March
March 1
Chapter 2, Verse 1, con’t, “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.”
μετὰ Βαρνάβα συμπαραλαβὼν καὶ Τίτον, meta Barnaba symparalabōn kai Titon, ” with Barnabas, having taken with [me] also Titon.” In the vernacular this could read, “I was with Barnabas and Titus tagged along.” Why is that? In Paul’s timeline, he was converted on the road to Damascus; he then preached Jesus in that city to the surprise of those in the synagogues; he spend several years in the desert, alone with God. Afterward, he came again to Damascus and later made his way to Jerusalem to spend time with Peter. The believers in Jerusalem and Judea were frightened because of his past. It was Barnabas, already a respected leader in the church, who defended Paul before the apostles (Acts 9:26-28). Then, at the end of Acts 11, we find Barnabas going to Tarsus to bring Paul to Antioch and afterward to two of them travelled together to Judea, with “relief” for those in need. Barnabas, known as the “Son of Encouragement,” was a converted Levite from Cyprus who was instrumental in the spread of the gospel in the early church. His relationship to Paul was sometimes complicated and at times they even had to separate because of disagreements. But through it all, they remained friends, followers of Christ, men who made a difference for the kingdom of God. Paul chose his friends well, so did Barnabas, and so should we. Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
March 2
Chapter 2, Verse 1, con’t, “Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.”
Paul said he went with Barnabas, meaning Barnabas took the lead since he was an insider with the church leadership at Jerusalem as indicated in Acts 9. Taking, sumparalambanó, was used to signify Paul had a mentor’s role in the life of Titus. It comes from the combination of syn = “with, ” and paralambano = “to take.” It was normally used to suggest a close association or companionship, signaling trust and shared purpose. In the context and culture, it was a significant expression of fellowship and unity. Titus was a Greek Christian, more than likely saved after hearing Paul preach. It is thought that he was a brother of Luke. He is mentioned by Paul nine times in 2 Corinthians and their relationship is reflected in 2 Corinthians 8:23, “As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.” Paul’s level of trust and his love for Titus is heard in Titus 1:1-5, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.” My professor of evangelism in seminary used to say, “Evangelism is not complete until the one evangelized is also evangelizing.” It is just as true for those of us who teach other believers that our teaching is not complete until the ones we teach are themselves teaching others the truth of God’s word.
March 3
Chapter 2, Verse 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.”
ἀνέβην δὲ κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν, anebēn de kata apokalypsin, I went up now according to a revelation.” When Paul responded to God’s call on his life, he “did not go up to Jerusalem” at first (1:17); instead, he “went way into Arabia” (1:17). Then, he “went up to Jerusalem to make acquaintance” (1:18), but he did not meat all the apostles. Afterward, he “went into” the area he grew up in for 14 years. Now, he has returned to Jerusalem “according to a revelation.” This time, he is on a mission of a different sort. Decades had passed since his conversion, he had faced of against the judaizing religionists over and over, and now it was time to boldly, yet humbly, present his ministry to the Gentiles before the Jerusalem leaders who “seemed influential.” Remember, Paul received his marching orders directly from God and regardless of what the religious crowd believed, he was going to be plain and clear about his work and the challenges he had faced. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Standing still is the same as moving backward. Always move forward for the cause of Christ.
March 4
Chapter 2, Verse 2, con’t, “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.”
The first three words of the last book of the Bible are Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, Apokalypsis Iēsou Christou, “[The] revelation of Jesus Christ.” The whole of Scripture is essentially just that–the revealing of God in Jesus Christ. The same word is used here in Galatians 1:2 as in Revelation 1:1, apokalypsis. What is revelation in the biblical sense? It is God making himself know to humanity through events, inspired human words, and Jesus himself. God has made himself known as a personal, speaking God and he is also known through nature itself (Romans 1:19-20). The revelation of God in Romans 1 is commonly referred to as General Revelation. It tells everyone that God exists and has moral standards–to which we have not measured up. Special Revelation is revelation given by God to special messengers: angels, prophets, and apostles; the latter being what Paul was speaking about here in Galatians 2. The messages were sometimes presented orally and, for us, were given in writing through the work of the divinely inspired human authors of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:15-17). The messages of special revelation may contain threats of judgment or promises of grace–or both [a good example is Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”] The greatest special revelation is the gospel to which Paul refers to here which was also John’s message, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
March 5
Chapter 2, Verse 2, con’t “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.”
