While chapter 2 continues Paul’s defense of his apostolic authority and the gospel he preached, he focused not on the source of his message but on its content. Further, whereas in chapter 1 he emphasized his independence from the other apostles, he now demonstrated that there was a basic unity between himself and them.
The chapter divides naturally into two major sections. In the first (2:1–10) Paul recounts an important meeting he had with the leaders of the Jerusalem church. The issue of circumcision, which now dominates the appeal being made to his Galatian converts by the false teachers, surfaced at this earlier meeting with reference to Titus, a Gentile believer whom Paul refused to have circumcised despite pressure from certain “false brothers.”
In contrast to legalism stands grace. The bag of grace has written on it the word faith. Under “faith” is written John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” In contrast to legalism, grace has no rules, code, or ritual. It is an invitation directly from the heart of God simply to believe and receive. It has no price tag. Paul states in another passage, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8–9).
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. (NASB)
Key Takeaways:
- The leaders in Jerusalem endorsed the gospel Paul preached and affirmed his apostleship
- Just as Paul was obedient to a revelation, we should be obedient to the Spirit’s promptings and what He is leading us to do
- Remember the liberty you have in Christ. Stop going back to bondage and live in the freedom of Christ.
Closer Look:
Verse 1: “After an interval of fourteen years” may refer to twelve full years plus fractions of the first and last years (1:18). This time span could date from Paul’s previous visit to Jerusalem (1:18-19), but more likely from his conversion (1:15-16). This was the point at which Paul received the gospel message, the focus of discussion throughout this extended section (1:11-2:14) Much debate has centered on the question of the identification of this trip which Paul took to Jerusalem with Barnabas, a Jewish believer, and Titus, a Gentile believer. The Book of Acts mentions five Jerusalem visits made by Paul after his conversion: (1) the visit after he left Damascus (Acts 9:26–30; Gal. 1:18–20); (2) the famine visit (Acts 11:27–30); (3) the visit to attend the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1–30); (4) the visit at the end of the second missionary journey (Acts 18:22); (5) the final visit which resulted in Paul’s Caesarean imprisonment (Acts 21:15–23:35). Scholars are divided primarily over whether Galatians 2:1 refers to the famine visit or to the Jerusalem Council visit. But in the context in which he is listing all contacts with human authorities, why would Paul omit reference to his second trip to Jerusalem? And if the reference is to the Council of Acts 15, why did Paul not allude to its decrees? It seems this passage has the famine visit in view.
Barnabas is a Hebrew nickname meaning “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36) and you will always find Barnabas encouraging somebody. When the Gospel came to the Gentiles in Antioch, it was Barnabas who was sent to encourage them in their faith (Acts 11:19–24). Barnabas met Paul briefly in Jerusalem during Paul’s first postconversion visit (Acts 9:26-27). Thus, from the earliest days, Barnabas was associated with the Gentile believers. It was Barnabas who enlisted Paul to help minister at the church in Antioch (Acts 11:25–26), and the two of them worked together, not only in teaching, but also in helping the poor (Acts 11:27–30).
Titus is not mentioned in Acts, but he was a convert of Paul’s (Titus 1:4) and an effective ministry associate over a number of years (2 Cor 2:13). He was a “product” of the apostle’s ministry among the Gentiles, and was taken to the Jerusalem conference as “exhibit A” from the Gentile churches. In later years, Titus assisted Paul by going to some of the most difficult churches to help them solve their problems (2 Cor. 7; Titus 1:5).
Verse 2: Paul went to Jerusalem on his second visit “because of a revelation.” That is, he went because God directed him to, not because the Jerusalem leaders had summoned him or called him “on the carpet” for preaching to the Gentiles. The reference may well be to Agabus’ prophecy of a famine which prompted Paul and Barnabas to go to Jerusalem on a relief mission (cf. Acts 11:27–30). Or this revelation may refer to a private revelation of the Lord to Paul, perhaps similar to the one he received in Jerusalem earlier (Acts 22:17-21). Later Jesus appeared to Paul in another vision (Acts 23:11).
