Shepherd’sGuide
GrowthGroupMinistry
____________
DateofMessage:May22,2016
SermonTitle:Galatians,Part5-“InLinewiththeGospel”
ScripturePassage:Galatians2:11-21
Passage(s):Galatians2:11-21
PaulOpposesPeter
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 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. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even
Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of
the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can
you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
JustifiedbyFaith
15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of
the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in
Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.
17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin?
Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died
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to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who
lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for
me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.
Commentary:
Review:TheJudaizersaccusedPaulofallowingGentileconvertstoignorethelawsothathewouldbemore
popularwiththem.Paul,inturn,accusedtheJudaizersofnullifyingthepowerofJesus'sacrificebyadding
conditionsforsalvation.
Thequestiontheydebatedwas:DoessalvationcomethroughChristaloneordoesitcomethroughChristand
adherencetothelaw?
ReadActs11:1-18forcontextofGalatians2:11-21.
2.11.AntiochwasthethirdleadingcityoftheRomanEmpire,afterRomeandAlexandria.ItwasatAntioch
wherefollowersofJesuswerefirstcalledChristians,meaningthose“belongingtoChrist”(Acts11:26).
AntiochwasalsothebirthplaceofthefirstpredominantlyGentilechurch,makingitastrategicplayerinthe
earlygrowthanddevelopmentofChristianity.
ThepopulationofAntiochinSyriawaslargelyGreek.ThecitybecametheheadquartersfortheGentilechurch
andwasPaul'sbaseofoperations.Petercameforavisit,andPaullethimknowhe(Paul)disapprovedof
someofPeter'sactions.
2.12.ItwascustomaryforJewstoseparatethemselvesfromGentilesandrefrainfromeatinganything
“unclean”inaccordancewithJewishdietarylaw.Peter’searliervisionfromGod,however,ledhimtorealize
thatthebarriersbetweenJewsandGentileswerebeinglifted(Acts10:28,34-35).Peter’sfailurehere,
however,ishiswillingnesstogiveintothepressureoftheJudaizers(thosewhobelievedthatGentile
ChristiansshouldalsofollowtheLawofMoses)andinseparatinghimselffromGentilesonceagain.
2.15.Afterestablishinghiscredibilityin1:11-2:20,Paulnowsetsforthhispointsofagreementandof
disagreementwiththeotherteachers.Thepointsofagreementaregiveninverses15-16,thatnooneis
justifiedbythelaw,butbyfaithinChrist.Thepointsofdisagreementarelistedinverses17-20,wherePaul
arguesthatheChristianlifeisnotlivedbyobservingthelaw,butinChrist.
2.16.Threetimesinthisverse,Paulassertsthatwearenotjustifiedbyobservingthelaw,butbyourfaithin
Christ.Indoingso,hedriveshomethepointthatitisfaithinJesusChristalonethatjustifiesonebeforeGod.
Peter’s“hypocrisy”thenwasdeclaringthistruth,yetlivinginawaythatcommunicatedtotheGentilesthat
GodacceptsonlythosewholiveaccordingtoJewishlaw.
2.21.Graceandlegalism(earningfavorwithGodthroughgoodworks)donotmix.IfacceptancebeforeGod
canbeearned,thentheneedforChrist’ssacrificeisnullified.
Furthercommentaryandcontext:
PaulopposedandrebukedPeterbecause,Paulsays,“hewasclearlyinthewrong.”Peterseparatedhimself
fromtheGentilesbecausehewasafraidoftheJudaizers.OtherJews(notJudaizers)includingBarnabas
joinedhim–afterall,hewasmoreorlesstheleadersofJesus’originalapostles.Paulcalledthishypocrisy
(verse13)because(1)PeterhadindependentlyspokenoutonittotheleadersinJerusalem(Acts11:1-18)
and(2)Paul,Peter,andthechurchleadershadpreviouslycometoanagreementonthematterinJerusalem
(Galatians2:1-9;Acts15:1-5).
TheOxfordBibleCommentarydevotesafullpagetodiscussingthesethreeverses,whichcanbedifficultto
understandwhatishappening.ThisclashbetweenPeterandPaulisinsharpcontrasttotheamicable
agreementjustreachedinJerusalem.Why?SomescholarssaytheeventswererecordedbyPaulinGalatians
outoforder,butthereisnorealevidenceofthat.Somecommentatorsfeelthatverses15and16area
continuationofPaul’sstatementofPeterbutforthebenefitofthetroublemakersinGalatia.
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Whydoesn’tPaulexplainwhyPetercametoAntiochjustafterthemeetinginJerusalem?Whatwasthe
reasonforthisdramaticconfrontation?Whowerethese“certainmen”whocamefromJameswhocaused
PetertobacktrackandnolongereatwiththeGentiles?WhywastheJerusalemchurchconcernedatall?Were
theseregularmealsortheLord’sSupperorboth?
