'Ga 2:1-10

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Jerusalem supports Paul’s gospel (Ga 2:1-10)

Fourteen years after his conversion (i.e. eleven years after the visit mentioned in Ga 1:18), Paul went to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas and Titus (Ga 2:1; see Acts 11:27-30).

He did not go to seek the apostles’ approval, for he had no doubts about the truth and authority of the gospel he preached. Rather he met the apostles as one of equal standing with them, and explained to them his work among the Gentiles. He wanted complete understanding with them concerning the nature of the true gospel.

There was not one gospel for the Jews and another for the Gentiles (Ga 2:2).

Judaisers had tried to force Paul to circumcise Titus, one of his Gentile converts. Paul refused and the apostles in Jerusalem supported him. They agreed that the gospel as Paul preached it was complete; additional rites from the Jewish law were not necessary (Ga 2:3-6).

More than that, they were in full agreement with Paul and Barnabas in their work among the Gentiles. They realized that God had called them to this work, just as he had called James, Peter and John to work among the Jews (Ga 2:7-9).

The only request the Jerusalem leaders made was that Paul and Barnabas remember the needs of the poor Christians in Jerusalem. This was something Paul was always ready to do. In fact, he had just brought an offering to Jerusalem from the church in Syrian Antioch (Ga 2:10; see Acts 11:30).