Whom was Peter afraid of when he withdrew from the Gentiles?
Peter withdrew from eating with the Gentiles because he feared the men from Jerusalem—specifically the emissaries who came from James’s congregation. He was not afraid of God, but of these Jewish visitors from Jerusalem, and their arrival caused him to separate himself from Paul’s Gentile converts.
Les explains that before certain men came from James, Peter ate freely with Paul and the Gentile believers, regardless of the meal. But after Jewish emissaries arrived from James’s congregation in Jerusalem, Peter became scared and withdrew. Les notes Peter feared not God but the men from Jerusalem. He gave in and refused to eat with Paul’s Gentile converts, prompting Paul to confront him as two-faced: when no one from Jerusalem was present, Peter had no problem eating with Gentiles, but when they came, he acted as a good Jew and separated himself.
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.
More Questions
What did Peter do instead of standing with Paul and the Gentiles?
Instead of holding his ground, Peter gave in and refused to go in and eat with Paul's Gentile converts.