Galatians 2:1-10

Conference of Paul with the Jewish Apostles at Jerusalem. Chapter Galatians 2:1-10.

Continuation of the personal defence. Fourteen years after his conversion, Paul had an interview with the Apostles of the circumcision at Jerusalem concerning his mode of preaching the gospel, and was recognized by them as an independent, divinely appointed Apostle of the Gentiles. With this section should be compared the account of the Apostolic Council in Acts 15

Which journey to Jerusalem does Paul here refer to? This is the preliminary question to be settled in the interpretation of this difficult section. The Acts mention five such journeys after his conversion, namely: (1.) Acts 9:23 (comp. Acts 1:18), the journey of the year 40, three years after his conversion. (2.) Acts 11:30; Acts 12:25 the journey during the famine in 44. (3.) Acts 15:2, the journey to the Apostolic Council, A.D. 50 or 51. (4.) Acts 18:22, the journey in 54. (5.) Acts 21:15 (comp. Romans 15:25 ff.), the last visit, on which he was made a prisoner and sent to Caesarea, A. D. 58.

Of these journeys the first, of course, cannot be meant, on account of Galatians 1:18. The second is excluded by the chronological date in Galatians 2:1. For as it took place during the famine of Palestine and in the year in which Herod died, A. D. 44, it would put the conversion of Paul back to the year 30, which is much too early. Some propose to read four instead of fourteen, but without any critical authority. There is no good reason why Paul should have mentioned this second journey, since it was undertaken simply for the transmission of a collection of the Christians at Antioch for the relief of the brethren in Judaea, and not for the purpose of conferring with the Apostles on matters of dispute. In all probability he saw none of them on that occasion, since in that year a persecution raged in which James the elder suffered martyrdom, and Peter was imprisoned. The fifth journey cannot be meant, as it took place after the composition of the Epistle to the Galatians and after the dispersion of the Apostles. Nor can we think of the fourth, which was very short and transient (Acts 18:21-22), leaving no time for such important transactions as are here alluded to; nor was Barnabas with him on that occasion, having separated from Paul some time before (Acts 15:39).

We must therefore identify our journey with the third one, mentioned in the 15th chapter of Acts. For this took place A.D. 50 or 51, i.e., fourteen years after his conversion (37), and was occasioned by the controversy on the authority of the law of Moses and the relation of the Gentile converts to the Christian Church (Acts 15:2). This visit Paul could not pass over, as it was of the greatest moment to his argument. The two accounts perfectly agree in all the essential circumstances. The conference took place between Jerusalem and Antioch; the persons are the same, Cephas and James representing the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, Paul and Barnabas delegated from Antioch in behalf of the Gentile Christians; the Judaizing agitators are the same; the controversy is the same, namely, the circumcision; the result is the same, namely, the triumph of the principle of faith in the saving grace of Christ, and the recognition of the Apostolic authority of Paul and Barnabas for the mission among the Gentiles. But the account of the Acts is fuller; that of the Galatians only brings out the chief points. Luke, in keeping with the documentary character of the Acts, gives us the public transactions of the Council at Jerusalem; Paul, taking a knowledge of these for granted, shortly alludes to his private conference and agreement with the Apostles (see note to Galatians 2:2). Both together give us a complete history of that remarkable convention. It was the first synod in Christendom for the settlement of the first doctrinal and practical controversy which agitated the church and threatened to divide it; but the wisdom of the Apostles prevented the split.