The parenthetical clause in the ESV, and some other translations, comes at the end of the verse. The Greek word order is, καὶ ἀνεθέμην αὐτοῖς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὃ κηρύσσω ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, kai anethemēn autois to euangelion ho kēryssō en tois ethnesin, “and set before them the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles.” From Matthew 5 to Matthew 10, Jesus went out and taught among the people, healing the sick and even raising the dead. At the beginning of Matthew 10, he called the 12 disciples together, gave them authority, and said to them, ““Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” He was not shutting out the Gentiles, but rather focusing on the lost of Israel [See Matthew 15:21-28]. Right before Jesus ascended back into heaven, he told those same disciples “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 18:19-20). No longer was there a limitation. But still, they were Jews living among Jews. When Paul came along as the apostle “untimely born” (1 Corinthians 5:8), with his primary focus on the Gentiles, it ruffled a lost of religious feathers. Fear, lack of understanding, and bias worked against him. That is why he came back to Jerusalem. He wanted to make his case with clarity. Paul may have brought the same message he gave to the Romans, “For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:5-12). And certainly, he would have communicated to them what he told the Corinthians, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me” (1 Corinthians 15:1-10). The gospel of Christ is for all people everywhere in the world. All who claim Jesus and Savior and Lord should be telling everyone they know that Jesus Saves.
March 6
Chapter 2, Verse 2, con’t “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.”
κατ’ ἰδίαν δὲ τοῖς δοκοῦσιν, kat idian de tois dokousin, “apart individually however to those esteemed.” Paul was a preacher (kerusso, vs. 2) of the gospel to the Gentiles. His proclamations were bold and openly presented. Now that he was in Jerusalem again, and ready to preach to all who would hear in Judea, he wanted to meet with church leaders whom he respected because even in his boldness, he did not want to cause division. This “private consultation” was simply to acknowledge the leaders of the Jerusalem church. Nothing was wrong. Paul was not fearful, but he knew that sitting down with those who were fully aware of the inclination of the people would help diffuse dispute and make his work in and around Jerusalem more beneficial. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Strength in numbers is just common sense. It is always easier to face and defeat an enemy with friends by your side–whether it is a physical battle or one that is purely spiritual.
March 7
Chapter 2, Verse 2, con’t “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.”
μή πως εἰς κενὸν τρέχω ἢ ἔδραμον, mē pōs eis kenon trechō ē edramon, “lest hardly in vain I should be running or have run.” Sometimes, when progress on a project is slow, I ask myself, “Am I spinning my wheels?” or, “Is this a waist of my time?” Paul had been a successful missionary preacher already and an effective church planter. So, why did he question his own efforts? He did not. He was concerned about his own message, faith alone in Christ alone. His consternation rose form those (judaizers) who sought to divert believers away from the true gospel to their false teaching. He came to the influential leaders of the Jerusalem church to seek their confirmation and support (even though he did not need it) to show unity of purpose so that he and they may run together. And effort made by any religious group that distorts the gospel means they are not on my team and I cannot run with them. As Solomon wrote, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). We may know the truth, but it never hurts to have the support of others. Encouragement goes a long way in helping you to get our job done and a pat on the back for “a job well done” makes you want to work even harder to accomplish your task.
March 8
Chapter 2, Verse 3, ‘But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.”
The two key words in this verse are forced and circumcised. This is part of the contention from verse 2. Forced, also translated “compelled,” is from ἀναγκάζω, anagkazo, derived from ἀνάγκη, anagke, meaning “necessity.” In this context, Paul was using it to describe something that required immediate attention. The word conveys the idea “to urge strongly,” to make someone have an inward feeling of obligation. This is exactly what those who insisted on combining part of Moses law with the message of grace wanted. They were teaching that unless a person (man) who confessed Jesus as savior was immediately circumcised, their faith was not real. And we understand from Genesis 17, that the act of cutting away the male foreskin was the physical sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants. In the New Covenant of Jesus Christ, the tenants of the Old Covenant (the one made with Abraham) were fulfilled in Jesus by his sacrifice so that none of those ceremonial requirements of the Law needed to be observed. Here, Paul was using Titus as a sort of “test” case. He had believed on Jesus, and being a Greek (not a Jew), had not undergone circumcision. Paul’s argument was that if any believer was compelled to be circumcised, whether or not they were a Jew, that constituted “another gospel,” not the gospel he preached, which had called anathema. Further, if the leaders in the church agreed with him (and they did), freedom from the law was confirmed. Today, that is still to be confirmed. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone by the power of the Spirit of God alone through understanding the word alone for the glory of God alone. As simple as the message should be, many still try to add or subtract from the great truth of God’s grace towards mankind.
