PETER AND PAUL WRITING TO THE SAME PEOPLE? ~PETER WRITING FROM BABYLON?
Gal 2:7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
Gal 2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:)
Gal 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
This kind of objection is common, with the assumption being made that Peter and Paul must have wrote to the exact same people in the Galatian area. But it is evident from what Paul says in his epistle to the Galatians, and from what Peter says in 1 Peter, that this is not so. For as Peter states in 1 Peter 1:1, he wrote to “the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,” and the term “strangers scattered” is clearly not a reference to the members of God’s “new creature” the church the body of Christ, but to the members of the remnant of Israel, who began to be “scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen,” as described in Acts 8 and 11. The “strangers scattered” are the very same ones to whom James wrote his epistle, when he in James 1:1 says “to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.”
1Pe 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.
Paul, on the other hand, wrote to “the churches of Galatia” which came into existence as the result of God’s ministry through him as He “opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles” in the Galatian area. This God did as He advanced His new and unprophesied program of ‘visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name,’ having suspended His program with Israel upon the stoning of Stephen and turning to the Gentiles in accordance with bringing in His dispensation of grace for the Gentiles. The Galatian to whom Paul wrote are the members of God’s “new creature,” the church the body of Christ, just as Paul describes them to be in the epistle. In view of the specific methodology by which God advanced His program of ‘visiting the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name,’ and in view of the role that specific regions of Asia Minor, (including Galatia), will yet have in the final installment of God’s program with Israel, the Galatian area had both God’s “new creature” and “the Israel of God” in it, just as Paul mentions in Galatians 6:10–18.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Gal 6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own hand.
Gal 6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.
Gal 6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.
Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.
Hence it is only natural that both Peter and Paul wrote to saints in the Galatian area. But Peter in accordance with his specific apostleship and message wrote to “the Israel of God” that were the “strangers scattered” into that area, and what he wrote about clearly pertains to God’s program with Israel and to the members of the remnant of Israel as “the Israel of God” that they are. While Paul in accordance with his particular apostleship and message wrote to God’s “new creature” that were in that area, and what he writes about in Galatians clearly pertains to them, and to us, as the members of God’s “new creature,” the church the body of Christ that we are, and to God’s program with us today during this present dispensation of His grace to us Gentiles.
1Pe 5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.
1Pe 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
1Pe 5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
That Peter was in Babylon, (and from there wrote 1 Peter to the members of “the Israel of God” that were scattered into the Galatian area), seems evident from what he says in 1 Peter 5:12–14. But this is also a place to which it would be very natural for God to have Peter go, (and also it would be very natural for God to have a church of the remnant of Israel located there), seeing that it is one of the main prophesied places in which the remnant of Israel is both going to exist, and is going to have a special testimony to make, during the final installment of God’s program with Israel. Wherefore in accordance with the wisdom and genius that God was exercising during the years immediately following the suspending of Israel’s program and the bringing in of His unprophesied dispensation of Gentile grace. God had His believing remnant of Israel and their apostles locate themselves in the very same places that the remnant will be in when He resumes and fulfills His program with Israel following the conclusion of His present dispensation of grace. Hence for a time Peter was in Babylon, along with the portion of “the Israel of God” that was there at that time, and they were there in perfect accordance with the role that the remnant was having at that time, and also in perfect accordance with the role that the remnant will yet have in Babylon in the time ‘to come.’
Act 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Peter and the rest of the Israel’s apostles ‘stayed in Jerusalem,’ (as Acts 1:4 says), in accordance with the natural expectation that they had at that time that God’s program with Israel was going to continue on as per the prophetic schedule. However when God began to make it evident to them that His program with Israel was not continuing on as had been expected, (which He quickly began to show them, as Acts 8 records). He began to direct them to function in accordance with what He wanted them to do in preparation for the time ‘to come’ when He would conclude ‘visiting the Gentiles’ and would then resume and fulfill His program with Israel. Hence Peter and the others not only left Jerusalem at various times, but ones like Peter even left the land of Israel itself, (as when he went to Babylon), for purposes that had to do with God in His wisdom providing in advance for the time when He would resume and fulfill His program with Israel.
Keith Blades
Enjoy The Bible Ministries