1. The Epistle to the Galatians Feb 28, 2010 Bob Eckel 1 The Jerusalem Conference: Galatians 2:1-7 Galatians 2:1,2 – “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.” What about Gal 1:21-24? –A quick summary: Places – Syria and Cilicia (Gal 1:21) Unknown in Judea (Gal 1:22) –The land of Israel was divided into three parts:

2. The Epistle to the Galatians Feb 28, 2010 Bob Eckel 2 The Jerusalem Conference: Galatians 2:1-7 »Judea, Perea, and Galilee. Judea was divided into 3 parts - the hill country, the plain, and the valley. –Why was Paul unknown in these parts? »By face and/or reputation? The persecutor (Saul) had become the propagator (Paul) – Gal 1:23; Acts 9:26-30 God was glorified in Paul (Gal 1:24) –This is the 3rd of 4 trips Paul makes to Jerusalem. 1. Gal 1:18-20; Acts 9:26-30 –3 years after his conversion 2. Acts 11:25-30 –7 years after his conversion 3. Gal 2:1-5; Acts 15:1-29 –17 years after his conversion 4. Acts 21:15-19 –24 years after his conversion

3. The Epistle to the Galatians Feb 28, 2010 Bob Eckel 3 The Jerusalem Conference: Galatians 2:1-7 –This section is Paul’s first formal encounter with legalism. Acts 15:1 ‘And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ –And this is why he went to Jerusalem. Acts 15:2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.” –According to McCalley, on 3 critical occasions Paul took a stand for the purity of the gospel according to the grace of God. The Jerusalem conference Before Peter at Antioch As he wrote the epistle to the Galatians –After 14 years A long interval but a response to the call of God, not of the apostles at Jerusalem. –It took time for him to grow in grace in preparation for the task that was before him.

4. The Epistle to the Galatians Feb 28, 2010 Bob Eckel 4 The Jerusalem Conference: Galatians 2:1-7 He took with him Barnabus (see Acts 11:24) and Titus (II Cor 8:23) a gentile, thus uncircumcised and a valuable test case. What did he preach? –‘and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles’ »‘laid before them’ is perhaps a stronger and better translation »For at least 10 years he had been preaching among the Gentiles with great success, calling upon them to obey the gospel. »See Acts 15:5-11 And he preached it privately, to those of reputation – why? –Unless he might be running, or had run, in vain. »Is this something we should consider too? »How do you interpret running? –Those of reputation - James, Peter and John (Gal 2:9) Galatians 2:3 “Yet not even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.”

5. The Epistle to the Galatians Feb 28, 2010 Bob Eckel 5 The Jerusalem Conference: Galatians 2:1-7 –Paul brought Titus about with him as a living example of the power of the Gospel upon the uncircumcised heathen. Acts 15:23,24 ‘They wrote this [letter] by them: The apostles, the elders, and the brethren, To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: Greetings. Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, "[You must] be circumcised and keep the law"--to whom we gave no [such] commandment-’ What does this say about the depths of Titus’ Christianity? Yet, what about the new Jewish believers who expected one of their own to be circumcised? –See Acts 16:1-5 and I Cor 9:19-21 –This presents the apostles with a challenge. Their perception of the truth would have everything to do with the cause of the gospel.

6. The Epistle to the Galatians Feb 28, 2010 Bob Eckel 6 The Jerusalem Conference: Galatians 2:1-7 None But the Hungry Heart, Volume 2, Miles Stanford – “One of the most subtle, tenacious, and all-pervasive errors amongst Christians is slavery to the legal principle (the Galatian error). And, in deliverance from the power of sin, there is no freedom of law apart from the death we shared in Christ on the Cross. ‘You too in the body of Christ have ended your relation to the law’ (Rom 7:4, Wms.).” Isn’t grace wonderful!