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Galatians 2:1 - 2:21
We
began this Book of Galatians with Paul's Message to the Gauls, about how he was struck
down on the road to Damascus by Christ, and he now was preaching The Gospel of Christ.
Acts 9 reveals that event experienced by Paul, as before Christ changed him, he was on his
way to Damascus to persecute Christians on authority by the scribes and Pharisees who
received not Jesus Christ as Messiah. That Christ chose Paul, which means Paul did not
make his own free-will choice to believe on Jesus Christ, is a major lesson to us
concerning 'election' and predestination. Moreover, that Paul was the greatest persecutor
of The Church at that time, and then suddenly turned against that Jewish authority, and
preached The Gospel, is certainly miraculous. Thus Paul was chosen by God as an example
for believers today also, so we would know that our Heavenly Father is in control.
Some in the congregation of the Galatians were listening to
those who would pervert The Gospel of Christ by teaching to go back to the ordinances in
The Old Testament Law which Christ fulfilled on the cross. As the Jews were strong in
following those blood 'ordinances', they were teaching that the Gentiles within the
congregation must adhere to them likewise. Why is understanding the differences in The Law
which Christ fulfilled on the cross important? Not all of The Law was fulfilled on the
cross. If It had been, Christ would not have preached The Ten Commandments in His Gospel.
By not knowing the differences, some Christian groups teach that all of The Old Testament
Law and prophets was done away with. That is simply not true.
Paul is going to cover some of these differences here in
Galatians, as we ask a Word of Wisdom in Christ Jesus' Precious Name, Amen.
Gal
2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and
took Titus with me also.
2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel
which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by
any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
This was fourteen years after Paul's conversion on the road
to Damascus by Christ. Paul was called to return to Jerusalem to help settle among the
Church elders the same dispute here among the Galatians. When Paul and Barnabas were in
Antioch, certain ones came from Jerusalem teaching that one must be circumcised in the
flesh to be saved. Then Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to settle the matter among the
Church elders there. Evidently some false ones had crept in the Church already, and were
attempting to distort The Gospel. How is it today? Does it still happen in many of
Christ's Churches?
Gal
2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be
circumcised:
This
word 'Greek' is 'Hellen' which means an 'inhabitant of Hellas; by
extension a Greek-speaking person, especially a non-Jew' (Strong's no.1672). The word
'Hellenist' is the proper interpretation in most cases when this word 'Greek' is given in
New Testament Scripture.
Titus, being a Hellenist, or Greek, had no need of flesh
circumcision according to Paul's teaching of The Gospel of Christ, nor any Gentile have
need. Circumcision according to Old Testament Law, was now of the 'heart', not of the
flesh (Romans 2). It is now a good practice for health reasons only, and not religious
reasons.
Gal
2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in
privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us
into bondage:
This idea of 'false brethren unawares brought in'
was a warning which Paul gave also in Acts 20 and 2 Cor.11. This is not a subject to
consider lightly, because a little 'leaven' (false doctrine, a poison against Christ)
affects the whole loaf. Christ also warned Christians about these false brethren who creep
in (see Matt.16:6; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1).
This phrase 'to spy out' in verse 4, which these 'false
brethren' were doing, is 'kataskopeo' in the Greek meaning 'to be
sentinel, i.e. to inspect insidiously' (Strong's no.2684). Reason with me for a
moment. Just how would these 'false brethren', who were pushing the Law of blood
circumcision on the Gentiles, know whether one was circumcised or not? Well, they must
have went secretly peeking around the corner to discover that.
Here's the gist of the Message. Who is given control by God
over this earth flesh age and its kingdoms? Satan is (Luke 4:5-6). How does Satan's
little 'workers of iniquity' operate in the world? Behind the scenes
initially, always in secret. This is why many can't understand how all the evil can exist
around us, even in a free Nation founded upon a trust in God, and abundant in His
blessings. Christ would teach in Luke 8 & 11 that a true servant of The Lord does not
put a candle (works in The Holy Spirit) under a bed, but on a table so it can give light
to the whole room (world). Christ's own don't go around accomplishing their works in
secret. But Satan's children do everything under a cloak of 'darkness', lest they be found
out, and God's People punish them according to God's Commandments which were not done away
with on the cross. God gives to His servants power over all His enemies (Luke 10:19). So
Satan's own, for reasons of self-preservation, must do their dirty work in hiding, in
secret, and they spy out in secret. There is no 'light' of The Holy Spirit in them. When
Christ said in Matthew 10 that "...there is nothing covered, that shall not be
revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.", He was referring to the time of
His second Advent to earth, when all the evil works by those who follow Satan, will be
exposed by Him, and Christ will be 'very accurate' in punishment (1 Cor.4:5; 1 Cor.3:13;
Romans 2; Rev.20:12). In other words, Satan's children have an advantage of secrecy over
the deceived in this flesh age, though they still can't defeat God's true servants in the
flesh. By the natural goodness of God's servants having His Light in them, who wish to
openly help others in this world, and show God's Gift of Grace to them, they are always an
open target for Satan's workers. We don't hide God's Truth, so we're easy to locate. So be
patient in diligent service to our Father and His Christ, knowing that we have the Victory
through His Son.
