Galatians 2:12
2:12 a That Peter ate with the Gentile believers was consistent with what God had shown him (Acts 10:9-16 b, 34-35 c).• The friends of James wanted to reassert Jewish scruples and prevent the free communion between Gentiles and Jews from continuing.
• Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore: When Peter refused to share regular meals and the Lord’s Supper (cp. 1 Cor 11:20-22 d, 33-34 e) with fellow Christians, he divided the Jewish and Gentile Christians and implied that the Jews’ observances made them more acceptable to God. Peter’s example, if uncorrected, would have undermined the Good News of salvation by grace through faith.
• He was afraid: The friends of James intimidated Peter, who had previously withstood the same sort of criticism with power and eloquence (Acts 11:2-18 f). Peter might have been trying to avoid creating a barrier for the evangelism of Jews, or he might have been concerned for the safety and well-being of the Jewish Christians in Judea, who experienced persecution from non-Christian Jews (cp. 5:11 g; 6:12 h). In any case, his actions were inexcusable.
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