March 9
Chapter 2, Verse 4, “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in–who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery.”
διὰ δὲ τοὺς παρεισάκτους ψευδαδέλφους, dia de tous pareisaktous pseudadelphous, “because of even the brought in secretly false brothers.” παρείσακτος, pareisaktos, derived from παρεισάγω, pareisagō, which means “enter by stealth” is a “secret agent” word. It is used to describe someone that has been introduced into a community in a manner that is not open and honest, with the intent of deceit. In the New Testament, it is used to describe phony believers who infiltrated the community of faith seeking to deceive or corrupt the truth. In the early church, as clearly pointed out by Paul, false teaching (heresy) was a major distraction brought into the churches by those commonly referred to as judaizers. The problem then was not (as it is not today) just one group with their aberrant beliefs. It was the many who tried to bring mysticism, gnosticism, worldliness, and even confusion concerning the gifts of the Spirit into the community of faith. This is why we must always be careful to “contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Remember what Paul said to Timothy, “Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:14-17).
March 10
Chapter 2, Verse 4, con’t, “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in–who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery.”
οἵτινες παρεισῆλθον, hoitines pareisēlthon, “who came in by stealth.” The NIV renders this, “infiltrated our ranks,” the Berean Literal Bible translates it, “came in under false pretenses,” the HCSB says, “smuggled in.” And J.B. Phillips, in his 1958 “modern English translation renders it, “They wormed their way into our meeting.” The verb παρεισέρχομαι, pareiserchomai, means “to come in beside.” In Paul’s world, the idea was to come in, often unnoticed as an irregular entrance, with the intent of “fitting in” only to later cause trouble. This verb is used only here and in Romans 5:20. The root of the verb, παρεισάγω, pareisagó, is used in 2 Peter 2:1, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in (pareisago) destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” I am reminded of Matthew 7:23-23, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” In the modern church, the infiltrators come in and bring sweet lies that are actually serpent’s venom designed to confuse the faithful. They generally do so by introducing ideas that add to or modify the clear teaching of the Bible. Beware those who claim a new revelation or a “personal” word from the Lord.
March 11
Chapter 2, Verse 4, con’t, “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in–who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery.”
κατασκοπῆσαι, kataskopēsai, “to spy out.” The verb κατασκοπέω, kataskopeó, otherwise meaning “to inspect,” or “observe closely,” is from kata = “down” or “against,” plus skopeo = “to look” or “to watch.” This is a term of paramilitary espionage where the adversary is carrying out a covert mission. In modern parlance, it might be said they were going to “scope out” the enemy. Certainly, Paul and his message of grace without any addition or subtraction was rival to the perverted message of the judaizers and any others who disagreed for whatever reason. The immediate problem, though, was that these enemies of grace were interested in more than just sneaking into the church to find out what the believers were doing. The were conspiring to hold the church hostage to the old covenant of the law. Jeremiah 31:31 says, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.” Jesus said, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20). And Paul added in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6, “Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
March 12
Chapter 2, Verse 4, con’t, “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in–who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery.”
τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἡμῶν ἣν ἔχομεν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, tēn eleutherian hēmōn hēn echomen en Christō Iēsou, “the freedom of us which we have in Christ Jesus.” The adjective ἐλεύθερος, eleutheros, describing a free man or free woman, means “free from obligation.” The noun form used here, ἐλευθερία, eleutheria, “liberty” or “freedom,” means “the condition of being free from slavery.” This is the antithesis of bondage, the very condition those who opposed Paul wanted to put upon believers. The human mind generally thinks in terms of right and wrong–at least how a person perceives those conditions. What begins as a tradition or habit is eventually codified into law to prevent people from doing wrong–doing right by limitation. Most people view the Mosaic Law in those terms. Freedom, in Christ, redirects the idea of limitation for right living into privilege because God has set us free through faith. It is absolutely no license to sin but, rather, an inward desire produced by the Spirit to do what is right in the sight of God. Paul encourages us in this quest, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2). This great “gift of grace” urges us to think with “sober judgement” to always do what is right. (Romans 12:3).
