Why is Peter called two-faced in the Antioch incident?
Paul called Peter two-faced because he first ate freely with Paul’s Gentile converts in Antioch. But after Jewish emissaries came from James in Jerusalem, he feared them, withdrew, and separated himself from the Gentiles. This reversal contradicted his earlier conduct and compromised the Gospel of Grace’s freedom from dietary laws.
Les teaches that the clash happened in Antioch before certain men came from James, the headman of Jerusalem. As long as no one from Jerusalem was present, Peter ate with Paul and the Gentile believers, whatever the meal. But when Jewish emissaries from James’s congregation arrived, Peter became scared and afraid of them. Instead of maintaining the testimony of Paul’s Gospel of Grace—that they were free to eat whatever they wanted, no longer under dietary laws, set free from all that—Peter gave in. He refused to go in and eat with Paul’s Gentile converts. Les says Paul had a short-tempered side and got real upset, confronting Peter as two-faced: when nobody from Jerusalem was there, Peter had no problem eating with the Gentiles, but as soon as those people came, he said he was a good Jew and could not do it. Paul called him on it, noting Peter withdrew and separated himself, fearing not God but the men from Jerusalem. Les still gives Peter credit.
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
More Questions
Why did Paul call Peter two-faced in Galatians 2?
Paul argued that Peter was being two-faced because he lived like a Gentile and admitted that grace freed him from the Law, yet still required Gentiles to live as Jews.
Why does Paul accuse Peter of being two-faced in Galatians 2:14?
Paul's charge is that if Peter lives after the manner of Gentiles and admits God's grace has set him free from the Law, then he is being two-faced.
Why did Paul confront Peter in front of everyone in Galatians 2?
Paul publicly confronted Peter because Peter, Barnabas, and the other Jews were not walking uprightly according to the truth of the gospel.