Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Galatians 2:6

Somewhat

(τ). Something, not somebody. Paul refers to the Big Three (Cephas, James, and John). He seems a bit embarrassed in the reference. He means no disrespect, but he asserts his independence sharply in a tangled sentence with two parentheses (dashes in Westcott and Hort).Whatsoever they were

(οποιο ποτε ησαν). Literally, "What sort they once were."Hopoioi

is a qualitative word (1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 3:13; James 1:24). Lightfoot thinks that these three leaders were the ones who suggested the compromise about Titus. That is a possible, but not the natural, interpretation of this involved sentence. The use of δε (but) in verse Galatians 2:6 seems to make a contrast between the three leaders and the pleaders for compromise in verses Galatians 2:4.They, I say, imparted nothing to me

(εμο γαρ ουδεν προσανεθεντο). He starts over again after the two parentheses and drops the construction απο των δοκουντων and changes the construction (anacoluthon) to ο δοκουντες (nominative case), the men of reputation and influences whom he names in verses Galatians 2:8. See the same verb in Galatians 1:16. They added nothing in the conference to me. The compromisers tried to win them, but they finally came over to my view. Paul won his point, when he persuaded Peter, James, and John to agree with him and Barnabas in their contention for freedom for the Gentile Christians from the bondage of the Mosaic ceremonial law.

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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Galatians 2:6

Old Testament

New Testament