March 13
Chapter 2, Verse 4, con’t, “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in–who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery.”
ἵνα ἡμᾶς καταδουλώσουσιν, hina hēmas katadoulōsousin, “that us they will enslave.” This hina clause, as is usually the case, shows intended result. If those who opposed Paul’s message won the day, preaching the pure gospel message would be almost, if not completely, impossible. Freedom and slavery are the exact opposites. And as presented by Paul, even more so than most realize. The bondage he was referring to was καταδουλόω, katadouloó, from kata which intensifies meaning, and douloo = “to enslave,” and means to completely enslave without condition. In the New Testament, it is only used here and in 1 Corinthians 11:19-20, “For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves! For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face.” Paul knew personally what bondage was having arrested many, put them in chains, and sent them to Rome for execution. In this, there is a certain irony, but also there is a clear warning not to let anyone distort the gospel message for their own selfish purpose. Many cults and misguided, well-intentioned, so-called Christian ministries have grown out of modifying the gospel message. If anyone adds stipulation to faith in the risen Christ for salvation–or to be a better Christian–run away from them. Share your true faith with them, but do not let those charlatans fool you into believing a lie.
March 14
Chapter 2, Verse 5, “to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
οἷς οὐδὲ πρὸς ὥραν εἴξαμεν τῇ ὑποταγῇ, hois oude pros hōran eixamen tē hypotagē, “to whom not even for an hour did we yield in subjection.” Paul was very clearly saying, “We did not give an inch.” He stood his ground on the solid foundation of the gospel. There are two significant terms in this phrase. The first is “yield,” eiko, meaning to give way or to obey. In the New Testament, it is only used in Galatians 2:5 and in secular Greek it meant to give a horse the rein. The idea was, of course, control. The second is “subjection,” hupotage, from ὑποτάσσω, hupotassō, “to submit;” it is a noun meaning subordination, subjection, submission, or obedience and expresses the idea of voluntarily giving in to someone or something, aka, an “idea.” If we know anything about Paul, it is he was not one to compromise. He was acting from the call of God, guided by the Holy Spirit, an live, die, or be rejected, his position was clear. He gave plain instructions to his son in ministry in 2 Timothy 1:8-14. In verse 12, he wrote to him, “. . .I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” And to the Romans he wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
March 15
Chapter 2, Verse 5, con’t, “to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
ἵνα ἡ ἀλήθεια τοῦ εὐαγγελίου διαμείνῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, hina hē alētheia tou euangeliou diameinē pros hymas, “so that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Many people talk about “their” truth which is nothing more than subjective reasoning to support what they want. Truth in science of society is an objective observation of fact and reality that is both verifiable and reproducible. It is crude but true to say if I say I am going to hit you in the face with a rock and it is going to hurt. Biblical truth, in contrast, has nothing to do with me–except that I recognize it and accept it. Biblical truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. It is his self expression most clearly seen in the person of Jesus Christ through his teachings and promises. Anything that disagrees with the Bible is false, error, and sometimes heresy. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He also said “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). A person can hear the truth and know it is truth and still not accept it as truth. But for those who know Christ, the truth is clear and understandable–by faith. And the truth will never lead you astray.
March 16
Chapter 2, Verse 5, con’t, “to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
EXCURSUS — The Gospel in the Bible
The gospel, εὐαγγέλιον, euaggelion, is the good news that God has provided in Christ a way to escape the ravages of sin, self, and Satan. Paul gives us the best summation of what it is in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”
The Gospel message is expressed in Scripture in at least 12 ways:
1- The Gospel of the kingdom — Matthew 4:23, “And he [Jesus] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.”
2- The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God — Mark 1:1, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”
3- The Gospel of God — Mark 1:14-15, “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
4- The Gospel of the kingdom of God — Luke 16:16, “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.”
