Defense of the Gospel - Its Distinctness (Galatians 2:1-10)

(Class Notes)

• Paul's Second Visit to the Jerusalem Church (Galatians 2:1-2)
  • Paul's FIRST VISIT to the JERUSALEM CHURCH occurred THREE YEARS AFTER his CONVERSION (Galatians 1:18 cf. Acts 9:26)
  • Paul's SECOND VISIT to the JERUSALEM CHURCH occurred FOURTEEN YEARS LATER (Galatians 2:1 cf. Acts 15:2)
  • BOTH VISITS featured BARNABAS as being Paul's CHIEF ALLY:
    • In Paul's FIRST VISIT, BARNABAS was used as a WITNESS OF Paul's CONVERSION (Acts 9:27):
      • BARNABAS, so surnamed by the apostles (Acts 4:36) - in order to distinguish him from his BROTHER JUDAS BARSABAS (Acts 15:22)
      • JOSEPH (Hebrew name) BARSABAS (Acts 1:23), ALIAS JOSES (Greek name) BARSABAS (Acts 4:36) - was a VERY CREDITABLE WITNESS TO THE DISCIPLES in that he ACCOMPANIED THEM ALL THROUGHOUT JESUS' EARTHLY MINISTRY (Acts 1:21-22)
    • In Paul's SECOND VISIT, BARNABAS was used as a WITNESS OF Paul's DIVINELY SEPARATED MINISTRY (Acts 13:1-2,43,46,50)
  • Paul's SECOND VISIT to the JERUSALEM CHURCH was "BY REVELATION" (Galatians 2:2):
    • Its PURPOSE was to COMMUNCATE "PRIVATELY TO THEM WHIH WERE OF REPUTATION" (Galatians 2:2) - "THAT GOSPEL WHICH I PREACH AMONG THE GENTILES" (Galatians 2:2)
    • The "THEM WHICH WERE OF REPUTATION" (Galatians 2:2) were the SAMES ONES who gave Paul and Barnabas "THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP" (Galatians 2:9) - AFTER HAVING, as Paul said, "PERCEIVED THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WAS GIVEN UNTO ME" (Galatians 2:9):
      • They NOW UNDERSTOOD the MINISTRY which PAUL had "RECEIVED OF THE LORD JESUS, TO TESTIFY THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD" (Acts 20:24)
      • This "PRIVATE" MEETING with them, "LEST I SHOULD RUN ... IN VAIN" (Galatians 2:2) - was NECESSARY for them TO SEE BOTH - his DISTINCTIVE GOSPEL (Galatians 2:6-7) AND his DISTINCTIVE APOSTLESHIP (Galatians 2:8-10)

