If any proof was needed that Paul was independent then this is it, for he was perfectly willing to rebuke the apostle Peter if he thought it necessary. Paul is quite outspoken about what happened, declaring that Peter stood condemned. Ie Peter was clearly in the wrong over his actions.
It is useful to recall the incident in Acts when God called Peter to go to Cornelius (Acts 10). Before He sent Peter, God gave him the vision of all the unclean food, commanding him to eat it. The Law gave whole lists of foods that could not be eaten by Jews, moreover under Jewish Law it was forbidden for Jews to associate with Gentiles (Acts 10:27). Peter realised that God was doing something new, and as he said in Acts 10:34,35 saw that God does not show favouritism and accepts all who fear Him.
When he first went to Antioch, Peter lived in accordance with this, eating freely with the Gentile Christians, but when the Judaisers came he changed his custom. This was a clear act of hypocrisy, and it caused other Jews to copy him.
There are several lessons we can learn from this:
It is useful to recall the incident in Acts when God called Peter to go to Cornelius (Acts 10). Before He sent Peter, God gave him the vision of all the unclean food, commanding him to eat it. The Law gave whole lists of foods that could not be eaten by Jews, moreover under Jewish Law it was forbidden for Jews to associate with Gentiles (Acts 10:27). Peter realised that God was doing something new, and as he said in Acts 10:34,35 saw that God does not show favouritism and accepts all who fear Him.
When he first went to Antioch, Peter lived in accordance with this, eating freely with the Gentile Christians, but when the Judaisers came he changed his custom. This was a clear act of hypocrisy, and it caused other Jews to copy him.
There are several lessons we can learn from this:
- Even the most important leaders have weaknesses
- If we are leaders our actions and attitudes will influence others, we need to make sure we influence them for good.
A further reason that Paul was so incensed by this is that it went against what the gospel was all about. It had always been God's plan that all nations be blessed through Abraham. Paul saw that in Christ God was fulfilling this plan, making one new people. Peter's actions went directly against this (and what he himself had said in Acts 10), saying that Jews were better than Gentiles.
We need to watch ourselves that our own churches and our personal attitudes do not fall into the same trap. Any racial or social segregation goes against the truth of the gospel, as does treating women as second class.
We need to watch ourselves that our own churches and our personal attitudes do not fall into the same trap. Any racial or social segregation goes against the truth of the gospel, as does treating women as second class.
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