5- The Gospel of the grace of God — Acts 20:24, “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
6- The Gospel of His Son — Romans 1:9, “For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you.”
7- The Gospel of Christ — Romans 15:9, “by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ.”
8- The Gospel of the glory of Christ — 2 Corinthians 4:4, “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
9- The Gospel of your salvation — Ephesians 1:13, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”
10- The Gospel of peace — Ephesians 6:15, “and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.”
11- The Gospel of our Lord Jesus — 2 Thessalonians 1:8, “in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
12- The Glorious Gospel of the Blessed God — 1 Timothy 1:11, “in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.”
If we take time to read each of these passages in their context, we will find that the writers of the Gospels, Acts, and Paul in his pastoral letters, focused all their words on the person and work of Jesus.
March 17
Chapter 2, Verse 5, con’t, “to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.”
διαμείνῃ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, diameinē pros hymas, “might continue with you.” Because the gospel of grace originated among the Jews, who largely rejected Christ as Messiah (John 1:12), there has always been a contrived contention that has survived and gotten only worse across the centuries. What that means is the enemies of grace always try to add something to the purity of the gospel–good works, baptism, church membership, the Ten Commandments, or ritualistic practices; and Paul was very plain in his rejection of all these ideas. We must remember what Paul wrote in Galatians 1:6-9, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” The verb διαμένω, diamenó, from dia = intensification, plus meno = to remain, when used concerning people means to remain constant or to stand by what one believes without giving up or going back to some former state of being. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), diameno is used to describe God’s Word. Psalm 119:89, “Forever, O Lord, your word
is firmly fixed [settled] in the heavens.” The Hebrew נִצָּ֥ב, nitsab = to take one’s stand. The beauty of this is that the gospel, plus and minus nothing, is settled and sealed in heaven and we should be ready, able, and willing to share and defend the truth (Jude 1:3). The greater truth for believers is this: those who are truly born again will never abandon their faith because they are sealed and protected (Ephesians 4:30). So, we must fight the good fight of faith and defend the gospel against all who would alter its message.
March 18
Chapter 2, Verse 6, “And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.”
Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναί τι, Apo de tōn dokountōn einai ti, “Of now those esteemed to be something.” The verb δοκέω, dokeó, to think, seem, suppose, or to be of the opinion, reflects someone’s opinion or perception about what sort of person they are dealing with. The words “esteemed,” “influential,” “reputation,” “important,” “recognized” all accurately reflect the idea that the church leaders who Paul talked with were highly regarded in the community of faith. Paul was, in no way, disrespecting their authority nor their own positions regarding faith and salvation. He was simply declaring his autonomy concerning his apostolic call. Here is the truth about God’s call. It may be to a mission field, to a local church, to a para-church organization, to a factory, a school, or somewhere else–maybe even to our home with our children. One thing is for sure, any specific call of God upon our lives will always center on the gospel and they power of its message to save sinners. As Paul said to the Roman church, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
March 19
Chapter 2, Verse 6, con’t, “And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.”
ὁποῖοί ποτε ἦσαν οὐδέν μοι διαφέρει; πρόσωπον ὁ Θεὸς ἀνθρώπου οὐ λαμβάνει–, hopoioi pote ēsan ouden poi diapherei; prosōpon ho Theos anthrōpou ou lambanei–, “whatsoever formerly they were not to me makes a difference; [the] person God of a man does not accept–.” In this phrase, Paul is still in no way disrespecting or denigrating the Jerusalem church leaders; i.e., the other apostles whose authority was given to them by Christ just as his own was given. He is only highlighting the fact that a person’s position in a Christian community does not automatically make them right. The idea that God does not show partiality comes from the Old Testament in passages like Deuteronomy 10:17 where God does not “receive face,” which simply means God is not moved by outward appearance. He sees through the facade right to the heart of a matter. And, thankfully, he sometimes allows believers to have that same sort of insight. In 1 Corinthians 10, when Paul talked about the gifts of the Spirit, he wrote that some believers would have the “ability to distinguish between spirits” (1 Corinthians 10:12). God just wants us to pay attention to more than what a person looks like and what they say. A person’s actions over time and their interest in the souls of others will reveal their true intent and their legitimacy as a Christian leader.
March 20
Chapter 2, Verse 6, con’t, “And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me.”
