Thoughts for the Day

Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain.

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the Gentiles), and when James and Peter and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

It's some years since Paul began his work among the Gentiles, but in Galatia difficulties are occurring, notably, the fact that Gentiles who have become Christians have not been circumcised. For Jews circumcision was the sign of the covenant they had made with God.

A covenant is a relationship between two partners who make binding promises to each other and who work towards a common goal. Covenant relationships are found throughout the Hebrew scriptures, at least four of which are very important in establishing the relationship between God and His people. We think of them as the Old Covenant. They are the agreements God made with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David, before the New Covenant was established through Jesus. The Covenant made with Abraham was accompanied by an outward sign, that is, circumcision of all males, as a reminder to Abraham and his ancestors of the agreement (Genesis 17.9-14). This was fine until the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ went out to non-Jews, then the question of whether they too should be circumcised became important.

Paul points out to the Galatians that after 14 years of his work he went up to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus (whois a Greek), to clarify his work with the Gentiles. It was agreed that he would take the Gospel to the Gentiles who would not need circumcision, and Peter would take the Gospel to the Jews. The Church leaders could see that God had blessed both in their work. Paul sees the work of Jesus as making a New Covenant with God. Where the Old Covenant failed because the people kept breaking the Law, under the New Covenant Jesus acts as a guarantor by paying the price in his death for sin. Under the New Covenant therefore we too receive forgiveness, and God's Spirit, to help us live lives worthy of the One who gave us eternal life.

This passage of the Epistle to the Galatians should be a warning to us not to get too partisan about our way of worshipping for instance, for God works in different ways with different people!

Lord Jesus Christ,
Son of David,
King of kings,
Lord of lords,
who sits at the right hand of God,
we praise and bless You
for establishing the New Covenant
through Your sacrificial death.
May we never forget that You
call each of us to be Your children.
May our diversity never stop us
from being One Church.
Amen.