Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Galatians 2:11

Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Galatians 2:11 - 2:21

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Bob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Galatians 2:11 - 2:21

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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Gal_2:11-21

¹¹But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. ¹²For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. ¹³The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. ¹⁴But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? ¹⁵We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; ¹⁶nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. ¹⁷But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! ¹⁸For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. ¹⁹For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. ²¹I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

Gal_2:11 "But when Cephas came to Antioch" The time of Peter's visit to Antioch is unknown. Some scholars place the visit immediately after the Jerusalem Council; some place it before. Apparently the mention of this visit is out of chronological order. It could have followed the Council meeting of Acts 15 highlighting the fact that all of the practical problems were not completely solved. However, it is difficult to imagine Peter acting like this after affirming Paul and his gospel at the Council (cf. Gal_2:9; Act_15:6-11), this then becomes another argument for those who think it refers to the Acts 11 vision.

▣ "I opposed him to his face" Paul uses this example to assert his independence from and equality with the Jerusalem Apostles. This is a strong idiom (cf. Eph_6:13 and Jas_4:7).

NASB     "because he stood condemned"

NKJV     "because he was to be blamed"

NRSV     "because he stood self-condemned"

TEV      "because he was clearly wrong"

NJB      "since he was manifestly in the wrong"

This periphrastic pluperfect passive verb speaks of something that had already happened, that had become a settled position and had been performed by the outside agent. This construction does not imply that Peter continued in this attitude. Also notice that the leader of the Apostolic group made a mistake. The Apostles were inspired to write trustworthy and eternal Scripture, but this never implied that they did not sin or did not make poor choices in other areas!

Gal_2:12 "For prior to the coming of certain men from James" The "certain men" were probably members of the Church in Jerusalem, but whether they had official authority or not is uncertain. Clearly they were not representatives sent from James, for James agreed completely with Paul's position concerning Gentile Christianity (cf. Act_15:13-21). Perhaps they were a fact-finding committee that had exceeded their authority. They were possibly there to check on the implementations of the Council's stipulations (cf. Act_15:20-21). They caught Peter, a believing Jew, in table fellowship with Gentile believers in direct violation of the oral law (i.e., Talmud). Peter had struggled with this very issue earlier (cf. Act_11:1-18). This was not a minor issue even during Jesus' life (cf. Mat_9:11; Mat_11:19; Luk_19:1-10; Luk_15:2; Act_15:28-29).

▣ "he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision" Three imperfect tense verbs occur in Gal_2:12. The first states that Peter ate regularly with the Gentile believers. The second and third stress that when the delegation from the Jerusalem Church arrived Peter began to reduce his social contact with the Gentile believers. This was not over the single issue of circumcision but rather the general relationship of the Mosaic Law to the new Gentile believers.

Gal_2:13 "The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy" The deadly tentacles of the Judaizers' corrupting influence affected even the most faithful. Paul was clearly disappointed by the actions of Barnabas. Barnabas had preached to Gentiles and stood up for the free gospel in Acts 15. The problem here was not the freedom of Gentile believers from the requirements of the Mosaic Law, but rather the implications of this freedom for the Jewish believers. Were Peter and Barnabas also free to reject the oral tradition which interpreted the Mosaic Law? See Special Topic: Paul's View of the Mosaic Law at Gal_3:19.

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Gal_2:14

NASB, NKJV       "straightforward"

NRSV     "not acting consistently"

TEV      "not walking a straight path"

This is literally "that they walked not straight." This has two metaphors.

1. "walked" means lifestyle

2. "straight" is a play on walking the clear path of righteousness (i.e., straight measuring rod, see Special Topic: Righteousness at Gal_2:21)

▣ "the truth of the gospel" See Special Topic: "Truth" in Paul's Writings at Gal_2:5.

▣ "I said to Cephas in the presence of all" Usually church problems need to be dealt with privately, but the actions of Peter hit at the heart of the gospel. The conflict had affected the entire church at Antioch and had to be addressed publicly and decisively in order to resolve the church's disunity (cf. 1Ti_5:20).

▣ "If you, being a Jew" This first class conditional sentence (assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes) is the beginning of Paul's discussion with Peter. Gal_2:15-21 is probably a theological summary and not necessarily Paul's exact words to Peter. Paul's public confrontation of Peter over his hypocrisy and inconsistency further proved Paul's independence.

▣ "to live like Jews" Paul turns the noun "Jews" into an infinitive (present active), found only here in the NT.

Gal_2:15-21 See note at the beginning of the chapter (i.e., Contextual Insights, C.). It seems to me that Paul's address to Peter may stop at Gal_2:14 because Gal_2:15-21 address a wider audience (note paragraphing of NRSV, TEV, NJB). The problem is that there is no apparent textual marker for the transition. It is possible that Gal_2:15-21 are addressed to the Galatian Christians. If so, they form a summary statement of the truths of the gospel related to the claims of the Judaizers, not just the inappropriate actions of Peter and Barnabas (and other Jewish Christians who were present).

The interpretive question is, "Who does the ‘we' of Gal_2:15-17 refer to":

1. Paul, Peter, and other believing Jews

2. Paul and the Galatian believers (generalizing the theological principle of justification by faith, cf. Gal_2:16; Rom_2:28-29)

Gal_2:15 "We are Jews by nature" Obviously, the Jews had some spiritual advantages (cf. Rom_3:1-2; Rom_9:4-5). But their advantages did not relate to salvation but to revelation and fellowship with God through the Old Covenant as the People of God. Thus, the heart of Paul's gospel to the Gentiles was the equality of believing Jews and Gentiles before God (cf. Gal_3:28; 1Co_12:13;Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:13; Col_3:11).

▣ "and not sinners from among the Gentiles" Paul was apparently using a derogatory phrase which was common in rabbinical Judaism and was possibly used by the false teachers. Gentiles were sinners by virtue of their being outside the OT covenant people (cf. Eph_2:11-12).

Gal_2:16 "that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus" This verse contains a threefold emphasis concerning the doctrine that justification by grace through faith alone is for every human (cf. Eph_2:8-9), beginning with "a man," then to "we" and concluding with "no flesh." This threefold repetition is overwhelming in its impact. The truth of justification by faith for all mankind (Jews and Gentiles) is the essence of Paul's definitive theological presentation in Romans 1-8, summarized in Rom_3:21-31.

"Justified" (as well as "righteous") denoted the OT concept of a measuring reed (see Special Topic at Gal_2:21). YHWH used this metaphor for His own character and moral standards. God is the standard of spiritual measurement (cf. Mat_5:48). In the NT God gives us His own righteousness through the death of Christ (cf. 2Co_5:21), received by repentance and faith on a person's part (cf. Mar_1:15 and Act_3:16; Act_3:19; Act_20:21).

Justification by grace through faith—presented in Gal_2:16-17 as our position in Christ—is based entirely on God's initiating love, Christ's finished work, and the wooing of the Spirit. However, the emphasis on our Christlike living is fully stated in Gal_2:21 where our position must result in living a Christlike life (i.e., Special Topic: Sanctification at 1Th_4:3, cf. Rom_8:29; Gal_4:19; Eph_1:4; Eph_2:10; 1Jn_1:7). Paul did not deny that good works were significant. He just denied that they were the grounds of our acceptance. Eph_2:8-10 shows Paul's gospel clearly—God's initiating grace, through mankind's faith response, unto good works. Even Gal_2:20, which seems to emphasize our sanctification—but in the context of the paragraph, proves the validity and pervasiveness of the doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Jesus, totally apart from human merit or lifestyle or ethnic origin.

Paul emphasizes the requirement of justification is not

1. "by works of the Law," Gal_2:16 a

2. "and not by the works of the Law," Gal_2:16 b

3. since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified," Gal_2:16 c

Then Paul gives the only way for sinful mankind to be justified.

1. "through faith in Christ Jesus" (lit. "through [dia] faith of Christ Jesus"), Gal_2:16 a

2. "we have believed in Christ Jesus' (lit. "in [eis] Christ Jesus we believed" [aorist active indicative]), Gal_2:16 b

3. "by faith in Christ" (lit. "by [ek] faith of Christ"), Gal_2:16 c

This threefold repetition is for clarity and emphasis! The only problem comes in how to understand and translate the genitives "of Christ Jesus," Gal_2:16 a and "of Christ," Gal_2:16 c. Most translations take the phrase as an objective genitive, "faith in Christ," but it can be a subjective genitive (cf. NET Bible), reflecting an OT idiom of "Christ's faithfulness" to the Father's will. This same grammatical question affects the understanding of Rom_3:22; Rom_3:26; Gal_2:20; Gal_3:22; Eph_3:12; Php_3:9. Whichever was Paul's intent, they both show that justification is not found in human actions, merit, or obedience, but in Jesus Christ's actions and obedience. Jesus is our only hope!

