- Paul’s gospel was confirmed: (2:6-7): “God does not judge by external appearance.” In those days there were people of high reputation, yet Paul said that God showed no favouritism and he received the Gospel directly from Christ to preach to the Gentiles just as Peter was chosen for the Jews. It is easy to rate the people on the basis of their status, but God does not look at the external appearance. All believers are equal in Christ.
- Peter, James and John approved Paul’s ministry: (2:8-9): James, Peter and John realized that God was using Paul to reach the Gentiles, just as Peter was being used among Jews. After hearing, they gave Paul and Barnabas their approval to continue the ministry among Gentiles and extended their fellowship too. Although there seems to be some distinction of their ministries, they were not absolute, for each did minister to other groups.
“For the partition was not one that fixed hard and fast boundaries that they must not pass, like those of kingdoms, principalities, and provinces.” (Calvin)
“Yet, the distinction is interesting, especially because Roman Catholics claim that the Pope is the successor of Peter – but where through history is the Pope’s ministry to the Jews? “But if Peter’s apostleship pertained peculiarly to the Jews, let the Romanists ask by what right they derive from him their succession to the primacy. If the Pope of Rome claims the primacy because he is Peter’s successor, he ought to exercise it over the Jews. Paul is here declared to be the chief apostle of the Gentiles; yet they deny that he was the bishop of Rome. Therefore, if the Pope would enter into the possession of his primacy, let him assemble Churches from the Jews.” (Calvin)
- Remember the poor: (2:10): The Jerusalem church had suffered from the effects of severe famine in Palestine (Acts 11:28-30) and was struggling. Many Gentile converts were financially strong so Paul made efforts to gather contribution from Gentile churches and Jewish Christians (Acts 24:17; Rom.15:25-29; 1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8). The need for believers to take care of the poor was one of the themes of the Bible, yet we often overlook at it. Many Christian Mission hospitals, educational institutions, children’s homes and destitute homes have started with the intention of evangelism as the cutting edge. Missionaries have been successful in these areas.
Paul opposes Peter: (2:11-21):
Peter approved of Paul’s gospel and ministry when Paul came to Jerusalem (2:9), and God used Peter himself to welcome Gentiles into Christianity without the precondition of becoming Jews (Acts 11:1-18). Peter was previously in agreement with welcoming Gentiles into the church without bringing them under the Law of Moses, but when Peter came to Antioch (Paul’s home church), he refused to associate with Gentile Christians when certain Jewish believers from Jerusalem came. Peter thought that they would be offended at his fellowship with Gentiles who had not come under the Law of Moses.
Peter’s experience:
- Peter had known that God did not require Gentiles to come under the Law of Moses for salvation. He learned this from the vision God gave him in (Acts 10:10-16).
- Again Peter saw the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles who believed in (Acts 10:44-48).
- Peter knew that Jesus ate with publicans and sinners, who never enter into strict Jewish practice.
Paul’s public rebuke: (2:14-21):
- Jews have no special privilege: (2:14): Paul says that Jews have had special privileges and may not be guilty of Gentile sins; but Jews and Gentiles are to be saved the in the same way. Salvation did not mean that Gentiles must become like Jews. All are justified freely and given a right standing before God only through faith in Jesus Christ. The works of the law will never justify a man.