Galatians 2:11-21 Lesson 361

Galatians 2:11-21 Lesson 361

Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

In this lesson:

Paul rebukes Peter.
The true doctrine.

This passage ends the first of Paul's three topics;
the defense of his apostolic credentials.

Moses with the Ten Commandments.

By an unknown artist.

If the Mosaic Law cannot justify us, why obey the Ten Commandments?

"The Law still has an important role to play in the life of a Christian. The Law: (1) guards us from sin by giving us standards for behavior; (2) convicts us of sin, leaving us the opportunity to get in tune with God by asking his forgiveness; (3) drives us to trust in the sufficiency of Christ because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly. The Law cannot possibly save us, but after we have become Christians, the Law can be a valuable guide to help us live as God requires."

(The "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; page 2333)

Study Tip:

Reading passages a second (or third) time helps us learn.
Plus, we catch important points we missed with the first read.

The Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Galatians

The King James Bible

Galatians 2:11-21
Saved through Christ

11But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

13And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

14But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

15We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,

16Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

17But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

18For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

19For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Margin notes:

"Antioch." (2:11) - The third most important city in the Roman empire (after Rome and Alexandra). It was located 300 miles north of Jerusalem on the Orontes River in Syria, sixteen miles east of the Mediterranean Sea. Antioch was founded around 300 BC and called "the first city of the East," the "Queen of the East," and "Antioch the beautiful."   It was a wealthy commercial center and the gateway to points east.  Antioch boasted a population of 500,000 people of mixed nationalities and many pagan religions.  The city had a rich culture and was filled with large, luxurious homes, but it was awash in immorality, vice, and harbored an "anything goes" attitude. Paul used the city as his base of operations, and it was one of the first places Gentiles were taught the Gospel.  Followers of Christ were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26), and the first Gentile Christian church was founded here. After the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, Antioch became the leading Christian city and the springboard for spreading the Gospel throughout the Roman empire.  Antioch is called Antakya today and is mostly Muslim. Not to be confused with Antioch in Pisidia.

"I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed." (2:11) - "I opposed him (Peter) to his face because he was wrong."

"He did eat with the Gentiles: but... withdrew and separated himself." (2:12) - Peter was eating with Gentiles but left their table when Judaizer friends of James' arrived.  These Jews believed that contact with Gentiles made them ceremonially unclean (Acts 10:28). These old attitudes were hard for some to overcome, and Peter was hypocritical for shunning Gentiles when Jews were present. See "Today's Question" below.

"Fearing them which were of the circumcision." (2:12) - "Fearing the Jews."

"The other Jews dissembled likewise with him." (2:13) - "The other (converted) Jews joined Peter in his hypocrisy."

"Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation." (2:13) - Even Barnabas was led astray.

"They walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel." (2:14) - They did not walk the straight path of the Gospel. The Gospel teaches us that the Mosaic Law is dead.

"Sinners of the Gentiles." (2:15) - Jews believed all Gentiles were sinners.

"Justified." (2:16) - To be justified is to be made right, forgiven, redeemed, pardoned, and to be set free from the bondage of sin. We are justified, not by our deeds or by obeying the Mosaic Law (Philippians 3:9), but by faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 1:17; 3:23-29; 5:1; 8:3).  Being justified means we are spared our punishment and "have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1), who was crucified and suffered the penalty for our sins (Isaiah 53:11; Ephesians 1:7).  Once justified, we are entitled to all the heavenly rewards that come with being in total obedience to the Mosaic Law (Romans 5:1-10). Our good deeds do not save or justify us. They are the results of our justification.

"The Law." (2:16) - The Law of Moses (the Mosaic Law) found in the Old Testament.

"For by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." (2:16) - This is a paraphrase from Psalm 143:2. Which means no one is saved by their good deeds or by following the Mosaic Law. The Law was only meant to show us how sinful we are (Romans 3:20).

"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners." (2:17) - If the Judaizers were right, and we must follow the Mosaic Law to be saved, then Jesus led us astray by teaching that salvation comes through faith and not works.

"Is therefore Christ the minister of sin?" (2:17) - "Is Christ the agent of sin?" A rhetorical question from Paul.

"If I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor." (2:18) - "If I now endorse the Mosaic Laws which I preached against, I make myself a sinner."

"For I through the law am dead to the law." (2:19) - The Mosaic Law dooms us. No one can live up to its standards and find salvation by trying to obey it. See also Romans 7:4-6.

"I am crucified with Christ." (2:20) - Christians believe that their old self and their sins died with Christ on the cross (Romans 6:6).

"I do not frustrate the grace of God." (2:21) - "I don't void/dismiss the grace of God."

"If righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (2:21) - "If obeying the (Mosaic) law saves us, then Christ died in vain."

New Living Translation

Galatians 2:11-21
Paul Confronts Peter

11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile Christians, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn't eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.

13 As a result, other Jewish Christians followed Peter's hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.

14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, "Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?

15 "You and I are Jews by birth, not 'sinners' like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law."

17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down.

19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law-I stopped trying to meet all its requirements-so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."

Today's question:

1. Why did Paul criticize Peter? (2:11-12)

"It is either (the Mosaic) law or Grace. The two don't mix. To say we are saved through Grace but must keep ourselves by works is to deny Grace."

Harold G. Ihlefeldt (1920-1971)

Answer: (Do you agree?)

1. Paul criticized Peter for his hypocrisy. Peter would mingle and eat with Gentile Christians until the Judaizers arrived (2:12).  These Jews believed faith in Christ was not enough to earn salvation.  They taught that salvation came through faith in Jesus and by following the Mosaic Law (Acts 15:5). According to the old Jewish laws, uncircumcised Gentiles were considered unclean, and it was forbidden to associate with them.  Peter knew Jesus' sacrifice on the cross offered salvation to both Jew and non-Jews (Acts 15:7-11) and that the walls between them had been brought down (Ephesians 2:14-16), but he still didn't want to be seen eating with Gentiles.




Application thought for the day:

Peter believed that salvation came from faith in Jesus Christ and not by
following the Mosaic law, yet sometimes his actions didn't live up to his beliefs (2:12-13).
If Peter could be hypocritical, don't be surprised if you fail to live up to God's standards on occasion.
But remember, God is forgiving!
Just ask for forgiveness and the strength to do better. God understands.

Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House, Wheaten, Illinois; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
© 2022 evolke

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