• Paul's Key Witness to the Jerusalem Church (Galatians 2:3-5)
  • In ADDITION to Barnabas, Paul took Titus with him "ALSO" (Galatians 2:1) - for TWO REASONS:
    • The FIRST REASON was a DOCTRINAL one:
      • TITUS, "being a GREEK" (Galatians 2:3) - would be an IDEAL TEST CASE concerning the matter of CIRCUMCISION (Galatians 2:3), which threatened "the LIBERTY" (Galatians 2:4) of "the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:5)
    • The SECOND REASON was a PRACTICAL one:
      • Paul needed someone like TITUS, who would "NOT GIVE PLACE BY SUBJECTION" (Galatians 2:5) when it came to STANDING FOR "the TRUTH of the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:5)
  • DOCTRINALLY, according to Paul, CIRCUMCISION had NO PLACE in "THAT GOSPEL which I preach AMONG THE GENTILES" (Galatians 2:2):
    • CIRCUMCISION, the PHYSICAL SIGN of the ABRAHAMIC COVENANT (Genesis 17:9-11) and an ORDINANCE of the MOSAIC LAW (Leviticus 12:1-3) - "IN TIME PAST" SEPARATED the GENTILES FROM GOD and FROM HIS PEOPLE (Ephesians 2:11-12)
    • "BUT NOW", that "MIDDLE WALL" of "the LAW of COMMANDMENTS", which DIVIDED JEW AND GENTILE - has been "BROKEN DOWN" to form "ONE NEW MAN" - so as to "RECONCILE BOTH unto God in ONE BODY by the Cross" (Ephesians 2:13-16)
    • Hence, Paul's CONCERN about the "FALSE BRETHREN" from the JERUSALEM CHURCH (Galatians 2:4 cf. Acts 15:1) - who had NO AUTHORITY to "SPY OUT our LIBERTY IN Christ Jesus" (Galatians 2:4 cf. Acts 15:22-24)
  • PRACTICALLY, Paul NEEDED a GENTILE KEY WITNESS to the JERUSALEM CHURCH concerning "the TRUTH of the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:5):
    • Unlike TIMOTHY, who NEEDED Paul's INTERCESSION, so as TO BE "WITHOUT FEAR" among the Corinthians (I Corinthians 16:10-11) - it was the Corinthians who "with FEAR and TREMBLING" RECEIVED TITUS (II Corinthians 7:14-15)
    • Paul ADDRESSED TIMOTHY AFFECTIONATELY as a FATHER would a SON (I Timothy 1:2; II Timothy 1:2) and ENCOURAGED him TO "BE NOT THOU ... ASHAMED" (II Timothy 1:8)
    • Paul ADDRESSED TITUS as a COMMANDING GENERAL:
      • "SET IN ORDER ... ORDAIN ELDERS ... AS I HAD APPOINTED THEE" (Titus 1:5)
      • "CONVICT THE CONTRADICTERS" (Titus 1:9)
      • "LIARS, EVIL BEASTS, SLOW BELLIES ... REBUKE THEM SHARPLY" (Titus 1:12-13)
    • Thus, TITUS was someone who could be COUNTED ON - along with Paul and Barnabas (Galatians 2:1) - "TO "STAND FAST ... IN the LIBERTY WHEREWITH Christ has MADE us FREE (Galatians 5:1 cf. Acts 15:2)

• Paul's Distinctive Gospel (Galatians 2:6-7)
  • Paul declared that "THESE who seemed to be somewhat ... ADDED NOTHING to me" (Galatians 2:6), BUT rather it was HE who ADDED SOMETHING to them (Galatians 2:9 cf. Acts 20:24):
    • The "THESE" (Galatians 2:6) would be the "THEY" who also gave to Paul and Barnabas "the RIGHT HANDS of FELLOWSHIP" (Galatians 2:9)
  • Paul's statement that "GOD ACCEPTETH NO MAN'S PERSON" (Galatians 2:6) had particular relevance to JAMES - whose NAME was LISTED FIRST in the apostolic agreement (Galatians 2:9) and who also LED the MEETING (Acts 15:2,13,19), which resulted in that agreement being made (Acts 15:24-27):
    • This JAMES was the LORD'S PHYSICAL BROTHER (Galatians 1:19) and NOT the APOSTLE JAMES (Matthew 10:2) who was killed earlier by King Herod (Acts 12:1-2)
    • The Lord's PHYSICAL BRETHREN abode in UNBELIEF during His earthly ministry (John 7:5 cf. Psalms 69:8) and, thus, He claimed NO ASSOCIATION with them SPIRITUALLY (Matthew 12:47-50)
    • It was PETER (NOT JAMES) who was DIVINELY APPOINTED to be the SPIRITUAL LEADER of the MESSIANIC KINGDOM CHURCH - due to the SPIRITUAL ILLUMINATION he RECEIVED FROM THE FATHER CONCERNING HIS SON (Matthew 16:15-19) and DESPITE HIS GREAT FAILURE LATER (Luke 22:31-34; John 21:15-17)
      • "PETER stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said ..." (Acts 1:15)
      • "PETER standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice ..." (Acts 2:14)
      • "PETER, and the other apostles ..." (Acts 5:29)
    • Thus, Paul also acknowledged PETER'S DIVINE AUTHORITY as to BOTH his GOSPEL (Galatians 2:7) AND his APOSTLESHIP (Galatians 2:8)
    • PAUL also cites that SAME DIVINE AUTHORITY as to BOTH his GOSPEL (Galatians 2:7 cf. Galatians 1:11-12) AND his APOSTLESHIP (Galatians 2:8 cf. Galatians 1:1)
  • Paul informs us as believers that IF we are to be PROFITABLE in our MINISTRY of the Word (II Timothy 3:16-17) THEN we need to KNOW what is meant by "RIGHTLY DIVIDING the Word of Truth" (II Timothy 2:15):
    • He makes it VERY CLEAR that there are TWO DIFFERENT "GOSPELS" - "the GOSPEL of the CIRCUMCISION" committed to PETER and "the GOSPEL of the UNCIRCUMCISION" committed to PAUL (Galatians 2:7)

