Although the matter is disputable, it seems likely that Paul here reports the relevant features of the Council that Luke records in Acts 15. Paul uses a variety of ancient literary devices to make his point in this passage (e.g., aposiopesis or ellipsis, antithesis). Given the probable claims of his opponents that Paul is relaxing biblical requirements to gain more converts, and that their views emanate from Jerusalem, the Jerusalem apostles’ support bolsters Paul’s case.

THE FREEDOM FIGHTER, PART I

Galatians 2:1–10

This will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”

So wrote veteran news analyst Elmer Davis in his book But We Were Born Free, and his convictions would certainly be echoed by the Apostle Paul. To Paul, his spiritual liberty in Christ was worth far more than popularity or even security. He was willing to fight for that liberty.

Paul’s first fight for Christian liberty was at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1–35; Gal. 2:1–10); his second was at a private meeting with Peter (Gal. 2:11–21). Had Paul been unwilling to wage this spiritual warfare, the church in the first century might have become only a Jewish sect, preaching a mixture of Law and grace. But because of Paul’s courage, the Gospel was kept free from legalism, and it was carried to the Gentiles with great blessing.

Before we look at the three acts in the first drama, the Council at Jerusalem, we must get acquainted with the participants. Paul, of course, we know as the great apostle to the Gentiles.

Barnabas was one of Paul’s closest friends. In fact, when Paul tried to get into the fellowship of the Jerusalem church, it was Barnabas who opened the way for him (Acts 9:26–28).

The name Barnabas means “son of encouragement,” 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).

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).

Barnabas accompanied Paul on the first missionary trip (Acts 13:1–14:28) and had seen God’s blessings on the Gospel that they preached. It is worth noting that it was Barnabas who encouraged young John Mark after he had “dropped out” of the ministry and incurred the displeasure of Paul (Acts 13:13; 15:36–41). In later years, Paul was able to commend Mark and benefit from his friendship (Col. 4:10; 2 Tim. 4:11).

Titus was a Gentile believer who worked with Paul and apparently was won to Christ through the apostle’s ministry (Titus 1:4). 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).

Three men were the “pillars” of the church in Jerusalem: Peter, John, and James, the brother of the Lord (who must not be confused with the Apostle James, who was killed by Herod, Acts 12:1–2). Peter we know from his prominent part in the accounts in the Gospels as well as in the first half of the Book of Acts. It was to Peter that Jesus gave “the keys,” so that it was he who was involved in opening the door of faith to the Jews (Acts 2), the Samaritans (Acts 8), and the Gentiles (Acts 10). John we also know from the Gospel records as one of Christ’s “inner three” apostles, associated with Peter in the ministry of the Word (Acts 3:1ff).

It is James who perhaps needs more introduction. The Gospel record indicates that Mary and Joseph had other children, and James was among them (Matt. 13:55; Mark 6:3). (Of course, Jesus was born by the power of the Spirit, and not through natural generation; Matt. 1:18–25; Luke 1:26–38.) Our Lord’s brothers and sisters did not believe in Him during His earthly ministry (John 7:1–5). Yet we find “His brethren” associated with the believers in the early church (Acts 1:13–14). Paul informs us that the risen Christ appeared to James, and this was the turning point in his life (1 Cor. 15:5–7). James was the leader of the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 15; see also 21:18). He was also the writer of the Epistle of James; and that letter, plus Acts 21:18, would suggest that he was very Jewish in his thinking.

Along with these men, and the “Apostles and elders” (Acts 15:4, 6), were a group of “false brethren” who infiltrated the meetings and tried to rob the believers of their liberty in Christ (Gal. 2:4). Undoubtedly these were some of the Judaizers who had followed Paul in church after church and had tried to capture his converts. The fact that Paul calls them “false brethren” indicates that they were not true Christians, but were only masquerading as such so they could capture the conference for themselves.

This, then, is the cast of characters. Acts 15 should be read along with Galatians 2:1–10 to get the full story of the event.

Although the matter is disputable, it seems likely that Paul here reports the relevant features of the Council that Luke records in Acts 15. Paul uses a variety of ancient literary devices to make his point in this passage (e.g., aposiopesis or ellipsis, antithesis). Given the probable claims of his opponents that Paul is relaxing biblical requirements to gain more converts, and that their views emanate from Jerusalem, the Jerusalem apostles’ support bolsters Paul’s case.

