The Relationship of Jewish and Gentile Believers to the Law Between A.D. 30 and 70 in the Scripture

208 The majority rule says that the narratio should "end where the issue to be determined begins ." It cannot be accidental that at the end of the narratio in Gal 2 : 14, when Paul formulates the dilemma which Cephas is in, this dilemma is identical with the issue the Galatians themselves have to decide: "why do you compel the Gentiles to Judaize?" 172 The focus of the problem then lay not with Peter's hypocritical behavior per se , but with the implications which it held for Gentiles. 173 That is, the problem was that Peter ' s behavior forced Gentiles "to live like Jews . " To interpret Paul's phrase as "to live like legalists " understanding "legalists" as those who sought to merit God's favor by adherence to ritual is to force far too much from the term "'Iou8aH~w . " First , the term simply means " to live as a Jew , according to Jewish customs. " 174 Second , the story defines the problem and the term as a simple conflict of Jewish and Gentile identity. Peter originally enjoyed table fellowship with Gentiles implying that they were equals and then afterwards excluded himself from them implying that they would only be equals if they became Jewish through circumcision (2: 12). Peter did nb t force his fellow Gentile believers to become "merit-oriented legalists " but he did force them to become Jews , and thus denied the truth of Paul ' s gospel that Messiah should be preached among Gentiles (not proselytes!) who are fellow heirs (equals) with Jews. 175 172 Betz, Galatians, 62. 173 Even grammatically as Paul states the problem hi s concern is not so much with Peter's behavior itself as with how it affects others. Peter's behavior is merely the premi e for the question, "E{ au'lou8a10<; unapxwv E0v1Kwc; Kai ouxi'Iou8a"(Kwc; sue;, nwc; TO £0 l7 avayKcisnc;, Iouoai sE IV . " 174 BAG, s.v."'Iouoa-U;w ," and W. Gutbrod, "'Iou8a•isw ," TDNT, 3:380- 2. 175 ar too much is al o made of the phra e with which Paul d ribe Pet r a "li ing Ii e a Gentil " (unapxwv l0v1 we;). antler ha forcefully argu d that gi en th nt t, Paul i referring to Peter' correct behavior of fellow hipping ith Gentile at th tabl . Thi do not imply that Peter ate pork but rath r th t he a pt d qu 1 . Thi i tru oth to th ont t nd to th cu tom of th tim . Th t t t t th t it th i u ithdr t ko h r hi h in lud .d n 's di t . nd r "J ,