Galatians 2:1 Commentary

Navigator

Galatians 2:1

Comments

Fourteen years after the visit that Paul had just been speaking about, he went up to Jerusalem again, though he does not deny that there may have been another visit between these two. If this is the same visit as Acts 15, why does Paul pass over the famine visit of Acts 11:30? Was there not a risk that someone would accuse him of not being straightforward about his contact with the apostles? Even if we assume that the apostles were in Jerusalem at the time – which they may not have been – and therefore he had contact with them, it is likely that Paul’s argument has changed at this point in the epistle. In chapter 1 he has certainly argued for minimal contact with the apostles, but by the time of the famine visit he was established as an independent preacher (at least ten years after his conversion) and contact with the apostles was no longer an issue. He now changes his emphasis to argue for the other apostles’ approval of his teaching and there was no need to mention the famine visit. Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem because they were the ones who had been the chief protagonists on the side of freedom from the Mosaic law. The discussion about the subject arose because of certain Jews who came from Jerusalem and claimed to have been sent by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem (Acts 15:24). These taught that faith in Christ was not enough and that circumcision as Moses had commanded was still necessary even for Gentiles. This was a question which for Paul struck at the heart of the gospel and had to be resisted at all costs. At the time of this visit Paul and Barnabas had already completed the first missionary journey and Paul was accepted as the chief speaker (Acts 14:12).Paul and Barnabas were sent by the church at Antioch to Jerusalem because it was from Jerusalem that these false teachers to come. That church was responsible for sorting out the problem. What is more, the false teachers claimed to come with the approval of the apostles who were currently based at Jerusalem. Titus was taken with them as an example of the fruit of Paul and Barnabas’s work among the Gentiles.

Application

Questions

The New Testament records four visits to Jerusalem by Paul after his conversion:

{

1. Galatians 1:18-19 – 36 or 37 AD

2. Famine visit (Acts 11:27-30) – soon after 44 AD

3. Jerusalem conference (Acts 15) – about 50 AD

4. Feast of Pentecost visit Acts 21:17

Which of these is Galatians 2:1? Not the first since the circumstances are completely different; not the fourth since Barnabas was no longer with Paul by Acts 21:17; therefore either the second or the third. Both of these have their supporters. The following points consider whether Galatians 2 refers to the third visit of Acts 15:

Arguments against Galatians 2 referring to Acts 15

Objection: Peter would not have come to Antioch and done the very thing that caused the Jerusalem conference after it had taken place. Answer: He did not. Acts 15 was about the necessity of the circumcision of the Gentiles, but Galatians 2 was about lifestyle and association.

Objection: Paul would have mentioned the Jerusalem conference in Galatians if it had already happened. This would have been a final answer to Judaizers who appealed to the Jerusalem apostles to support their view. Answer: Not necessarily, if they knew of it and were ignoring it.

Objection: Too much time would have elapsed if Galatians was written after the third visit, for him to say, ‘I marvel that you are so soon turned away …’ (Galatians 1:6). Answer: This would still have been only a matter of two or three years.

Objection: Acts has Paul being sent to Jerusalem, but Galatians 2:2 says he went by revelation. Answer: Both could be true.

Objection: Galatians describes a private meeting with the apostles, but Luke has a church meeting. Answer: Luke leaves room for a private meeting beforehand.

Arguments for Galatians 2 referring to Acts 15

The 14 years mentioned in Galatians 2:1 should be counted from the previous visit to Jerusalem (about 37 AD) not from Paul’s conversion (34 AD) ; therefore Galatians 2 was too late to be the Famine visit which was ‘about’ (Acts 12:1) 44 AD.

The famine visit at about the time of Herod’s death 44 AD would make Paul’s conversion, 14 years previous to this, too early.

Galatians 2:5 shows Paul was known to the Galatians by the time of this visit, but according to Acts the first missionary journey was after the famine visit.

Acts 11 visit has Barnabas taking the lead; Acts 15 and Galatians have Paul taking the lead.

If Acts 11 covered all the ground of Galatians 2 then the issue was settled long before and there would have been no need for the Acts 15 conference.

Both visits record Paul and Barnabas as coming from Antioch and returning to Antioch (Galatians by implication).

The circumstances of Galatians 2 and Acts 15 are the same: same persons – Paul, Barnabas, ‘certain other of them’ with Paul (Titus), Peter, James, apostles and elders, Judaizers; same report – news of Gentile conversion; same issue – necessity of circumcision for Gentiles; same tone of conference – hard fought contest; same outcome – Jerusalem leaders support Paul and censure the Judaizers; same recognition of Paul’s call to Gentiles.

}

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Galatians 2:1 Commentary and Bible Study