A Solemn Agreement

The Apostle Paul, referring to his 2nd journey to Jerusalem 14 years after his conversion to tell the Jerusalem Messianic Church apostles and elders there about the good news that had been committed to him, says:

“And I (Paul) went up (to Jerusalem) by revelation and COMMUNICATED UNTO THEM THAT GOSPEL WHICH I PREACH AMONG THE GENTILES, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain… And when James, Cephas [Peter] and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, THEY GAVE TO ME AND BARNABAS THE RIGHT HANDS OF FELLOWSHIP, that we should go unto the heathen [Gentiles, nations], and they unto the Circumcision [Israel]” (Gal. 2:2-9).

Here, by solemn agreement, Peter, James and John promised publicly to restrict or confine their ministry preaching the “the gospel of the kingdom” to Israel … while Paul was to go to the Gentiles with his new “gospel of the grace of God.” This is striking in view of the fact that “the twelve,” not Paul, had originally been sent by Jesus “into all the world.”

Were they all out of the will of God in making this agreement? By no means!

Subsequent revelation proves that they, using the key of the kingdom given to Peter, were all very much in the will of God. With the Israel’s full rejection of Christ and His kingdom, God had ushered in a new program.

In the light of these Scriptures it’s difficult to understand how anyone can argue that Paul’s ministry was merely a perpetuation of that of the twelve, or that “the gospel of the kingdom” and “the gospel of the grace of God” are identical.

If the above passage teaches anything clearly, it teaches the unique character of Paul’s apostleship and message as “The Apostle to the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13). The Apostle devotes almost two chapters of his letter to the Galatians to the fact that he had not received his message from “the twelve,” but rather he had communicated to “the twelve.”

“But contrariwise (as opposites), when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision (Israel) was unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision (Israel only), the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) Galatians 2:7-8 (KJV)

He stresses the fact that those who had first been sent to all nations, “beginning at Jerusalem,” had now, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, agreed to turn over their Gentile ministry to him that he might proclaim far and wide “the gospel of the grace of God,” (‘grace’ as seen for salvation in Eph. 2:8-9 and Rom. 3:24).

By Cornelius Stam