The next part of this message involves what to do about
these 'spies' who seek to creep into God's Churches and distort The Gospel of Christ. It's
very, very simple, as God's Truth can be openly found if one will only believe and serve
Christ. After our repentance and belief on Christ, and then by studying His Word, is how
we can recognize false doctrines proposed by these 'false brethren'. As regards
the Church 'system', this means to be aware of even the 'idea' of the flesh
'organizational system'; for the True Head of every True Church is Jesus Christ, and none
other. Does your Church follow Christ's Doctrine as given in His Word, or some flesh
tradition of man, recommended by some higher Church authority in a far away city?
You don't know? Then get to studying The Word, because your soul could be in grave
danger, as that Church 'system of man' cannot save you. If you're not verifying what I'm
teaching on this Website for yourself, you're no better off than going to some Church that
just says, "You don't need to study; all you've got to do is believe." Only
Jesus Christ, The Word of God, can give Salvation.
Christ frees us from our sins when we repent and believe on
Him. Therefore, no Church system has the authority to cast away a sinner who repents to
Christ and attempts to make a change in their life. One fad which the various Church
systems have is this 'membership' thing. "Would you like to join our membership and
have your name added to our Church registry?", they might say. I would reply,
"Not really, I'm already a member of The Body of Christ." Some might say that
they never intend their Church membership registry to be a replacement for Christ's Body
of names written in God's Book of Life. I'm not talking about those Churches that know
better, and are not guilty of it. However, some Church systems do use it for bondage
purposes, as when they refuse to forgive a local member of some sin, even when Christ has
forgiven the person through repentance, that Church system will boot 'em out, and hold
that registry up against them like it is The Book of Life. If that isn't bad enough, some
Church 'systems of man' use that membership registry to keep track of a member's tithing,
and to send letters of responsibility out saying something like, "You need to give
more tithes. We feel you're just not giving enough based on your salary." That type
of Church 'system' is a business, not Christ's Church! What about those Churches where the
congregation must receive a new believer into their approval first, before they will allow
that person to be baptized? These wrongs are going on in some Churches today, and it is an
abomination of 'bondage', coming between a sinner and Christ!
Gal
2:5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth
of the gospel might continue with you.
Paul
very well knew The Gospel of Christ, God's Law, and the prophets. To yield to these 'false
brethren' would have meant his authority from Christ was fake. Can you see why and
how these false ones start with just a seemingly little thing? If they are allowed to
continue, the false worship keeps growing to greater matters, even to where ministers are
doing same sex marriages, etc. If God's People are ignorant of His Word, how are they even
going to recognize when these 'false brethren' try to sneak in?
Gal
2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh
no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat
in conference added nothing to me:
These 'false brethren' evidently really thought
they were 'something'. Yea, they held a big meeting with Paul, putting themselves up on a
pedestal of self-righteous authority. Paul's saying those elder Jews of the Christian
Church back in Jerusalem had no new revelation to add to The Gospel he received directly
from Jesus Christ.
Those who began this idea of the Gentiles needing to be
circumcised to be saved, were 'certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed' (Acts
15:5).
Gal
2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was
committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
8 (For He That wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the
circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
The 'gospel of uncircumcision' Paul speaks of is
about the circumcision of the heart, for both male and female (see Romans). Christ
fulfilled The Law of the blood ordinances upon the cross. Notice I said 'fulfilled' and
not 'done away with'. As Christ now is our True Sabbath, and our Passover sacrificed for
us, He fulfilled those portions of The Law. Thus we still are to observe Passover, not in
the flesh sense, but in the spiritual sense (1 Cor.5:7). We are still to observe the
Sabbath also, not in the flesh sense, but in the spiritual sense of Christ being our
'Rest', as that's what the word 'sabbath' means, 'rest, intermission' (Col.2; Hebrews 4).
Gal
2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the
grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship;
that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This word 'heathen' is 'ethnos' in the
Greek, meaning 'a tribe; specially, a foreign (non-Jewish) one' (Strong's
no.1484). It simply means the 'ethnic' peoples, i.e. Gentiles. As written in Acts 9, Paul
was sent by Christ to preach to the Gentiles, Kings, and to Israel. Others of the Apostles
of Christ, such as James, would stay on in Jerusalem preaching to the 'circumcision',
i.e. the Jews.
