Year of the Bible
Galatians 2
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Commentary on the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 2:
In chapter 2 of this letter to the churches in Galatia, Paul begins by sharing the confirmations he has received that his gospel message is true. For example, during a visit to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus, Paul recounts discussing God’s work of salvation with other leaders. They agreed with him (vs. 6) and affirmed him in his and Barnabas’ primary mission to the uncircumcised Gentiles (vs. 7-9). Paul even describes an event in Antioch where he needed to fraternally correct Peter (“Cephas”) for pulling away from open fellowship with Gentiles, something that was new and dramatically different for the majority of Jesus’ first followers who were Jewish (vs. 11-14). These experiences support an essential aspect of the gospel message--that salvation is for both Jews and Gentiles, justification, or being made righteous, is via the the same pathway that is open to all--faith in Jesus, the Way, not works of the Torah Law, including circumcision (vs. 15-21).
The Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 2:
Paul and the Other Apostles
1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up by revelation; and I laid before them (but privately before those who were of repute) the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, lest somehow I should be running or had run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 But because of false brethren secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy out our freedom which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage—5 to them we did not yield submission even for a moment, that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who were reputed to be something (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)— those, I say, who were of repute added nothing to me; 7 but 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 the mission to the circumcised worked through me also for the Gentiles), 9 and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised; 10 only they would have us remember the poor, which very thing I was eager to do.
Paul Rebukes Peter at Antioch
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 ate with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And with him the rest of the Jews acted insincerely, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their insincerity. 14 But when I saw that they were not straightforward about 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 compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” 15 We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, 16 yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! 18 But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification were through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
"I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Gal 2:20) Sometimes I live by faith in the world and not in Jesus. Jesus, show me the ways in which I need to live by faith in you.
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan, an adult faith formation apostolate. cbsmich.org/join
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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Galatas 2
1 Luego, catorce años después, subí otra
vez a Jerusalén con Bernabé, llevando
conmigo también a Tito.
2 Subí impulsado por una revelación
y, a solas, les expuse a los que gozaban
de autoridad el Evangelio que predico
entre los gentiles, no fuera que corriese
o hubiese corrido inútilmente. 3 Pues
bien, ni siquiera Tito, que me acompañaba,
aunque era griego, fue obligado a
circuncidarse. 4 Y eso, a pesar de los fal
sos hermanos intrusos que se infiltraron
para espiar la libertad que tenemos
en Cristo Jesús, para reducirnos a servidumbre.
5 Pero ni por un momento accedimos
a someternos a ellos, para que
la verdad del Evangelio permanezca en
vosotros.
6 En cuanto a los que se consideraba
que eran autoridad –nada me importa lo
que hayan sido en otro tiempo: Dios no
hace acepción de personas–, pues bien,
los que gozaban de autoridad, no me hicieron
ninguna corrección, 7 sino que,
por el contrario, al ver que se me había
confiado la predicación del Evangelio
a los incircuncisos, de la misma manera
que a Pedro a los circuncisos 8 –pues
quien dio fuerzas a Pedro para el apostolado
entre los circuncisos me las dio también
a mí para el de los gentiles–, 9 y al
conocer la gracia que se me había concedido,
Santiago, Cefas y Juan –que eran
considerados como columnas– nos dieron
la mano a mí y a Bernabé, en señal de
comunión, para que nosotros predicásemos
a los gentiles, y ellos a los circuncisos.
10 Solamente nos recomendaron que
nos acordásemos de los pobres, cosa que
he procurado hacer con empeño.
11 Pero cuando vino Cefas a Antioquía,
cara a cara le opuse resistencia,
porque merecía reprensión. 12 Porque
antes de que llegasen algunos de
los que estaban con Santiago, comía con
los gentiles; pero en cuanto llegaron
ellos, empezó a retraerse y a apartarse
por miedo a los circuncisos. 13 También
los demás judíos le siguieron en el
disimulo, de manera que incluso arrastraron
a Bernabé al disimulo. 14 Pero, en
cuanto vi que no andaban rectamente
según la verdad del Evangelio, le dije a
Cefas delante de todos: «Si tú, que eres
judío, vives como un gentil y no como
un judío, ¿cómo es que les obligas a los
gentiles a judaizarse?» 15 Nosotros somos
judíos por nacimiento; no somos
pecadores procedentes de los gentiles.
16 Y sin embargo, como sabemos que el
hombre no es justificado por las obras
de la Ley, sino por medio de la fe en Jesucristo,
también nosotros hemos creído
en Cristo Jesús, para ser justificados
por la fe en Cristo y no por las obras de
la Ley, ya que por las obras de la Ley ningún
hombre será justificado.
17 Ahora bien, si al buscar ser justificados
en Cristo, nosotros somos también
considerados pecadores, ¿es que
Cristo es ministro del pecado? ¡De ninguna
manera! 18 Pues si lo que he destruido
lo vuelvo a edificar, me manifiesto
como transgresor. 19 Porque yo por
la Ley he muerto a la Ley, a fin de vivir
para Dios. Con Cristo estoy crucificado:
20 vivo, pero ya no vivo yo, sino que Cristo
vive en mí. Y la vida que vivo ahora
en la carne la vivo en la fe del Hijo de
Dios, que me amó y se entregó a sí mismo
por mí. 21 No anulo la gracia de Dios;
pues si la justicia viene por medio de la
Ley, entonces Cristo murió por nada.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
"Vivo por la fe en el Hijo de Dios, que me amó y se entregó a sí mismo por mí". (Gálatas 2:20) A veces vivo por fe en el mundo y no en Jesús. Jesús, muéstrame las formas en que necesito vivir por fe en ti.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).