BEMA Episode Link: 145: Galatians — Right Hand of Fellowship
Episode Length: 35:13
Published Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2019 01:00:00 -0800
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings spend time in the second chapter of Galatians, bringing some context to a much misunderstood and often misrepresented passage.

Addendum on James — Marty Solomon, YouTube

Discussion Video for BEMA 145

Backyard Tap House

Transcript for BEMA 145

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 145: Galatians — Right Hand of Fellowship

Title & Source Summary

This episode examines Galatians Chapter 2, focusing on Paul’s return to Jerusalem after 14 years of ministry and his confrontation with the early church leadership about including Gentiles in the Christian community. The hosts, Marty Solomon and Brent Billings, explore the complex dynamics between Jewish traditions and the Gospel’s radical inclusiveness, using the humorous metaphor of a “Pint o’ Bacon” to represent foods that would have been forbidden under Jewish dietary laws.

Key Takeaways

  • Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles was validated by the Jerusalem church leadership after 14 years, demonstrating the ongoing tension and deliberation within the early Christian community

  • The “right hand of fellowship” represented full acceptance and brotherhood in the Roman world, signifying that Paul belonged as an equal partner in ministry

  • Circumcision in these passages represents much more than a single ritual—it symbolizes the entire Jewish covenant, including dietary laws, religious practices, and cultural identity

  • The early church struggled with balancing Jewish traditions (halakhah) with the radical inclusiveness of the Gospel message

  • Peter’s hypocrisy in Antioch reveals that even the most prominent church leaders struggled with living consistently according to Gospel principles

  • The debate between justification by “works of the law” versus “faith” reflects an existing Jewish theological discussion between the schools of Shammai and Hillel

Main Concepts & Theories

The Three Pillars of the Church

Peter, James, and John are identified as the “pillars” of the early church, paralleling the Jewish Midrash’s reference to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as pillars of the Jewish people. This triumvirate functioned as the authoritative head of the early Christian movement, with each having specific geographical and cultural focuses in their ministry.

Halakhah and Oral Tradition

Halakhah refers to the oral interpretations surrounding written Torah—literally “how you walk” or the practical application of God’s commandments. Many restrictions that appear in New Testament conflicts (such as Jews not eating with Gentiles) were matters of oral tradition rather than written Scripture, representing human interpretations of how to remain distinct and clean.

Justification vs. Salvation in Jewish Thought

The episode clarifies a crucial distinction often misunderstood in Christian theology. In Jewish understanding, salvation comes entirely by God’s grace—no Jew ever taught that salvation comes through works. The debate was about justification: why does God declare some people righteous? Shammai argued it was through following the “works of the law” (Miqsat Ma’ase haTorah), while Hillel argued it was through faith, like Abraham.

The Titus Test Case

Paul brought Titus, a Gentile from Crete (considered particularly pagan), as a test case to determine whether Gentiles needed to become Jewish to be part of the Christian community. The church’s decision that Titus did not need circumcision established a precedent for Gentile inclusion without conversion to Judaism.

Examples & Applications

Modern Church Dynamics

The episode draws parallels between early church disagreements and contemporary church conflicts, noting that the early church had “squeaky wheels” and people who were angry about changes, just as churches do today. The commitment to unity and working through disagreement provides a model for modern church governance.

The Antioch Incident

Peter’s behavior in Antioch—eating with Gentiles when alone but withdrawing when “men from James” arrived—illustrates the human tendency to modify behavior based on social pressure. This hypocrisy threatened the Gospel message by suggesting that Gentile converts were second-class members of the community.

Paul’s Balanced Approach to Authority

Paul demonstrates a mature approach to authority by both submitting to church leadership (willing to abandon his ministry if they didn’t approve) while also confronting inappropriate behavior when necessary. This balance of humility and courage provides a model for navigating organizational relationships.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

  • The specific identity of James (brother of Jesus vs. James son of Alphaeus) and its implications for understanding early church leadership structure

  • The relationship between the Jerusalem Council’s decisions and the ongoing tensions described in Galatians

  • How the schools of Shammai and Hillel influenced early Christian theological development

  • The practical implications of Paul continuing to observe Jewish law while arguing for Gentile freedom from it

  • The development of Christian identity as distinct from but rooted in Jewish tradition

  • The role of compromise and negotiation in early Christian communities

Comprehension Questions

  1. What was the significance of the “right hand of fellowship” that Peter, James, and John gave to Paul and Barnabas, and how does this relate to Roman cultural practices?

  2. Explain the difference between justification and salvation in Jewish theological understanding, and how this affects our interpretation of Paul’s arguments about “works of the law.”

  3. Why did Paul bring Titus as a “test case” to Jerusalem, and what did the church’s decision regarding his circumcision establish for future Gentile converts?

  4. How does the concept of halakhah (oral tradition) help explain the conflicts between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in the early church?

  5. What was hypocritical about Peter’s behavior in Antioch, and why did Paul see this as a threat to the Gospel message itself?

Brief Personalized Summary

This episode reveals the early Christian church as a community wrestling with profound questions about identity, inclusion, and tradition. Rather than a smooth transition from Judaism to Christianity, we see 14 years of ongoing tension and debate about whether Gentiles could be full members without becoming Jewish. The story demonstrates both the messiness of human leadership and the power of community discernment in working through complex theological and cultural issues. Paul’s confrontation of Peter shows that truth sometimes requires courage to challenge even respected authorities, while his submission to the Jerusalem leadership shows the importance of accountability within community structures. The distinction between salvation (God’s grace) and justification (why God declares us righteous) provides crucial context for understanding New Testament theology within its Jewish framework rather than through later Christian systematic theology.

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