Galatians 2 v 12, 13 - Christians and Jewish legalists – The problem stated

 ‘Before some came away from James, he [Peter] was eating with Gentiles. But when they came he shrunk back and separated himself, fearful of those from out of circumcision, 13 and the remainder of Jews also played the part with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away together with their acting the part’, (Galatians 2 v 12, 13). 

Paul states that because of the free gift of the Messiah, when it comes to Christians there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles. Previously, Jews, as God’s chosen ethnic group, separated themselves away from other nations, races and tribes – referred to in Scripture as ‘Gentiles’ or ‘Greeks’. Jews did not eat with Gentiles. But Peter, as a Christian Jew, had embraced what was for him this new equality and so he ate with Gentile Christians. 

But in Antioch, some Jews came away from James, though they were not necessarily authorised by him, (Acts 15 v 24), and they were emphatic in re-emphasising traditional Jewish practices, including Jews not eating with ‘unclean’ Gentile ‘outsiders’. They also emphasised the requirement of Covenant law, that males who were seeking to serve God were to be circumcised. This was originally an instruction to Abraham, patriarch of the Jews, and later this instruction was enshrined in the written codes of divine law. It was the first injunction for Jews and it was also a requirement for Gentile males who sought to embrace the worship and service of YHVH by becoming Jewish proselytes.

So when these rather assertive Jews appeared on the scene, Peter became fearful of them, and he shrunk back and separated himself from eating with Gentiles, contrary to the gospel. Then other Jewish or Hebrew Christians also began to behave in the same way, carried away by this fear and by what their fellow Jews were doing. Even Barnabas was caught up in this. But Paul was not happy with this situation at all.

Covenant law, flesh, set-apart Breath and the promise of God

 I want to continue the discussion about Christians and their relationship to divine law by looking at Paul’s letter to the Galatians. I am concerned to explore the theme of legalism and the Christian’s relationship to Covenant law because a few decades ago I spent some years within a legalistic Christian fellowship. I know from first hand experience how depressing, discouraging and disheartening a legalistic fellowship can be, and how it can lead a Christian to be imprisoned. The legalist’s constant reference to Christians consistently failing to keep the principles and injunctions of what they define as God’s (moral) law can serve to promote an orientation of failure, helplessness and entrapment. Under such teaching, Christians may develop a sense of impotence when serving God moment-by-moment, a sense that they are powerless victims at the mercy of their ungodly fleshly impulses and desires, constantly falling short of what God approves of, and thus incurring God’s displeasure. Such legalistic teaching can lead to a joyless fellowship that can in turn lead to its members criticising and judging one another.

Christian legalists may not completely disagree with this since they propose that the intention of Covenant law is to drive both unbelievers and Christians to entrust the Messiah. This principle is indeed true for ‘outsiders’ or unbelievers’, especially those who are seeking divine approval by their own efforts to keep God’s law. But for those having embraced the Messiah by faith, turning back to efforts to observe divine (moral) law as a means to live a set-apart life is portrayed by both Paul and the writer of the letter to the Hebrews, as a backward step. If pursued enough it risks denying or negating the Messiah. Emphasis on, and regular reference to, divine law leads even Christians to a sense of their pervasive guilt and failure. But legalists propose that this then ‘drives’ Christians (and unbelievers) to the Messiah. That is their ‘dynamic process’ when it comes to living a godly life, but it is not what is presented to Christians by the Apostles.   

Even so, legalism can be very difficult to argue against because its Christian advocates make many appeals and references to Scripture. After all, Covenant law itself is part of Old Testament Scripture. So legalists may imply, or even openly and directly state, that to criticise legalism is to criticise the Word of God itself. Criticism of the legalist dynamic is portrayed as another example of failure. Such critics may have their loyalty to God or even their salvation, questioned. I know. I’ve seen it happen and experienced it myself. And of course, legalists almost always also accuse or warn their critics of supporting liberalism or permissiveness. Thus it is that Christians may be ensnared by these kinds of tactics.

If Paul’s letter to the Romans looks at divine law, flesh and the set-apart Breath, then his letter to the Galatians looks at divine law, flesh and the promise of God to Abraham and his seed. I want to get straight to heart of the theme – namely the arrival of Jewish legalists who insisted that male Gentile Christians should be circumcised according to Covenant law. So I am not going to comment on the early section of Galatians. 