NASB, NKJV       "even we have believed in Christ Jesus"

NRSV     "And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus"

TEV      "We, too, have believed in Christ Jesus"

NJB      "we had to become believers in Christ Jesus"

The Greek terms pistis (noun) and pisteuô (verb) may be translated in English as "trust," "believe," or "faith." This term conveys two distinct aspects of our relationship with God.

1. we put our trust in the trustworthiness of God's promises and Jesus' finished work

2. we believe the message about God, mankind, sin, Christ, salvation, etc. (i.e., Scripture)

Hence, it can refer to the message of the gospel or our trust in the person of the gospel. The gospel is a person (Jesus Christ) to welcome, a message about that person to believe, and a life like that person to live. See Special Topic: Believe at Gal_3:6 and 1Th_5:9.

▣ "the Law" (twice) The NASB, NKJV, NRSV, TEV, and JB translations all have the definite article twice. The definite article does not appear in the Greek text, but it is assumed because of Paul's continuing use of this phrase for the Mosaic Law. Although he had this primarily in mind, any other human effort (societal norm) serving as a supposed basis for our right standing with God could be implied here.

▣ "no flesh" This expression means "no human being." See Special Topic: Flesh (sarx) at Gal_1:16.

Gal_2:17 "if" "If" introduces a first class conditional sentence, assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. Paul and his companions (like all humans) are assumed to be sinners (cf. Rom_3:9-19; Rom_3:23; Rom_11:32; Gal_3:22).

▣ "we ourselves have also been found sinners" This phrase proves difficult to interpret. Several possible theories have been advanced.

1. most commentators relate it to Rom_3:23 and say "We, like the heathen, are all in need of God's righteousness because we all have sinned"

2. some relate this phrase to the antinomian question of Romans 6-8, that if one is saved apart from human effort, why does God judge us in relation to our sin

3. this phrase may set the stage for Paul's discussion of the Law in chap. 3, where to break it once, in any area, removes the possibility of being right with God through keeping the Law. The believing Jews, Peter, Paul, and Barnabas had broken the Law by eating forbidden food. This view would relate Gal_2:17 to the immediate context denying an untrue conclusion which has been based on a valid premise

4. Paul was referring to Jews and Gentiles being one in Christ

If this is not God's will, this unity would make the Jewish believers sinners and Christ a party to their sin (cf. Eph_2:11 to Eph_3:6).

NASB     "is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be"

NRSV     "is Christ then a servant of sin"

NKJV     "is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not"

TEV      "does this mean that Christ has served the interest of sin? By no means"

NJB      "it would follow that Christ had induced us to sin, which would be absurd"

Paul's argument continued, though difficult to follow. That he was responding to (1) Peter's actions or (2) the charges and/or the teachings of the false teachers is obvious, but the exact issue to which this relates remains uncertain.

Paul's other usages of the phrase "may it never be" or "God forbid" are important in interpreting this passage (cf. Gal_3:21; Rom_6:2). Usually Paul used this rare optative structure to deny an untrue conclusion based on a valid premise.

Gal_2:18 "For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor" This is a first class conditional sentence, which is assumed true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. Scholars are unsure of Paul's exact reference here. Was it his preaching of the gospel or his previous life in Judaism? This same ambiguity is found in Romans 7. "Rebuild" and "destroy" may be rabbinical terms similar to "bind" and "loose" of Mat_16:19.

Gal_2:19 "For through the Law I died to the Law" This significant statement is not so much mystical in its focus as it is legal. Somehow when Jesus died on our behalf, we died with Him (cf. Gal_2:20; Rom_6:6-7; 2Co_5:14-15). Therefore, our mandatory relationship to the Law, as far as salvation is concerned, was broken. We are able to come to Christ freely. This is the focus in Gal_2:20-21, similar to Paul's developed argument in Rom_6:1 to Rom_7:6.

▣ "so that I may live to God" Again, the twin theological aspects of our position in Christ and our mandated lifestyle for Christ are asserted. This paradoxical truth can be stated in several ways.