  • TWO DIFFERENT "GOSPELS"
    PETER "the GOSPEL of the CIRCUMCISION" (Galatians 2:7)	PAUL "the GOSPEL of the UNCIRCUMCISION" (Galatians 2:7)
    GOOD NEWS preached to ISRAEL (Acts 3:25)	GOOD NEWS preached to GENTILES (Romans 4:17)
    GOOD NEWS concerning Abraham's MULTIPLIED SEED (Genesis 22:17-18)	GOOD NEWS concerning Abraham's SINGULAR SEED (Galatians 3:8,16 cf. Genesis 12:3)
    GOOD NEWS based upon Abraham's OBEDIENT ACT of FAITH (James 2:21-24 cf. Genesis 22:10-12,15-16) - AFTER his CIRCUMCISION (Genesis 17:24-27)	GOOD NEWS based upon Abraham's FAITH ALONE in God's PROMISE (Romans 4:1-5,18-22 cf. Genesis 15:1-6) - "which he had YET BEING UNCIRCUMCISED" (Romans 4:11)
    GOOD NEWS had ISRAEL'S REPENTANCE in view (Acts 3:19-21 cf. Zechariah 12:8-10)	GOOD NEWS had ISRAEL'S REJECTION in view (Romans 10:20-21)
    GOOD NEWS had Gentiles being blessed through ISRAEL'S RISE (Acts 3:22,24,26 cf. Isaiah 60:1-3)	GOOD NEWS had Gentiles being blessed through ISRAEL'S FALL (Romans 11:11-12,15,25,28,30-32)

