Lesson 6 June 19, 2002

c. Paul's first visit to Jerusalem 1:18

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days.

Summary 1:18

1. Time frame was in the late Summer of 37 AD shortly after his return to Damascus from Arabia. - passage that details this is Acts 9:19-30

2. When he arrived in Jerusalem he was initially rejected by the believers there. Acts 9:26

3. But Barnabas interceded on his behalf and sought for him an audience with the Apostles who were present. Acts 9:27

4. His visit was cut short due to a plot to kill him by the Hellenistic Jews, unbelievers. Acts 9:29

5. Irony!! Three years before he left Jerusalem as one of Christianity's greatest enemies, he returns as one of its greatest apologists.

d. Paul's independence 1:19

e. 1:20 Decision time for the Galatians

This verse is a parenthesis.

f. After his first visit to Jerusalem 1:21-24

Gal. Chapter 2

Paul continues his defense of his Apostolic authority but in doing so he shifts from the source of the message he communicated to the nature and content of the message.

2:1 Second visit to Jerusalem Read!

Historical background:

During Paul's ministry he visited Jerusalem 5 times. [as far as we know]

1. The visit after he left Damascus (Acts 9:26-30; Gal. 1:18-20)

2. The famine visit (Acts 11:27-30; Gal. 2:1-10)

3. The visit to attend the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1-29)

4. The visit at the end of the second missionary journey (Acts 18:22)

5. The final visit that resulted in Paul's Caesarean imprisonment (Acts 21:15—23:35)

This time he goes to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus with him.

2:2 Why the second visit

First Paul says, And it was because of a revelation that I went up;

Second Paul gives us another important reason for the visit to Jerusalem,

and I submitted to them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles,

What's Paul doing here?

How did he operate?

but I did so in private to those who were of reputation,

for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

Summary 2:1-2

1. Paul went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas because of a revelation from God, therefore in obedience to God.

- believe it was the events covered in Acts 11:27-30 before his 1^st missionary journey

2. One of their responsibilities on this trip to Jerusalem was to take a contribution from the believers at Antioch to those in need in Jerusalem. Acts 11:30

3. While there Paul went to the leadership of the Church and had a private meeting with them. Acts 11:30

4. Believe that the issue (point of BD) that so concerned him then is the same as the one now plaguing the Galatian church, that of legalism.

5. What Paul sought to discover was whether the leadership of the Jerusalem church were also communicating a grace gospel as he was.

6. Were they insisting on circumcision or any other requirement of the law for salvation, that is adding works.

7. The test will be Titus an uncircumcised gentile, will the leadership accept him as a believer.

8. What Paul discovered is that they, the leaders, were also teaching the same grace message as he was.

9. Paul did discover that there were some in the periphery, who held to the same views as the Judaizers who were now pressing the Galatians. [2:4]

10. Paul's great fear was not for any personal concern but for the impact of this kind of thinking and action on the church. The consequences of moving away from grace are always devastating.

2:3 A test case

key word here is compelled avnagka,zw to exert pressure, to coerce

Summary of 2:3

1. I believe that Paul brought Titus along to specifically test those in Jerusalem.

2. Paul that both Jew and Gentiles were accepted by God through faith in Jesus Christ without any distinction and that the Church should also.

3. Between Paul and the leadership of the Church, the ones that he met privately with, there was no disagreement, no issue, they were in agreement about salvation.