Q4. Paul and the Jerusalem Church

[JoanG]

Paul want the people to know that he teaches the revelation by Jesus not the apostles. He did not come to teach the Jews but to approach teh Gentiles with love and faith. He wants teh people to know that what he is saying is true. But that he is only going to work with them. The apostles were giving the same messages to the Jewish people. He has the blessings of the Apostles to give his message. He is the one ot answer their questions. They are not to believe those that are giving them false information.

[lighthouse2014]

Q4. (Galatians 2:1-10) Why do you think Paul seems to distance himself from the leaders of the Jerusalem church (2:2, 6, 9)? Why does he at the same time write of their approval of his ministry? How does this further his argument to the Galatians in this letter?

Paul distanced himself from the leaders of the Jerusalem church because he knows he has been chosen by Jesus to take the gospel to the Gentiles. Peter and the other apostles were to take the gospel to the Jews only. Paul probably felt he did not need their approval, but to keep peace and harmony he went to the leaders at Jerusalem.

To show his respect of the leaders in Jerusalem he mentions their approval of his ministry and to show the Judizers that he was correct in his teaching of the gospel.

As mentioned above, their approval of Paul's teachings of the gospel and their not placing the Gentiles under the Mosaic law which had been done away with by Christ and the covenant.      

[Lionwolf]

Q4. (Galatians 2:1-10) Why do you think Paul seems to distance himself from the leaders of the Jerusalem church (2:2, 6, 9)? Why does he at the same time write of their approval of his ministry? How does this further his argument to the Galatians in this letter?

Not sure Paul was distancing himself from the leaders of Jerusalem as he was showing his ministry had been revealed to him by God and the Holy Spirit. Paul knew his ministry was right. Having approval of the Jerusalem leadership only reinforced the truth of the gospel he preached to the Galatians. 

[Annie343]

WHY - DISTANT FROM LEADERS OF THE JERUSALEM CHURCH: to show that Paul was not apostolically inferior to the pillars of the church's authority; the Judiazers claimed that Paul's authority came from the leaders; Paul was empowered by the Holy Spirit to minister to the Gentiles as Peter was to the Jews; Paul was recognized to be equal with the leaders

WHY - WRITE OFF THE LEADER'S APPROVAL OF HIS MINISTRY: they showed recognition of the truth of the gospel; approval showed cooperation around the truth; they had a common commitment and Paul was eager to cement the bond of friendship between Jew and Gentile Christians; right hand fellowship was a solemn vow of friendship and partnership; Paul didn't want to risk the breaking with the center of Christian faith (they recognized the grace given to Paul); he agreed to continue the practice of remembering the poor (practical concerns) since Jerusalem was economically pressed and as he brought gifts on this trip

HOW - FURTHER HIS ARGUMENT: he had a legitimate calling to ministry to Gentiles God's grace with approval of the leaders (being saved by the grace of Jesus Christ); the council said that they should not be required to follow laws and traditions

 

[smithjeanne]

It seems he knew that his work of bringing the gospel to the Gentiles was different than the work of those presenting the gospel to the Jews: same gospel, different audiences, but one body of believers. Paul wants to make sure they know that he has really been converted and thereby called to ministry.

[kennedy]

Poul distance himself from leaders at Jerusalem church they seem to advocate for salvation through works like circumcision this is faulty doctrine. only after poul intervening they accepted to remove condition of circumcision.

his writing to them is 1.recognition that there calling is legitimate from God.2.this is to approve that they are all apostles for different fields.3.to show oneness and one family of God.

[Jonathan Edwards]

Paul was quite assured of his ministry.   His apostolic endeavors were bearing fruit.  Pentecostal signs and wonders were confirming his preaching.   He was no "Johnny come lately".  Paul was a,seasoned preacher of the Gospel when he made his journey to Jerusalem with Titus.  He wasn't anxiously begging them to approve of his ministry.   He knew in his heart that God raised him up to preach to the Gentiles.

This meeting on Jerusalem was such an incentive to Paul and Titus because the Apostles recognized his teaching as adequate and complete,and that his evangelical work was standing on perfect equal footing with their ministry.  

The  verdict of the leaders of the Jerusalem church was approval of Paul's doctrine; his churches were of genuine Christian beliefs, not inferior to the Jerusalem church.  God is no respected of persons;  we are bound to lean on God, not upon men.   Paul did treat the "pillar apostles" with respect, but he didn't beg nor beseeched their approval.

 

[Krissi]

Paul is quite the political power player! He’s beefing up his reputation, protecting his turf and reeling in the power that the early church (rightly) according the twelve apostles who had been instructed directly by Jesus. The entire book so far may be read as Paul’s attempt to set himself and the gentile church up to be equal or superior to the apostles and the Jewish-Christian church. This is why he writes about how Christ had plucked him from the powerful and bigoted Jewish leaders who murdered early Christians, how he had been directly taught by God in the desert, and even his anti-circumcision stance. Paul is burnishing his creds as an equal to the apostles or even, perhaps, one superior.

Reading between the lines I think he was worried about what the “real” apostles would say or do about circumcision. I’m not sure he was convinced they would accept his vision of Christian faith among the gentiles, or of him as the apostle to the gentiles. It's interesting that the verbal put-down, “those who seemed to be leaders,” was written after he found out their affirming stance, that they agreed with his mission to the gentiles, and perhaps his apostolic status. Perhaps he was setting himself up to separate from them entirely and minister as Christ told him to do with the gentiles. The gentle response of the twelve apostles in Jerusalem may have prevented an early schism.

Also reading between the lines, I get the feeling that Paul felt criticized, distrusted, perhaps even ostracized by the early church leaders – the apostles. He’s giving a verbal put-down at the same time he eagerly accepts their approval of both him and his mission.

--

There seem to be three groups of leaders:

• the apostles – Jewish converts evangelizing and ministering mostly to Jews;
• Paul and others – Jewish converts evangelizing and ministering mostly to gentiles;
• gentile converts evangelizing and ministering mostly to gentiles.
• (I don’t see any gentiles ministering to Jews but may have missed this.  

The original mission of Jewish leaders ministering to other Jews had to be expanded, then, to include Jews ministering to gentiles and gentiles ministering to gentiles.

Again, Paul was both concerned about his own reputation as well as with the possibility of establishing rival churches that would compete with that of Jewish converts, that is, schism.