those in his letter
to the Galatians.
They thought that they were SOMEBODY.
Pride is a plague on men and angels.
Some of Paul's "false" associates
where thought to be special according to their own opinions.
It did not matter to Paul.
He was joyful just knowing that Christ was
proclaimed.
God does not accept men, based on looks.
He is not a respecter of persons (that must
be qualified).
How short or tall, how poor or rich, how
educated or uneducated, physically handicapped or athletic, genius or
challenged---none of those is the basis for God's judgment concerning humans.
Christ is the only basis for judgment.
The only question at the judgment not be
"Is Christ Jesus Lord of your life?
The only question will be directed by the Father
to the Son, “Do you know this person?”
The answer for saint is “yes!”
Those who are not intimate with Christ will hear, “I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matt 7:23)
Paul also says something that is worth
keeping in mind when confronted with those who are pretenders.
Those who thought themselves to be something
special "added nothing" to Paul’s revelation of Christ.
Galatians 2:7 But contrariwise, when they
saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel
of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Those who were led by the Spirit were led to
accept Paul.
Do you accept the teaching of grace?
The separation of areas of responsibility
here does not indicate two gospels.
Those that reject the gospel of grace also
reject Christ, be they Jew or Gentile, reject salvation itself.
Galatians 3:28-29
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is
neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to
the promise.
Galatians 2:8 (For he that wrought
effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was
mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
The Spirit "wrought effectually,"
or placed power into Peter for to preach to the Jews.
The same Spirit gave Paul the power to preach
to Gentiles.
On what grounds do Jews base their being
chosen by God?
It is on the basis of the Abrahamic
Covenant.
What is the basis of the Abrahamic
Covenant?
Grace!
Due to grace God chose Abraham.
God did not choose Abraham because of
works.
When Abraham (Abram) was chosen he was not a
Jew.
In Abram's day there were NO Jews.
Abram was a Gentile by birth.
Abraham believed God, and because of that God
accepted him.
That acceptance was the result of grace.
Today, Christians believe God.
We trust that He sent His only begotten Son
Jesus, and the Father accepts that as righteous.
We are saved by the same method that brought
Abram righteousness.
Abram was a Gentile!
Both Paul and Peter had God's power resident
in them.
Peter was to work among Jews!
Paul was to work among Gentiles.
Galatians 2:9-10
9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to
be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and
Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and
they unto the circumcision.
10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also
was forward to do.
Having understood that God's grace also was
given to Paul---James, Peter, and John accepted him as a member in good
standing of the Apostles' club.
The true Apostles not only accepted Paul,
they accepted Barnabas, and Titus.
They authorized Paul and Barnabas to go take
the gospel to the Gentiles.
The only thing they ask of Paul and Barnabas
was to help provide for poor Christian Jews in
This is not an admonishment to help poor
Non-Christian Jews today.
That appeal was from Christian
Jews and for Christian Jews.
At this writing the Christians of Ethiopia
and
I am pro-Israel, but the reality is that
Sudanese Christians are suffering more today than non-Christian Israelis.
In fact, Jews who convert to Christ are in danger
of losing their jobs in
Freedom OF
religion is a western, Christian concept and is practiced only in western
Christian nations.
This may have been the only time Paul asked
those in the Church to take up a collection.
We know that he graciously accepted gifts
from Churches.
However, this may be the only time he
actually asked for anything.
This collection has nothing to do with
tithing.
Since only Levites could accept the tithe,
and Paul was a Benjaminite, he could not accept a
tithe.
There is no record on any Apostle ever
accepting a tithe.
Galatians 2:11 But when Peter was come to
Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
When Peter came to
Due to Peter's action, Paul actually publicly
confronted Peter!
Again we are dealing with a situation that
many of the Jewish Christian leaders did not understand.
This happened years after the
And still, Peter and the Jerusalem Jews could
not comprehend grace!
And as they claim that Peter is their Church
founder!
Roman Catholics (to this day) are ignorant
concerning grace!
They preach law with a slight mixture of
man’s notion of grace!
We sometimes assume that the Jewish leaders
of the church were informed as to the gospel of grace.
They were spiritually challenged!
This situation reveals the importance of
revelation knowledge.
The Jewish leaders had a form of
"acquired knowledge" concerning grace, but they had no
"revelation knowledge."
Galatians 2:12 For before that certain
came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he
withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Prior to their arrival, Peter freely
associated with Gentile Christians.
When the
Peter withdrew from Gentile fellowship.
At that time, Peter separated himself from
the Gentile Christians.
He was afraid of what other Jews might think
of him.
Galatians 2:13 And the other Jews
dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with
their dissimulation.
“Dissimulation” speaks of hypocrisy.
The Jews with Paul fell under the
condemnation of hypocritical pseudo-Christians.
Even Barnabas acted as though he trusted
tradition more than grace.
Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they
walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter
before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after
the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest
thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Paul saw that the Christian Jews from
We must ask ourselves, “Do we live according
to the truth of the gospel?”
Paul confronted Peter publicly.
"Why do you compel Gentile Christians to
live as Jews?
Later, Peter came to understand grace, but
the Church claiming his authority, the Roman Catholic Church, still does not
preach or teach the pure grace of the gospel of Christ.
It teaches salvation by works and personal
submission to an elected human being, or a perverted gospel.
As of this time in history (today), no Pope
has ever preached salvation by grace.
To Peter, Paul and the rest of the Apostles,
the term and concept of the papacy were foreign.
Galatians 2:15-16
15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we
might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the
law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Jews by nature are sinners just as Gentiles.
However, Jews (or a Jew--Paul) were given the
first opportunity to understand grace.
It is made in verse 16 here that a man is not
justified, declared innocent by the works of the law, but entirely by the faith
of Jesus Christ.
Ninety-nine percent of Christians do not
understand the point of verse 16.
We believe in Christ Jesus. BUT, we are
justified by the faith OF Jesus Christ! The Greek text is
explicit. "Our" faith is like
"our" righteousness---useless!
Saving faith is a gift of God just as grace
is a gift of God.
It is Jesus’ faith effecting us, or
transplanted of saving faith within us.
Prior to coming to Christ we are dead in
trespasses and sins, and our faith is also dead.
Have you thanked God for the faith to
believe?
Galatians 2:17 But if, while we seek to be
justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ
the minister of sin? God forbid.
"While we seek" to be
justified by Christ, may be better understood by translating
it---"Seeking to be innocent in the presence of Christ."
Even that is followed by, "we ourselves
also are found sinners."
We do not seek Christ, He seeks us!
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that
which was lost.”
This verse refers to ministers of the gospel
who may attempt to preach grace, but trust in the Law.
If you talk the talk---walk the walk.
Galatians 2:18 For if I build again the
things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
Paul did not preach grace so he could build
up the Law.
To do so would make him a
transgressor---again.
Galatians 2:19 For I through the law
am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
As Christians, we are dead to the Law.
That means it does not reign in our lives.
We establish the law and respect it, but we
are not ruled by it.
Rom
3:31 Do we then make void the law
through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in
me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son
of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
When we acknowledge Christ, we become
crucified with Him.
Through the Holy Spirit, Christ lives within
us.
We "live" by the faith OF
the Son of God.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the
grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in
vain.
“Frustrate” means to thwart.
Those who attempt to live in license rather
than grace are attempting to thwart the grace of God.
If righteousness is available through the
Law, Christ died in vain.
Christ Jesus did not die in vain and
righteousness is not gained by keeping the Law.