And when James, Seifus, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given

unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go unto the

heathen, and they unto the circumcision. Hey listeners, this is Nick from Scripture Central,

and today's podcast addresses the question,

How are faithfulness and grace connected to the right hand of fellowship?

When recounting to the new members of the church in Galatia, the recent events of a general

leadership conference of the church held in Jerusalem, Paul mentions that James, Seifus and John, who seemed to be pillars,

perceived that Paul, a former persecutor of the Church, had truly received grace from the Lord.

Because of this, they gave Paul and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship,

preparatory to their mission to preach to the Gentiles.

In addition to linking this concept with grace, Paul moves to discuss how he now lives

by the faith of the Son of God, closely linking his receipt of grace with his reciprocal

faithfulness. The symbol Paul used of the right hands of fellowship would have been

familiar to an ancient audience in the context of connecting grace and faith. This would be especially

true for Paul's Greco-Roman audience, who viewed faith, pistus in Greek, and Fides in Latin, in a high

regard, even worshipping a goddess by the same name.

Interestingly, Brent J. Schmidt has recently noted that the goddess Pistus and Fides

were both connected with the use of ritual right-hand clasps in Greco-Roman culture and religion.

According to Roman legend, Fides established Rome through reconciliation, peace and unity,

using balanced means, oaths, and institutions.

In contrast to the violent Romulus, Fides and Pistus became so honored that they were seen by some to equal Zeus in power and authority.

These Hellenistic covenantal communities utilized a right-hand clasp to represent these same means whereby Fides established Rome,

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