Soap Box 32-PETER AND PAUL; APOSTLES IN CONTRAST Part IV

Here is a rule of Bible study : In the study of a passage, if the first sense makes good sense, seek no other sense. This would be considered a general rule that fits many verses and situations where one is interpreting the Bible. But, an exception is found in reference to Galatians 2:7-8 ( according to the thinking of this writer).

Many readers and/or interpreters see this passage as a simple recognition that Paul has been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision AS the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter. Galatians 2:8, continues with an added expansion of 2:7, explaining that they both had ministries wherein God was working in and through Peter and Paul.

"For he (God) that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship
of the circumcision,………………………………………………
the same( God) was mighty in me (Paul) toward the Gentiles"

These 'many interpreters', state that here is a simple recognition of two apostles with the same calling, gospel, commitment and the same God energizing and working with/through each of them. The 'many' reduce this all to merely a difference of territory. Peter goes to the circumcision in the territory of Judaea and Paul goes to the uncircumcision, outside the land of Judaea.

As stated in the first study (part I), this raises the problem : How could Peter be sent to the circumcision in Galatians 2 ( which was written much later than Acts1) when in Acts 1:8 along with the 'great commission' passages of Matt:28:19-20; Mk 16:15-16; Luke 24:47-48, there is emphatically given a commission which encompasses much more than a ministry to the circumcision ?

Earlier, we discussed how the commission (to Peter, and the others) in Matt. 10:5-6 was a ministry to the circumcision. This was likened to stage I with Matt. 28:19-20 being a stage II. We also saw how that Peter and the others were going to, only the Jew, or only to the circumcision in Acts 1-9. Cornelius and his household being, the first, the last and the only Gentiles that Peter and the others ministered to in all of the record found in the Acts.

We raised the question : If the twelve Apostles were given a world-wide ministry which is in those passages at the end of the Gospels, why Paul ? If everything about Peter and the twelve apostles was the same as Paul, why Paul ? Why, this seemingly, adding on to the ministry of the twelve, another apostle, duplicating with a factor one, what had originally started out as a ministry of twelve ?

The answer lies in the context of this chapter in Galatians 2. Paul is contrasting two personalities, two gospels and two apostleships. This can be further reduced to a contrast in programs. In the realm of truth, the message and program of Moses was true for his times. In the realm of truth, Moses' message and program is still true but is not truth for today.

The late Charles F. Baker in his book Understanding Galatians and the Law deals with this same situation.

"In this context Paul calls his gospel the gospel of, or for, the uncircumcision
(the Gentiles), and Peter's gospel the gospel of the circumcision (the Jews).
Translators are divided on whether Paul is making a distinction between the
the gospels preached by himself and Peter, or between the two groups unto
which he and Peter preached the gospel. Many dispensationalists believe
Paul is contrasting his gospel to the Gentiles with Peter's gospel to the Jews.
Whether or not that is Paul's purpose here, it is evident there were differences
in the dispensational programs of these two apostles. To understand these
differences we must study the life of Abraham who lived 1900 years before
Christ." (Understanding Galatians and the Law. page 24, italics mine)

Mr. Baker graciously says, if you don't get the story of Abraham right, as a beginning, you will not have it right these 1900 years later. A right start, contributes significantly to a right finish. In so many words, he is also indicating that translators also are interpreting as they translate.

Mr. Baker's keen insight, brings out this 'division' among translators concerning the distinctions that could be made. The options are : Does Paul make a distinction between the content of the gospel messages or between the groups the gospel is preached.

In Galatians 2:7, the emphasis looks to be with the content of the gospel. It is the gospel of the uncircumcision and the gospel of the circumcision. In Galatians 2:8, the emphasis with regard to Peter, speaks of the apostleship of the circumcision. But, there is a change with the wording/translation with regard to Paul. The same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.

In Galatians 2:9, the right hands of fellowship indicate that there was an agreement that we ( Paul and Barnabas) should go unto the heathen (Gentiles), and they (James, Cephas and John) unto the circumcision. It would seem (to me), that there is no clear cut case that can be made on prepositions and translation/interpretation alone.

