by Kent Leslie ✉️
Some Christians like to interpet Paul’s bit here as being dismissive of the Jerusalem church leaders. There, they’re just reading their own bad attitudes into Paul. He’s not dissing them. He’s only saying the same thing Jesus did:
Matthew 23.1-12: Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: 2
“The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. 3Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach. 4They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. 5They do everything to be seen by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. 6They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, 7greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people. 8
“But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters. 9Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10You are not to be called instructors either, because you have one Instructor, the Messiah. 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
James and the Twelve are Paul’s equals. And they’re our equals. (I know; many Christians aren’t used to thinking of great saints, apostles, spiritual leaders, and so forth, as our equals. But they are.)
What Paul’s also saying is James, Peter, and John recognized Barnabas and Paul were uniquely apostles to gentiles—while they were apostles to Jews. Now, this was gonna change: Within the next 10 years, Jesus would send Peter to Rome, and send John to Ephesus, both to minister to gentiles. But at that time, Jesus wanted ’em ministering to Jews. The gentile mission was still brand new.