Galatians 2:9a
"And when James, Cephas, and John..." Now the casual reader won't catch that. So what's happened? Peter has lost something. Do you remember what we said back in Acts chapter 15 when the counsel was raging in Jerusalem with arguing over whether these Gentile converts of Paul's had to keep the Jewish Law? Remember after there had been much disputing Peter rose up, and what did Peter tell them. "Hey wait a minute I remember a long time ago God used me to speak to a group of Gentiles." Peter was referring to the house of Cornelius, but how long it had been since he witnessed to those Gentiles? 12 years.
We would have thought that when he saw the amazing conversion of those pagan Romans with the evidence that they had been saved without any of the attending ramifications of Judaism, we would have thought that Peter would have gone right back to Jerusalem and said, "Hey fellows let's get out of this place, the Gentiles are beginning to wake up." But does he? No. He goes back to Jerusalem and gets called on the carpet for having gone to a Gentiles in Acts 11:1-3, and there the disciples stay. Why? God had not yet permitted them to move any further in their ministry than what it says here, as Apostles to the Nation of Israel. So, again we find Peter in second place in the order of the disciples.
Galatians 2:9
"And when James, Cephas, 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) and they unto the circumcision." (Hebrews) Do we see that? It's in our Bible. They shook hands on the whole deal and said, "All right Paul, you and Barnabas go on back to your Gentile field and we will stay here among the Hebrews." Now verse 10, but there's going to be some strings attached which is all right. They're going to say, "OK Paul we'll agree that you can continue to preach to your Gentile converts, and they won't have to keep the Law of Moses or practice circumcision, or any of the rest of our lot, but we're going to add some strings, and here's one of them.
Galatians 2:10
"Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do." Remember, they had a bunch of poor Hebrews there in Jerusalem who had sold all their property. The kitty had run out after 20 years and now they're destitute, they're poor. But God isn't going to abandon them. So God, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit inspired Paul and Barnabas that, as they circulated among the Gentile Churches, they would take collections and offerings for those poor Hebrews in Jerusalem. Remember to that it was God's original plan (the true religion of God) to take care of the pour, widows and orphans. Now we always have to qualify that with Scripture so come back to Romans chapter 15 verse 25.
Romans 15:25-26
"But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saint. 26, For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia (northern and southern Greece) to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem." That was the whole idea that when they got the permission from the Twelve to go ahead and preach this Gospel, but remember these poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem. All right come on over to I Corinthians chapter 16 and we might as well start with verse 1.
I Corinthians 16:1-3
"Now concerning the collection (the offering) for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him (increased above his usual income), that there be no gatherings when I come. 3. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality (increase of Grace) unto Jerusalem." Paul and Barnabas have finally gotten the okay from the leadership at Jerusalem that they can continue their ministry to the Gentiles and Peter and the leadership there would continue their ministry to the Hebrews. But the Jewish leadership is going to put some stipulations on it. Number 1 they wanted Paul to remember the poor saints in Jerusalem who were destitute as we saw earlier. So God is now providing for them providentially with the offerings from Paul's Gentile converts. Before we return to Galatians we'll look at what James says about religion.
James 1:27
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (Psalm 68:5, 119:1; Job 29:12-13, 31:15-20)
Now back to Galatians chapter 2 and let's read verse 9:
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