Finishing the Race – Strong! (18)

Continuing to ponder Galatians 2:11 – 21: When Peter arrived in Antioch he ate with non-Jews and enjoyed fellowship with them. This was according to the revelation that Jesus Christ had given him that he should call no one unclean (Acts 10). This matter had been discussed in Jerusalem and seemingly everyone agreed that we are One People in Christ Jesus (Acts 11:1–18; 15:1–35; Galatians 2:1–10). But of course there were those who said in their hearts, “Yeah but…”

When the legalists appeared in Antioch (and this may well have been at least their second appearance), Peter was blindsided and caved into their pressure, separating himself from Christ’s non-Jewish brothers. The peer pressure was so strong that even Barnabas, whom Christ had sent to Gentiles in Antioch and beyond, followed Peter’s example. Paul writes, “The rest of the Jews joined him [Peter} in his hypocrisy.” 

What was Paul’s reaction? He says, “I opposed him [Peter] to his face…when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the Gospel.” 

How do you think the Gentile Christians were feeling through all of this? What were they thinking? They had been taught that they were One Body in Christ, now they were being taught that they were second-class Christians. Do we treat believers who are of different backgrounds and ethnic groups differently than we do those who look like us and talk like us and have the same cultural background that we have? 

What might Paul have been thinking and feeling as he remained the only Jew still associating with Gentiles? 

Why did Paul confront Peter? What was Paul’s motivation? 

How did Peter respond? 

I think that Paul saw that the Gospel was at stake and that he could not allow the legalistic cancer to remain in the Body of Christ. I think that Paul was also moved to protect his brethren, both Jew and Gentile, from the cancer. I think also that Paul loved Jesus so very much, and that Paul recalled his own legalism, and so who better to call the brethren back to the grace of Jesus than the rabbi who had consented to the murder of Stephen? 

Paul stood alone to proclaim the Gospel. 

Yet, have you considered that he didn’t really stand alone. I believe that, strange as it may seem, Peter stood with Paul. What I mean is that I believe that Paul had confidence in Peter’s response to Paul’s public rebuke, because Peter loved Jesus and Paul knew it. 

There could have been a split in the church at Antioch, and such a split would have had repercussions throughout the churches, including those that Paul and Barnabas had planted. The course of church history would have been profoundly affected by such a split, and the heresy of works righteousness and legalism would have obtained a beachhead beyond Jerusalem far sooner than it eventually did in the late first century and early second century and would have done so with Apostolic sanction in Peter’s acquiescence. 

What was Peter’s response? The evidence tells us that he acknowledged the truth of Paul’s rebuke because the church did not split. Paul had the courage to confront Peter, and Peter had the courage to acknowledge the truth of Paul’s rebuke. Their relationship was such, in Christ, that Paul could write about this to the Galatians so that the church in Galatia might learn from both Peter and Paul. Paul need not be concerned that Peter would be offended by sharing the story of Antioch with the Galatians. 

Also consider, this is the same Peter who repented of his denial of Jesus, and the same Peter who at first resisted the idea that he was to eat anything unclean, or associate with Gentiles, but who then went to the household of Cornelius. This is also the same Peter who received the rebuke from Jesus, “Get behind Me Satan.” Peter knew what it was to learn the hard way. O how Peter must have loved the truth in Jesus to have received such correction throughout his life. What an example for us all. 

We finish well when we are in honest relationships with others, we finish well when we both speak the truth and hear the truth. Paul had insight that Barnabas needed in Galatians 2:11 – 21, and Barnabas had something to teach Paul in Acts. 15:36 – 41. Mark was a witness to both events. What might he have learned? As we previously saw, Mark served with Barnabas, and with Paul, and with Peter. As Paul wrote concerning Mark, “He is useful to me for service” (2 Tim. 4:11). That is, Mark was a faithful partner in the Gospel with Paul…and with Barnabas…and with Peter. 

While Demas started well but apparently did not finish strong (let us hope he turned around, we can always hope!); Mark did not begin very well, turning back from his first mission with Paul and Barnabas, but how strong did he finish! How many others did he strengthen and encourage!

Dear friends, it is never too late to get back into the race. It is never too late to ask our Lord Jesus to help us finish strong. Our God is the God of redemption, and He loves to bring victory from defeat, He loves to forgive, He loves to run to meet us and kill the fattened calf, He loves to throw a party for us. In an instant, in a moment of time, our Father can bring us up to speed as we run the race set before us, as our eyes are fixed on Jesus, it is never too late to be faithful to Jesus and our brethren, it is never too late to be a blessing to others. It is never too late to fulfill our calling in Jesus Christ.