Paul has just finished telling the story of how the Christians in both Syria and Cilicia responded when they found out that Paul had actually become a true believer. The one who hated became the one who loved. I still think they were a bit suspicious at first (even though the story doesn’t say it) but he reports that their response was overwhelming praise and worship.
He then gives us a gap of 14 years in his story and tells us this...”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. Galatians 2:1-5
From other sources (notably the book of Acts) we know some of what went on during that period with Paul. But for the purposes of what Paul wants to accomplish…proving or reproving to the Galatians that he was indeed a true apostle and had the spiritual authority of one…he gives us a time jump of 14 years to when he is headed to Jerusalem with Barnabas his ministry companion and another young man by the name of Titus.
The issue that was rapidly developing and needed to be resolved one way or the other was whether Gentiles who had become believers needed to be circumcised, among other things. In essence there was a push that for non-Jewish believers to fully follow Christ, they needed to go through Judaism and some of its rituals first.
Titus was a believer…and Greek. Do you think he was a little nervous about being the test case?
This was probably the same visit to Jerusalem that is mentioned in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas were the representatives from the church at Antioch.
He says that he went up by some sort of revelation but does not specify it any more than that. He met with the apostles to show them what it was he was communicating to the Gentiles who had become believers. This seems to be a bit of a private meeting. Paul was not looking for approval from them (again, he was already an apostle on their level) but rather letting them in on the ministry that God had called him to lead. The point is also probably valid that Paul did not want any unnecessary conflict with the Jerusalem church.
Huzzah! Titus was not required to be circumcised…. probably a big sigh of relief there. On Paul’s part, it was bold to bring an uncircumcised Gentile with him but Titus became a living example of the power of the gospel among those who were not Jewish.
This issue of circumcision became a flashpoint because these false teachers (again Judaizers) were trying to bring Paul and others into spiritual bondage by insisting that they follow the Jewish law in all things.
Paul describes them as essentially party crashers…it seems somehow they snuck in…came in through some underhanded means.
He does actually call them spies…and this idea of spying is related to checking out a foreign territory. Paul says that he and the others had ‘liberty’…a freedom from ceremonial legalism and bowing to circumcision would have eliminated this liberty and freedom.
The end result is that Paul and the others did not give into the false teachers for even a moment. They did not yield to put themselves again under any spiritual subjugation. It is the ultimate truth of the gospel which was at stake and Paul could not give in to any compromise on that.
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