What were they pressuring Paul to give up at the Jerusalem council?
At the Jerusalem council, they pressured Paul to back away from all the claims of his apostleship and to embrace Judaism and circumcision, along with belief in Christ. They wanted him to surrender his apostolic claims and add Jewish practices to the gospel.
Les explains that Galatians chapter 2 is a parallel to Acts 15, the Jerusalem council of about A.D. 51. At that council, the pressure on Paul was to back away from all the claims of his apostleship and to embrace Judaism and circumcision, along with belief in Christ. This is why Paul defended his apostleship, insisting his gospel was not after man and that he received it by the revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12). So they were not merely disputing a side issue; they were pressuring him to surrender his apostolic authority and blend the gospel with Jewish practices.
To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.
And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
More Questions
How did Paul respond to the Jerusalem leaders who were pressuring him to give in?
Paul did not submit to the pressure from the Jewish leaders at Jerusalem even for a moment; he did not give in to their attempts to refute him and tell him he was wrong.