Galatians versus Acts
In an effort to rescue Acts from itself and its contradictions of Galatians, apologists try to confound the confused by dazzling them with lofty sounding technical terms. One such term most favored by apologists is exegesis, a crafty device used for scriptural interpretations. In other words, this ploy allows them to read things into scriptures that will uphold their desired interpretation or agenda. It is through use of exegesis that they try to dismiss an obvious contradiction, where Paul says that after his conversion he went but twice to Jerusalem, while Acts is saying that he went three times.
Apologists, who rightly acknowledge that Galatians 1 & 2 and Acts 9 & 15 are concerned with the same matters, are trying to rescue Acts from itself by claiming Paul simply felt the visit mentioned in Acts 11 was not relevant to his argument. They claim it is for this reason that he did not mention it in Galatians. Others, who are embarrassed by contradictions between Galatians 2 and Acts 15, are trying to claim that Galatians 2 equals Acts 11, and Acts 15 occurred at a later date. If they are not questioning Paul's credibility of when he says he went to Jerusalem it is an absurd claim, for it has Paul being converted before the death of Jesus!
Acts 11:30 ends with Barnabas and Saul being sent to Jerusalem and Acts 12:1 begins with "Now about that time," thus these accounts are concerned with what occurred during the time that Barnabas and Saul were sent to Jerusalem. In Acts12:23 Herod Agrippa dies and shortly after that it is said that Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem. It is believed that Jesus was crucified around 30 AD and it is a matter of historical record that Herod Agrippa died in 44 AD. Therefore, there are 14 years between the death of Jesus and Herod Agrippa, 44 AD - 30 AD. Whereas in Galatians, Paul says he waited 3 years after returning from Arabia before going to Jerusalem and that he went again 14 years later. This is 17years. Therefore, to claim Galatians 2:1-10 is the visit of Acts 11:30 without saying the accounts in Galatians are wrong means Paul's conversion occurred before the death of Jesus.
To consider all the evidence concerning contradictions between Galatians and Acts go here:
http://members.cox.net/galatians/house1.html
17th February 2003, 00:29
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