In the Greek the order is, -And when they perceived the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John &c." James (see note Galatians 1:19) is named first, because the reference is to a special act of the Church in Jerusalem, of which he was president or Bishop. "When St Paul is speaking of the missionaryoffice of the Church at large, St Peter holds the foremost place". Lightfoot. Compare Galatians 2:7 with Acts 12:17; Acts 15:13; Acts 21:18.

seemed to be pillars Better, -were in repute as pillars". The metaphor by which the Church is compared to a house or temple is frequent both in the O. T. and N. T. See 2 Corinthians 6:16, and Revelation 3:12, -I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of my God".

the right hands of fellowship as a pledge of fidelity to the same truth, with a view to the adoption of distinct spheres of missionary labour.

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