Paul vs. Peter

[Read: Galatians 2:11-21]

I think this passage is VERY interesting. I really wonder what it might have looked like. I mean, these guys weren’t exactly meek men...

“In this corner, all the way down from Jerusalem, we have “the ear hacker”, “the Rock”, the man who makes the gates of Hell shake, Simon Peter – apostle to the Jews. And his challenger, the wrestler formerly known as Saul, Paul – the apostle to the Gentiles. He’s been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, blinded, imprisoned, starved, and bitten by a viper…” (eh hem…Sorry!)

The point of this passage really has very little to do with the confrontation between Peter and Paul but I think that there is a lot to be gained by realizing that everyone is going to disagree with someone about something.

In fact, it wasn’t just Peter and Paul, Paul and Barnabas had a little falling out and parted ways. Paul got frustrated with John when John didn’t feel like continuing on the journey.

When you look, there is a lot of conflict in the Scripture; Great men disagreeing about seemingly small things. Here’s one thing to hold onto however, Paul and Peter disagreed sharply in this passage but then in Acts 15 they are able to work with each other again.

Paul and John had their disagreement on Cyprus (Acts 13) but then in Colossians 3:10 (written 10 years later) Paul is admonishing the colossians to welcome John and John appears to be one of Paul’s main guys again.

The point is conflict is unavoidable. We make stupid decisions and so do the people we know, but if we are truly seeking Christ, there will come a day, as far as it depends on us, that we will live at peace with one another.

Do what you can today!

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