Galatians 2

24 Jun 2026 - Theology

Justified by Faith in Christ

In Jerusalem (1-10)

Paul begins this chapter continuing his conversation from the previous chapter.

Only fourteen years after Paul was accepted by the churches of Judaea did he decide to go to Jerusalem, with the intention of privately communicating his revelation to the elders of the church. Paul wanted to confirm that his revelation and mission to the Gentiles was not running in vain. (1-2)

There were some, called Judaizers, that were pushing for all Gentile believers to be circumcised. Paul calls them pseudadelphoi in verse 4, which is translated “false brethren.”

Galatians 2:3 - “But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:”

Paul and Titus did not follow the request of the Judaizers for Titus to be circumcised. Paul writes that these false brethren intentionally came in to the church to bring the Gentiles away from liberty into bondage. (4)

liberty - Strong’s Concordance [1657]

• freedom, generosity, independence
• freedom is presented as a distinctive blessing of the economy of grace which, in contrast with the Old Testament economy, is represented as including independence from legal restrictions and rules of life
• freedom represents the future state of the children of God

Romans 8:21 - “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

When the church in Jerusalem saw the gospel of the uncircumcision (meaning Gentiles) was committed to Paul, and they perceived the grace given to him, they gave to him and Barnabas the “right hands of fellowship.” This signifies acceptance of the gospel of Paul, that they should minister to the Gentiles. (7-9)

The phrase “right hands of fellowship” is a gesture of agreement, acceptance, and mutual endorsement. The act symbolizes the bond shared among believers who labor together for the same gospel message, acknowledging each other’s ministry and calling before God.

While Paul’s ministry and calling was to the Gentiles, Peter’s ministry and calling was to the Jews (7). Both preached the same gospel of Jesus Christ, but to a different audience.

Galatians 2:8 - “(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)”

The same God who gave the calling of ministry to Peter also gave the calling of ministry to Paul.

Paul Confronts Peter (11-21)

Galatians 2:11 - “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.”

In Antioch, Paul confronted Peter because of his hypocritical actions around the Judaizers - Paul would eat with Gentile Christians when the Judaizers were not around, but when they were there Peter would separate himself from the Gentiles believers. Paul notices that other Jews and even Barnabas would follow after Peter and do the same. (13-14)

Peter knew that the Judaizers would be upset over his fellowship with Gentiles who had not been circumcised or come under the Law of Moses. Out of fear, and possibly to avoid conflict, Peter treated the Gentile believers as if they were not Christians at all.

Galatians 2:14 - “But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?”

It is interesting to me that Paul said this to Peter’s face before all of the other Jews (who were also acting as Peter was). Sometimes a public rebuke is better than a private one, as the rest of the Jews in Antioch were also guilty of the same thing as Peter. This was not a matter of just a personal sin by Peter.

Paul reminded Peter (who was a Jew) that he does not live under the Law of Moses himself, so why should he force the Gentile believers to live under the Law?

Galatians 2:16 - “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

justified - Strong’s Concordance [1344]

• Justification is a legal term, meaning “to remove the guilt (liability to punishment) of the sinner.” It does not involve making one inwardly holy, but merely declares that the demands of justice have been satisfied
• Hence, there is no grounds for condemnation (Romans 8:1).

It is faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for our sin, acknowledging that we can’t save ourselves, that makes a man righteous. Because we are justified by our faith in Christ, we are presented as outwardly righteous in God’s sight, even though we are not inwardly changed just from the declaration. A believer is changed inwardly from sanctification, which comes after they are justified by faith.

Romans 3:20 - “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

If righteousness comes by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. The purpose of the law is to act as a spotlight on areas of our life that we sin. The law itself can not make you righteous, but it will show you where you fall short. The law is still important because we must know that we fall short before we can rely on Jesus, acknowledging that we can not save ourselves.

If a person can not be justified by the works of the law, then why does it matter if someone is uncircumcised or is circumcised according to the Law of Moses? What matters is faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:17 - “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.”

While all believers are justified by Christ, all believers also struggle with sin. This is why the Judaizers believed that the work of Christ must not be enough - how could someone be considered righteous before God if sin was still present in their life?

“To give a short definition of a Christian: A Christian is not somebody who has no sin, but somebody against whom God no longer chalks sin, because of his faith in Christ. This doctrine brings comfort to consciences in serious trouble.” - Martin Luther

Galatians 2:18 - “For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.”

Paul is saying here that to try to follow the Law of Moses in an attempt to be justified is a sin in and of itself, because it is looking at the sacrifice of Christ and saying that it was not enough. In trying to be more right with God, the Judaizers wound up being less right with God.

Paul considered himself dead to the law, acknowledging that it made him guilty before God rather than justified before God. We also should seek to die to the law by making the same observation. (18)

Galatians 2:20-21 - “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

A believer has died to the law, and thus it is Christ who lives in them. We can only manage the new life we receive by faith - faith that we were so loved by God that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross in our place, taking the punishment for our sin that we deserve.

Let us not frustrate (nullify) the grace of God by forgetting the death of Jesus Christ and its implications, and seeking to earn our own right-standing before God. (21)

References

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. Galatians 2 - Greek Interlinear
3. What is the Right Hand of Fellowship