# Galatians 02 📖: Paul Confronts Peter [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Galatians Overview]] | [[Galatians 01]] | [[Galatians 03]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### Confirmation from the Jerusalem Apostles **Principle**: God's plan takes time. [[#Verse 01.]] Then after fourteen years I went up to Jerusalem again with Barnabas, taking Titus along too.  [[#Verse 02.]] I went there because of a revelation and presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did so only in a private meeting with the influential people, to make sure that I was not running—or had not run—in vain.  [[#Verse 03.]] Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek. [[# Verse 03]] Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, although he was a Greek.  [[#Verse 04.]] Now this matter arose because of the false brothers with false pretense swho slipped in unnoticed to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, to make us slaves.  [[#Verse 05.]] But we did not surrender to them even for a moment, in order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. [[#Verse 06.]] But from those who were influential (whatever they were makes no difference to me; God shows no favoritism between people)—those influential leaders added nothing to my message.  [[#Verse 07.]] On the contrary, when they saw that I was entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised just as Peter was entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised  [[#Verse 08.]] (for he who empowered Peter for his apostleship to the circumcised also empowered me for my apostleship to the Gentiles)  [[#Verse 09.]] and when James, Cephas, and John, who had a reputation as pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we would go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.  [[#Verse 10.]] They requested only that we remember the poor, the very thing I also was eager to do. [[#Verse 11.]] But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong. ### Paul Rebukes Peter **Principle**: Stand for truth- Even among friends. [[# Verse 11]] But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he had clearly done wrong.  [[#Verse 12.]] Until certain people came from James, he had been eating with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself because he was afraid of those who were pro-circumcision.  [[#Verse 13.]] And the rest of the Jews also joined with him in this hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led astray with them by their hypocrisy.  [[#Verse 14.]] But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” [[# Verse 14]] But when I saw that they were not behaving consistently with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, although you are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you try to force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” ### The Justification of Jews and Gentiles **Principle**: For the Christian, we live for Christ and not for ourselves any longer. [[#Verse 15.]] We are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners,  [[#Verse 16.]] yet we know that no one is justified by the works of the law but by the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by the faithfulness of Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.  [[#Verse 17.]] But if while seeking to be justified in Christ we ourselves have also been found to be sinners, is Christ then one who encourages sin? Absolutely not!  [[#Verse 18.]] But if I build up again those things I once destroyed, I demonstrate that I am one who breaks God’s law.  [[#Verse 19.]] For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God.  [[#Verse 20.]] I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  [[#Verse 21.]] I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing! ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. Paul went up to Jerusalem "after fourteen years" (2:1), probably counted from his conversion or from his first visit. 2. Titus, a Greek believer, was not compelled to be circumcised (2:3). He became a test case for whether Gentiles had to become Jews to follow Jesus. 3. James, Cephas, and John were recognized as "pillars" of the church (2:9). 4. Giving "the right hand of fellowship" (2:9) was a recognized gesture of agreement and partnership. 5. The Jerusalem leaders asked Paul to remember the poor (2:10). Paul later gathered a collection for the believers in Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-26). 6. Antioch of Syria (2:11) was one of the largest cities of the Roman Empire and the place where disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). 7. Shared meals were a major issue because many Jews avoided eating with Gentiles over food laws and purity concerns (Acts 10:28; 11:3). 8. The word for "hypocrisy" (2:13) originally described an actor playing a part on stage. 9. The phrase "works of the law" appears three times in 2:16 alone. 10. Many scholars connect this Jerusalem visit with the council in Acts 15, while others link it to the famine relief visit in Acts 11:30. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us (2:20). We are justified by faith in Him and not by works of the law, because His death accomplished what the law never could (Romans 3:28). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Paul refused to let Titus be compelled to be circumcised so that the truth of the gospel would remain (2:3-5). Why did this issue matter so much? 2. Peter withdrew from Gentile believers because he feared others (2:11-13). How can fear of people lead us to act against the gospel? 3. Paul says Christ lives in him (2:20). What would change this week if you lived as though that were fully true? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 16: No one is justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. - 📖 verse 20: Paul has been crucified with Christ, and Christ now lives in him. He lives by faith in the Son of God who loved him and gave Himself for him. - 📖 verse 21: If righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing. ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Acts 15#Verse 01.|Acts 15:1-2]] - The circumcision controversy goes to Jerusalem. - 🔗 [[Acts 10#Verse 28.|Acts 10:28]] - God shows Peter not to call anyone unclean. - 🔗 [[Romans 03#Verse 28.|Romans 3:28]] - Justified by faith apart from the works of the law. - 🔗 [[Psalm 143#Verse 02.|Psalm 143:2]] - No one living is righteous before God. - 🔗 [[Romans 06#Verse 06.|Romans 6:6]] - The old self crucified with Christ. - 🔗 [[Colossians 03#Verse 03.|Colossians 3:3]] - Your life is hidden with Christ in God. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Galatians 02 - SOAP|A Supernatural Change]] ## 📂 Internal Notes