ἐμοὶ γὰρ οἱ δοκοῦντες οὐδὲν προσανέθεντο, emoi gar hoi dokountes ouden prosanethento, “to me for the esteemed nothing added.” The New International Version says, “they added nothing to my message.” This whole verse, at first glance, seem a bit braggish even conceited, but it is not. Paul was not being unkind either. He was simply reinforcing what he stated in Galatians 1:11-12, “For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.” The verb, προσανατίθημι, prosanatithémi, combines para = towards, in addition to, and anatithemi, from ana = up, plus tithemi = to put. It means to lay up in addition or to impart or communicate further. One might think these esteemed leaders could give advice to Paul or shed new light on his mission–not so. Paul was saying they did not add to, nor did they take away from his message of grace in Christ. In other words, their message was exactly the same as his. And it had to be for there is only one gospel. That is exactly why Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” And today, if anyone tries to add anything to the gospel message, they are an enemy of God.
March 21
Chapter 2, Verse 7, “On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised.”
ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον, alla tounantion, “But on the contrary.” What is the correlation Paul is making here? It is the fact that the Jerusalem leaders were not communicating anything different from Paul’s message. The merely had a different audience with a different background. The uncircumcised were the Gentiles and the circumcised were the Jews. While that is not explicit in the Greek text, it is implicit in the context. Paul told the Roman believers, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:12-13). To the Corinthians, he wrote, “Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God” (1 Corinthians 7:17-19). And Peter, in defense of Paul before the Jerusalem council, said, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith. Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear? But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will” (Acts 15:7-11). When a man is called to preach, regardless of his background, ethnicity, or training, his primary message to allwho hear him must be Jesus Saves. The Bible addresses thousands of subjects and principles concerning the lives of humanity. But the foundation must be built on the Son of God who lived an absolutely sinless life, died on a cross to pay for sin, was buried, and resurrected to save all who accept him as Savior and Lord.
March 22
Chapter 2, Verse 7, con’t, “On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised.”
πεπίστευμαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, pepisteumai to euangelion, “I have been entrusted with the gospel.” The verb εὐαγγέλιον, pisteuó, which means to believe, to have faith, or to trust, is derived from the noun πίστις, pistis, meaning “faith” or “belief.” The form of the verb used here is in the passive voice which means to be entrusted with something that is to be protected or defended, and often shared as of vital importance. The term was also used in Roman government to stipulate that a certain person, the imperial secretary, ab epistulus, was in charge of correspondence coming from the emperor. Paul used the term the same way in 1 Corinthians 9:17-18, “For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” Again, in 1 Thessalonians 2:4, he wrote, “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” In 1 Thessalonians 2, he was referring to himself, Silvanus, and Timothy (1:1). In legal terms, a trust is a legal arrangement where on person, the trustee, hold assets for the benefit of another, the beneficiary, for a specific purpose, managed according to the trust’s terms. Paul put it this way to Timothy, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
March 23
Chapter 2, Verse 8, “(for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles)”
ὁ γὰρ ἐνεργήσας, ho gar energēsas, “the [One] for having effectually worked.” This verse could easily read, “(for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles).” This clause, being set off by parentheses, brings together the truth of the previous verse that the power behind the calling of Paul was the exact same as that of Peter. The verb ἐνεργέω, energeó, to work, derived from en = in, and ergon = work, communicates the idea of being active or effective in producing an outcome. The same One (the Holy Spirit) who energized (worked, from energeo = to produce results) and empowered Peter also did the same thing for Paul in advancing the one, true gospel. Here again, we see the same work being done among two completely different cultures, but producing the same result–faith in Christ. The beauty of this is in the fact that God’s effectual work cannot be stopped and always produces the result of its intent. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:11-14). The inheritance that is coming to believers is guaranteed by the same Spirit that has sealed our future.
March 24
Chapter 2, Verse 9, “and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
The Greek text of this verse begins with, καὶ γνόντες τὴν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσάν μοι, kai gnontes tēn charin tēn dotheisan moi, “and having known the grace having been given to me.” γινώσκω, ginóskó, to know, to come to know, to recognize or perceive, is used to mean “I am taking in knowledge.” Paul was essentially saying they realized. And how did they come to realize his calling was authentic? The learned it through personal experience and relationship. Paul wrote, “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed” (1 Corinthians 9-11). For all who are in Christ, we must realize it is only by the grace of God that we are saved; it is not at all by any means of our own (Ephesians 2:8-9). And we should also realize the only way we can really grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18) is by participating in a community of faith–church (Hebrews 10:25). As we know one another better, our relationships grow deeper; deeper relationships last and testify to the marvelous grace of God who is mighty to save.