1. the indicative (statement of our position) and the imperative (demand to live out our position)

2. objective (the truth of the gospel) and subjective (living the gospel)

3. "we have won" (we are accepted by God in Christ) but now "we must run" (we must live for Christ out of gratitude)

This is the dual nature of the gospel—salvation is absolutely free, but it costs everything that we are and have! It must be reiterated that the free gift comes before the call to Christlikeness. We died to sin that we might serve God (cf. Rom_6:10)!

Gal_2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ" In the Greek sentence, "with Christ" is placed first for emphasis (in the UBS⁴ Greek text it occurs in Gal_2:19). The verb (a perfect passive indicative) implies that something happened in the past with abiding results and was accomplished by an outside agent. It is the focus of Rom_6:1-11; Rom_7:1-6.

Paul uses the term "crucified" in Gal_5:24; Gal_6:14, which relates to the believer's relationship with this fallen world system. However, the emphasis here seems to be the believer's connection to the Law (cf. Gal_3:13). It is important to remember that once we have died with Christ, we are alive to God (cf. Gal_2:19; Rom_6:10). This concept is emphasized over and over again as

1. our responsibility to walk as He walked (cf. 1Jn_1:7)

2. that we ought to walk worthy of the calling wherewith we have been called (cf. Eph_4:1; Eph_4:17; Eph_5:2)

Once we know Christ in free forgiveness it is important that we live a life of responsible servanthood (cf. Col_2:12-14; Col_2:20; Col_3:1-4; and 2Co_5:14-15).

▣ "but Christ lives in me" Jesus is often said to indwell believers (cf. Mat_28:20; Joh_14:23 [Jesus and the Father]; Rom_8:10; Col_1:27). This is often associated with the ministry of the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom_8:9; Rom_8:11; 1Co_3:16; 1Co_6:19; 2Ti_1:14). The work of the Spirit is to magnify and reproduce the Son in believers (cf. Joh_16:7-15; Rom_8:28-29; Gal_4:19).

▣ "and the life I now live in the flesh" See Special Topic: Flesh (sarx) at Gal_1:16.

▣ "I live by faith" The Greek terms pistis (noun) and pisteuô (verb) can be translated "trust," "believe," or "faith," primarily emphasizing our trust in God's trustworthiness or our faith in God's faithfulness. See Special Topic at Gal_3:6. This faith is our initial response to God's promises, followed by a continuing walk in those promises. "Faith" is used in three senses in the NT.

1. personal trust

2. trustworthy living

3. a reference to the body of Christian doctrine, such as in Act_6:7; Act_13:8; Act_14:22; Gal_1:23; Jud_1:3; Jud_1:20

This may be an allusion to Hab_2:4 (cf. Rom_1:17; Gal_3:11; Heb_10:38).

▣ "the Son of God" Some very ancient MSS (i.e., P⁴⁶, B, D, F, G) have "God and Christ," but Paul does not use this phrase nor assert that belief in God brings salvation. The phrase "the Son of God" is found in MSS à , A, C, D² and most of the early church Fathers. UBS⁴ gives it an "A" rating (certain).

▣ "who loved me and delivered Himself up for me" This is the heart of the substitutionary atonement (cf. Gal_1:4; Mar_10:45; Rom_5:6; Rom_5:8; Rom_5:10; Gen_3:15; Isa_53:4-6).

Gal_2:21 "if" This introduces another first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. One would have expected a second class conditional sentence. This is a good example of a first class conditional sentence to emphasize a false assertion. There is only one way to God—not through Law, but through faith in the finished work of Christ (cf. Gal_3:21). If the Law could have brought salvation, then Christ did not need to die!

▣ "righteousness"

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▣ "then Christ died needlessly" This is the theological climax of Paul's rejection of the Judaizers' emphasis on human performance. If human actions could bring right standing with God, then there was no need for Jesus to die! However, both (1) the OT, especially Judges and the history of Israel (cf. Nehemiah 9) and (2) the current experiences of diligent religionists such as Paul, show humanity's inability to obey and conform to God's covenant. The Old Covenant, instead of bringing life, brought death and condemnation (cf. Galatians 3). The New Covenant (cf. Jer_31:31-34; Eze_36:22-38) brings life as a gracious gift from a loving God by giving believing, fallen mankind a new heart, new mind, new spirit! This gift is only possibly through the sacrificial work of Christ. He fulfilled the Law! He restores the breach of fellowship (i.e., the damaged image of God in humanity from Genesis 3 has been repaired and restored!).

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