7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Paul ended yesterday’s passage saying that the apostles had added nothing to what he was teaching. They went on to acknowledge that Paul had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised (the Gentiles) in the same manner Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (the Jews). God had worked through Peter similarly to how He worked through Paul though He worked in each independently—this is another confirmation that the gospel Paul preached was pure and undefiled. Having accepted Paul’s ministry the leaders of the Jerusalem church (the pillars) welcomed Paul and Barnabas and agreed that they continue to preach to the Gentiles while they continued to minister to the Jews. They left Paul with a reminder to remember the poor which Paul said he was eager to do. Today we unfortunately see that the church seems to be divided into either a strong focus on doctrine or a strong focus on the poor. But we must have a strong focus on both; we must hold fast to the gospel and prioritise the poor.
Later when Peter (Cephas) went to Antioch Paul had to challenge him to his face. Peter had been quite comfortable eating with Gentiles. While Peter’s primary ministry was to the Jews, God had specifically shown him that the gospel was also for the Gentile and that nothing was unclean (no food or person, see Acts 10). Then some of the Judaizers (those of the circumcision party) came up to Antioch from the Jerusalem church and when they arrived Peter withdrew from the Gentiles and acted hypocritically along with the other Jews there. They feared the Judaizers and acted based on peer pressure instead of standing for the unity of the church that the gospel proclaims. Their actions even led Barnabas astray. Only Paul was left to stand up for the truth. Paul confronted Peter and reminded him that if he, a Jew, lived like the Gentiles (he had eaten their food with them) and not like a Jew (remaining separate from the Gentiles) then how can he force the Gentiles to live like Jews? Hypocrisy is when you claim to live by a higher standard but live by another. Be careful that what you say you believe is what you live. Do not be swayed to be one person around one group and a different person around another. Let’s live by Paul’s example and stand for truth at all times.
I learnt that we’re all on the same “team,” striving for the same goal which is spreading the gospel with others and living for Christ everyday.
What i learnt was almost the same as Sarah that we are all on the same boat and trying to reach the same goal a d the goal is that we spread God’s word to who don’t know him.
I learnt not to be two faced and act a different way in front of different people which may hurt them
I learnt from this passage that sometimes it is hard to be consistent with the way you act around different people. But with God guiding you, you will stay consistent.
I learnt that he was given someone to work with and it’s so good to work as a team to reach more people with the gospel.