Some thoughts on Galatians
2:1-10
In a recent
discussion I had with some people in comments on a YouTube video (not mine), I
was asked my understanding of several verses of the New Testament. This would have been a huge amount of time and
writing to fully discuss how I understand these passages. There was no good way
to do that in the comment section of someone else’s video. I decided to write out some of my thoughts
and put them on a blog post. I will then
respond to the questioner with a link to the post so they can read it. This is
by no means an exhaustive explanation of the passage, but I wanted to present
an answer. These are my views after having learned and followed the Torah for
over 14 years. I do not know it all. I
do not have it all figured out. But I
understand more today than I did in 24 years of being a Christian without knowing
the Torah.
For this post, I
will refer to Galatians 2:1-10.
Galatians 2:1 “Then after fourteen years I went up again
to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 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.
3 Yet not
even Titus who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. 4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth
to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us
into bondage), 5
to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the
gospel might continue with you. 6
But from those who seemed to be something--whatever they were, it makes no
difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man--for those who seemed
to be something added nothing to me.
7 But on the contrary, when they saw that
the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for
the circumcised was to Peter 8
(for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised
also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who
seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave
me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles
and they to the circumcised. 10
They desired only that we should remember the poor, the very thing which I also
was eager to do.”
This passage recounts a time when Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem and met with Peter, James and John. They encountered some crafty men who tried to get them back to the ways of the Pharisees (rabbis today). One of those ‘ways’ was to demand that no one could follow the God of Israel without being circumcised. (My words, not theirs per se.)
Paul saw through
them and didn’t give them any time. Remember he came from that background. He
understood how they thought, but now he had a newer perspective.
Titus was a Greek
or Gentile. He felt no compulsion to get circumcised. I have no problem with
that. I have considered this from different angles, but either way, it is clear
that faith in Yeshua as Messiah does not in any way depend on being circumcised.
Circumcision was
the sign of the covenant between YHVH and Abram for the Land of Canaan. It was
for Abram’s descendants.
Here is how God
explained it:
Genesis 17:7 "And I will establish My
covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their
generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants
after you. 8 "Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land
in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting
possession; and I will be their God." 9 And God said to Abraham: "As
for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you
throughout their generations. 10 "This is My covenant which you shall
keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among
you shall be circumcised; 11 "and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of
your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12
"He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child
in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any
foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 "He who is born in your house and
he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be
in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 "And the uncircumcised male
child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall
be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."
Both Paul and the
Apostles would look to Salvation first. That is primary. Titus
was saved by the blood of Yeshua. He was learning the Bible as he grew and
matured (as are all of us). It might be that later he chose to join that
covenant and did get circumcised, but he might never have. I was circumcised as
a child, so I don’t have a strong opinion. I will say this. Every time I read the passage in Genesis 17 (above),
I can’t help but feel that if I were not circumcised, I would want to be. I want to be part of God’s family and covenants.
Let’s look at
verse 4, of Galatians 2, again:
“…false
brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty
which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage)”
The Liberty that
these spies wanted to look at was partly that Gentiles were coming to faith in
the God of Israel. But I think more specifically, they were bothered that they
weren’t following the man-made commands of the Pharisees such as washing of
hands, only walking so far on the Sabbath, circumcision and others. Remember, these were the same men who were
angry at Yeshua for healing people on the Sabbath! No concern that people who
had suffered with terrible ailments for years might be set free; only that He
dared to do it on the Sabbath! No doubt they were actually jealous that He
healed at all and was making these religious men look like fakes. But despite this, there were still plenty of
followers of the Pharisees that still held to their teachings.
Do not assume it was liberty from keeping God’s
commandments.
A common theory in
many Christian circles is that these religious Jews were simply pushing new
Christians to keep the Law (as written in the Torah). That could not be farther
from the truth. The bondage Paul referred to was the long list of man-made
rules the rabbis insisted people do. (as stated above)
I have known of many Jews who left modern day Judaism because of all the ridiculous rules. They described it as a burden too heavy for anyone to carry. Instead, they would go off and try other religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and other Eastern mystical religions. When these Jews (by birth) investigated Christianity, they saw Yeshua was a Jew who kept the written Law and did not follow man’s rules. He was one of their people who followed the ways of the patriarchs and the faithful people in the Bible. Finally, everything made sense.
They then embraced Yeshua as the Messiah and were reconnected to the God of their Fathers! I have heard plenty of testimonies to this effect and am moved by their heartfelt love.
You can find these
on the One For Israel website or YouTube channel under “I
Met Messiah”.
Here is a link to
several such testimonies:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sMEkGoojbg&list=PLXiBkdTbRi-wmDEU85JJcZbqDw8RoOxOc
Next, Paul
mentioned they gospel of the uncircumcised and the gospel of the circumcised.
Are there two gospels? No.
One was taken to
the Jewish people (already circumcised) the other to the Gentiles.
Peter, James and
John saw that Paul was not a heretic. His job was to go to the Gentiles. They
focused on their people, the Jews and those who lived near Jerusalem.
Paul was NOT
teaching against the Law or the elders would have condemned him. Instead they
gave him their blessing.
Keep in mind,
these three elders walked with Jesus. They knew his message. They also had seen
him heal and minister to some Gentiles. I’m sure it was very exciting to see
this gospel spread to the rest of the world.
Lastly, they all
agreed that Paul should remember the poor. That comes from the Torah. That is
loving your neighbor.
Compiled by G.E. Walker November
2020
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