Galatians 2 (5)

Opening Prayer: Psalm 22.27, 28
All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
For the kingdom is the LORD’s,
And He rules over the nations.

Sing Psalm 22.27, 28.
(Darwall: Rejoice, The Lord Is King)
All nations shall repent and hasten to the LORD.
All those to whom His truth is sent shall praise His Word.
The LORD is King! His sovereign rule on high now we His people sing!

Read Galatians 2.1-16; meditate on verses 14-16.

Preparation
1. Where did Paul rebuke Peter? Why?

2. How are we justified?

Meditation
I agree with Calvin that verses 14-16 are the extent of Paul’s rebuke to Peter. After this, he returns to his rebuke to the Galatians, warning them as he warned Peter in Antioch. Commentators disagree on this point, and some, as in the NKJV, want Paul’s speech to Peter to go to the end of the chapter. It’s not a big deal, but for purposes of clarification, you need to understand my view.

Paul’s rebuke is short and to the point. Peter didn’t need a lecture or a review of the doctrine of justification—as, apparently, the Galatians did. Paul charged Peter with dissembling, not by his words but by his deeds. Not wanting the Jews from Jerusalem to see him eating and fellowshipping with Gentiles, which he had previously been doing. This is the “manner of Gentiles” Paul had in mind. By breaking fellowship with them to be with the Jews, Peter signaled that the Gentiles should probably also become Jews, if they wished to be full and true Christians (v. 14).

Paul said those who are Jews “by nature” know that “a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ” (v. 16). Jews—like Peter and Paul—are, like Gentiles, “by nature” sinners (cf. v. 17). Because they were Jews and had the Law of God, they knew that justification cannot come by the Law because no one can keep the Law. Gentiles are sinners, too (v. 15), but they only had the works of the Law written on their hearts, from which they had turned away (Rom. 2.14, 15; 1.18ff). It was wrong for Peter to give the impression that Jews were somehow superior to Gentiles, and that Gentiles could improve their standing by “the works of the law” (v. 16), whatever those works might have been.

In the case of the Galatians, circumcision was the issue. That might seem like a small thing, but it was a Jesus + matter, and where a right standing with God is concerned, Jesus is the only way (Jn. 14.6).

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Paul saw that Peter was not being straightforward about the Truth of the Gospel—he was equivocating, deviating, and obfuscating.

David, after being confronted by Nathan for his treacherous acts of adultery and murder, confessed, repented, and prayed: “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts…” (Ps. 51.6). David knew that he had lied to God— “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight” (Ps. 51.4). God demanded, and still demands, authentic, truthful, obedient living from His followers.

“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth” (Ps. 119.142). In fact, “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Ps. 119.160).

“In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing from our God…truth is fallen in the street” (Is. 59.13, 14).
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…” (Rom. 1.18).

Equivocating on the Truth, for any reason, is never pleasing to the LORD.

The life of Jesus is all about the Truth. He is the Truth (Jn. 14.6).
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8.31, 32).

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to bring forward this Truth into believer’s lives: “When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth…” (Jn. 16.13). “…the Spirit is truth” (1 Jn. 5.6).

Paul, “for such a time as this” (Esther 4.14), took a stand for righteousness and Truth, for Peter’s benefit, for those in their sphere of ministries’ benefit, and for our benefit.

Paul, later in his ministry, while imprisoned for his faith, may have been thinking about this very situation, when he wrote to Timothy: “But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2.23-26).

Paul stepped into Peter’s life and helped him come to his senses, “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4.15).

Is there any time that we are tempted to equivocate on the Truth of the Gospel?
Are there people in, or outside, the church that we fear more than we fear God?
What issues do we find easier to tolerate than to speak God’s Truth into?
Is there someone that we need to speak with about living in the Truth of the Gospel?

We can trust that the Holy Spirit will give us the courage to speak the Truth in love when we should.
And we can trust that same Holy Spirit to keep our mouths shut when the time isn’t right to speak.

In all the churches that Paul started, and served, there must have been myriad times when Hard Medicine could have been given—but wasn’t. Many times when, no doubt, he wanted to really lay some folks out but didn’t. He was God’s man, living God’s way, on the Jesus Path: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Gal. 5.25).

We can feel confident that to imitate Paul, and his Truth-telling, will always be a good thing (1 Cor. 11.1).

Reflection
1. Why do Christians sometimes compromise on what they believe?

2. What can you do to make sure you never compromise the truth of God?

3. Do you have a prayer partner? Should you find one, for prayer, accountability, and mutual encouragement?

This example instructs us, that those who have sinned publicly must be publicly chastised, so far as concerns the Church. The intention is, that their sin may not, by remaining unpunished, form a dangerous example; and Paul elsewhere (1 Timothy 5:20) lays down this rule expressly… John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Galatians 2.14

Pray Psalm 22.29-31.
Pray for an opportunity to talk with someone about Jesus today. Pray for worldwide revival and renewal in the churches and awakening to Jesus among the lost.

Sing Psalm 22.29-31.
(Dix: For the Beauty of the Earth)
All the prosp’rous of the earth shall before His mercy fall;
bending low before His worth, hear them humbly on Him call.
Even those low in the grave He will by His mercy save.

Let the generations all witness to His saving grace;
let them to all nations call, “Bow before His holy face!”
Let the children of the earth hear of Jesus’ saving worth!

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment and give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

To learn more about the salvation into which we have been delivered, order the book, Such a Great Salvation, by clicking here. Or order a free copy in PDF by clicking here.

Support for Scriptorium comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.

And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, P. O. Box 8213, Essex, VT 05451.

Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.