By way of introduction I will give an exceptionally brief overview here of the early part of Galatians. Paul states that there is only one gospel, one good news message. But then he says, ‘I marvel that you are transferring in this manner quickly away from your calling within the Messiah’s free gift into another good message – which is not another…there are some troubling you, desiring to turn and change the good news of the Messiah’, (Galatians 1 v 6, 7). Paul then explains his background and defends his delegated authority as an Apostle, stating that he had received approval from the other Apostles. In other words he is not some eccentric rogue itinerant preacher making up his own good news. It is in chapter 2 v 12 that Paul states the nature of his concern.

New resource - Section-by-section Commentary on the Book of Revelation

 

A complete Commentary on the Book of Revelation is now available HERE. The site offers a section-by-section exploration and Commentary on the Book of Revelation, completely free. It offers an important and relevant resource for personal study or study groups at this present time. 

New series coming soon

 New series on Paul's letter to the Galatians coming soon.

'God's promise in relation to Covenant Law'

Also coming soon, a link to a new website that will have a complete commentary on the Book of Revelation

Principles of living a godly life [77] – More than conquerors

 ‘Who will accuse down the select of God, God the judicially approving and making rightwise? 34 Who is judging against and passing sentence? Jesus the Messiah, the having died, or rather now who having been roused up, is also at the right hand of God, and who is interceding above us. 35 What will put separating space away from the practical benevolent love of the Messiah? Pressure, confinement, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 Because as it has been written, ‘On account of you we are facing death all the day, we are counted as sheep of sacrifice’. 37 But within all this we are more than conquerors by means of Him starting and continuing to love us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angel/messengers, nor beginnings, nor things at hand, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor profound depth, nor any other original formation will have the power to put separating space away from the love of God within Jesus the Messiah, our Lord’, (Romans 8 v 33 – 39). 

And so we come to the glorious end of chapter 8. The deliverance of Christians is secure and certain away from the free gift of God by means of Jesus the Messiah. So who is going to accuse the select of God? It is God Who is making them judicially approved and rightwise. Who is judging and passing sentence? Jesus the Messiah! Jesus has successfully secured redemption for those whom God has brought forth. Having died, he is now roused up with God’s approval, and interceding as High Priest above us. Who then is going put distance and separation between Christians and the practical, beneficial love of the Messiah? 

Christians at different times and in different places experience extreme hardship, confinement or persecution. Some face very adverse situations. Paul quotes from Psalm 44 v 22, as descriptive of what God’s faithful people may expect from their enemies at any period when the unbeliever’s hatred of God and righteousness is roused and there is nothing to restrain it. The argument seems to be this: God’s faithful people of old have endured all manner of suffering, and yet they were not separated from the love of God, therefore such sufferings cannot separate them now. Outsiders or unbelievers reckon that they have Christians at their command, such that they can cut Christians off, negate them or cancel them when they choose. At the height of their opposition they place little importance on the suppression of the gospel or even the destruction of Christians, if such actions serve their own purpose. 

‘But…’. Paul acknowledges the potential of such opposition. He does not present a glib, sentimental or romanticised view in which Christians are always happy and live a peaceful, safe existence. Nevertheless, he says that ‘within all this we are more than conquerors by means of Him starting and continuing to love us’. Not even the Christian’s physical death will separate them away from the love of God. And thus he plainly and simply lists (verses 38, 39) those opposing circumstances that may seem to have the potential to separate Christians away from the love of God, but which in reality do not have the power to do so. No ‘original formation will have the power to put separating space away from the love of God within Jesus the Messiah, our Lord’, (verse 39). 

Having stated his teaching about divine approval and having considered some potential objections to it, Paul then goes on in chapter 9 to look at the specific situation of Jews as God’s chosen ethnic group, in the light of most of them rejecting Jesus as being their Messiah. But I am going to pause my series on godliness and the relationship of Christians to divine law at the end of chapter 8 for a short while, for a brief summer break. Then I will resume looking at Christians and divine law by moving on to look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians.