Gal 2:1-2: "Thereupon, after the lapse of fourteen years, I again went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also along with me. Now I went up in accord with a revelation, and submitted to them the evangel which I am heralding among the nations, yet privately to those of repute, lest somehow I should be racing or ran for naught."
Fourteen years after his aforementioned visit to Jerusalem, Paul returns with Barnabas and Titus. Paul tells us it was “in accord with a revelation” that he returned, to submit to them his evangel that he was heralding among the nations. I take this to mean that Paul was told to take his evangel to those of the Circumcision in Jerusalem, so that they would understand Paul’s evangel and separate calling for the nations. It is interesting that Paul only submitted his evangel to those of repute, (Peter, James and the other higher ups among the Circumcision). It is possible that the majority of those of the Circumcision in Judea would not have understood Paul’s separate calling and message. I believe that this is another proof of Paul’s separate evangel, if it was the same as the evangel of Circumcision, no one in Judea would have an issue with it.
Gal 2:3-5: "But not even Titus, who is with me, being a Greek, is compelled to be circumcised. Yet, it was because of the false brethren who were smuggled in, who came in by the way to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they shall be enslaving us- to whom, not even for an hour do we simulate by subjection, that the truth of the evangel should be continuing with you."
A. E. Knoch, in his commentary on verse 3 says this: “Titus was taken along as a test case. If circumcision was essential, then he must submit to it. If it was not essential, then he was to be a living proof that it was not necessary.” I like what Knoch says here, and I think it highly plausible. It seems as though Paul’s intention to only meet with those of repute was thwarted when false brethren were “smuggled in”. There was an attempt to make the nations follow the law, or at least portions of it. Paul would not compromise his evangel, neither him nor Barnabas or Titus subjected to their demands for even an hour. The nations are not under law and the evangel of grace requires no law keeping of any kind. Paul did not want anyone of the nations to be confused.
Gal 2:6-10: "Now from those reputed to be somewhat-what kind they once were is of no consequence to me (God is not taking up the human aspect)-for to me those of repute submitted nothing. But, on the contrary, perceiving that I have been entrusted with the evangel of the Uncircumcision, according as Peter of the Circumcision (for He Who operates in Peter for the apostleship of the Circumcision operates in me also for the nations), and, knowing the grace which is being given to me, James and Cephas and John, who are supposed to be pillars, give to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we, indeed, are to be for the nations, yet they for the Circumcision- only that we may be remembering the poor, which same thing I endeavor also to do."
Paul hits this point again, those of repute submitted nothing to him. He did not get his evangel from Peter, James or any other from the Circumcision. “On the contrary” Paul says, “perceiving that I have been entrusted with the evangel of the Uncircumcision, according as Peter of the Circumcision.” Paul was entrusted with the evangel of the Uncircumcision and Peter the evangel of the Circumcision. Notice the preposition “of” is used when describing these different evangels. It is not “to” the Uncircumcision and “to” the Circumcision, but “of”. The preposition “of” is used here to denote separation between these two, different evangels. Peter, James and John understood this difference, and gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship.
Gal 2:11-14: "Now when Cephas came to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, for he was self-censured. For, before the coming of some from James, he ate together with those of the nations. Yet when they came, he shrank back, and severed himself, fearing those of the Circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also play the hypocrite with him, so that Barnabas also was led away with their hypocrisy. But when I perceived that they are not correct in their attitude toward the truth of the evangel, I said to Cephas in front of all, "If you, being inherently a Jew, are living as the nations, and not as the Jews, how are you compelling the nations to be judaizing?""
Paul publicly calls Peter out here, for the benefit and faith of those of the nations in attendance. Peter was eating with the nations before those from James arrived, and out of fear of the judaizers, ha severed himself from the nations. If Peter was right in severing himself after those from James arrived, then he had been in the wrong before, though he knew that not to be the case. If Peter can live as the nations and be correct in his “attitude toward the truth of the evangel”, then the nations can live as the nations and be in obedience toward the evangel.