March 25
Chapter 2, Verse 9, con’t, “and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
Ἰάκωβος καὶ Κηφᾶς, καὶ Ἰωάννης οἱ δοκοῦντες στῦλοι εἶναι, δεξιὰς ἔδωκαν ἐμοὶ καὶ Βαρνάβα, κοινωνίας, Iakōbos kai Kēphas kai Iōannēs, hoi dokountes styloi einai dexias, edōkan emoi kai Barnaba, koinōnias, “James and Cephas and John, those esteemed pillars to be [the] right hands gave to me and Barnabas, of fellowship.” The term “esteemed pillars” is another reference to the good reputation these three men shared in their community of faith. Esteemed describes their standing: respected, honorable, well-known, praiseworthy. Pillars, styloi, literally refers to a tall cylindrical structure used to support a building or bridge. It was used by the Jews to refer to great teachers. The “right hand of fellowship,” or shaking hands, was to show agreement and represented a solemn vow of friendship and cooperation. This picture put the judaizers out of the conversation concerning salvation by faith through grace. Now, the public mission and purpose of evangelism among Jews and Gentiles was plainly the same. Paul’s work was fully supported and endorsed by the Jerusalem church leaders.
March 26
Chapter 2, Verse 9, con’t, “and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.”
EXCURSUS: What is biblical fellowship?
In the New Testament, the word κοινωνία, koinónia, which means “sharing,” “participation,” or “communion,” is used to describe the important this important part of the Christian life. Biblical fellowship is rooted in the shared union that believers have in Christ, a bond that draws them together. Fellowship has both a vertical dimension (relationship with God) and a horizontal dimension (relationship with other believers). Fellowship involves supporting, encouraging, and caring for one another, recognizing that we are part of a body of believers (Ephesians 5:1-21). This relationship is characterized by a shared commitment to Christ and a common purpose in following him (Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:24-26, John 8:12, John 12:26). While fellowship does involve social interaction, it goes much deeper than mere socializing; it is a spiritual connection and sharing of life together. The early church, in the book of Acts, demonstrates the importance of fellowship through sharing possessions, breaking bread, and praying together (Acts 2:42-47). The desired and supernatural result of biblical fellowship is a growing kingdom that honors God as souls are saved.
March 27
Chapter 2, Verse 10, “Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.”
μόνον τῶν πτωχῶν ἵνα μνημονεύωμεν, monon tōn ptōchōn hina mnēmoneuōmen, “Only [they asked] the poor that we should remember.” The New Living Translation begins, “Their only suggestion was. . .” Making a request here is assumed since monon simply means only. It is as if they were saying, “While you are ministering among all the people (Jews and Gentiles), please do not overlook the poor (likely the Jews in Jerusalem, many of whom were needy).” Taking care of the poor is both a physical and spiritual matter. As believers, part of our responsibility is “looking out” for those less fortunate than ourselves. As John wrote, “By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3:16-17). James put it like this, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone claims to have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, “Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,” but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead (James 2:14-17). Paul addressed the issue himself in Acts 11:29-30, Acts 24:17, and Romans 15:25-27. The latter says, “Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem to serve the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual blessings, they are obligated to minister to them with material blessings.” πτωχός, ptóchos, = crouch or cringe, is an adjective describing a person who cowers before others and is used as a noun to mean beggar. The world is full of needy people. When we have the opportunity, we should help them because it is the right thing to do. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus said, “Be careful not to perform your righteous acts before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Don’t brag, just help.
March 28
Chapter 2, Verse 10, “Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.”