“Them” may refer to the Jerusalem church at large, or it may be only “those who were of reputation,” presumably the inner core made up of James, Cephas (Peter), and John (v. 9).
Paul seized this opportunity to consult with the other apostles privately concerning the message he was preaching to the Gentiles. This does not mean Paul sought their approval of its truth and accuracy, for he had received the gospel from God by revelation. It also does not mean he considered altering his gospel, as the following section clearly shows (vv. 3-10). Rather, he wanted them to consider its relationship to the gospel they were proclaiming. But if the Jerusalem leaders insisted on circumcision and other requirements of the Law for Gentile converts, Paul’s running (labor) among the Gentiles was in vain. It was not that the apostle had any doubts or misgivings about the gospel he had preached for 14 years (Gal. 2:1), but that he feared that his past and present ministry might be hindered or rendered of no effect by the Judaizers. “In vain” does not reflect on the effectiveness of Paul’s gospel, but rather on his efforts to maintain a unity in the church without sacrificing “the truth of the gospel” (v. 5).
Verses 3–5: It now becomes apparent why Paul brought Titus along on this Jerusalem trip. He was a “test case” Gentile. Would the Jerusalem apostles force the rite of circumcision on a Gentile believer? Paul knew that both Jews and Gentiles are accepted by God through faith in Jesus Christ without any distinction and that the church should do the same. The apostle declared that this truth was affirmed in Jerusalem because Titus was not “compelled to be circumcised,” even though he was a Greek. But this victory did not come easily. Pressure to have Titus circumcised was brought to bear by certain false brothers (cf. 2 Peter 2:1). No doubt these were Judaizers, whose chief slogan is found in Acts 15:1: “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved” (ESV). The term “circumcised” introduces a central topic of the Jewish false teachers, one which Paul addresses repeatedly in Galatians (5:2, 3, 6). Unlike Timothy’s, whom Paul had circumcised because Timothy’s mother was Jewish, Titus was not circumcised. Circumcising him would have been a sign to all other Gentiles that following Jewish law was required for a person to become a Christian. As Paul explains in this letter, that would be a rejection of the Good News that salvation is God’s gift to those who believe in His Son.
The “false brethren” were like spies or fifth-column agents who penetrated to search out weak areas of enemy positions. The phrase “false brethren” apparently indicates that although these people passed themselves off convincingly as Christians, there was reason to view their profession as a sham. These pseudo-Christians did not announce their purpose, which was to curtail Christian liberty (5:1, 13) and to bring Paul and his converts into the bondage of Jewish legalism (6:12-15). These false brethren maintained that one had to keep the Jewish law in order to be saved. They refused to confess that salvation was God’s gift through faith alone. For this reason, Paul would not recognize them as genuine Christians.
In this case they “sneaked in to” (pareisēlthon; lit., “sneaked in alongside,” used only here and in Rom. 5:20; also translated as infiltrated) the ranks, that is, they intruded without invitation into the apostles’ private conference. Their goals were twofold: first, to “spy out” (kataskopēsai, used only here in the NT) the “liberty (freedom) which we have in Christ Jesus.” With hostile intent they purposed to observe the apostles’ freedom from the Mosaic Law and from the legalism it engenders. Second, they intended to bring the believers into bondage. They wanted to bring believers back into bondage, to enslave them to the Law’s rules and ceremonies. Specifically, they strongly insisted that Titus be circumcised.
But Paul stood absolutely firm because “the truth of the gospel” was at stake for the Galatians, and the entire Christian church. Paul’s message about the truth of the gospel had never given way to the message of the false teachers, whether in Jerusalem (vv. 1-10), Syrian Antioch (vv. 11-14), or Galatia. The Galatian Christians could trust Paul’s consistent advocacy of his gospel, which was revealed by God. To impose circumcision on Titus would be to deny that salvation was by faith alone and to affirm that in addition to faith there must be obedience to the Law for acceptance before God. Thus the basic issue of the gospel was involved and Paul would not deviate or yield for a moment.[1]
[1] Donald K. Campbell, “Galatians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 594.