Thursday: Paul’s Concern
The situation in Antioch surely was tense: Paul and Peter, two leaders in the church, were in open conflict. And Paul holds nothing back as he calls Peter to account for his behavior.
What reasons does Paul give for publicly confronting Peter? Gal. 2:11–14.
As Paul saw it, the problem was not that Peter had decided to eat with the visitors from Jerusalem. Ancient traditions about hospitality certainly would have required as much.
The issue was “the truth of the gospel.” That is, it wasn’t just an issue of fellowship or dining practices. Peter’s actions, in a real sense, compromised the whole message of the gospel.
Read Galatians 3:28 and Colossians 3:11. How does the truth in these texts help us understand Paul’s strong reaction?
During Paul’s meeting in Jerusalem with Peter and the other apostles, they had come to the conclusion that Gentiles could enjoy all of the blessings in Christ without first having to submit to circumcision. Peter’s action now put that agreement in jeopardy. Where once Jewish and Gentile Christians had joined in an environment of open fellowship, now the congregation was divided, and this held the prospect of a divided church in the future.
From Paul’s perspective, Peter’s behavior implied that the Gentile Christians were second-rate believers at best, and he believed that Peter’s actions would place strong pressure upon the Gentiles to conform if they wanted to experience full fellowship. Thus Paul says, “ ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?’ ” (Gal. 2:14, ESV). The phrase “to live like Jews” can be more literally translated “to judaize.” This word was a common expression that meant “to adopt a Jewish way of life.” It was used of Gentiles who attended a synagogue and participated in other Jewish customs. It was also the reason that Paul’s opponents in Galatia, whom he calls the false brothers, are often referred to as “the Judaizers.”
As if Peter’s actions weren’t bad enough, Barnabas got caught up in this behavior, as well—someone who also should have known better. What a clear example of the power of “peer pressure”! How can we learn to protect ourselves from being swayed in the wrong direction by those around us?
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If we are in tune with our conscience, (the Holy Spirit) and is telling us that we are doing something wrong or “puts up a red flag” so to speak. I would think going to Christ in prayer, and study of the Bible would be the first step in discerning the truth of the issue. If there is still doubt as to the issue, maybe trying to find further insight using resources available to us, like this comment section. Maybe finding advice from your pastor, or others that may have struggled with the same issue in their past.
The internet has been converted to do much evil in the world. It is refreshing to know there is also the ability to use it to find other like minded people united with God here as well. It seems that; like many things on our fallen world, objects and things are not inherently evil or good, but the choice of what we do with them determines the value of it.
I have a different way of looking at that verse Gal2:14‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?’...Paul considered the Jewish believers highly just like I consider the SDA's highly(To follow the precepts of Jesus diligently and who should know better-LOVE),so if an SDA would start behaving like Peter at Antioch I would paraphrase that verse in our context today and say...‘If you, though a Jew(An SDA), live like a Gentile(Worldling) and not like an SDA, how can you force the Worldling to live like an SDA?’...SDA's live straight like Paul.
With that understanding now follow on to finish the reading up to verse 21.