Verses12bimpliesthatPeterbegantodrawbackoveraperiodoftime.Whowasapplyingthepressureand
whywasPeter,ofallpeople,afraid?Andsoon.
TheOxfordBibleCommentaryconcludesthattheseversescanbeplausiblyinterpretedinseveralways.
Perhapswehavetoacceptthatwedon’tknowpreciselywhyPeteractedinawaythatledPaultocriticize
himwithhypocrisytwiceoverinverse13.WhatisclearisthatPeterdidnotactimpulsivelyandwithout
supportofotherJewishChristiansincludingBarnabas.ItwasPaulwhowasisolated,hencehisemotional
languageandperhapslackofclarity.
ForPaul,afundamentalprinciplewasatstake.GentileswerebeingcompelledtolivelikeJewsinordertobe
acceptedasmembersoftheAntiochchurch.HencePaulrailedonPeterinfrontofallthoselinedupagainst
him.PaulsaysnothingaboutPeter’sresponse,andnothingabouttheoutcomeoftheconfrontation.Itseems
thatPaulwasmoreconcernedtopresshomethetheologicalissuesatstake,ashedoesinthefollowing
verses,thantorecordtheoutcomeofapainfulepisode.‘
MainIdea:UnderstandingandlivingouttheGospelofChristisessentialtoourChristianlife.Wemust
believethatwearecompletelyjustifiedtoGodthroughJesus,withouttryingtoproveourselvesorearnfavor
withGod.
Introduction:
Thewayweliveourlivessaysmuchaboutus.Thedecisionswemake,thepathswechoose,eachofthese
speakvolumesaboutourmotivationsandbeliefs.SoasPauldefendedhimselfandhismessageagainstthe
accusationsofthenewteachersinGalatia,helaidhislifebeforehisaudience.Overandoveragainhewas
willingtoriskhislife,reputation,andeventheapprovalofotherChristianleaderstoliveoutthemessageof
graceandfreedomhehadbeengiven.Forus,andfortheGalatians,hewasanexampleofsomeonewholived
hislifeinlinewiththeGospelandinlinewithhiscallingandmission.
PotentialIcebreakerQuestion(s):
PaulwasthoroughlychangedbyhisencounterwithJesus(1:11-17).Whatdoyouthinkitwaslikeforhimto
gofromviolentlyopposedtothemessageofJesustoarguingwithpeopletoacceptthemessageofJesus?
Whatdidhelose?Whatdidhegain?
HowhasJesuschangedyourlife?
Whenyouheartheword,“Gospel”…whatdoyouthinkof?
SomePotentialDiscussionQuestions:
1.
2.
Readtogetherthepassage(s):Galatians2:11-21.
Whatobservationsandquestionsdoyouhavefromthepassage(s)?
Accordingtothetext,whydidPaulopposeCephas(Peter)totheface?
WhathadPeterbeeninthepracticeofdoingbeforethecomingofcertainmenfromJames?
WhatdoesthetextspecificallysaywasPeter’sreasonfordiscontinuingtheabovepractice?
HowdidPeter’sactionsinfluencethosearoundhim?
WhatsindoesPaulspecificallystatePeterwasguiltyofcommitting?
WhatdoesPaulsayPeterandtheseotherindividualswerenotbeingstraightforwardabout?
WhatquestiondidPaulaskPeterinthe“presenceofall”?
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3.
4.
Wouldn’titbehavebeenbetterforPaultoconfrontPeterprivately?Whyconfrontinfrontofeveryone?
BywhatisamanNOTjustified?Bywhatishejustified?
WhatdidPauldo“throughtheLaw”thathe“mightlivetoGod”?Whatmightthismean?
WhatwastheresultofPaulbeing“crucifiedwithChrist”?
IfrighteousnesscomesthroughtheLaw,whatistheresult?Whywouldthisbethecas?
WhenPetercametoAntioch,whatdidPauldo?Whydidhedothat?(2:11-13)
Canyouthinkofatimewhere,likePeter,yougaveinonsomethingyouknewwaswrongtogain
someone’sapproval?
5.
DoyouhaveahardtimetrustingthatGodacceptsandforgivesyou,justasyouare?Orareyou
drivenbyaneedtoproveyourselfbeforeGod?
6.
