CHAPTER II. _The apostle mentions his journey to Jerusalem with Barnabas and_ _Titus_, 1. _Shows that he went thither by revelation; and what he did while_ _there, and the persons with whom he had intercourse_, 2-8. _How the apostles gave him the right hand of fellowship_, 9, 10. _Here he oppo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Galatians 2:2. _I WENT UP BY REVELATION_] This either means, that he went up at that time by an _express revelation_ from God that it was his duty to do so, made either to the Church of Antioch to send these persons to Jerusalem, or to these persons to go according to the directions of that C... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Galatians 2:3. _BUT NEITHER TITUS, WHO WAS WITH ME_] The apostle proceeds to state that his account was so satisfactory to the apostles, that they not only did not require him to insist on the necessity of circumcision among the Gentiles, but did not even require him to have Titus, who was a _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Galatians 2:5. _TO WHOM WE GAVE PLACE BY SUBJECTION_] So fully satisfied was he with his Divine call, and that he had in preaching among the Gentiles acted in strict conformity to it, that he did not submit in the least to the opinion of those Judaizing teachers; and therefore he continued to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Galatians 2:6. _THOSE WHO SEEMED TO BE SOMEWHAT_] των δοκουντων ειναι τι. _Those who were of acknowledged reputation_; so the words should be understood, see Galatians 2:2. The verb δοκειν, _to seem_, is repeatedly used by the best Greek writers, not to call the sense in question, or to lesse... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 7. _BUT CONTRARIWISE_] They were so far from wishing me to alter my plan, or to introduce any thing _new_ in my doctrine to the Gentiles, that they saw plainly that my doctrine was the _same_ as their own, coming immediately from the same source; and therefore gave to me and to Barnabas the ri... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 8. _FOR HE THAT WROUGHT EFFECTUALLY_] Ὁ ενεργησας Πετρῳ, ενηργησε και εμοι· _He who wrought powerfully with Peter, wrought_ _powerfully also with me_. He gave us both those talents which were suited to our work, and equal success in our different departments.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. _JAMES, CEPHAS, AND JOHN, WHO SEEMED TO BE PILLARS_] Οἱ δοκουντες στυλοι ειναι· _Who were known to be very eminent_, and _acknowledged as chief men_ among the apostles. Luke 8:18, for the meaning of the verb δοκειν, and Galatians 2:6. Among the Jews, persons of great eminence and importan... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 10. _ONLY_ THEY WOULD _THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE POOR_] They saw plainly that God had as expressly called Barnabas and me to go to the _Gentiles_ as he had called them to preach to the _Jews_; and they did not attempt to give us any new injunctions, only wished us to remember the poor in Jud... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 11. _WHEN PETER WAS COME TO ANTIOCH_] There has been a controversy whether πετρος, _Peter_, here should not be read κηφας, _Kephas_; and whether this _Kephas_ was not a _different person_ from _Peter_ the _apostle_. This controversy has lasted more than 1500 years, and is not yet settled. Inst... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 12. _BEFORE THAT CERTAIN CAME FROM JAMES, HE DID EAT WITH_ _THE GENTILES_] Here was Peter's fault. He was convinced that God had pulled down the middle wall of partition that had so long separated the Jews and Gentiles, and he acted on this conviction, associating with the latter and eating wi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 13. _AND THE OTHER JEWS DISSEMBLED LIKEWISE_] That is: Those who were converted to Christianity from among the _Jews_, and who had also been convinced that the obligation of the Jewish ritual had ceased, seeing Peter act this part, and also _fearing_ _them that were of the circumcision_, they... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _THAT THEY WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY_] ουκ ορθοποδουσι. They did not walk with a _straight step_-they did not maintain a firm footing. _ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL_] According to that _true_ _doctrine_, which states that _Christ is the end of the law for_ _justification to every one t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _WE_ WHO ARE _JEWS BY NATURE_] We who belong to the Jewish _nation_-who have been _born, bred_, and _educated_ Jews. _AND NOT SINNERS OF THE GENTILES_] αμαρτωλοι. Not _without the_ _knowledge of God_, as they have been. αμαρτωλος often signifies a _heathen_, merely one who had no knowled... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _KNOWING THAT A MAN IS NOT JUSTIFIED_] See the notes on Romans 1:17; Romans 3:24; Romans 3:27; Romans 8:3. And see on Acts 13:38; Acts 13:39, in which places the subject of this verse is largely discussed. Neither the works of the Jewish law, nor of _any other_ law, could justify any man;... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _BUT IF WHILE WE SEEK TO BE JUSTIFIED_] If, while we acknowledge that we must be justified by faith in Christ, _we_ _ourselves are found sinners_, enjoining the necessity of observing the rites and ceremonies of the law, which never could and never can justify, and yet, by submitting to ci... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _FOR IF I BUILD AGAIN THE THINGS WHICH I DESTROYED_] If I act like a Jew, and enjoin the observance of the law on the Gentiles, which I have repeatedly asserted and proved to be _abolished_ by the death of Christ, then I _build up what I_ _destroyed_, and thus _make myself a transgressor_,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _FOR I THROUGH THE LAW AM DEAD TO THE LAW_] In consequence of properly considering the _nature_ and _requisitions_ of the law, _I am dead_ to all hope and expectation of help or salvation from _the law_, and have been obliged to take refuge in the Gospel of Christ. Or, probably the word νο... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST_] The death of Christ on the cross has showed me that there is no hope of salvation by the law; I am therefore as truly _dead_ to all expectation of justification by the law, as Christ was _dead_ when he gave up the ghost upon the cross. Through him alone _I liv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Galatians 2:21. _I DO NOT FRUSTRATE_] ουκ αθετω. I do not _contemn,_ _despise_, or _render useless, the grace of God_-the doctrine of Christ crucified; which I must do if I preach the necessity of observing the _law_. _FOR IF RIGHTEOUSNESS_] If _justification_ and salvation _come by_ an obser... [ Continue Reading ]