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9 And [kai] when James, [Iakobos][kai] Cephas, [Kephas] and [kai] John, [Ioannes] who [ho] seemed [dokeo] to be [einai] pillars, [stulos] perceived [ginosko] the
grace [charis] that was given [didomi] unto me, [moi] they gave [didomi] to me [emoi] and [kai] Barnabas [Barnabas] the
right hands [dexios] of fellowship; [koinonia] that [hina] we [hemeis] should go unto [eis] the
heathen, [ethnos] and [de] they [autos] unto [eis] the circumcision. [peritome]
KJV-Interlinear
9 and
recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who
were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of
fellowship, that we might go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. NASB
And in this meeting, Acts 15, Paul met with James, Peter and John and after their discussion regarding the principle of circumcision as well as reviewing Pauls credentials, all three recognized Paul as an equal and recognized his authority as a legitimate and official messenger and authority from God.
Paul refers to the Apostles as pillars of the Christian faith. Christ is the foundation, and pillars are the supporting posts that stand upon the foundation. The framework of the Church is constructed around the pillars and so the components of the church are thus held together, first by Christ who is the source of truth and is the truth, and second by instruction in that truth.
Thus all four, and certainly there were more people, were pillars who supported the truth of Christianity.
Paul refers to Peter by the name of Cephas as well as Peter, throughout his various books in the New Testament. These were most likely used interchangeably much like we might call someone by either Bob or Robert, Jim or James, and such in our present day. Both names referring to the same person and not for any other purpose of doctrinal principle.
The James referred to here is most likely the same as is mentioned in Acts, and since his name is mentioned first among the three, he was likely a prominent person in the church in Jerusalem, though not one of the original apostles, but then too, there is nothing in the order of their reference that suggests anything extraordinary in their prominence or rank.
All three are mentioned as being pillars, or important persons especially in those early years of the Church. So importance did not necessarily require an apostleship, as there were many people who were prominent in that first century and certainly there would be many more who would follow in the centuries that would follow. All pillars, all instructors, all prominent after a fashion as God decides His need and their use.
