Peter was rebuked by Paul because he acted hypocritically by withdrawing from Gentile believers out of fear of criticism from Jewish Christians. His actions compromised the truth of the gospel by suggesting that Gentile believers were inferior or needed to adopt Jewish customs to be fully accepted.
The incident occurred in Antioch:
“Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed.”
(Galatians 2:11)
Peter had been freely eating with Gentile Christians, which was in line with the gospel of grace and the vision God gave him earlier in Acts 10. But when certain men came from James, Peter changed his behavior:
“For before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.”
(Galatians 2:12)
Peter’s fear led him to compromise. His actions caused confusion and division. Even Barnabas was influenced by his example:
“And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.”
(Galatians 2:13)
Paul recognized that this behavior contradicted the gospel:
“But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, ‘If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?’”
(Galatians 2:14)
Paul’s public rebuke was necessary because Peter’s public behavior was leading others astray. The gospel teaches that salvation and fellowship are by grace through faith, not by works of the Law or ethnic identity. By withdrawing, Peter gave the impression that Gentiles were second-class believers unless they lived like Jews.
This moment highlights that even apostles can err and must be corrected when their actions harm the body of Christ. It also demonstrates Paul’s courage to defend the purity of the gospel without partiality.
