No Other Gospel (part 4)

Paul opposes Peter at Antioch

Galatians 2:11–14 ESV

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

I’m going to break this up into two parts, verses 11-14 which tells the story of Paul’s opposition to Peter’s hypocrisy and verses 15-21 which is the start of Paul’s theological argument for the doctrine of Justification by faith, Part one flows into part two

Galatians 2:11 ESV

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.

Verse 11: When Cephas also known as Peter came to Antioch, which was Paul’s missionary base for a number of years, Paul confronted Peter in person because Peter “stood condemned”

What was Peter in condemnation for? Well verse 12 explains that

Galatians 2:12 ESV

12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.

Paul says that certain men came from James, I am not sure if this is James the apostle or another James, however I’m quite sure that these men came from Jerusalem or Judea as identifies them as the Circumcision Party

The Circumcision Party is also mentioned in Acts 15:1

Acts 15:1 ESV

1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

These men are not labeled as the Circumcised party here, however their doctrine is clearly the same, but we are told where they came from when heading to jerusalem for the Jerusalem council

Peter was withdrawing from fellowship with the gentile Christians during meals to partake in meals with the Circumcision Party out of fear

This fear to please man is what Paul avoided as he wrote earlier in Galatians 1:10

Galatians 1:10 ESV

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

It can be inferred that Peter feared disapproval of the Circumcision Party because Peter was “living like a gentile” in his freedom that he has in Christ

Living like a gentile is antithetical to the Circumcision Party”s doctrine of Faith in Christ plus the observation of the Mosaic Law, for example following dietary laws or the need for men to be circumcised

Galatians 2:13 ESV

13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

We see the influence that Peter had on the other Jewish Christians and in turn their influence on Barnabas

We must also be wary of false teachings, unbiblical traditions, poor exegesis, or even fear of disapproval or persecution to lead us astray from the Gospel of Christ

Galatians 2:14 ESV

14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Paul publicly calls out Peter for his hypocrisy because Peter was being public with his sin

This passage is NOT giving permission to gossip, publicly or privately or to publicly confront individuals who have privately sinned

There is an orderly way to deal with private or confined sins in Matthew 18:15-17

Matthew 18:15–17 ESV

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

The Jewish Christians were not living in step with the gospel for a number of reasons

First is that even if the Jews were not requiring the following of the Mosaic law as a means of justification for salvation, they still were creating divisions between the Jewish Christians and the gentile Christians, however we know from Acts 15:1 the Circumcised Party does require Circumcision to acquire salvation and the text here infers that as well

Paul stats later in Galatians 3:28

Galatians 3:28 ESV

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

These classifications do not matter as our identity is in Christ and we all share in salvation as heirs of Christ

So the division is wrong, but also the requiring of conforming to the Mosaic Laws as a means of salvation is wrong

Essentially the Circumcision Party was forcing gentiles to be Jews, but if there are no divisions when it pertains to salvation then it is antithetical to the gospel to create divisions like this

Though it does not appear that Peter was necessarily accepting the Circumcision Party’s doctrine, he wasn’t standing for the truth of the gospel out of fear

Paul did stand up for the truth of the gospel to preserve it, not to please man, but to serve God. I believe we are charged with the same calling

Can you picture a situation where you have or might do things that are not in step with the gospel out of fear of ridicule or disapproval from others?