In Paul's discourse on the
gospel of grace to the church members in Galatia, he has been sharing
the authority that he has by Jesus Christ to share with the Gentiles.
In Galatians chapter two and verse eleven we saw where Paul
demonstrated his equal authority with the disciples by confronting
Peter because he was to be blamed for an activity that was unbecoming
a true believer in Jesus Christ. In chapter two and verse twelve we
discover just what Peter's action was. We read:
For before that certain
came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were
come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of
the circumcision.
Paul
said, “For before that certain came from James, he did
eat with the Gentiles;” The
New King James version says it this way, “for before
certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles;” In
other words, James, who was the leader in Jerusalem sent an entourage
to Antioch to discover what was happening to the church there. Peter
was already in Antioch, and he was free to eat with the Gentiles.
Quite possibly the Gentiles who were free to eat non-kosher foods
were feeding some of those items to Peter. We don't know for sure,
but we do know that he was eating with them. This, of course, was not
heard of in most cases with the Jewish people. In the history of the
Bible there was a separate table set for the Gentiles to eat. This,
however, wasn't Paul's main concern.
Paul
continued, “but when they were come, he withdrew and
separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.”
Peter was afraid of what the Jewish members might think of him, so he
separated himself from the Gentiles when they came. If we picture
this for a moment, we can imagine that Peter is having a great time
eating and laughing with the Gentiles, and then finds out that this
Jewish group from Jerusalem shows up. Peter might have gotten up
quickly, acted like he wasn't really eating with and having a good
time with them, and moved in an abrupt manner away from Gentiles.
This was Paul's great concern. How could Peter act like he was having
a great time with the Gentiles one moment, and then operating as
though they had the plague the next? Paul withstood Peter to the face
about this chameleon behavior.
When
we read this verse we may think ourselves incapable of fearing the
judgment of others, and considering Peter such a horrible witness of
the gospel for acting in the manner he did. However, have we ever
been one way with a person and then as soon as they leave be another?
Have we acted as though we enjoy someone's company one moment and
then as soon as “better friends” arrive we operate as though the
first person has the plague? Perhaps as we read these words of Paul
we can imagine him in our faces, withstanding us, and asking us why
we are “two-faced” toward others to whom Jesus loves. As we
ponder these things may we all repent and ask the Lord Jesus for the
grace to love all people as he does – all the time.
Next
time will see how Peter's resistance influenced others, so read
ahead, and let us join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look for
the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to
Generation” in all major
bookstore
sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to
e-books, and find it
locally
at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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