Paul, Jerusalem And Antioch
The confidence crisis at Corinth would have been made worse by those who demanded Paul's credentials. Who vouched for him? What proof was there that he was an apostle? (See 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 and 13:3.) It would appear Paul was always in trouble and with no one to vouch for him he and his message would come under critical scruitiny. As the proverb says, there's no smoke without fire.
1. The church at Antioch was started by Cypriot Jews who preached not only to Jews but to Gentiles who were not proselytes. (Acts 11:19-21)
2. Jersualem heard of it and sends Barnabas to check it out. (Acts 11:22)
3. He went to Tarsus looking for Paul and they spend a year teaching at this Gentile/Jewish church. (Acts 11:23-26)
4. Antioch sent money by Paul and Barnabas for famine relief to Jerusalem. They delivered it and returned to Antioch with Barnabas' cousin Mark. (Acts 11:27-30; 12:25)
5. Teachers from Jerusalem came to Antioch saying that circumcision was essential to salvation and wanted to bind it on Gentiles. (Acts 15:1)
6. The Antioch church sent Paul and Barnabas (and Titus) to the 'Conference' at Jerusalem where the apostles agreed to send a letter to Gentile believers saying only that some Noachic laws be kept (but not requiring circumcision). Antioch believers are overjoyed. (Acts 15:1-35 and Gal 2:1-10)
7. Peter visited Antioch, was eating with Gentiles until Judean conservatives arrived and he withdrew from the uncircumcised Gentiles. Even Barnabas who had seen God at work among the Gentiles sided with Peter in the confrontation. (Galatians 2:11-21)
8. Later Paul and Barnabas split over Mark though there may have been more in it than Luke records. Barnabas went to Cyprus with Mark and Paul went elsewhere with Silas. (Acts 15:36-41)
9. After a prolonged missionary trip (which included establishing the church at Corinth), Paul returned to Antioch and from there he went through the areas of Galatia and Phyrgia (Acts 18:1-22).
10. It may well be that Paul's relationship with the Antioch church had become strained and that Antioch (with the great number of Gentile Christians) became a testing ground where Jewish national righteousness was jealously guarded. This might mean that Paul became a freelance apostle without, so to speak, a 'home base'. He had differed with Peter and even Barnabas his long time missionary partner and had trouble with Jewish believers and unbelievers. Could he be at peace with anyone?
11. It's clear that "they of the circumcision" are Jewish conservatives (see Galatians 2:12, compare Acts 11:2; 15:5) who would create trouble for anyone whose preaching seemed to threaten the peculiar calling of the Jews. It's clear that Paul's opponents at Corinth included Jews (see 2 Corinthians 11:22).
12. This tension between Paul/Jerusalem/Antioch might make many Corinthian Christians (Jews and Gentiles) think less of Paul because it makes them appear less grand as a church. They are "stuck with" a lesser preacher whose credentials are suspect in the eyes of important people and the Corinthians did have a struggle with pride, false glorying about spiritual attainment and status. This is a central issue in the first letter. And see 2 Corinthians 11:7;12:13 with 5:12. Besides, he refused to be salaried by Corinth and that could mean he was a maverick who wanted to maintain his full independence so that he could move on after making trouble.
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.
Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.