Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders because of false teaching about law-keeping and circumcision that had infiltrated the Gentile churches he had established.
According to the evidence, Paul's visit was prompted by Judaizers who were trying to bring Gentile believers under the law and legalism. He went up by revelation, as God had instructed him, to address this question with the apostles and elders at the Jerusalem council. The meeting resulted in an agreement that Paul and Barnabas should go to the Gentiles while Peter, James, and John ministered to the Jews.
Galatians 2:1-2 — This passage directly describes Paul going up to Jerusalem by revelation and laying before the apostles the gospel he preached among the Gentiles, which is the core of the question.
Galatians 2:1-2: "Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain." This shows Paul's journey was by revelation and for the purpose of communicating his gospel to the leaders. Acts 15:1-2 states that certain men from Judea taught that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved, causing dissension, so Paul and Barnabas were sent to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question. These verses indicate the purpose was to resolve the dispute over circumcision and the law.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul's trip to Jerusalem was due to the influence of Judaizers who were deluging the Gentile churches with legalism, trying to bring them under the law. He emphasizes that the trip was by revelation, meaning God supernaturally instructed Paul to go. The meeting, known as the Jerusalem council of Acts 15, was where the apostles and elders addressed the question of whether Gentile believers needed to keep the law and be circumcised. Les notes that the outcome was an agreement that Paul and Barnabas would go to the Gentiles, while Peter, James, and John would go to the Jews, and this is why Paul had to constantly defend his apostleship.
Les Feldick explains that the Gentile churches Paul had established were being "deluged with Judaizers" who were trying to bring them under the law and legalism (Clip 1). This false teaching caused "no small dissension" among the believers, leading Paul and Barnabas to be sent to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question (Clip 3).
Les Feldick notes that Paul's earlier visit, about three years after his conversion, was to see Peter and stayed fifteen days, seeing none of the other apostles except James (Clip 4). In contrast, the later visit, about 14 years after his conversion, was a more formal meeting with the apostles and elders at the Jerusalem council, where the issue of law-keeping was addressed (Clip 1, 5).
Les Feldick teaches that at the Jerusalem council, the apostles gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that Paul and Barnabas should go to the Gentiles (the heathen) while Peter, James, and John would go to the Jews (the circumcision) (Clip 7). This agreement was crucial for Paul's ministry and his need to defend his apostleship.
What the Bible Really Says About Grace vs. Law — Galatians Chapter 2
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick, an Oklahoma rancher and farmer. Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for over 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Judaizers Deluge the Churches
Paul wrote to the churches being tempted with legalism from Judaizers, and he went up to Jerusalem by revelation to address this.
Timeline of Paul's Visits
Paul's later visit to Jerusalem for the council of Acts 15 was prompted by Jerusalem believers being 'all shook up' about Paul's Gentile gospel, so they called him down.
The Jerusalem Council Purpose
Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders because of false teaching and disputation, and they encountered believing Pharisees who raised the issue.
Why Paul's Gospel to Gentiles Is Different From Peter's
And God was just pouring out all of the things that now will come from the apostles' pen in these epistles, all except, of course, the prison epistles, which we feel are also a further revelation, probably while he was in prison at Caesarea. But now he says in verse 18, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. That's two weeks. But other of the apostles saw I none.
Fourteen Years Later
After fourteen years, Paul came back to Jerusalem, and this is the council of Acts 15 where they called him on the carpet for preaching salvation to Gentiles.
Why Paul's Gospel to Gentiles Is Different From Peter's
So after that three years has gone by, and he's come up, as he said in Galatians, to visit with Peter. He was come to Jerusalem, verse 26. He assayed, or he intended, to join himself to the disciples, that is the Jewish believers there at Jerusalem. But they were all afraid of him. Can you blame them? And they believed not that he was a disciple.
Agreement with the Pillars
The apostles gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that Paul would go to the Gentiles and Peter, James, and John to the Jews, which is why Paul had to defend his apostleship.
Galatians 2:1-2: Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
This verse directly states Paul's purpose for going to Jerusalem and the revelation behind it.
Acts 15:1-2: 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. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
This passage describes the conflict that led to the Jerusalem meeting.
Galatians 2:9: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This verse shows the outcome of Paul's meeting with the apostles.
Paul went to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders because false teachers, known as Judaizers, were telling Gentile believers they had to be circumcised and keep the law to be saved. This created conflict, so Paul and Barnabas went up by revelation to settle the matter.
No, Paul went up by revelation, meaning God instructed him to go. This is stated in Galatians 2:2 and emphasized by Les Feldick in his teaching.
The apostles agreed that Paul and Barnabas should go to the Gentiles while Peter, James, and John ministered to the Jews. They gave Paul the right hand of fellowship, confirming his gospel.
Paul went up fourteen years after his conversion, which Les Feldick associates with the Jerusalem council of Acts 15, around A.D. 51.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Grace vs. Law — Galatians Chapter 2