Paul Trask continues a deep dive into the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians.

Last week, in chapter 2, Paul lambasted the Jews for their despicable behavior at Antioch, confronting Peter publically, for his “hypocrisy,” which convicted Peter of merely “play-acting” in order to appease the very kind of troublemakers who were now making themselves a nuisance in Galatia.

Not merely theological, but very powerful behavioral & ethical lessons

• Character
• Integrity
• Influence
• Peer pressure
• Group think

This is an “in-house” Jewish issue which Paul is rehearsing for the benefit of his early Galatian converts. Remember, these new Gentile Christians were not having any problems until these Jewish troublemakers from Jerusalem started harassing them.

So this week Paul continues his “in-house” Jewish discussion 

Beginning with Chap 3, Paul will begin addressing the Gentile converts in Galatia. But for the time being he continues to chastise his fellow Jews, this time theologically. He exposes the craziness of their theologically confused position – from their own scriptures – and he embarrasses all of them, in public, for their theological double-mindedness. They have no excuse, they should have known better.

Again, he airs this dirty Jewish laundry all for the benefit of his Galatian Gentile converts. And anywhere else, for that matter. Even Antioch itself. And in so doing, he is hoping to provide a model, a template for how these Gentiles can also debunk, and therefore disabuse themselves of these Jewish troublemakers from Jerusalem. Because the arguments he provides are timeless, and universal. And because of that, these same arguments are just as applicable to us today.

In many ways, 2:15-21 represents the essence, the nugget of the whole book, especially for Jews. Very condensed and distilled. Will need to slow down and unpack it a bit. 

(Galatians 2:15-21; Psalm 143:1; Hebrews 7:18–19; 1 John 1:5–10; Romans 8:33–34; Luke 22:20; Jeremiah 31:31–33; 2 Corinthians 3:2–3; Romans 7:1–6; Colossians 2:13–14; John 14:15–23; Hebrews 8:13, 7:18–19)