Gal 2:4-7
Iver Larsen
iver_larsen at sil.org
Fri Apr 26 08:26:54 EDT 2002
[Iver]
> I always interpret individual words on the background of their context.
> 15:6
> introduces the setting of a meeting with the apostles and elders. There is
> no change in setting indicated in 5:12, so the whole group (TO PLHQOS)
> must
> refer to the group of apostles (at least 12 I assume, missing James,
> brother
> of John, but including James, brother of Jesus) plus the group of elders
> (unknown number). It was not a public meeting, but all the leaders
> gathered together.
>
> [Moon]
> I have two questions.
>
> (1) Shouldn't a meeting with the whole group of apostles and elders be
> regarded as a public meeting?
To me a public meeting depends on free access for everyone, not on how big
the group is. When the leadership of a corporation meets for discussion and
decision making about internal matters, I consider it a private meeting no
matter how big the leadership group is. When the church leaders in Antioch
met with the church leaders in Jerusalem, I consider it a private church
leadership meeting.
> (2) In Gal 2, Paul and Barnabas are described to have met only three
> leading apostles, which should be regarded as a private meeting. Is
> there any way to reconcile it with TO PLHQOS in Acts 15?
Where in Gal 2 does it say that Paul and Barnabas met only three leading
apostles? In 2:2 and 6 we hear that they met with the "seeming ones" (NRSV:
the acknowledged leaders). The acknowledged leaders could well be the
overall leaders (apostles) and the local leaders in the Jerusalem church,
the elders. In 2:9 the three "pillars" gave the official blue stamp to Paul
and Barnabas. That only the three top leaders are mentioned by name, does
not mean that only three leaders were present. Already among the 12 original
apostles, Peter, James and John constituted the inner circle of leaders with
Peter having a special position. After James was killed, the other James
came into prominence and was recognized as the top leader of the church in
Jerusalem. In Acts 15 it was Peter who gave a major authoritative speech to
the leadership after the whole group had been debating the issue for a long
time (v. 6-7). After that the whole group of leaders listened to Paul and
Barnabas. Finally, James builds on Peter's speech, backs it with a prophecy
from the OT and gives his verdict (EGW KRINW in v. 19). End of discussion.
The rest is formality. The formal way of showing that decision was a
handshake (or whatever is meant by giving the right hand of fellowship in
2:8) from the three leaders who had highest authority, representing the
collective leadership.
Iver Larsen
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