Galatians 2:11-21
I. 2:11-14
- V. 11
o Cephas’ presence indicates that the agreement for Paul to go the Gentiles and the pillars to the Jews did not prohibit, but rather served to focus the apostles areas of ministry
o This confrontation happens after the meeting mentioned earlier in Galatians 2, but before the Jerusalem Council described in Acts 15
o Antesten is a military or political term for “oppose”. It is used in this instance to denote that there will be a winner and a loser.
o “to his face”, ties into God not judging people by their “face” or appearance
o “condemned” is in the Greek perfect tense, implying that Paul is merely revealing Peter’s condemned state, not condemning him of his own authority
- V. 12
o Aphorizen, which means to separate, is the word that aphorisis comes from, as in aphorisis machine
- V. 13
o Hypokrisis- the word used to describe the “play-acting” of Cephas and company, also the word from which we get “hypocrite”. The same word is used in the Greek to describe the behavior of Cephas and those who imitate him as is used to describe actors on a stage. The word is probably used because their behavior is motivated by expediency rather than principle
o The structure of the verse communicates Paul’s surprise that even one like Barnabas would be caught up in their hypocrisy
- V. 14
o Orthopodeo- walking alright
o Jerome would argue that the whole incident was staged, but Augustine would disagree. As “embarrassing” as it is to see two apostles in an argument, it does testify to the truthfulness of scripture. Nothing is suppressed, or altered.
- Peter acts to preserve unity between Jerusalem and Antioch, or more specifically, to prevent undo pressure from coming to bear on the Christians in Jerusalem. Paul points out that in doing so however, Peter has regulated the Gentile-Christians to second-class status.
- Paul’s rebuke of Peter serves as a type of introduction to Paul’s discussion of justification by faith
II. 2:15-21
- V. 15
o Physei- the physical nature. A reference to circumcision?
o Gentiles and sinners are synonymous not only because they do not follow the law, but because they do not have the law.
- V. 16
o OT views of righteousness: Deuteronomy 25:1-2; II Samuel 15:4; Micah 6:11
o For Paul, “righteousness” is both a forensic, or legal term, as well as an ethical one, which explains why he uses it as a noun, adjective, and a verb
o The Jews are reminded that faith in Christ is not in addition to works of the law, but stands over against works of the law as a means of justification
o Cf. Job 9:1 ff., and Psalm 143:2
o “faith in Christ” vs. “faith of Christ”
§ If we take it to be faith “of” Christ rather than faith “in” Christ, then added weight is given to Christ loving us and giving Himself up for us. Furthermore, if it is Christ who lives in us, then in some sense it is His faith that lives inside of us
- V. 17
o The gospel does not increase the number of sinners by abrogating the role of the law, rather the role of the law is to reveal the universal condition of all humankind as sinners
o To rebuild what one has torn down is an explicit admission that to tear it down was a mistake in the first place
- V. 18
o “building up a system which I tore down”- cf. Eph. 2:14
- V. 19
o “crucified” is in the perfect tense, signifying something that was begun in the past, but that is also in process
o Could being crucified with Christ be out response to the “faithfulness of Christ”? In other words, are we crucified because the same faith found in Christ is now found in us?
o Being free from service to the law does not free us to sin, but on the contrary frees us to serve God
o The law condemns us of sin, and thus also eliminates itself as a means of righteousness.
- V. 21
o If the law is still necessary, then what exactly did Christ’s death accomplish?
o Righteousness is tied to justification, which is tied to Christ.
o “Faith is not a reliance on one’s accomplishments, or one’s lack of accomplishments, but a trust in the accomplishments of God.” – Charles B. Cousar
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