According to the record of Luke's Acts of the Apostles, they ( James, Cephas and John), and all who work with them, never minister to any Gentiles again ( after Acts 10 ) and minister to only the circumcision. We could say, then, that they lived up to the agreement ( if indeed, this is the agreement). However, with regard to Paul, he continues to minister to Jews in the record of Acts, after the agreement has been made. ( This would be based on when the agreement was made, during one of Paul's visits to Jerusalem, say, Acts 11 and on through Acts 15).

Either Paul did not keep the agreement, since he went to many of the circumcision following this meeting in Jerusalem or he did keep the agreement. But, how could Paul keep the agreement and STILL minister/witness to the Jews of the Diaspora as well as the Gentiles ?

On the one hand, James Peter and John agreed to curtail and limit their ministry to the Circumcision in the land of Judaea. Luke records no ministry of the twelve outside the land. As stated above, the record of Acts shows no ministry to Gentiles after Acts 10. ( Of course, this is an argument from silence and from a lack of any evidence in Acts that shows indeed, they did minister to Gentiles.)

On the other hand, Paul does not change his ministry and methods at all. He continues to do what he is called to do. In conference, the Pillars add nothing to Paul. But contrariwise, the Pillars 'see' ( Gal.2:7) and 'perceive' the grace that was given to Paul. (Gal. 2:9). That is, they add nothing to Paul by way of revelation that they had (from God ) that would change, curtail, enhance or limit Paul in his preaching/calling and/or commission responsibilities. However, this is not true with regard to Paul, as he adds to their understanding. For the second time, he uses this word 'added nothing'. Rather, the Greek word used in Gal. 1:16, is here used again. In Gal. 1:16, he states that , I conferred not with flesh and blood. Paul's calling had no relation with human beings that could add to his ministry (in the area of Damascus) or as he goes on in 1:17, neither did he need any help or endorsements from any in Jerusalem.

Paul says, in Gal. 2:6, "..they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me." He continues in 2:7, But, just the opposite ( happened ). I added to their knowledge and thus subtracted from their out reach and ministry. They agreed to rescind their commission from the Lord with regard to Gentiles ( Matt. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8) and accept the "orders' from the Lord Jesus (The Glorified Lord, speaking since His ascension) here to and through Paul, sealed by the right hands of fellowship.

The gospel and apostleship of the circumcision is a program linked to the universal out reach of the Abrahamic covenant as found in Genesis 12:1-3. God has always had a world-wide plan and program. The distinctions and differences come in God's changing methods. Here in Genesis, God will bless all the families of the earth ( The Gentiles ) THROUGH Abraham's seed ( Israel ). The gospel and apostleship of the circumcision focuses on the circumcision ( The Jews, Israel ) as the channel to bless all the families of the earth ( The Gentiles ). This was God's method from Abraham through Peter.

The gospel and apostleship of the uncircumcision is a world-wide program that does not exclude the Jews ( as 'uncircumcision' may falsely imply) but includes the Jews, the circumcision. It is not carried out THROUGH the seed of Abraham, as to method.

Confusion reaches new heights, when students of the Bible are unable to distinguish things that differ. Many get hung up on 'saints' , 'people of God' and 'believers'. They are too generic.

Paul says it succinctly in Romans 11:32. For God hath concluded them all ( JEW as well as GENTILE ) in unbelief, ( he has a new people of God to be the channel ) that he might have mercy upon all.

Peter's gospel and apostleship are of the circumcision, because it is a program that is initiated with the Jews but is a program that definitely does include the Gentiles.

Paul's gospel and apostleship are of the uncircumcision, because it is a program that reaches out to the Gentiles but does not exclude the Jews. Otherwise, how could there be the teaching of one body made up jointly of Gentiles and Jews. Paul emphasizes the Gentile ministry in his writings because of the many Judaisers who misrepresented the truth and because that was what was new in his ministry ( not that Gentiles were being saved, but how they were being saved.) Paul is seen in Acts as ministering to Jews which seems as if he did not keep the agreement with James, Peter and John. ( Another paper is needed to deal with these issues) But, there is one aspect here, often missed, in Paul's ministry in the synagogue : one of the reasons he went to the synagogue was to be able to reach the Gentiles, who would be the easiest fruit to pick, in contradistinction to those out from among the vast millions, who were steeped in polytheism. They were far down the trail on the road of truth concerning one God, and that is just the beginning. ( We could call this killing two birds with one stone, but getting two birds with one effort sounds less violent.)

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