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circumcised Timothy. Paul defended his action on the ground that he had
circumcised Timothy, not from compulsion, but from Christian love, lest the weak in
faith should be offended. His opponents would not accept Paul's explanation.
When Paul saw that the quarrel was getting out of hand he obeyed the direction of
God and left for Jerusalem, there to confer with the other apostles. He did this not
for his own sake, but for the sake of the people.
VERSE 1. With Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Paul chose two witnesses, Barnabas and Titus. Barnabas had been Paul's preaching
companion to the Gentiles. Barnabas was an eye-witness of the fact that the Holy
Ghost had come upon the Gentiles in response to the simple preaching of faith in
Jesus Christ. Barnabas stuck to Paul on this point, that it was unnecessary for the
Gentiles to be bothered with the Law as long as they believed in Christ.
Titus was superintendent of the churches in Crete, having been placed in charge of
the churches by Paul. Titus was a former Gentile.
VERSE 2. And I went up by revelation.
If God had not ordered Paul to Jerusalem, Paul would never have gone there.
VERSE 2. And communicated unto them that gospel.
After an absence of fourteen years, respectively eighteen years, Paul returned to
Jerusalem to confer with the other apostles.
VERSE 2. Which I preach among the Gentiles.
Among the Jews Paul allowed Law and circumcision to stand for the time being. So
did all the apostles. Nevertheless Paul held fast to the liberty of the Gospel. On one
occasion he said to the Jews: "Through this man (Christ) is preached unto you
forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from
which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses." (Acts 13:39.) Always
remembering the weak, Paul did not insist that they break at once with the Law.
Paul admits that he conferred with the apostles concerning his Gospel. But he denies
that the conference benefited or taught him anything. The fact is he resisted those
who wanted to force the practice of the Law upon the Gentiles. They did not
overcome him, he overcame them. "Your false apostles lie, when they say that I
circumcised Timothy, shaved my head in Cenchrea, and went up to Jerusalem, at the
request of the apostles. I went to Jerusalem at the request of God. What is more, I
won the indorsement of the apostles. My opponents lost out."
The matter upon which the apostles deliberated in conference was this: Is the
observance of the Law requisite unto justification? Paul answered: "I have preached
faith in Christ to the Gentiles, and not the Law. If the Jews want to keep the Law
and be circumcised, very well, as long as they do so from a right motive."
VERSE 2. But privately to them which were of reputation.
This is to say, "I conferred not only with the brethren, but with the leaders among
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them."
VERSE 2. Lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
Not that Paul himself ever thought he had run in vain. However, many did think that
Paul had preached the Gospel in vain, because he kept the Gentiles free from the
yoke of the Law. The opinion that obedience to the Law was mandatory unto
salvation was gaining ground. Paul meant to remedy this evil. By this conference he
hoped to establish the identity of his Gospel with that of the other apostles, to stop
the talk of his opponents that he had been running around in vain.
VERSE 3. But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled
to be circumcised.
The word "compelled" acquaints us with the outcome of the conference. It was
resolved that the Gentiles should not be compelled to be circumcised.
Paul did not condemn circumcision in itself. Neither by word nor deed did he ever
inveigh against circumcision. But he did protest against circumcision being made a
condition for salvation. He cited the case of the Fathers. "The fathers were not
justified by circumcision. It was to them a sign and seal of righteousness. They
looked upon circumcision as a confession of their faith."
The believing Jews, however, could not get it through their heads that circumcision
was not necessary for salvation. They were encouraged in their wrong attitude by the
false apostles. The result was that the people were up in arms against Paul and his
doctrine.
Paul did not condemn circumcision as if it were a sin to receive it. But he insisted,
and the conference upheld him, that circumcision had no bearing upon salvation and
was therefore not to be forced upon the Gentiles. The conference agreed that the
Jews should be permitted to keep their ancient customs for the time being, so long as
they did not regard those customs as conveying God's justification of the sinner.
The false apostles were dissatisfied with the verdict of the conference. They did not
want to rest circumcision and the practice of the Law in Christian liberty. They
insisted that circumcision was obligatory unto salvation.
As the opponents of Paul, so our own adversaries [Luther's, the enemies of the
Reformation] contend that the traditions of the Fathers dare not be neglected
without loss of salvation. Our opponents will not agree with us on anything. They
defend their blasphemies. They go as far to enforce them with the sword.
Paul's victory was complete. Titus, who was with Paul, was not compelled to be
circumcised, although he stood in the midst of the apostles when this question of
circumcision was debated. This was a blow to the false apostles. With the living fact
that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised Paul was able to squelch his
adversaries.
This text was prepared by Laura J. Hoelter for Project Wittenberg by Robert E. Smith and is in the public domain. You may freely
distribute, copy or print this text. Please direct any comments or suggestions to:
Rev. Robert E. Smith
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Walther Library
Concordia Theological Seminary.
E-mail: smithre@mail.ctsfw.edu
Surface Mail: 6600 N. Clinton St., Ft. Wayne, IN 46825 USA
Phone: (260) 452-3149 - Fax: (260) 452-2126
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