Gal 2:15-16: “We, who by nature are Jews, and not sinners of the nations, having perceived that a man is not being justified by works of law, except alone through the faith of Christ Jesus, we also believe in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by the faith of Christ and not by works of law, seeing that by works of law shall no flesh at all be justified.
In my original go through of Galatians, I had something different written for these verses and I believe I was in error. Here is the correction: The “we” that Paul starts off with here pertains to believers in the body of Christ who are “by nature Jews” or Jewish by birth. In the body of Christ, there is no Jew or Greek, but Paul is making a point here that even the members of the body of Christ who are Jews by birth (Paul included) realize that they are not justified by works of law, but alone through Jesus Christ’s faith. I do not believe the “we” can include Peter because I don’t believe Peter or the Circumcision believe they are justified alone by the faith of Christ and not by works of law (James 2:24). For an in-depth defense of this view see Aaron Welch’s third answer to an objection Here.
The Galatians were taught by Paul that they were justified by the faith of Christ, not by law. The faith OF Christ is mentioned twice here, Christ saved us and everyone. Believing in this fact is simply one coming into a recognition of what has already been accomplished by God through Christ.
Gal 2:17-19: "Now if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ, consequently, a dispenser of sin? May it not be coming to that! For if I am building again these things which I demolish, I am commending myself as a transgressor. For I, through law, died to law, that I should be living to God."
Now that I understand what Paul is saying here, I really love it. Once someone understands that one is only justified by the faith of Christ and not by works of law, and they have been given faith to believe the evangel (that Christ died for their sins and was roused because of our justifying-Rom 4:25), they are a believer, and are sealed (Eph 1:13). They will also be found to still be sinners. We sin because we are mortal and dying (Rom 5:12-14). When one becomes a believer they are not immediately vivified (made alive beyond the reach of death/immortal), therefore, they still sin. So some may say that trusting in Christ for our justification is being “light on sin” or “encouraging sinful behavior”. Quite the contrary! Sin is bad enough that Christ, God’s son, had to die for it, and we trust that His sacrifice actually worked! So we do what Paul says in Rom 6:11: "Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to Sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord." Sin must be present in order for one to “reckon” themselves dead to it. If one understands these truths, then goes back to the law to try to justify themselves, they are transgressing against the truth of the evangel.
Gal 2:20: "With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ. Now that which I am now living in flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.
The best commentary on this verse is found in Rom 6:1-11: "What, then, shall we declare? That we may be persisting in sin that grace should be increasing? May it not be coming to that! We, who died to sin, how shall we still be living in it? Or are you ignorant that whoever are baptized into Christ Jesus, are baptized into His death? We, then, were entombed together with Him through baptism into death, that, even as Christ was roused from among the dead through the glory of the Father, thus we also should be walking in newness of life. For if we have become planted together in the likeness of His death, nevertheless we shall be of the resurrection also, knowing this, that our old humanity was crucified together with Him, that the body of Sin may be nullified, for us by no means to be still slaving for Sin, for one who dies has been justified from Sin. Now if we died together with Christ, we believe that we shall be living together with Him also, having perceived that Christ, being roused from among the dead, is no longer dying. Death is lording it over Him no longer, for in that He died, He died to Sin once for all time, yet in that He is living, He is living to God. Thus you also, be reckoning yourselves to be dead, indeed, to Sin, yet living to God in Christ Jesus, our Lord."
Gal 2:21: "I am not repudiating the grace of God, for if righteousness is through law, consequently Christ died gratuitously."
If we could justify ourselves through the law, Christ died gratuitously (without cause, for no reason). Christ did die for our sins, and He was roused because of our justifying. Believe this good news, and do not repudiate the grace of God. I love how Paul’s letters all fit together so wonderfully, so divinely. I want to end this section on Galatians Ch. 2 with this: Rom 5:18-21: "Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life's justifying. For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just. Yet law came in by the way, that the offense should be increasing. Yet where sin increases, grace superexceeds, that, even as Sin reigns in death, thus Grace also should be reigning through righteousness, for life eonian, through Jesus Christ, our Lord."
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