2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
St Peter seems to get things wrong again. But this just reminds us all that St Peter is not Jesus Christ. St Paul as a good Christian and brother in Christ to St Peter has to admonish St Peter. These two saints have to battle over the simple issue of who you are going to eat with.
Let me give you a more modern example. There are some Christians today that still practice close communion. Some of these Christians practice a strict understanding of watching who comes to their altar and partakes of the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Others will assume that those who come to the Altar police themselves, or know whether they should be there or not.
But here is the rub. When they are together, how do they treat each other. The strict observer should guard his fellowship practice from the laxed. The police yourself should also police himself when he attends the others altar. But rather then talking through their issues and addressing them, they both will call the other a hieratic behind their back.
Christ told St Peter if you find your brother sinning go and point out his sin. This is done in order to win back a brother. You will notice that both of these people are still called saints. It is not because thy lived perfect lives, but because Christ our Lord has lead others to point out their faults and lead them to forgiveness in Christ Jesus. This is why theological issues need to be discussed, and when others are in error it should be pointed out.
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