The second chapter is closely connected in sense with the first, and is indeed a part of the same argument. Injury has been done by the division which is made. The proper division would have been at the close of Galatians 2:10. The general scope of the chapter, like the first, is to show that he did... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN FOURTEEN YEARS AFTER - That is, 14 years after his first visit there subsequent to his conversion. Some commentators, however, suppose that the date of the fourteen years is to be reckoned from his conversion. But the more obvious construction is, to refer it to the time of his visit there, as... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WENT UP BY REVELATION - Not for the purpose of receiving instruction from the apostles there in regard to the nature of the Christian religion. It is to be remembered that the design for which Paul states this is, to show that he had not received the gospel from human beings. He is careful, th... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT NEITHER TITUS, WHO WAS WITH ME - Paul introduces this case of Titus undoubtedly to show that circumcision was not necessary for salvation. It was a case just in point. He had gone up to Jerusalem with the express reference to this question. Here was a man whom he had admitted to the Christian ch... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THAT BECAUSE OF FALSE BRETHREN - Who these false brethren were is not certainly known, nor is it known whether he refers to those who were at Jerusalem or to those who were at Antioch. It is probable that he refers to Judaizing Christians, or persons who claimed to be Christians and to have been... [ Continue Reading ]
TO WHOM WE GAVE PLACE BY SUBJECTION, NO, NOT FOR AN HOUR - We did not submit to this at all. We did not yield even for the shortest time. We did not waver in our opposition to their demands, or in the slightest degree become subject to their wishes. We steadily opposed their claims, in order that th... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT OF THOSE WHO SEEMED TO BE SOMEWHAT - See Galatians 2:2. This undoubtedly refers to those who were the most eminent among the apostles at Jerusalem. There is an apparent harshness in our common translation which is unnecessary. The word used here (δοκούντων dokountōn) denotes those who were tho... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GOSPEL OF THE UNCIRCUMCISION - The duty of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised part of the world; that is, to the Gentiles Paul had received this as his unique office when he was converted and called to the ministry (see Acts 9:15; Acts 22:21); and they now perceived that he had been speci... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE THAT WROUGHT EFFECTUALLY IN PETER ... - Or by the means or agency of Peter. The argument here is, that the same effects had been produced under the ministry of Paul among the Gentiles which had been under the preaching of Peter among the Jews. It is inferred, therefore, that God had called bo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN JAMES, CEPHAS, AND JOHN, WHO SEEMED TO BE PILLARS - That is, pillars or supports in the church. The word rendered “pillars” (στύλοι stuloi) means properly firm support; then persons of influence and authority, as in a church, or that support a church as a pillar or column does an edifice.... [ Continue Reading ]
ONLY THEY WOULD THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER THE POOR - That is, as I suppose, the poor Christians in Judea. It can hardly be supposed that it would be necessary to make this an express stipulation in regard to the converts from among the Gentiles, and it would not have been very pertinent to the case be... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN PETER WAS COME TO ANTIOCH - On the situation of Antioch, see the note at Acts 11:19. The design for which Paul introduces this statement here is evident. It is to show that he regarded himself as on a level with the chief apostles, and that he did not acknowledge his inferiority to any of t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR BEFORE THAT CERTAIN CAME - Some of the Jews who had been converted to Christianity. They evidently observed in the strictest manner the rites of the Jewish religion. CAME FROM JAMES - See the note at Galatians 1:19. Whether they were sent by James, or whether they came of their own accord, is un... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE OTHER JEWS - That is, those who had been converted to Christianity. It is probable that they were induced to do it by the example of Peter, as they would naturally regard him as a leader. DISSEMBLED LIKEWISE WITH HIM - Dissembled or concealed their true sentiments. That is, they attempted t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN I SAW THAT THEY WALKED NOT UPRIGHTLY - To walk, in the Scriptures, is usually expressive of conduct or deportment; and the idea here is, that their conduct in this case was not honest. ACCORDING TO THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL - According to the true spirit and design of the gospel. That requir... [ Continue Reading ]
WE WHO ARE JEWS BY NATURE - It has long been a question whether this and the following verses are to be regarded as a part of the address of Paul to Peter, or the words of Paul as a part of the Epistle to the Galatians. A great variety of opinion has prevailed in regard to this. Grotius says, “Here... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWING - We who are Jews by nature, or by birth. This cannot mean that all the Jews knew this, or that he who was a Jew knew it as a matter of course, for many Jews were ignorant of it, and many opposed it. But it means that the persons here referred to, those who had been born Jews, and who had be... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT IF, WHILE WE SEEK TO BE JUSTIFIED BY CHRIST - The connection here is not very clear, and the sense of the verse is somewhat obscure. Rosenmuller supposes that this is an objection of a Jew, supposing that where the Law of Moses is not observed there is no rule of life, and that therefore there m... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF I BUILD AGAIN THE THINGS WHICH I DESTROYED - Paul here uses the first person; but he evidently intends it as a general proposition, and means that if anyone does it he becomes a transgressor. The sense is, that if a man, having removed or destroyed that which was evil, again introduces it or... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I THROUGH THE LAW - On this passage the commentators are by no means agreed. It is agreed that in the phrase “am dead to the law,” the Law of Moses is referred to, and that the meaning is, that Paul had become dead to that as a ground or means of justification. He acted as though it were not; or... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST - In the previous verse, Paul had said that he was dead. In this verse he states what he meant by it, and shows that he did not wish to be understood as saying that he was inactive, or that he was literally insensible to the appeals made to him by other beings and objects.... [ Continue Reading ]
I DO NOT FRUSTRATE THE GRACE OF GOD - The word rendered “frustrate” (ἀθετῶ athetō) means properly to displace, abrogate, abolish; then to make void, to render null; Mark 7:9; Luke 7:30; 1 Corinthians 1:19. The phrase “the grace of God,” here refers to the favor of God manifested in the plan of sa... [ Continue Reading ]