Galatians 2:1-3 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.
The evidence strongly indicates that it is likely that Paul’s visit to Jerusalem described here is the same as the one in Acts 15 and the meeting with the Jerusalem leaders. This visit was fourteen years after his previous visit. He still kept things quiet as far as appearing before any large crowds but focused on meeting with influential Christian leaders. He took along his travel companions Barnabas and Titus. Barnabas was his companion on the first missionary journey described in Acts 13-14. As some point, they met Titus, a Gentile who had became a believer. Why did Paul bring Titus? It may have been as proof to the Jerusalem leaders that Gentiles can be saved. Or simply, this was an opportunity for Titus to meet key leaders and be further trained in ministry. Paul would later send him to Corinth to help collect the offering for Jerusalem and the island of Crete to deal with leadership deficiencies and false teachers. Bringing Titus to Jerusalem also would give Titus firsthand contact and knowledge of the difficult situation of the believers in Judea.
The major purpose of the Jerusalem council of Acts 15 was to discuss what to do about Gentile converts. Acts 15:1-2 says, “Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question.” Titus may have been one of these “other believers.” The difference with Paul’s account in Galatians two is that he went up because of a revelation. There is no such mention of this in Acts 15, but the two are not necessarily contradictory but can be viewed as complementary. Paul may mention the idea of revelation here because his gospel also came by revelation. His revelation was that the gospel was for everyone, including Gentiles. The gospel is one of grace and not works of the law. This was at the heart of the very dispute that happened in Antioch.
Paul and his companions spoke with influential leaders and explained how they were preaching the gospel to Gentiles and how they were responding in faith. The evidence of the true message was clear and indisputable. The Jerusalem leaders recognized God at work and agreed with Paul. Paul’s statement in v. 2 shows some hesitancy on Paul’s part. This is odd after his earlier claims that he did not need human approval of his message. The issue was not the gospel itself, which is clear and there is no compromise with it, but more about what to do with Gentiles who believe. Paul wanted unity and wanted those who had the highest authority in the early church to be on the same page with him. The future effectiveness of the mission would depend on this unity.
The issue focused on whether Gentiles should be circumcised. This was a key topic that the agitators in Galatia were preaching. Paul will spend significant rhetorical effort in this letter to show that this is the wrong understanding and even a distortion of the gospel. This is a serious issue that has plagued Paul for apparently some time. Any human effort to be saved is wrong. That is not God’s will. God’s will is for us to put our faith and total trust in Jesus Christ as the only source of salvation. We are utter failures and cannot do anything in our own effort to be saved. We must trust in God’s provision of salvation.
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