PAUL REBUKED PETER

GALATIANS 2:12 – For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they arrived, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who belonged to the circumcision group.

This account contains mysteries that Christians often overlook. If we ask a few pertinent questions, we can understand the matter more clearly.
– When the Bible uses the word “fear” in this passage, does it imply that Peter was a coward? Who drew his sword to defend Jesus against the crowd of soldiers sent by the chief priests in the Garden of Gethsemane? Who dared to ask Jesus for permission to walk on the water to come to Him? Who stood up to preach the first sermon after the Holy Spirit’s visitation? Could a man like Peter easily be intimidated by others?
– For what reason, then, did Peter fear the men sent by James? Was he afraid of them, or of James? Who was this James? What kind of status and influence did he hold within the Christian community at that time?
– Paul did not rebuke Peter for eating with Gentiles; why, then, did he rebuke him when Peter no longer dared to do so? Had Peter and Paul previously eaten together with Gentiles (Acts 10:48)? Had he ever eaten with uncircumcised people (Acts 10:45)? If so, why was Peter afraid at that time?
– What did Peter eat when dining with Gentiles? What was his view regarding the meat of unclean animals? If the Lord had permitted him to eat such meat in the vision (Acts 10:11–15), did Peter need to fear that those sent to him would report this to James? Between the Lord’s word and James, whom did Peter fear more? Could Peter have feared James more than he respected the Lord’s permission?
– How did Peter eat while at Cornelius’s house? Did the earlier vision of unclean animals have only spiritual significance, or did it also have physical meaning?
– What was Paul’s view on the matter of eating (Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 10:27)? What, then, did unbelievers eat? Was Paul addressing the issue of food offered to idols, or the types of food unbelievers commonly consumed?
– Would Paul have approved of Peter sitting with Gentiles to eat food offered to idols or meat from animals that had died suddenly by diseases or by wild beasts? Did Gentiles consume food offered to idols at their gods’ temples or in private homes (1 Corinthians 8:10–11)? What were they eating in their private homes—something Paul found acceptable—that made Peter afraid when the men from James arrived?
– So, what is the “truth” that Paul refers to in this account?

If we, as Christians, attempt to answer these questions guided by the Word of God, we will uncover the mystery behind this story and understand why Peter was so afraid that he acted like a hypocrite (Galatians 2:11–14).