“Versus?”
Is that the word you want, Brother Bagwell?
It means, taken directly from Latin, “against!”
As in “opposed” to someone!
Nearly “face-to-face” with them confrontationally!
But we should really let Paul tell his own story. “When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.” Galatians 2:11-13
Paul and Peter, in an argument?
Well, maybe better said … Paul rebuking Peter! (Not a single word of the “leading” Disciple is recorded here, not of Peter’s quick-witted vocabulary, even with his well-known propensity to talk!)
Notice the confrontation occurred in Antioch (a predominantly Gentile city, located in Syria) this time, not in Jerusalem (a predominantly Jewish city)! “When Peter was come to Antioch …”
Then look at the verb, strong as it is! “I (Paul) withstood him to the face …” Wow! The Greek verb is “anti” (meaning “against”) and “histemi” (meaning “to stand)! Paul actually “stood against” Peter on an issue, a theological/spiritual matter regarding our soul’s very salvation!
Matters of such fundamental importance (like how a sinner gets saved) are worthy of contention! Worthy of, in such vital areas, opposing, rebuking that wrong teaching!
Paul’s observation that Peter was “to be blamed” translates “kataginosko,” almost “Peter knew better!” Peter, Paul was sure, “deserved condemnation!”
But WHAT did Peter do?
Precisely, “For before that certain came from James, he (Peter) did eat with the Gentiles: but when they (the boys from Jerusalem) were come, he (Peter) withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision (those from Jerusalem again).
Peter was frightened away (by the delegation from “James,” from “Jerusalem,” from “headquarters”) from his core, heart-felt belief that the Gentiles were saved too, those who had trusted Jesus! And that the Gentile new converts to Jesus were on “equal footing” with the Jews, with God’s chosen people!
Earlier it seems Peter had even begun to eat with those Gentile brothers in Christ, again in Gentile infested Antioch! (Pork chops? Shrimp? Non-Kosher food? Probably, if not surely!)
But so what? The Jerusalem council had already determined that the Gentiles DID NOT have to become Jews, practicing the Law of Moses, in order to be saved!
But Peter caved in!
Chickened out!
He withdrew fellowship from the Gentiles and (apparently) now would only eat with these recently arrived Jews from Jerusalem!
And such “hypocrisy” (or maybe just “pride”) upset Paul!
Big time!
And this too … Peter’s influence wrongly led others into this “better-than-thou” attitude as well!
“And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.” The last verse in today’s Text, Galatians 2:13.
There are other saved Jews who had been in Antioch (also eating with the Gentile Believers there) before the “bosses” arrived from Jerusalem! The sent by James “inspectors!”
Even Paul’s best friend “Barnabas” was deceived!
Both the verb and the noun “dissemble/dissimulation” used here are translated from the Greek word for “hypocrisy!” Believing one way, acting another! Putting on a false front!
Paul detested such insincerity!
Politics in religion!
Folks … in this situation .. I am on Paul’s side, 100% for sure!
No one Christian is BETTER than another Christian … because of what he eats! Or whether he has had a certain type of surgery! (Circumcision, to be specific.) Or whether he is of a certain nationality!
God is no Respecter of persons!
Bravo, Paul!
Thank you for “so earnestly contending for the faith!”
— Dr. Mike Bagwell