Galatians 2 - Introduction

He speaketh of having gone up to Jerusalem again, and for what purpose: that Titus was not circumcised: and that he resisted Peter, and told him the reason, why he and others, being Jews, do believe themselves in Christ to be justified by faith, and not by works: and that they live not in sin, who are so justified.

Anno Domini 49.

FROM the history which the Apostle gave of himself to the Galatians, in the preceding chapter, it appears, that, from the time of his conversion to his coming with Barnabas from Tarsus to Antioch, he had no opportunity of conversing with the apostles in a body; consequently, in that period he was not made an Apostle by them.—In like manner, by relating in this chapter what happened when he went up from Antioch to Jerusalem, fourteen years after his conversion, in company with Barnabas, and Titus, a converted Gentile, he proved to the Galatians that he was an apostle before he had that meeting with the apostles in a body, Galatians 2:1.—For at thattime, instead of receiving the gospel from the apostles, he communicated to them the gospel, or doctrine which he preached among the idolatrous Gentiles: not because he acknowledged them his superiors, or was in any doubt about the matter; but lest it might have been suspected that his doctrine was disclaimed by the apostles, which would have prevented his success among the Gentiles, Galatians 2:2.—And to shew that the apostles, to whom he communicated his gospel, approved of it, he told the Galatians that not even Titus, who was with him, though an idolater before his conversion, was compelled by the apostles to be circumcised, although it was insisted on by the false brethren, who endeavoured to bring the Gentiles under bondage to the law, Galatians 2:3.—And that he and Titus did not yield in the least to these false brethren, by obeying any part of the law as a condition of salvation, for so much as an hour, that the truth of the gospel might remain with the Galatians, and all the Gentiles, Galatians 2:5.—Next, to shew that the apostles of the greatest note were by no means superior to him, St. Paul affirmed, that from them he received nothing. For, however much they had been honoured by their Master, these apostles added nothing either to his knowledge or to his power, or to his authority as an apostle, Galatians 2:6.—But, on the contrary, perceiving that he was commissioned to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, as St. Peter had been to preach it to the Jews, Galatians 2:7.—because he who fitted St. Peter for preaching to the Jews, had fitted St. Paul for preaching to the Gentiles, by bestowing on him the gift of inspiration, and by enabling him, not only to work miracles in confirmation of his doctrine, but to communicate the spiritual gifts to his converts, Galatians 2:8.—they, knowing these things, instead of finding fault either with his doctrine or with his practice, James, Cephas, and John, who were the chief apostles in point of reputation, gave him the right hands of fellowship; thereby acknowledging him to be an apostle of equal authority with themselves, and equally commissioned by Christ to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, as they were to the Jews, Galatians 2:9.—The only thing which they desired of him was, to exhort the Gentiles to contribute for the relief of the poor, Galatians 2:10.

Moreover, to make the Galatians fully sensible of his authority as an apostle, and of his knowledge in the gospel, Paul told them, that when Peter came to Antioch, after the council, he opposed him openly, because he was to be blamed, Galatians 2:11.—For, before certain persons, zealous of the law, came to Antioch from James, Peter, who had been taught by a vision to call no person unclean, did eat with the converted idolatrous Gentiles: but when these zealous Jewish believers were come, he withdrew for fear of their displeasure, Galatians 2:12.—And others of the brethren in like manner dissembled; insomuch that even Barnabas was carried away with their dissimulation, Galatians 2:13. But this behaviour being contrary to the truth of the gospel, Paul publicly rebuked Peter for it, in the hearing of all the disciples at Antioch. And because, after giving him that reproof, he explained to the church the true doctrine of the gospel concerning the justification of sinners, he judged it proper to give the Galatians a short account of the things which he said on that occasion, Galatians 2:14.—And as it does not appear that Peter, when thus reproved of Paul, offered any thing in his own defence, we may believe that he knew the truth, and acknowledged publicly, that obedience to the law of Moses was not necessary to the salvation either of the Jews or of the Gentiles. Or, if he did not make this acknowledgment verbally, his silence on the occasion was equally expressive of the truth.

St. Peter's behaviour towards the Gentile converts in Antioch having proceeded, not from ignorance of the truth of the gospel, but from an unreasonable fear of the displeasure of the zealous Jewish believers, it serves toshew us, that one's knowledge is not always of itself sufficient to prevent one from falling into sin; as his denying his Master on a former occasion, shews that the resolutions made in our own strength will not avail us, whatever measures of grace we may have previously experienced; but that, in every case, the assistance of God is necessary to render one's knowledge of what is right, and his purpose to do it, effectual in practice: and that the person who has made the greatest proficiency in knowledge and holiness ought to be diffident of himself, and humble, agreeably to Solomon's maxim, Proverbs 28:14. Happy is the man that feareth alway.