Gal
2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which
I also was forward to do.
Many Christians of the time were cast out of their homes for
their belief on Jesus Christ as Messiah, and they lost most everything they owned. This
verse especially applied to that situation of the day, but still not to be forgotten by us
in the present time. God's Law directs us to always help the poor. That part is not done
away with, and it applies to all peoples, not just one group among themselves.
Gal
2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because
he was to be blamed.
God revealed to Peter a vision of wild game upon a sheet, and our
Father told him to take and eat. These meats shown to him were unclean according to God's
Law. The meaning of the vision was revealed to Peter when he was summoned by God to the
house of a Gentile named Cornelius, where many were gathered to hear The Gospel of Christ.
The Holy Spirit fell upon them as Peter, a Jew, preached to them, and they were baptized
in Christ also (Acts 10). Peter then realized that Salvation through Jesus Christ was to
the Gentile also, and that was the meaning of God's vision to him. When Peter came to
Jerusalem, other Jews had reproached him about entering the house of a Gentile, which was
against their law, and he explained to them what God revealed concerning Salvation for the
Gentiles (Acts 11).
So Peter well knew from God that the Gentiles who believed,
were to be treated as brethren in Christ.
Gal
2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles:
but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the
circumcision.
Peter was there among the Gentiles at Antioch with
Paul. He freely ate and fellowshipped with those Gentiles. But when 'certain'
Jews of James' group at Jerusalem came to Antioch, Peter separated himself from those
Gentiles, because of what his own Jewish brethren might think or say. In other words,
Peter was trying to be a 'man pleaser', instead of holding to the vision and work God
worked through him concerning the Gentile being accepted unto Christ also. Peter would
even say among those first Gentiles back Caesarea who received Christ: "Then
Peter opened his mouth, and said, 'Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of
persons:' " (Acts 10:34).
Gal
2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas
also was carried away with their dissimulation.
The word 'dissimulation' is 'hupokrisis'
in the Greek meaning 'acting under a feigned part, ("hypocrisy")'
(Strong's no.5272).
We could speculate that them there Gentiles might'a been
eatin' country ham for dinner. Good ole' salt cured pork. Maybe even with home cooked
biscuits and 'red-eye' gravy made from the ham grease on the side? We could also say, that
maybe Peter even enjoyed that country ham, before his Jewish brethren came.
Gal
2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of
the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, "If thou, being a Jew, livest
after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to
live as do the Jews?
Uh oh. Paul just called Peter down for his actions, right in
front of all. It appears Peter must have been eatin' that 'country ham' of the Gentiles
before his Jewish brethren had arrived, and he maybe even liked it!
Gal
2:15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by
the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the
law shall no flesh be justified.
So what's Paul's Message so far? It is this. God's Law
is embedded in the operations of this world of flesh. The Law is our 'schoolmaster' to
live by. It helps keep us in line. When we transgress that Law, we will suffer punishment
in the flesh, just as a schoolmaster must maintain discipline. But that same Law from God,
which He set up for us as a Guide in order to receive His Goodness, is Perfect, as our
Teacher Yehovah, He is Perfect also. So the non-believing 'class clowns' who transgress
God's Law, deliberately for self-attention and self-pride, are not to be looked upon as
being funny. The 'paddling' they receive from God can't be compared to the one given by a
human high school teacher. Yet, for those who believe on Christ when we sin, that paddling
from God, i.e. His chastisement, will fit the crime and is done out of His love for us.
But we can in no way be perfect in that Law, for we are all sinners in the flesh. Thank
God for His Christ Who frees us from being held accountable based solely on The Law! But
is The Law done away with? Absolutely not; only the ordinances which Christ 'fulfilled'
upon the cross (Eph.2:15; Heb.9; Col.2). Stealing is a transgression of God's Law
(Exo.20:15). What happens to a thief who is caught today?
The meaning of 'Jews by nature' refers to their
particular habit and upbringing in a very strict observance in God's Law. Therefore, these
Jews who accepted Christ as Messiah were having a hard time adjusting away from their old
habits of strict observance and traditions based upon God's Law. Many of those 'traditions'
of the Jews, which are based upon God's Law, are man's own doings anyway. The 'false
brethren', the 'crept in unawares', i.e. the 'sons of Cain', are the ones mainly
responsible for creating the greater 'bondage' based upon their over meticulous renderings
of God's Law. Christ freed them from those entrapments that create bondage, and they have
a hard time trying to 'ease up' on the reigns a little, not being held to the blood
ordinances anymore. At the opposite end of the scale, the 'sinners of the Gentiles'
have a difficult time 'tightening up' on trying to follow God's Law Which remains in
effect. All in all, God's Law is Good. But only through faith in Christ Jesus are we
'justified', or 'saved', and that by His unmerited favor of Grace.
