The Approval of Paul: Part 3 of 4 (series: Lessons on Galatians)

by John Lowe
(Woodruff, S.C.)

The argument made here, in a nutshell, is this: The same effects had been produced under the ministry of Paul among the Gentiles which had been produced under the preaching of Peter among the Jews. It is inferred, therefore, that God had called both to the apostolic office—“Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? (Acts 11:17). God gave the Gentiles the Holy Spirit, and His various gifts and graces, in the same way, and in the same measure in which he gave them to the Jews. Realizing this, Peter says, “What was I, that I could withstand God?” It was not Peter who called them to salvation: it was God; and the proof of it is that only God could dispense the Holy Spirit. All these extraordinary signs, then, were given in order to show Peter and the Jewish Christians that the Gentiles were also accepted.

9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me,
The expression, "the grace that was given unto me," also occurs in 1 Corinthians 3:10, Romans 12:3, and Romans 15:15, where, as well as here, it is used with a definite reference to the office of apostle having been conferred upon him together with the qualifications and gifts necessary for its efficient operation and success. This definite reference to a heavenly gift connected with his office of apostle is also prominent in the apostle's use of the word "grace," in Romans 1:5--"By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name" (also see 1 Corinthians 15:10, and 2 Corinthians 12:9). The "grace that was given unto him," therefore, consists of his having been put in trust of the gospel of the uncircumcision, and of God's having worked on his behalf in his discharge of that trust, which are presented in the two preceding verses.

The James mentioned here is, no doubt, the same James who appears in the great meeting described in Acts 15.6-21 where he holds a prominent position; president or chairman. The "James" who, along with Peter and John was often given special privileges by Jesus, such as being present at his transfiguration, was not alive at this time. This James, is named first, even before Cephas and John, though he was not an apostle, probably because he was the leading "elder" (or bishop, as his office was soon to be designated) of the Church of Jerusalem. The twelve had no official connection with this particular Church any more than with the other Churches; and, therefore, when meetings were held at Jerusalem, the presiding official was not any of the apostles, but the man who was recognized as the highest ranking "elder" of this particular community. John's name is not mentioned in Acts 15, but it is in other places in the Acts. "Peter and John" are found together at times, even working together as they did when curing the lame man--"Now Peter and John went up together into the temple..." (Acts 3.1) (Also see Acts 4:13; Acts 8:14), and they held a very prominent place among the apostles. The reason why these three are named, and none of the other apostles, is probably that on the occasion referred to these three, James on behalf of the Church of Jerusalem, and Peter and John on behalf of the twelve, stepped forward before the meeting, and all three formally clasped hands with Paul and Barnabas in recognition of their recognizing and ratifying their doctrine and ministry.

The apostle's reason for adding the clause, "who seemed to be pillars,” is apparently, to indicate why these three, rather than any of the other apostles, represented the Twelve in this formal proceeding, and at the same time to suggest to his Galatian readers the superb nature of the validation afforded both to his gospel, which certain ones among the Galatians were now tinkering with, and to his standing as an apostle which those same persons were beginning to belittle.

When Paul wrote, “when James, Cephas, and John perceived the grace that was given unto me,” he meant the grace and benefits of apostleship, which was conferred upon him, and all those extraordinary gifts of grace, whereby he was qualified for the discharge of it; and particularly the value and success of his ministry through the grace of God which went along with it, and was so clearly discernible in it.

they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This hand-clasp simply ratified by a conspicuous gesture the formal agreement between the two parties that they regarded each other as friendly partners in a common undertaking; and that Paul and Barnabas were admitted as apostles into their society (Though Barnabas did not meet the apostolic requirement of having seen Jesus, he often did the work of an apostle or assisted them.). The use of this gesture in ratifying a covenant, contract, etc., has been very common in all ages. Its use among the Jews is confirmed, not only by the phrase, "they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship" employed here, but by the phrases, "strike hands" and "give one's hand," in Job 17:3, Proverbs 6:1, and Ezekiel 17:18. The Jews did not consider a handshake to be the most sacred of all forms of covenanting: they would, of course, regard an oath by the Name of God as providing a higher sanction. In the case now under consideration, there was no "strife" between James, Cephas, and John, and Paul and Barnabas, which needed to be "ended" by "an oath:" the solemn and cordial mutual pressure of the right hand seems just the method appropriate to the circumstances.

“That we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision” may be read either the way it was written or "that we should be ministers of the heathen.” This distribution of the work may also have been geographical as well as national; which is indicated by the mention in the next verse of "the poor" whom Paul and Barnabas were to bear in mind; they were the poor in Judaea, the province of James, Cephas, and John. This was a reasonable request; “for, if the Gentiles were made partakers of their spiritual things, it was their duty to minister to them in carnal things” (Rom. 15:27). Paul certainly did remember the poor in Jerusalem; he put a lot of effort towards gathering a contribution among the Gentile churches for the sake of the saints in Jerusalem.