Defense of the Gospel - Its Authority (Galatians 2:11-21)

(Class Notes)

• Peter's Subsequent Visit to the Antioch Church (Galatians 2:11-13)
  • The TIMING of Peter's VISIT to the ANTIOCH CHURCH (Galatians 2:11):
    • AFTER Paul's MEETING with the LEADERS of the JERUSALEM CHURCH (Acts 15:1-2,22-23)
    • BEFORE Paul's SEPARATION FROM Barnabas (Acts 15:35-40)
  • The HYPOCRISY of Peter's REVERSAL at ANTIOCH CHURCH (Galatians 2:12):
    • BEFORE the ARRIVAL of JAMES' PARTY - Peter DID EAT WITH the GENTILES (Galatians 2:12)
    • AFTER the ARRIVAL of JAMES' PARTY - Peter SEPARATED FROM the GENTILES because he FEARED "them which were of the CIRCUMCISION" (Galatians 2:12)
    • Those of JAMES' PARTY were "ALL ZEALOUS of the LAW" (Acts 21:18-20) and LATER ATTEMPTED to EFFECT COMPROMISE on the part of Paul (Acts 21:21-25), BUT their ATTEMPT FAILED due to DIVINE INTERVENTION (Acts 21:26-32 cf. Acts 21:10-14)
  • Paul RIGHTFULLY BLAMED Peter for his HYPOCRISY (Galatians 2:11):
    • God had REVEALED in a VISION to Peter that the GENTILES were NOW CLEANSED (Acts 10:9-16), who were BEFORE UNCLEAN as TYPIFIED by the UNCLEAN ANIMALS of the LAW (Leviticus 11:4-8)
    • God had CONFIRMED this TRUTH via Peter's GENTILE MINISTRY to Cornelius (Acts 10:25-33)
    • Peter had DEFENDED his GENTILE MINISTRY to Cornelius WHEN CONTENDING WITH the JEWS at JERUSALEM (Acts 11:2-9) - with the POSITIVE RESULT that THEY GLORIFIED GOD (Acts 11:17-18)
    • Peter AGAIN SILENCED JEWISH OPPOSITION by CONFIRMING the TRUTH of the GOSPEL (Acts 15:7-12) at the MEETING with the LEADERS of the JERUSALEM CHURCH (Acts 15:1-2) - AGAIN with a POSITIVE RESULT, i.e. they ACKNOWLEDGED Paul's God given MINISTRY of GRACE (Galatians 2:9 cf. Acts 20:24)
  • The NEGATIVE RESULTS of Peter's HYPOCRISY (Galatians 2:13):
    • It CAUSED the SAME HYPOCRISY in OTHER JEWS, i.e. those NOT of JAMES' PARTY and NOTABLY BARNABAS (Galatians 2:13)
    • The HYPOCRISY of BARNABAS (Galatians 2:13) was ESPECIALLY HURTFUL (to Paul):
      • He was DIVINELY CALLED WITH PAUL to a SEPARATE WORK (Acts 13:1-2,43,46,50)
      • He STOOD FIRMLY WITH PAUL AGAINST the JUDAIZERS (Galatians 2:1-5)

