7 But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised 8 (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), 9 and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
Solidarity achieved! Paul had not run in vain (Gal 2:2). The most prominent leaders in the Jerusalem church, namely James, Peter (also called “Cephas”) and John, recognized four things in Paul’s ministry. First, they saw that Paul had indeed been entrusted with the gospel message by God in the same way as Peter. Second, the only difference between Peter’s and Paul’s ministry was in the target audience: Paul was sent to reach the Gentiles, whereas Peter was to focus on the Jews (referred to here as “the circumcised”). Yet Paul continued to have a burden for his people the Jews, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh…” (Rom 10:3) and the Jewish synagogue was often his first stop when visiting a city for the first time. He understood that the Gospel was for “the Jew first and also for the Gentile” (Rom 1:16).
Third, the Jerusalem leaders recognized that Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles was validated by the results, which were called “effective.” He was no self-proclaimed evangelist that accomplished nothing. Though the Jewish people rejected the message coming from him, many Gentiles did respond. Peter, on the other hand, was used mightily by God to more effectively reach the Jews (notice the results of his Day of Pentecost message where 3000 were saved in one day—Acts 2:41). From a human perspective we might have thought a better plan would be for Paul, the learned Jewish scholar, to appeal to the Jews, but God’s ways are not our ways.
Fourth, they recognized the grace Paul had been given. This was the grace of the gospel, first in his conversion, but also replicated through him in the preaching of the gospel to those in need of the Savior. Paul had the unmistakable finger print of God on his ministry. In the end, James, Cephas and John, the ones considered as pillars of the church in Jerusalem (as Paul understood it from rumor), symbolically extended to Paul the sign of solidarity, “the right hand of fellowship.” The unity of the gospel was preserved, by those who were faithfully committed to obeying the Lord and shepherding His church.
Lord, help me to recognize the God-ordained work You are doing in others, even though some aspects of their ministries challenge my prejudices.
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