Who was trying to put Paul, Barnabas, and the Antioch Gentile believers under the law?
Jewish believers from Jerusalem, including false brethren who came in secretly to spy out their liberty in Christ, tried to put Paul, Barnabas, and the Antioch Gentile believers back under the law. They wanted to bring them into bondage, but Paul says no subjection was given, not for an hour.
Les explains the setting: Paul had been ministering to Gentiles at Antioch, where the Scripture says they were first called Christians. The Jerusalem believers, Peter and the rest, were shook up that Paul was claiming these Gentiles as saved people even though they were not keeping the law of Judaism. They brought them up to Jerusalem. In verse four, false brethren were brought in unawares, coming secretly to spy out the liberty the believers had in Christ Jesus, that they might bring them into bondage—back under the law. These Jewish believers of Jerusalem were still trying to hang the law not only on Paul and Barnabas but also on those Antioch Gentile believers. Paul responds that they gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; they did not give in.