The Right Hand of Fellowship
6 But from those who were reputed to be important—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God doesn’t show partiality to man—they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me, 7 but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised— 8 for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles— 9 and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, James and Cephas and John, those who were reputed to be pillars, gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor—which very thing I was also zealous to do.
The Jerusalem leaders are described with a studied indifference to rank, and what they gave Paul was recognition rather than authorization.
Paul's way of referring to the leaders is deliberately cool. Those who were reputed to be important — and then the aside, whatever they were, it makes no difference to me, with a reason attached that is not merely rude: God does not show partiality to man. He is applying a principle about God's impartiality to the question of ecclesiastical standing.
He repeats the formula for the pillars in verse 9 — reputed to be pillars — and names them James, Cephas and John.
What they contributed is stated flatly: they imparted nothing to me. Nothing was added to his message, which is the whole claim of chapters 1 and 2.
What they did instead was perceive the grace that was given to me. They recognized something already present rather than conferring something new, and the handshake that follows — the right hand of fellowship — is a gesture between equals, not an ordination.
The division agreed on is stated by audience rather than rank: Paul and Barnabas to the gentiles, the pillars to the circumcision. Verse 8 argues the symmetry from the same working God.
Then the one request, and it is the most human line in the chapter: they only asked us to remember the poor. Out of a summit about circumcision and gospel boundaries, the single obligation carried away concerns money for people who have none. Paul adds that he was already eager to do it.
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