• Paul's Distinctive Apostleship (Galatians 2:8-10)
  • The Greek word ("APOSTOLE") rendered as "APOSTLESHIP" (Galatians 2:8) expresses the idea of one being "SENT" (Greek, "APOSTELLO"), e.g. "a man SENT from God whose name was John" (John 1:6):
    • Thus, PETER'S "APOSTLESHIP of the CIRCUMCISION" (Galatians 2:8) and PAUL'S APOSTLESHIP "toward the GENTILES" (Galatians 2:8) - indicates that they were SENT to TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE GROUPS
    • "PETER ... WITH THE ELEVEN" (Acts 2:14) were PROMISED BY MESSIAH to "sit upon TWELVE THRONES, JUDGING the TWELVE TRIBES of ISRAEL" (Matthew 19:28) - "WHEN the Son of Man shall sit upon the THRONE of His GLORY" (Matthew 19:28):
      • MESSIAH'S EARTHLY KINGDOM (Matthew 6:10 cf. Jeremiah 23:5-6) was PROPHESIED "SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN" (Acts 3:21)
    • PAUL, as "the APOSTLE of the GENTILES" (Romans 11:13), represents "the CHURCH, which is His BODY" (Ephesians 1:22-23), "which was KEPT SECRET SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN" (Romans 16:25):
      • This "MYSTERY (SECRET) ... which in other ages was NOT MADE KNOWN ... as it is NOW REVEALED" (Ephesians 3:3,5) - was ESPECIALLY GOOD NEWS to the GENTILES concerning their being "FELLOW (EQUAL) HEIRS" with the Jews and "of the SAME BODY" (Ephesians 3:6)
      • PAUL, typified this "ONE NEW MAN ... ONE BODY" (Ephesians 2:15-16), being BOTH "an HEBREW of the HEBREWS" (Philippians 3:5) and "a ROMAN ... FREE BORN" (Acts 22:26,28) - in "ONE BODY" (I Corinthians 10:17)
  • The AGREEMENT made by "JAMES, CEPHAS (PETER), and JOHN" to SURRENDER their GENTILE MINISTRY to PAUL & BARNABAS (Galatians 2:9):
    • It was made because these "PILLARS" of the "JERUSALEM" assembly (Galatians 2:1) "PERCEIVED the GRACE that was GIVEN to ME (PAUL)" (Galatians 2:9 cf. Acts 20:24)
    • This marked a DIVINE CHANGE in MINISTRY, i.e. a DIVINE "BINDING" and "LOOSING" (Matthew 18:18) by these THREE "PILLARS" (Galatians 2:9 cf. Matthew 18:19):
      • They "BINDED" themselves to this AGREEMENT which "LOOSED" them from the so called "GREAT COMMISSION" - to "GO ... INTO ALL THE WORLD" (Mark 16:15) and TO "ALL NATIONS" (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47-48) "and UNTO the UTTERMOST PART of the EARTH" (Acts 1:8)
      • PETER ACKNOWLEDGED the EPISTLES of PAUL as SCRIPTURE - "in which SOME THINGS ARE HARD TO BE UNDERSTOOD" (II Peter 3:15-16) - IF NOT "RIGHTLY DIVIDING the Word of Truth" (II Timothy 2:15) BETWEEN their TWO DIFFERENT MINISTRIES (Galatians 2:7-9)
  • The EXHORTATION to "REMEMBER THE POOR" (Galatians 2:10) was in particular reference to "the POOR SAINTS which are at JERUSALEM" (Romans 15:26) - whose POVERY was the DIRECT RESULT of a DISPENSATIONAL CHANGE:
    • The GENTILE "DISPENSATION of the GRACE of God" (Ephesians 3:1-2) had PLACED ON HOLD the NATIONAL SALVATION of ISRAEL (Romans 11:26-27 cf. Isaiah 59:20-21) - "TILL the FULNESS of the GENTILES be come in" (Romans 11:25)
    • The GENTILE DISPENSATION (Ephesians 3:1-2), "which was KEPT SECRET since the world began" (Romans 16:25 cf. Ephesians 3:4-5; Colossians 1:25-26):
      • Promises "all SPIRITUAL blessings in HEAVENLY places" (Ephesians 1:3) - WHERE the BELIEVER is SEATED TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (Ephesians 2:6)
      • Differs from ISRAEL'S PROPHESIED Messianic kingdom (Acts 3:24-26) - with PHYSICAL EARTHLY promises for ISRAEL (Matthew 11:4-5 cf. Isaiah 35:5-6)
      • Thus, under the GENTILE DISPENSATION (with SPIRITUAL and HEAVENLY promises) - "we walk BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT" (II Corinthians 5:7 cf. I Timothy 5;23; II Timothy 4;20) as opposed to the VISIBLE and PHYSICAL signs of ISRAEL'S EARTHLY kingdom (Mark 16:17-18,20)
    • The GENTILE DISPENSATION began to AFFECT the PHYSICAL WELL BEING of ISRAEL'S KINGDOM disciples living at JERUSALEM:
      • BEFORE - they SOLD ALL and "HAD ALL THINGS COMMON" (Acts 2:44-45) - in accordance with the KINGDOM COMMAND (Luke 12:32-33)
      • NOW - with the PREDICTED " DEARTH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD" (Acts 11:28) - the GENTILE BELIEVERS are instructed "to SEND RELIEF UNTO the BRETHREN which dwelt in JUDEA ... BY the hands of BARNABAS AND SAUL" (Acts 11:29-30)
    • Therefore, Paul says of the GENTILE BELIEVERS concerning "the POOR SAINTS which are at JERUSALEM" (Romans 15:26):
      • MINISTER PHYSICALLY for what you have RECEIVED SPIRITUALLY (Romans 15:27), i.e. the SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS of the NEW COVENANT (II Corinthians 3:6-9 cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34)

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