GALATIANS

Sunday, August 11, 2013

 

Preserving The Truth Of The Gospel

Galatians 2:1 – 10

 

 

I. Introduction: Desertion from Paul’s Gospel Is Desertion from the Gospel (1:1 – 2:21)

            A. Greeting: Paul’s Apostolic Authority (1:1 – 5)

            B. Problem Explained: Desertion from the Gospel (1:6 – 10)

            C. Paul’s Gospel Delivered from God, Not People (1:11 – 2:21)

                        1. Thesis: Source of His Gospel Was Revelation (1:11 – 12)

                        2. Thesis Support (1:13 – 2:21)

                                    a. His Past Hostility (1:13 – 14)

                                    b. His Call from God (1:15 – 17)

                                    c. His Relative Obscurity in Judea (1:18 – 24)

                                                i. Relatively Unknown to Apostles (1:18 – 20)

                                                ii. Relatively Unknown in Judea (1:21 – 24)

                                    d. Recognition of Paul’s Authority by Pillars (2:1 – 10)

                                                i. Gospel Explained to Pillars (2:1 – 2)

                                                ii.  Circumcision Not Required (2:3 – 5)

                                               iii.  Nothing Added to Paul’s Gospel (2:6 – 9)

                                               iv.  Request to Remember the Poor (2:10)

                                    e. Rebuke of Peter Substantiates Paul’s Authority (2:11 – 21)

Thomas Schreiner, Exegetical Commentary On The New Testament: Galatians; Zondervan Publishers, 2010.

 

 

Main Idea

 

   When Paul traveled to Jerusalem fourteen years after his conversion (or seventeen years), the Jerusalem leaders did not require Titus to be circumcised, even though false brothers tried to insist on it.  Indeed, the Jerusalem pillars added nothing to Paul’s gospel.  On the contrary, they ratified it and gave the right hand of fellowship to Paul and Barnabas as missionaries to the Gentiles.

   Paul is seen as the defender of the truth of the gospel no mater what the cost.  He will not yield to any pressure to compromise the truth of the gospel.   Paul maintains and defends the truth for the sake of others.

 

 

            d. Recognition of Paul’s Authority by Pillars (2:1 – 10)

                

                 i. Gospel Explained to Pillars (2:1 – 2)

 

– Fourteen years – denoting independence from the Jerusalem church.

 

– Barnabas a mature and trusted follower of Christ is a companion of Paul.

 

– Titus is an uncircumcised Gentile.

 

– Visit according to revelation

 

– “Running in vain” – no contradiction in message from Jerusalem.  It is all about the gospel.

 

           

                 ii.  Circumcision Not Required (2:3 – 5)

 

– “But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.”  “Paul emphasizes that Titus was an uncircumcised Greek so as to stress an identification between Titus and the Galatian readers – just as Titus is an uncircumcised Greek, so are they.  Since Titus was not compelled to be circumcised, the Jerusalem church clearly does not consider circumcision intrinsic to faith in Christ” (Jervis, L. Ann; Galatians, Baker Books).

 

– “Requiring circumcision and the observance of the law for salvation, in Paul’s mind, puts one outside the circle of the redeemed.”

 

– “Those who desired to impose the law, according to Paul, were not merely mistaken on a minor matter.  Requiring observance of the law changes salvation from being a work of God to being a work accomplished by human beings.  So, salvation is no longer of the Lord” (Schreiner).

 

– Compare 2:5 with 1:10.

 

– Vital: preserving the truth of the Gospel.

 

The following is a reflection from John Brown of Haddington’s Bible.

 

“With care, earnestness, and accuracy ought ministers to contend for the pure doctrine of justification through Christ’s blessed righteousness, without the works of the law.  And happy are they who understand it in their own experience!  What a heaven upon earth it is to view ourselves delivered from the law as a covenant, and to find Christ’s crucifixion for us and dwelling in us issuing in a life of holiness and fellowship with God through faith!” 

    

 

                 iii.  Nothing Added to Paul’s Gospel (2:6 – 9)

 

– Respect for those in authority, but never undo adulation. 

 

– Peter, James and John added nothing to Paul’s gospel message; rather, they recognized the gift of God given to Paul.

 

– The “pillars” of the church in Jerusalem gave to Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship.  This entails a full acceptance of both the persons and message.  This is certainly a deathblow to the Judaizers who were misleading the Galatian believers.

               

 

                  iv.  Request to Remember the Poor (2:10)

 

– “The poor” refers to the poor in Jerusalem.  This certainly implies the continued relationship of Paul with the Jerusalem church.