Inv.15-16,weareremindedthatwearenolonger"underthelaw."Why,then,shouldwestriveto
obeytheTenCommandments?Orshouldwe?(Romans7:12)
Romans7saysthatthelawexposesoursinfulnatureandourabsoluteneedforasavior.Inverse7,Paul
establishesthatthelawitselfisnotsin,butratherexposessin.Paulgoesontosaythatwhenitcomesto
therighteousdeedsofthelaw,hecontinuallycameupshortincompliance.Thisisevidentinverses1517;ashardashetries,Paulhimselffound100%compliancewiththelawtobeimpossible.Herealizes
thathefailstomakethecutinhisventuretokeepthelawinlightofJames2:10(Forwhoevershallkeep
thewholelaw,andyetoffendinonepoint,heisguiltyofall)Buthere’sthegoodnews;law-keepingis
notwhatmakesyourighteousinthefirstplace;it’stheHolySpiritlivinginyouthatmakestheChristian
lifework.It’sfaithinnoneotherthantheworkofChristthatbringsjustificationandsalvation.
7.
WhenweusethewordjustifyinmodernEnglish(Pleasejustifyyouractions)whatdoesitmean?
Howdoesthismodernuserelatetothetheologicaluseweseeinthispassage?
8.
[Seev.15,16,17.Justifymoderndef:toproveorshowtobejust,right,orreasonable.Biblicaldef:to
judge,regard,andtreatasrighteousandworthyofsalvation.Paulsayswearejustifiedbyfaith,i.e.,we
aremaderighteousbyourfaithinChrist.
Verse16isprobablythekeyverseintheentirebookofGalatians.Threetimesittellsusthatnooneis
justifiedbyobservingthelaw,andthreetimesitemphasizestherequirementofplacingone'sfaithin
Christ.
DonotthinkthatwhenPaulsays"wearejustifiedbyfaithinChristandnotbyobservingthelaw"that
heisdepreciatingthelawitself.IndeedinRomans7:12,hesaysthatGod'slawis"holy,righteous,and
good."Ratherheispointingoutthatobservingthelawisnotthegroundsforyourjustification,i.e.,your
acceptancebyGod.]
Whatisthesignificanceofhavingbeen"crucifiedwithChrist"?WhatdoesitmeantoGod?Whatdoes
itmeantoyou?Whateffectshouldthishaveonyourdailylife?
WhenGodlooksatyou,hedoesn’tseeyouasaweaksinner,butheactuallyseesyouasChrist.
Galatians5:24
Romans6:8-10
Romans7:6
9. Inv.21,Paulsays,"ifrighteousnesscouldbegainedthroughthelaw,Christdiedfornothing!"As
Christianstoday,fewofusareconcernedwithkeepingtheJewishlaws.Outsiders,however,mayfeel
thatChristianshaveadditionalrequirementsthattheymustmeettogainapproval.Namesomeof
these.
10. WhatdoesitmeantoyouthatyouarecompletelyjustifiedtoGodthroughJesus?Howoftendoyou
feellikeGod’sfriend?
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11. Weoftenadmire"self-made"menandwomenwhohaveachievedsuccessthroughtheirownefforts,
whohaveearnedtheirpositioninlife.Howdoyoufeelaboutsuchpeople?Howdoesthisfeeling
affectyourresponsetotheconceptofgrace(orunmeritedfavor)?
ApplicationQuestion(s):
GodcalledPaultotakethemessageofJesustotheGentiles.DoyoufeellikeGodhassomethingspecificfor
youtodo?Whatcouldthatbe?
Whatdoesyourlifesayaboutyou?DoyourdecisionsandchoicesfallinlinewithGod’sgrace?Pleaseshare.
BEC ANNOUNCEMENTS
RemembertocovertheseannouncementsduringtheGGsession.Also,nextShepherd’sHuddlewillbe
Saturday,May21(8-9:30am,C-Sanctuary).
1. CongregationalRetreat–May27-29
Pleaseregisterfortheretreatatwww.ocbethel.com.
Ifyou’veregistered,pleaseturninyourregistrationfeetoPastorStanleythiscomingSunday.
2. GMMAConference–June24-26atourchurch.
Firstandforemost,GMMAisamissions’conference.Greatspeakersfromallaroundtheworldwith
over60workshopsandpraiseledbyShaneandShane!ForBethelmembers,registrationforthe
wholeconferenceis$30.Registeronlineatwww.gmma7.org!
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3. LeadershipHuddle,July23from9-11am
(Guest-Presenter:PaulSohn,authorofQuarter-LifeCalling)
4. BECMissionTriptoHondurasthroughLivingWaterInternational–November12-19!
Moreinformationtobegivensoon.
5. Shepherd’sHuddle
NextHuddle=Saturday,June18th(8-10amintheC-Sanc)
HouseChurchReBootTraining
• Saturday,July2(8-10am)
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• Saturday,July30(8-10am)
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• Saturday,August20(8-10am)
• Saturday,August27(8-10am)
• Saturday,Sept.3(8-10am)
• Saturday,Sept.10(8-10am)
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