Antioch: table fellowship and the men from James (2:11–14)

Says “When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face” (Gal 2:11). “For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles” (2:12; τινας ἀπὸ Ἰακώβου; μετὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν συνήσθιεν); then “he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group” (τοὺς ἐκ περιτομῆς). Paul asked, “how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (2:14; Ἰουδαΐζειν). Peter had said, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with a foreigner or visit him” (Acts 10:28), and believers in Jerusalem had objected, “You visited uncircumcised men and ate with them” (Acts 11:3).

On the men from James, Burton says Paul “designates them as representing James, who was of the mediating party”. Lightfoot is more guarded: “Of these nothing more can safely be inferred than that they belonged to the Church of Jerusalem. It is not improbable however, that they came invested with some powers from James which they abused.” These are their readings; how Cephas’s conduct is to be judged is weighed in the exegetical notes.

Implies Because Cephas ate with the Gentiles until the men came and then withdrew “for fear” (2:12), the text presents his withdrawal as a change of conduct, which Paul opposed openly (2:11, 14).

Uncertain How the men “from James” stood to James, and what the shared meals at Antioch involved, are open; this background does not fix the meaning of the text.