• Paul's Public Rebuke of Peter at the Antioch Church (Galatians 2:14-16)
  • The REBUKE concerning that they "WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY" (Galatians 2:14):
    • Paul's REBUKE was in response to Peter's HYPOCRISY (Galatians 2:11-12) as well as that of "the other Jews with him" which included Barnabas, Paul's chief ministry partner (Galatians 2:13 cf. Acts 13:1-2,43,46,50)
    • Their HYPOCRISY resulted in their WALKING "NOT UPRIGHTLY according to the TRUTH of the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:14)
    • This ENCROACHING HYPOCRISY needed to be checked by a PUBLIC REBUKE levelled at its source (Galatians 2:14 cf. Galatians 2:11) - for "a LITTLE leaven LEAVENETH the WHOLE lump" (I Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9)
    • Peter's HYPOCRISY was occasioned by those who were " ZEALOUS of the LAW" (Galatians 2:12 cf. Acts 21:18-20)
    • This resulted in the GENTILES being compelled to live like the Jews (UNDER THE LAW) in DEFIANCE of the LIBERTY concerning "the TRUTH of the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:14 cf. Galatians 5:1-4)
    • It was the "JEWS BY NATURE" (Galatians 2:15) who had become TRANSGRESSORS of the LAW (James 2:11) by virtue of being BREAKERS of a CONDITIONAL COVENANT like Adam (Romans 5:14 cf. Hosea 6:7)
    • Similarly, the "SINNERS of the GENTILES" (Galatians 2:15) were NO BETTER - for they DID "BY NATURE the THINGS contained IN THE LAW" (Romans 2:14) and, thus, showed "the WORK of the LAW written in their hearts" (Romans 2:15; Romans 4:15) - they had the WITNESS of a GUILTY CONSCIENCE (Romans 2:15 cf. Deuteronomy 31:26; II Corinthians 3:9)
  • "The TRUTH of the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:14):
    • "The TRUTH of the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:14) is that "a MAN is NOT JUSTIFIED BY the WORKS of the LAW, BUT BY "the FAITH of CHRIST" (Galatians 2:16 cf. Romans 3:19-20)
    • It is "the FAITH of CHRIST" (Galatians 2:16) which proclaims NOT MAN'S RIGHTEOUSNESS as DEMANDED BY the WORKS of the LAW (Deuteronomy 6:25), BUT GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS as BESTOWED BY FAITH in the WORK of CHRIST (Philippians 3:9 cf. Romans 3:24-26)
    • UNDER the LAW, man was "SHUT UP UNTO the FAITH, which should AFTERWARDS be REVEALED" (Galatians 3:23 cf. Romans 3:21-23)
    • It was the LAW which was "OUR SCHOOLMASTER TO BRING US UNTO CHRIST ... BUT AFTER THAT FAITH IS COME ... NO LONGER UNDER A SCHOOLMASTER" (Galatians 3:24-25)
    • This was "the TRUTH of the GOSPEL" (Galatians 2:14) which Peter KNEW (I Peter 1:18-19; I Peter 2:24; I Peter 3:18) and according to which he "WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY" (Galatians 2:14)

• The Futility of the Law vs. the Power of Grace (Galatians 2:17-21)
  • Paul sharply warns that to GO BACK TO THE LAW after seeking justification by Christ - is in effect, to "MAKE CHRIST THE MINISTER OF SIN" - which is unthinkable, "GOD FORBID" (Galatians 2:17):
    • SADLY, this was Peter's NEGATIVE TESTIMONY - BY his BEHAVIOR in withdrawing from the Gentiles when James' party arrived in Antioch (Galatians 2:11-12)
    • Peter had earlier come to know and share the TRUTH that SALVATION is ONLY BY GRACE and NOT BY THE LAW (Acts 15:7-12)
  • NEGATIVELY , Paul declares that if he were to GO BACK TO THE LAW for justification - the end result AGAIN is that "I MAKE MYSELF A TRANSGRESSOR" (Galatians 2:18):
    • When God gave the Law to Israel - He declared that it was to "be there for A WITNESS AGAINST THEE" (Deuteronomy 31:26)
    • Two of Israel's MOST SPIRITUAL KINGS who "RESTED IN THE LAW" (Romans 2:17) were TRANSGRESSORS OF THE LAW (Romans 2:22):
      • KING DAVID, who was "A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART" (I Samuel 13:13-14) - COMMITTED ADULTERY (Romans 2:22) and was PUNISHED THROUGH HIS FAMILY for it (II Samuel 12:7-12)
      • KING Hezekiah, who "WROUGHT that which was GOOD AND RIGHT ... BEFORE THE LORD HIS GOD" (II Chronicles 31:20) - COMMITTED SACRILEGE (Romans 2:22) and HIS ROYAL SEED AND NATION were JUDGED for it (Isaiah 39:3-7)
  • POSITIVELY , Paul declares that "I THROUGH THE LAW AM DEAD TO THE LAW" (Galatians 2:19):
    • The believer DIED TO THE LAW (Romans 7:4) - BY virtue of his/her BAPTISM INTO CHRIST, i.e. BY his/her IDENTIFICATION WITH the DEATH, BURIAL, and RESURRECTION OF CHRIST (Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:10-12)
    • Thus, Paul declares in TRIUMPH - "THAT I MIGHT LIVE UNTO GOD" (Galatians 2:19), BECAUSE of the RISEN CHRIST Who NOW "LIVETH IN ME" (Galatians 2:20)
    • This "NEWNESS OF LIFE" (Romans 6:4) is ONLY POSSIBLE "BY the FAITH" concerning "the SON OF GOD, Who LOVED ME and GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME(Galatians 2:21 cf. II Corinthians 5:14-15)
    • Therefore, believers should NOT "FRUSTRATE THE GRACE of God" BY GOING BACK TO THE LAW (Galatians 2:21)

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