Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”
The saying “Praise in public, correct in private” emphasizes the value of publicly affirming others to build confidence and morale while addressing critiques or sensitive issues in private to preserve dignity and respect. That second part, especially, is very much in line with Jesus’ instructions about confronting someone as recorded in Matthew 18. We must do it privately until there is no hearing possible.
There are some situations when it is necessary to go public with an issue of concern. In this case it was Paul confronting Peter to his face (and apparently in public) about his duplicity in dealing with Gentile believers. The issue wasn’t just about duplicity. It was about the impact and influence that Peter had on others in his behavior. Peter’s actions led the rest of the Jews to act “hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.”
Even Barnabas: telling words. Barnabas was the one who introduced Saul to the other disciples shortly after his conversion. Barnabas was the son of encouragement who laid the proceeds from the sale of his property at the feet of the disciples. Barnabas was set aside with Saul for mission work from the church in Antioch. Now he was being led to believe that the Gentile believers would have to observe Old Testament laws in order to be in fellowship with the Christian Church.
So Paul gets loud and combative. “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” Don’t confuse them Peter! Don’t roll back God’s mission among the Gentiles because of your fears. This Gospel message is a message of freedom from an impossible task: obeying the Law in order to please God.
Paul is setting the stage for his major point of this letter: It was for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1). If there needs to be a public conflagration in order to protect the truth of the Gospel so be it. Two dangers need to be avoided in this case. One is to make too little of issues that truly undercut the Gospel message. The other is to make every issue a major issue, setting aside Jesus’ clear teaching to go first to your brother or sister before taking things public.
In every case the issue is how we are to win the erring brother and make the Gospel message clear. For God’s ultimate desire is that the Gospel is proclaimed and his lost people are found.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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