Paul Revisits Corinth
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withstand these perverters of the faith, and to fearlessly expose their
errors by the word of truth.
Paul continues to vindicate his position as the apostle of Christ,
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not by the will of men, but by the power of God. He describes the visit
which he made to Jerusalem to secure a settlement of the very questions
which are now agitating the churches of Galatia, as to whether the
Gentiles should submit to circumcision and keep the ceremonial law.
This was the only instance in which he had deferred to the judgment
of the other apostles as superior to his own. He had first sought a
private interview, in which he set the matter in all its bearings before
the leading apostles, Peter, James, and John. With far-seeing wisdom,
he concluded that if these men could be led to take a right position,
everything would be gained. Had he first presented the question before
the whole council, there would have been a division of sentiment.
The strong prejudice already excited because he had not enforced
circumcision on the Gentiles, would have led many to take a stand
against him. Thus the object of his visit would have been defeated,
and his usefulness greatly hindered. But the three leading apostles,
against whom no such prejudice existed, having themselves been won
to the true position, brought the matter before the council, and won
from all a concurrence in the decision to leave the Gentiles free from
the obligations of the ceremonial law.
Paul further disproved the accusations of his enemies, by showing
that his position as an apostle of Christ had been acknowledged by the
council at Jerusalem, and that in his labors among the Gentiles he had
complied with the decisions of that council. Those who were seeking
to destroy his influence, professed to acknowledge Peter, James, and
John as pillars of the church. They were constantly extolling these
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apostles, and endeavoring to prove them superior to Paul in position
and authority. But Paul showed that his enemies could not justify their
course by a pretended regard for these apostles. While he honored them
as faithful ministers of Christ, he showed that they had not attempted
to instruct him, neither had they commissioned him to preach the
gospel. They were convinced that God had called him to present the
truth to the Gentiles, as he had designated Peter to go especially to
the Jews. Hence they acknowledged before the council Paul’s divine
commission, and received him as a fellow-laborer of equal position
with themselves.