ὃ καὶ ἐσπούδασα αὐτὸ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, ho kai espoudasa auto touto poiēsai, “that also I was eager the same thing to do.” In this statement, as it relates to the context of Paul’s mission to Gentiles and not specifically to Jews, as was the case of the Jerusalem church leaders, there is no small amount of irony. It had been necessary for Paul to defend his mission, over and over, against the onslaught of the false teachers, aka, the judaizers. Now the Judean leaders asked Paul to bring financial relief to those outside his primary area of responsibility. Paul’s response. Of course I will; I already planned to do that. And no one should be surprised. After all, Paul was himself a Jew, a Pharisee, the noble religious class who was likely behind the efforts of the judaizers. Paul wrote that he was eager to help. σπουδάζω, spoudazó (here, espoudasa), conveys the idea of hastening to act with intense effort. It seems this was Paul’s habit most of the time, anyway. Aggressive personalities function that way day in and day out. Sometimes, to gain the attention of those who are spiritually needy, we find it necessary to meet a physical need: hunger, financial hardship, sickness, etc.. Caring is caring; and caring causes people to listen. In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, Paul wrote about this sort of care, “Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.” Supporting the work of Christian ministry, including helping those in need, is a weekly responsibility of every local church. Saving, instead of borrowing, is the proper way to carry out the mission of the church.
March 29
Chapter 2, Verse 11, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.”
Sometime after the show of unity around the gospel message in Jerusalem, Paul returned to Antioch were believers were first called Christians (Acts 11:20). Later, Cephas (Peter) travelled to Antioch. But, in verse 11, introduces a new argument by Paul that is laid out through verse 14. The two issues in this verse are what happened and why. The simple answer to the first part of the problem is Paul “got in Peter’s face.” He said, “I opposed” him. ἀνθίστημι, anthistémi, from anti = against, and histemi = “to cause to stand,” literally menas to stand against, to set oneself against a person, idea, or situation (here, it all three). Anthistemi (antesten in verse 11), paints a picture of apostolic confrontation because the verb was used in secular Greek to describe an army dressed and engaged in battle against an enemy in close quarter combat. The verb usually intimates that first attack was from the other side. So, in Paul’s mind, Peter was the aggressor. We, who are believers, must be careful when considering such a move against a friend/ally/fellow believer. We never want to hinder the work of the church with personal, public confrontation unless it is absolutely necessary.
March 30
Chapter 2, Verse 11, con’t, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.”
ὅτι κατεγνωσμένος ἦν, hoti kategnōsmenos ēn, “because condemned he stood.” The long Greek verb used here combines kata = against, and ginosko = to know or to recognize. Literally, it means to know something against someone and then to find fault and place blame (condemn) on them for their words and/or actions. The New English Translation says, “because he had clearly done wrong.” The New Living Translation renders it, “for what he did was very wrong.” Why did Paul use such strong language? First, it is Paul. When we read his work, it is easy to understand his forthright and sometimes seemingly overbearing personality coming through in what he wrote. Paul used the term convinced to portray the idea of being sure several times, Romans 8:38, Acts 26:26, Philippians 1:25, and 2 Timothy 1:12. The later may be the most familiar, “But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” Paul constantly face the “Jewish problem” as he travelled and preached. In Antioch, Peter made a serious mistake (explained in verses 12-14) and Paul called him out. It did not mean Paul hated Peter or wanted him actually condemned. But it did mean he viewed Peter’s actions as a potentially serious blow to the gospel work, when he thought the issued was settled before he left Jerusalem.
March 31
Chapter 2, Verse 12, “For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party.”
In verse 12, we see six “actors” in a scene that brought the ire of Paul to bear. Paul, of course, is the writer/narrator. “He” is Cephas/Peter, the “guilty party” in Paul’s mind. The Gentiles are likely members of the Antioch church and probably relatively new converts. Jame is, no doubt, one of the “pillars” of the Jerusalem church mentioned in verse 9. “Certain men” and “the circumcision party” are most likely one and the same although the text is not definite about that. All these are introduced with the word γὰρ, gar, a term of explanation, as in “here is what happened.” We set the scene with Paul and Peter sitting down with members of the local church for a meal. Fellowship of this sort was a huge deal among both Jews and Gentiles. This would have been a great encouragement for Paul in his quest for everyone to be seen on equal ground before God. Paul was very clear in this regard as he wrote to the Corinthians, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). All of Pau’s efforts were, as ours should be, “for the sake of the gospel.” And we must always be careful how we deal with people lest we become disqualified (1 Corinthians 9:27).
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