2:1. The “fourteen years” here probably refers to his previous visit to Jerusalem, about three years after his conversion; if the Council met around A.D. 48, Paul’s conversion may have occurred around A.D. 31, within perhaps a year of Jesus’ resurrection.

With Barnabas (2:1). Barnabas was Paul’s mentor when Paul first returned to Jerusalem after his conversion (Acts 9:27). But he was also Paul’s colleague (11:24–26, 30; 12:25) at the time of the mission to Galatia (chs. 13–14).

I took Titus along (2:1). Who was Titus?19 In the New Testament, his name is only mentioned by Paul.20 Apparently, Titus was a Gentile who resided in Antioch and became a Christian through Paul’s evangelistic activities there. When Paul and Barnabas brought the famine relief fund to Jerusalem (Acts 11:30), they took Titus along as a test case.

A revelation (2:2). The biblical word “revelation” (apokalypsis)21 connotes an unveiling of supernatural origin. A revelation may come to a person directly (cf. Gal. 1:12), through a group of church leaders (cf. Acts 13:2), or through a prophet such as Agabus (cf. 11:28; 21:10–11). Paul clearly states that his second visit to Jerusalem was not due to the Jerusalem leaders’ invitation or his own ambition to have a direct confrontation with them concerning his Gentile mission.

Set before them the gospel (2:2). “Set before” literally connotes the idea of “laying something before for one’s own interest or purpose.” After fourteen years of evangelistic activities among the Gentiles in the Syria and Cilicia regions, Paul realizes that the advancement of this mission invites the recognition or endorsement (not approval) of the Jewish Christian leaders in Jerusalem (see 2:9 for the outcome).

To those who seemed to be leaders (2:2). This phrase refers to James, Peter, and John (2:9), who were the influential persons in the Christian community in Jerusalem. The first was a member of the family of Jesus; the latter two were part of the original apostolic band.

That I was running or had run my race in vain (2:2). Paul often uses athletic imagery (see Phil. 3:12–14 for his picture of the Christian life as a race; cf. 2 Tim. 4:7). Here “running” describes his apostolic service (cf. Phil. 2:16), though he will return to the race image in Galatians 5:7 in his gentle rebuke of his readers as in danger of being deflected from their loyalty to Christ.22

2:2 “It was because of a revelation that I went up” If one assumes that Acts 15 is the setting, Acts 15:2 produces a discrepancy. However, it has been supposed that the revelation came from one of the five prophets at Antioch who conveyed it to the church. Then the church at Antioch passed on the need to visit Jerusalem to Paul.

© “and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles” This is very significant in its relationship to verses 3–5. Why did Paul lay his gospel before the Apostles? (1) Did he want them to agree with him and affirm his gospel? (2) Or was he reacting to the presence of false teachers? The latter possibility best fits the parenthetical aside of verses 4 and 5.

Reading Acts 15 to find a private meeting first poses a difficulty. However, Acts 15:2b and verse 6 could refer to a meeting of the top leadership. Paul may have met with the leadership first for the purpose of getting a better hearing instead of meeting with the whole congregation which may have been previously infiltrated with Judaizers (those who demanded that one had to be a Jew before one could be saved).

Some scholars have suggested in recent years, probably due to the overemphasis of the Tübingen theologians from Germany, that tension existed between Paul and the Apostles in Jerusalem. Some assert that Paul’s three unusual phrases referring to the Jerusalem leaders found in 2:2, 6 (twice), and 9 are somewhat disparaging. These phrases may be viewed pejoratively with three points in mind. (1) They underscore the false teachers’ overemphasis made by the original Twelve Apostles in their attempt to depreciate Paul, not that Paul had any personal tension with the Twelve. (2) Possibly Paul was disappointed with some of the Apostles’ actions as in Acts 8:1 where they did not really grasp the worldwide mission of the Church, or in Peter’s tactless withdrawal from the fellowship table with Gentiles in Gal. 2:11–14. (3) These phrases may refer not to the Apostles but to other church leaders, or they refer to only some of the Apostles.

This obviously does not refer to Paul seeking theological affirmation from the Jerusalem leaders for this would go against the entire context. But here, the practicality of the mission effort among the Gentiles was at stake and Paul hoped and prayed for the consensus which he would subsequently receive. Paul expressed similar fears elsewhere (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58 and Phil. 2:16).