Q: Why do you think that Paul's meeting with the other apostles in Galatians 2:1-10 was the same meeting as the one that took place in Jerusalem in Acts 15:4-29, rather than some other meeting?
A: First, by process of elimination, we can rule out all of the other meetings Paul had in Jerusalem that are recorded in the book of Acts. Second, we can confirm that Galatians 2:1-10 and Acts 15:4-29 are the same meeting examining the commonalities of Paul's account in Galatians 2 and Luke's account in Acts 15.
After Paul's conversion in Acts 9, four visits that Paul made to Jerusalem are recorded in the book of Acts. Besides the one in Acts 15 the other three were:
1. Acts 9:26 - Paul made this trip to Jerusalem just 3 years after his conversion as he records in Galatians 1:18-19. But the Galatians 2 trip was 14 years after his conversion according to Galatians 2:1. Also, Paul just met Barnabas in Jerusalem in Acts 9, whereas they traveled to Jerusalem together in Galatians 2. So Acts 9:26 and Galatians 2:1-10 are not the same trip to Jerusalem.
2. Acts 11:29-30 - As stated above, the Galatians 2 trip was 14 years after Paul's conversion. Hawever, the Acts 11 trip was also long before that. Paul made this trip to Jerusalem at the time of the death of Herod Agrippa I in 44 AD. Herod's death is recorded in Acts 12:20-23, and the return of Paul and Barnabas to Antioch is recorded in the next 2 verses. Subtracting 14 years from 44 AD takes us back to 30 AD, prior to Christ's crucifixion. But we know that Paul's conversion came well after Christ's crucifixion. Since Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians 11:32 that Aretas was king when Paul left Damascus, we know that Paul's conversion was around 37 AD. So Acts 11:29-30 and Galatians 2:1-10 are not the same trip to Jerusalem.
3. Acts 21:17 - Paul made this trip to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey. We know that this was not the trip recorded in Galatians 2 because Barnabas was not traveling with Paul in Acts 21. Barnabas went to Jerusalem with Paul in the Galatians 2:1. But Barnabas was not with Paul in Acts 21, since he and Paul had parted ways in Acts 15:38-41. Also, Paul was thrown in prison for two years at the end of the Acts 21 visit, but he was not thrown in prison at the end of the Galatians 2 visit. So Acts 21:17 and Galatians 2:1-10 are not the same trip to Jerusalem.
That leaves us with Acts 15. Below are several commonalities between the Acts 15 and Galatians 2 accounts that let us know that they are indeed the same meeting.
1. In each account, the Jews had a doctrinal dispute with what Paul was teaching. See Acts 15:1-2 and Galatians 2:4-5.
2. In each account, Barnabas went with Paul to Jerusalem. See Acts 15:2 and Galatians 2:1.
3. In each account, the discussion was over whether the Gentiles should be required to keep the law of Moses. See Acts 15:1 and 15:5 and Galatians 2:3-4.
4. In each account, grace has to be contended for. See Acts 15:7-12 and Galatians 2:5.
5. In each account, Peter and James are both present. See Acts 15:7 and 15:13 and Galatians 2:9.
6. In each account, they come to an agreement that the Gentiles are not to be required to keep the law of Moses. See Acts 15:10 15:19 and Galatians 2:6-9.
With all other known visits to Jerusalem ruled out, and with all of the commonalities that there are between Acts 15 and Galatians 2, it seems quite conclusive that Acts 15 and Galatians 2 record the same meeting in Jerusalem.
From:
http://www.matthewmcgee.org/qa2.html#Q26Posted By The Crusader
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