In Peter's case, he was being a little 'two-faced', supping
with Gentiles only until his Jewish brethren arrived. No doubt this event by Peter was for
our learning; for both Jew and Gentile, much as Peter denied Christ three times before the
cock crowed (Matt.26:33-34; 69-74). What's more, the vision Peter was given by God
concerning Salvation to the Gentile, and what God cleansed, we are not to call common, he
should have set an example for his Jewish brethren when among the Gentiles at Antioch,
instead of falling back into 'old habits'.
That's the Message for us. After having accepted Christ as
Savior, we often tend to fall back into old routines if we aren't careful, because flesh
man naturally loves habit. The flesh prefers permanence, not change. And if we don't stay
awake in God's Word, we can easily fall prey to false doctrines and traditions which Satan
purposefully designs to test our flesh habits, and this concerns any habits of idol
worship also.
Gal
2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are
found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid."
18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a
transgressor.
So because we are now saved by the Grace of Christ, and not
by The Law, does that mean we can just go out and commit sin, knowing all we have to do is
believe on Jesus and repent? God forbid, no! As said before, God's Law is embedded
in the world of flesh. If we break It, we will pay, but by sincere repentance and
attempting to change, we are justified by our faith in Jesus Christ. Those who go and
'knowingly' sin because they think all they've got to do is repent, will receive a
double-portion of punishment from God (Heb.10:26; Rev.18:6).
If it was pork those Gentiles were eating, and Peter
partook, since pork is against God's Health Law, does that mean Peter would lose salvation
through Christ? No, but Peter's flesh body wouldn't be very healthy if he kept eating it.
The same goes for the Gentile, as all of us are under God's Law, not only Jews. God gave
The Law to us to keep our flesh tuned-up to feel good, as our Father created these flesh
bodies, and He knows what's best for them. Some people have a bad reaction to a little
alcohol. It's a medical fact that a little wine is good for the flesh system (a little
means like one glass with a main meal). Will they go to hell if they drink 'a little' for
the stomach? No. But those who abuse alcohol, etc., they will pay for their indulgence,
and usually in more ways than one. God's Law governs the reward in staying within His Law,
or the punishment in transgressing It, in either case.
Paul is saying in verse 18 that, if we go back to relying
only upon God's Law to be our Salvation, and not Jesus Christ as our Savior, then we
become transgressors of Grace and The Gospel of Jesus Christ. That's what Peter's actions
represented, by eating with the Gentiles at first and then separating himself according to
that old tradition when his Jewish brethren arrived. Peter should have been aware of his
actions, especially since God gave him the Message that the Gentile was to be included in
Salvation. This is why Paul came down on him so hard, because Peter was entrusted with a
lot from God.
Gal
2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.
When Paul uses the word "I" here, he intends his
spiritual man, the 'new creature' in Christ, not the flesh man (2
Cor.5:17). The inner 'spiritual man in Christ', is therefore 'dead' to The Law, but
not our flesh, nor the spiritual man of those who refuse Christ. One must accept Jesus
Christ as Savior for to take part in this renewed state of Grace. Paul fully explains the
shortcomings of the flesh according to The Law in Romans 7. But the 'new man' in Christ is
our hope and in faith that Jesus Christ did sacrifice Himself on the cross, and gave us
the Promise of Salvation, is the inner man's striving. And this even though our old flesh
can't be perfect and will transgress God's Law.
Gal
2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come
by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If we were justified or obtained Grace by The Law only, then
Christ Jesus would have died on the cross for nothing. That's all Paul is saying here.
Does this mean God's Law is done away with then? God forbid no. Nor does Paul imply that
anywhere in his Epistles.
Many
who teach that all Old Testament Law was done away with when Christ died upon the cross
offering The Way to Salvation, do so in ignorance. Those also tend to teach that The Old
Testament was all history, and offers little concerning The Salvation of Christ and
Christian Doctrine. If you study the Books of the Prophets, you'll learn that is not true.
They are just taking The Old Testament and putting It back on the bookshelf to collect
dust when they teach that false message. As Jesus Christ stated in Matt 5:17: "Think
not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to
fulfil."
Peace be to you in Christ
Jesus,
Dave Ramey.
Footnotes:
All references to
"Strong's nos." are from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, PC Study
Bible, Biblesoft, 1993-1996.
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