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"Those who seemed to be something..."

Text: Galatians 2:6a

THE HIGH STANDING OF THE LEADERS IN JERUSALEM

Paul was led by revelation to speak to the leading apostles and elders in the Church in Jerusalem. However he maintained an important stance.

But from those who seemed to be something –
whatever they were, it makes no difference to me;
God shows personal favouritism to no man –
for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.

Galatians 2:6

1. “But from those who seemed to be something”

a) This is a reference to the apostles and elders (Galatians 2:2; Acts 15:4).

i) Jerusalem was the capital.

ii) It was where the church began.

iii) Judea had a number of churches.

iv) The bulk of the apostles were in Jerusalem.

v) There were leading elders in the Church in Jerusalem.

b) They were well regarded.

i) They were being consulted by the Church in Antioch.

ii) Their opinions mattered to the Church in Antioch, Syria.

2. “It makes no difference to me”

a) Paul was not impressed in the least.

i) He did not allow himself to be impressed because of reputation.

ii) He did not despise them either.

iii) They were entitled to the reputation they had built up.

b) God shows no personal favouritism

i) They were not God’s favourites.

ii) God does not have favourites.

iii) They were not favourites simply because they were apostles and elders in Jerusalem.

3. “For those who seemed to be something added nothing to me”

a) They did not add to Paul’s knowledge of the Lord.

b) They added no value to his faith in Christ nor his ministry to the Gentiles.