Galatians calls these ones "superfine apostles" and in 6:12 defines these one as those wanting to compel all to get circumcised "to avoid being persecuted for the torture stake of the Christ."
That does not sound like the Twelve at all!
Actually it does! Besides the "avoiding persecution" comment that Paul slips in their. As you can probably tell, I don't give Paul's opinions on such matters very much stock.
Remember, Paul defines exactly who this "circumcision party" was in Gal 2:
For prior to the coming of
certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the
party of the circumcision. Gal 2:12
Yes, Paul is ranting against James' followers. Yes James the brother of Yeshua and the leader of the Jerusalem congregation!
Once again. Acts 15 was not a slam on circumcision.
19Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and
from fornication, and
from things strangled, and
from blood.
21For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day. Acts 15:19-21
James was introducing a stop gap measure for new gentile converts. He lists the four main commandments which gets a person expelled from the land so that they could be included. He follows this up with a declaration that Moses will be taught on each Sabbath. Obviously implying that the rest of the Torah will come with time…including circumcision. Which is why we find James' disciples circumcising gentiles. It is necessary for any Gentile who wants to keep the Passover and be a full fledged Israelite. It will even be necessary in the coming millennial kingdom:
'Thus says the Lord GOD, "No foreigner (Gentile)
uncircumcised in heart and
uncircumcised in flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the sons of Israel,
shall enter My sanctuary. Eze 44:9